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388YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements

2026-11-02T17:06:57Z

Responsible1: /* Judgement 156 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 388YE Autumn]]
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==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{|
|+ align="top"| <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Change of Doctrine|Change of Doctrine]] || 1
|-
|[[#Veto|Veto]] || 1
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| 79
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 13
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 1
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || 16
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || 19
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 2
|-
|[[#Exaltation|Exaltation]] || 3
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 21
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 13
|-
|}
</div>
__TOC__
During the Autumn Equinox 388YE, the Synod raised 169 judgements.
==Change of Doctrine==
===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Skywise Rykana
* '''Judgement:''' Orcs are no longer new to The Way, no longer the children of Virtue we were when the Bonewall first enshrined our beliefs in Doctrine. More now look to the Empire and see the chance for a future, and in turn our understanding of our spiritual destiny has expanded. We build now on all that has come before to replace the Doctrine of the Howling Abyss with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge so that we might welcome more into The Way.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2733-54)
* '''Notes:''' This judgement removes the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_the_Howling_Abyss|Doctrine of the Howling Abyss]] and replaces it with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge. The full implications of this change to [[the Doctrines of the Faith]] will be felt over the coming months.
<big>'''The Doctrine of the Final Challenge'''</big>
<div class="ic"><div class="ic-inner" style="display: block;">
<big>''After death, an orc can become an Ancestor by overcoming the mighty spiritual challenge that we understand as the Howling Abyss, though it takes many forms. This challenge may only be attempted once. Those who fail are lost, but those who succeed become Ancestors who can guide living orcs.''</big></div></div>

==Veto==
===Judgement 158===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' I call for a Veto of the Senate motion to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in the Barrens to the Karass. The Karass are not our friends, they were once in favour with the Druj and to allow them to reside in their lands without oversight lacks Vigilance - to cede it now is to leave us a problem later we could avoid.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (0-112)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Cede_Last_Battle_Wayhouse|motion]] to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in [[the Barrens]].

==Statement of Principle==
===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ames the Amiable of the Pilgrims Guard
* '''Judgement:''' Arlais, Daughter of Mari, plans to build five sinecures at Virtues Rest: four Benefactors, one for each army, and one attached to the Strategos of Highguard. Together producing 48 mana and 16 Orichalcum each season. We seek no materials; those are needed for the Grand Inspiration of the Way. We ask instead for something Highguard possesses in abundance: experience. Our nation holds generations of military knowledge, from soldiers and commanders to chaplains, apothecaries, engineers, quartermasters, and all who sustain an army beyond the battlefield. Arlais intends to break ground in Winter. Help shape the Benefactors Court at Virtues Rest. Tell us what our armies need, where lasting support matters most, and what ingenuity, experience and Virtue might achieve.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (594-0)

===Judgement 9===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Aldwyn the Glorious
* '''Judgement:''' In order to enter this into imperial record during an inquisition conducted by Jedidiah Boon, Summer 388YE, Lofyn Bloodcloak recounted the miracle that happened when she first put on the Bloodcloak following its recovery from a century of Thule possession. Lofyn Bloodcloak felt the weight of the cloak shift, a small hole had appeared within the lining and within was found the necklace she now wears around which was wrapped the schema which allowed Lofyn to enter the Bloodcloak into Imperial Lore.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (244-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 247

===Judgement 11===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Haleth Sigeling
* '''Judgement:''' The assembly of vigilance condemns the actions of the agents of the Whisper Gallery in Tsirku. Our eyes turn north to the Grave of the Giants, to watch for signs of similar acts by agents of any Eternals acting against the Citizens of the Empire
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 12===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vidarr Runebound
* '''Judgement:''' Nora Falcon's Light, Grimnir and Thane of House Geris has been tireless in her legacy and dedication to the nation of Wintermark. Her efforts supporting our national celebrations have helped bring the nation a great sense of pride, our hearthfire continues to be a beacon in the darkness thanks to Nora's efforts, and she has long fought to bolster ambitions of other Winterfolk, to the betterment of our nation. Nora's work is quiet work that may oft go unsung, but is no less heroic to explore the skein and help guide the skein of others is the Kallavesi way. As such, we the Wintermark Assembly are proud to enter into the '''Chronicle of Heroes: Nora Falcon's Light.'''
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Notes:''' Nora Falcon's Light has been added to the [[Heroism#Chronicle of Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]]

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Veikko Bondforger
* '''Judgement:''' In my power as Keeper of Oaths, I commit the following from Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds, the Fire of the Marches, to the Forge of Bonds: '''Oath from Amberlain to Bregasland''' People of Bregasland! Queen Fisher and her Jotun masters have fled before our soldiers' might, with and Courage. But there will always be would-be conquerors, Jarls and threats to our land, mark me. The Empire's memory may be short, but Marcher grudges and memories are long - the Reeds will not forget, and WE will never abandon Bregasland again. This I swear before the Fens and Marsh. May this oath of Loyalty be the legacy of the Strong Reeds. Bregasland stands! This is adapted from the Strong Reeds army orders from Summer 385YE
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (320 - 0)
* '''Notes:''' The oath of '''Amberlain P. Black''' has been added to the [[Keeper_of_Oaths#Forge_of_Bonds|Forge of Bonds]]

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Mael of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Behold: Virtue! As the Marshall of the Faith, I bid ye witness that the following were multiply commended by diverse Field Marshalls and Commanders during the battles at the last summit: Lady Nymeria Mortere, Nicassia of Phoenix Reach, Red Bramble, Artis the Unyielding, Hastur Broken Bough, and the Blades of Adelmar. The Marshal wishes to congratulate long-standing General Dame Aurum de Castellan of the Eastern Sky, The Star of Semmerholm on their retirement. A full list of commendations can be found on the citizen's notices.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' '''Mael of the Shattered Tower''' is the incumbent [[Marshal of the Faith]]

===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Dr Lysimachus of the Dauntless Light
* '''Judgement:''' I see my siblings asking if our years of pilgrimage was meaningless, if it was a waste, a mistake, to which I have one thing to say to that. Bugger that for a game of soldiers. We’re Highborn, one of our tenants is only the actions tha’ undertakes demonstrate tha’s worth. And our Actions in t’Pilgrimage have certainly demonstrated. Look at the Pilgrims Defiance in Therunin and tell me what we did was not Virtuous, not Meaningful, Not. Worth. It. I am Proud of what I did as a Grey Pilgrim, I am Proud of what I Will Do as a Grey Pilgrim, However. I. Do it. I may need to be a Priest to be part of the Synod, but I don’t need to be part of the Synod to be a Priest. Wherever my Virtue guides me, it’ll be with my Head Held High as a Grey Pilgrim. Virtues Light Guide Thee my Siblings, may you walk in Virtue too.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (378-10)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 27===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Isaia Pavone di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' The guidance of the seven virtues teach us to despise that which is antithetical to what these virtues stand for. These teachings have come from our long history of virtue and our learning of the Way. However, the Way is a living thing and we should reconsider the wording of these teachings. By calling us to despise these antithetical things we are calling ourselves to inaction and to hatred. I look to Wisdom, to know that the words we speak carry meaning. You can be passive in the act of despising, instead we should stand actively in opposing these antithetical forces. I call to change our teachings, to carry forward with the understanding we actively oppose instead of passively despise. If Virtue is action then let us say so.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1078-424) margin of 654

===Judgement 40===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine
* '''Judgement:''' Harken and Listen, ye Knights, Nobles and Citizens of our Glorious Dawn, and recognise your Dawnish Champions of Virtue, and Love & Glory: Prosperity - Berith of House du Maurisol; Ambition - Lord Tobias d Gauvain; Glory - Lord Reynard Griffinsong; Love - Gui of House Vexille; The Way - Lord Edward Novarion; Courage - Lady Melisande de Reynard; Vigilance - Brilliance Alys de Reynard; Pride - Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine; Wisdom - Reynard of House du Gauvain; and Loyalty - Lord Logan Cordraco. "Seek their stories, learn from their example, charge ever forward to Virtue."
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (370-36)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 376

===Judgement 41===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Æthelric
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Mikael Reskovich
* '''Judgement:''' War dawns upon the horizon for our beloved nation. While the Thule command our regions, national assembly must arm ourselves in virtue. We must take more measures to prepare our nation for the inevitable. Thwart malice before it strikes first
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (228-20)

===Judgement 47===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Kasjay
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Asthore Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' "What is grief?" asks the Spiral Dancer. "Let us tell you," say Navarr. Grief is a fraying braid, coming undone, unwoven. Grief is an empty corpseglade, with all that laid there returned to the earth. Grief is a song around the fire, a little quieter than before - a voice missing, now. Grief is one less set of footprints beside you on the trods. One less plate at the table. One less shield at your side. One less dancer. Grief is the warmth you carry in your heart even when the one who stoked that flame is gone. Grief is Loyalty, and love, and oaths enduring, in this life and the next, in each step through the Great Dance.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (193-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 201

===Judgement 54===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Isario i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' Courage is not the absence of Fear and Terror, it is the conquering of them. A new enemies' gaze is drawn over the Empire; Ungholt, the Delerium King. His weapons are Fear, Madness and Terror. There is no Wisdom or Revelation to be found in The Scarecrow's gifts or talents. It seeks to break the mind, shatter the virtue and render morality dust, until all is nought but terror, ruin and madness. There can be no coexistence, no collaboration and no capitulation with such power. You can succumb, or you can break the shackles of Terror itself through Courage. The Courage Assembly declare The Scarecrow our enemy. We will render any and all assistance to Conclave and all who hold the line against it's Horror.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-0)

===Judgement 55===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Abelard
* '''Judgement:''' We take Pride in our sporting culture, and will share it with the world! This year we introduced The League to the joys of Foot-the-Ball: they now plan to build their own stadiums. We should show Ambition and go even further. The Empire has made great diplomatic inroads this year with the reclusive people of Tsark. We enjoy friendly, if distant, relations with this civilisation, who wish to learn more of the Virtues. One of the few things we know about the Tsarkish is that they are a sport-loving people who enjoy full-contact games. LET US TEACH THEM FOOT-THE-BALL. Our priests, diplomats and foot-the-ball players should do all we can to arrange a friendly and virtuous foot-the-ball match with them, at a mutually convenient location, as soft diplomacy with Tsark.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Franquesa Sorrateiro di Tassato Mestra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Solas
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Amaro d’Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Pride tells us to embrace our past and never be ashamed of it. Our forebears have committed many resources to hiding events in our history that they deemed shameful. In doing so, they have disarmed our empire by concealing the mistakes of our past, and doomed us to repeat them. In doing so, they have withheld from us figures and events that we should be proud of, and could now be using to inspire ourselves. In doing so, they have unvirtuously chosen which parts of our empire we can be proud of, and forbidden us to be proud of the parts that they decreed unworthy. We urge all virtuous citizens to seek out the parts of this empire's history that have been hidden out of shame or deception, and bring them to light. This is our highest calling.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (318-0)
* '''Notes:''' Further information on highest callings can be found in the '''[[The highest calling]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Maximillian Ankarien
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Leyna Sunshaper
* '''Judgement:''' As a part of our highest calling, we call upon the wise to appraise those who would teach us more about the cultivation of Black Lotus and how to convince them to help us. We do so with the guidance of our living orc Exemplar Skywise Rykana.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' The Wisdom Assembly can call on the wise to suggest wording for an [[appraisal]] in response to their [[To_seek_enlightenment#Finding_the_Right_Question|highest calling]]

===Judgement 67===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Freeborn thank the fleets of our Varushkan cousins for their help protecting our coasts and hearths. Let our Courageous captains defend what military units cannot, combined into a sea of mighty fleets. United, we can defy the Grendel and any others who would threaten the Prosperity of the Bay, as we look north to wars yet to end and yet to come.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (134-0)

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 75===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Val
* '''Judgement:''' The Highest Calling of the Freeborn is to defend our lands. We have been beset by enemies, we have been forced to give up our lands at the point of the sword and the point of the pen. We reclaim what is ours and oppose the tyrants who would take it from us. The Hakima of Anvil have conferred and advised, it is clear that the Kohan embody the ideals of Hayaak, the Prince-in-Exile. He well knows the cost of walking away from one's past and embodying the path of the warrior. The Kohan are perhaps the greatest in the world at this. We ask that the Hakima of the Coast approach the Hawk Lord and his warriors-without-masters, to seek their aid in holding back the tyrants at our borders. We Will Not Kneel.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (124-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Freeborn Assembly can call on citizens of the Brass Coast to seek out aid in defence of the nation as part of their [[Stand_proud,_you%27re_strong#Eternal_Allies|highest calling]].

===Judgement 77===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés
* '''Judgement:''' In summer 385YE the Shrine of Hope was consecrated with a dose of True Liao to Ambition. The sacrifice of the Hounds of Glory to reclaim The Barrens was the ultimate price of Ambition, where no price is too high to achieve your dreams. We recognise the final path of the Hounds of Glory as a Pilgrimage route ending at the Shrine of Hope, and those that witnessed the True Consecration as having forged the path forward as the first Pilgrims. Where they have sown fear, we will make flowers grow.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (396-0)

===Judgement 78===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Rinnah of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Nathair Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' While it is commonly thought Pride is the virtue of the arts. Wisdom too is deeply entwined with the performer's craft. It is woven into every tale of danger or provoked thought, and held in lyric around the fire to share our history to friend, kin and stranger alike. If found lacking, these tales are reforged in Wisdom and spread anew. Lessons taught to us as children endure, and are retold for future generations. Recalled in a moment by the simplest melody. Where Navarr goes, music follows. As autumn gales carry the Empire's blood along the trods toward winter, we encourage all to listen and share performance with the passing Stridings and Grey Pilgrims. That together, across the Empire, we might better learn the wisdom in the song and the lesson in the story.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1301-48) margin of 1253

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Lorenzo von Apulian
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Kellin Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' The Empire is dealing with a crisis of Loyalty. Our National Assemblies stand at odds with the rest of their nations. We see repeated talk of insurrection, secession, rebellion. As Anvil grows, we grow apart. Who is better positioned to deal with this than the Loyalty Assembly? And yet, our Highest Calling draws our gaze outward and invites even more dissent. We must do better.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (316-102)

===Judgement 88===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Laurencio Lemmini di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Civil service records identify twenty-three locations of spiritual importance in the Empire. These inspirational locations - memorials and sacred sites - are spread across nineteen Imperial territories. Five of these locations are in Sarvos - over one-fifth of the total - representing four of the Seven Virtues. The League celebrates Sarvos with Pride as one of the most spiritually inspiring locations in the Empire. In true League fashion, we welcome the competition from the Grand Inspiration of the Way when it is complete.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (294-12)

===Judgement 89===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Eli of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' Highborn, remember in this moment your Certainty. We know the threat the Vallorn presents. It cannot be converted, it destroys all faith it touches, for it and the lands it consumes cannot have faith. In its wake it leaves malignant corruption, the likes of the Heirs of Terunael and Agramant brought about from its assaults. The cost of the Vallorn's persistence will continue to threaten the spiritual sanctity of our siblings. Remember this, should your convictions be tested in these times.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (450-0)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 90===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tabris of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Pilgrims, remember the miracles performed at the Three Watchers as you marched to Therunin. If you need reinforce your Certainty, remember the anointings many of you still bear without any explanation. Know that Things Matter.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (358-0)

===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Yrkja Riansson Sigeing
* '''Judgement:''' This summit, Senate commissions the Hall of the Soturi, to be the hosting-place for the army to be raised in Kallavesa. We the Wintermark Assembly celebrate the inspirational Courage of the Soturi and condemn the false rumours that the army will be trained in cruel tactics. The army will bear the quality the Military Council calls Fearless. A fearless army is willing to give whatever must be given to win the day, and when there is no more to give, to die as heroes in the Empire's defence.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (276-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Hall of the Soturi was first presented as part of a [[Flight_of_birds#No_Half_Measures|response]] from the Mystics of Ishal. The [[Construct_Hall_of_the_Soturi|motion]] to build the Hall of the Soturi was raised by '''Rane Shardbearer''', [[Kallavesa|Senator for Kallavesa]]

===Judgement 92===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Luke
* '''Judgement:''' The best stories are worth waiting for. Around a Winter fire, ask; have you heard of William Guildernstern? Folk Hero to us all! While fighting ogres in but his braes might entertain, the battlefields of Bregasland give his best tale. With Jotun boots on Marcher soil, the Battle for Matilda Fisher’s banner raging, General Black called for aid; who will defeat Jarl Olgafdottir's brother, the fearless Summerborn Champion, Sigrun? Guildernstern stepped up, Goldbrand in his hands. Not knowing the danger he faced, our Hero asked “Are you happy I claim your brother’s weapon as my prize?” Sigrun laughed as antlers sprouted from his head, proclaiming “You can try!”. Billblocks parted for their single combat, as Guildernstern wiped that laugh away; he pierced Sigrun's chest and forced him down. Ever the gallant soldier, Guildernstern offered his hand and healed the bested Champion to continue their fight. Without heroic blows, again Guildernstern cut Sigrun down; cutting him across his breast, he slew him in the mud and marsh. Knowing he would fall on Marcher soil, our Hero took his enemy’s hand; he would not let anyone die alone on sacred land. But such grand a feat is in the past. Just like Old Jonah, Guildernstern is there when needed. Not to vanquish the beast for you, but to tell you how to do it. A nod to a General, a word of advice to a Senator, a bestiary bound in sturdy pages, a legendary weapon lent. Where do Proud Marchers go for counsel? Why, William Guildernstern of course.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (156-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of William Guildenstern and what it means for him to be recognised as a folk hero was [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Holding_Out_For_a_Hero|raised]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 388YE

===Judgement 93===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Catena
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Hazelelponi
* '''Judgement:''' What you have is shared with the community. Find outcomes that are better than any one individual can achieve by themselves. These are part of the Great Forest Orcs paths. These people are not unknown to us, we have helped their healing before, so we as Highborn will show our commitment by supporting our friends Navarr and their oath-sworn siblings in Peerless Kinship. All those who wish to be settled in Reikos will be assisted and welcomed by our Chapters. The Great Forest Orcs and their wards will find support here.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (548-10)

===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Dag Kinnad
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 98===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vauraus
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Estella Lucati
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 100===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Gwendoloena de Ordraig
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly asks the Civil Service to restart the work of the Barrens Roads appraisal and for the appraisal to include roads to both the Rahvin in the Bitter Strand and the Great Forest Orcs in the Heart of Peytaht but not the Karass in the Bleaks.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (266-80)
*'''Notes:''' This judgement follows on from [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_45|one]] raised last season to ask the civil service to pause work on the roads in [[the Barrens]].

===Judgement 101===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Ralph Godwin
* '''Judgement:''' This Assembly thanks the Sumaah Republic for the Wisdom of their information and the Prosperity in sharing it. Recognising a Paragon is necessarily a solemn and difficult task that requires research and virtuous consensus. The Empire recognises Zemress as an Exemplar and Sumaah has provided further research. Taken together, the Empire and Sumaah Republic recognise 7 of 8 signs of Paragonhood. Within the next year, we will raise a judgement to the General Assembly to resolve her status.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (251-0)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tuuli
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 104===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' João i Cabral i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 106===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Bravi
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 109===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Demetrius of Reikos
* '''Judgement:''' Was it not in recent memory that Llofir held a region of Reikos as its own. This Rotlord, Lady of Spores, Despoiler of Grain tormented citizens of the Empire. It held the Sign of Tamar and with that it claimed Tamarbode! My home, my siblings' home! It caused ruin to chapterhouses, slew Urizen Sentinels and abducted Imperial citizens! As an apology to reclaiming Imperial territory it sought to repay us with famine! Only then after our farms ravaged, grain spoiled, then it would have forgiven us for our so-called transgression! Do we forget what this Eternal has done to us? As someone’s homeland that was ravaged by the Druj, I seek their end but we cannot trust this Eternal after what they have already inflicted upon us. We cannot accept its help. We must remain vigilant of their capability and threat to us.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-10)

===Judgement 113===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Miroslav Dainovitch Temnavoda
* '''Judgement:''' Grief is loss. Grief is love. Grief is pain. It is the knowledge that something beloved is gone forever. It is the realisation that a dream will never come to pass. It is the ache in your heart that time can lessen but never remove. It is the end of possibilities you never knew existed.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (174-0)

===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eldrid 'Phoenix Flame' Vestardottir
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 117===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Tulva
* '''Judgement:''' This season, the Synod looks to change doctrine. This alteration does not ask us to change our beliefs, and our nation is not abandoning our understanding of one life. Reject the complacency of reincarnation. To lose the drive to act and sit in the belief that you will get another chance to cross the Abyss is to risk your soul slipping into oblivion through sheer inaction. The notion that not lifting a blade will guarantee reincarnation is a folly. Seek out the Illarawm if you have cause to doubt, for we can gift you the voices of those ancestors who crossed as gardeners, guides, traders and more. One life is not a curse, but a gift. We see how precious every moment is, and make the most of each day. We do not need to rely on the whisper of a past life to become an ancestor. We are worthy as we are, as long as we continue to strive to build ourselves and our fellows up. Reject reincarnation. We have never needed it.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 120===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Damian of Nakir's Haven
* '''Judgement:''' We, the national assembly of Highguard, choose to entrust the Relic of Rhonwen recovered by the Stewards of the Necropolis to the care of Dagon Nighthaven of Navarr to be used in the pursuit of knowledge of the Vallorn and the reconquest of Seren.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (322-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of what to do with the relic of Rhonwen was raised as part of the Highborn Assembly's [[Goodwill#Cursed_Tool|highest calling]].

===Judgement 121===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Memnoch son of Saul
* '''Judgement:''' The Whisper Gallery have tried to kill Jared of the Suns of Couros in the past as Lepidean Librarian. As he now travels to Wintermark to aid them in peerless kinship, we call upon Loyal and Vigilant citizens to accompany and protect him from anyone who might waylay or seek to harm him.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (362-0)

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Lochias Of The Scarlet Guard
* '''Judgement:''' We bear Witness to the Arete of the Proffered Hand Network in their dealings with the Orcs of The Barrens. We welcome the Proffered Hand into our space that they may work with the displaced Septs of Sarangrave to help them find their place in the wider Empire. We cannot build Utopia alone.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (126-10)

===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Arawyn Whisperleaf
* '''Judgement:''' This morning, the Empire free the last of the Great Forest Orcs still trapped in the Forest of Ulnak. This would not have been possible without the 433 Navarr & 36 Imperial Orc citizens who dedicated their lives, resources & time to the cause over the last season. It was your efforts that freed the Great Forest Orcs in the Grove of Woe. This assembly recognises the great courage displayed by each & everyone of you. Your actions are an inspiration to us all.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (274-0)

===Judgement 126===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Éadric
* '''Judgement:''' When Sermersuaq was invaded by the Jotun, we the Stormcrows failed in our duty to guide our people well. We have learned from this mistake - but to forget the story is to risk forgetting the lesson. We support the Consecration of the beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance. By sacred True Liao let us never again let folly or carelessness threaten that which we watch over.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (234-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 236

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lord Decimus de Bastion
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ahti Korven
* '''Judgement:''' An unnamed region has been scouted in Tsirku. The scops of Wintermark name this region the Fractured Silence; for our ambition in the territory and for the Silent Bell, who acted in the territory at the time of their breaking. The Great Pit has a story as yet unknown, but for the dreams it bring we call it Firefall.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (224-0)

===Judgement 131===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Able the Taller
* '''Judgement:''' The Urizen National Assembly Witnesses and Exalts the Prosperity of Orson BogMyrtle, Keeper of the Breadbasket. When there was need, they stretched out their hand to help. Let all past grudges with the Marches be buried, let them join with us on the Road to Utopia
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (116-0)

===Judgement 132===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Junia of The Rowan Chapel
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (290- 10)

===Judgement 133===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Diego i Retador i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The crew of the Tumlar came to us as part of the Summah stone fleet who generously gave us white granite. Last summit they were stranded at The Harts Cave, cursed, and wounded. The freeborn assembly recognises their loyalty and prosperity and calls on the coast to share what you can and help them on their way home.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (118-0)

===Judgement 135===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Xandor Trodbroker
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 138===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tyba
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 139===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rástoš Dunwold
* '''Judgement:''' We the wintermark assembly states that the trading hall at Atalaq will need a mediator appointed to manage trade in the northern territories in order to ensure prosperity for the Empire and Wintermark
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (160-66)
*'''Notes:''' The [[Construct Atalaq Tradehall|motion]] to construct the Atalaq Tradehall was raised by '''Fedelmidd Sydanjaa's Heart Floer''', [[Sermersuaq|Senator for Sermersuaq]], as part of the [[The_circle_game#Fish_and_Fur_in_Sermersuaq|appraisal]] to identify alternate trades that ministries could make that would not involve paying coin. It is not possible to create a title to oversee the tradehall without an [[opportunity]]

===Judgement 143===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth
* '''Judgement:''' Vigilant citizens of Highguard, I seek the destruction of the labyrinth spirit "The Child of Faithless Grief", which threatens my constituents in Necropolis. Historical researcher, "Octavia of the Stream's Source", must be admitted into the "Tomb of Aboshec" in Necropolis to retrieve the labyrinth spirit's fetter, "Sufference", which can be entrusted into the care of Caleb of the Cenotaph so that it can be used to destroy this malicious threat. Be alert to dangers within and without!
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (296-0)

===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Agnes Wood
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise the special VIRTUE of our annual festivals. We urge pilgrims to come see how these old traditions are upheld in Anvil. In Spring, our household teams show great AMBITION in hoping to win the Stewards' games, and great COURAGE by risking life and limb in foot-the-ball and tug-of-war. In Summer, we celebrate PROSPERITY with the Summer Fayre: taking PRIDE in each bountiful harvest, we share its fruits. In Autumn, the Wassail parade shows LOYALTY to our nation, and WISDOM in preserving the old songs. In Winter, our priests and mummers show great VIGILANCE by guiding and shriving wayward folk on Soul Cake Night, strengthening our devotion to THE WAY.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (84-0)

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Earl Adel de Òrdraig
* '''Judgement:''' There is no such thing as a 'safe' fane. Every fane that is built undermines our capacity as an empire to defend ourselves against hostility from eternals using the declaration of emnity, providing unregulated access to our lands. We the vigilance assembly believe no fanes should be built until more investigation has been done into ways to mitigate the ongoing security risk they produce.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (216-0)

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sagremar i Leones Del Mar i Coeurdefer i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (146-0)

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rafe
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Achseh of the Sentinels Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Judgement 153===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Nina of Cantiarch's Hold
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 156===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wulfric Leonard Mourn
* '''Judgement:''' We have spoken with a united voice! Inspiration is our highest calling. To be the flame that warms the souls of all beings and lights The Way forward. The Grand Inspiration will inspire but it is just a building, true virtue lies in the choices and actions of living beings. I call on Ambition dedicants to consider the deeds of General Fitz Thorn. In his first years as General of the Bounders masterminded the Ambitious counterattack into Bregasland. He shows us all that no matter how tall The Mountain or thick the forest all can be conquered. We need only take the first step, or bound. Let us watch him closely as he transforms the Bounders into the Army of Ambition.
*'''Outcome:''' Not upheld (44-100)

===Judgement 157===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Skaldsgrym
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply bearing the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (110-0)

===Judgement 159===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Delara of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-0)

===Judgement 164===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Enfys Larksong
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply bearing the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (50-0)

===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Velko Perunovich Razoradze
* '''Judgement:''' To be forgotten is to have your story told for the last time, for history to move on as if you and that you worked hard to achieve were never there. It is the ultimate death.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (136-0)

===Judgement 167===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Volya Vychodni Nebov
* '''Judgement:''' We thank the members of the Doctrine Review Council and those who applied to join. We herewith appoint the following new members: Lorenzo von Apulian; Azomodeus; Edward Greyfrier; Marit Suvidotir; Lief Dreambinder; and Claude Deeds
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (8-0)

===Judgement 168===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Firesong Galath
* '''Judgement:''' We congratulate Red-Hand Frith for his successful funding of the Archive of the Advisor. This has been a great display of personal Prosperity as well as Pride in our species entire. No orc should stand alone. All should toil together in Loyalty to contribute to this collection. We call upon the masses to share your stories, your words of written worth, so that the voices of every sept amongst us can be gathered for preservation, protection, and Pride.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 169===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Gralka
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

==Mandate==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alfred Aewulfson-Boon
* '''Judgement:''' The Mourn should embrace its past. We send Mine-captain Jedidiah Boon with a dose of true liao to consecrate Rebellion's Ridge and call for change in the Mournwold.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1847-360)
* '''Enacted:''' [[Mournwold#Rebellion's_Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] has been conscecrated with [[true liao]] to [[Pride]] in memory of the [[The_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Ore Hills Rebels]]. All [[personal resource|personal resources]] in the Mourn will suffer a two-rank penalty over the coming season due to the [[Rebellion%27s_Ridge#The_Tipping_Point|disruption]], but the [[mine]] owners of the Mournwold will elect its next senator.

===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Dagon with 25 doses of liao to urge the virtuous to find a way to arrange a meeting with the Lost Weepers. Let us meet and find common ground against the Plenum.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (396 - 118)
*'''Not Enacted:''' No liao provided

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Father Dagda
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Father Dagda with 50 doses of liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with the Imperial Orcs to prepare to finish the fight.
* '''Enacted:''' Navarr from all walks of life [[Every_path_you_know#Thanks_for_Sharing|will travel to the named nation looking for ways to help]]. This will generate at least one opportunity for a new Imperial title to help the Vallornguard prepare for the fight with the enemy.

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Valour de Gauvain
* '''Judgement:''' Let none in our Empire be left without! We send Tren Meals with 25 doses of liao to the Barrens to ensure that all that is worthwhile is shared with those who need it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (223-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Pilgrims will travel to [[the Barrens]] to see what [[This_old_house|can be done]]. The civil service will assess the efforts of those who make the pilgrimage and present a single [[opportunity]] to restore the dignity, freedom and prosperity that the [[Imperial Constitution]] guarantees them

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Tree
* '''Judgement:''' Those who pick the apples get first taste of the cider! We send Basil Goodbeard with 50 doses of liao to declare our intent to be the ones to till the fields of Liathaven, first with the butts of our bills and then with the plough. Strive, toil, and claim the just rewards of your labours.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-30)
* '''Enacted:''' This will create an opportunity for the Marchers to [[Domain_expansion#Claim|focus their efforts]] on conquering [[Liathaven]] once [[Bregasland]] is secure. There will be a chance for the nation to break ground on taking the territory from the Jotun, claiming it for the Empire, and stake their claim to it. The mandate does not have any legal impact on the ability of the Senate to assign the territory to any Imperial nation if it were conquered, but it has roused an expectation across the Marches that they'd get first crack at it. While the Marches are staking their claim on the land, they will respect any nation it was assigned to that had been clearly seen to put in as much or more effort into the conquest than the Marchers had. But if the Senate awarded it to a nation that did less work in the campaign than the Marchers, then folks would absolutely be up in arms about it.

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Katya Vasillova Reznikov
* '''Judgement:''' Those who strive and toil deserve their just rewards. We send Katya Vasillova Reznikov with 25 doses of liao to encourage those investing in Feroz to sow the seeds of a true garden.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (209-34)
* '''Enacted:''' Afarjasse and Oranseri have lost the [[Region qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] quality. All new commissions in [[Feroz]] will see their labour costs [[This_old_house#A Fair Wage|increased]] to four crowns a wain until no region in the territory has the [[Region qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] quality.

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Rafael Barossa d'Apulian with 25 liao to urge the twin cities of Tassato to reach out to the twin cities of Leen to show them the advantages of becoming part of the greatest alliance of city-states the world has even seen. Let us marry our fates together.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (136-152)
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 137|Judgement 137]]

===Judgement 103===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Lita i Nadir i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The Marracossan exiles are friends of the Empire and the Brass Coast. They do not preach their belief in interventionalist gods, and trade respectfully with their neighbours. We send Karg i Estrico i Erico with 25 doses of liao to remind our folk that, while they must remain vigilant for the commitment of a crime, it is not the Freeborn way to try and police what lies within someone's heart.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (108-0)
* '''Enacted:''' The Freeborn have been [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Theist_Heretics|reassured]] that there is no problem treating with the exiles as they have before. Trade will resume, and while the Marracossans will remain most comfortable in Madruga, there will be no further problems. However, in the event that anyone attempted to arrest a Marracossan exile for their beliefs, or should the Senate, the Synod, or the Military Council move against the exiles within the next ten years, the people of Madruga will resist and oppose such a move as if it were aimed at one of their Freeborn neighbours. The response will be proportional to the threat, and they will expect the Freeborn Assembly to back them up.

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Rosanna Vtrachenich
* '''Judgement:''' Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but there is enough there for everyone to seize the opportunity and embrace prosperity. We send Rosanna Vtrachenich with 75 doses of liao to encourage the explorers of the northern nations to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku with the aid of the virtuous.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (108-60)
* '''Not Enacted'''
* '''Notes:''' Mandates must achieve a greater majority to have an effect in [[Varushka]].

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Jared of the Suns of Couros
* '''Judgement:''' Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jared of the Suns of Couros with no doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (436-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Highborn citizens will do what they can to support the Witan; the problems [[A fork in the path|identified]] last season will take precedence.

===Judgement 134===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Jesper Luukasson
* '''Judgement:''' "Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jesper Luukasson with 25 doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all! Let the unity of word and deed build a sure foundation for the future!" We seek to use the Eyes of Loyalty to aid this mandate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (354-0)
* '''Enacted:'''
* '''Notes:''' This was a use of Eyes of Loyalty on [[#Judgement 128|Judgement 128]]

===Judgement 136===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Task
* '''Judgement:''' A nation is much more than lines on a map. We send Firesong Galath with 15 crowns to lead a delegation of mystagogues and shamans to discover more of the ancestors of the Jotun
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (52-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Firesong Galath will lead a group of willing orcs [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|in search of information and lore]] about the ancestors of the [[Jotun]]

===Judgement 137===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Nothing is beyond our grasp. We send Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato with 25 doses of liao to urge the Bravos of the League to reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to find ways to persuade them of the benefits of a seat at the great game. Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one tree at a time.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Enacted:''' The bravos of the League will reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to see what could be done to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|bring them closer]] to the League
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]]

==Writ of Consecration==
===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' The Beacons of Sermersuaq stand as an enduring symbol of vigilance, calling the faithful to stand watch over our Empire. By this Writ we seek to permanently consecrate the Beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance, to bolster every soul standing watch over our lands. Let us with sacred True Liao inspire the faithful there to be as steadfast as the very stone while they guard against any who would threaten our halls, our laws, our virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (250-0)

==Proscription==

==Inquisition==
===Judgement 19===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Echo of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' I, Echo of the House of the Wanderer, call '''Dagon, the Cardinal of Loyalty''' to inquisition regarding his relationship to Pride, oaths and the Virtue of his actions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-10)

===Judgement 22===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Caduceur of Aureate Peak
* '''Judgement:''' Tiberius Stormspire Cascade, your contributions to the work of the Conclave and Imperial magic was praised in the Hall of Worlds last season. I call you to inquisition so the virtue of these actions may be brought into light and witnessed by all. To be held in the Quaykeep Library Saturday at midday.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (104-0)

===Judgement 36===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Jurand Biegacz
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Basil Goodbeard
* '''Judgement:''' We have heard tell of Hamma the Lame's extraordinary Prosperity. in the face of turmoil and Jotun oppression, this virtuous Marcher Orc and her hard-working family have doubled the size of Eversweet Orchard, and it is now renowned across the Marches for making the best cider in the Mourn. I call Hamma the Lame to an Inquisition at the Marcher Community Hall on the Friday Evening of the Winter Summit, to discuss her Prosperity. If she is unable to make the journey to Anvil, I will be glad to question one of her family as a proxy. In this inquisition I will be assisted by a fellow Marcher priest, Nettle Baker.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 60===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Earl of Fools
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 81===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Dreamsreach
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 97===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Aspar
* '''Judgement:''' "Utopia, no matter the cost" I call Vespasian of Tropaion to inquisition. 2pm, Tropaion tent. In the light and before suitable witnesses. We shall hear of the price he has paid, and the lessons he has learned.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (86-0)

===Judgement 105===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below
* '''Judgement:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian! Your actions in recent years have tested the bounds of propriety and of legality — particularly as they pertain to Asavea and the Whisper Gallery, both enemies of the Empire. I call you to Inquisition at the Winter Solstice to account for the virtue of your choices.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 119===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Locke Nightgrove
* '''Judgement:''' I call the Dreadshield steading to inquisition, to gather information regarding the recent treason enacted by their family member, Niamh. This is to take place on the Saturday of Winter solstice, 4pm. Ewan, Carric, Iver, Orwynn, Gwyddian, and Sylvie
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (128-0)

===Judgement 145===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 147===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Francisco Vicente d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' I, Francisco Vicente d'Apulian, on behalf of the League National Assembly, call Skywise Gralka, Archmage of Day to Inquisition. I call on Gralka to explain the insult and indignity she has inflicted on Synod by inviting an eternal to interfere with The League's Highest Calling without consultation or caution. To be held at the Winter Solstice 388YE at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (154-0)

===Judgement 155===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' When Gisli the Provider first joined the Brass Coast, the Freeborn Assembly was asked to assess whether they were of honest character. In the wake of the magics upon Madruga, it is time to revisit that question. I call Gisli to Inquisition to discuss their place in the Nation, at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (116-30)

===Judgement 163===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Rahmah i Darwisj i Erigo: you tell me that members of Senate believe your service as Imperial Spymaster requires scrutiny. Very well: next season we will meet and I will carry out an audit of your conduct.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (52-0)

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Egremont Russet
* '''Judgement:''' The Paragon Kethry teaches us the Pride in our beliefs and traditions, that withstands conquest and subjugation; which has so recently been emulated in the Mournwold with the Marcher orcs. I call to inquisition Harry the Axe of Alderly to answer questions of Pride, and Loyalty, and the small matter of '5 wains of fresh-cut weirwood'. I also ask fellow Priest and Senator of Mournwold Mel Bleak to assist me in this inquisition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Writs of Inquisition===
{{stub}}
The following writs of inquisition were issued this summit:
{|
| '''Called by''' || '''Subject''' || '''Judgement or Title''' || '''Matter'''
|-
| Caduceus of Aureate Peak || Tiberius Stormspire Cascade || [[#Judgement 22|Judgement 22]] || Contributions to [[Conclave]] and Imperial magic
|-
| Jurand Biezacz || Tomasi Giralo i Erigo || [[#Judgement 36|Judgement 36]] || The [[Iron Confederacy]]
|-
| The Earl of Fools || Simargl, the Empty One<br>Zlata Ruznikova Perenel, the Dread Auntie<br>Maritza Orlova Pescherapokova<br>Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti<br>Talvikaarne, The Winter Guest<br>Lutobor Branislavovich Glinka<br>Yevgeni Katzev<br>Veverica, Two threads<br>''of the Circle of Zulgan-Tash'' || [[#Judgement 70|Judgement 70]] || Deeds dark and terrible
|-
| Oleander Dreamsreach || Syl Umbral Path || [[#Judgement 81|Judgement 81]] || [[Testimony]] of ''Hidden Hand''
|-
| Aspar || Vespasian of Tropaion || [[#Judgement 97|Judgement 97]] || The price he has paid and the lessons learned
|-
| Galene Netherwatch || Tyburn Natkysset, Grandmaster of the [[Shuttered Lantern]] || [[Arcane Inquisitor]] || Her long years of work with the Shuttered Lantern
|-
| Vauraus Korppitkotka || Bronimir, Senator for [[Ossium]] || [[Auditor of Senatorial Accountability]] || Mustering an army in two seasons
|-
| Amicia of the Semmerlak || Cyrus of Ebon's Hall, [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] || [[Chaplain Consular]] || The [[Cold Sun]] [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|situation]]
|-
|-
| Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost || Katelyn Quinnell De Cordraco || [[Imperial Inquisitor]] || Her relationship with [[Eleonaris]]
|-
| Maarit Suvidottir || Magistrate Abraham || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]] || Technical definitions of theological terms
|-
| Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai || Bakar i Riqueza || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Loyalty]] || Magical guidance, especially concerning [[Madruga]]
|-
| Iniska Ashwood || Asthore Autumngale || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Prosperity]] || His time as Senator for [[Miaren]], at the Winter summit
|-
| Brother Geoffrey Orchard || Eliza di Sarvos || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]] || Night activities for the Winter summit
|-
| Vera || Friþmær Sunhildsdottir || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of the Way]] || A [[scop|scop's]] virtue
|}

==Sanction==
===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedidiah Boon
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Lofyn Bloodcloak, you have committed yourself to the path of Pride. Along it, you have found what all Pilgrims do; the obstacles of other's doubts, the weight of your own mistakes, the blood that soaks the roads beyond Anvil's safety. Your Inspiration is written in your people's Chronicle, in the Regalia you passed to your successors. Your Legacy is to be decided by those who survive you - whether in the Schema that shares your name or the diplomatic affairs you now commit yourself to - but there is no doubt it will endure. You have shown Benevolence in your Oaths to Semmersuaq and your battle against the Jotun. The True Liao you have earned will tell us more about your soul. We live in an age of Miracles; the Schema was revealed to you by the Bloodcloak placed on your shoulders, calling your soul to an item of great worth. Something beyond our understanding occurred; declare it, lest such Miraculous events be lost to legend alone.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (206-0)

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' I've examined your Virtue Sigismund. <u>Courage</u> - Only you stood for Field Marshall but it failed in battle. <u>Prosperity</u> - Your Anointing. <u>Vigilance?</u> - With only 6 Auxiliaries & 60 less citizens than expected you accepted no more runners worrying about Druj tricks. <u>Ambition</u> - Let you to stand before Military Council & Senate owning your mistakes, not excusing or hiding them. <u>We build up, not tear down</u>, so your Penance is as follows; 1) A Pilgrimage of Penance to Dawn, Highguard, League, Marches, Urizen & Varushka and Testimony from each National Assembly. 2) Military Council & Anvil Library get detailed recommendations so others don't repeat your mistakes 3) Sashes to mark those in command 4) Not seeking field command for 2 years 5) A priest by your side in battle & an Ambition Anointing for 3 years to guard your Virtue. <u>These are the consequences of your actions, Vigilance not Vengeance.</u>
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (192-38)

===Judgment 16===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' By his own admission, Brat Umbral Path is immensely dangerous, and capable of enacting immense harm very quickly and very effectively. I laud this, and acknowledge how it can and ought to strengthen our Empire. I raise it also a warning - that the experts and strategists of this Empire are always best placed to harm it. Brat embodies the point at which the virtue of Ambition meets the realm of Night - driven, cunning, subtle, manipulative, with strong intuition. He is extraordinarily well placed to be the Empire's expert in Night, and convey it to the Empire and the Empire to it. The Wise ought act as the Volhov teaches, and investigate him and that which surrounds him, to witness his triumph, and to disabuse this Empire of notions of threat. I welcome his oath to yearly inquisition, that we might understand him and his realm as it transforms. He will be a virtuous archmage - thus I vindicate him.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (132-0)

===Judgment 58===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 59===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 71===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 76===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 110===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvo
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 111===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' High Exorcist Dame Belmarie de Courtnay-Wildrose. I look upon your work and find it Virtuous - and Virtue deserves lauding. You have learned much through your work, in your successes and more importantly in your failures. You have learned how to rely not only on your own strength, but the strength of others. You know there will come a time when the mantle will pass and you prepare the next generation of exorcists as best you can. There is always danger, always another threat - a threat you are more than equipped to face. It may be difficult - but raise your chin, Belmarie. You have earned it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (5-0)

===Judgment 114===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Amicia of the Semmerlak
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 115===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Hazel Talbot
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 122===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Amara Fletcher
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' During my inquisition of Enchantress Lamalleves, she showed nothing but being the perfect example of ambition. From inspiring others to achieve their most ambitious goals to heavily contributing to multiple different successes, she has shown to uphold the tenets of an ambition priest
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (258-0)

===Judgment 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 141===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 149===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 160===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 161===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 162===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Recognition==
===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Lorenzo 'La Volpe' Macelliao von Temeschwar was Prosperous. He was Ambitious. But Pride is the virtue he held closest in his heart, and most clearly embodied in his life's work. He celebrated his successes, proclaimed his past and his home boldly in all his actions, and uplifted his nation and his Empire. '''Benevolence''': The Empire benefits to this day from his works. The Blood Red Roads may be the biggest endeavour, now feeding the Empire's coffers directly in support of the Vallornguard. But citizens past and present in a dozen territories have personally benefited from his works in coin, mana and liao. '''Legacy''': A dozen Great Works exist across the Empire, that he funded, designed and built. These Great Edifices Proudly display his name, his guild, and his history, reminding us we should be Proud of where we come from and our achievements. '''Inspiration''': Even in life, the League Assembly named him an Inspiration, leading to the Colissus of Sarvos' True Consecration as a Sacred Site in his honour. Travellers flock to Sarvos to see this wondrous sight and experience The Partner of Greatness for themselves. To this day, his name is synonymous with grand benevolent works. '''Pilgrimage''': His great works included travelling the Empire to map and build the Blood Red Roads; the Legacies of Virtue, grand edifices to uplift And Inspire the virtuous in each of the territories they were built in, from Hahnmark to Casinea; as well as several Cathedrals to Pride. This make clear his journey not only to personal Virtue, but The Way as a pillar of that journey for all citizens. This assembly Recognises Lorenzo as an Exemplar of Pride.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (288-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Tribune will raise a judgement in the General Assembly at the Winter Solstice on behalf of '''Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato'''

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Erasmo di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Olwyn / Olwynn the Witness was recognised as an exemplar of Pride in Winter 376YE - the season immediately after the death of Britta. No details of Olwynn's life or signs of recognition are recorded in the public civil service records. It is not listed which signs of recognition were met. Last season, the General Assembly agreed that Exemplars are "''those who Synod have agreed are the best examples for teaching the Way of Virtue''". With no information to teach, Olwynn the Witness is not suited to be recognised as an Exemplar of the Way."
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (365-106)
* '''Notes:''' [[Known_exemplars#Olwyn_the_Witness|Olwyn the Witness]] remains an exemplar of [[Pride]]

==Exaltation==
===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Starlight Starchaser
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 148===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wolfgang
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Appointment==
===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower''' was appointed with 304 votes; Eevi Hawkheart of the Gadrai received 276 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Jedediah Boon''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tren Meals''' was appointed with 196 votes; Edmund Groves received 170 votes; Berith Relieur received 22 votes

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of Ratibor's Torch]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vitore van Temeschwar''' was appointed with 192 votes

===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Echo of the House of the Wanderer''' was appointed with 162 votes

===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Challenger in Waiting]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Daugon Orzel''' was appointed with 208 votes; Turpin de Boarwood received 114 votes

===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of the Maze of Zoria]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Illya Nikovtich Volkov''' was appointed with 158 votes

===Judgement 34===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos''' was appointed with 162 votes; Archibald received 42 votes

===Judgement 35===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Isaia Pavone di Sarvos''' was appointed with 125 votes

===Judgement 38===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Curator of the White City Museum]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rebekah''' was appointed with 158 votes; Cainan received 102 votes; Micah received 38 votes

===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Deimos''' was appointed with 128 votes; Drystan Rootround received 32 votes; Thomir received 22 votes

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Romand Reinetova Remislav''' was appointed with 106 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Knight of the Greenwood]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was withdrawn as the appointment method was [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_Knight_of_the_Greenwood|amended]] by Senate

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Mistress of Ceremonies]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lana Valentina de Holberg''' was appointed with 190 votes

===Judgement 46===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lady Abreya De Lagriffe''' was appointed with 212 votes; Callista received 126 votes; Emrys Elyan received 42 votes

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Conscience of the Dunnings]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tuuli''' was appointed with 172 votes; Eadric received 46 votes

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Dreamspeaker of Seren]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Oleander Dreamsreach''' was appointed with 136 votes; Bree received 20 votes; Joailes receives 0 votes; Wren receives 0 votes

===Judgement 69===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Palladius''' was appointed with 88 votes; Rhydian de Rondell received 58 votes

===Judgement 95===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Galene Netherwatch''' was appointed with 4 votes

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lady of the Proffered Hand]]
* '''Outcome:''' ''' Tristan Donatien Nicholas Reynauld''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Archivist of the Echoing Obelisk]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was raised, then withdrawn, as there was insufficient time for scrutiny.

==Rewarding==
===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement:''' I call for 15 Thrones to be given to Richardo Glostari di Sarvos, Armarious of the Anvil Library. This will be distributed to those who work at the Library in recognition of their work to preserve, expand and promote knowledge & Wisdom. Lets reward & invest in this great Citizen led Anvil staple.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (706-538)

===Judgement 13===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Yvonne von Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Last summit, Paris of Apulus self-funded and constructed a waystation for foreign pilgrims, extending the reach of the Way. We reward her 15 thrones in recognition of her virtuous labour.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (1035-434)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement:''' The Imperial Synod rewards Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav 15 thrones to be used as they see fit to reward the immense Courage of the Winter magicians of Varushka they led in destroying the Sumisev Peegel, a regio corrupted by the Cold Sun to emit radiation that could have killed every magician present. The destruction was prepared for alone and funded out of pocket for the protection, betterment, and Prosperity of the souls Volodmartz, who stood endangered by this active threat. Their actions stand as prefect examples of the hallowings of Permion, Inga Tarn, and Isaella's Resolve - to fear not death, and to confront and defeat dangers, for they knew it was the right thing to do.
* '''Outcome:''' Failed (463-558)

===Judgement 20===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Chantecleer Words
* '''Judgement:''' Claude Deeds discovered that the ghost of Theodric Mooting, the legendary scop of Wintermark, had been trapped at the threshold of Sydanjaa for more than three hundred years, unable to pass through the Labyrinth. Claude led a band to Warriors Gate to free Theodric's soul so he could pass through the Labyrinth. She heard the scop's final tale. Heroes of Wintermark were able to recover his last remains - his drum - and so laid him to rest in Kallavesa. This quest was the result of years of research on Claude's part including careful negotiation with the Winter realm, incurring much personal cost. We reward Claude 10 thrones for her Virtuous deeds: her Wise discoveries, her Loyalty to a legend.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (629-514)

===Judgement 25===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ada
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (392-590)

===Judgement 31===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aster Aceae
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (620-400)

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Athiel Westernborn of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (857-362)

===Judgement 28===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Dagonet
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Reynard, Envoy to the Karass 10 Thrones for dissemination to the Karass sept. This season they provided one sixth of the assistance towards rescuing the Great Forest Orcs enslaved by the Druj. This effort would not have rescued from both territories without that aid. They did so despite being informed they were no obligation to assist and there would be no reprisals if they did not, and did so with no reward offered or expected. Irrespective of what we may think of the Karass, our Virtue suggests we acknowledge Prosperity to recompense their labour and acknowledge their Courage.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (518-466)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Hildelith Kaukosdottir
* '''Judgement:''' The outstanding costs for the project to Anchor the Way in Asavea stand tall, but even the mightiest forest can be felled one tree at a time- and the trees ARE being felled. This summit, the Loyalty Assembly are meeting with representatives from Ibaria to discuss raising armies there. We seek 6 mithril to help with this cost.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

===Judgement 68===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Merari of Navigators of Virtue
* '''Judgement:''' Award Ehud or Rumah’s Redoubt 13 thrones for providing the remaining 4 wains of Weirwood for Berechiah’s Basilica in Bastion after the rewarding for wains failed last summit. This act of vigilance prevented the commission from lapsing and the wains being lost.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (493-550)

===Judgement 74===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Raine Tealeaf
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (256-492)

===Judgement 79===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Fredegar Bloodmouth
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (293-516)

===Judgement 108===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lydus
* '''Judgement:''' Micah of the Navigators of Virtue was alert to the growing dangers in Therunin. She acted quickly to obtain the 24 wains required, bearing half the cost herself to allow immediate construction & initial use of the new Navarri Wayhouse in Reikos, Micah’s Stand. Micah has saved lives & souls through these acts, created a symbol of Navarri & Highborn cooperation and brought a bounty of herbs to the herb gardens of Reikos. We reward Micah’s Vigilance & Ambition with 8 wains of weirwood
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>83 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings</td><td>8 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>6 wains</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 9 thrones, 6 crowns at the various [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting houses]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 15 thrones to '''Yvonne von Apulian''' following [[#Judgement 13|Judgement 13]] being upheld (margin 601)
* 8 wains of white granite to '''Athiel Westernborn''' following [[#Judgement 32|Judgement 32]] being upheld (margin 495)
* 6 wains of mithril to '''Hildelith Kaukosdottir''' following [[#Judgement 37|Judgement 37]] being upheld (margin 463)
* 40 thrones to '''Aster Aceae''' following [[#Judgement 31|Judgement 31]] being upheld (margin 220)
* 15 thrones to '''Nikolovich Drakov''' following [[#Judgement 10|Judgement 10]] being upheld (margin 168)
* 8 wains of weirwood to '''Lydus''' following [[#Judgement 108|Judgement 108]] being upheld (margin 154)
* 10 thrones to '''Chauntecleer Words''' following [[#Judgement 20|Judgement 20]] being upheld (margin 115)
* 3 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings to '''Dagonet''' following [[#Judgement 28|Judgement 28]] being upheld (margin 52)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 51 thrones for the Bourse dose of true liao from '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 3 crowns, 16 rings from '''Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza'''
* 2 crowns from '''Nathair Autumngale'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Relieur'''
* 1 ring in small donations
</div>
==Doses of True Liao==

Six doses of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose to '''Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower''' as [[Lepidean Librarian]]
* One dose to '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Corwyn Heartsbane''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Adel de Ordraig''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Belmarie de Courtenay Wyldrose''' by decision of the Gatekeepers

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 42 || 550 || 276
|-
|Courage || 40 || 514 || 258
|-
|Loyalty || 63 || 888 || 445
|-
|Pride || 40 || 492 || 247
|-
|Prosperity || 35 || 413 || 207
|-
|Vigilance || 43 || 480 || 241
|-
|Wisdom || 39 || 472 || 237
|-
|The Way || 53 || 584 || 293
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 19 || 228 || 115
|-
|Dawn || 57 || 750 || 376
|-
|Highguard || 71 || 938 || 470
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 6 || 66 || 34
|-
|League || 41 || 508 || 255
|-
|Marches || 22 || 258 || 130
|-
|Navarr || 33 || 401 || 201
|-
|Urizen || 32 || 350 || 176
|-
|Varushka || 35 || 424 || 213
|-
|Wintermark || 39 || 470 || 236
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}
==Anchor the Way in Asavea==
Click ''Expand'' to see the list of contributions made to Anchor the Way in Asavea.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{CommissionProgress|Anchor_the_Way_in_Asavea}}
</div>

388YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements

2026-11-02T16:52:02Z

Responsible1: /* Judgement 164 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 388YE Autumn]]
{{stub}}
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{|
|+ align="top"| <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Change of Doctrine|Change of Doctrine]] || 1
|-
|[[#Veto|Veto]] || 1
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| 79
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 13
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 1
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || 16
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || 19
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 2
|-
|[[#Exaltation|Exaltation]] || 3
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 21
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 13
|-
|}
</div>
__TOC__
During the Autumn Equinox 388YE, the Synod raised 169 judgements.
==Change of Doctrine==
===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Skywise Rykana
* '''Judgement:''' Orcs are no longer new to The Way, no longer the children of Virtue we were when the Bonewall first enshrined our beliefs in Doctrine. More now look to the Empire and see the chance for a future, and in turn our understanding of our spiritual destiny has expanded. We build now on all that has come before to replace the Doctrine of the Howling Abyss with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge so that we might welcome more into The Way.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2733-54)
* '''Notes:''' This judgement removes the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_the_Howling_Abyss|Doctrine of the Howling Abyss]] and replaces it with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge. The full implications of this change to [[the Doctrines of the Faith]] will be felt over the coming months.
<big>'''The Doctrine of the Final Challenge'''</big>
<div class="ic"><div class="ic-inner" style="display: block;">
<big>''After death, an orc can become an Ancestor by overcoming the mighty spiritual challenge that we understand as the Howling Abyss, though it takes many forms. This challenge may only be attempted once. Those who fail are lost, but those who succeed become Ancestors who can guide living orcs.''</big></div></div>

==Veto==
===Judgement 158===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' I call for a Veto of the Senate motion to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in the Barrens to the Karass. The Karass are not our friends, they were once in favour with the Druj and to allow them to reside in their lands without oversight lacks Vigilance - to cede it now is to leave us a problem later we could avoid.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (0-112)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Cede_Last_Battle_Wayhouse|motion]] to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in [[the Barrens]].

==Statement of Principle==
===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ames the Amiable of the Pilgrims Guard
* '''Judgement:''' Arlais, Daughter of Mari, plans to build five sinecures at Virtues Rest: four Benefactors, one for each army, and one attached to the Strategos of Highguard. Together producing 48 mana and 16 Orichalcum each season. We seek no materials; those are needed for the Grand Inspiration of the Way. We ask instead for something Highguard possesses in abundance: experience. Our nation holds generations of military knowledge, from soldiers and commanders to chaplains, apothecaries, engineers, quartermasters, and all who sustain an army beyond the battlefield. Arlais intends to break ground in Winter. Help shape the Benefactors Court at Virtues Rest. Tell us what our armies need, where lasting support matters most, and what ingenuity, experience and Virtue might achieve.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (594-0)

===Judgement 9===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Aldwyn the Glorious
* '''Judgement:''' In order to enter this into imperial record during an inquisition conducted by Jedidiah Boon, Summer 388YE, Lofyn Bloodcloak recounted the miracle that happened when she first put on the Bloodcloak following its recovery from a century of Thule possession. Lofyn Bloodcloak felt the weight of the cloak shift, a small hole had appeared within the lining and within was found the necklace she now wears around which was wrapped the schema which allowed Lofyn to enter the Bloodcloak into Imperial Lore.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (244-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 247

===Judgement 11===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Haleth Sigeling
* '''Judgement:''' The assembly of vigilance condemns the actions of the agents of the Whisper Gallery in Tsirku. Our eyes turn north to the Grave of the Giants, to watch for signs of similar acts by agents of any Eternals acting against the Citizens of the Empire
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 12===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vidarr Runebound
* '''Judgement:''' Nora Falcon's Light, Grimnir and Thane of House Geris has been tireless in her legacy and dedication to the nation of Wintermark. Her efforts supporting our national celebrations have helped bring the nation a great sense of pride, our hearthfire continues to be a beacon in the darkness thanks to Nora's efforts, and she has long fought to bolster ambitions of other Winterfolk, to the betterment of our nation. Nora's work is quiet work that may oft go unsung, but is no less heroic to explore the skein and help guide the skein of others is the Kallavesi way. As such, we the Wintermark Assembly are proud to enter into the '''Chronicle of Heroes: Nora Falcon's Light.'''
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Notes:''' Nora Falcon's Light has been added to the [[Heroism#Chronicle of Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]]

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Veikko Bondforger
* '''Judgement:''' In my power as Keeper of Oaths, I commit the following from Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds, the Fire of the Marches, to the Forge of Bonds: '''Oath from Amberlain to Bregasland''' People of Bregasland! Queen Fisher and her Jotun masters have fled before our soldiers' might, with and Courage. But there will always be would-be conquerors, Jarls and threats to our land, mark me. The Empire's memory may be short, but Marcher grudges and memories are long - the Reeds will not forget, and WE will never abandon Bregasland again. This I swear before the Fens and Marsh. May this oath of Loyalty be the legacy of the Strong Reeds. Bregasland stands! This is adapted from the Strong Reeds army orders from Summer 385YE
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (320 - 0)
* '''Notes:''' The oath of '''Amberlain P. Black''' has been added to the [[Keeper_of_Oaths#Forge_of_Bonds|Forge of Bonds]]

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Mael of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Behold: Virtue! As the Marshall of the Faith, I bid ye witness that the following were multiply commended by diverse Field Marshalls and Commanders during the battles at the last summit: Lady Nymeria Mortere, Nicassia of Phoenix Reach, Red Bramble, Artis the Unyielding, Hastur Broken Bough, and the Blades of Adelmar. The Marshal wishes to congratulate long-standing General Dame Aurum de Castellan of the Eastern Sky, The Star of Semmerholm on their retirement. A full list of commendations can be found on the citizen's notices.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' '''Mael of the Shattered Tower''' is the incumbent [[Marshal of the Faith]]

===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Dr Lysimachus of the Dauntless Light
* '''Judgement:''' I see my siblings asking if our years of pilgrimage was meaningless, if it was a waste, a mistake, to which I have one thing to say to that. Bugger that for a game of soldiers. We’re Highborn, one of our tenants is only the actions tha’ undertakes demonstrate tha’s worth. And our Actions in t’Pilgrimage have certainly demonstrated. Look at the Pilgrims Defiance in Therunin and tell me what we did was not Virtuous, not Meaningful, Not. Worth. It. I am Proud of what I did as a Grey Pilgrim, I am Proud of what I Will Do as a Grey Pilgrim, However. I. Do it. I may need to be a Priest to be part of the Synod, but I don’t need to be part of the Synod to be a Priest. Wherever my Virtue guides me, it’ll be with my Head Held High as a Grey Pilgrim. Virtues Light Guide Thee my Siblings, may you walk in Virtue too.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (378-10)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 27===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Isaia Pavone di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' The guidance of the seven virtues teach us to despise that which is antithetical to what these virtues stand for. These teachings have come from our long history of virtue and our learning of the Way. However, the Way is a living thing and we should reconsider the wording of these teachings. By calling us to despise these antithetical things we are calling ourselves to inaction and to hatred. I look to Wisdom, to know that the words we speak carry meaning. You can be passive in the act of despising, instead we should stand actively in opposing these antithetical forces. I call to change our teachings, to carry forward with the understanding we actively oppose instead of passively despise. If Virtue is action then let us say so.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1078-424) margin of 654

===Judgement 40===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine
* '''Judgement:''' Harken and Listen, ye Knights, Nobles and Citizens of our Glorious Dawn, and recognise your Dawnish Champions of Virtue, and Love & Glory: Prosperity - Berith of House du Maurisol; Ambition - Lord Tobias d Gauvain; Glory - Lord Reynard Griffinsong; Love - Gui of House Vexille; The Way - Lord Edward Novarion; Courage - Lady Melisande de Reynard; Vigilance - Brilliance Alys de Reynard; Pride - Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine; Wisdom - Reynard of House du Gauvain; and Loyalty - Lord Logan Cordraco. "Seek their stories, learn from their example, charge ever forward to Virtue."
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (370-36)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 376

===Judgement 41===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Æthelric
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Mikael Reskovich
* '''Judgement:''' War dawns upon the horizon for our beloved nation. While the Thule command our regions, national assembly must arm ourselves in virtue. We must take more measures to prepare our nation for the inevitable. Thwart malice before it strikes first
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (228-20)

===Judgement 47===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Kasjay
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Asthore Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' "What is grief?" asks the Spiral Dancer. "Let us tell you," say Navarr. Grief is a fraying braid, coming undone, unwoven. Grief is an empty corpseglade, with all that laid there returned to the earth. Grief is a song around the fire, a little quieter than before - a voice missing, now. Grief is one less set of footprints beside you on the trods. One less plate at the table. One less shield at your side. One less dancer. Grief is the warmth you carry in your heart even when the one who stoked that flame is gone. Grief is Loyalty, and love, and oaths enduring, in this life and the next, in each step through the Great Dance.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (193-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 201

===Judgement 54===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Isario i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' Courage is not the absence of Fear and Terror, it is the conquering of them. A new enemies' gaze is drawn over the Empire; Ungholt, the Delerium King. His weapons are Fear, Madness and Terror. There is no Wisdom or Revelation to be found in The Scarecrow's gifts or talents. It seeks to break the mind, shatter the virtue and render morality dust, until all is nought but terror, ruin and madness. There can be no coexistence, no collaboration and no capitulation with such power. You can succumb, or you can break the shackles of Terror itself through Courage. The Courage Assembly declare The Scarecrow our enemy. We will render any and all assistance to Conclave and all who hold the line against it's Horror.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-0)

===Judgement 55===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Abelard
* '''Judgement:''' We take Pride in our sporting culture, and will share it with the world! This year we introduced The League to the joys of Foot-the-Ball: they now plan to build their own stadiums. We should show Ambition and go even further. The Empire has made great diplomatic inroads this year with the reclusive people of Tsark. We enjoy friendly, if distant, relations with this civilisation, who wish to learn more of the Virtues. One of the few things we know about the Tsarkish is that they are a sport-loving people who enjoy full-contact games. LET US TEACH THEM FOOT-THE-BALL. Our priests, diplomats and foot-the-ball players should do all we can to arrange a friendly and virtuous foot-the-ball match with them, at a mutually convenient location, as soft diplomacy with Tsark.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Franquesa Sorrateiro di Tassato Mestra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Solas
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Amaro d’Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Pride tells us to embrace our past and never be ashamed of it. Our forebears have committed many resources to hiding events in our history that they deemed shameful. In doing so, they have disarmed our empire by concealing the mistakes of our past, and doomed us to repeat them. In doing so, they have withheld from us figures and events that we should be proud of, and could now be using to inspire ourselves. In doing so, they have unvirtuously chosen which parts of our empire we can be proud of, and forbidden us to be proud of the parts that they decreed unworthy. We urge all virtuous citizens to seek out the parts of this empire's history that have been hidden out of shame or deception, and bring them to light. This is our highest calling.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (318-0)
* '''Notes:''' Further information on highest callings can be found in the '''[[The highest calling]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Maximillian Ankarien
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Leyna Sunshaper
* '''Judgement:''' As a part of our highest calling, we call upon the wise to appraise those who would teach us more about the cultivation of Black Lotus and how to convince them to help us. We do so with the guidance of our living orc Exemplar Skywise Rykana.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' The Wisdom Assembly can call on the wise to suggest wording for an [[appraisal]] in response to their [[To_seek_enlightenment#Finding_the_Right_Question|highest calling]]

===Judgement 67===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Freeborn thank the fleets of our Varushkan cousins for their help protecting our coasts and hearths. Let our Courageous captains defend what military units cannot, combined into a sea of mighty fleets. United, we can defy the Grendel and any others who would threaten the Prosperity of the Bay, as we look north to wars yet to end and yet to come.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (134-0)

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 75===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Val
* '''Judgement:''' The Highest Calling of the Freeborn is to defend our lands. We have been beset by enemies, we have been forced to give up our lands at the point of the sword and the point of the pen. We reclaim what is ours and oppose the tyrants who would take it from us. The Hakima of Anvil have conferred and advised, it is clear that the Kohan embody the ideals of Hayaak, the Prince-in-Exile. He well knows the cost of walking away from one's past and embodying the path of the warrior. The Kohan are perhaps the greatest in the world at this. We ask that the Hakima of the Coast approach the Hawk Lord and his warriors-without-masters, to seek their aid in holding back the tyrants at our borders. We Will Not Kneel.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (124-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Freeborn Assembly can call on citizens of the Brass Coast to seek out aid in defence of the nation as part of their [[Stand_proud,_you%27re_strong#Eternal_Allies|highest calling]].

===Judgement 77===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés
* '''Judgement:''' In summer 385YE the Shrine of Hope was consecrated with a dose of True Liao to Ambition. The sacrifice of the Hounds of Glory to reclaim The Barrens was the ultimate price of Ambition, where no price is too high to achieve your dreams. We recognise the final path of the Hounds of Glory as a Pilgrimage route ending at the Shrine of Hope, and those that witnessed the True Consecration as having forged the path forward as the first Pilgrims. Where they have sown fear, we will make flowers grow.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (396-0)

===Judgement 78===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Rinnah of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Nathair Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' While it is commonly thought Pride is the virtue of the arts. Wisdom too is deeply entwined with the performer's craft. It is woven into every tale of danger or provoked thought, and held in lyric around the fire to share our history to friend, kin and stranger alike. If found lacking, these tales are reforged in Wisdom and spread anew. Lessons taught to us as children endure, and are retold for future generations. Recalled in a moment by the simplest melody. Where Navarr goes, music follows. As autumn gales carry the Empire's blood along the trods toward winter, we encourage all to listen and share performance with the passing Stridings and Grey Pilgrims. That together, across the Empire, we might better learn the wisdom in the song and the lesson in the story.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1301-48) margin of 1253

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Lorenzo von Apulian
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Kellin Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' The Empire is dealing with a crisis of Loyalty. Our National Assemblies stand at odds with the rest of their nations. We see repeated talk of insurrection, secession, rebellion. As Anvil grows, we grow apart. Who is better positioned to deal with this than the Loyalty Assembly? And yet, our Highest Calling draws our gaze outward and invites even more dissent. We must do better.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (316-102)

===Judgement 88===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Laurencio Lemmini di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Civil service records identify twenty-three locations of spiritual importance in the Empire. These inspirational locations - memorials and sacred sites - are spread across nineteen Imperial territories. Five of these locations are in Sarvos - over one-fifth of the total - representing four of the Seven Virtues. The League celebrates Sarvos with Pride as one of the most spiritually inspiring locations in the Empire. In true League fashion, we welcome the competition from the Grand Inspiration of the Way when it is complete.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (294-12)

===Judgement 89===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Eli of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' Highborn, remember in this moment your Certainty. We know the threat the Vallorn presents. It cannot be converted, it destroys all faith it touches, for it and the lands it consumes cannot have faith. In its wake it leaves malignant corruption, the likes of the Heirs of Terunael and Agramant brought about from its assaults. The cost of the Vallorn's persistence will continue to threaten the spiritual sanctity of our siblings. Remember this, should your convictions be tested in these times.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (450-0)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 90===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tabris of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Pilgrims, remember the miracles performed at the Three Watchers as you marched to Therunin. If you need reinforce your Certainty, remember the anointings many of you still bear without any explanation. Know that Things Matter.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (358-0)

===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Yrkja Riansson Sigeing
* '''Judgement:''' This summit, Senate commissions the Hall of the Soturi, to be the hosting-place for the army to be raised in Kallavesa. We the Wintermark Assembly celebrate the inspirational Courage of the Soturi and condemn the false rumours that the army will be trained in cruel tactics. The army will bear the quality the Military Council calls Fearless. A fearless army is willing to give whatever must be given to win the day, and when there is no more to give, to die as heroes in the Empire's defence.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (276-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Hall of the Soturi was first presented as part of a [[Flight_of_birds#No_Half_Measures|response]] from the Mystics of Ishal. The [[Construct_Hall_of_the_Soturi|motion]] to build the Hall of the Soturi was raised by '''Rane Shardbearer''', [[Kallavesa|Senator for Kallavesa]]

===Judgement 92===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Luke
* '''Judgement:''' The best stories are worth waiting for. Around a Winter fire, ask; have you heard of William Guildernstern? Folk Hero to us all! While fighting ogres in but his braes might entertain, the battlefields of Bregasland give his best tale. With Jotun boots on Marcher soil, the Battle for Matilda Fisher’s banner raging, General Black called for aid; who will defeat Jarl Olgafdottir's brother, the fearless Summerborn Champion, Sigrun? Guildernstern stepped up, Goldbrand in his hands. Not knowing the danger he faced, our Hero asked “Are you happy I claim your brother’s weapon as my prize?” Sigrun laughed as antlers sprouted from his head, proclaiming “You can try!”. Billblocks parted for their single combat, as Guildernstern wiped that laugh away; he pierced Sigrun's chest and forced him down. Ever the gallant soldier, Guildernstern offered his hand and healed the bested Champion to continue their fight. Without heroic blows, again Guildernstern cut Sigrun down; cutting him across his breast, he slew him in the mud and marsh. Knowing he would fall on Marcher soil, our Hero took his enemy’s hand; he would not let anyone die alone on sacred land. But such grand a feat is in the past. Just like Old Jonah, Guildernstern is there when needed. Not to vanquish the beast for you, but to tell you how to do it. A nod to a General, a word of advice to a Senator, a bestiary bound in sturdy pages, a legendary weapon lent. Where do Proud Marchers go for counsel? Why, William Guildernstern of course.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (156-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of William Guildenstern and what it means for him to be recognised as a folk hero was [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Holding_Out_For_a_Hero|raised]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 388YE

===Judgement 93===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Catena
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Hazelelponi
* '''Judgement:''' What you have is shared with the community. Find outcomes that are better than any one individual can achieve by themselves. These are part of the Great Forest Orcs paths. These people are not unknown to us, we have helped their healing before, so we as Highborn will show our commitment by supporting our friends Navarr and their oath-sworn siblings in Peerless Kinship. All those who wish to be settled in Reikos will be assisted and welcomed by our Chapters. The Great Forest Orcs and their wards will find support here.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (548-10)

===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Dag Kinnad
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 98===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vauraus
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Estella Lucati
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 100===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Gwendoloena de Ordraig
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly asks the Civil Service to restart the work of the Barrens Roads appraisal and for the appraisal to include roads to both the Rahvin in the Bitter Strand and the Great Forest Orcs in the Heart of Peytaht but not the Karass in the Bleaks.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (266-80)
*'''Notes:''' This judgement follows on from [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_45|one]] raised last season to ask the civil service to pause work on the roads in [[the Barrens]].

===Judgement 101===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Ralph Godwin
* '''Judgement:''' This Assembly thanks the Sumaah Republic for the Wisdom of their information and the Prosperity in sharing it. Recognising a Paragon is necessarily a solemn and difficult task that requires research and virtuous consensus. The Empire recognises Zemress as an Exemplar and Sumaah has provided further research. Taken together, the Empire and Sumaah Republic recognise 7 of 8 signs of Paragonhood. Within the next year, we will raise a judgement to the General Assembly to resolve her status.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (251-0)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tuuli
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 104===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' João i Cabral i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 106===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Bravi
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 109===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Demetrius of Reikos
* '''Judgement:''' Was it not in recent memory that Llofir held a region of Reikos as its own. This Rotlord, Lady of Spores, Despoiler of Grain tormented citizens of the Empire. It held the Sign of Tamar and with that it claimed Tamarbode! My home, my siblings' home! It caused ruin to chapterhouses, slew Urizen Sentinels and abducted Imperial citizens! As an apology to reclaiming Imperial territory it sought to repay us with famine! Only then after our farms ravaged, grain spoiled, then it would have forgiven us for our so-called transgression! Do we forget what this Eternal has done to us? As someone’s homeland that was ravaged by the Druj, I seek their end but we cannot trust this Eternal after what they have already inflicted upon us. We cannot accept its help. We must remain vigilant of their capability and threat to us.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-10)

===Judgement 113===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Miroslav Dainovitch Temnavoda
* '''Judgement:''' Grief is loss. Grief is love. Grief is pain. It is the knowledge that something beloved is gone forever. It is the realisation that a dream will never come to pass. It is the ache in your heart that time can lessen but never remove. It is the end of possibilities you never knew existed.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (174-0)

===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eldrid 'Phoenix Flame' Vestardottir
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 117===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Tulva
* '''Judgement:''' This season, the Synod looks to change doctrine. This alteration does not ask us to change our beliefs, and our nation is not abandoning our understanding of one life. Reject the complacency of reincarnation. To lose the drive to act and sit in the belief that you will get another chance to cross the Abyss is to risk your soul slipping into oblivion through sheer inaction. The notion that not lifting a blade will guarantee reincarnation is a folly. Seek out the Illarawm if you have cause to doubt, for we can gift you the voices of those ancestors who crossed as gardeners, guides, traders and more. One life is not a curse, but a gift. We see how precious every moment is, and make the most of each day. We do not need to rely on the whisper of a past life to become an ancestor. We are worthy as we are, as long as we continue to strive to build ourselves and our fellows up. Reject reincarnation. We have never needed it.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 120===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Damian of Nakir's Haven
* '''Judgement:''' We, the national assembly of Highguard, choose to entrust the Relic of Rhonwen recovered by the Stewards of the Necropolis to the care of Dagon Nighthaven of Navarr to be used in the pursuit of knowledge of the Vallorn and the reconquest of Seren.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (322-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of what to do with the relic of Rhonwen was raised as part of the Highborn Assembly's [[Goodwill#Cursed_Tool|highest calling]].

===Judgement 121===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Memnoch son of Saul
* '''Judgement:''' The Whisper Gallery have tried to kill Jared of the Suns of Couros in the past as Lepidean Librarian. As he now travels to Wintermark to aid them in peerless kinship, we call upon Loyal and Vigilant citizens to accompany and protect him from anyone who might waylay or seek to harm him.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (362-0)

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Lochias Of The Scarlet Guard
* '''Judgement:''' We bear Witness to the Arete of the Proffered Hand Network in their dealings with the Orcs of The Barrens. We welcome the Proffered Hand into our space that they may work with the displaced Septs of Sarangrave to help them find their place in the wider Empire. We cannot build Utopia alone.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (126-10)

===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Arawyn Whisperleaf
* '''Judgement:''' This morning, the Empire free the last of the Great Forest Orcs still trapped in the Forest of Ulnak. This would not have been possible without the 433 Navarr & 36 Imperial Orc citizens who dedicated their lives, resources & time to the cause over the last season. It was your efforts that freed the Great Forest Orcs in the Grove of Woe. This assembly recognises the great courage displayed by each & everyone of you. Your actions are an inspiration to us all.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (274-0)

===Judgement 126===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Éadric
* '''Judgement:''' When Sermersuaq was invaded by the Jotun, we the Stormcrows failed in our duty to guide our people well. We have learned from this mistake - but to forget the story is to risk forgetting the lesson. We support the Consecration of the beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance. By sacred True Liao let us never again let folly or carelessness threaten that which we watch over.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (234-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 236

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lord Decimus de Bastion
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ahti Korven
* '''Judgement:''' An unnamed region has been scouted in Tsirku. The scops of Wintermark name this region the Fractured Silence; for our ambition in the territory and for the Silent Bell, who acted in the territory at the time of their breaking. The Great Pit has a story as yet unknown, but for the dreams it bring we call it Firefall.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (224-0)

===Judgement 131===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Able the Taller
* '''Judgement:''' The Urizen National Assembly Witnesses and Exalts the Prosperity of Orson BogMyrtle, Keeper of the Breadbasket. When there was need, they stretched out their hand to help. Let all past grudges with the Marches be buried, let them join with us on the Road to Utopia
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (116-0)

===Judgement 132===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Junia of The Rowan Chapel
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (290- 10)

===Judgement 133===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Diego i Retador i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The crew of the Tumlar came to us as part of the Summah stone fleet who generously gave us white granite. Last summit they were stranded at The Harts Cave, cursed, and wounded. The freeborn assembly recognises their loyalty and prosperity and calls on the coast to share what you can and help them on their way home.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (118-0)

===Judgement 135===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Xandor Trodbroker
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 138===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tyba
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 139===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rástoš Dunwold
* '''Judgement:''' We the wintermark assembly states that the trading hall at Atalaq will need a mediator appointed to manage trade in the northern territories in order to ensure prosperity for the Empire and Wintermark
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (160-66)
*'''Notes:''' The [[Construct Atalaq Tradehall|motion]] to construct the Atalaq Tradehall was raised by '''Fedelmidd Sydanjaa's Heart Floer''', [[Sermersuaq|Senator for Sermersuaq]], as part of the [[The_circle_game#Fish_and_Fur_in_Sermersuaq|appraisal]] to identify alternate trades that ministries could make that would not involve paying coin. It is not possible to create a title to oversee the tradehall without an [[opportunity]]

===Judgement 143===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth
* '''Judgement:''' Vigilant citizens of Highguard, I seek the destruction of the labyrinth spirit "The Child of Faithless Grief", which threatens my constituents in Necropolis. Historical researcher, "Octavia of the Stream's Source", must be admitted into the "Tomb of Aboshec" in Necropolis to retrieve the labyrinth spirit's fetter, "Sufference", which can be entrusted into the care of Caleb of the Cenotaph so that it can be used to destroy this malicious threat. Be alert to dangers within and without!
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (296-0)

===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Agnes Wood
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise the special VIRTUE of our annual festivals. We urge pilgrims to come see how these old traditions are upheld in Anvil. In Spring, our household teams show great AMBITION in hoping to win the Stewards' games, and great COURAGE by risking life and limb in foot-the-ball and tug-of-war. In Summer, we celebrate PROSPERITY with the Summer Fayre: taking PRIDE in each bountiful harvest, we share its fruits. In Autumn, the Wassail parade shows LOYALTY to our nation, and WISDOM in preserving the old songs. In Winter, our priests and mummers show great VIGILANCE by guiding and shriving wayward folk on Soul Cake Night, strengthening our devotion to THE WAY.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (84-0)

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Earl Adel de Òrdraig
* '''Judgement:''' There is no such thing as a 'safe' fane. Every fane that is built undermines our capacity as an empire to defend ourselves against hostility from eternals using the declaration of emnity, providing unregulated access to our lands. We the vigilance assembly believe no fanes should be built until more investigation has been done into ways to mitigate the ongoing security risk they produce.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (216-0)

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sagremar i Leones Del Mar i Coeurdefer i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (146-0)

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rafe
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Achseh of the Sentinels Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Judgement 153===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Nina of Cantiarch's Hold
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 156===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wulfric Leonard Mourn
* '''Judgement:''' We have spoken with a united voice! Inspiration is our highest calling. To be the flame that warms the souls of all beings and lights The Way forward. The Grand Inspiration will inspire but it is just a building, true virtue lies in the choices and actions of living beings. I call on Ambition dedicants to consider the deeds of General Fitz Thorn. In his first years as General of the Bounders masterminded the Ambitious counterattack into Bregersland. He shows us all that no matter how tall The Mountain or thick the forest all can be conquered. We need only take the first step, or bound. Let us watch him closely as he transforms the Bounders into the Army of Ambition.
*'''Outcome:''' Not upheld (44-100)

===Judgement 157===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Skaldsgrym
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply bearing the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (110-0)

===Judgement 159===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Delara of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-0)

===Judgement 164===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Enfys Larksong
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply bearing the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (50-0)

===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Velko Perunovich Razoradze
* '''Judgement:''' To be forgotten is to have your story told for the last time, for history to move on as if you and that you worked hard to achieve were never there. It is the ultimate death.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (136-0)

===Judgement 167===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Volya Vychodni Nebov
* '''Judgement:''' We thank the members of the Doctrine Review Council and those who applied to join. We herewith appoint the following new members: Lorenzo von Apulian; Azomodeus; Edward Greyfrier; Marit Suvidotir; Lief Dreambinder; and Claude Deeds
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (8-0)

===Judgement 168===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Firesong Galath
* '''Judgement:''' We congratulate Red-Hand Frith for his successful funding of the Archive of the Advisor. This has been a great display of personal Prosperity as well as Pride in our species entire. No orc should stand alone. All should toil together in Loyalty to contribute to this collection. We call upon the masses to share your stories, your words of written worth, so that the voices of every sept amongst us can be gathered for preservation, protection, and Pride.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 169===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Gralka
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

==Mandate==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alfred Aewulfson-Boon
* '''Judgement:''' The Mourn should embrace its past. We send Mine-captain Jedidiah Boon with a dose of true liao to consecrate Rebellion's Ridge and call for change in the Mournwold.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1847-360)
* '''Enacted:''' [[Mournwold#Rebellion's_Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] has been conscecrated with [[true liao]] to [[Pride]] in memory of the [[The_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Ore Hills Rebels]]. All [[personal resource|personal resources]] in the Mourn will suffer a two-rank penalty over the coming season due to the [[Rebellion%27s_Ridge#The_Tipping_Point|disruption]], but the [[mine]] owners of the Mournwold will elect its next senator.

===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Dagon with 25 doses of liao to urge the virtuous to find a way to arrange a meeting with the Lost Weepers. Let us meet and find common ground against the Plenum.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (396 - 118)
*'''Not Enacted:''' No liao provided

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Father Dagda
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Father Dagda with 50 doses of liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with the Imperial Orcs to prepare to finish the fight.
* '''Enacted:''' Navarr from all walks of life [[Every_path_you_know#Thanks_for_Sharing|will travel to the named nation looking for ways to help]]. This will generate at least one opportunity for a new Imperial title to help the Vallornguard prepare for the fight with the enemy.

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Valour de Gauvain
* '''Judgement:''' Let none in our Empire be left without! We send Tren Meals with 25 doses of liao to the Barrens to ensure that all that is worthwhile is shared with those who need it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (223-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Pilgrims will travel to [[the Barrens]] to see what [[This_old_house|can be done]]. The civil service will assess the efforts of those who make the pilgrimage and present a single [[opportunity]] to restore the dignity, freedom and prosperity that the [[Imperial Constitution]] guarantees them

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Tree
* '''Judgement:''' Those who pick the apples get first taste of the cider! We send Basil Goodbeard with 50 doses of liao to declare our intent to be the ones to till the fields of Liathaven, first with the butts of our bills and then with the plough. Strive, toil, and claim the just rewards of your labours.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-30)
* '''Enacted:''' This will create an opportunity for the Marchers to [[Domain_expansion#Claim|focus their efforts]] on conquering [[Liathaven]] once [[Bregasland]] is secure. There will be a chance for the nation to break ground on taking the territory from the Jotun, claiming it for the Empire, and stake their claim to it. The mandate does not have any legal impact on the ability of the Senate to assign the territory to any Imperial nation if it were conquered, but it has roused an expectation across the Marches that they'd get first crack at it. While the Marches are staking their claim on the land, they will respect any nation it was assigned to that had been clearly seen to put in as much or more effort into the conquest than the Marchers had. But if the Senate awarded it to a nation that did less work in the campaign than the Marchers, then folks would absolutely be up in arms about it.

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Katya Vasillova Reznikov
* '''Judgement:''' Those who strive and toil deserve their just rewards. We send Katya Vasillova Reznikov with 25 doses of liao to encourage those investing in Feroz to sow the seeds of a true garden.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (209-34)
* '''Enacted:''' Afarjasse and Oranseri have lost the [[Region qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] quality. All new commissions in [[Feroz]] will see their labour costs [[This_old_house#A Fair Wage|increased]] to four crowns a wain until no region in the territory has the [[Region qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] quality.

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Rafael Barossa d'Apulian with 25 liao to urge the twin cities of Tassato to reach out to the twin cities of Leen to show them the advantages of becoming part of the greatest alliance of city-states the world has even seen. Let us marry our fates together.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (136-152)
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 137|Judgement 137]]

===Judgement 103===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Lita i Nadir i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The Marracossan exiles are friends of the Empire and the Brass Coast. They do not preach their belief in interventionalist gods, and trade respectfully with their neighbours. We send Karg i Estrico i Erico with 25 doses of liao to remind our folk that, while they must remain vigilant for the commitment of a crime, it is not the Freeborn way to try and police what lies within someone's heart.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (108-0)
* '''Enacted:''' The Freeborn have been [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Theist_Heretics|reassured]] that there is no problem treating with the exiles as they have before. Trade will resume, and while the Marracossans will remain most comfortable in Madruga, there will be no further problems. However, in the event that anyone attempted to arrest a Marracossan exile for their beliefs, or should the Senate, the Synod, or the Military Council move against the exiles within the next ten years, the people of Madruga will resist and oppose such a move as if it were aimed at one of their Freeborn neighbours. The response will be proportional to the threat, and they will expect the Freeborn Assembly to back them up.

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Rosanna Vtrachenich
* '''Judgement:''' Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but there is enough there for everyone to seize the opportunity and embrace prosperity. We send Rosanna Vtrachenich with 75 doses of liao to encourage the explorers of the northern nations to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku with the aid of the virtuous.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (108-60)
* '''Not Enacted'''
* '''Notes:''' Mandates must achieve a greater majority to have an effect in [[Varushka]].

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Jared of the Suns of Couros
* '''Judgement:''' Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jared of the Suns of Couros with no doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (436-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Highborn citizens will do what they can to support the Witan; the problems [[A fork in the path|identified]] last season will take precedence.

===Judgement 134===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Jesper Luukasson
* '''Judgement:''' "Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jesper Luukasson with 25 doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all! Let the unity of word and deed build a sure foundation for the future!" We seek to use the Eyes of Loyalty to aid this mandate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (354-0)
* '''Enacted:'''
* '''Notes:''' This was a use of Eyes of Loyalty on [[#Judgement 128|Judgement 128]]

===Judgement 136===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Task
* '''Judgement:''' A nation is much more than lines on a map. We send Firesong Galath with 15 crowns to lead a delegation of mystagogues and shamans to discover more of the ancestors of the Jotun
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (52-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Firesong Galath will lead a group of willing orcs [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|in search of information and lore]] about the ancestors of the [[Jotun]]

===Judgement 137===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Nothing is beyond our grasp. We send Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato with 25 doses of liao to urge the Bravos of the League to reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to find ways to persuade them of the benefits of a seat at the great game. Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one tree at a time.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Enacted:''' The bravos of the League will reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to see what could be done to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|bring them closer]] to the League
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]]

==Writ of Consecration==
===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' The Beacons of Sermersuaq stand as an enduring symbol of vigilance, calling the faithful to stand watch over our Empire. By this Writ we seek to permanently consecrate the Beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance, to bolster every soul standing watch over our lands. Let us with sacred True Liao inspire the faithful there to be as steadfast as the very stone while they guard against any who would threaten our halls, our laws, our virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (250-0)

==Proscription==

==Inquisition==
===Judgement 19===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Echo of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' I, Echo of the House of the Wanderer, call '''Dagon, the Cardinal of Loyalty''' to inquisition regarding his relationship to Pride, oaths and the Virtue of his actions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-10)

===Judgement 22===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Caduceur of Aureate Peak
* '''Judgement:''' Tiberius Stormspire Cascade, your contributions to the work of the Conclave and Imperial magic was praised in the Hall of Worlds last season. I call you to inquisition so the virtue of these actions may be brought into light and witnessed by all. To be held in the Quaykeep Library Saturday at midday.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (104-0)

===Judgement 36===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Jurand Biegacz
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Basil Goodbeard
* '''Judgement:''' We have heard tell of Hamma the Lame's extraordinary Prosperity. in the face of turmoil and Jotun oppression, this virtuous Marcher Orc and her hard-working family have doubled the size of Eversweet Orchard, and it is now renowned across the Marches for making the best cider in the Mourn. I call Hamma the Lame to an Inquisition at the Marcher Community Hall on the Friday Evening of the Winter Summit, to discuss her Prosperity. If she is unable to make the journey to Anvil, I will be glad to question one of her family as a proxy. In this inquisition I will be assisted by a fellow Marcher priest, Nettle Baker.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 60===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Earl of Fools
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 81===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Dreamsreach
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 97===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Aspar
* '''Judgement:''' "Utopia, no matter the cost" I call Vespasian of Tropaion to inquisition. 2pm, Tropaion tent. In the light and before suitable witnesses. We shall hear of the price he has paid, and the lessons he has learned.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (86-0)

===Judgement 105===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below
* '''Judgement:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian! Your actions in recent years have tested the bounds of propriety and of legality — particularly as they pertain to Asavea and the Whisper Gallery, both enemies of the Empire. I call you to Inquisition at the Winter Solstice to account for the virtue of your choices.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 119===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Locke Nightgrove
* '''Judgement:''' I call the Dreadshield steading to inquisition, to gather information regarding the recent treason enacted by their family member, Niamh. This is to take place on the Saturday of Winter solstice, 4pm. Ewan, Carric, Iver, Orwynn, Gwyddian, and Sylvie
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (128-0)

===Judgement 145===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 147===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Francisco Vicente d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' I, Francisco Vicente d'Apulian, on behalf of the League National Assembly, call Skywise Gralka, Archmage of Day to Inquisition. I call on Gralka to explain the insult and indignity she has inflicted on Synod by inviting an eternal to interfere with The League's Highest Calling without consultation or caution. To be held at the Winter Solstice 388YE at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (154-0)

===Judgement 155===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' When Gisli the Provider first joined the Brass Coast, the Freeborn Assembly was asked to assess whether they were of honest character. In the wake of the magics upon Madruga, it is time to revisit that question. I call Gisli to Inquisition to discuss their place in the Nation, at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (116-30)

===Judgement 163===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Rahmah i Darwisj i Erigo: you tell me that members of Senate believe your service as Imperial Spymaster requires scrutiny. Very well: next season we will meet and I will carry out an audit of your conduct.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (52-0)

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Egremont Russet
* '''Judgement:''' The Paragon Kethry teaches us the Pride in our beliefs and traditions, that withstands conquest and subjugation; which has so recently been emulated in the Mournwold with the Marcher orcs. I call to inquisition Harry the Axe of Alderly to answer questions of Pride, and Loyalty, and the small matter of '5 wains of fresh-cut weirwood'. I also ask fellow Priest and Senator of Mournwold Mel Bleak to assist me in this inquisition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Writs of Inquisition===
{{stub}}
The following writs of inquisition were issued this summit:
{|
| '''Called by''' || '''Subject''' || '''Judgement or Title''' || '''Matter'''
|-
| Caduceus of Aureate Peak || Tiberius Stormspire Cascade || [[#Judgement 22|Judgement 22]] || Contributions to [[Conclave]] and Imperial magic
|-
| Jurand Biezacz || Tomasi Giralo i Erigo || [[#Judgement 36|Judgement 36]] || The [[Iron Confederacy]]
|-
| The Earl of Fools || Simargl, the Empty One<br>Zlata Ruznikova Perenel, the Dread Auntie<br>Maritza Orlova Pescherapokova<br>Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti<br>Talvikaarne, The Winter Guest<br>Lutobor Branislavovich Glinka<br>Yevgeni Katzev<br>Veverica, Two threads<br>''of the Circle of Zulgan-Tash'' || [[#Judgement 70|Judgement 70]] || Deeds dark and terrible
|-
| Oleander Dreamsreach || Syl Umbral Path || [[#Judgement 81|Judgement 81]] || [[Testimony]] of ''Hidden Hand''
|-
| Aspar || Vespasian of Tropaion || [[#Judgement 97|Judgement 97]] || The price he has paid and the lessons learned
|-
| Galene Netherwatch || Tyburn Natkysset, Grandmaster of the [[Shuttered Lantern]] || [[Arcane Inquisitor]] || Her long years of work with the Shuttered Lantern
|-
| Vauraus Korppitkotka || Bronimir, Senator for [[Ossium]] || [[Auditor of Senatorial Accountability]] || Mustering an army in two seasons
|-
| Amicia of the Semmerlak || Cyrus of Ebon's Hall, [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] || [[Chaplain Consular]] || The [[Cold Sun]] [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|situation]]
|-
|-
| Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost || Katelyn Quinnell De Cordraco || [[Imperial Inquisitor]] || Her relationship with [[Eleonaris]]
|-
| Maarit Suvidottir || Magistrate Abraham || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]] || Technical definitions of theological terms
|-
| Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai || Bakar i Riqueza || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Loyalty]] || Magical guidance, especially concerning [[Madruga]]
|-
| Iniska Ashwood || Asthore Autumngale || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Prosperity]] || His time as Senator for [[Miaren]], at the Winter summit
|-
| Brother Geoffrey Orchard || Eliza di Sarvos || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]] || Night activities for the Winter summit
|-
| Vera || Friþmær Sunhildsdottir || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of the Way]] || A [[scop|scop's]] virtue
|}

==Sanction==
===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedidiah Boon
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Lofyn Bloodcloak, you have committed yourself to the path of Pride. Along it, you have found what all Pilgrims do; the obstacles of other's doubts, the weight of your own mistakes, the blood that soaks the roads beyond Anvil's safety. Your Inspiration is written in your people's Chronicle, in the Regalia you passed to your successors. Your Legacy is to be decided by those who survive you - whether in the Schema that shares your name or the diplomatic affairs you now commit yourself to - but there is no doubt it will endure. You have shown Benevolence in your Oaths to Semmersuaq and your battle against the Jotun. The True Liao you have earned will tell us more about your soul. We live in an age of Miracles; the Schema was revealed to you by the Bloodcloak placed on your shoulders, calling your soul to an item of great worth. Something beyond our understanding occurred; declare it, lest such Miraculous events be lost to legend alone.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (206-0)

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' I've examined your Virtue Sigismund. <u>Courage</u> - Only you stood for Field Marshall but it failed in battle. <u>Prosperity</u> - Your Anointing. <u>Vigilance?</u> - With only 6 Auxiliaries & 60 less citizens than expected you accepted no more runners worrying about Druj tricks. <u>Ambition</u> - Let you to stand before Military Council & Senate owning your mistakes, not excusing or hiding them. <u>We build up, not tear down</u>, so your Penance is as follows; 1) A Pilgrimage of Penance to Dawn, Highguard, League, Marches, Urizen & Varushka and Testimony from each National Assembly. 2) Military Council & Anvil Library get detailed recommendations so others don't repeat your mistakes 3) Sashes to mark those in command 4) Not seeking field command for 2 years 5) A priest by your side in battle & an Ambition Anointing for 3 years to guard your Virtue. <u>These are the consequences of your actions, Vigilance not Vengeance.</u>
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (192-38)

===Judgment 16===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' By his own admission, Brat Umbral Path is immensely dangerous, and capable of enacting immense harm very quickly and very effectively. I laud this, and acknowledge how it can and ought to strengthen our Empire. I raise it also a warning - that the experts and strategists of this Empire are always best placed to harm it. Brat embodies the point at which the virtue of Ambition meets the realm of Night - driven, cunning, subtle, manipulative, with strong intuition. He is extraordinarily well placed to be the Empire's expert in Night, and convey it to the Empire and the Empire to it. The Wise ought act as the Volhov teaches, and investigate him and that which surrounds him, to witness his triumph, and to disabuse this Empire of notions of threat. I welcome his oath to yearly inquisition, that we might understand him and his realm as it transforms. He will be a virtuous archmage - thus I vindicate him.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (132-0)

===Judgment 58===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 59===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 71===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 76===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 110===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvo
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 111===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' High Exorcist Dame Belmarie de Courtnay-Wildrose. I look upon your work and find it Virtuous - and Virtue deserves lauding. You have learned much through your work, in your successes and more importantly in your failures. You have learned how to rely not only on your own strength, but the strength of others. You know there will come a time when the mantle will pass and you prepare the next generation of exorcists as best you can. There is always danger, always another threat - a threat you are more than equipped to face. It may be difficult - but raise your chin, Belmarie. You have earned it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (5-0)

===Judgment 114===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Amicia of the Semmerlak
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 115===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Hazel Talbot
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 122===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Amara Fletcher
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' During my inquisition of Enchantress Lamalleves, she showed nothing but being the perfect example of ambition. From inspiring others to achieve their most ambitious goals to heavily contributing to multiple different successes, she has shown to uphold the tenets of an ambition priest
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (258-0)

===Judgment 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 141===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 149===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 160===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 161===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 162===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Recognition==
===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Lorenzo 'La Volpe' Macelliao von Temeschwar was Prosperous. He was Ambitious. But Pride is the virtue he held closest in his heart, and most clearly embodied in his life's work. He celebrated his successes, proclaimed his past and his home boldly in all his actions, and uplifted his nation and his Empire. '''Benevolence''': The Empire benefits to this day from his works. The Blood Red Roads may be the biggest endeavour, now feeding the Empire's coffers directly in support of the Vallornguard. But citizens past and present in a dozen territories have personally benefited from his works in coin, mana and liao. '''Legacy''': A dozen Great Works exist across the Empire, that he funded, designed and built. These Great Edifices Proudly display his name, his guild, and his history, reminding us we should be Proud of where we come from and our achievements. '''Inspiration''': Even in life, the League Assembly named him an Inspiration, leading to the Colissus of Sarvos' True Consecration as a Sacred Site in his honour. Travellers flock to Sarvos to see this wondrous sight and experience The Partner of Greatness for themselves. To this day, his name is synonymous with grand benevolent works. '''Pilgrimage''': His great works included travelling the Empire to map and build the Blood Red Roads; the Legacies of Virtue, grand edifices to uplift And Inspire the virtuous in each of the territories they were built in, from Hahnmark to Casinea; as well as several Cathedrals to Pride. This make clear his journey not only to personal Virtue, but The Way as a pillar of that journey for all citizens. This assembly Recognises Lorenzo as an Exemplar of Pride.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (288-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Tribune will raise a judgement in the General Assembly at the Winter Solstice on behalf of '''Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato'''

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Erasmo di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Olwyn / Olwynn the Witness was recognised as an exemplar of Pride in Winter 376YE - the season immediately after the death of Britta. No details of Olwynn's life or signs of recognition are recorded in the public civil service records. It is not listed which signs of recognition were met. Last season, the General Assembly agreed that Exemplars are "''those who Synod have agreed are the best examples for teaching the Way of Virtue''". With no information to teach, Olwynn the Witness is not suited to be recognised as an Exemplar of the Way."
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (365-106)
* '''Notes:''' [[Known_exemplars#Olwyn_the_Witness|Olwyn the Witness]] remains an exemplar of [[Pride]]

==Exaltation==
===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Starlight Starchaser
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 148===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wolfgang
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Appointment==
===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower''' was appointed with 304 votes; Eevi Hawkheart of the Gadrai received 276 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Jedediah Boon''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tren Meals''' was appointed with 196 votes; Edmund Groves received 170 votes; Berith Relieur received 22 votes

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of Ratibor's Torch]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vitore van Temeschwar''' was appointed with 192 votes

===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Echo of the House of the Wanderer''' was appointed with 162 votes

===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Challenger in Waiting]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Daugon Orzel''' was appointed with 208 votes; Turpin de Boarwood received 114 votes

===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of the Maze of Zoria]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Illya Nikovtich Volkov''' was appointed with 158 votes

===Judgement 34===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos''' was appointed with 162 votes; Archibald received 42 votes

===Judgement 35===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Isaia Pavone di Sarvos''' was appointed with 125 votes

===Judgement 38===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Curator of the White City Museum]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rebekah''' was appointed with 158 votes; Cainan received 102 votes; Micah received 38 votes

===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Deimos''' was appointed with 128 votes; Drystan Rootround received 32 votes; Thomir received 22 votes

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Romand Reinetova Remislav''' was appointed with 106 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Knight of the Greenwood]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was withdrawn as the appointment method was [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_Knight_of_the_Greenwood|amended]] by Senate

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Mistress of Ceremonies]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lana Valentina de Holberg''' was appointed with 190 votes

===Judgement 46===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lady Abreya De Lagriffe''' was appointed with 212 votes; Callista received 126 votes; Emrys Elyan received 42 votes

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Conscience of the Dunnings]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tuuli''' was appointed with 172 votes; Eadric received 46 votes

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Dreamspeaker of Seren]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Oleander Dreamsreach''' was appointed with 136 votes; Bree received 20 votes; Joailes receives 0 votes; Wren receives 0 votes

===Judgement 69===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Palladius''' was appointed with 88 votes; Rhydian de Rondell received 58 votes

===Judgement 95===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Galene Netherwatch''' was appointed with 4 votes

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lady of the Proffered Hand]]
* '''Outcome:''' ''' Tristan Donatien Nicholas Reynauld''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Archivist of the Echoing Obelisk]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was raised, then withdrawn, as there was insufficient time for scrutiny.

==Rewarding==
===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement:''' I call for 15 Thrones to be given to Richardo Glostari di Sarvos, Armarious of the Anvil Library. This will be distributed to those who work at the Library in recognition of their work to preserve, expand and promote knowledge & Wisdom. Lets reward & invest in this great Citizen led Anvil staple.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (706-538)

===Judgement 13===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Yvonne von Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Last summit, Paris of Apulus self-funded and constructed a waystation for foreign pilgrims, extending the reach of the Way. We reward her 15 thrones in recognition of her virtuous labour.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (1035-434)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement:''' The Imperial Synod rewards Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav 15 thrones to be used as they see fit to reward the immense Courage of the Winter magicians of Varushka they led in destroying the Sumisev Peegel, a regio corrupted by the Cold Sun to emit radiation that could have killed every magician present. The destruction was prepared for alone and funded out of pocket for the protection, betterment, and Prosperity of the souls Volodmartz, who stood endangered by this active threat. Their actions stand as prefect examples of the hallowings of Permion, Inga Tarn, and Isaella's Resolve - to fear not death, and to confront and defeat dangers, for they knew it was the right thing to do.
* '''Outcome:''' Failed (463-558)

===Judgement 20===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Chantecleer Words
* '''Judgement:''' Claude Deeds discovered that the ghost of Theodric Mooting, the legendary scop of Wintermark, had been trapped at the threshold of Sydanjaa for more than three hundred years, unable to pass through the Labyrinth. Claude led a band to Warriors Gate to free Theodric's soul so he could pass through the Labyrinth. She heard the scop's final tale. Heroes of Wintermark were able to recover his last remains - his drum - and so laid him to rest in Kallavesa. This quest was the result of years of research on Claude's part including careful negotiation with the Winter realm, incurring much personal cost. We reward Claude 10 thrones for her Virtuous deeds: her Wise discoveries, her Loyalty to a legend.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (629-514)

===Judgement 25===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ada
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (392-590)

===Judgement 31===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aster Aceae
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (620-400)

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Athiel Westernborn of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (857-362)

===Judgement 28===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Dagonet
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Reynard, Envoy to the Karass 10 Thrones for dissemination to the Karass sept. This season they provided one sixth of the assistance towards rescuing the Great Forest Orcs enslaved by the Druj. This effort would not have rescued from both territories without that aid. They did so despite being informed they were no obligation to assist and there would be no reprisals if they did not, and did so with no reward offered or expected. Irrespective of what we may think of the Karass, our Virtue suggests we acknowledge Prosperity to recompense their labour and acknowledge their Courage.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (518-466)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Hildelith Kaukosdottir
* '''Judgement:''' The outstanding costs for the project to Anchor the Way in Asavea stand tall, but even the mightiest forest can be felled one tree at a time- and the trees ARE being felled. This summit, the Loyalty Assembly are meeting with representatives from Ibaria to discuss raising armies there. We seek 6 mithril to help with this cost.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

===Judgement 68===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Merari of Navigators of Virtue
* '''Judgement:''' Award Ehud or Rumah’s Redoubt 13 thrones for providing the remaining 4 wains of Weirwood for Berechiah’s Basilica in Bastion after the rewarding for wains failed last summit. This act of vigilance prevented the commission from lapsing and the wains being lost.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (493-550)

===Judgement 74===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Raine Tealeaf
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (256-492)

===Judgement 79===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Fredegar Bloodmouth
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (293-516)

===Judgement 108===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lydus
* '''Judgement:''' Micah of the Navigators of Virtue was alert to the growing dangers in Therunin. She acted quickly to obtain the 24 wains required, bearing half the cost herself to allow immediate construction & initial use of the new Navarri Wayhouse in Reikos, Micah’s Stand. Micah has saved lives & souls through these acts, created a symbol of Navarri & Highborn cooperation and brought a bounty of herbs to the herb gardens of Reikos. We reward Micah’s Vigilance & Ambition with 8 wains of weirwood
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>83 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings</td><td>8 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>6 wains</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 9 thrones, 6 crowns at the various [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting houses]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 15 thrones to '''Yvonne von Apulian''' following [[#Judgement 13|Judgement 13]] being upheld (margin 601)
* 8 wains of white granite to '''Athiel Westernborn''' following [[#Judgement 32|Judgement 32]] being upheld (margin 495)
* 6 wains of mithril to '''Hildelith Kaukosdottir''' following [[#Judgement 37|Judgement 37]] being upheld (margin 463)
* 40 thrones to '''Aster Aceae''' following [[#Judgement 31|Judgement 31]] being upheld (margin 220)
* 15 thrones to '''Nikolovich Drakov''' following [[#Judgement 10|Judgement 10]] being upheld (margin 168)
* 8 wains of weirwood to '''Lydus''' following [[#Judgement 108|Judgement 108]] being upheld (margin 154)
* 10 thrones to '''Chauntecleer Words''' following [[#Judgement 20|Judgement 20]] being upheld (margin 115)
* 3 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings to '''Dagonet''' following [[#Judgement 28|Judgement 28]] being upheld (margin 52)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 51 thrones for the Bourse dose of true liao from '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 3 crowns, 16 rings from '''Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza'''
* 2 crowns from '''Nathair Autumngale'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Relieur'''
* 1 ring in small donations
</div>
==Doses of True Liao==

Six doses of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose to '''Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower''' as [[Lepidean Librarian]]
* One dose to '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Corwyn Heartsbane''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Adel de Ordraig''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Belmarie de Courtenay Wyldrose''' by decision of the Gatekeepers

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 42 || 550 || 276
|-
|Courage || 40 || 514 || 258
|-
|Loyalty || 63 || 888 || 445
|-
|Pride || 40 || 492 || 247
|-
|Prosperity || 35 || 413 || 207
|-
|Vigilance || 43 || 480 || 241
|-
|Wisdom || 39 || 472 || 237
|-
|The Way || 53 || 584 || 293
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 19 || 228 || 115
|-
|Dawn || 57 || 750 || 376
|-
|Highguard || 71 || 938 || 470
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 6 || 66 || 34
|-
|League || 41 || 508 || 255
|-
|Marches || 22 || 258 || 130
|-
|Navarr || 33 || 401 || 201
|-
|Urizen || 32 || 350 || 176
|-
|Varushka || 35 || 424 || 213
|-
|Wintermark || 39 || 470 || 236
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}
==Anchor the Way in Asavea==
Click ''Expand'' to see the list of contributions made to Anchor the Way in Asavea.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{CommissionProgress|Anchor_the_Way_in_Asavea}}
</div>

388YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements

2026-11-02T16:51:49Z

Responsible1: /* Judgement 157 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 388YE Autumn]]
{{stub}}
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{|
|+ align="top"| <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Change of Doctrine|Change of Doctrine]] || 1
|-
|[[#Veto|Veto]] || 1
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| 79
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 13
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 1
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || 16
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || 19
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 2
|-
|[[#Exaltation|Exaltation]] || 3
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 21
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 13
|-
|}
</div>
__TOC__
During the Autumn Equinox 388YE, the Synod raised 169 judgements.
==Change of Doctrine==
===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Skywise Rykana
* '''Judgement:''' Orcs are no longer new to The Way, no longer the children of Virtue we were when the Bonewall first enshrined our beliefs in Doctrine. More now look to the Empire and see the chance for a future, and in turn our understanding of our spiritual destiny has expanded. We build now on all that has come before to replace the Doctrine of the Howling Abyss with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge so that we might welcome more into The Way.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2733-54)
* '''Notes:''' This judgement removes the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_the_Howling_Abyss|Doctrine of the Howling Abyss]] and replaces it with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge. The full implications of this change to [[the Doctrines of the Faith]] will be felt over the coming months.
<big>'''The Doctrine of the Final Challenge'''</big>
<div class="ic"><div class="ic-inner" style="display: block;">
<big>''After death, an orc can become an Ancestor by overcoming the mighty spiritual challenge that we understand as the Howling Abyss, though it takes many forms. This challenge may only be attempted once. Those who fail are lost, but those who succeed become Ancestors who can guide living orcs.''</big></div></div>

==Veto==
===Judgement 158===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' I call for a Veto of the Senate motion to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in the Barrens to the Karass. The Karass are not our friends, they were once in favour with the Druj and to allow them to reside in their lands without oversight lacks Vigilance - to cede it now is to leave us a problem later we could avoid.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (0-112)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Cede_Last_Battle_Wayhouse|motion]] to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in [[the Barrens]].

==Statement of Principle==
===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ames the Amiable of the Pilgrims Guard
* '''Judgement:''' Arlais, Daughter of Mari, plans to build five sinecures at Virtues Rest: four Benefactors, one for each army, and one attached to the Strategos of Highguard. Together producing 48 mana and 16 Orichalcum each season. We seek no materials; those are needed for the Grand Inspiration of the Way. We ask instead for something Highguard possesses in abundance: experience. Our nation holds generations of military knowledge, from soldiers and commanders to chaplains, apothecaries, engineers, quartermasters, and all who sustain an army beyond the battlefield. Arlais intends to break ground in Winter. Help shape the Benefactors Court at Virtues Rest. Tell us what our armies need, where lasting support matters most, and what ingenuity, experience and Virtue might achieve.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (594-0)

===Judgement 9===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Aldwyn the Glorious
* '''Judgement:''' In order to enter this into imperial record during an inquisition conducted by Jedidiah Boon, Summer 388YE, Lofyn Bloodcloak recounted the miracle that happened when she first put on the Bloodcloak following its recovery from a century of Thule possession. Lofyn Bloodcloak felt the weight of the cloak shift, a small hole had appeared within the lining and within was found the necklace she now wears around which was wrapped the schema which allowed Lofyn to enter the Bloodcloak into Imperial Lore.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (244-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 247

===Judgement 11===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Haleth Sigeling
* '''Judgement:''' The assembly of vigilance condemns the actions of the agents of the Whisper Gallery in Tsirku. Our eyes turn north to the Grave of the Giants, to watch for signs of similar acts by agents of any Eternals acting against the Citizens of the Empire
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 12===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vidarr Runebound
* '''Judgement:''' Nora Falcon's Light, Grimnir and Thane of House Geris has been tireless in her legacy and dedication to the nation of Wintermark. Her efforts supporting our national celebrations have helped bring the nation a great sense of pride, our hearthfire continues to be a beacon in the darkness thanks to Nora's efforts, and she has long fought to bolster ambitions of other Winterfolk, to the betterment of our nation. Nora's work is quiet work that may oft go unsung, but is no less heroic to explore the skein and help guide the skein of others is the Kallavesi way. As such, we the Wintermark Assembly are proud to enter into the '''Chronicle of Heroes: Nora Falcon's Light.'''
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Notes:''' Nora Falcon's Light has been added to the [[Heroism#Chronicle of Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]]

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Veikko Bondforger
* '''Judgement:''' In my power as Keeper of Oaths, I commit the following from Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds, the Fire of the Marches, to the Forge of Bonds: '''Oath from Amberlain to Bregasland''' People of Bregasland! Queen Fisher and her Jotun masters have fled before our soldiers' might, with and Courage. But there will always be would-be conquerors, Jarls and threats to our land, mark me. The Empire's memory may be short, but Marcher grudges and memories are long - the Reeds will not forget, and WE will never abandon Bregasland again. This I swear before the Fens and Marsh. May this oath of Loyalty be the legacy of the Strong Reeds. Bregasland stands! This is adapted from the Strong Reeds army orders from Summer 385YE
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (320 - 0)
* '''Notes:''' The oath of '''Amberlain P. Black''' has been added to the [[Keeper_of_Oaths#Forge_of_Bonds|Forge of Bonds]]

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Mael of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Behold: Virtue! As the Marshall of the Faith, I bid ye witness that the following were multiply commended by diverse Field Marshalls and Commanders during the battles at the last summit: Lady Nymeria Mortere, Nicassia of Phoenix Reach, Red Bramble, Artis the Unyielding, Hastur Broken Bough, and the Blades of Adelmar. The Marshal wishes to congratulate long-standing General Dame Aurum de Castellan of the Eastern Sky, The Star of Semmerholm on their retirement. A full list of commendations can be found on the citizen's notices.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' '''Mael of the Shattered Tower''' is the incumbent [[Marshal of the Faith]]

===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Dr Lysimachus of the Dauntless Light
* '''Judgement:''' I see my siblings asking if our years of pilgrimage was meaningless, if it was a waste, a mistake, to which I have one thing to say to that. Bugger that for a game of soldiers. We’re Highborn, one of our tenants is only the actions tha’ undertakes demonstrate tha’s worth. And our Actions in t’Pilgrimage have certainly demonstrated. Look at the Pilgrims Defiance in Therunin and tell me what we did was not Virtuous, not Meaningful, Not. Worth. It. I am Proud of what I did as a Grey Pilgrim, I am Proud of what I Will Do as a Grey Pilgrim, However. I. Do it. I may need to be a Priest to be part of the Synod, but I don’t need to be part of the Synod to be a Priest. Wherever my Virtue guides me, it’ll be with my Head Held High as a Grey Pilgrim. Virtues Light Guide Thee my Siblings, may you walk in Virtue too.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (378-10)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 27===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Isaia Pavone di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' The guidance of the seven virtues teach us to despise that which is antithetical to what these virtues stand for. These teachings have come from our long history of virtue and our learning of the Way. However, the Way is a living thing and we should reconsider the wording of these teachings. By calling us to despise these antithetical things we are calling ourselves to inaction and to hatred. I look to Wisdom, to know that the words we speak carry meaning. You can be passive in the act of despising, instead we should stand actively in opposing these antithetical forces. I call to change our teachings, to carry forward with the understanding we actively oppose instead of passively despise. If Virtue is action then let us say so.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1078-424) margin of 654

===Judgement 40===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine
* '''Judgement:''' Harken and Listen, ye Knights, Nobles and Citizens of our Glorious Dawn, and recognise your Dawnish Champions of Virtue, and Love & Glory: Prosperity - Berith of House du Maurisol; Ambition - Lord Tobias d Gauvain; Glory - Lord Reynard Griffinsong; Love - Gui of House Vexille; The Way - Lord Edward Novarion; Courage - Lady Melisande de Reynard; Vigilance - Brilliance Alys de Reynard; Pride - Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine; Wisdom - Reynard of House du Gauvain; and Loyalty - Lord Logan Cordraco. "Seek their stories, learn from their example, charge ever forward to Virtue."
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (370-36)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 376

===Judgement 41===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Æthelric
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Mikael Reskovich
* '''Judgement:''' War dawns upon the horizon for our beloved nation. While the Thule command our regions, national assembly must arm ourselves in virtue. We must take more measures to prepare our nation for the inevitable. Thwart malice before it strikes first
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (228-20)

===Judgement 47===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Kasjay
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Asthore Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' "What is grief?" asks the Spiral Dancer. "Let us tell you," say Navarr. Grief is a fraying braid, coming undone, unwoven. Grief is an empty corpseglade, with all that laid there returned to the earth. Grief is a song around the fire, a little quieter than before - a voice missing, now. Grief is one less set of footprints beside you on the trods. One less plate at the table. One less shield at your side. One less dancer. Grief is the warmth you carry in your heart even when the one who stoked that flame is gone. Grief is Loyalty, and love, and oaths enduring, in this life and the next, in each step through the Great Dance.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (193-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 201

===Judgement 54===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Isario i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' Courage is not the absence of Fear and Terror, it is the conquering of them. A new enemies' gaze is drawn over the Empire; Ungholt, the Delerium King. His weapons are Fear, Madness and Terror. There is no Wisdom or Revelation to be found in The Scarecrow's gifts or talents. It seeks to break the mind, shatter the virtue and render morality dust, until all is nought but terror, ruin and madness. There can be no coexistence, no collaboration and no capitulation with such power. You can succumb, or you can break the shackles of Terror itself through Courage. The Courage Assembly declare The Scarecrow our enemy. We will render any and all assistance to Conclave and all who hold the line against it's Horror.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-0)

===Judgement 55===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Abelard
* '''Judgement:''' We take Pride in our sporting culture, and will share it with the world! This year we introduced The League to the joys of Foot-the-Ball: they now plan to build their own stadiums. We should show Ambition and go even further. The Empire has made great diplomatic inroads this year with the reclusive people of Tsark. We enjoy friendly, if distant, relations with this civilisation, who wish to learn more of the Virtues. One of the few things we know about the Tsarkish is that they are a sport-loving people who enjoy full-contact games. LET US TEACH THEM FOOT-THE-BALL. Our priests, diplomats and foot-the-ball players should do all we can to arrange a friendly and virtuous foot-the-ball match with them, at a mutually convenient location, as soft diplomacy with Tsark.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Franquesa Sorrateiro di Tassato Mestra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Solas
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Amaro d’Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Pride tells us to embrace our past and never be ashamed of it. Our forebears have committed many resources to hiding events in our history that they deemed shameful. In doing so, they have disarmed our empire by concealing the mistakes of our past, and doomed us to repeat them. In doing so, they have withheld from us figures and events that we should be proud of, and could now be using to inspire ourselves. In doing so, they have unvirtuously chosen which parts of our empire we can be proud of, and forbidden us to be proud of the parts that they decreed unworthy. We urge all virtuous citizens to seek out the parts of this empire's history that have been hidden out of shame or deception, and bring them to light. This is our highest calling.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (318-0)
* '''Notes:''' Further information on highest callings can be found in the '''[[The highest calling]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Maximillian Ankarien
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Leyna Sunshaper
* '''Judgement:''' As a part of our highest calling, we call upon the wise to appraise those who would teach us more about the cultivation of Black Lotus and how to convince them to help us. We do so with the guidance of our living orc Exemplar Skywise Rykana.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' The Wisdom Assembly can call on the wise to suggest wording for an [[appraisal]] in response to their [[To_seek_enlightenment#Finding_the_Right_Question|highest calling]]

===Judgement 67===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Freeborn thank the fleets of our Varushkan cousins for their help protecting our coasts and hearths. Let our Courageous captains defend what military units cannot, combined into a sea of mighty fleets. United, we can defy the Grendel and any others who would threaten the Prosperity of the Bay, as we look north to wars yet to end and yet to come.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (134-0)

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 75===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Val
* '''Judgement:''' The Highest Calling of the Freeborn is to defend our lands. We have been beset by enemies, we have been forced to give up our lands at the point of the sword and the point of the pen. We reclaim what is ours and oppose the tyrants who would take it from us. The Hakima of Anvil have conferred and advised, it is clear that the Kohan embody the ideals of Hayaak, the Prince-in-Exile. He well knows the cost of walking away from one's past and embodying the path of the warrior. The Kohan are perhaps the greatest in the world at this. We ask that the Hakima of the Coast approach the Hawk Lord and his warriors-without-masters, to seek their aid in holding back the tyrants at our borders. We Will Not Kneel.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (124-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Freeborn Assembly can call on citizens of the Brass Coast to seek out aid in defence of the nation as part of their [[Stand_proud,_you%27re_strong#Eternal_Allies|highest calling]].

===Judgement 77===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés
* '''Judgement:''' In summer 385YE the Shrine of Hope was consecrated with a dose of True Liao to Ambition. The sacrifice of the Hounds of Glory to reclaim The Barrens was the ultimate price of Ambition, where no price is too high to achieve your dreams. We recognise the final path of the Hounds of Glory as a Pilgrimage route ending at the Shrine of Hope, and those that witnessed the True Consecration as having forged the path forward as the first Pilgrims. Where they have sown fear, we will make flowers grow.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (396-0)

===Judgement 78===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Rinnah of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Nathair Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' While it is commonly thought Pride is the virtue of the arts. Wisdom too is deeply entwined with the performer's craft. It is woven into every tale of danger or provoked thought, and held in lyric around the fire to share our history to friend, kin and stranger alike. If found lacking, these tales are reforged in Wisdom and spread anew. Lessons taught to us as children endure, and are retold for future generations. Recalled in a moment by the simplest melody. Where Navarr goes, music follows. As autumn gales carry the Empire's blood along the trods toward winter, we encourage all to listen and share performance with the passing Stridings and Grey Pilgrims. That together, across the Empire, we might better learn the wisdom in the song and the lesson in the story.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1301-48) margin of 1253

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Lorenzo von Apulian
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Kellin Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' The Empire is dealing with a crisis of Loyalty. Our National Assemblies stand at odds with the rest of their nations. We see repeated talk of insurrection, secession, rebellion. As Anvil grows, we grow apart. Who is better positioned to deal with this than the Loyalty Assembly? And yet, our Highest Calling draws our gaze outward and invites even more dissent. We must do better.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (316-102)

===Judgement 88===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Laurencio Lemmini di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Civil service records identify twenty-three locations of spiritual importance in the Empire. These inspirational locations - memorials and sacred sites - are spread across nineteen Imperial territories. Five of these locations are in Sarvos - over one-fifth of the total - representing four of the Seven Virtues. The League celebrates Sarvos with Pride as one of the most spiritually inspiring locations in the Empire. In true League fashion, we welcome the competition from the Grand Inspiration of the Way when it is complete.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (294-12)

===Judgement 89===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Eli of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' Highborn, remember in this moment your Certainty. We know the threat the Vallorn presents. It cannot be converted, it destroys all faith it touches, for it and the lands it consumes cannot have faith. In its wake it leaves malignant corruption, the likes of the Heirs of Terunael and Agramant brought about from its assaults. The cost of the Vallorn's persistence will continue to threaten the spiritual sanctity of our siblings. Remember this, should your convictions be tested in these times.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (450-0)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 90===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tabris of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Pilgrims, remember the miracles performed at the Three Watchers as you marched to Therunin. If you need reinforce your Certainty, remember the anointings many of you still bear without any explanation. Know that Things Matter.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (358-0)

===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Yrkja Riansson Sigeing
* '''Judgement:''' This summit, Senate commissions the Hall of the Soturi, to be the hosting-place for the army to be raised in Kallavesa. We the Wintermark Assembly celebrate the inspirational Courage of the Soturi and condemn the false rumours that the army will be trained in cruel tactics. The army will bear the quality the Military Council calls Fearless. A fearless army is willing to give whatever must be given to win the day, and when there is no more to give, to die as heroes in the Empire's defence.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (276-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Hall of the Soturi was first presented as part of a [[Flight_of_birds#No_Half_Measures|response]] from the Mystics of Ishal. The [[Construct_Hall_of_the_Soturi|motion]] to build the Hall of the Soturi was raised by '''Rane Shardbearer''', [[Kallavesa|Senator for Kallavesa]]

===Judgement 92===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Luke
* '''Judgement:''' The best stories are worth waiting for. Around a Winter fire, ask; have you heard of William Guildernstern? Folk Hero to us all! While fighting ogres in but his braes might entertain, the battlefields of Bregasland give his best tale. With Jotun boots on Marcher soil, the Battle for Matilda Fisher’s banner raging, General Black called for aid; who will defeat Jarl Olgafdottir's brother, the fearless Summerborn Champion, Sigrun? Guildernstern stepped up, Goldbrand in his hands. Not knowing the danger he faced, our Hero asked “Are you happy I claim your brother’s weapon as my prize?” Sigrun laughed as antlers sprouted from his head, proclaiming “You can try!”. Billblocks parted for their single combat, as Guildernstern wiped that laugh away; he pierced Sigrun's chest and forced him down. Ever the gallant soldier, Guildernstern offered his hand and healed the bested Champion to continue their fight. Without heroic blows, again Guildernstern cut Sigrun down; cutting him across his breast, he slew him in the mud and marsh. Knowing he would fall on Marcher soil, our Hero took his enemy’s hand; he would not let anyone die alone on sacred land. But such grand a feat is in the past. Just like Old Jonah, Guildernstern is there when needed. Not to vanquish the beast for you, but to tell you how to do it. A nod to a General, a word of advice to a Senator, a bestiary bound in sturdy pages, a legendary weapon lent. Where do Proud Marchers go for counsel? Why, William Guildernstern of course.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (156-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of William Guildenstern and what it means for him to be recognised as a folk hero was [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Holding_Out_For_a_Hero|raised]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 388YE

===Judgement 93===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Catena
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Hazelelponi
* '''Judgement:''' What you have is shared with the community. Find outcomes that are better than any one individual can achieve by themselves. These are part of the Great Forest Orcs paths. These people are not unknown to us, we have helped their healing before, so we as Highborn will show our commitment by supporting our friends Navarr and their oath-sworn siblings in Peerless Kinship. All those who wish to be settled in Reikos will be assisted and welcomed by our Chapters. The Great Forest Orcs and their wards will find support here.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (548-10)

===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Dag Kinnad
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 98===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vauraus
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Estella Lucati
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 100===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Gwendoloena de Ordraig
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly asks the Civil Service to restart the work of the Barrens Roads appraisal and for the appraisal to include roads to both the Rahvin in the Bitter Strand and the Great Forest Orcs in the Heart of Peytaht but not the Karass in the Bleaks.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (266-80)
*'''Notes:''' This judgement follows on from [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_45|one]] raised last season to ask the civil service to pause work on the roads in [[the Barrens]].

===Judgement 101===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Ralph Godwin
* '''Judgement:''' This Assembly thanks the Sumaah Republic for the Wisdom of their information and the Prosperity in sharing it. Recognising a Paragon is necessarily a solemn and difficult task that requires research and virtuous consensus. The Empire recognises Zemress as an Exemplar and Sumaah has provided further research. Taken together, the Empire and Sumaah Republic recognise 7 of 8 signs of Paragonhood. Within the next year, we will raise a judgement to the General Assembly to resolve her status.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (251-0)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tuuli
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 104===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' João i Cabral i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 106===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Bravi
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 109===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Demetrius of Reikos
* '''Judgement:''' Was it not in recent memory that Llofir held a region of Reikos as its own. This Rotlord, Lady of Spores, Despoiler of Grain tormented citizens of the Empire. It held the Sign of Tamar and with that it claimed Tamarbode! My home, my siblings' home! It caused ruin to chapterhouses, slew Urizen Sentinels and abducted Imperial citizens! As an apology to reclaiming Imperial territory it sought to repay us with famine! Only then after our farms ravaged, grain spoiled, then it would have forgiven us for our so-called transgression! Do we forget what this Eternal has done to us? As someone’s homeland that was ravaged by the Druj, I seek their end but we cannot trust this Eternal after what they have already inflicted upon us. We cannot accept its help. We must remain vigilant of their capability and threat to us.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-10)

===Judgement 113===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Miroslav Dainovitch Temnavoda
* '''Judgement:''' Grief is loss. Grief is love. Grief is pain. It is the knowledge that something beloved is gone forever. It is the realisation that a dream will never come to pass. It is the ache in your heart that time can lessen but never remove. It is the end of possibilities you never knew existed.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (174-0)

===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eldrid 'Phoenix Flame' Vestardottir
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 117===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Tulva
* '''Judgement:''' This season, the Synod looks to change doctrine. This alteration does not ask us to change our beliefs, and our nation is not abandoning our understanding of one life. Reject the complacency of reincarnation. To lose the drive to act and sit in the belief that you will get another chance to cross the Abyss is to risk your soul slipping into oblivion through sheer inaction. The notion that not lifting a blade will guarantee reincarnation is a folly. Seek out the Illarawm if you have cause to doubt, for we can gift you the voices of those ancestors who crossed as gardeners, guides, traders and more. One life is not a curse, but a gift. We see how precious every moment is, and make the most of each day. We do not need to rely on the whisper of a past life to become an ancestor. We are worthy as we are, as long as we continue to strive to build ourselves and our fellows up. Reject reincarnation. We have never needed it.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 120===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Damian of Nakir's Haven
* '''Judgement:''' We, the national assembly of Highguard, choose to entrust the Relic of Rhonwen recovered by the Stewards of the Necropolis to the care of Dagon Nighthaven of Navarr to be used in the pursuit of knowledge of the Vallorn and the reconquest of Seren.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (322-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of what to do with the relic of Rhonwen was raised as part of the Highborn Assembly's [[Goodwill#Cursed_Tool|highest calling]].

===Judgement 121===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Memnoch son of Saul
* '''Judgement:''' The Whisper Gallery have tried to kill Jared of the Suns of Couros in the past as Lepidean Librarian. As he now travels to Wintermark to aid them in peerless kinship, we call upon Loyal and Vigilant citizens to accompany and protect him from anyone who might waylay or seek to harm him.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (362-0)

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Lochias Of The Scarlet Guard
* '''Judgement:''' We bear Witness to the Arete of the Proffered Hand Network in their dealings with the Orcs of The Barrens. We welcome the Proffered Hand into our space that they may work with the displaced Septs of Sarangrave to help them find their place in the wider Empire. We cannot build Utopia alone.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (126-10)

===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Arawyn Whisperleaf
* '''Judgement:''' This morning, the Empire free the last of the Great Forest Orcs still trapped in the Forest of Ulnak. This would not have been possible without the 433 Navarr & 36 Imperial Orc citizens who dedicated their lives, resources & time to the cause over the last season. It was your efforts that freed the Great Forest Orcs in the Grove of Woe. This assembly recognises the great courage displayed by each & everyone of you. Your actions are an inspiration to us all.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (274-0)

===Judgement 126===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Éadric
* '''Judgement:''' When Sermersuaq was invaded by the Jotun, we the Stormcrows failed in our duty to guide our people well. We have learned from this mistake - but to forget the story is to risk forgetting the lesson. We support the Consecration of the beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance. By sacred True Liao let us never again let folly or carelessness threaten that which we watch over.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (234-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 236

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lord Decimus de Bastion
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ahti Korven
* '''Judgement:''' An unnamed region has been scouted in Tsirku. The scops of Wintermark name this region the Fractured Silence; for our ambition in the territory and for the Silent Bell, who acted in the territory at the time of their breaking. The Great Pit has a story as yet unknown, but for the dreams it bring we call it Firefall.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (224-0)

===Judgement 131===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Able the Taller
* '''Judgement:''' The Urizen National Assembly Witnesses and Exalts the Prosperity of Orson BogMyrtle, Keeper of the Breadbasket. When there was need, they stretched out their hand to help. Let all past grudges with the Marches be buried, let them join with us on the Road to Utopia
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (116-0)

===Judgement 132===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Junia of The Rowan Chapel
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (290- 10)

===Judgement 133===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Diego i Retador i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The crew of the Tumlar came to us as part of the Summah stone fleet who generously gave us white granite. Last summit they were stranded at The Harts Cave, cursed, and wounded. The freeborn assembly recognises their loyalty and prosperity and calls on the coast to share what you can and help them on their way home.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (118-0)

===Judgement 135===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Xandor Trodbroker
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 138===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tyba
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 139===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rástoš Dunwold
* '''Judgement:''' We the wintermark assembly states that the trading hall at Atalaq will need a mediator appointed to manage trade in the northern territories in order to ensure prosperity for the Empire and Wintermark
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (160-66)
*'''Notes:''' The [[Construct Atalaq Tradehall|motion]] to construct the Atalaq Tradehall was raised by '''Fedelmidd Sydanjaa's Heart Floer''', [[Sermersuaq|Senator for Sermersuaq]], as part of the [[The_circle_game#Fish_and_Fur_in_Sermersuaq|appraisal]] to identify alternate trades that ministries could make that would not involve paying coin. It is not possible to create a title to oversee the tradehall without an [[opportunity]]

===Judgement 143===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth
* '''Judgement:''' Vigilant citizens of Highguard, I seek the destruction of the labyrinth spirit "The Child of Faithless Grief", which threatens my constituents in Necropolis. Historical researcher, "Octavia of the Stream's Source", must be admitted into the "Tomb of Aboshec" in Necropolis to retrieve the labyrinth spirit's fetter, "Sufference", which can be entrusted into the care of Caleb of the Cenotaph so that it can be used to destroy this malicious threat. Be alert to dangers within and without!
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (296-0)

===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Agnes Wood
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise the special VIRTUE of our annual festivals. We urge pilgrims to come see how these old traditions are upheld in Anvil. In Spring, our household teams show great AMBITION in hoping to win the Stewards' games, and great COURAGE by risking life and limb in foot-the-ball and tug-of-war. In Summer, we celebrate PROSPERITY with the Summer Fayre: taking PRIDE in each bountiful harvest, we share its fruits. In Autumn, the Wassail parade shows LOYALTY to our nation, and WISDOM in preserving the old songs. In Winter, our priests and mummers show great VIGILANCE by guiding and shriving wayward folk on Soul Cake Night, strengthening our devotion to THE WAY.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (84-0)

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Earl Adel de Òrdraig
* '''Judgement:''' There is no such thing as a 'safe' fane. Every fane that is built undermines our capacity as an empire to defend ourselves against hostility from eternals using the declaration of emnity, providing unregulated access to our lands. We the vigilance assembly believe no fanes should be built until more investigation has been done into ways to mitigate the ongoing security risk they produce.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (216-0)

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sagremar i Leones Del Mar i Coeurdefer i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (146-0)

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rafe
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Achseh of the Sentinels Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Judgement 153===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Nina of Cantiarch's Hold
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 156===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wulfric Leonard Mourn
* '''Judgement:''' We have spoken with a united voice! Inspiration is our highest calling. To be the flame that warms the souls of all beings and lights The Way forward. The Grand Inspiration will inspire but it is just a building, true virtue lies in the choices and actions of living beings. I call on Ambition dedicants to consider the deeds of General Fitz Thorn. In his first years as General of the Bounders masterminded the Ambitious counterattack into Bregersland. He shows us all that no matter how tall The Mountain or thick the forest all can be conquered. We need only take the first step, or bound. Let us watch him closely as he transforms the Bounders into the Army of Ambition.
*'''Outcome:''' Not upheld (44-100)

===Judgement 157===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Skaldsgrym
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply bearing the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (110-0)

===Judgement 159===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Delara of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-0)

===Judgement 164===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Enfys Larksong
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (50-0)

===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Velko Perunovich Razoradze
* '''Judgement:''' To be forgotten is to have your story told for the last time, for history to move on as if you and that you worked hard to achieve were never there. It is the ultimate death.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (136-0)

===Judgement 167===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Volya Vychodni Nebov
* '''Judgement:''' We thank the members of the Doctrine Review Council and those who applied to join. We herewith appoint the following new members: Lorenzo von Apulian; Azomodeus; Edward Greyfrier; Marit Suvidotir; Lief Dreambinder; and Claude Deeds
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (8-0)

===Judgement 168===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Firesong Galath
* '''Judgement:''' We congratulate Red-Hand Frith for his successful funding of the Archive of the Advisor. This has been a great display of personal Prosperity as well as Pride in our species entire. No orc should stand alone. All should toil together in Loyalty to contribute to this collection. We call upon the masses to share your stories, your words of written worth, so that the voices of every sept amongst us can be gathered for preservation, protection, and Pride.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 169===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Gralka
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

==Mandate==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alfred Aewulfson-Boon
* '''Judgement:''' The Mourn should embrace its past. We send Mine-captain Jedidiah Boon with a dose of true liao to consecrate Rebellion's Ridge and call for change in the Mournwold.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1847-360)
* '''Enacted:''' [[Mournwold#Rebellion's_Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] has been conscecrated with [[true liao]] to [[Pride]] in memory of the [[The_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Ore Hills Rebels]]. All [[personal resource|personal resources]] in the Mourn will suffer a two-rank penalty over the coming season due to the [[Rebellion%27s_Ridge#The_Tipping_Point|disruption]], but the [[mine]] owners of the Mournwold will elect its next senator.

===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Dagon with 25 doses of liao to urge the virtuous to find a way to arrange a meeting with the Lost Weepers. Let us meet and find common ground against the Plenum.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (396 - 118)
*'''Not Enacted:''' No liao provided

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Father Dagda
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Father Dagda with 50 doses of liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with the Imperial Orcs to prepare to finish the fight.
* '''Enacted:''' Navarr from all walks of life [[Every_path_you_know#Thanks_for_Sharing|will travel to the named nation looking for ways to help]]. This will generate at least one opportunity for a new Imperial title to help the Vallornguard prepare for the fight with the enemy.

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Valour de Gauvain
* '''Judgement:''' Let none in our Empire be left without! We send Tren Meals with 25 doses of liao to the Barrens to ensure that all that is worthwhile is shared with those who need it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (223-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Pilgrims will travel to [[the Barrens]] to see what [[This_old_house|can be done]]. The civil service will assess the efforts of those who make the pilgrimage and present a single [[opportunity]] to restore the dignity, freedom and prosperity that the [[Imperial Constitution]] guarantees them

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Tree
* '''Judgement:''' Those who pick the apples get first taste of the cider! We send Basil Goodbeard with 50 doses of liao to declare our intent to be the ones to till the fields of Liathaven, first with the butts of our bills and then with the plough. Strive, toil, and claim the just rewards of your labours.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-30)
* '''Enacted:''' This will create an opportunity for the Marchers to [[Domain_expansion#Claim|focus their efforts]] on conquering [[Liathaven]] once [[Bregasland]] is secure. There will be a chance for the nation to break ground on taking the territory from the Jotun, claiming it for the Empire, and stake their claim to it. The mandate does not have any legal impact on the ability of the Senate to assign the territory to any Imperial nation if it were conquered, but it has roused an expectation across the Marches that they'd get first crack at it. While the Marches are staking their claim on the land, they will respect any nation it was assigned to that had been clearly seen to put in as much or more effort into the conquest than the Marchers had. But if the Senate awarded it to a nation that did less work in the campaign than the Marchers, then folks would absolutely be up in arms about it.

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Katya Vasillova Reznikov
* '''Judgement:''' Those who strive and toil deserve their just rewards. We send Katya Vasillova Reznikov with 25 doses of liao to encourage those investing in Feroz to sow the seeds of a true garden.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (209-34)
* '''Enacted:''' Afarjasse and Oranseri have lost the [[Region qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] quality. All new commissions in [[Feroz]] will see their labour costs [[This_old_house#A Fair Wage|increased]] to four crowns a wain until no region in the territory has the [[Region qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] quality.

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Rafael Barossa d'Apulian with 25 liao to urge the twin cities of Tassato to reach out to the twin cities of Leen to show them the advantages of becoming part of the greatest alliance of city-states the world has even seen. Let us marry our fates together.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (136-152)
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 137|Judgement 137]]

===Judgement 103===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Lita i Nadir i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The Marracossan exiles are friends of the Empire and the Brass Coast. They do not preach their belief in interventionalist gods, and trade respectfully with their neighbours. We send Karg i Estrico i Erico with 25 doses of liao to remind our folk that, while they must remain vigilant for the commitment of a crime, it is not the Freeborn way to try and police what lies within someone's heart.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (108-0)
* '''Enacted:''' The Freeborn have been [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Theist_Heretics|reassured]] that there is no problem treating with the exiles as they have before. Trade will resume, and while the Marracossans will remain most comfortable in Madruga, there will be no further problems. However, in the event that anyone attempted to arrest a Marracossan exile for their beliefs, or should the Senate, the Synod, or the Military Council move against the exiles within the next ten years, the people of Madruga will resist and oppose such a move as if it were aimed at one of their Freeborn neighbours. The response will be proportional to the threat, and they will expect the Freeborn Assembly to back them up.

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Rosanna Vtrachenich
* '''Judgement:''' Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but there is enough there for everyone to seize the opportunity and embrace prosperity. We send Rosanna Vtrachenich with 75 doses of liao to encourage the explorers of the northern nations to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku with the aid of the virtuous.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (108-60)
* '''Not Enacted'''
* '''Notes:''' Mandates must achieve a greater majority to have an effect in [[Varushka]].

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Jared of the Suns of Couros
* '''Judgement:''' Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jared of the Suns of Couros with no doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (436-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Highborn citizens will do what they can to support the Witan; the problems [[A fork in the path|identified]] last season will take precedence.

===Judgement 134===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Jesper Luukasson
* '''Judgement:''' "Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jesper Luukasson with 25 doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all! Let the unity of word and deed build a sure foundation for the future!" We seek to use the Eyes of Loyalty to aid this mandate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (354-0)
* '''Enacted:'''
* '''Notes:''' This was a use of Eyes of Loyalty on [[#Judgement 128|Judgement 128]]

===Judgement 136===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Task
* '''Judgement:''' A nation is much more than lines on a map. We send Firesong Galath with 15 crowns to lead a delegation of mystagogues and shamans to discover more of the ancestors of the Jotun
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (52-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Firesong Galath will lead a group of willing orcs [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|in search of information and lore]] about the ancestors of the [[Jotun]]

===Judgement 137===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Nothing is beyond our grasp. We send Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato with 25 doses of liao to urge the Bravos of the League to reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to find ways to persuade them of the benefits of a seat at the great game. Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one tree at a time.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Enacted:''' The bravos of the League will reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to see what could be done to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|bring them closer]] to the League
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]]

==Writ of Consecration==
===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' The Beacons of Sermersuaq stand as an enduring symbol of vigilance, calling the faithful to stand watch over our Empire. By this Writ we seek to permanently consecrate the Beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance, to bolster every soul standing watch over our lands. Let us with sacred True Liao inspire the faithful there to be as steadfast as the very stone while they guard against any who would threaten our halls, our laws, our virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (250-0)

==Proscription==

==Inquisition==
===Judgement 19===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Echo of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' I, Echo of the House of the Wanderer, call '''Dagon, the Cardinal of Loyalty''' to inquisition regarding his relationship to Pride, oaths and the Virtue of his actions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-10)

===Judgement 22===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Caduceur of Aureate Peak
* '''Judgement:''' Tiberius Stormspire Cascade, your contributions to the work of the Conclave and Imperial magic was praised in the Hall of Worlds last season. I call you to inquisition so the virtue of these actions may be brought into light and witnessed by all. To be held in the Quaykeep Library Saturday at midday.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (104-0)

===Judgement 36===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Jurand Biegacz
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Basil Goodbeard
* '''Judgement:''' We have heard tell of Hamma the Lame's extraordinary Prosperity. in the face of turmoil and Jotun oppression, this virtuous Marcher Orc and her hard-working family have doubled the size of Eversweet Orchard, and it is now renowned across the Marches for making the best cider in the Mourn. I call Hamma the Lame to an Inquisition at the Marcher Community Hall on the Friday Evening of the Winter Summit, to discuss her Prosperity. If she is unable to make the journey to Anvil, I will be glad to question one of her family as a proxy. In this inquisition I will be assisted by a fellow Marcher priest, Nettle Baker.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 60===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Earl of Fools
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 81===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Dreamsreach
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 97===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Aspar
* '''Judgement:''' "Utopia, no matter the cost" I call Vespasian of Tropaion to inquisition. 2pm, Tropaion tent. In the light and before suitable witnesses. We shall hear of the price he has paid, and the lessons he has learned.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (86-0)

===Judgement 105===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below
* '''Judgement:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian! Your actions in recent years have tested the bounds of propriety and of legality — particularly as they pertain to Asavea and the Whisper Gallery, both enemies of the Empire. I call you to Inquisition at the Winter Solstice to account for the virtue of your choices.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 119===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Locke Nightgrove
* '''Judgement:''' I call the Dreadshield steading to inquisition, to gather information regarding the recent treason enacted by their family member, Niamh. This is to take place on the Saturday of Winter solstice, 4pm. Ewan, Carric, Iver, Orwynn, Gwyddian, and Sylvie
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (128-0)

===Judgement 145===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 147===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Francisco Vicente d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' I, Francisco Vicente d'Apulian, on behalf of the League National Assembly, call Skywise Gralka, Archmage of Day to Inquisition. I call on Gralka to explain the insult and indignity she has inflicted on Synod by inviting an eternal to interfere with The League's Highest Calling without consultation or caution. To be held at the Winter Solstice 388YE at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (154-0)

===Judgement 155===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' When Gisli the Provider first joined the Brass Coast, the Freeborn Assembly was asked to assess whether they were of honest character. In the wake of the magics upon Madruga, it is time to revisit that question. I call Gisli to Inquisition to discuss their place in the Nation, at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (116-30)

===Judgement 163===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Rahmah i Darwisj i Erigo: you tell me that members of Senate believe your service as Imperial Spymaster requires scrutiny. Very well: next season we will meet and I will carry out an audit of your conduct.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (52-0)

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Egremont Russet
* '''Judgement:''' The Paragon Kethry teaches us the Pride in our beliefs and traditions, that withstands conquest and subjugation; which has so recently been emulated in the Mournwold with the Marcher orcs. I call to inquisition Harry the Axe of Alderly to answer questions of Pride, and Loyalty, and the small matter of '5 wains of fresh-cut weirwood'. I also ask fellow Priest and Senator of Mournwold Mel Bleak to assist me in this inquisition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Writs of Inquisition===
{{stub}}
The following writs of inquisition were issued this summit:
{|
| '''Called by''' || '''Subject''' || '''Judgement or Title''' || '''Matter'''
|-
| Caduceus of Aureate Peak || Tiberius Stormspire Cascade || [[#Judgement 22|Judgement 22]] || Contributions to [[Conclave]] and Imperial magic
|-
| Jurand Biezacz || Tomasi Giralo i Erigo || [[#Judgement 36|Judgement 36]] || The [[Iron Confederacy]]
|-
| The Earl of Fools || Simargl, the Empty One<br>Zlata Ruznikova Perenel, the Dread Auntie<br>Maritza Orlova Pescherapokova<br>Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti<br>Talvikaarne, The Winter Guest<br>Lutobor Branislavovich Glinka<br>Yevgeni Katzev<br>Veverica, Two threads<br>''of the Circle of Zulgan-Tash'' || [[#Judgement 70|Judgement 70]] || Deeds dark and terrible
|-
| Oleander Dreamsreach || Syl Umbral Path || [[#Judgement 81|Judgement 81]] || [[Testimony]] of ''Hidden Hand''
|-
| Aspar || Vespasian of Tropaion || [[#Judgement 97|Judgement 97]] || The price he has paid and the lessons learned
|-
| Galene Netherwatch || Tyburn Natkysset, Grandmaster of the [[Shuttered Lantern]] || [[Arcane Inquisitor]] || Her long years of work with the Shuttered Lantern
|-
| Vauraus Korppitkotka || Bronimir, Senator for [[Ossium]] || [[Auditor of Senatorial Accountability]] || Mustering an army in two seasons
|-
| Amicia of the Semmerlak || Cyrus of Ebon's Hall, [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] || [[Chaplain Consular]] || The [[Cold Sun]] [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|situation]]
|-
|-
| Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost || Katelyn Quinnell De Cordraco || [[Imperial Inquisitor]] || Her relationship with [[Eleonaris]]
|-
| Maarit Suvidottir || Magistrate Abraham || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]] || Technical definitions of theological terms
|-
| Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai || Bakar i Riqueza || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Loyalty]] || Magical guidance, especially concerning [[Madruga]]
|-
| Iniska Ashwood || Asthore Autumngale || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Prosperity]] || His time as Senator for [[Miaren]], at the Winter summit
|-
| Brother Geoffrey Orchard || Eliza di Sarvos || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]] || Night activities for the Winter summit
|-
| Vera || Friþmær Sunhildsdottir || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of the Way]] || A [[scop|scop's]] virtue
|}

==Sanction==
===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedidiah Boon
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Lofyn Bloodcloak, you have committed yourself to the path of Pride. Along it, you have found what all Pilgrims do; the obstacles of other's doubts, the weight of your own mistakes, the blood that soaks the roads beyond Anvil's safety. Your Inspiration is written in your people's Chronicle, in the Regalia you passed to your successors. Your Legacy is to be decided by those who survive you - whether in the Schema that shares your name or the diplomatic affairs you now commit yourself to - but there is no doubt it will endure. You have shown Benevolence in your Oaths to Semmersuaq and your battle against the Jotun. The True Liao you have earned will tell us more about your soul. We live in an age of Miracles; the Schema was revealed to you by the Bloodcloak placed on your shoulders, calling your soul to an item of great worth. Something beyond our understanding occurred; declare it, lest such Miraculous events be lost to legend alone.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (206-0)

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' I've examined your Virtue Sigismund. <u>Courage</u> - Only you stood for Field Marshall but it failed in battle. <u>Prosperity</u> - Your Anointing. <u>Vigilance?</u> - With only 6 Auxiliaries & 60 less citizens than expected you accepted no more runners worrying about Druj tricks. <u>Ambition</u> - Let you to stand before Military Council & Senate owning your mistakes, not excusing or hiding them. <u>We build up, not tear down</u>, so your Penance is as follows; 1) A Pilgrimage of Penance to Dawn, Highguard, League, Marches, Urizen & Varushka and Testimony from each National Assembly. 2) Military Council & Anvil Library get detailed recommendations so others don't repeat your mistakes 3) Sashes to mark those in command 4) Not seeking field command for 2 years 5) A priest by your side in battle & an Ambition Anointing for 3 years to guard your Virtue. <u>These are the consequences of your actions, Vigilance not Vengeance.</u>
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (192-38)

===Judgment 16===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' By his own admission, Brat Umbral Path is immensely dangerous, and capable of enacting immense harm very quickly and very effectively. I laud this, and acknowledge how it can and ought to strengthen our Empire. I raise it also a warning - that the experts and strategists of this Empire are always best placed to harm it. Brat embodies the point at which the virtue of Ambition meets the realm of Night - driven, cunning, subtle, manipulative, with strong intuition. He is extraordinarily well placed to be the Empire's expert in Night, and convey it to the Empire and the Empire to it. The Wise ought act as the Volhov teaches, and investigate him and that which surrounds him, to witness his triumph, and to disabuse this Empire of notions of threat. I welcome his oath to yearly inquisition, that we might understand him and his realm as it transforms. He will be a virtuous archmage - thus I vindicate him.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (132-0)

===Judgment 58===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 59===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 71===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 76===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 110===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvo
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 111===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' High Exorcist Dame Belmarie de Courtnay-Wildrose. I look upon your work and find it Virtuous - and Virtue deserves lauding. You have learned much through your work, in your successes and more importantly in your failures. You have learned how to rely not only on your own strength, but the strength of others. You know there will come a time when the mantle will pass and you prepare the next generation of exorcists as best you can. There is always danger, always another threat - a threat you are more than equipped to face. It may be difficult - but raise your chin, Belmarie. You have earned it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (5-0)

===Judgment 114===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Amicia of the Semmerlak
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 115===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Hazel Talbot
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 122===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Amara Fletcher
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' During my inquisition of Enchantress Lamalleves, she showed nothing but being the perfect example of ambition. From inspiring others to achieve their most ambitious goals to heavily contributing to multiple different successes, she has shown to uphold the tenets of an ambition priest
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (258-0)

===Judgment 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 141===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 149===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 160===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 161===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 162===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Recognition==
===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Lorenzo 'La Volpe' Macelliao von Temeschwar was Prosperous. He was Ambitious. But Pride is the virtue he held closest in his heart, and most clearly embodied in his life's work. He celebrated his successes, proclaimed his past and his home boldly in all his actions, and uplifted his nation and his Empire. '''Benevolence''': The Empire benefits to this day from his works. The Blood Red Roads may be the biggest endeavour, now feeding the Empire's coffers directly in support of the Vallornguard. But citizens past and present in a dozen territories have personally benefited from his works in coin, mana and liao. '''Legacy''': A dozen Great Works exist across the Empire, that he funded, designed and built. These Great Edifices Proudly display his name, his guild, and his history, reminding us we should be Proud of where we come from and our achievements. '''Inspiration''': Even in life, the League Assembly named him an Inspiration, leading to the Colissus of Sarvos' True Consecration as a Sacred Site in his honour. Travellers flock to Sarvos to see this wondrous sight and experience The Partner of Greatness for themselves. To this day, his name is synonymous with grand benevolent works. '''Pilgrimage''': His great works included travelling the Empire to map and build the Blood Red Roads; the Legacies of Virtue, grand edifices to uplift And Inspire the virtuous in each of the territories they were built in, from Hahnmark to Casinea; as well as several Cathedrals to Pride. This make clear his journey not only to personal Virtue, but The Way as a pillar of that journey for all citizens. This assembly Recognises Lorenzo as an Exemplar of Pride.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (288-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Tribune will raise a judgement in the General Assembly at the Winter Solstice on behalf of '''Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato'''

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Erasmo di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Olwyn / Olwynn the Witness was recognised as an exemplar of Pride in Winter 376YE - the season immediately after the death of Britta. No details of Olwynn's life or signs of recognition are recorded in the public civil service records. It is not listed which signs of recognition were met. Last season, the General Assembly agreed that Exemplars are "''those who Synod have agreed are the best examples for teaching the Way of Virtue''". With no information to teach, Olwynn the Witness is not suited to be recognised as an Exemplar of the Way."
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (365-106)
* '''Notes:''' [[Known_exemplars#Olwyn_the_Witness|Olwyn the Witness]] remains an exemplar of [[Pride]]

==Exaltation==
===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Starlight Starchaser
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 148===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wolfgang
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Appointment==
===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower''' was appointed with 304 votes; Eevi Hawkheart of the Gadrai received 276 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Jedediah Boon''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tren Meals''' was appointed with 196 votes; Edmund Groves received 170 votes; Berith Relieur received 22 votes

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of Ratibor's Torch]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vitore van Temeschwar''' was appointed with 192 votes

===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Echo of the House of the Wanderer''' was appointed with 162 votes

===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Challenger in Waiting]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Daugon Orzel''' was appointed with 208 votes; Turpin de Boarwood received 114 votes

===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of the Maze of Zoria]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Illya Nikovtich Volkov''' was appointed with 158 votes

===Judgement 34===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos''' was appointed with 162 votes; Archibald received 42 votes

===Judgement 35===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Isaia Pavone di Sarvos''' was appointed with 125 votes

===Judgement 38===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Curator of the White City Museum]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rebekah''' was appointed with 158 votes; Cainan received 102 votes; Micah received 38 votes

===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Deimos''' was appointed with 128 votes; Drystan Rootround received 32 votes; Thomir received 22 votes

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Romand Reinetova Remislav''' was appointed with 106 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Knight of the Greenwood]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was withdrawn as the appointment method was [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_Knight_of_the_Greenwood|amended]] by Senate

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Mistress of Ceremonies]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lana Valentina de Holberg''' was appointed with 190 votes

===Judgement 46===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lady Abreya De Lagriffe''' was appointed with 212 votes; Callista received 126 votes; Emrys Elyan received 42 votes

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Conscience of the Dunnings]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tuuli''' was appointed with 172 votes; Eadric received 46 votes

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Dreamspeaker of Seren]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Oleander Dreamsreach''' was appointed with 136 votes; Bree received 20 votes; Joailes receives 0 votes; Wren receives 0 votes

===Judgement 69===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Palladius''' was appointed with 88 votes; Rhydian de Rondell received 58 votes

===Judgement 95===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Galene Netherwatch''' was appointed with 4 votes

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lady of the Proffered Hand]]
* '''Outcome:''' ''' Tristan Donatien Nicholas Reynauld''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Archivist of the Echoing Obelisk]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was raised, then withdrawn, as there was insufficient time for scrutiny.

==Rewarding==
===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement:''' I call for 15 Thrones to be given to Richardo Glostari di Sarvos, Armarious of the Anvil Library. This will be distributed to those who work at the Library in recognition of their work to preserve, expand and promote knowledge & Wisdom. Lets reward & invest in this great Citizen led Anvil staple.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (706-538)

===Judgement 13===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Yvonne von Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Last summit, Paris of Apulus self-funded and constructed a waystation for foreign pilgrims, extending the reach of the Way. We reward her 15 thrones in recognition of her virtuous labour.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (1035-434)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement:''' The Imperial Synod rewards Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav 15 thrones to be used as they see fit to reward the immense Courage of the Winter magicians of Varushka they led in destroying the Sumisev Peegel, a regio corrupted by the Cold Sun to emit radiation that could have killed every magician present. The destruction was prepared for alone and funded out of pocket for the protection, betterment, and Prosperity of the souls Volodmartz, who stood endangered by this active threat. Their actions stand as prefect examples of the hallowings of Permion, Inga Tarn, and Isaella's Resolve - to fear not death, and to confront and defeat dangers, for they knew it was the right thing to do.
* '''Outcome:''' Failed (463-558)

===Judgement 20===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Chantecleer Words
* '''Judgement:''' Claude Deeds discovered that the ghost of Theodric Mooting, the legendary scop of Wintermark, had been trapped at the threshold of Sydanjaa for more than three hundred years, unable to pass through the Labyrinth. Claude led a band to Warriors Gate to free Theodric's soul so he could pass through the Labyrinth. She heard the scop's final tale. Heroes of Wintermark were able to recover his last remains - his drum - and so laid him to rest in Kallavesa. This quest was the result of years of research on Claude's part including careful negotiation with the Winter realm, incurring much personal cost. We reward Claude 10 thrones for her Virtuous deeds: her Wise discoveries, her Loyalty to a legend.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (629-514)

===Judgement 25===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ada
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (392-590)

===Judgement 31===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aster Aceae
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (620-400)

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Athiel Westernborn of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (857-362)

===Judgement 28===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Dagonet
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Reynard, Envoy to the Karass 10 Thrones for dissemination to the Karass sept. This season they provided one sixth of the assistance towards rescuing the Great Forest Orcs enslaved by the Druj. This effort would not have rescued from both territories without that aid. They did so despite being informed they were no obligation to assist and there would be no reprisals if they did not, and did so with no reward offered or expected. Irrespective of what we may think of the Karass, our Virtue suggests we acknowledge Prosperity to recompense their labour and acknowledge their Courage.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (518-466)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Hildelith Kaukosdottir
* '''Judgement:''' The outstanding costs for the project to Anchor the Way in Asavea stand tall, but even the mightiest forest can be felled one tree at a time- and the trees ARE being felled. This summit, the Loyalty Assembly are meeting with representatives from Ibaria to discuss raising armies there. We seek 6 mithril to help with this cost.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

===Judgement 68===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Merari of Navigators of Virtue
* '''Judgement:''' Award Ehud or Rumah’s Redoubt 13 thrones for providing the remaining 4 wains of Weirwood for Berechiah’s Basilica in Bastion after the rewarding for wains failed last summit. This act of vigilance prevented the commission from lapsing and the wains being lost.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (493-550)

===Judgement 74===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Raine Tealeaf
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (256-492)

===Judgement 79===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Fredegar Bloodmouth
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (293-516)

===Judgement 108===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lydus
* '''Judgement:''' Micah of the Navigators of Virtue was alert to the growing dangers in Therunin. She acted quickly to obtain the 24 wains required, bearing half the cost herself to allow immediate construction & initial use of the new Navarri Wayhouse in Reikos, Micah’s Stand. Micah has saved lives & souls through these acts, created a symbol of Navarri & Highborn cooperation and brought a bounty of herbs to the herb gardens of Reikos. We reward Micah’s Vigilance & Ambition with 8 wains of weirwood
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>83 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings</td><td>8 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>6 wains</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 9 thrones, 6 crowns at the various [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting houses]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 15 thrones to '''Yvonne von Apulian''' following [[#Judgement 13|Judgement 13]] being upheld (margin 601)
* 8 wains of white granite to '''Athiel Westernborn''' following [[#Judgement 32|Judgement 32]] being upheld (margin 495)
* 6 wains of mithril to '''Hildelith Kaukosdottir''' following [[#Judgement 37|Judgement 37]] being upheld (margin 463)
* 40 thrones to '''Aster Aceae''' following [[#Judgement 31|Judgement 31]] being upheld (margin 220)
* 15 thrones to '''Nikolovich Drakov''' following [[#Judgement 10|Judgement 10]] being upheld (margin 168)
* 8 wains of weirwood to '''Lydus''' following [[#Judgement 108|Judgement 108]] being upheld (margin 154)
* 10 thrones to '''Chauntecleer Words''' following [[#Judgement 20|Judgement 20]] being upheld (margin 115)
* 3 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings to '''Dagonet''' following [[#Judgement 28|Judgement 28]] being upheld (margin 52)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 51 thrones for the Bourse dose of true liao from '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 3 crowns, 16 rings from '''Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza'''
* 2 crowns from '''Nathair Autumngale'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Relieur'''
* 1 ring in small donations
</div>
==Doses of True Liao==

Six doses of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose to '''Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower''' as [[Lepidean Librarian]]
* One dose to '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Corwyn Heartsbane''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Adel de Ordraig''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Belmarie de Courtenay Wyldrose''' by decision of the Gatekeepers

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 42 || 550 || 276
|-
|Courage || 40 || 514 || 258
|-
|Loyalty || 63 || 888 || 445
|-
|Pride || 40 || 492 || 247
|-
|Prosperity || 35 || 413 || 207
|-
|Vigilance || 43 || 480 || 241
|-
|Wisdom || 39 || 472 || 237
|-
|The Way || 53 || 584 || 293
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 19 || 228 || 115
|-
|Dawn || 57 || 750 || 376
|-
|Highguard || 71 || 938 || 470
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 6 || 66 || 34
|-
|League || 41 || 508 || 255
|-
|Marches || 22 || 258 || 130
|-
|Navarr || 33 || 401 || 201
|-
|Urizen || 32 || 350 || 176
|-
|Varushka || 35 || 424 || 213
|-
|Wintermark || 39 || 470 || 236
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}
==Anchor the Way in Asavea==
Click ''Expand'' to see the list of contributions made to Anchor the Way in Asavea.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{CommissionProgress|Anchor_the_Way_in_Asavea}}
</div>

388YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements

2026-11-02T16:41:22Z

Responsible1: /* Judgement 88 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 388YE Autumn]]
{{stub}}
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{|
|+ align="top"| <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Change of Doctrine|Change of Doctrine]] || 1
|-
|[[#Veto|Veto]] || 1
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| 79
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 13
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 1
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || 16
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || 19
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 2
|-
|[[#Exaltation|Exaltation]] || 3
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 21
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 13
|-
|}
</div>
__TOC__
During the Autumn Equinox 388YE, the Synod raised 169 judgements.
==Change of Doctrine==
===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Skywise Rykana
* '''Judgement:''' Orcs are no longer new to The Way, no longer the children of Virtue we were when the Bonewall first enshrined our beliefs in Doctrine. More now look to the Empire and see the chance for a future, and in turn our understanding of our spiritual destiny has expanded. We build now on all that has come before to replace the Doctrine of the Howling Abyss with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge so that we might welcome more into The Way.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2733-54)
* '''Notes:''' This judgement removes the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_the_Howling_Abyss|Doctrine of the Howling Abyss]] and replaces it with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge. The full implications of this change to [[the Doctrines of the Faith]] will be felt over the coming months.
<big>'''The Doctrine of the Final Challenge'''</big>
<div class="ic"><div class="ic-inner" style="display: block;">
<big>''After death, an orc can become an Ancestor by overcoming the mighty spiritual challenge that we understand as the Howling Abyss, though it takes many forms. This challenge may only be attempted once. Those who fail are lost, but those who succeed become Ancestors who can guide living orcs.''</big></div></div>

==Veto==
===Judgement 158===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' I call for a Veto of the Senate motion to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in the Barrens to the Karass. The Karass are not our friends, they were once in favour with the Druj and to allow them to reside in their lands without oversight lacks Vigilance - to cede it now is to leave us a problem later we could avoid.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (0-112)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Cede_Last_Battle_Wayhouse|motion]] to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in [[the Barrens]].

==Statement of Principle==
===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ames the Amiable of the Pilgrims Guard
* '''Judgement:''' Arlais, Daughter of Mari, plans to build five sinecures at Virtues Rest: four Benefactors, one for each army, and one attached to the Strategos of Highguard. Together producing 48 mana and 16 Orichalcum each season. We seek no materials; those are needed for the Grand Inspiration of the Way. We ask instead for something Highguard possesses in abundance: experience. Our nation holds generations of military knowledge, from soldiers and commanders to chaplains, apothecaries, engineers, quartermasters, and all who sustain an army beyond the battlefield. Arlais intends to break ground in Winter. Help shape the Benefactors Court at Virtues Rest. Tell us what our armies need, where lasting support matters most, and what ingenuity, experience and Virtue might achieve.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (594-0)

===Judgement 9===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Aldwyn the Glorious
* '''Judgement:''' In order to enter this into imperial record during an inquisition conducted by Jedidiah Boon, Summer 388YE, Lofyn Bloodcloak recounted the miracle that happened when she first put on the Bloodcloak following its recovery from a century of Thule possession. Lofyn Bloodcloak felt the weight of the cloak shift, a small hole had appeared within the lining and within was found the necklace she now wears around which was wrapped the schema which allowed Lofyn to enter the Bloodcloak into Imperial Lore.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (244-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 247

===Judgement 11===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Haleth Sigeling
* '''Judgement:''' The assembly of vigilance condemns the actions of the agents of the Whisper Gallery in Tsirku. Our eyes turn north to the Grave of the Giants, to watch for signs of similar acts by agents of any Eternals acting against the Citizens of the Empire
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 12===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vidarr Runebound
* '''Judgement:''' Nora Falcon's Light, Grimnir and Thane of House Geris has been tireless in her legacy and dedication to the nation of Wintermark. Her efforts supporting our national celebrations have helped bring the nation a great sense of pride, our hearthfire continues to be a beacon in the darkness thanks to Nora's efforts, and she has long fought to bolster ambitions of other Winterfolk, to the betterment of our nation. Nora's work is quiet work that may oft go unsung, but is no less heroic to explore the skein and help guide the skein of others is the Kallavesi way. As such, we the Wintermark Assembly are proud to enter into the '''Chronicle of Heroes: Nora Falcon's Light.'''
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Notes:''' Nora Falcon's Light has been added to the [[Heroism#Chronicle of Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]]

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Veikko Bondforger
* '''Judgement:''' In my power as Keeper of Oaths, I commit the following from Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds, the Fire of the Marches, to the Forge of Bonds: '''Oath from Amberlain to Bregasland''' People of Bregasland! Queen Fisher and her Jotun masters have fled before our soldiers' might, with and Courage. But there will always be would-be conquerors, Jarls and threats to our land, mark me. The Empire's memory may be short, but Marcher grudges and memories are long - the Reeds will not forget, and WE will never abandon Bregasland again. This I swear before the Fens and Marsh. May this oath of Loyalty be the legacy of the Strong Reeds. Bregasland stands! This is adapted from the Strong Reeds army orders from Summer 385YE
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (320 - 0)
* '''Notes:''' The oath of '''Amberlain P. Black''' has been added to the [[Keeper_of_Oaths#Forge_of_Bonds|Forge of Bonds]]

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Mael of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Behold: Virtue! As the Marshall of the Faith, I bid ye witness that the following were multiply commended by diverse Field Marshalls and Commanders during the battles at the last summit: Lady Nymeria Mortere, Nicassia of Phoenix Reach, Red Bramble, Artis the Unyielding, Hastur Broken Bough, and the Blades of Adelmar. The Marshal wishes to congratulate long-standing General Dame Aurum de Castellan of the Eastern Sky, The Star of Semmerholm on their retirement. A full list of commendations can be found on the citizen's notices.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' '''Mael of the Shattered Tower''' is the incumbent [[Marshal of the Faith]]

===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Dr Lysimachus of the Dauntless Light
* '''Judgement:''' I see my siblings asking if our years of pilgrimage was meaningless, if it was a waste, a mistake, to which I have one thing to say to that. Bugger that for a game of soldiers. We’re Highborn, one of our tenants is only the actions tha’ undertakes demonstrate tha’s worth. And our Actions in t’Pilgrimage have certainly demonstrated. Look at the Pilgrims Defiance in Therunin and tell me what we did was not Virtuous, not Meaningful, Not. Worth. It. I am Proud of what I did as a Grey Pilgrim, I am Proud of what I Will Do as a Grey Pilgrim, However. I. Do it. I may need to be a Priest to be part of the Synod, but I don’t need to be part of the Synod to be a Priest. Wherever my Virtue guides me, it’ll be with my Head Held High as a Grey Pilgrim. Virtues Light Guide Thee my Siblings, may you walk in Virtue too.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (378-10)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 27===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Isaia Pavone di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' The guidance of the seven virtues teach us to despise that which is antithetical to what these virtues stand for. These teachings have come from our long history of virtue and our learning of the Way. However, the Way is a living thing and we should reconsider the wording of these teachings. By calling us to despise these antithetical things we are calling ourselves to inaction and to hatred. I look to Wisdom, to know that the words we speak carry meaning. You can be passive in the act of despising, instead we should stand actively in opposing these antithetical forces. I call to change our teachings, to carry forward with the understanding we actively oppose instead of passively despise. If Virtue is action then let us say so.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1078-424) margin of 654

===Judgement 40===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine
* '''Judgement:''' Harken and Listen, ye Knights, Nobles and Citizens of our Glorious Dawn, and recognise your Dawnish Champions of Virtue, and Love & Glory: Prosperity - Berith of House du Maurisol; Ambition - Lord Tobias d Gauvain; Glory - Lord Reynard Griffinsong; Love - Gui of House Vexille; The Way - Lord Edward Novarion; Courage - Lady Melisande de Reynard; Vigilance - Brilliance Alys de Reynard; Pride - Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine; Wisdom - Reynard of House du Gauvain; and Loyalty - Lord Logan Cordraco. "Seek their stories, learn from their example, charge ever forward to Virtue."
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (370-36)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 376

===Judgement 41===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Æthelric
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Mikael Reskovich
* '''Judgement:''' War dawns upon the horizon for our beloved nation. While the Thule command our regions, national assembly must arm ourselves in virtue. We must take more measures to prepare our nation for the inevitable. Thwart malice before it strikes first
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (228-20)

===Judgement 47===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Kasjay
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Asthore Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' "What is grief?" asks the Spiral Dancer. "Let us tell you," say Navarr. Grief is a fraying braid, coming undone, unwoven. Grief is an empty corpseglade, with all that laid there returned to the earth. Grief is a song around the fire, a little quieter than before - a voice missing, now. Grief is one less set of footprints beside you on the trods. One less plate at the table. One less shield at your side. One less dancer. Grief is the warmth you carry in your heart even when the one who stoked that flame is gone. Grief is Loyalty, and love, and oaths enduring, in this life and the next, in each step through the Great Dance.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (193-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 201

===Judgement 54===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Isario i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' Courage is not the absence of Fear and Terror, it is the conquering of them. A new enemies' gaze is drawn over the Empire; Ungholt, the Delerium King. His weapons are Fear, Madness and Terror. There is no Wisdom or Revelation to be found in The Scarecrow's gifts or talents. It seeks to break the mind, shatter the virtue and render morality dust, until all is nought but terror, ruin and madness. There can be no coexistence, no collaboration and no capitulation with such power. You can succumb, or you can break the shackles of Terror itself through Courage. The Courage Assembly declare The Scarecrow our enemy. We will render any and all assistance to Conclave and all who hold the line against it's Horror.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-0)

===Judgement 55===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Abelard
* '''Judgement:''' We take Pride in our sporting culture, and will share it with the world! This year we introduced The League to the joys of Foot-the-Ball: they now plan to build their own stadiums. We should show Ambition and go even further. The Empire has made great diplomatic inroads this year with the reclusive people of Tsark. We enjoy friendly, if distant, relations with this civilisation, who wish to learn more of the Virtues. One of the few things we know about the Tsarkish is that they are a sport-loving people who enjoy full-contact games. LET US TEACH THEM FOOT-THE-BALL. Our priests, diplomats and foot-the-ball players should do all we can to arrange a friendly and virtuous foot-the-ball match with them, at a mutually convenient location, as soft diplomacy with Tsark.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Franquesa Sorrateiro di Tassato Mestra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Solas
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Amaro d’Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Pride tells us to embrace our past and never be ashamed of it. Our forebears have committed many resources to hiding events in our history that they deemed shameful. In doing so, they have disarmed our empire by concealing the mistakes of our past, and doomed us to repeat them. In doing so, they have withheld from us figures and events that we should be proud of, and could now be using to inspire ourselves. In doing so, they have unvirtuously chosen which parts of our empire we can be proud of, and forbidden us to be proud of the parts that they decreed unworthy. We urge all virtuous citizens to seek out the parts of this empire's history that have been hidden out of shame or deception, and bring them to light. This is our highest calling.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (318-0)
* '''Notes:''' Further information on highest callings can be found in the '''[[The highest calling]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Maximillian Ankarien
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Leyna Sunshaper
* '''Judgement:''' As a part of our highest calling, we call upon the wise to appraise those who would teach us more about the cultivation of Black Lotus and how to convince them to help us. We do so with the guidance of our living orc Exemplar Skywise Rykana.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' The Wisdom Assembly can call on the wise to suggest wording for an [[appraisal]] in response to their [[To_seek_enlightenment#Finding_the_Right_Question|highest calling]]

===Judgement 67===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Freeborn thank the fleets of our Varushkan cousins for their help protecting our coasts and hearths. Let our Courageous captains defend what military units cannot, combined into a sea of mighty fleets. United, we can defy the Grendel and any others who would threaten the Prosperity of the Bay, as we look north to wars yet to end and yet to come.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (134-0)

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 75===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Val
* '''Judgement:''' The Highest Calling of the Freeborn is to defend our lands. We have been beset by enemies, we have been forced to give up our lands at the point of the sword and the point of the pen. We reclaim what is ours and oppose the tyrants who would take it from us. The Hakima of Anvil have conferred and advised, it is clear that the Kohan embody the ideals of Hayaak, the Prince-in-Exile. He well knows the cost of walking away from one's past and embodying the path of the warrior. The Kohan are perhaps the greatest in the world at this. We ask that the Hakima of the Coast approach the Hawk Lord and his warriors-without-masters, to seek their aid in holding back the tyrants at our borders. We Will Not Kneel.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (124-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Freeborn Assembly can call on citizens of the Brass Coast to seek out aid in defence of the nation as part of their [[Stand_proud,_you%27re_strong#Eternal_Allies|highest calling]].

===Judgement 77===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés
* '''Judgement:''' In summer 385YE the Shrine of Hope was consecrated with a dose of True Liao to Ambition. The sacrifice of the Hounds of Glory to reclaim The Barrens was the ultimate price of Ambition, where no price is too high to achieve your dreams. We recognise the final path of the Hounds of Glory as a Pilgrimage route ending at the Shrine of Hope, and those that witnessed the True Consecration as having forged the path forward as the first Pilgrims. Where they have sown fear, we will make flowers grow.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (396-0)

===Judgement 78===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Rinnah of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Nathair Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' While it is commonly thought Pride is the virtue of the arts. Wisdom too is deeply entwined with the performer's craft. It is woven into every tale of danger or provoked thought, and held in lyric around the fire to share our history to friend, kin and stranger alike. If found lacking, these tales are reforged in Wisdom and spread anew. Lessons taught to us as children endure, and are retold for future generations. Recalled in a moment by the simplest melody. Where Navarr goes, music follows. As autumn gales carry the Empire's blood along the trods toward winter, we encourage all to listen and share performance with the passing Stridings and Grey Pilgrims. That together, across the Empire, we might better learn the wisdom in the song and the lesson in the story.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1301-48) margin of 1253

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Lorenzo von Apulian
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Kellin Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' The Empire is dealing with a crisis of Loyalty. Our National Assemblies stand at odds with the rest of their nations. We see repeated talk of insurrection, secession, rebellion. As Anvil grows, we grow apart. Who is better positioned to deal with this than the Loyalty Assembly? And yet, our Highest Calling draws our gaze outward and invites even more dissent. We must do better.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (316-102)

===Judgement 88===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Laurencio Lemmini di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Civil service records identify twenty-three locations of spiritual importance in the Empire. These inspirational locations - memorials and sacred sites - are spread across nineteen Imperial territories. Five of these locations are in Sarvos - over one-fifth of the total - representing four of the Seven Virtues. The League celebrates Sarvos with Pride as one of the most spiritually inspiring locations in the Empire. In true League fashion, we welcome the competition from the Grand Inspiration of the Way when it is complete.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (294-12)

===Judgement 89===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Eli of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' Highborn, remember in this moment your Certainty. We know the threat the Vallorn presents. It cannot be converted, it destroys all faith it touches, for it and the lands it consumes cannot have faith. In its wake it leaves malignant corruption, the likes of the Heirs of Terunael and Agramant brought about from its assaults. The cost of the Vallorn's persistence will continue to threaten the spiritual sanctity of our siblings. Remember this, should your convictions be tested in these times.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (450-0)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 90===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tabris of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Pilgrims, remember the miracles performed at the Three Watchers as you marched to Therunin. If you need reinforce your Certainty, remember the anointings many of you still bear without any explanation. Know that Things Matter.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (358-0)

===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Yrkja Riansson Sigeing
* '''Judgement:''' This summit, Senate commissions the Hall of the Soturi, to be the hosting-place for the army to be raised in Kallavesa. We the Wintermark Assembly celebrate the inspirational Courage of the Soturi and condemn the false rumours that the army will be trained in cruel tactics. The army will bear the quality the Military Council calls Fearless. A fearless army is willing to give whatever must be given to win the day, and when there is no more to give, to die as heroes in the Empire's defence.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (276-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Hall of the Soturi was first presented as part of a [[Flight_of_birds#No_Half_Measures|response]] from the Mystics of Ishal. The [[Construct_Hall_of_the_Soturi|motion]] to build the Hall of the Soturi was raised by '''Rane Shardbearer''', [[Kallavesa|Senator for Kallavesa]]

===Judgement 92===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Luke
* '''Judgement:''' The best stories are worth waiting for. Around a Winter fire, ask; have you heard of William Guildernstern? Folk Hero to us all! While fighting ogres in but his braes might entertain, the battlefields of Bregasland give his best tale. With Jotun boots on Marcher soil, the Battle for Matilda Fisher’s banner raging, General Black called for aid; who will defeat Jarl Olgafdottir's brother, the fearless Summerborn Champion, Sigrun? Guildernstern stepped up, Goldbrand in his hands. Not knowing the danger he faced, our Hero asked “Are you happy I claim your brother’s weapon as my prize?” Sigrun laughed as antlers sprouted from his head, proclaiming “You can try!”. Billblocks parted for their single combat, as Guildernstern wiped that laugh away; he pierced Sigrun's chest and forced him down. Ever the gallant soldier, Guildernstern offered his hand and healed the bested Champion to continue their fight. Without heroic blows, again Guildernstern cut Sigrun down; cutting him across his breast, he slew him in the mud and marsh. Knowing he would fall on Marcher soil, our Hero took his enemy’s hand; he would not let anyone die alone on sacred land. But such grand a feat is in the past. Just like Old Jonah, Guildernstern is there when needed. Not to vanquish the beast for you, but to tell you how to do it. A nod to a General, a word of advice to a Senator, a bestiary bound in sturdy pages, a legendary weapon lent. Where do Proud Marchers go for counsel? Why, William Guildernstern of course.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (156-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of William Guildenstern and what it means for him to be recognised as a folk hero was [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Holding_Out_For_a_Hero|raised]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 388YE

===Judgement 93===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Catena
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Hazelelponi
* '''Judgement:''' What you have is shared with the community. Find outcomes that are better than any one individual can achieve by themselves. These are part of the Great Forest Orcs paths. These people are not unknown to us, we have helped their healing before, so we as Highborn will show our commitment by supporting our friends Navarr and their oath-sworn siblings in Peerless Kinship. All those who wish to be settled in Reikos will be assisted and welcomed by our Chapters. The Great Forest Orcs and their wards will find support here.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (548-10)

===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Dag Kinnad
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 98===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vauraus
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Estella Lucati
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 100===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Gwendoloena de Ordraig
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly asks the Civil Service to restart the work of the Barrens Roads appraisal and for the appraisal to include roads to both the Rahvin in the Bitter Strand and the Great Forest Orcs in the Heart of Peytaht but not the Karass in the Bleaks.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (266-80)
*'''Notes:''' This judgement follows on from [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_45|one]] raised last season to ask the civil service to pause work on the roads in [[the Barrens]].

===Judgement 101===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Ralph Godwin
* '''Judgement:''' This Assembly thanks the Sumaah Republic for the Wisdom of their information and the Prosperity in sharing it. Recognising a Paragon is necessarily a solemn and difficult task that requires research and virtuous consensus. The Empire recognises Zemress as an Exemplar and Sumaah has provided further research. Taken together, the Empire and Sumaah Republic recognise 7 of 8 signs of Paragonhood. Within the next year, we will raise a judgement to the General Assembly to resolve her status.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (251-0)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tuuli
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 104===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' João i Cabral i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 106===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Bravi
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 109===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Demetrius of Reikos
* '''Judgement:''' Was it not in recent memory that Llofir held a region of Reikos as its own. This Rotlord, Lady of Spores, Despoiler of Grain tormented citizens of the Empire. It held the Sign of Tamar and with that it claimed Tamarbode! My home, my siblings' home! It caused ruin to chapterhouses, slew Urizen Sentinels and abducted Imperial citizens! As an apology to reclaiming Imperial territory it sought to repay us with famine! Only then after our farms ravaged, grain spoiled, then it would have forgiven us for our so-called transgression! Do we forget what this Eternal has done to us? As someone’s homeland that was ravaged by the Druj, I seek their end but we cannot trust this Eternal after what they have already inflicted upon us. We cannot accept its help. We must remain vigilant of their capability and threat to us.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-10)

===Judgement 113===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Miroslav Dainovitch Temnavoda
* '''Judgement:''' Grief is loss. Grief is love. Grief is pain. It is the knowledge that something beloved is gone forever. It is the realisation that a dream will never come to pass. It is the ache in your heart that time can lessen but never remove. It is the end of possibilities you never knew existed.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (174-0)

===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eldrid 'Phoenix Flame' Vestardottir
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 117===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Tulva
* '''Judgement:''' This season, the Synod looks to change doctrine. This alteration does not ask us to change our beliefs, and our nation is not abandoning our understanding of one life. Reject the complacency of reincarnation. To lose the drive to act and sit in the belief that you will get another chance to cross the Abyss is to risk your soul slipping into oblivion through sheer inaction. The notion that not lifting a blade will guarantee reincarnation is a folly. Seek out the Illarawm if you have cause to doubt, for we can gift you the voices of those ancestors who crossed as gardeners, guides, traders and more. One life is not a curse, but a gift. We see how precious every moment is, and make the most of each day. We do not need to rely on the whisper of a past life to become an ancestor. We are worthy as we are, as long as we continue to strive to build ourselves and our fellows up. Reject reincarnation. We have never needed it.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 120===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Damian of Nakir's Haven
* '''Judgement:''' We, the national assembly of Highguard, choose to entrust the Relic of Rhonwen recovered by the Stewards of the Necropolis to the care of Dagon Nighthaven of Navarr to be used in the pursuit of knowledge of the Vallorn and the reconquest of Seren.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (322-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of what to do with the relic of Rhonwen was raised as part of the Highborn Assembly's [[Goodwill#Cursed_Tool|highest calling]].

===Judgement 121===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Memnoch son of Saul
* '''Judgement:''' The Whisper Gallery have tried to kill Jared of the Suns of Couros in the past as Lepidean Librarian. As he now travels to Wintermark to aid them in peerless kinship, we call upon Loyal and Vigilant citizens to accompany and protect him from anyone who might waylay or seek to harm him.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (362-0)

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Lochias Of The Scarlet Guard
* '''Judgement:''' We bear Witness to the Arete of the Proffered Hand Network in their dealings with the Orcs of The Barrens. We welcome the Proffered Hand into our space that they may work with the displaced Septs of Sarangrave to help them find their place in the wider Empire. We cannot build Utopia alone.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (126-10)

===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Arawyn Whisperleaf
* '''Judgement:''' This morning, the Empire free the last of the Great Forest Orcs still trapped in the Forest of Ulnak. This would not have been possible without the 433 Navarr & 36 Imperial Orc citizens who dedicated their lives, resources & time to the cause over the last season. It was your efforts that freed the Great Forest Orcs in the Grove of Woe. This assembly recognises the great courage displayed by each & everyone of you. Your actions are an inspiration to us all.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (274-0)

===Judgement 126===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Éadric
* '''Judgement:''' When Sermersuaq was invaded by the Jotun, we the Stormcrows failed in our duty to guide our people well. We have learned from this mistake - but to forget the story is to risk forgetting the lesson. We support the Consecration of the beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance. By sacred True Liao let us never again let folly or carelessness threaten that which we watch over.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (234-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 236

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lord Decimus de Bastion
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ahti Korven
* '''Judgement:''' An unnamed region has been scouted in Tsirku. The scops of Wintermark name this region the Fractured Silence; for our ambition in the territory and for the Silent Bell, who acted in the territory at the time of their breaking. The Great Pit has a story as yet unknown, but for the dreams it bring we call it Firefall.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (224-0)

===Judgement 131===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Able the Taller
* '''Judgement:''' The Urizen National Assembly Witnesses and Exalts the Prosperity of Orson BogMyrtle, Keeper of the Breadbasket. When there was need, they stretched out their hand to help. Let all past grudges with the Marches be buried, let them join with us on the Road to Utopia
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (116-0)

===Judgement 132===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Junia of The Rowan Chapel
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (290- 10)

===Judgement 133===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Diego i Retador i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The crew of the Tumlar came to us as part of the Summah stone fleet who generously gave us white granite. Last summit they were stranded at The Harts Cave, cursed, and wounded. The freeborn assembly recognises their loyalty and prosperity and calls on the coast to share what you can and help them on their way home.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (118-0)

===Judgement 135===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Xandor Trodbroker
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 138===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tyba
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 139===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rástoš Dunwold
* '''Judgement:''' We the wintermark assembly states that the trading hall at Atalaq will need a mediator appointed to manage trade in the northern territories in order to ensure prosperity for the Empire and Wintermark
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (160-66)
*'''Notes:''' The [[Construct Atalaq Tradehall|motion]] to construct the Atalaq Tradehall was raised by '''Fedelmidd Sydanjaa's Heart Floer''', [[Sermersuaq|Senator for Sermersuaq]], as part of the [[The_circle_game#Fish_and_Fur_in_Sermersuaq|appraisal]] to identify alternate trades that ministries could make that would not involve paying coin. It is not possible to create a title to oversee the tradehall without an [[opportunity]]

===Judgement 143===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth
* '''Judgement:''' Vigilant citizens of Highguard, I seek the destruction of the labyrinth spirit "The Child of Faithless Grief", which threatens my constituents in Necropolis. Historical researcher, "Octavia of the Stream's Source", must be admitted into the "Tomb of Aboshec" in Necropolis to retrieve the labyrinth spirit's fetter, "Sufference", which can be entrusted into the care of Caleb of the Cenotaph so that it can be used to destroy this malicious threat. Be alert to dangers within and without!
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (296-0)

===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Agnes Wood
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise the special VIRTUE of our annual festivals. We urge pilgrims to come see how these old traditions are upheld in Anvil. In Spring, our household teams show great AMBITION in hoping to win the Stewards' games, and great COURAGE by risking life and limb in foot-the-ball and tug-of-war. In Summer, we celebrate PROSPERITY with the Summer Fayre: taking PRIDE in each bountiful harvest, we share its fruits. In Autumn, the Wassail parade shows LOYALTY to our nation, and WISDOM in preserving the old songs. In Winter, our priests and mummers show great VIGILANCE by guiding and shriving wayward folk on Soul Cake Night, strengthening our devotion to THE WAY.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (84-0)

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Earl Adel de Òrdraig
* '''Judgement:''' There is no such thing as a 'safe' fane. Every fane that is built undermines our capacity as an empire to defend ourselves against hostility from eternals using the declaration of emnity, providing unregulated access to our lands. We the vigilance assembly believe no fanes should be built until more investigation has been done into ways to mitigate the ongoing security risk they produce.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (216-0)

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sagremar i Leones Del Mar i Coeurdefer i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (146-0)

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rafe
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Achseh of the Sentinels Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Judgement 153===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Nina of Cantiarch's Hold
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 156===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wulfric Leonard Mourn
* '''Judgement:''' We have spoken with a united voice! Inspiration is our highest calling. To be the flame that warms the souls of all beings and lights The Way forward. The Grand Inspiration will inspire but it is just a building, true virtue lies in the choices and actions of living beings. I call on Ambition dedicants to consider the deeds of General Fitz Thorn. In his first years as General of the Bounders masterminded the Ambitious counterattack into Bregersland. He shows us all that no matter how tall The Mountain or thick the forest all can be conquered. We need only take the first step, or bound. Let us watch him closely as he transforms the Bounders into the Army of Ambition.
*'''Outcome:''' Not upheld (44-100)

===Judgement 157===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Skaldsgrym
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (110-0)

===Judgement 159===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Delara of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-0)

===Judgement 164===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Enfys Larksong
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (50-0)

===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Velko Perunovich Razoradze
* '''Judgement:''' To be forgotten is to have your story told for the last time, for history to move on as if you and that you worked hard to achieve were never there. It is the ultimate death.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (136-0)

===Judgement 167===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Volya Vychodni Nebov
* '''Judgement:''' We thank the members of the Doctrine Review Council and those who applied to join. We herewith appoint the following new members: Lorenzo von Apulian; Azomodeus; Edward Greyfrier; Marit Suvidotir; Lief Dreambinder; and Claude Deeds
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (8-0)

===Judgement 168===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Firesong Galath
* '''Judgement:''' We congratulate Red-Hand Frith for his successful funding of the Archive of the Advisor. This has been a great display of personal Prosperity as well as Pride in our species entire. No orc should stand alone. All should toil together in Loyalty to contribute to this collection. We call upon the masses to share your stories, your words of written worth, so that the voices of every sept amongst us can be gathered for preservation, protection, and Pride.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 169===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Gralka
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

==Mandate==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alfred Aewulfson-Boon
* '''Judgement:''' The Mourn should embrace its past. We send Mine-captain Jedidiah Boon with a dose of true liao to consecrate Rebellion's Ridge and call for change in the Mournwold.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1847-360)
* '''Enacted:''' [[Mournwold#Rebellion's_Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] has been conscecrated with [[true liao]] to [[Pride]] in memory of the [[The_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Ore Hills Rebels]]. All [[personal resource|personal resources]] in the Mourn will suffer a two-rank penalty over the coming season due to the [[Rebellion%27s_Ridge#The_Tipping_Point|disruption]], but the [[mine]] owners of the Mournwold will elect its next senator.

===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Dagon with 25 doses of liao to urge the virtuous to find a way to arrange a meeting with the Lost Weepers. Let us meet and find common ground against the Plenum.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (396 - 118)
*'''Not Enacted:''' No liao provided

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Father Dagda
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Father Dagda with 50 doses of liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with the Imperial Orcs to prepare to finish the fight.
* '''Enacted:''' Navarr from all walks of life [[Every_path_you_know#Thanks_for_Sharing|will travel to the named nation looking for ways to help]]. This will generate at least one opportunity for a new Imperial title to help the Vallornguard prepare for the fight with the enemy.

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Valour de Gauvain
* '''Judgement:''' Let none in our Empire be left without! We send Tren Meals with 25 doses of liao to the Barrens to ensure that all that is worthwhile is shared with those who need it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (223-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Pilgrims will travel to [[the Barrens]] to see what [[This_old_house|can be done]]. The civil service will assess the efforts of those who make the pilgrimage and present a single [[opportunity]] to restore the dignity, freedom and prosperity that the [[Imperial Constitution]] guarantees them

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Tree
* '''Judgement:''' Those who pick the apples get first taste of the cider! We send Basil Goodbeard with 50 doses of liao to declare our intent to be the ones to till the fields of Liathaven, first with the butts of our bills and then with the plough. Strive, toil, and claim the just rewards of your labours.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-30)
* '''Enacted:''' This will create an opportunity for the Marchers to [[Domain_expansion#Claim|focus their efforts]] on conquering [[Liathaven]] once [[Bregasland]] is secure. There will be a chance for the nation to break ground on taking the territory from the Jotun, claiming it for the Empire, and stake their claim to it. The mandate does not have any legal impact on the ability of the Senate to assign the territory to any Imperial nation if it were conquered, but it has roused an expectation across the Marches that they'd get first crack at it. While the Marches are staking their claim on the land, they will respect any nation it was assigned to that had been clearly seen to put in as much or more effort into the conquest than the Marchers had. But if the Senate awarded it to a nation that did less work in the campaign than the Marchers, then folks would absolutely be up in arms about it.

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Katya Vasillova Reznikov
* '''Judgement:''' Those who strive and toil deserve their just rewards. We send Katya Vasillova Reznikov with 25 doses of liao to encourage those investing in Feroz to sow the seeds of a true garden.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (209-34)
* '''Enacted:''' Afarjasse and Oranseri have lost the [[Region qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] quality. All new commissions in [[Feroz]] will see their labour costs [[This_old_house#A Fair Wage|increased]] to four crowns a wain until no region in the territory has the [[Region qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] quality.

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Rafael Barossa d'Apulian with 25 liao to urge the twin cities of Tassato to reach out to the twin cities of Leen to show them the advantages of becoming part of the greatest alliance of city-states the world has even seen. Let us marry our fates together.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (136-152)
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 137|Judgement 137]]

===Judgement 103===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Lita i Nadir i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The Marracossan exiles are friends of the Empire and the Brass Coast. They do not preach their belief in interventionalist gods, and trade respectfully with their neighbours. We send Karg i Estrico i Erico with 25 doses of liao to remind our folk that, while they must remain vigilant for the commitment of a crime, it is not the Freeborn way to try and police what lies within someone's heart.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (108-0)
* '''Enacted:''' The Freeborn have been [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Theist_Heretics|reassured]] that there is no problem treating with the exiles as they have before. Trade will resume, and while the Marracossans will remain most comfortable in Madruga, there will be no further problems. However, in the event that anyone attempted to arrest a Marracossan exile for their beliefs, or should the Senate, the Synod, or the Military Council move against the exiles within the next ten years, the people of Madruga will resist and oppose such a move as if it were aimed at one of their Freeborn neighbours. The response will be proportional to the threat, and they will expect the Freeborn Assembly to back them up.

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Rosanna Vtrachenich
* '''Judgement:''' Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but there is enough there for everyone to seize the opportunity and embrace prosperity. We send Rosanna Vtrachenich with 75 doses of liao to encourage the explorers of the northern nations to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku with the aid of the virtuous.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (108-60)
* '''Not Enacted'''
* '''Notes:''' Mandates must achieve a greater majority to have an effect in [[Varushka]].

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Jared of the Suns of Couros
* '''Judgement:''' Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jared of the Suns of Couros with no doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (436-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Highborn citizens will do what they can to support the Witan; the problems [[A fork in the path|identified]] last season will take precedence.

===Judgement 134===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Jesper Luukasson
* '''Judgement:''' "Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jesper Luukasson with 25 doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all! Let the unity of word and deed build a sure foundation for the future!" We seek to use the Eyes of Loyalty to aid this mandate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (354-0)
* '''Enacted:'''
* '''Notes:''' This was a use of Eyes of Loyalty on [[#Judgement 128|Judgement 128]]

===Judgement 136===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Task
* '''Judgement:''' A nation is much more than lines on a map. We send Firesong Galath with 15 crowns to lead a delegation of mystagogues and shamans to discover more of the ancestors of the Jotun
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (52-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Firesong Galath will lead a group of willing orcs [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|in search of information and lore]] about the ancestors of the [[Jotun]]

===Judgement 137===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Nothing is beyond our grasp. We send Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato with 25 doses of liao to urge the Bravos of the League to reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to find ways to persuade them of the benefits of a seat at the great game. Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one tree at a time.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Enacted:''' The bravos of the League will reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to see what could be done to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|bring them closer]] to the League
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]]

==Writ of Consecration==
===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' The Beacons of Sermersuaq stand as an enduring symbol of vigilance, calling the faithful to stand watch over our Empire. By this Writ we seek to permanently consecrate the Beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance, to bolster every soul standing watch over our lands. Let us with sacred True Liao inspire the faithful there to be as steadfast as the very stone while they guard against any who would threaten our halls, our laws, our virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (250-0)

==Proscription==

==Inquisition==
===Judgement 19===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Echo of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' I, Echo of the House of the Wanderer, call '''Dagon, the Cardinal of Loyalty''' to inquisition regarding his relationship to Pride, oaths and the Virtue of his actions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-10)

===Judgement 22===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Caduceur of Aureate Peak
* '''Judgement:''' Tiberius Stormspire Cascade, your contributions to the work of the Conclave and Imperial magic was praised in the Hall of Worlds last season. I call you to inquisition so the virtue of these actions may be brought into light and witnessed by all. To be held in the Quaykeep Library Saturday at midday.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (104-0)

===Judgement 36===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Jurand Biegacz
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Basil Goodbeard
* '''Judgement:''' We have heard tell of Hamma the Lame's extraordinary Prosperity. in the face of turmoil and Jotun oppression, this virtuous Marcher Orc and her hard-working family have doubled the size of Eversweet Orchard, and it is now renowned across the Marches for making the best cider in the Mourn. I call Hamma the Lame to an Inquisition at the Marcher Community Hall on the Friday Evening of the Winter Summit, to discuss her Prosperity. If she is unable to make the journey to Anvil, I will be glad to question one of her family as a proxy. In this inquisition I will be assisted by a fellow Marcher priest, Nettle Baker.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 60===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Earl of Fools
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 81===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Dreamsreach
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 97===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Aspar
* '''Judgement:''' "Utopia, no matter the cost" I call Vespasian of Tropaion to inquisition. 2pm, Tropaion tent. In the light and before suitable witnesses. We shall hear of the price he has paid, and the lessons he has learned.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (86-0)

===Judgement 105===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below
* '''Judgement:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian! Your actions in recent years have tested the bounds of propriety and of legality — particularly as they pertain to Asavea and the Whisper Gallery, both enemies of the Empire. I call you to Inquisition at the Winter Solstice to account for the virtue of your choices.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 119===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Locke Nightgrove
* '''Judgement:''' I call the Dreadshield steading to inquisition, to gather information regarding the recent treason enacted by their family member, Niamh. This is to take place on the Saturday of Winter solstice, 4pm. Ewan, Carric, Iver, Orwynn, Gwyddian, and Sylvie
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (128-0)

===Judgement 145===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 147===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Francisco Vicente d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' I, Francisco Vicente d'Apulian, on behalf of the League National Assembly, call Skywise Gralka, Archmage of Day to Inquisition. I call on Gralka to explain the insult and indignity she has inflicted on Synod by inviting an eternal to interfere with The League's Highest Calling without consultation or caution. To be held at the Winter Solstice 388YE at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (154-0)

===Judgement 155===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' When Gisli the Provider first joined the Brass Coast, the Freeborn Assembly was asked to assess whether they were of honest character. In the wake of the magics upon Madruga, it is time to revisit that question. I call Gisli to Inquisition to discuss their place in the Nation, at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (116-30)

===Judgement 163===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Rahmah i Darwisj i Erigo: you tell me that members of Senate believe your service as Imperial Spymaster requires scrutiny. Very well: next season we will meet and I will carry out an audit of your conduct.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (52-0)

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Egremont Russet
* '''Judgement:''' The Paragon Kethry teaches us the Pride in our beliefs and traditions, that withstands conquest and subjugation; which has so recently been emulated in the Mournwold with the Marcher orcs. I call to inquisition Harry the Axe of Alderly to answer questions of Pride, and Loyalty, and the small matter of '5 wains of fresh-cut weirwood'. I also ask fellow Priest and Senator of Mournwold Mel Bleak to assist me in this inquisition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Writs of Inquisition===
{{stub}}
The following writs of inquisition were issued this summit:
{|
| '''Called by''' || '''Subject''' || '''Judgement or Title''' || '''Matter'''
|-
| Caduceus of Aureate Peak || Tiberius Stormspire Cascade || [[#Judgement 22|Judgement 22]] || Contributions to [[Conclave]] and Imperial magic
|-
| Jurand Biezacz || Tomasi Giralo i Erigo || [[#Judgement 36|Judgement 36]] || The [[Iron Confederacy]]
|-
| The Earl of Fools || Simargl, the Empty One<br>Zlata Ruznikova Perenel, the Dread Auntie<br>Maritza Orlova Pescherapokova<br>Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti<br>Talvikaarne, The Winter Guest<br>Lutobor Branislavovich Glinka<br>Yevgeni Katzev<br>Veverica, Two threads<br>''of the Circle of Zulgan-Tash'' || [[#Judgement 70|Judgement 70]] || Deeds dark and terrible
|-
| Oleander Dreamsreach || Syl Umbral Path || [[#Judgement 81|Judgement 81]] || [[Testimony]] of ''Hidden Hand''
|-
| Aspar || Vespasian of Tropaion || [[#Judgement 97|Judgement 97]] || The price he has paid and the lessons learned
|-
| Galene Netherwatch || Tyburn Natkysset, Grandmaster of the [[Shuttered Lantern]] || [[Arcane Inquisitor]] || Her long years of work with the Shuttered Lantern
|-
| Vauraus Korppitkotka || Bronimir, Senator for [[Ossium]] || [[Auditor of Senatorial Accountability]] || Mustering an army in two seasons
|-
| Amicia of the Semmerlak || Cyrus of Ebon's Hall, [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] || [[Chaplain Consular]] || The [[Cold Sun]] [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|situation]]
|-
|-
| Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost || Katelyn Quinnell De Cordraco || [[Imperial Inquisitor]] || Her relationship with [[Eleonaris]]
|-
| Maarit Suvidottir || Magistrate Abraham || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]] || Technical definitions of theological terms
|-
| Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai || Bakar i Riqueza || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Loyalty]] || Magical guidance, especially concerning [[Madruga]]
|-
| Iniska Ashwood || Asthore Autumngale || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Prosperity]] || His time as Senator for [[Miaren]], at the Winter summit
|-
| Brother Geoffrey Orchard || Eliza di Sarvos || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]] || Night activities for the Winter summit
|-
| Vera || Friþmær Sunhildsdottir || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of the Way]] || A [[scop|scop's]] virtue
|}

==Sanction==
===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedidiah Boon
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Lofyn Bloodcloak, you have committed yourself to the path of Pride. Along it, you have found what all Pilgrims do; the obstacles of other's doubts, the weight of your own mistakes, the blood that soaks the roads beyond Anvil's safety. Your Inspiration is written in your people's Chronicle, in the Regalia you passed to your successors. Your Legacy is to be decided by those who survive you - whether in the Schema that shares your name or the diplomatic affairs you now commit yourself to - but there is no doubt it will endure. You have shown Benevolence in your Oaths to Semmersuaq and your battle against the Jotun. The True Liao you have earned will tell us more about your soul. We live in an age of Miracles; the Schema was revealed to you by the Bloodcloak placed on your shoulders, calling your soul to an item of great worth. Something beyond our understanding occurred; declare it, lest such Miraculous events be lost to legend alone.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (206-0)

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' I've examined your Virtue Sigismund. <u>Courage</u> - Only you stood for Field Marshall but it failed in battle. <u>Prosperity</u> - Your Anointing. <u>Vigilance?</u> - With only 6 Auxiliaries & 60 less citizens than expected you accepted no more runners worrying about Druj tricks. <u>Ambition</u> - Let you to stand before Military Council & Senate owning your mistakes, not excusing or hiding them. <u>We build up, not tear down</u>, so your Penance is as follows; 1) A Pilgrimage of Penance to Dawn, Highguard, League, Marches, Urizen & Varushka and Testimony from each National Assembly. 2) Military Council & Anvil Library get detailed recommendations so others don't repeat your mistakes 3) Sashes to mark those in command 4) Not seeking field command for 2 years 5) A priest by your side in battle & an Ambition Anointing for 3 years to guard your Virtue. <u>These are the consequences of your actions, Vigilance not Vengeance.</u>
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (192-38)

===Judgment 16===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' By his own admission, Brat Umbral Path is immensely dangerous, and capable of enacting immense harm very quickly and very effectively. I laud this, and acknowledge how it can and ought to strengthen our Empire. I raise it also a warning - that the experts and strategists of this Empire are always best placed to harm it. Brat embodies the point at which the virtue of Ambition meets the realm of Night - driven, cunning, subtle, manipulative, with strong intuition. He is extraordinarily well placed to be the Empire's expert in Night, and convey it to the Empire and the Empire to it. The Wise ought act as the Volhov teaches, and investigate him and that which surrounds him, to witness his triumph, and to disabuse this Empire of notions of threat. I welcome his oath to yearly inquisition, that we might understand him and his realm as it transforms. He will be a virtuous archmage - thus I vindicate him.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (132-0)

===Judgment 58===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 59===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 71===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 76===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 110===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvo
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 111===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' High Exorcist Dame Belmarie de Courtnay-Wildrose. I look upon your work and find it Virtuous - and Virtue deserves lauding. You have learned much through your work, in your successes and more importantly in your failures. You have learned how to rely not only on your own strength, but the strength of others. You know there will come a time when the mantle will pass and you prepare the next generation of exorcists as best you can. There is always danger, always another threat - a threat you are more than equipped to face. It may be difficult - but raise your chin, Belmarie. You have earned it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (5-0)

===Judgment 114===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Amicia of the Semmerlak
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 115===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Hazel Talbot
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 122===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Amara Fletcher
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' During my inquisition of Enchantress Lamalleves, she showed nothing but being the perfect example of ambition. From inspiring others to achieve their most ambitious goals to heavily contributing to multiple different successes, she has shown to uphold the tenets of an ambition priest
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (258-0)

===Judgment 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 141===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 149===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 160===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 161===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 162===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Recognition==
===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Lorenzo 'La Volpe' Macelliao von Temeschwar was Prosperous. He was Ambitious. But Pride is the virtue he held closest in his heart, and most clearly embodied in his life's work. He celebrated his successes, proclaimed his past and his home boldly in all his actions, and uplifted his nation and his Empire. '''Benevolence''': The Empire benefits to this day from his works. The Blood Red Roads may be the biggest endeavour, now feeding the Empire's coffers directly in support of the Vallornguard. But citizens past and present in a dozen territories have personally benefited from his works in coin, mana and liao. '''Legacy''': A dozen Great Works exist across the Empire, that he funded, designed and built. These Great Edifices Proudly display his name, his guild, and his history, reminding us we should be Proud of where we come from and our achievements. '''Inspiration''': Even in life, the League Assembly named him an Inspiration, leading to the Colissus of Sarvos' True Consecration as a Sacred Site in his honour. Travellers flock to Sarvos to see this wondrous sight and experience The Partner of Greatness for themselves. To this day, his name is synonymous with grand benevolent works. '''Pilgrimage''': His great works included travelling the Empire to map and build the Blood Red Roads; the Legacies of Virtue, grand edifices to uplift And Inspire the virtuous in each of the territories they were built in, from Hahnmark to Casinea; as well as several Cathedrals to Pride. This make clear his journey not only to personal Virtue, but The Way as a pillar of that journey for all citizens. This assembly Recognises Lorenzo as an Exemplar of Pride.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (288-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Tribune will raise a judgement in the General Assembly at the Winter Solstice on behalf of '''Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato'''

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Erasmo di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Olwyn / Olwynn the Witness was recognised as an exemplar of Pride in Winter 376YE - the season immediately after the death of Britta. No details of Olwynn's life or signs of recognition are recorded in the public civil service records. It is not listed which signs of recognition were met. Last season, the General Assembly agreed that Exemplars are "''those who Synod have agreed are the best examples for teaching the Way of Virtue''". With no information to teach, Olwynn the Witness is not suited to be recognised as an Exemplar of the Way."
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (365-106)
* '''Notes:''' [[Known_exemplars#Olwyn_the_Witness|Olwyn the Witness]] remains an exemplar of [[Pride]]

==Exaltation==
===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Starlight Starchaser
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 148===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wolfgang
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Appointment==
===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower''' was appointed with 304 votes; Eevi Hawkheart of the Gadrai received 276 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Jedediah Boon''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tren Meals''' was appointed with 196 votes; Edmund Groves received 170 votes; Berith Relieur received 22 votes

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of Ratibor's Torch]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vitore van Temeschwar''' was appointed with 192 votes

===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Echo of the House of the Wanderer''' was appointed with 162 votes

===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Challenger in Waiting]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Daugon Orzel''' was appointed with 208 votes; Turpin de Boarwood received 114 votes

===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of the Maze of Zoria]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Illya Nikovtich Volkov''' was appointed with 158 votes

===Judgement 34===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos''' was appointed with 162 votes; Archibald received 42 votes

===Judgement 35===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Isaia Pavone di Sarvos''' was appointed with 125 votes

===Judgement 38===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Curator of the White City Museum]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rebekah''' was appointed with 158 votes; Cainan received 102 votes; Micah received 38 votes

===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Deimos''' was appointed with 128 votes; Drystan Rootround received 32 votes; Thomir received 22 votes

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Romand Reinetova Remislav''' was appointed with 106 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Knight of the Greenwood]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was withdrawn as the appointment method was [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_Knight_of_the_Greenwood|amended]] by Senate

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Mistress of Ceremonies]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lana Valentina de Holberg''' was appointed with 190 votes

===Judgement 46===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lady Abreya De Lagriffe''' was appointed with 212 votes; Callista received 126 votes; Emrys Elyan received 42 votes

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Conscience of the Dunnings]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tuuli''' was appointed with 172 votes; Eadric received 46 votes

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Dreamspeaker of Seren]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Oleander Dreamsreach''' was appointed with 136 votes; Bree received 20 votes; Joailes receives 0 votes; Wren receives 0 votes

===Judgement 69===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Palladius''' was appointed with 88 votes; Rhydian de Rondell received 58 votes

===Judgement 95===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Galene Netherwatch''' was appointed with 4 votes

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lady of the Proffered Hand]]
* '''Outcome:''' ''' Tristan Donatien Nicholas Reynauld''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Archivist of the Echoing Obelisk]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was raised, then withdrawn, as there was insufficient time for scrutiny.

==Rewarding==
===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement:''' I call for 15 Thrones to be given to Richardo Glostari di Sarvos, Armarious of the Anvil Library. This will be distributed to those who work at the Library in recognition of their work to preserve, expand and promote knowledge & Wisdom. Lets reward & invest in this great Citizen led Anvil staple.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (706-538)

===Judgement 13===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Yvonne von Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Last summit, Paris of Apulus self-funded and constructed a waystation for foreign pilgrims, extending the reach of the Way. We reward her 15 thrones in recognition of her virtuous labour.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (1035-434)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement:''' The Imperial Synod rewards Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav 15 thrones to be used as they see fit to reward the immense Courage of the Winter magicians of Varushka they led in destroying the Sumisev Peegel, a regio corrupted by the Cold Sun to emit radiation that could have killed every magician present. The destruction was prepared for alone and funded out of pocket for the protection, betterment, and Prosperity of the souls Volodmartz, who stood endangered by this active threat. Their actions stand as prefect examples of the hallowings of Permion, Inga Tarn, and Isaella's Resolve - to fear not death, and to confront and defeat dangers, for they knew it was the right thing to do.
* '''Outcome:''' Failed (463-558)

===Judgement 20===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Chantecleer Words
* '''Judgement:''' Claude Deeds discovered that the ghost of Theodric Mooting, the legendary scop of Wintermark, had been trapped at the threshold of Sydanjaa for more than three hundred years, unable to pass through the Labyrinth. Claude led a band to Warriors Gate to free Theodric's soul so he could pass through the Labyrinth. She heard the scop's final tale. Heroes of Wintermark were able to recover his last remains - his drum - and so laid him to rest in Kallavesa. This quest was the result of years of research on Claude's part including careful negotiation with the Winter realm, incurring much personal cost. We reward Claude 10 thrones for her Virtuous deeds: her Wise discoveries, her Loyalty to a legend.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (629-514)

===Judgement 25===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ada
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (392-590)

===Judgement 31===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aster Aceae
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (620-400)

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Athiel Westernborn of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (857-362)

===Judgement 28===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Dagonet
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Reynard, Envoy to the Karass 10 Thrones for dissemination to the Karass sept. This season they provided one sixth of the assistance towards rescuing the Great Forest Orcs enslaved by the Druj. This effort would not have rescued from both territories without that aid. They did so despite being informed they were no obligation to assist and there would be no reprisals if they did not, and did so with no reward offered or expected. Irrespective of what we may think of the Karass, our Virtue suggests we acknowledge Prosperity to recompense their labour and acknowledge their Courage.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (518-466)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Hildelith Kaukosdottir
* '''Judgement:''' The outstanding costs for the project to Anchor the Way in Asavea stand tall, but even the mightiest forest can be felled one tree at a time- and the trees ARE being felled. This summit, the Loyalty Assembly are meeting with representatives from Ibaria to discuss raising armies there. We seek 6 mithril to help with this cost.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

===Judgement 68===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Merari of Navigators of Virtue
* '''Judgement:''' Award Ehud or Rumah’s Redoubt 13 thrones for providing the remaining 4 wains of Weirwood for Berechiah’s Basilica in Bastion after the rewarding for wains failed last summit. This act of vigilance prevented the commission from lapsing and the wains being lost.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (493-550)

===Judgement 74===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Raine Tealeaf
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (256-492)

===Judgement 79===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Fredegar Bloodmouth
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (293-516)

===Judgement 108===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lydus
* '''Judgement:''' Micah of the Navigators of Virtue was alert to the growing dangers in Therunin. She acted quickly to obtain the 24 wains required, bearing half the cost herself to allow immediate construction & initial use of the new Navarri Wayhouse in Reikos, Micah’s Stand. Micah has saved lives & souls through these acts, created a symbol of Navarri & Highborn cooperation and brought a bounty of herbs to the herb gardens of Reikos. We reward Micah’s Vigilance & Ambition with 8 wains of weirwood
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>83 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings</td><td>8 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>6 wains</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 9 thrones, 6 crowns at the various [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting houses]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 15 thrones to '''Yvonne von Apulian''' following [[#Judgement 13|Judgement 13]] being upheld (margin 601)
* 8 wains of white granite to '''Athiel Westernborn''' following [[#Judgement 32|Judgement 32]] being upheld (margin 495)
* 6 wains of mithril to '''Hildelith Kaukosdottir''' following [[#Judgement 37|Judgement 37]] being upheld (margin 463)
* 40 thrones to '''Aster Aceae''' following [[#Judgement 31|Judgement 31]] being upheld (margin 220)
* 15 thrones to '''Nikolovich Drakov''' following [[#Judgement 10|Judgement 10]] being upheld (margin 168)
* 8 wains of weirwood to '''Lydus''' following [[#Judgement 108|Judgement 108]] being upheld (margin 154)
* 10 thrones to '''Chauntecleer Words''' following [[#Judgement 20|Judgement 20]] being upheld (margin 115)
* 3 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings to '''Dagonet''' following [[#Judgement 28|Judgement 28]] being upheld (margin 52)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 51 thrones for the Bourse dose of true liao from '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 3 crowns, 16 rings from '''Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza'''
* 2 crowns from '''Nathair Autumngale'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Relieur'''
* 1 ring in small donations
</div>
==Doses of True Liao==

Six doses of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose to '''Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower''' as [[Lepidean Librarian]]
* One dose to '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Corwyn Heartsbane''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Adel de Ordraig''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Belmarie de Courtenay Wyldrose''' by decision of the Gatekeepers

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 42 || 550 || 276
|-
|Courage || 40 || 514 || 258
|-
|Loyalty || 63 || 888 || 445
|-
|Pride || 40 || 492 || 247
|-
|Prosperity || 35 || 413 || 207
|-
|Vigilance || 43 || 480 || 241
|-
|Wisdom || 39 || 472 || 237
|-
|The Way || 53 || 584 || 293
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 19 || 228 || 115
|-
|Dawn || 57 || 750 || 376
|-
|Highguard || 71 || 938 || 470
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 6 || 66 || 34
|-
|League || 41 || 508 || 255
|-
|Marches || 22 || 258 || 130
|-
|Navarr || 33 || 401 || 201
|-
|Urizen || 32 || 350 || 176
|-
|Varushka || 35 || 424 || 213
|-
|Wintermark || 39 || 470 || 236
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}
==Anchor the Way in Asavea==
Click ''Expand'' to see the list of contributions made to Anchor the Way in Asavea.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{CommissionProgress|Anchor_the_Way_in_Asavea}}
</div>

388YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements

2026-11-02T16:34:08Z

Responsible1: /* Judgement 158 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 388YE Autumn]]
{{stub}}
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{|
|+ align="top"| <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Change of Doctrine|Change of Doctrine]] || 1
|-
|[[#Veto|Veto]] || 1
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| 79
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 13
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 1
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || 16
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || 19
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 2
|-
|[[#Exaltation|Exaltation]] || 3
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 21
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 13
|-
|}
</div>
__TOC__
During the Autumn Equinox 388YE, the Synod raised 169 judgements.
==Change of Doctrine==
===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Skywise Rykana
* '''Judgement:''' Orcs are no longer new to The Way, no longer the children of Virtue we were when the Bonewall first enshrined our beliefs in Doctrine. More now look to the Empire and see the chance for a future, and in turn our understanding of our spiritual destiny has expanded. We build now on all that has come before to replace the Doctrine of the Howling Abyss with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge so that we might welcome more into The Way.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2733-54)
* '''Notes:''' This judgement removes the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_the_Howling_Abyss|Doctrine of the Howling Abyss]] and replaces it with the Doctrine of the Final Challenge. The full implications of this change to [[the Doctrines of the Faith]] will be felt over the coming months.
<big>'''The Doctrine of the Final Challenge'''</big>
<div class="ic"><div class="ic-inner" style="display: block;">
<big>''After death, an orc can become an Ancestor by overcoming the mighty spiritual challenge that we understand as the Howling Abyss, though it takes many forms. This challenge may only be attempted once. Those who fail are lost, but those who succeed become Ancestors who can guide living orcs.''</big></div></div>

==Veto==
===Judgement 158===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' I call for a Veto of the Senate motion to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in the Barrens to the Karass. The Karass are not our friends, they were once in favour with the Druj and to allow them to reside in their lands without oversight lacks Vigilance - to cede it now is to leave us a problem later we could avoid.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (0-112)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Cede_Last_Battle_Wayhouse|motion]] to cede the Last Battle Wayhouse in [[the Barrens]].

==Statement of Principle==
===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ames the Amiable of the Pilgrims Guard
* '''Judgement:''' Arlais, Daughter of Mari, plans to build five sinecures at Virtues Rest: four Benefactors, one for each army, and one attached to the Strategos of Highguard. Together producing 48 mana and 16 Orichalcum each season. We seek no materials; those are needed for the Grand Inspiration of the Way. We ask instead for something Highguard possesses in abundance: experience. Our nation holds generations of military knowledge, from soldiers and commanders to chaplains, apothecaries, engineers, quartermasters, and all who sustain an army beyond the battlefield. Arlais intends to break ground in Winter. Help shape the Benefactors Court at Virtues Rest. Tell us what our armies need, where lasting support matters most, and what ingenuity, experience and Virtue might achieve.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (594-0)

===Judgement 9===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Aldwyn the Glorious
* '''Judgement:''' In order to enter this into imperial record during an inquisition conducted by Jedidiah Boon, Summer 388YE, Lofyn Bloodcloak recounted the miracle that happened when she first put on the Bloodcloak following its recovery from a century of Thule possession. Lofyn Bloodcloak felt the weight of the cloak shift, a small hole had appeared within the lining and within was found the necklace she now wears around which was wrapped the schema which allowed Lofyn to enter the Bloodcloak into Imperial Lore.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (244-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 247

===Judgement 11===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Haleth Sigeling
* '''Judgement:''' The assembly of vigilance condemns the actions of the agents of the Whisper Gallery in Tsirku. Our eyes turn north to the Grave of the Giants, to watch for signs of similar acts by agents of any Eternals acting against the Citizens of the Empire
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 12===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vidarr Runebound
* '''Judgement:''' Nora Falcon's Light, Grimnir and Thane of House Geris has been tireless in her legacy and dedication to the nation of Wintermark. Her efforts supporting our national celebrations have helped bring the nation a great sense of pride, our hearthfire continues to be a beacon in the darkness thanks to Nora's efforts, and she has long fought to bolster ambitions of other Winterfolk, to the betterment of our nation. Nora's work is quiet work that may oft go unsung, but is no less heroic to explore the skein and help guide the skein of others is the Kallavesi way. As such, we the Wintermark Assembly are proud to enter into the '''Chronicle of Heroes: Nora Falcon's Light.'''
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Notes:''' Nora Falcon's Light has been added to the [[Heroism#Chronicle of Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]]

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Veikko Bondforger
* '''Judgement:''' In my power as Keeper of Oaths, I commit the following from Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds, the Fire of the Marches, to the Forge of Bonds: '''Oath from Amberlain to Bregasland''' People of Bregasland! Queen Fisher and her Jotun masters have fled before our soldiers' might, with and Courage. But there will always be would-be conquerors, Jarls and threats to our land, mark me. The Empire's memory may be short, but Marcher grudges and memories are long - the Reeds will not forget, and WE will never abandon Bregasland again. This I swear before the Fens and Marsh. May this oath of Loyalty be the legacy of the Strong Reeds. Bregasland stands! This is adapted from the Strong Reeds army orders from Summer 385YE
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (320 - 0)
* '''Notes:''' The oath of '''Amberlain P. Black''' has been added to the [[Keeper_of_Oaths#Forge_of_Bonds|Forge of Bonds]]

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Mael of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Behold: Virtue! As the Marshall of the Faith, I bid ye witness that the following were multiply commended by diverse Field Marshalls and Commanders during the battles at the last summit: Lady Nymeria Mortere, Nicassia of Phoenix Reach, Red Bramble, Artis the Unyielding, Hastur Broken Bough, and the Blades of Adelmar. The Marshal wishes to congratulate long-standing General Dame Aurum de Castellan of the Eastern Sky, The Star of Semmerholm on their retirement. A full list of commendations can be found on the citizen's notices.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' '''Mael of the Shattered Tower''' is the incumbent [[Marshal of the Faith]]

===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Dr Lysimachus of the Dauntless Light
* '''Judgement:''' I see my siblings asking if our years of pilgrimage was meaningless, if it was a waste, a mistake, to which I have one thing to say to that. Bugger that for a game of soldiers. We’re Highborn, one of our tenants is only the actions tha’ undertakes demonstrate tha’s worth. And our Actions in t’Pilgrimage have certainly demonstrated. Look at the Pilgrims Defiance in Therunin and tell me what we did was not Virtuous, not Meaningful, Not. Worth. It. I am Proud of what I did as a Grey Pilgrim, I am Proud of what I Will Do as a Grey Pilgrim, However. I. Do it. I may need to be a Priest to be part of the Synod, but I don’t need to be part of the Synod to be a Priest. Wherever my Virtue guides me, it’ll be with my Head Held High as a Grey Pilgrim. Virtues Light Guide Thee my Siblings, may you walk in Virtue too.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (378-10)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 27===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Isaia Pavone di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' The guidance of the seven virtues teach us to despise that which is antithetical to what these virtues stand for. These teachings have come from our long history of virtue and our learning of the Way. However, the Way is a living thing and we should reconsider the wording of these teachings. By calling us to despise these antithetical things we are calling ourselves to inaction and to hatred. I look to Wisdom, to know that the words we speak carry meaning. You can be passive in the act of despising, instead we should stand actively in opposing these antithetical forces. I call to change our teachings, to carry forward with the understanding we actively oppose instead of passively despise. If Virtue is action then let us say so.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1078-424) margin of 654

===Judgement 40===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine
* '''Judgement:''' Harken and Listen, ye Knights, Nobles and Citizens of our Glorious Dawn, and recognise your Dawnish Champions of Virtue, and Love & Glory: Prosperity - Berith of House du Maurisol; Ambition - Lord Tobias d Gauvain; Glory - Lord Reynard Griffinsong; Love - Gui of House Vexille; The Way - Lord Edward Novarion; Courage - Lady Melisande de Reynard; Vigilance - Brilliance Alys de Reynard; Pride - Lady Ailsa Tamerlaine; Wisdom - Reynard of House du Gauvain; and Loyalty - Lord Logan Cordraco. "Seek their stories, learn from their example, charge ever forward to Virtue."
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (370-36)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 376

===Judgement 41===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Æthelric
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Mikael Reskovich
* '''Judgement:''' War dawns upon the horizon for our beloved nation. While the Thule command our regions, national assembly must arm ourselves in virtue. We must take more measures to prepare our nation for the inevitable. Thwart malice before it strikes first
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (228-20)

===Judgement 47===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Kasjay
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Asthore Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' "What is grief?" asks the Spiral Dancer. "Let us tell you," say Navarr. Grief is a fraying braid, coming undone, unwoven. Grief is an empty corpseglade, with all that laid there returned to the earth. Grief is a song around the fire, a little quieter than before - a voice missing, now. Grief is one less set of footprints beside you on the trods. One less plate at the table. One less shield at your side. One less dancer. Grief is the warmth you carry in your heart even when the one who stoked that flame is gone. Grief is Loyalty, and love, and oaths enduring, in this life and the next, in each step through the Great Dance.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (193-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 201

===Judgement 54===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Isario i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' Courage is not the absence of Fear and Terror, it is the conquering of them. A new enemies' gaze is drawn over the Empire; Ungholt, the Delerium King. His weapons are Fear, Madness and Terror. There is no Wisdom or Revelation to be found in The Scarecrow's gifts or talents. It seeks to break the mind, shatter the virtue and render morality dust, until all is nought but terror, ruin and madness. There can be no coexistence, no collaboration and no capitulation with such power. You can succumb, or you can break the shackles of Terror itself through Courage. The Courage Assembly declare The Scarecrow our enemy. We will render any and all assistance to Conclave and all who hold the line against it's Horror.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-0)

===Judgement 55===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Abelard
* '''Judgement:''' We take Pride in our sporting culture, and will share it with the world! This year we introduced The League to the joys of Foot-the-Ball: they now plan to build their own stadiums. We should show Ambition and go even further. The Empire has made great diplomatic inroads this year with the reclusive people of Tsark. We enjoy friendly, if distant, relations with this civilisation, who wish to learn more of the Virtues. One of the few things we know about the Tsarkish is that they are a sport-loving people who enjoy full-contact games. LET US TEACH THEM FOOT-THE-BALL. Our priests, diplomats and foot-the-ball players should do all we can to arrange a friendly and virtuous foot-the-ball match with them, at a mutually convenient location, as soft diplomacy with Tsark.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Franquesa Sorrateiro di Tassato Mestra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Solas
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Amaro d’Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Pride tells us to embrace our past and never be ashamed of it. Our forebears have committed many resources to hiding events in our history that they deemed shameful. In doing so, they have disarmed our empire by concealing the mistakes of our past, and doomed us to repeat them. In doing so, they have withheld from us figures and events that we should be proud of, and could now be using to inspire ourselves. In doing so, they have unvirtuously chosen which parts of our empire we can be proud of, and forbidden us to be proud of the parts that they decreed unworthy. We urge all virtuous citizens to seek out the parts of this empire's history that have been hidden out of shame or deception, and bring them to light. This is our highest calling.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (318-0)
* '''Notes:''' Further information on highest callings can be found in the '''[[The highest calling]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Maximillian Ankarien
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Leyna Sunshaper
* '''Judgement:''' As a part of our highest calling, we call upon the wise to appraise those who would teach us more about the cultivation of Black Lotus and how to convince them to help us. We do so with the guidance of our living orc Exemplar Skywise Rykana.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (260 - 10)
* '''Notes:''' The Wisdom Assembly can call on the wise to suggest wording for an [[appraisal]] in response to their [[To_seek_enlightenment#Finding_the_Right_Question|highest calling]]

===Judgement 67===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:''' [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] was used on this judgement

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Freeborn thank the fleets of our Varushkan cousins for their help protecting our coasts and hearths. Let our Courageous captains defend what military units cannot, combined into a sea of mighty fleets. United, we can defy the Grendel and any others who would threaten the Prosperity of the Bay, as we look north to wars yet to end and yet to come.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (134-0)

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 75===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Val
* '''Judgement:''' The Highest Calling of the Freeborn is to defend our lands. We have been beset by enemies, we have been forced to give up our lands at the point of the sword and the point of the pen. We reclaim what is ours and oppose the tyrants who would take it from us. The Hakima of Anvil have conferred and advised, it is clear that the Kohan embody the ideals of Hayaak, the Prince-in-Exile. He well knows the cost of walking away from one's past and embodying the path of the warrior. The Kohan are perhaps the greatest in the world at this. We ask that the Hakima of the Coast approach the Hawk Lord and his warriors-without-masters, to seek their aid in holding back the tyrants at our borders. We Will Not Kneel.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (124-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Freeborn Assembly can call on citizens of the Brass Coast to seek out aid in defence of the nation as part of their [[Stand_proud,_you%27re_strong#Eternal_Allies|highest calling]].

===Judgement 77===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés
* '''Judgement:''' In summer 385YE the Shrine of Hope was consecrated with a dose of True Liao to Ambition. The sacrifice of the Hounds of Glory to reclaim The Barrens was the ultimate price of Ambition, where no price is too high to achieve your dreams. We recognise the final path of the Hounds of Glory as a Pilgrimage route ending at the Shrine of Hope, and those that witnessed the True Consecration as having forged the path forward as the first Pilgrims. Where they have sown fear, we will make flowers grow.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (396-0)

===Judgement 78===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Rinnah of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Nathair Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' While it is commonly thought Pride is the virtue of the arts. Wisdom too is deeply entwined with the performer's craft. It is woven into every tale of danger or provoked thought, and held in lyric around the fire to share our history to friend, kin and stranger alike. If found lacking, these tales are reforged in Wisdom and spread anew. Lessons taught to us as children endure, and are retold for future generations. Recalled in a moment by the simplest melody. Where Navarr goes, music follows. As autumn gales carry the Empire's blood along the trods toward winter, we encourage all to listen and share performance with the passing Stridings and Grey Pilgrims. That together, across the Empire, we might better learn the wisdom in the song and the lesson in the story.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (1301-48) margin of 1253

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Lorenzo von Apulian
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Kellin Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' The Empire is dealing with a crisis of Loyalty. Our National Assemblies stand at odds with the rest of their nations. We see repeated talk of insurrection, secession, rebellion. As Anvil grows, we grow apart. Who is better positioned to deal with this than the Loyalty Assembly? And yet, our Highest Calling draws our gaze outward and invites even more dissent. We must do better.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (316-102)

===Judgement 88===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Laurencio Lemmini di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Civil service records identify twenty-three locations of spiritual importance in the Empire. These inspirational locations - memorials and sacred sites - are spread across nineteen Imperial territories. Five of these locations are in Sarovs - over one-fifth of the total - representing four of the Seven Virtues. The League celebrates Sarvos with Pride as one of the most spiritually inspiring locations in the Empire. In true League fashion, we welcome the competition from the Grand Inspiration of the Way when it is complete.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (294-12)

===Judgement 89===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Eli of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' Highborn, remember in this moment your Certainty. We know the threat the Vallorn presents. It cannot be converted, it destroys all faith it touches, for it and the lands it consumes cannot have faith. In its wake it leaves malignant corruption, the likes of the Heirs of Terunael and Agramant brought about from its assaults. The cost of the Vallorn's persistence will continue to threaten the spiritual sanctity of our siblings. Remember this, should your convictions be tested in these times.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (450-0)
* '''Notes:''' This follows on from the [[A_little_at_a_time#Heresy_of_the_Spawn|response]] to the [[Religious_crime#Heresy|Heresy of the Spawn]]

===Judgement 90===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tabris of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Pilgrims, remember the miracles performed at the Three Watchers as you marched to Therunin. If you need reinforce your Certainty, remember the anointings many of you still bear without any explanation. Know that Things Matter.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (358-0)

===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Yrkja Riansson Sigeing
* '''Judgement:''' This summit, Senate commissions the Hall of the Soturi, to be the hosting-place for the army to be raised in Kallavesa. We the Wintermark Assembly celebrate the inspirational Courage of the Soturi and condemn the false rumours that the army will be trained in cruel tactics. The army will bear the quality the Military Council calls Fearless. A fearless army is willing to give whatever must be given to win the day, and when there is no more to give, to die as heroes in the Empire's defence.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (276-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Hall of the Soturi was first presented as part of a [[Flight_of_birds#No_Half_Measures|response]] from the Mystics of Ishal. The [[Construct_Hall_of_the_Soturi|motion]] to build the Hall of the Soturi was raised by '''Rane Shardbearer''', [[Kallavesa|Senator for Kallavesa]]

===Judgement 92===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Luke
* '''Judgement:''' The best stories are worth waiting for. Around a Winter fire, ask; have you heard of William Guildernstern? Folk Hero to us all! While fighting ogres in but his braes might entertain, the battlefields of Bregasland give his best tale. With Jotun boots on Marcher soil, the Battle for Matilda Fisher’s banner raging, General Black called for aid; who will defeat Jarl Olgafdottir's brother, the fearless Summerborn Champion, Sigrun? Guildernstern stepped up, Goldbrand in his hands. Not knowing the danger he faced, our Hero asked “Are you happy I claim your brother’s weapon as my prize?” Sigrun laughed as antlers sprouted from his head, proclaiming “You can try!”. Billblocks parted for their single combat, as Guildernstern wiped that laugh away; he pierced Sigrun's chest and forced him down. Ever the gallant soldier, Guildernstern offered his hand and healed the bested Champion to continue their fight. Without heroic blows, again Guildernstern cut Sigrun down; cutting him across his breast, he slew him in the mud and marsh. Knowing he would fall on Marcher soil, our Hero took his enemy’s hand; he would not let anyone die alone on sacred land. But such grand a feat is in the past. Just like Old Jonah, Guildernstern is there when needed. Not to vanquish the beast for you, but to tell you how to do it. A nod to a General, a word of advice to a Senator, a bestiary bound in sturdy pages, a legendary weapon lent. Where do Proud Marchers go for counsel? Why, William Guildernstern of course.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (156-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of William Guildenstern and what it means for him to be recognised as a folk hero was [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Holding_Out_For_a_Hero|raised]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 388YE

===Judgement 93===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Catena
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Hazelelponi
* '''Judgement:''' What you have is shared with the community. Find outcomes that are better than any one individual can achieve by themselves. These are part of the Great Forest Orcs paths. These people are not unknown to us, we have helped their healing before, so we as Highborn will show our commitment by supporting our friends Navarr and their oath-sworn siblings in Peerless Kinship. All those who wish to be settled in Reikos will be assisted and welcomed by our Chapters. The Great Forest Orcs and their wards will find support here.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (548-10)

===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Dag Kinnad
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 98===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vauraus
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Estella Lucati
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 100===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Gwendoloena de Ordraig
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly asks the Civil Service to restart the work of the Barrens Roads appraisal and for the appraisal to include roads to both the Rahvin in the Bitter Strand and the Great Forest Orcs in the Heart of Peytaht but not the Karass in the Bleaks.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (266-80)
*'''Notes:''' This judgement follows on from [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_45|one]] raised last season to ask the civil service to pause work on the roads in [[the Barrens]].

===Judgement 101===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Ralph Godwin
* '''Judgement:''' This Assembly thanks the Sumaah Republic for the Wisdom of their information and the Prosperity in sharing it. Recognising a Paragon is necessarily a solemn and difficult task that requires research and virtuous consensus. The Empire recognises Zemress as an Exemplar and Sumaah has provided further research. Taken together, the Empire and Sumaah Republic recognise 7 of 8 signs of Paragonhood. Within the next year, we will raise a judgement to the General Assembly to resolve her status.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (251-0)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tuuli
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 104===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' João i Cabral i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 106===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Bravi
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 109===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Demetrius of Reikos
* '''Judgement:''' Was it not in recent memory that Llofir held a region of Reikos as its own. This Rotlord, Lady of Spores, Despoiler of Grain tormented citizens of the Empire. It held the Sign of Tamar and with that it claimed Tamarbode! My home, my siblings' home! It caused ruin to chapterhouses, slew Urizen Sentinels and abducted Imperial citizens! As an apology to reclaiming Imperial territory it sought to repay us with famine! Only then after our farms ravaged, grain spoiled, then it would have forgiven us for our so-called transgression! Do we forget what this Eternal has done to us? As someone’s homeland that was ravaged by the Druj, I seek their end but we cannot trust this Eternal after what they have already inflicted upon us. We cannot accept its help. We must remain vigilant of their capability and threat to us.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-10)

===Judgement 113===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Miroslav Dainovitch Temnavoda
* '''Judgement:''' Grief is loss. Grief is love. Grief is pain. It is the knowledge that something beloved is gone forever. It is the realisation that a dream will never come to pass. It is the ache in your heart that time can lessen but never remove. It is the end of possibilities you never knew existed.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (174-0)

===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eldrid 'Phoenix Flame' Vestardottir
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 117===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Tulva
* '''Judgement:''' This season, the Synod looks to change doctrine. This alteration does not ask us to change our beliefs, and our nation is not abandoning our understanding of one life. Reject the complacency of reincarnation. To lose the drive to act and sit in the belief that you will get another chance to cross the Abyss is to risk your soul slipping into oblivion through sheer inaction. The notion that not lifting a blade will guarantee reincarnation is a folly. Seek out the Illarawm if you have cause to doubt, for we can gift you the voices of those ancestors who crossed as gardeners, guides, traders and more. One life is not a curse, but a gift. We see how precious every moment is, and make the most of each day. We do not need to rely on the whisper of a past life to become an ancestor. We are worthy as we are, as long as we continue to strive to build ourselves and our fellows up. Reject reincarnation. We have never needed it.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 120===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Damian of Nakir's Haven
* '''Judgement:''' We, the national assembly of Highguard, choose to entrust the Relic of Rhonwen recovered by the Stewards of the Necropolis to the care of Dagon Nighthaven of Navarr to be used in the pursuit of knowledge of the Vallorn and the reconquest of Seren.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (322-0)
*'''Notes:''' The question of what to do with the relic of Rhonwen was raised as part of the Highborn Assembly's [[Goodwill#Cursed_Tool|highest calling]].

===Judgement 121===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Memnoch son of Saul
* '''Judgement:''' The Whisper Gallery have tried to kill Jared of the Suns of Couros in the past as Lepidean Librarian. As he now travels to Wintermark to aid them in peerless kinship, we call upon Loyal and Vigilant citizens to accompany and protect him from anyone who might waylay or seek to harm him.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (362-0)

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Lochias Of The Scarlet Guard
* '''Judgement:''' We bear Witness to the Arete of the Proffered Hand Network in their dealings with the Orcs of The Barrens. We welcome the Proffered Hand into our space that they may work with the displaced Septs of Sarangrave to help them find their place in the wider Empire. We cannot build Utopia alone.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (126-10)

===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Arawyn Whisperleaf
* '''Judgement:''' This morning, the Empire free the last of the Great Forest Orcs still trapped in the Forest of Ulnak. This would not have been possible without the 433 Navarr & 36 Imperial Orc citizens who dedicated their lives, resources & time to the cause over the last season. It was your efforts that freed the Great Forest Orcs in the Grove of Woe. This assembly recognises the great courage displayed by each & everyone of you. Your actions are an inspiration to us all.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (274-0)

===Judgement 126===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Éadric
* '''Judgement:''' When Sermersuaq was invaded by the Jotun, we the Stormcrows failed in our duty to guide our people well. We have learned from this mistake - but to forget the story is to risk forgetting the lesson. We support the Consecration of the beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance. By sacred True Liao let us never again let folly or carelessness threaten that which we watch over.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (234-0)
* '''Notes:''' The greater majority threshold for this judgement was 236

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lord Decimus de Bastion
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ahti Korven
* '''Judgement:''' An unnamed region has been scouted in Tsirku. The scops of Wintermark name this region the Fractured Silence; for our ambition in the territory and for the Silent Bell, who acted in the territory at the time of their breaking. The Great Pit has a story as yet unknown, but for the dreams it bring we call it Firefall.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (224-0)

===Judgement 131===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Able the Taller
* '''Judgement:''' The Urizen National Assembly Witnesses and Exalts the Prosperity of Orson BogMyrtle, Keeper of the Breadbasket. When there was need, they stretched out their hand to help. Let all past grudges with the Marches be buried, let them join with us on the Road to Utopia
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (116-0)

===Judgement 132===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Junia of The Rowan Chapel
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (290- 10)

===Judgement 133===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Diego i Retador i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The crew of the Tumlar came to us as part of the Summah stone fleet who generously gave us white granite. Last summit they were stranded at The Harts Cave, cursed, and wounded. The freeborn assembly recognises their loyalty and prosperity and calls on the coast to share what you can and help them on their way home.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (118-0)

===Judgement 135===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Xandor Trodbroker
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 138===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tyba
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 139===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rástoš Dunwold
* '''Judgement:''' We the wintermark assembly states that the trading hall at Atalaq will need a mediator appointed to manage trade in the northern territories in order to ensure prosperity for the Empire and Wintermark
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (160-66)
*'''Notes:''' The [[Construct Atalaq Tradehall|motion]] to construct the Atalaq Tradehall was raised by '''Fedelmidd Sydanjaa's Heart Floer''', [[Sermersuaq|Senator for Sermersuaq]], as part of the [[The_circle_game#Fish_and_Fur_in_Sermersuaq|appraisal]] to identify alternate trades that ministries could make that would not involve paying coin. It is not possible to create a title to oversee the tradehall without an [[opportunity]]

===Judgement 143===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth
* '''Judgement:''' Vigilant citizens of Highguard, I seek the destruction of the labyrinth spirit "The Child of Faithless Grief", which threatens my constituents in Necropolis. Historical researcher, "Octavia of the Stream's Source", must be admitted into the "Tomb of Aboshec" in Necropolis to retrieve the labyrinth spirit's fetter, "Sufference", which can be entrusted into the care of Caleb of the Cenotaph so that it can be used to destroy this malicious threat. Be alert to dangers within and without!
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (296-0)

===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Agnes Wood
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise the special VIRTUE of our annual festivals. We urge pilgrims to come see how these old traditions are upheld in Anvil. In Spring, our household teams show great AMBITION in hoping to win the Stewards' games, and great COURAGE by risking life and limb in foot-the-ball and tug-of-war. In Summer, we celebrate PROSPERITY with the Summer Fayre: taking PRIDE in each bountiful harvest, we share its fruits. In Autumn, the Wassail parade shows LOYALTY to our nation, and WISDOM in preserving the old songs. In Winter, our priests and mummers show great VIGILANCE by guiding and shriving wayward folk on Soul Cake Night, strengthening our devotion to THE WAY.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (84-0)

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Earl Adel de Òrdraig
* '''Judgement:''' There is no such thing as a 'safe' fane. Every fane that is built undermines our capacity as an empire to defend ourselves against hostility from eternals using the declaration of emnity, providing unregulated access to our lands. We the vigilance assembly believe no fanes should be built until more investigation has been done into ways to mitigate the ongoing security risk they produce.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (216-0)

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sagremar i Leones Del Mar i Coeurdefer i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (146-0)

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rafe
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Achseh of the Sentinels Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. “Vigilant Truthseeker” Ricardo i Riqueza uncovered that Ezkiah the Benefactor, creator of the Seven Pilgrims’ Shields, also created a shield cover in the name of Vengeance; which has been wielded through the years by the Chapter of Naphtali’s Capture, still active in Casinea and who visit Anvil seeking recruits to their false virtue, especially among law-makers and law-keepers. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Judgement 153===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Nina of Cantiarch's Hold
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 156===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wulfric Leonard Mourn
* '''Judgement:''' We have spoken with a united voice! Inspiration is our highest calling. To be the flame that warms the souls of all beings and lights The Way forward. The Grand Inspiration will inspire but it is just a building, true virtue lies in the choices and actions of living beings. I call on Ambition dedicants to consider the deeds of General Fitz Thorn. In his first years as General of the Bounders masterminded the Ambitious counterattack into Bregersland. He shows us all that no matter how tall The Mountain or thick the forest all can be conquered. We need only take the first step, or bound. Let us watch him closely as he transforms the Bounders into the Army of Ambition.
*'''Outcome:''' Not upheld (44-100)

===Judgement 157===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Skaldsgrym
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (110-0)

===Judgement 159===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Delara of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-0)

===Judgement 164===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Enfys Larksong
* '''Judgement:''' The citizens of the Empire seek closer ties and friendship with Faraden. The proscription that caused offence was rewritten by the Constitutional Court and was not the wording voted on by Synod. We cannot say what the Constitutional Court will allow in the future but we do not seek to persecute any of our friends for simply beating the mark of their faith.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (50-0)

===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Velko Perunovich Razoradze
* '''Judgement:''' To be forgotten is to have your story told for the last time, for history to move on as if you and that you worked hard to achieve were never there. It is the ultimate death.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (136-0)

===Judgement 167===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Volya Vychodni Nebov
* '''Judgement:''' We thank the members of the Doctrine Review Council and those who applied to join. We herewith appoint the following new members: Lorenzo von Apulian; Azomodeus; Edward Greyfrier; Marit Suvidotir; Lief Dreambinder; and Claude Deeds
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (8-0)

===Judgement 168===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Firesong Galath
* '''Judgement:''' We congratulate Red-Hand Frith for his successful funding of the Archive of the Advisor. This has been a great display of personal Prosperity as well as Pride in our species entire. No orc should stand alone. All should toil together in Loyalty to contribute to this collection. We call upon the masses to share your stories, your words of written worth, so that the voices of every sept amongst us can be gathered for preservation, protection, and Pride.
*'''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (40-0)

===Judgement 169===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Gralka
* '''Judgement:'''
*'''Outcome:'''

==Mandate==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alfred Aewulfson-Boon
* '''Judgement:''' The Mourn should embrace its past. We send Mine-captain Jedidiah Boon with a dose of true liao to consecrate Rebellion's Ridge and call for change in the Mournwold.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1847-360)
* '''Enacted:''' [[Mournwold#Rebellion's_Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] has been conscecrated with [[true liao]] to [[Pride]] in memory of the [[The_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Ore Hills Rebels]]. All [[personal resource|personal resources]] in the Mourn will suffer a two-rank penalty over the coming season due to the [[Rebellion%27s_Ridge#The_Tipping_Point|disruption]], but the [[mine]] owners of the Mournwold will elect its next senator.

===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Dagon with 25 doses of liao to urge the virtuous to find a way to arrange a meeting with the Lost Weepers. Let us meet and find common ground against the Plenum.
*'''Outcome:''' Upheld (396 - 118)
*'''Not Enacted:''' No liao provided

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Father Dagda
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Father Dagda with 50 doses of liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with the Imperial Orcs to prepare to finish the fight.
* '''Enacted:''' Navarr from all walks of life [[Every_path_you_know#Thanks_for_Sharing|will travel to the named nation looking for ways to help]]. This will generate at least one opportunity for a new Imperial title to help the Vallornguard prepare for the fight with the enemy.

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Valour de Gauvain
* '''Judgement:''' Let none in our Empire be left without! We send Tren Meals with 25 doses of liao to the Barrens to ensure that all that is worthwhile is shared with those who need it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (223-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Pilgrims will travel to [[the Barrens]] to see what [[This_old_house|can be done]]. The civil service will assess the efforts of those who make the pilgrimage and present a single [[opportunity]] to restore the dignity, freedom and prosperity that the [[Imperial Constitution]] guarantees them

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Tree
* '''Judgement:''' Those who pick the apples get first taste of the cider! We send Basil Goodbeard with 50 doses of liao to declare our intent to be the ones to till the fields of Liathaven, first with the butts of our bills and then with the plough. Strive, toil, and claim the just rewards of your labours.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-30)
* '''Enacted:''' This will create an opportunity for the Marchers to [[Domain_expansion#Claim|focus their efforts]] on conquering [[Liathaven]] once [[Bregasland]] is secure. There will be a chance for the nation to break ground on taking the territory from the Jotun, claiming it for the Empire, and stake their claim to it. The mandate does not have any legal impact on the ability of the Senate to assign the territory to any Imperial nation if it were conquered, but it has roused an expectation across the Marches that they'd get first crack at it. While the Marches are staking their claim on the land, they will respect any nation it was assigned to that had been clearly seen to put in as much or more effort into the conquest than the Marchers had. But if the Senate awarded it to a nation that did less work in the campaign than the Marchers, then folks would absolutely be up in arms about it.

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Katya Vasillova Reznikov
* '''Judgement:''' Those who strive and toil deserve their just rewards. We send Katya Vasillova Reznikov with 25 doses of liao to encourage those investing in Feroz to sow the seeds of a true garden.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (209-34)
* '''Enacted:''' Afarjasse and Oranseri have lost the [[Region qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] quality. All new commissions in [[Feroz]] will see their labour costs [[This_old_house#A Fair Wage|increased]] to four crowns a wain until no region in the territory has the [[Region qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] quality.

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send Rafael Barossa d'Apulian with 25 liao to urge the twin cities of Tassato to reach out to the twin cities of Leen to show them the advantages of becoming part of the greatest alliance of city-states the world has even seen. Let us marry our fates together.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (136-152)
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 137|Judgement 137]]

===Judgement 103===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Lita i Nadir i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The Marracossan exiles are friends of the Empire and the Brass Coast. They do not preach their belief in interventionalist gods, and trade respectfully with their neighbours. We send Karg i Estrico i Erico with 25 doses of liao to remind our folk that, while they must remain vigilant for the commitment of a crime, it is not the Freeborn way to try and police what lies within someone's heart.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (108-0)
* '''Enacted:''' The Freeborn have been [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Theist_Heretics|reassured]] that there is no problem treating with the exiles as they have before. Trade will resume, and while the Marracossans will remain most comfortable in Madruga, there will be no further problems. However, in the event that anyone attempted to arrest a Marracossan exile for their beliefs, or should the Senate, the Synod, or the Military Council move against the exiles within the next ten years, the people of Madruga will resist and oppose such a move as if it were aimed at one of their Freeborn neighbours. The response will be proportional to the threat, and they will expect the Freeborn Assembly to back them up.

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Rosanna Vtrachenich
* '''Judgement:''' Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but there is enough there for everyone to seize the opportunity and embrace prosperity. We send Rosanna Vtrachenich with 75 doses of liao to encourage the explorers of the northern nations to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku with the aid of the virtuous.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (108-60)
* '''Not Enacted'''
* '''Notes:''' Mandates must achieve a greater majority to have an effect in [[Varushka]].

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Jared of the Suns of Couros
* '''Judgement:''' Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jared of the Suns of Couros with no doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (436-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Highborn citizens will do what they can to support the Witan; the problems [[A fork in the path|identified]] last season will take precedence.

===Judgement 134===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Jesper Luukasson
* '''Judgement:''' "Let every word you speak carry meaning! We send Jesper Luukasson with 25 doses of liao to direct Highborn efforts to promote the Witan. Those who speak Wise words in Counsel inspire us all! Let the unity of word and deed build a sure foundation for the future!" We seek to use the Eyes of Loyalty to aid this mandate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (354-0)
* '''Enacted:'''
* '''Notes:''' This was a use of Eyes of Loyalty on [[#Judgement 128|Judgement 128]]

===Judgement 136===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Task
* '''Judgement:''' A nation is much more than lines on a map. We send Firesong Galath with 15 crowns to lead a delegation of mystagogues and shamans to discover more of the ancestors of the Jotun
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (52-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Firesong Galath will lead a group of willing orcs [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|in search of information and lore]] about the ancestors of the [[Jotun]]

===Judgement 137===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Nothing is beyond our grasp. We send Aurelio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato with 25 doses of liao to urge the Bravos of the League to reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to find ways to persuade them of the benefits of a seat at the great game. Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one tree at a time.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-10)
* '''Enacted:''' The bravos of the League will reach out to the Protectorate of Morajasse to see what could be done to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|bring them closer]] to the League
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]]

==Writ of Consecration==
===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' The Beacons of Sermersuaq stand as an enduring symbol of vigilance, calling the faithful to stand watch over our Empire. By this Writ we seek to permanently consecrate the Beacons of Sermersuaq to Vigilance, to bolster every soul standing watch over our lands. Let us with sacred True Liao inspire the faithful there to be as steadfast as the very stone while they guard against any who would threaten our halls, our laws, our virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (250-0)

==Proscription==

==Inquisition==
===Judgement 19===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Echo of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' I, Echo of the House of the Wanderer, call '''Dagon, the Cardinal of Loyalty''' to inquisition regarding his relationship to Pride, oaths and the Virtue of his actions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-10)

===Judgement 22===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Caduceur of Aureate Peak
* '''Judgement:''' Tiberius Stormspire Cascade, your contributions to the work of the Conclave and Imperial magic was praised in the Hall of Worlds last season. I call you to inquisition so the virtue of these actions may be brought into light and witnessed by all. To be held in the Quaykeep Library Saturday at midday.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (104-0)

===Judgement 36===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Jurand Biegacz
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Basil Goodbeard
* '''Judgement:''' We have heard tell of Hamma the Lame's extraordinary Prosperity. in the face of turmoil and Jotun oppression, this virtuous Marcher Orc and her hard-working family have doubled the size of Eversweet Orchard, and it is now renowned across the Marches for making the best cider in the Mourn. I call Hamma the Lame to an Inquisition at the Marcher Community Hall on the Friday Evening of the Winter Summit, to discuss her Prosperity. If she is unable to make the journey to Anvil, I will be glad to question one of her family as a proxy. In this inquisition I will be assisted by a fellow Marcher priest, Nettle Baker.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (166-0)

===Judgement 60===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Earl of Fools
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 81===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Dreamsreach
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 97===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Aspar
* '''Judgement:''' "Utopia, no matter the cost" I call Vespasian of Tropaion to inquisition. 2pm, Tropaion tent. In the light and before suitable witnesses. We shall hear of the price he has paid, and the lessons he has learned.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (86-0)

===Judgement 105===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below
* '''Judgement:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian! Your actions in recent years have tested the bounds of propriety and of legality — particularly as they pertain to Asavea and the Whisper Gallery, both enemies of the Empire. I call you to Inquisition at the Winter Solstice to account for the virtue of your choices.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (194-0)

===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 119===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Locke Nightgrove
* '''Judgement:''' I call the Dreadshield steading to inquisition, to gather information regarding the recent treason enacted by their family member, Niamh. This is to take place on the Saturday of Winter solstice, 4pm. Ewan, Carric, Iver, Orwynn, Gwyddian, and Sylvie
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (128-0)

===Judgement 145===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 147===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Francisco Vicente d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' I, Francisco Vicente d'Apulian, on behalf of the League National Assembly, call Skywise Gralka, Archmage of Day to Inquisition. I call on Gralka to explain the insult and indignity she has inflicted on Synod by inviting an eternal to interfere with The League's Highest Calling without consultation or caution. To be held at the Winter Solstice 388YE at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (154-0)

===Judgement 155===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' When Gisli the Provider first joined the Brass Coast, the Freeborn Assembly was asked to assess whether they were of honest character. In the wake of the magics upon Madruga, it is time to revisit that question. I call Gisli to Inquisition to discuss their place in the Nation, at a time and place to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (116-30)

===Judgement 163===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Rahmah i Darwisj i Erigo: you tell me that members of Senate believe your service as Imperial Spymaster requires scrutiny. Very well: next season we will meet and I will carry out an audit of your conduct.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (52-0)

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Egremont Russet
* '''Judgement:''' The Paragon Kethry teaches us the Pride in our beliefs and traditions, that withstands conquest and subjugation; which has so recently been emulated in the Mournwold with the Marcher orcs. I call to inquisition Harry the Axe of Alderly to answer questions of Pride, and Loyalty, and the small matter of '5 wains of fresh-cut weirwood'. I also ask fellow Priest and Senator of Mournwold Mel Bleak to assist me in this inquisition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-0)

===Writs of Inquisition===
{{stub}}
The following writs of inquisition were issued this summit:
{|
| '''Called by''' || '''Subject''' || '''Judgement or Title''' || '''Matter'''
|-
| Caduceus of Aureate Peak || Tiberius Stormspire Cascade || [[#Judgement 22|Judgement 22]] || Contributions to [[Conclave]] and Imperial magic
|-
| Jurand Biezacz || Tomasi Giralo i Erigo || [[#Judgement 36|Judgement 36]] || The [[Iron Confederacy]]
|-
| The Earl of Fools || Simargl, the Empty One<br>Zlata Ruznikova Perenel, the Dread Auntie<br>Maritza Orlova Pescherapokova<br>Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti<br>Talvikaarne, The Winter Guest<br>Lutobor Branislavovich Glinka<br>Yevgeni Katzev<br>Veverica, Two threads<br>''of the Circle of Zulgan-Tash'' || [[#Judgement 70|Judgement 70]] || Deeds dark and terrible
|-
| Oleander Dreamsreach || Syl Umbral Path || [[#Judgement 81|Judgement 81]] || [[Testimony]] of ''Hidden Hand''
|-
| Aspar || Vespasian of Tropaion || [[#Judgement 97|Judgement 97]] || The price he has paid and the lessons learned
|-
| Galene Netherwatch || Tyburn Natkysset, Grandmaster of the [[Shuttered Lantern]] || [[Arcane Inquisitor]] || Her long years of work with the Shuttered Lantern
|-
| Vauraus Korppitkotka || Bronimir, Senator for [[Ossium]] || [[Auditor of Senatorial Accountability]] || Mustering an army in two seasons
|-
| Amicia of the Semmerlak || Cyrus of Ebon's Hall, [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] || [[Chaplain Consular]] || The [[Cold Sun]] [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|situation]]
|-
|-
| Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost || Katelyn Quinnell De Cordraco || [[Imperial Inquisitor]] || Her relationship with [[Eleonaris]]
|-
| Maarit Suvidottir || Magistrate Abraham || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]] || Technical definitions of theological terms
|-
| Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai || Bakar i Riqueza || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Loyalty]] || Magical guidance, especially concerning [[Madruga]]
|-
| Iniska Ashwood || Asthore Autumngale || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Prosperity]] || His time as Senator for [[Miaren]], at the Winter summit
|-
| Brother Geoffrey Orchard || Eliza di Sarvos || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]] || Night activities for the Winter summit
|-
| Vera || Friþmær Sunhildsdottir || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of the Way]] || A [[scop|scop's]] virtue
|}

==Sanction==
===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedidiah Boon
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Lofyn Bloodcloak, you have committed yourself to the path of Pride. Along it, you have found what all Pilgrims do; the obstacles of other's doubts, the weight of your own mistakes, the blood that soaks the roads beyond Anvil's safety. Your Inspiration is written in your people's Chronicle, in the Regalia you passed to your successors. Your Legacy is to be decided by those who survive you - whether in the Schema that shares your name or the diplomatic affairs you now commit yourself to - but there is no doubt it will endure. You have shown Benevolence in your Oaths to Semmersuaq and your battle against the Jotun. The True Liao you have earned will tell us more about your soul. We live in an age of Miracles; the Schema was revealed to you by the Bloodcloak placed on your shoulders, calling your soul to an item of great worth. Something beyond our understanding occurred; declare it, lest such Miraculous events be lost to legend alone.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (206-0)

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' I've examined your Virtue Sigismund. <u>Courage</u> - Only you stood for Field Marshall but it failed in battle. <u>Prosperity</u> - Your Anointing. <u>Vigilance?</u> - With only 6 Auxiliaries & 60 less citizens than expected you accepted no more runners worrying about Druj tricks. <u>Ambition</u> - Let you to stand before Military Council & Senate owning your mistakes, not excusing or hiding them. <u>We build up, not tear down</u>, so your Penance is as follows; 1) A Pilgrimage of Penance to Dawn, Highguard, League, Marches, Urizen & Varushka and Testimony from each National Assembly. 2) Military Council & Anvil Library get detailed recommendations so others don't repeat your mistakes 3) Sashes to mark those in command 4) Not seeking field command for 2 years 5) A priest by your side in battle & an Ambition Anointing for 3 years to guard your Virtue. <u>These are the consequences of your actions, Vigilance not Vengeance.</u>
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (192-38)

===Judgment 16===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' By his own admission, Brat Umbral Path is immensely dangerous, and capable of enacting immense harm very quickly and very effectively. I laud this, and acknowledge how it can and ought to strengthen our Empire. I raise it also a warning - that the experts and strategists of this Empire are always best placed to harm it. Brat embodies the point at which the virtue of Ambition meets the realm of Night - driven, cunning, subtle, manipulative, with strong intuition. He is extraordinarily well placed to be the Empire's expert in Night, and convey it to the Empire and the Empire to it. The Wise ought act as the Volhov teaches, and investigate him and that which surrounds him, to witness his triumph, and to disabuse this Empire of notions of threat. I welcome his oath to yearly inquisition, that we might understand him and his realm as it transforms. He will be a virtuous archmage - thus I vindicate him.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (132-0)

===Judgment 58===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 59===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 71===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Callista
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 76===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 110===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvo
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 111===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' High Exorcist Dame Belmarie de Courtnay-Wildrose. I look upon your work and find it Virtuous - and Virtue deserves lauding. You have learned much through your work, in your successes and more importantly in your failures. You have learned how to rely not only on your own strength, but the strength of others. You know there will come a time when the mantle will pass and you prepare the next generation of exorcists as best you can. There is always danger, always another threat - a threat you are more than equipped to face. It may be difficult - but raise your chin, Belmarie. You have earned it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (5-0)

===Judgment 114===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Amicia of the Semmerlak
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 115===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Hazel Talbot
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 122===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Amara Fletcher
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' During my inquisition of Enchantress Lamalleves, she showed nothing but being the perfect example of ambition. From inspiring others to achieve their most ambitious goals to heavily contributing to multiple different successes, she has shown to uphold the tenets of an ambition priest
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (258-0)

===Judgment 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 141===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 149===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi Hawk Heart of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 160===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 161===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgment 162===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Penance:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Recognition==
===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Lorenzo 'La Volpe' Macelliao von Temeschwar was Prosperous. He was Ambitious. But Pride is the virtue he held closest in his heart, and most clearly embodied in his life's work. He celebrated his successes, proclaimed his past and his home boldly in all his actions, and uplifted his nation and his Empire. '''Benevolence''': The Empire benefits to this day from his works. The Blood Red Roads may be the biggest endeavour, now feeding the Empire's coffers directly in support of the Vallornguard. But citizens past and present in a dozen territories have personally benefited from his works in coin, mana and liao. '''Legacy''': A dozen Great Works exist across the Empire, that he funded, designed and built. These Great Edifices Proudly display his name, his guild, and his history, reminding us we should be Proud of where we come from and our achievements. '''Inspiration''': Even in life, the League Assembly named him an Inspiration, leading to the Colissus of Sarvos' True Consecration as a Sacred Site in his honour. Travellers flock to Sarvos to see this wondrous sight and experience The Partner of Greatness for themselves. To this day, his name is synonymous with grand benevolent works. '''Pilgrimage''': His great works included travelling the Empire to map and build the Blood Red Roads; the Legacies of Virtue, grand edifices to uplift And Inspire the virtuous in each of the territories they were built in, from Hahnmark to Casinea; as well as several Cathedrals to Pride. This make clear his journey not only to personal Virtue, but The Way as a pillar of that journey for all citizens. This assembly Recognises Lorenzo as an Exemplar of Pride.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (288-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Tribune will raise a judgement in the General Assembly at the Winter Solstice on behalf of '''Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato'''

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Erasmo di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Olwyn / Olwynn the Witness was recognised as an exemplar of Pride in Winter 376YE - the season immediately after the death of Britta. No details of Olwynn's life or signs of recognition are recorded in the public civil service records. It is not listed which signs of recognition were met. Last season, the General Assembly agreed that Exemplars are "''those who Synod have agreed are the best examples for teaching the Way of Virtue''". With no information to teach, Olwynn the Witness is not suited to be recognised as an Exemplar of the Way."
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (365-106)
* '''Notes:''' [[Known_exemplars#Olwyn_the_Witness|Olwyn the Witness]] remains an exemplar of [[Pride]]

==Exaltation==
===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Starlight Starchaser
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

===Judgement 148===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Wolfgang
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''

==Appointment==
===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Dagon Barossa of the Shattered Tower''' was appointed with 304 votes; Eevi Hawkheart of the Gadrai received 276 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Jedediah Boon''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tren Meals''' was appointed with 196 votes; Edmund Groves received 170 votes; Berith Relieur received 22 votes

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of Ratibor's Torch]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vitore van Temeschwar''' was appointed with 192 votes

===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Echo of the House of the Wanderer''' was appointed with 162 votes

===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Challenger in Waiting]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Daugon Orzel''' was appointed with 208 votes; Turpin de Boarwood received 114 votes

===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of the Maze of Zoria]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Illya Nikovtich Volkov''' was appointed with 158 votes

===Judgement 34===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Goffredo Bertolli di Sarvos''' was appointed with 162 votes; Archibald received 42 votes

===Judgement 35===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Isaia Pavone di Sarvos''' was appointed with 125 votes

===Judgement 38===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Curator of the White City Museum]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rebekah''' was appointed with 158 votes; Cainan received 102 votes; Micah received 38 votes

===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Deimos''' was appointed with 128 votes; Drystan Rootround received 32 votes; Thomir received 22 votes

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Romand Reinetova Remislav''' was appointed with 106 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Knight of the Greenwood]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was withdrawn as the appointment method was [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_Knight_of_the_Greenwood|amended]] by Senate

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Mistress of Ceremonies]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lana Valentina de Holberg''' was appointed with 190 votes

===Judgement 46===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lady Abreya De Lagriffe''' was appointed with 212 votes; Callista received 126 votes; Emrys Elyan received 42 votes

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Conscience of the Dunnings]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tuuli''' was appointed with 172 votes; Eadric received 46 votes

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Dreamspeaker of Seren]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Oleander Dreamsreach''' was appointed with 136 votes; Bree received 20 votes; Joailes receives 0 votes; Wren receives 0 votes

===Judgement 69===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Palladius''' was appointed with 88 votes; Rhydian de Rondell received 58 votes

===Judgement 95===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Galene Netherwatch''' was appointed with 4 votes

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lady of the Proffered Hand]]
* '''Outcome:''' ''' Tristan Donatien Nicholas Reynauld''' was appointed with 208 votes

===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Archivist of the Echoing Obelisk]]
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was raised, then withdrawn, as there was insufficient time for scrutiny.

==Rewarding==
===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Father Drakov
* '''Judgement:''' I call for 15 Thrones to be given to Richardo Glostari di Sarvos, Armarious of the Anvil Library. This will be distributed to those who work at the Library in recognition of their work to preserve, expand and promote knowledge & Wisdom. Lets reward & invest in this great Citizen led Anvil staple.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (706-538)

===Judgement 13===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Yvonne von Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Last summit, Paris of Apulus self-funded and constructed a waystation for foreign pilgrims, extending the reach of the Way. We reward her 15 thrones in recognition of her virtuous labour.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (1035-434)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement:''' The Imperial Synod rewards Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav 15 thrones to be used as they see fit to reward the immense Courage of the Winter magicians of Varushka they led in destroying the Sumisev Peegel, a regio corrupted by the Cold Sun to emit radiation that could have killed every magician present. The destruction was prepared for alone and funded out of pocket for the protection, betterment, and Prosperity of the souls Volodmartz, who stood endangered by this active threat. Their actions stand as prefect examples of the hallowings of Permion, Inga Tarn, and Isaella's Resolve - to fear not death, and to confront and defeat dangers, for they knew it was the right thing to do.
* '''Outcome:''' Failed (463-558)

===Judgement 20===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Chantecleer Words
* '''Judgement:''' Claude Deeds discovered that the ghost of Theodric Mooting, the legendary scop of Wintermark, had been trapped at the threshold of Sydanjaa for more than three hundred years, unable to pass through the Labyrinth. Claude led a band to Warriors Gate to free Theodric's soul so he could pass through the Labyrinth. She heard the scop's final tale. Heroes of Wintermark were able to recover his last remains - his drum - and so laid him to rest in Kallavesa. This quest was the result of years of research on Claude's part including careful negotiation with the Winter realm, incurring much personal cost. We reward Claude 10 thrones for her Virtuous deeds: her Wise discoveries, her Loyalty to a legend.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (629-514)

===Judgement 25===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ada
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (392-590)

===Judgement 31===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aster Aceae
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (620-400)

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Athiel Westernborn of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (857-362)

===Judgement 28===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Dagonet
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Reynard, Envoy to the Karass 10 Thrones for dissemination to the Karass sept. This season they provided one sixth of the assistance towards rescuing the Great Forest Orcs enslaved by the Druj. This effort would not have rescued from both territories without that aid. They did so despite being informed they were no obligation to assist and there would be no reprisals if they did not, and did so with no reward offered or expected. Irrespective of what we may think of the Karass, our Virtue suggests we acknowledge Prosperity to recompense their labour and acknowledge their Courage.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (518-466)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Hildelith Kaukosdottir
* '''Judgement:''' The outstanding costs for the project to Anchor the Way in Asavea stand tall, but even the mightiest forest can be felled one tree at a time- and the trees ARE being felled. This summit, the Loyalty Assembly are meeting with representatives from Ibaria to discuss raising armies there. We seek 6 mithril to help with this cost.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

===Judgement 68===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Merari of Navigators of Virtue
* '''Judgement:''' Award Ehud or Rumah’s Redoubt 13 thrones for providing the remaining 4 wains of Weirwood for Berechiah’s Basilica in Bastion after the rewarding for wains failed last summit. This act of vigilance prevented the commission from lapsing and the wains being lost.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (493-550)

===Judgement 74===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Raine Tealeaf
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (256-492)

===Judgement 79===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Fredegar Bloodmouth
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (293-516)

===Judgement 108===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lydus
* '''Judgement:''' Micah of the Navigators of Virtue was alert to the growing dangers in Therunin. She acted quickly to obtain the 24 wains required, bearing half the cost herself to allow immediate construction & initial use of the new Navarri Wayhouse in Reikos, Micah’s Stand. Micah has saved lives & souls through these acts, created a symbol of Navarri & Highborn cooperation and brought a bounty of herbs to the herb gardens of Reikos. We reward Micah’s Vigilance & Ambition with 8 wains of weirwood
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (805-342)

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>83 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings</td><td>8 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>6 wains</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>52 thrones, 4 crowns, 17 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 9 thrones, 6 crowns at the various [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting houses]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 15 thrones to '''Yvonne von Apulian''' following [[#Judgement 13|Judgement 13]] being upheld (margin 601)
* 8 wains of white granite to '''Athiel Westernborn''' following [[#Judgement 32|Judgement 32]] being upheld (margin 495)
* 6 wains of mithril to '''Hildelith Kaukosdottir''' following [[#Judgement 37|Judgement 37]] being upheld (margin 463)
* 40 thrones to '''Aster Aceae''' following [[#Judgement 31|Judgement 31]] being upheld (margin 220)
* 15 thrones to '''Nikolovich Drakov''' following [[#Judgement 10|Judgement 10]] being upheld (margin 168)
* 8 wains of weirwood to '''Lydus''' following [[#Judgement 108|Judgement 108]] being upheld (margin 154)
* 10 thrones to '''Chauntecleer Words''' following [[#Judgement 20|Judgement 20]] being upheld (margin 115)
* 3 thrones, 6 crowns, 14 rings to '''Dagonet''' following [[#Judgement 28|Judgement 28]] being upheld (margin 52)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 51 thrones for the Bourse dose of true liao from '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 3 crowns, 16 rings from '''Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza'''
* 2 crowns from '''Nathair Autumngale'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Relieur'''
* 1 ring in small donations
</div>
==Doses of True Liao==

Six doses of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose to '''Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower''' as [[Lepidean Librarian]]
* One dose to '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Corwyn Heartsbane''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Adel de Ordraig''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Belmarie de Courtenay Wyldrose''' by decision of the Gatekeepers

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 42 || 550 || 276
|-
|Courage || 40 || 514 || 258
|-
|Loyalty || 63 || 888 || 445
|-
|Pride || 40 || 492 || 247
|-
|Prosperity || 35 || 413 || 207
|-
|Vigilance || 43 || 480 || 241
|-
|Wisdom || 39 || 472 || 237
|-
|The Way || 53 || 584 || 293
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 19 || 228 || 115
|-
|Dawn || 57 || 750 || 376
|-
|Highguard || 71 || 938 || 470
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 6 || 66 || 34
|-
|League || 41 || 508 || 255
|-
|Marches || 22 || 258 || 130
|-
|Navarr || 33 || 401 || 201
|-
|Urizen || 32 || 350 || 176
|-
|Varushka || 35 || 424 || 213
|-
|Wintermark || 39 || 470 || 236
|-
|General || 355 || 4393 || 2197
|-
|}
==Anchor the Way in Asavea==
Click ''Expand'' to see the list of contributions made to Anchor the Way in Asavea.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{CommissionProgress|Anchor_the_Way_in_Asavea}}
</div>

Temeschwar

2026-10-31T21:40:30Z

Responsible1: /* The Bloody Great Theatre */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofTemeschwar.png|caption=Harsh northern weather and a pragmatic spirit|title=Regions of Temeschwar|align=left|width=500}}
==Overview==
Temeschwar was [[The_League_history#Origins_of_the_League|once part]] of wild [[Varushka]], but it joined the Empire alongside [[Sarvos]] and [[Tassato]], when the League was formed. Citizens of Temeschwar commonly make an effort to be as flamboyant as their southern fellows, but their dress is inevitably more practical, to accommodate the harsh northern weather. They are traditionally more brutally pragmatic than those who live on the bay. It is a foothold of trade to Varushka, Wintermark and nearby Dawn. Trading in raw materials and crafted goods, especially weapons and armour, it is seen by many as the merchant capital of the northern lands.

Despite its good relations with Varushka, Temeschwar has always suffered somewhat from being distant from Sarvos and Tassato whose close proximity made them the natural heart of the League. Temeschwar may well be the richest of all the cities of the League, but it can never quite shake the fear that it is not as good as the others. This anxiety is just part of what drives the Temeschwari to be so competitive and so ruthless. Temeschwari strive to work that bit longer and that bit harder than anyone else in the League. If a Sarvossian closes their shop at sunset, their Temeschwari neighbour will light a pair of lanterns and keep trading for another hour.

Not all relations with Varushka are good, however. There is still some bad blood between those of old Varushkan stock in Temeschwar and the citizens of [[Karov#Delev|Delev]] in [[Karov]]. When Temeschwar joined the Empire it attempted to prove that it had legitimate ownership of the [[Karov#The Eternal Shafts of Time|Eternal Shafts of Time]], a rich mithril mine on the border between the two territories. There are still plays and theatrical adaptations that revolve around the underhand, ruthless way the boyar of Delev "stole" the mine from under the noses of the Temeschwari, and relations between some Delev traders and some citizens of Temeschwar are chilly to this day - especially in the rare cases where there is some distant blood connection between the two.

The Temeschwari are not just the most competitive people in the League, they also have a well deserved reputation as the most ruthless. In the years before the
creation of the Empire, the city was plagued by gangs of thieves and assassins who operated with open impunity despite the best efforts of the boyar, [[Ratibor of Temeschwar|Ratibor]]. Thousands of inhabitants were linked with the different gangs who used tattoos to mark membership and enforce loyalty.
{{CaptionedImage|file=TemeschwariDraugir2.jpg|title=Isabella de la Torre, of the Brotherhood of the Ashen Tower.|caption=They wear their reputation for cold, hard dealing with pride.|align=right|width=300}}
In the end Ratibor hired a force of Varushkan mercenaries and brought them in secret into the city during the depths of winter. In the notorious night of a thousand torches (named for the torches the soldiers carried to light their way) every inhabitant of the city was turned out of their beds, stripped and searched for marks. Anyone with a tattoo on their body was given a few minutes to collect their belongings before being forced from the city into the frozen snows beyond the walls. A few managed to bribe their way past the search but most were given over to the winter and were never seen again. The act was one of monstrous brutality, but it established the power of Ratibor as boyar and broke the power of the criminal gangs forever.

The Temeschwari wear their reputation for cold, hard dealing with pride. They view themselves as the strongest people in the League, combining the ambition and drive of the south with the strength and determination of the north. Physical as well as mental strength is prized here - Temeschwari bravos are as likely to favour the axe as the rapier - and her free companies have a reputation for toughness, as soldiers and as people. Most Temeschwari free companies are careful not to break the rules for they know the magistrates watch them carefully - but they will do almost anything required to win short of this. You can find many things in Temeschwar, it is said, but you will not find a scruple though you search the city from sunrise to sunset.

==Recent History==
Rumours suggest that the [[vyig]] criminal organisation has become active again in the northern city. This Varushkan criminal fraternity is united by an absolute hatred of Imperial law, and once threatened to overtake both Temeschwar and the League. Becoming increasingly bold, their activities led to a major operation supported by the [[Synod]] to once again [[A big sleep|drive these criminals]] out of the northernmost League city - and indeed the League as a whole.

Shortly before the Winter Solstice 381YE, the [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#Blood_Red_Roads|Blood Red Roads]] were completed, with Temeschwar as a major hub. They providing merchants and traders from across the Empire with easy access to the markets of Temeschwar, and vice versa. For more than half a decade the roads provided a major boon to the [[farm|farms]] and [[business|businesses]] of 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]].
===Rat Plague===
Beginning in the Spring of 386YE, Temeschwar suffered a [[They_bit_the_cats|plague of rats]]. Reports of fat sewer rats attacking cats and dogs [[Pitter_patter|soon escalated]]. [[Business|Businesses]] were targeted by the rats, and the [[Unfettered Mind]] [[Conclave order]] were brought in to analyse the obviously magical situation. They discovered it was more complex than it at first appeared, with reports of [[Pitter_patter#Rodents_of_Assorted_Sizes|creatures stranger than rats]] being involved. The [[Pitter_patter#The_Chamber_of_Commerce|Temeschwari Chamber of Commerce]] received several pitches for plans to deal with the rat plague, and in the end chose to accept a tender from the [[Pitter_patter#The_Oldest_Guild|Rat Kings]], one of the oldest guilds in the city. As [[Graveyard_rats|the year wore on]] there were concerns about sickness, addressed in part by the [[bishop|bishops]] of Temeschwar but the Rat Kings guild [[Graveyard_rats#Guild_of_Ratcatchers|appeared to have contained the problem]]. There was some talk of parley, and of agreements reached with an unknown ''thing'' in the sewers beneath the city, but at the time of writing the rat problem is broadly [[Graveyard_rats#Contained_Not_Ended|contained, if not entirely ended]]. Rumours suggest the [[Golden_light#The_Woman's_Work|relocation]] of the body of [[Empress Giselle]] to [[Archbishop_of_Capodomus#Capodomus Cathedral|Capodomus Cathedral]] in [[Sarvos]] may have played some role in the relative cessation of rat attacks but specifics are not commonly known.

==Major Features==
===Temeschwar===
The city of Temeschwar occupies most of [[#Hanuri|Hanuri]]. It is also the site of the [[Northbound Trademaster|Northern Traders Guild]] (which forms the southern arm of the [[Northern trade network]]. The [[Guardian_of_Giselle's_Tomb#Virtue.27s_Respite|Tomb of Empress Giselle]] was built here in Winter 380YE, and Temeschwar is also the site of the [[Lorenzo's Legacy#The_Bloody_Great_Theatre|Bloody Great Theatre]], a theatrical venue that is also a site of pilgrimage for League citizens interested in exploring their [[Pride|Proud]] history of the dour city. In Winter 381YE, a branch of the [[Steward of the Tassato Mana Exchange|Tassato Mana Exchange]] - the [[Magic_Butcher#The_Temeschwar_Mana_Exchange|Temeschwar Mana Exchange]] - was built on the eastern side of one of the cities' largest and oldest meat markets. Until Spring 383YE, it was the site of a [[Construct_statue_of_Janon|statue]] dedicated to the eternal [[Janon]]. The statue was [[Smash it up|reduced to expensive rubble]] by a band of Varushkan wardens apparently inspired to action by the Council of Nine.

Northernmost of the four great cities of [[the League]], Temeschwar was one of the three founding cities. It is very different in style to [[Sarvos]] and [[Tassato]], and its origins as a [[Varushka|Varushkan]] trade town are obvious in the architecture of its many old buildings. Structures are built to last in Temeschwar, with stone being a much more popular building material than wood, and with slate roofs more common than thatch. The city is extremely cold during the Winter (and during late Autumn and early Spring most years), and snowfall is a regular problem not faced by the inhabitants of more southerly cities of the League.

The people have a well deserved reputation for competitiveness, and for ruthlessness. Temeschwar may well be the richest of all the cities of the League, but it can never quite shake the fear that it is not as good as the others. This anxiety is just part of what drives the Temeschwari to be so competitive and so ruthless. Temeschwari strive to work that bit longer and that bit harder than anyone else in the League. If a Sarvossian closes their shop at sunset, their Temeschwari neighbour will light a pair of lanterns and keep trading for another hour.

===The Walls of Temeschwar===
The city proper is surrounded by [[fortification|great white granite walls]]. While not on the scale of the walls of [[Holberg]] in the east, they have proved more than sufficient to protect the city from its enemies. Nine great towers are placed roughly equidistant around the walls, seven named for each of the Virtues and two (those that incorporate the gates through which the Gancio enters and leaves the city) called the Northern and Southern Rivergates. Each is equipped with a great iron bell, used to toll the hours, and to warn of potential dangers. In cases of fire, for example, the bell in the tower nearest the blaze is sounded repeatedly until the flames are extinguished.

Temeschwar has grown since the walls were built, of course, and there are nearly as many buildings outside the walls as there are within them. In times of emergency, however, the population can take refuge within the walls - although how long Temeschwar could survive an actual siege remains to be seen.
===Beneath the City===
Under Temeschwar are a maze of sewer tunnels, forgotten basements, dry well shafts, occasional cisterns, and tunnels deployed by criminals (such as the now-departed [[vyig]]) to move unseen around the city. There are also known to be tunnels down there that predate the earliest Varushkan settlement here, and nobody knows their full extent. This subterranean labyrinth is widely believed to be the domain only of rats and other vermin - and of the [[Rat King of Temeschwar]], should such a creature actually exist.

===The Bloody Great Theatre===
The [[Lorenzo's Legacy#Boody Great Threatre|Bloody Great Theatre]] is one of the most prominent theatres in the Empire. It was [[commission|commissioned]] by Gant Archama and approved by the [[Senate]] in Winter 380YE, in the wake of a [[In_brightest_day#The_Power_to_Exalt|powerful surge of interest]] in the arts. A small movement to have the building officially named "Grand Temeschwari Theatre" gained very little traction - the amusement of calling such a large and impressive structure by such a common name has meant it has largely stuck. It serves as an inspiration, and a source of [[Pride]], for the citizens of the city.

===The Great Game===
[[Construct_Lorenzo's_Great_Game|Commissioned]] by the [[Senate]] in Spring 382YE, and completed a little over a month later, the [[Lorenzo's_Legacy#Lorenzo.27s_Great_Game|Great Game]] was paid for by Lorenzo "la Volpe" Macelliao von Temeschwar and built by [[Those_who_worship#Almodin_Okt.C3.ADstis.2C_Priest_of_the_Builder|Almodin Oktístis]], the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] architect. It is a grand casino that also contains numerous places of refreshment and hostelries that stands beside the [[Lorenzo's_Legacy#Blood_Red_Roads|Blood Red Road]] outside the southern walls of the city proper.

=== The [[Fortress of Salt]]===
The Fortress of Salt is a Bourse resource located in [[#Metri|Metri]]. Custodianship of the Fortress is an [[Imperial Title]] that brings with it a Seat on the [[Bourse]]. It produces 25 Imperial wains of mithril every season. Control is allocated to any Imperial citizen by open auction during the Autumn Equinox.

===Lorenzo's Legacy of Loyalty===
Spread across the entire territory of Temeschwar 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 front of the Butcher's Guild in the city itself. The [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#The_Legacy_of_Loyalty|legacy]] guides and focuses the flows of mana through the territory, increasing the amount of crystal mana produced by [[mana site|sites]] across Temeschwar.

===Mellfort===
In [[#Locul|Locul]], on the higher slopes of Mellfort Peak, stands old '''Mellfort'''. This ancient hillfort consists of a ruined set of concentric rings of black stone, believed to have been of Terunael origin (although some scholars claim the Terun simply adapted a much older structure, perhaps one built by [[The Sentinel]]). The fort was in ruins when the first [[Varushka|Varushkan]] settlers came here, believed to be a casualty of the wars between the people of Terunael and the orcs. Human settlers lost no time in incorporating the sturdy stones of the ruin into their own fortification.

The fortification here was decommissioned during the reign of [[Empress Mariika]], during a compromise which saw funds channelled to the fortification of Temeschwar itself. Following the fall of Skarsind there was discussion of rebuilding it as a watchpost and beacon. In early 377YE the fortress was partially refitted to serve as a base of operation for groups of [[Bravo|bravos]] hunting bandits and brigands preying on Temeschwari trade. Overseen by Bridget Eastville (senator for [[Mitwold]]) as part of a larger plan to provide protection to towns throughout the Empire, the defences were not sufficient to qualify Mellfort as a [[Fortifications|fortification]]. Still, they helped reduce outlawry throughout the territory and led to further discussion about completing the work and restoring Mellfort to its former glory as a strategically placed fortification.

Throughout its history, people who have spent long periods of time here have reported strange dreams - dreams of sadness, loss and bittersweet remembrance. Unlike many such 'accursed places' it gained a reputation for strangeness, rather than terror or fear, and in the early years of the Empire became something of a place of pilgrimage for those suffering grief or regret. Interest in the strange aura here culminated in Winter 383YE with [[A_health_to_the_company#Restful_Isolation|proposals]] as to how to make the best use of it. The [[Senate]] ultimately approved the plan of the Emerald Magpie Guild to turn Mellfort into a [[A_health_to_the_company#Restful_Isolation|place to rest and recuperate]], establishing the [[Chatelaine_of_the_Reapers%27_Repose#Reapers'_Repose|Reaper's Repose]]. The existing structures - the palisades and the watchpost - were incorporated into the new structure, and consequently Mellfort is no longer even lightly fortified.

===Lorenzo's Deep Pockets===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Butchers.jpg |title=Lorenzo “La Volpe” Macelliao and Janusz Dalibor of the Butchers Bank.|caption=The politics of Temeschwar can be robust even for the League.|align=right|width=300}}
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 the Vardstein Vale not a moment too soon. Parts of that region soon followed north-western Goldglades into the spreading hole. Thanks to the Navarr, the few settlements here were all evacuated in time to avoid major loss of life although the disruption caused significant losses to those invested in the forests of the south-western territory.

Where Temeschwar once bordered Upwold, 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 sometimes known smirkingly as "The Foxhole" or (rather more lewdly) as "La Volpe's Arse".

===The Bloodied Rose===
An [[edifice]], this [[Rewarding#Counting_Houses|counting house]] collects donations for the Virtue fund from citizens of Temeschwar. This imposing stone building stands across the road from civil service offices. Just above the door is a bas-relief bloodied rose, from which the counting house takes its name. Just inside the door, the walls are decorated with scenes of virtuous Temeschwari citizens past, including Ratibor and Lorenzo. In the central room, seven [[Technology#Runeboxes_and_Runebound_Chains|runeboxes]] sit at the end of orderly queue lines: one for each virtue. Each one has a visitor's log where people are encouraged to write their name, the date, and the amount donated. Each month, the name of the largest donor is displayed on the wall.

==Regions==
===Hanuri===
*'''Qualities:''' City, Fortification
The main feature of Hanuri is the city of [[#Temeschwar|Temeschwar]] itself.

===Locul===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
Much of the territory of Temeschwar is rugged and hilly, but in Locul the foothills rise steeply into the heights of '''Mellfort Peak''' which took its name from the [[#Mellfort|hill fort]] built on the upper slopes. These ruins were ultimately repurposed to create the prestigious [[Chatelaine_of_the_Reapers%27_Repose#Reapers'_Repose|Reaper's Repose]], a premiere location for exhausted merchant-princes to rest and recuperate away from the pressures of city life.

Before the forerunners of the League restored the ruins there, the peak was called ''Suyan''. The mountain dwarfs the surrounding territory, for all that [[Urizen]] visitors like to claim (somewhat smugly) that it is not a ''real'' mountain. The peaks and foothills of Locul are the site of many prosperous mines, especially those working [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]] and [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]]. One of the best known of these mines is '''Descent''' - a mining village built around a large open sinkhole at the foot of Mellfort Peak. Many years ago a stairs and ramp were built spiralling down into the depths of the Descent, and green iron is mined from an extensive cavern complex beneath. The [[Custodian of the Assayer's Guild]] often spends a lot of time surveying the mines of Locul, when they are not at their offices in Temeschwar proper.

===Metri===
The [[#Fortress of Salt|Fortress of Salt]] is found in Metri, very close to the border with [[Varushka|Varushkan]] [[Karov]]. During Winter 380YE, something unnatural settled [[into the woods]] here, that brought with it both a peculiar magical effect and a strange sense of safety. Gaunt spirits, ghosts, and a general sense of mild unease permeated the place but the roads were unmolested by bandits and beast alike. Anything or anyone that tried to bring violence against another person in Metri suffers bloody, unnatural judgement at the claws and teeth of alien creatures that haunted the region. Just before the Winter Solstice 384YE it was uncovered that the place was home to a number of heralds of the [[Skathe|Hag Queen]]. During the Winter Solstice 384YE the Order of the Rod and Shield were instructed to go and clear out these heralds - removing the [[Region_qualities#Haunted|haunted]] nature of the region - which led to a [[Fade_out_again#A_Disturbing_Encounter|showdown]] between the ''Grand Enchantrix'' and the Grandmaster of the Rod and Shield, '''Sakari Nightscale'''.

===Vargat===
A somewhat hilly region, dotted with villages and scattered areas of cultivated [[forest|woodlands]]. Vargat is perhaps best known for the brewing of strong spirits, the good quality, thick-crusted dark rye-bread made from [[farm|locally sourced flour]] known colloquially a ''Vargat Bianch'', and for extremely strong-tasting pickled cabbage that is considered a local delicacy by those from Vargat, and a challenge to the digestive system and sense of taste by everyone else. Increased trade with southern nations, especially the [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]], has seen a recent fashion in Vargat for vegetable dishes prepared by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi fermenting with a variety of seasonings]. It remains to be seen if this culinary fashion will become popular in the League.

===Vardstein Vale===
*'''Quality:''' Forest
The southern Vardstein Vale that slopes down toward [[Miaren]] has a reputation for wildness. While the periphery has been cultivated with a number of small [[forest|woodland preserves]], most of the woodland is left "wild". The forest is known to be home to many wolves, and to at least one pack of wily [[Mundane_beasts#Dire_Beasts|dire wolves]]. The decision to leave the Vale as a hunting preserve has caused occasional friction with the [[Navarr]] and [[Wintermark]] who point out that wild beasts do not respect borders. More artistically minded individuals point to the decision to leave the Vardstein Vale "wild" as reflecting a key element of the Temeschwari (and indeed League) soul. They are civilised, but they are not tame ...
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Giuseppe Sanguineo von Temeschwar.jpg|caption='''Giuseppe Sanguineo von Temeschwar''', Senator for Temeschwar|align=left|width=500}}</div>
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Temeschwar|Territory=Temeschwar|Season=Winter}}
==OOC Notes==
* All the regions of Temeschwar are in the hands of the League (and by extension the Empire) making it a staunchly Imperial territory.
* The [[#The Walls of Temeschwar|city walls]] are a rank two [[fortification]].
* [[business|Businesses]] in the territory benefit from both the [[#The Great Game|Great Game]] and the [[Vardstein_Vandal#Great_Wealth|Drovers' Guild Timbermill and Sorting Yard]] and produce two random [[Materials#Natural_Materials|measures]] and an extra 36 rings each season.
* [[Congregation|Congregations]] in the territory no longer benefit from the [[#The Bloody Great Theatre|Bloody Great Theatre]] following a [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_18|mandate]] to encourage patrons to donate to the [[Vallornguard]]
* [[Mana site|Mana sites]] in the territory no longer benefit from the [[#Lorenzo's Legacy of Loyalty|Lorenzo's Legacy of Loyalty]] following a senate motion to [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#League_Crystal_Mana_to_Spiral|divert production to Spiral]].
* Due to the presence of the [[Temeschwar#Lorenzo.27s_Deep_Pockets|sinkhole]] in the [[#Vardstein Vale|Vardstein Vale]] it is not possible for a [[Army|campaign army]] to move directly between Temeschwar and Upwold despite their apparent proximity on the map.
[[Category:The League]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]]
[[Category:Imperial Territory]]

Three celebrations and a funeral

2026-10-31T20:43:55Z

Responsible1: /* Repairing the Basilica */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:383YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>"Magistrate" he said nodding his head slightly as a show of greeting and respect.

"Citizen" the old woman dutifully returned the formal greeting, with just the faintest sign of a grin on her face. Then before he could walk away she dragged her old friend into a hug. "Marius! I haven't seen you in so long... not since you stepped down..."

He returned the warm greeting, and they quickly fell into idle small talk. Counting back the years to the last time they were both together at Anvil. Laughing about the time Britta had threatened to have him arrested for refusing to follow her orders in Holberg. Good times he thought "Why did we give all that up?" he asked her.

"Speak for yourself! Some of us are still hard working Prosperous citizens of the Empire. I have a case I'm working on right now..."

He didn't contradict her. She knew what he meant and he didn't want to spoil their reunion by pointing out the obvious - that she'd once been tipped to be the Imperial Chief Magistrate and now she was responsible for a large precinct in Sarvos. She was still working... but...

"Look there's Bella!"

He looked across the room to where the tiny former grandmaster was stood talking quietly with colleagues, them towering over her as people always did with Bella. From there his gaze swept round the room. It was like a who's who of the wealthy and powerful of the Empire. A former senator, and not one but two former adjutants. And there was old Berric whose syndicate had lost everything trying to get full control of the Empire's mithril resources.

He signed, time to admit to himself it was a who's who of the ''former'' great and the good of the Empire. All here for one person. The best of them all. Bishop Marianne di Sarvos... Prelate of the Little Mother... Mum.

He put his hand to his face trying to blink back the tears. Somewhere the bells rang to call the flock of orphans to the final service.
</ic>
==Overview==
One of the foundations of [[the Way]] is that the virtues are often interpreted through the lives and legends of mortals. The [[paragons and exemplars]] [[recognition|recognised]] by the [[Synod]] provide important lessons to modern pilgrims, and places or relics associated with them or their [[Signs_of_the_paragon_and_exemplar#Legacy|legacy]] play a key role in the pilgrimages of the faithful. In addition to recognising new exemplars and paragons, the Synod also takes an active hand in preserving those legacies.

Last season, three [[statement of principle|statements of principle]] drew particular attention to three particular inspirations: the ancient magician [[Zoria]], Paragon of [[Wisdom]]; the [[Ambition|Ambitious]] exemplar [[Adelmar the Lion]]; and the fiery [[corsair]] [[Zemress]], Exemplar of Prosperity. Achieving the support of individual assemblies, these statements have given rise to opportunities to the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] to celebrate the lives of the three inspirations.

Unfortunately, before we can talk about those opportunities for celebration, we must touch on something sorrowful and full of tragedy...

==Tragedy of the Little Mother==
* '''Fire has gutted the Basilica of the Little Mother in Bastion'''
During the months following the Autumn Equinox, a tragedy struck the Basilica of the Little Mother in [[Bastion#Bastion.2C_the_White_City|Bastion]]; the structure was ravaged by fire. Built in 15YE by the Custodes Clavium, with extensive investment from League citizens and priests, this beautiful structure of white granite has served as a place of pilgrimage for nearly four centuries. Like other churches of the Little Mother, it operated as an orphanage - the largest outside of Sarvos. Now the structure has been gutted, reduced to little more than a smoking shell. The magistrates are investigating, but at the moment it does not appear to have been the result of foul play - merely a terrible, tragic accident. One person who has attracted extensive criticism as a result of their comments about the incident is the leader of the [[Sarvos|Sarvosi]] Falenjame Cartel, merchant-prince '''Francesco Falenjame di Sarvos''', who claims that "''this is what happens when cities rely on just hoping that their buildings don't burn down rather than [[The_DOOM_that_came_to_Sarvos#Rising_Flames|proper fire protection]]''." He has been lambasted for his comments in many broadsheets and papers, especially after the full extent of the tragedy becomes clear.

The basilica has always been overseen by the ''Prelate of the Little Mother'' - a title often held by a League bishop, but one that has been held by priests of every nation save the [[Imperial Orcs]]. The current prelate is - was - '''Bishop Marianne di Sarvos''', a former [[Cardinal]] of [[Prosperity]]. For nearly four decades she served as an advocate for the sects of the Little Mother across the Empire, rarely having time for the politics of the [[Synod]]. Born in the reign of [[Empress Deanne]], there was a rumour that she had intended to stand down on her 70th birthday but that with the death of her favoured successor - '''Bishop Ynez di Caricomare''' - she resolved to continue until she could no longer discharge her duties.

Unfortunately, that day has now come. Whilst helping to evacuate some children trapped by the spreading fire, she was struck down by a burning crossbeam. Her body has been recovered from the damaged basilica, and interred at the [[The_Little_Mother#Inspirational_Tomb_of_the_Little_Mother|chapel of the Little Mother]] in Sarvos, alongside the prelates who preceded her and (allegedly) the body of the paragon herself. There has been a great deal of grieving across the Empire - many people owe their good start in life to Prelate Marianne, and many more to the aid of the Church of the Little Mother as a whole.
===Repairing the Basilica===
* '''Donations to rebuild the Basilica of the Little Mother have flooded in'''
* '''Repairing the structure would require a Senate Motion or Wayleave, a commission, at least 40 wains of white granite, 80 crowns labour costs, and three months time to complete.'''
* '''The ''Prelate of the Little Mother'' could be appointed before or after the Basilica was repaired.'''
While it is a little tactless to mention it, with Bishop Marianne di Sarvos barely in her grave, her tragic death means that the ''Prelacy of the Little Mother'' is available for [[appointment]] by the [[Prosperity]] [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Virtue Assembly]]. The basilica is badly damaged, but the shell at least still stands. It is still possible to hold services in the ruins, and pilgrims will still come to the basilica, their numbers swelled by those who come to gawk at the damage. The prelacy currently provides 5 doses of liao and 10 votes in the Synod, and comes with a responsibility to uphold the principles of the Little Mother, especially as they relate to helping people find prosperity and virtue.

Restoring the Basilica is a serious undertaking, but prosperous individuals across the Empire are prepared to put their hands in their pockets to mitigate the loss. The structure is still [[consecration|consecrated]] - some of the priests joke tiredly that it will take more than a little fire to quench the spirit of the Little Mother - so it will not require a dose of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]]. Still, the more mundane costs are not to be sneezed at; the structural damage is very bad indeed. Repairs would require at least 40 wains of white granite, 80 crowns in labour costs, and take three months to complete. Reconstruction would require a Senate Motion or a Bearer of an Imperial Wayleave to use a commission to set the work going. Once they were complete, the basilica would be restored and the Prelate of the Little Mother would again enjoy the full 15 doses of liao and 30 votes in the Synod each season.

Gathering resources might take time, but there is only a limited amount available. The ruined basilica represents a danger both to the people and the city itself. It is currently being held together with scaffolding, which requires constant maintenance. At any moment parts of the main structure or the smaller buildings built alongside it could collapse catastrophically. If the remains have not been commissioned by the end of the Spring Equinox 384YE, the risks will have grown too great and the structure will need to be torn down. If that happens, the prelate would lose their liao and votes until such time as a new basilica was commissioned.

===OOC Note: Regarding Orphans===
We've added a section to the Little Mother page entitled '''[[The_Little_Mother#OOC_Note:_Regarding_Orphans|regarding orphans]]''', which talks about orphanages, orphans, and other ways to play a character committed to the teachings of the Little Mother.
{{SOP|statement=''The scholars of the Brass Coast should visit the newly built seminary of Zemress, and work to translate, transcribe, and organise the texts provided by the Sumaah republic.|by=Soratio Seseet i del Torro i Riqueza, Brass Coast National|vote=Greater Majority 156-0|when=Autumn Equinox 383YE}}

==Blade of the Isles==
* '''The seminary of Zemress has become a bustling place of pilgrimage'''
* '''A Freeborn scholar has compiled the stories of Zemress in Sumaah and plans to share them with the faithful'''
The seminary of Zemress at Calvos Sound was completed shortly before the Autumn Equinox 383YE. Since then it has become a bustling place of pilgrimage, not only for Imperial citizens and pilgrims from the [[Sumaah Republic]], but also an unexpected number from the [[Sarcophan Delves]]. Rare visitors from the [[Asavean Archipelago]] and [[Principalities of Jarm]] have been seen visiting the ''Kraken's Bane'', drawn by the enduring [[consecration]] placed there by Gilah of the Chantry just over a year ago. There are even reports that a few [[Grendel]] [[orc]] merchants visiting Madruga have stopped by to "''pay their respects''" to the woman they sometimes call ''The Demon of the Bay''.

This influx of visitors has been very good for Calvos; demand for wine grown in the hills around the port-town has exploded. Any vintage that suggests a connection with Zemress, or the ''Kraken's Bane'' is snapped up almost immediately by keen pilgrims and avid merchants alike. The docks are abuzz with talk of shipyards, and the old plans for the [[Focused_and_methodical#The_School_of_Shipbuilding|school of shipbuilding]] proposed by that League architect are dragged out and debated again. There's also been an increase in the number of ''[[Zemress_islander|i Zemress]]'' visiting the town, eager to look on the ship that bore their ancestors to the island where they lived for so long. Few of them actually remain in Calvos, of course, heading back to their new homes in [[Segura]] after a few days. For many of the former Zemress islanders, the proximity of the sea is not a reassuring thing.
===Open to All===
When the seminary was first proposed, it received the unexpected support of the House of Prosperity in Sumaah. Their assistance was conditional on the Imperial Synod making a solemn promise that the seminary, and the ''Kraken's Bane'', would be a place of pilgrimage for ''any'' follower of the Way who wished to come and study, not just Imperial pilgrims, no matter the state of relations between the Empire and their country of origin. The Synod responded with three [[statement of principle|statements of principle]] in the [[382YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_50|General]], [[382YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_51|Prosperity]], and [[382YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_61|Freeborn assemblies]]. Gilah and Lilith of the chantry, and Mazo i Zabala i Erigo of the Brass Coast all echoed the same promise: ''Pilgrims visiting the shrine of the exemplar Zemress at Calvos Sound in the Brass Coast who are dedicated to the Way should be allowed to conduct their pilgrimage in safety regardless of their country of origin''. That was enough for the Sumaah, and they duly contributed a third of the materials needed to build the seminary that stands so proudly on the docks of Calvos.

Now, a year later, there is an opportunity to build on that promise. Scholars at the seminary, with the cautious and very unofficial advice of some of the Sumaah pilgrims, have proposed a mandate that builds on the promises made; on the words of Gilah when she consecrated the ''Kraken's Bane'', and even perhaps on the [[Tested_again_and_again#Blasphemy|unsuccessful attempt]] by Tabitha of the Chantry to begin a new tradition of celebrating Zemress' life among the faithful.
{{Mandate|mandate=All that is worthwhile is shared with those who deserve it. We send {named priest} with 100 doses of liao to assure everyone that pilgrims visiting the shrine of the exemplar Zemress at Calvos who are dedicated to the Way will be allowed to conduct their pilgrimage in safety regardless of where they come from. Let this shrine inspire all those who sail in her wake and despise the thieving pirate, the lazy wastrel, the grasping miser, and those who take without giving.|assembly=General Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted then every single [[fleet]] in the Empire and Sumaah will gain one additional rank of production when taking [[Fleet#Trade|trading]] actions with a foreign nation for the next six months.

If this mandate is '''passed with a greater majority''' then it will communicate to the followers of the Way across the Known World that the shrine at Calvos is open to them, encouraging pilgrims to visit and consider the lessons Zemress has taught. It will mean that going forward the supporters of the seminary will ensure it remains available to pilgrims of the Way, even if the Empire is at war with their country of origin.

This would cement Calvos, the seminary, and the consecrated hull as the primary point of pilgrimage for followers of Zemress, swelling the number of visitors from beyond the Empire. It is impossible for the civil service to be sure what would happen in that case because effective prognostication is often exceptionally difficult when dealing with spiritual matters, but it would definitely bring some unlooked for opportunities to further increase trade and Prosperity

===Broken Wheels===
A little over a year ago, the Freeborn [[Tested_again_and_again#Blasphemy|extended an invitation]] to the Sumaah and Zemress Islanders to join them in a celebration of Zemress that would unfortunately have coincided with the [[The_Brass_Coast_religious_beliefs#Feast_of_the_Broken_Wheel|Festival of the Broken Wheel]]. Both declined the invitation citing religious grounds. The Sumaah made clear that they consider the Festival to be blasphemous and deeply unvirtuous. They are well aware of the General Assembly's recent judgement on the matter; the view of the Sumaah is that that judgement says considerably more about the Imperial Synod's profound lack of Wisdom and Virtue, than it does about the festival itself. Given the entire festival exists to parody and demean virtue, they find it absurd to suggest that it is anything but blasphemous.

When asked about the matter, the Sumaah are frank about the fact that they think the Brass Coast Assembly should pass a Statement of Principle condemning the Festival of the Broken Wheel and urging all virtuous Freeborn to seek a more virtuous way to celebrate the Autumn gathering. The Freeborn Assembly has always defended their right to celebrate the Festival of the Broken Wheel. If they enacted this mandate it would throw the festival's existence into question. The Sumaash understand such an outcome is unlikely, they can see the Festival is popular, but Ambition is a virtue, and in that spirit they propose a mandate to the Imperial civil service.

{{Mandate|mandate=The General Assembly of the Imperial Synod are wrong. The Festival of the Broken Wheel is blasphemous by its nature and unbecoming of one of the greatest nations of the known world and the birthplace of Zemress, an inspirational figure who brought Prosperity to the world. We send {named priest} with 50 liao to urge all Freeborn citizens to disavow these childish antics in favour of a celebration inspired by their Prosperity and Virtue|assembly=Freeborn National Assembly}}

If this mandate were passed it would undermine support for the Festival of the Broken Wheel. It wouldn't stop anyone celebrating it, but it could drift out of favour over time. It would also create an opportunity for the Freeborn to come together to seek a replacement that would be widely adopted across the nation if it received the popular support of the people at Anvil.

Taking this step would also ''significantly'' improve the standing of the Brass Coast in the eyes of the entire Sumaash Synod. The Seminary constructed to celebrate Zemress stands as a powerful testimony of what nations can do when they are joined in a common faith - the Sumaash are not shy at dropping hints about what more might Sumaah and the Brass Coast achieve together if the Freeborn gave this powerful demonstration of their commitment to the virtues?

Regrettably the mandate explicitly contradicts [[383YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_50|a Synod judgement passed by the General Assembly]] that told all Freeborn citizens that there is no need for concern about the feast. The civil service have already noted that ''any'' future statement of principle upheld by the General Assembly that could be seen to reverse this or other statements given in response to the Grey Pilgrims would have a dramatic impact. This mandate would be enacted by the Freeborn Assembly so it would not have the same effect - but it would undoubtedly lead to more problems for the General Assembly which would risk them seeing their moral authority in the Brass Coast further diminished.

Some of the Zemress Islanders express similar distaste but for different reasons. They are devout and pious followers of Prosperity, but they are less concerned with doctrine and less dogmatic than the Sumaash priests. Their unhappiness is more that they think the festival represents a failure of Pride. Their view is that a festival should be uplifting, it should celebrate all the virtuous achievements that have been accomplished during the year in some way. If the Freeborn had some other great festival, then the Islanders could tolerate the Broken Wheel more easily, but the only national celebration that brings all the Freeborn together is a frivolous bacchanal that mocks everything the virtuous hold dear. The Islanders are a much more pragmatic and less ideological than the Sumaash. Many of them would like to see the Broken Wheel replaced, but they don't see any realistic chance of convincing the Assembly to disavow it. What they say would make it more tolerable was if there were a national festival that celebrated Zemress' legacy and the Virtues of the people of the Brass Coast.

They have proposed a mandate for the Brass Coast Assembly to pass calling on all Freeborn to come together to celebrate a festival inspired by the achievements of Zemress, something that celebrates Prosperity - or perhaps a celebration of the ideal of honesty. They are loathe to be too prescriptive, they think that any festival would work best if it were something all the tribes of the Brass Coast felt a part of creating.

{{Mandate|mandate=The Festival of the Broken Wheel is an accepted part of the tradition of the three tribes but it should not be the only nation-wide celebration in the Freeborn Calendar. The Coast is the birthplace of Zemress, an inspirational figure who brought Prosperity to the world. We send {named priest} with 50 liao to urge all Freeborn citizens to come together to forge a celebration inspired by our exemplar that uplifts our Prosperity and Virtue|assembly=Freeborn National Assembly}}

If this mandate were passed it would create an opportunity for the Freeborn to come together to seek a replacement that would be widely adopted across the nation if it received the popular support of the people at Anvil. The Zemress Islanders are clear that if such a thing were achieved, it the Freeborn created a festival of their own, something as important to the nation as the tourneys and flower festivals are to Dawn for example, then it would drive much greater engagement from the Zemress Islanders and that would be bound to lead to new opportunities for further cooperation.

===Daring Tales===
During the Autumn Equinox the Freeborn National Assembly passed a judgement raised by ''Soratio Seseet i del Torro i Riqueza'' calling on people to come to the Seminary of Zemress to translate the texts provided by the Sumaah Republic. '''Lola i Conzmarra i Erigo''', a scholar whose parents grew up in Zemeh, journeyed to [[Madruga]] and offered what help they could. They were further assisted by a trio of Sumaah pilgrims, visiting the seminary and interested in seeing the rest of the Empire, who were able to explain some of the more obscure references and help put them into a context that would make sense to the Empire. With their aid, Lola i Conzmarra i Erigo completed their work in record time, and paid for a summary of the key details of the translation to be sent to Anvil with one of the egregores of the Brass Coast.
===An Unofficial Note===
One very minor bone of contention between the Sumaah Republic and the Empire in recent years has been that while the Imperial Synod considers Zemress to be an exemplar of Prosperity, the Sumaah Republic considers her a paragon of that virtue. There has been a little unofficial discussion with the pilgrims of the House of Prosperity visiting Calvos, a few of whom have pretty much moved in permanently to help at the shrine. Their informed opinion - in at least one case ''very'' informed - is that while the Sumaah have made it clear that any [[recognition]] of new paragons and exemplars would increase the division between the two Synods, recognising Zemress as a paragon would ''not'' be contentious back home. Indeed, it might even be seen as a positive move; the Imperial Synod acknowledging the wisdom of the Sumaah House of Prosperity would undermine those who claim that the Empire is arrogant and complacent in its presumed position as the sole voice of authority regarding the Way.
{{SOP|statement=''Do you see the star? / It's the light of Ambition / And it shines for all.'' The bracelet - Arete's Promise - was crafted by Nicassia of Urizen for Adelmar the Lion as a mark of his Ambition and so it stands. And as Ambition seeks to raise all about it, so shall its regalia. In order to facilitate this, we support the passing of Arete's Promise from one chosen holder to another to better share Ambition's flame. Each holder should then take the opportunity to use this honour to exalt and inspire other citizens, as Adelmar did with the creation of the Academy of Arms.|by=Ranae de Rondell, Ambition Assembly|vote=Greater Majority 124-0|when=Autumn Equinox 383YE}}
{{SOP|statement=We intend to sanctify with true liao the first Academy of Arms in order to remind all citizens that regardless of their situation they are capable of great things and should work realise their ambition as Adelmar did.|by=Lady Eve Orzel, AmbitionAssembly|vote=Greater Majority 86-0|when=Autumn Equinox 383YE}}

==Lion of Arnet==
* '''A shrine dedicated to Adelmar the Lion could be [[consecration|consecrated]] to serve in place of an [[inspirational location|inspirational tomb]]'''
* '''Three obvious locations present themselves for such a shrine'''
Another inspirational figure from the Empire's past with a connection to the [[Sumaah Republic]] is [[Adelmar the Lion]]. While it has never been resolved conclusively, the Exemplar of [[Courage]] the Sumaah call ''Amma the Wanderer'' bears a striking resemblance to the Dawnish champion, and allegedly arrives in Sumaah a few years after Adelmar disappears from the Empire. Within the Empire Adelmar is an Exemplar of [[Ambition]], best known for founding the Academy of Arms in Redoubt, and encouraging Imperial citizens to pursue ''mastery'' of whatever endeavour they were drawn to.

During the Autumn Equinox 383YE, Lady Eve Orzel declared their intention to [[consecration|consecrate]] the first Academy of Arms with [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]]. Adelmar has no [[inspirational location|memorial]] - his disappearance in 77YE left little opportunity to build one. Consecrating the Academy makes a certain kind of sense. The buildings are still maintained in Redoubt, part-way along the road between Elos and Cargo, on the lower slopes of [[Redoubt#Siluri|Mount Siluri]]. The original Academy has been eclipsed in recent decades; there are Academies inspired by Adelmar's legacy in most nations of the Empire after all.

There are, however, several ''other'' locations that could serve just as well as a place of pilgrimage for those inspired by the Lion's deeds. The hall commemorating his part in the final battles to conquer [[Semmerholm]] in [[Semmerholm#Ulvenholm|Arnet]] is already a site of pilgrimage. Likewise, his birthplace in [[Astolat]], in the town of [[Astolat#Weaving|Weaving]], is often visited by pilgrims of Ambition; spending a little time practicing the martial arts on the greensward before the shrine there is a popular tradition among the [[knight-errant|knights-errant]] who look to follow in his footsteps.

The Imperial Synod could allow Lady Eve Orzel - or indeed anyone with access to true liao - to focus the attention of Imperial pilgrims on one of these three spiritually resonant locations. Three mandates present themselves naturally for consideration. Any one of them could be upheld by the General Assembly, indicating the Synod's intent to create a place of pilgrimage commemorating the inspirational life and achievements of Adelmar the Lion.
<div style="display:grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr; grid-gap: 10px;">
{{Mandate|mandate=Adelmar the Lion began as a farmer and trod the path of glory to become the greatest master of arms the Empire has ever seen. His birthplace in Astolat reminds us that no matter where someone begins, there is no limit to what they can achieve. We send {named priest} with a dose of true liao and 4 crowns to consecrate Adelmar's shrine in the town of Weaving, in the name of Ambition.|assembly=General Assembly}}
{{Mandate|mandate=Adelmar the Lion did not liberate Semmerholm alone, but his decisive victory over the feared orc warlord Tu'Chak inspired those around him to triumph over the orcs. This deed reminds us of the importance of acting decisively and with absolute commitment. We send {named priest} with a dose of true liao and 4 crowns to consecrate the pilgrim's shrine in the shadow of Arnet, in the name of Ambition.|assembly=General Assembly}}
{{Mandate|mandate=Adelmar the Lion built the first Academy of Arms in Urizen. He knew ambition transcended considerations of nation, and recognised only commitment and the zeal to be better. This Academy, and all those others built across the Empire, shows the importance of leaving a lasting legacy to inspire others. We send {named priest} with a dose of true liao and 4 crowns to consecrate the shrine of the armsmaster on the slopes of Mount Siluri, in the name of Ambition.|assembly=General Assembly}}
</div>
These three mandates are [[Mandate#Competing_Mandates|in competition]] with one another. They are not time-sensitive - the shrines at Weaving, Arnet, and Mount Siluri are not going anywhere any time soon. However, news of the recovery of Arete's Promise has sparked a resurgence of interest in Adelmar and his stories. The longer it takes to secure the consecration, the more that resurgence will have faded.

The civil service cannot predict precisely what effects consecrating a shrine in the name of Adelmar the Lion will have. At the very least it is likely to attract the attention of pilgrims of the Way across the Empire, and likely further afield as well. They note however that each of the shrines suggested has a different "resonance" in the minds of pilgrims of the Way. The shrine at Weaving is associated with the idea that anyone can rise to greatness, no matter how humble their beginnings. The shrine at Arnet is associated with the idea of taking action decisively, and achieving difficult tasks. The shrine at the Academy in Mount Siluri is associated with the idea of building a legacy for future generations. Any [[opportunity|opportunities]] that follow the consecration may reflect these attitudes.
{{SOP|statement=All virtuous citizens of the Empire are encouraged to make pilgrimage to the shrine of Zoria at Zoria's Maze in Miekarova. There to share stories of Zoria so that all can benefit from Zoria's wisdom.|by=Illya Nikovitch Volkov, Wisdom Assembly|vote=Greater Majority 200-18|when=Autumn Equinox 383YE}}

==Mistress of Birds and Beasts==
* '''The Maze of Zoria could be consecrated with a dose of true liao'''
* '''Illya Nikovitch Volkov is the current Guardian of the Maze of Zoria'''
The [[Guardian_of_the_Maze_of_Zoria#The_Maze_of_Zoria|Maze of Zoria]] has stood in [[Miekarova#Mieriada|Mieriada]] near the vale of Griejezdo for untold generations. Stories say it was formed by the paragon [[Zoria|herself]] with her magic, and that those who walk its twisting paths gain a deeper appreciation of [[Wisdom]]. The shrine has been completed, and a Guardian - Illya Nikovitch Volkov - appointed.

During the Autumn Equinox, Illya Nikovitch Volkov raised a statement of principle in the Wisdom assembly that was upheld with a Greater Majority, urging those who sought wisdom to come to the Maze and share their understanding of the paragon. As is usually the case, the statement was circulated among the dedicates of Wisdom, but it has received something of a mixed reaction. There are many places named for Zoria's wisdom in the Empire, and while the Maze is impressive, does it take precedence over other such monuments? There was talk when the shrine was first suggested that the place could be [[consecration|consecrated]] as a [[inspirational location|memorial]] dedicated to Zoria - but so far that does not seem to have happened.
{{Mandate|mandate=The Paragon Zoria represents the unending drive to understand both the self and the world around us. Anyone who has walked the twisting paths of the Maze of Zoria knows that it embodies the search for Wisdom. Every follower of the Way should consider a pilgrimage to Mieriada to seek the questions that elude them. We send {named priest} with 1 dose of true liao and 4 crowns to consecrate the heart of the maze in the name of Wisdom.|assembly=General Assembly}}
If this [[mandate]] were passed, and the requisite dose of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] provided, the Maze of Zoria would be consecrated to Wisdom. The dedicates of Wisdom would require no further urging to make pilgrimage to the site, and would share their stories of the paragon with each other and with the priests of Wisdom. The [[Lepidus#Heirs_of_Lepidus|Heirs of Lepidus]] stand ready to record those stories, to compile and then publish them, so that everyone across the Empire could know and remember Zoria better.

Beyond that the Civil Service can only speculate about what the effects of creating a place sanctified to Wisdom and the memory of Zoria (essentially a [[inspirational location|memorial]]) might be. There are many stories about Zoria, but they have rarely been gathered together in one place, so it's impossible to predict what they might reveal about the Paragon and her lasting legacies. It is likely that they will cast light on some of the other locations associated with Zoria (such as the Cave that also bears her name), and there are several enchanted relics and tools associated with her that might still exist in the world. It is also well known that she was a powerful [[magical skills#Magician|Sorceress]] - a term with a very different meaning in pre-Imperial Varushka, without any of the negative connotations it has today. She wove enduring magic especially through her understanding of the natural world, and that might prove especially inspirational to the magicians of the Empire.

Unlike a traditional mandate, this one is not time sensitive. As long as nothing major changes, it remains available as long as the Maze of Zoria is intact and in Imperial hands.

==Resolution==
Following the Winter Solstice, Rhaego i Zemress enacted a mandate to create an opportunity for the Freeborn to come together to seek a replacement for the Feast of the Broken Wheel. The mandate to [[Three_celebrations_and_a_funeral#Open_to_All|encourage pilgrims]] to visit [[Madruga#Calvos|Calvos]] was not raised, the but the Sumaah-provided tale of Zemress was made public via the [[Zemress#The Seminary of Zemress|Seminary of Zemress]] and is [[Zemress#A_Tale_from_Sumaah|available]] to all pilgrims of Prosperity.

The General Assembly upheld the [[mandate]] raised by Killian Mortére to [[383YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_39|consecrate the Academy of Arms]] in Redoubt; it remains to be seen if the required [[liao#True Liao|true liao]] will be employed.

Cesare Enzo Di Trivento used a [[bearer of an Imperial Wayleave|Imperial Wayleave]] to commission the [[Repair_the_Basilica_of_the_Little_Mother|repair of the Basilica of the Little Mother]].

Battle cries

2026-10-31T20:20:34Z

Responsible1: /* A Lantern for Wolves */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:385YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>Guen di Tassato slid a mug across the table, and took a delicate sip from her own. Unsweetened red tea, tangy and just the right side of bitter the way she liked it.

"Tell me a story about Drigo," she said, timing her words precisely for the moment just before Morgan took a drink of his own. He paused with the rim of the battered, chipped mug against his lip. Guen noted how his knuckles whitened on the handle. He put it down again.

"Which Drigo?" He said. He spoke lightly, but she'd seen the way he reacted to the name and he was not fooling her. "Tall Drigo? Drigo the Fox? Red Drigo? Which Drigo are you asking after? I know a lot of Drigo's."

"Which Drigo d'you think?" She tossed him a gentle, disarming smile, taking an other sip of tea, letting him sweat. "I'm after Red Drigo. The same Red Drigo that you were seen talking to last week"

Morgan swallowed, hard. He spread his hands out on the rough, splintered surface of the table, palms down. Licked his lips, quickly. Glanced left and right, but there was no help there.

"All right listen," he said suddenly, in a rush. "I was talking to him but only 'cause he'd been having problems with the Mestrans. That's all."

"Mestrans don't bother me Morgan," said Guen, her smile vanished like summer snow. "What bothers me is that Red Drigo was also seen talking to a close friend of Uncle Vyig. Do you understand? And if you know Drigo, and Drigo knows Uncle Vyig... well what am I supposed to make of that?"

They stared at each other for a long moment and she saw the exact moment his resolve shattered like a dropped mirror.

"I'll tell you what I know," he said, a note of pleading in his voice. "But you mustn't tell anyone what I'm telling you. Alright?"

She smiled again, but when she spoke her voice was iron.

"You're in no position to ask me for anything, Morgan. Not for one thing. You tell me everything you know, and then we'll see if you get to make a deal with me, or with Magistrate Karkovitch..."

The man across the table took a deep gulp of hot red tea, and began to spill his guts.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Lantern Wolf.png|align=left|caption=Who knows the evil that lurks within the hearts of folk? The Lantern Wolf knows.|width=600}}</div>
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8_thJwY1TI}}
==Overview==
The vyig are broken, scattered, utterly defeated. Their leaders have been arrested and executed, their agents intercepted, their illicit business enterprises exposed. The companies of bravos, bands of sell-swords and wagon raiders, the thief-takers, and the militia have spent the last six months rounding up, capturing, or putting down hundreds of the criminals. There are a few reports of groups slinking through [[Ossium]] into the [[Forest of Ulnak]], of swift ships leaving [[Sarvos]] with suspiciously wealthy passengers aboard, but those few are no longer the Empire's problem.

Since the [[Fade out again|Spring Equinox]], and the actions of those in Anvil, there have been running skirmishes throughout the territories of [[Miekarova]], [[Tassato]], and [[Temeschwar]]. The magistrates and the militia were initially overwhelmed, the sheer scale of the reaction from the vyig which saw widespread property damage and mayhem, but the garrisons of [[Tassato#La_Redotta_Rezia|La Redotta Rezia]], [[Sarvos#Our_Lady_of_Pride|Our Lady of Pride]], the [[Temeschwar#The_Walls_of_Temeschwar|Walls of Temeschwar]], and the [[Holberg#The_City_of_Holberg|Walls of Holberg]] do what they can to support ''their'' cities.

==Mopping Up==
* '''Three significant groups of vyig remain in the Empire, putting into action dangerous schemes to evade justice'''
As the Summer Solstice approaches, it seems that there are only three significant groups of vyig left in the Empire. They have seen the writing on the wall - anyone who hasn't is now dead. They are looking to flee the Empire, with as much wealth as they can take with them, and some of them have enacted schemes to provide themselves with an escape route. The fact that some of these escape routes also potentially harm their Imperial enemies is just a bonus to these irredeemable criminals.

===Strangers (Conjunction)===
* '''The last vyig of Tassato are fleeing south with dangerous information stolen from the offices of the Regario Dossier'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 20:15 on Friday to the Renewal Grove, Calvos Sound, Madruga'''
* '''The ''Regario Dossier'' is responsible for ending the vyig of Tassato'''
"Uncle Tassato" and his remaining soldiers are on the run, their schemes in tatters. The [[Farewell wanderlust|wave of serendipity]] blanketing the Empire seems to have both aided and undermined their escape however. They had taken refuge at the abandoned [[Tassato#The_Jarmish_Lodge|Jarmish Lodge]] constructed for merchants from the [[Principalities of Jarm|Principalities]] but which had been left empty for a year since the House of Princes chose to [[Tariffs#Embargo|embargo]] trade with the Empire. A few months after the Spring Equinox, their lair was fired, and most of the vyig congregating there slain. Uncle Tassato escaped however - but evidence was found that he had arranged an escape plan and a tidy nest egg with which to start a new life for himself outside the Empire. Specifically, he had managed to lay his hands on a copy of the 385YE Regario Dossier - the report from the Empire's international spies - and was planning to sell it to the highest bidder.

If he succeeds in selling the Dossier, there is enough information in the dossier for a master of espionage to deduce the identity of many of the Dossier agents. Their covers would be compromised, and in many cases their lives potentially forfeit. Apparently by chance, enough information was left behind to piece together his likely escape route. In conjunction with a fortunate eyewitness sighting by a dubious Mestran herb seller visiting the markets of [[Madruga#Calvos|Calvos]] in [[Madruga]], it has allowed the vyig's likely location to be narrowed down. The prognosticators have examined the Sentinel Gate... and identified a conjunction that will allow the Tassatan vyig to be intercepted. They are apparently hiding out in the Renewal Grove, not far from the coast, ready for the final leg of their journey to [[Feroz]].

The remaining vyig of Tassato are a desperate band of bravos and mountebank enforcers trained as battle-magicians. They have a selection of [[magic items]], the last of the vyig armoury. Given the immediate threat the Tassatan vyig represent to the agents of the Regario Dossier, it is the responsibility of the [[Regario Dossier|Custodian of the Regario Dossier]]; '''Rodrigo Barossa de Tassato Regario''', to end the vyig of Tassato and perhaps most importantly recover the document they have stolen. If they are able to escape with their copy of the 385YE Regario Dossier, it will massively disrupt the ability of the Empire's agents to gather information about the other powers of the Known World. How badly it will impact the 386YE report is unclear, but it will definitely reduce the amount of information the dossier contains in future.

===A path chosen (Conjunction)===
* '''The last vyig of Varushka are on their way to attack the Butterfly Holt'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 20:45 on Friday to the Butterfly Holt, Srodkoja, Miekarova'''
* '''The ''Gloaming Sentinel'' is responsible for ending the vyig of Varushka'''
''Orel the Bondbreaker, bane of Ratibor'' is dead. The leader of the vyig of [[Miekarova]] was brought down by a crossbow bolt during a running skirmish near the vale of [[Miekarova#Srodkoja|Olodny]]. The rest of the band were able to evade their pursuers, disappearing into the deep woods near the vale. They were assumed to have been slain by [[Varushkan_Monster#Wolves|wolves]] there. Unfortunately, it appears they have survived, regrouped, and are ready to try and escape. The chance of making it to a friendly border are low - the [[Thule]] are unlikely to offer them shelter, and the [[Jotun]] or the [[Druj]] will simply enslave them. Yet it appears they have found a patron of some kind - rumours buzz that one of the [[eternal|eternals]] of the Autumn realm has made a deal with them, empowered by the [[Inkpot gods|potent enchantment]] laid across the Empire. Other rumours say they have made an alliance with the agent of a [[Varushkan_Monster#Sovereigns|sovereign]] who can shield them from the militia and sell-swords hunting them, following the [[The_horror_and_the_wild|inspiration]] of the Varushkan Assembly.

Regardless of who is helping them, the rumours agree that they have been charged with destroying the [[Gloaming_Sentinel#Butterfly_Holt|Butterfly Holt]] in southern [[Miekarova#Srodkoja|Srodkoja]] for some reason. Nobody can say with any certainty exactly ''how'' this information has reached the ears of the wider Empire, but it appears convincing. It's unlikely that a band of vyig will be able to actually destroy the Butterfly Holt but just by wielding fire and oil they could do a significant amount of damage - and its not impossible that whatever power they are conspiring with has given them weapons to use in pursuit of their agenda. A conjunction has been identified that seems to offer the opportunity to intercept them before they can strike, and given the threat they pose, it falls to the [[Gloaming Sentinel]]; '''Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic''', to gather allies and end the threat posted by what appears to be the only large group of vyig left in Varushka. If they are not able to break the vyig, then there is likely to be significant damage to the Butterfly Holt that will significantly reduce the amount of iridescent gloaming produced there until it is restored.

The remaining Miekarovan vyig are an enigma. They've lost their leader, and it's not clear what they've been doing for the last several months hiding out in the woods of Miekarova. It's notable that the Varushkan vyig are much less subtle than their League colleagues - a preference for strong-arm tactics and light wagon raiding has left them with a tendency to be cold, calculating killers. Worse, if their patron is an eternal, they may have been provided with potent [[enchantment|enchantments]]; if their patron is a dark power of the Varushkan wilderness then who knows what horrific boons they might possess.

===Ravens (Conjunction)===
* '''The last vyig of Temeschwar are cornered in one of the glades of Vardstein Vale'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 21:15 on Friday to the Broken Wilds, Vardstein Vale, Temeschwar'''
* '''The ''Custodian of the Assayer's Guild'' is responsible for ending the vyig of Temeschwar'''
What are believed to be the last of the Temeschwari vyig have set up in an abandoned fort and the only sign of a company of [[Bravo|bravos]] - the ''Green Torch'' - who sought to bring them to justice is their tattered banner left nailed to a tree in warning. ''Micha di Holberg'', the only surviving bravo and a runner for the garrison of the city walls, reported that the vyig appear sickly and wan but fought with deceptive strength and brutality, ruthlessly butchering even those bravos who tried to flee.

''Aunt Alina'' and the last of her criminal family have taken shelter deep in the [[Temeschwar#Vardstein_Vale|Vardstein Vale]]. One of the last crimes they committed before abandoning Temeschwar was an attempted heist at the [[Custodian of the Assayer's Guild|Assayer's Guild]] which went disastrously wrong, taking several members of the Assayer's Guild prisoner and brutally slaying several others. Unfortunately, at the time of the attack the Assayers Guild was hosting a group of merchants from House de Courcey, one of the Ducal houses of the [[Iron Confederacy]]. The de Courcey's have been trading with the Assayer's Guild for some years now, and were taken entirely by surprise by the attack. One of the survivors, a nephew of Duke de Courcey is, perhaps understandably, very unhappy indeed. On behalf of his uncle he has demanded that the Custodian of the Assayer's Guild exact immediate vengeance on the malefactors who slew their kin. The Duke will accept nothing less than the head of Aunt Alina, and the hands of as many of her soldiers as possible.

Those remaining vyig of Temeschwar under the command of Aunt Alina are a hardened gang of warriors and a small number of battle-mages. They are reported to be equipped with a surprising array of [[magic items]], which rumours suggest were given to them by a shadowy [[Varushka|Varushkan]] patron - allegedly the immortal [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] known as [[Volodny#Known_Volodny|Shadowsmith]]. Given the attack on the Assayer's Guild it is the responsibility of the [[Custodian of the Assayer's Guild]]; '''Marcus Von Temeschwar''', to end the vyig of Temeschwar. It is very unlikely that any of the clerks from the Assayer's Guild taken prisoner are still alive, but if by some miracle they have been spared then rescuing them would be a priority.

If the Custodian is able to kill Aunt Alina, and take her head, that particular grisly trophy and any hands taken from her dead soldiers can be delivered to the surviving member of the Duke's house with the aid of the League egregore. If this is done, the de Courcey's will continue to trade with the Assayer's Guild, if not, they will take their business elsewhere. It may only be eight ingots a season that the Assayer receives, but those ingots quickly add up.

==Recognition of a Hard Job==
* '''The ''Break the Vyig'' adventure is now complete and no longer available'''
* '''The ''Silver Rook Carta'' have made a list of everyone who has helped take down the vyig over the last six months'''
* '''They look for advice from the National Assembly of the League on whether they should publish it or not'''
* '''Anastasia von Temeschwar has provided the civil service with the wording for a mandate'''
The vyig have been in part broken by the [[military unit|captains]] of League, the Imperial Orcs, and Varushka who [[Don%27t_blame_me#Light_the_Torches|directly opposed them]]. At the moment, their Courage and Vigilance is not being celebrated; their identities are not common knowledge. One [[Guild|carta]] have been keeping track of all the Imperial citizens who have helped take the fight to the vyig. The ''Silver Rook Carta'' would dearly love to publish the list of names across the Empire, but they worry that this might paint a target on the backs of those individuals. They're looking for guidance from the National assembly. One of their members, a [[bishop]] with a small following in Temeschwar, has provided the civil service with wording for a mandate that would clearly state that the National Assembly supports the action.

{{Mandate|mandate=All citizens should know the names of those who helped end the vyig. We send {named priest} with 25 doses of liao to encourage citizens who have prospered from their actions to reward these people for their work.|assembly=The League National Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted then the Silver Rook Carta will publish their list of the folk who - in their eyes - have worked to decisively bring an end to the legacy of the vyig. This will prompt a call for further rewards for these brave captains in [[the League]], especially from the [[business]] owners whose establishments they have helped protect from the extortion of the vying.

==Despise the thieving bandit==
* '''The magistrates have confiscated the deeds for two prominent businesses in Tassato, a business in Sarvos, and a large mine and expanded business in Karov'''
* '''Any citizen of the League who wishes to exchange their resource for a business in Tassato or Sarvos can do so without having to pay two crowns'''
As part of their investigation the magistrates have uncovered a number of establishments that were being used as fronts for vyig activity. Those that were used purely to sell bite and as the bases for other illegal activities have been closed down, but many were legitimate businesses that were simply used to launder their criminal proceeds. Where it is clear that the owners were working with the vyig, these businesses have been confiscated and would benefit from new ownership.

To help the dispose of the assets, the magistrates have asked Irada von Temeschwar to deal with the seized resources in the League. There are four in total, a level three business and a level two business in Tassato, as well as a level four business in Sarvos. As the priest who carried out the mandate, the deeds of ownership have been given to Irada - they may deal with them as they see fit at the coming summit. Any citizen who receives one of the deeds can register it with the Civil Service to take ownership of the business without paying the normal two crowns fee.

In addition to these businesses, the magistrates have recovered a level three mine and a level three business, both in [[Karov#Delev|Karov]]. These were entirely legitimate enterprises but both were vyig owned until the law stepped in. As the priest who carried out the mandate, the deeds of ownership have been given to Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti - to deal with at the coming summit.

There were countless of these minor [[business|businesses]] that were either owned by the vyig or being used by their members as fronts for other crimes. With the vyig definitely out of the picture, any law-abiding citizen could request to take over one of these businesses. As a result, any citizen of the League can chose to request a new business in Tassato without the normal two crown cost.

==Power Vacuum==
{{SOP|statement=With the vyig gone, we encourage all citizens of the League to extend the hand of loyalty to those abandoned or left behind by expunging of vyig. Orphans, surviving spouses, legitimate business folk and more. those who played no part in their crimes but suffer regardless. The egregores of our nation hear their heartbeats as strongly as any other League citizen, as so should be aided to take their place in League society and not forced to the margins by crime. Let us re-instil the light of pride in their souls and remind them that they are of the League.|by=Pius Cleymont|vote=Greater Majority 450-0|when=Spring Equinox 385YE}}
* '''The destruction of the vyig has ended the bite trade, but left a power vacuum'''
The vyig are broken - for good this time. This is a good thing for the League and Varushka in particular, but potentially for the entire Empire. The bite trade has been rolled up; those vyig who escaped the magistrates' stern gaze have fled into [[the Mallum]] and almost certainly discovered how little the Druj can be trusted. Plenty of evidence has emerged to mark the deep blue drug as a product of the Druj, but there's also a few hints that some of the vyig were very close to determining the formula to make it themselves. If they'd actually discovered how to use it, no sign of it has been uncovered by the forces of law and order. For now at least, the problems related to the drug seem to have subsided; the magistrates no longer need [[Create law prohibiting Bite|additional funds]] to deal with them at any rate.

During the Spring Equinox, the national assembly upheld a [[statement of principle]] proposed by '''Pius Cleymont''', urging the people of the League not to punish the innocent families and associates of the vyig. There's very little opposition to this idea; guilt by association has no appeal to the civilised folk of the League. A few scores may be settled, and the probity of those businesses who were "unknowingly" dealing in stolen goods will be carefully assessed, but the truly innocent have least to fear. If [[Ratibor of Temeschwar|Ratibor]] was alive today no doubt he'd consider mercy a weakness, but the exemplar of [[Ambition]] is long dead and the League of today is very different to the savage world in which he lived.

But in spite of this victory, there's one nagging worry in some quarters of the League. The vyig may have been criminals but they were ''organised'' criminals. Their code may have been corrupt, but they did ''have'' a code. By some accounts they were more merciless toward freelance criminals than they were to their enemies on the other side of the law. Now they're gone. Whatever crime remains in the Empire is now definitely ''disorganised'', and there are a few people worried about what that might mean for everyone. The destruction of the vyig does not mean the end of crime, or the end of people exploiting one another for profit. For now though, perhaps it's best to focus on the triumph over the forces of corruption and raise a glass to a more law-abiding future.
===Participation===
If you were an ally of the vyig, or a criminal who was outside their organised network, you're encouraged to come up with a story of your own as to how you've managed to avoid the attentions of those hunting the syndicate down. Your vyig contacts are now gone; any [[Call Winged Messenger]] addresses are now non-functional and any agreements or deals made with the vyig are at an end. From here on in, the criminals of the Empire are on their own.

==A Lantern for Wolves==
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:400px;">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Office of the Lantern Wolf'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type: '''[[Sinecure]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Within the walls of either Holberg, Sarvos, Tassato, or Temeschwar</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 wains of weirwood, 10 wains of white granite, 40 crowns, three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates the position of ''Lantern Wolf'' charged with opposing criminal forces in the League</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time Limit:''' If the Offices of the Lantern Wolf are not commissioned before the end of the Winter Solstice 385YE, the opportunity will be lost</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Opportunity:''' This commission has required elements; if any are not all fulfilled the commission does nothing</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:400px;">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Lantern Wolf'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' National League position</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Annual appointment; League National Assembly</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives 20 crowns each season income; additional support based on the location of the offices</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Ensure that criminals and rules-breakers in the League are identified and brought to book; work with the magistrates to bring criminals operating in or threatening the League cities to justice; cooperate with the League assembly to help them use the power of [[inquisition]] against those suspected of breaking the rules; generally poke their nose into everyone's business; recruit trustworthy allies would help them secretly keep tabs on potential lawbreakers.</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Opportunity:''' This title has required elements; if any are not all fulfilled the title does not gain some or all of its powers</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Some League citizens are concerned about the future and the threat of another vyig emerging'''
* '''The ''Lantern Wolf'' would be a title appointed to investigate potential criminals in the League'''
* '''Building a set of offices would require 10 wains of weirwood, 10 wains of white granite, 40 crowns, and take three months'''
* '''The city where the offices were built would determine the kind of support the title received'''
It's easy to forget that the vyig have their roots in pre-Imperial times. They've been with the League and Varushka, since long before those nations joined the Empire. Rooting them out has taken literally years, and even now could easily have faltered. Without the cooperation between the League and Varushka, the vyig might have been able to find safe places to hide, and without the commitment of the Imperial captains to seek out the malefactors, the process might have taken considerably longer and caused much more disruption.

With the fight more-or-less over, bar the [[#Mopping Up|mopping up]], the League in particular are questioning what they can do to make sure nothing similar to the vyig emerges again. "''The rules of the game are not to be broken,''" as they say. With that in mind, and with an eye on the recent successes of both the League assembly and the [[Bailiff of the Downs]] in [[the Marches]], there is a tide of support for the idea of taking precautions against a criminal syndicate being created in the power vacuum created by the vyig. Now that Ratibor's inspiration of [[Ambition]] has been achieved, perhaps now is the time for [[Vigilance]]? Someone to keep an eye on the League and draw attention to rules-breakers before they can put down roots.

It's not clear who first coins the name "''Lantern Wolf''" for this position but it catches on quickly, with graffiti popping up in all four cities of a wolf-headed figure with a lantern, or a glaring wolf-head with fiery red eyes. The general responsibilities of the Lantern Wolf would be to informally police the League, keep an eye on its citizens, follow rumours, confront criminals and rules breakers, work with the magistrates to bring criminals in the League cities to justice, cooperate with the League assembly to help them use the power of [[inquisition]] against those suspected of breaking the rules, and generally poke their nose into everyone's business. They'd not be expected to do this alone; indeed recruiting a small number of trustworthy allies would help them secretly keep tabs on potential lawbreakers. In return they would receive a small stipend, paid for by various guilds and cartas across the League. This would amount to a [[sinecure]] with an income of 20 crowns each season, with the money assumed to go on bribing informants, buying gear, and paying associates.

They would need to be independent, free to pursue their investigations wherever the leads take them, and so the expectation is that they would be appointed annually by the League National assembly.

The ''Lantern Wolf'' would need an office, somewhere for informants to bring information and to serve as a base of operation for themselves and their allies. It could be built in any of the cities, and the choice of ''where'' to build it would influence the attitudes of the League citizens towards the title. If it is built in Sarvos, the assumption will be that the Lantern Wolf will be an elegant and sophisticated investigator, cultured and refined, and will recruit suave agents to aid them. If the offices are built in Tassato, the people of the League will expect a diplomatic, Machiavellian, persuasive and articulate detective, capable of moving through the League without ruffling feathers, building a web of informants to ensure any attempt to build another syndicate is nipped in the bud. If the offices are built in Temeschwar, the League will expect a ruthless, relentless, cold and hard-nosed officer of the law who will know how to use fear and intimidation to get what they want. Finally, if the offices are built in Holberg the assumption will be that the ''Lantern Wolf'' will approach their role with pragmatism, ingenuity, innovation and enlightenment, a cunning and clever observer who will spot the signs of criminality and put a stop to them before they become a problem.

Wherever the offices are built, it is likely the title would receive further support from the citizens of the League, most likely in the form of a few [[magic items]], access to a [[ministry]], or the like providing them with materials to help them pursue their responsibilities.

The opportunity is available until the end of the Winter Solstice 385YE after which enthusiasm will have faded.

==Further Reading==
* [[Vyig]]
* [[Fade out again]] - 385YE Spring Wind of Fortune about the war against the vyig
* [[Don%27t_blame_me#Tattoos.2C_Torches.2C_and_Snow|Don't blame me]] - 384YE Winter Wind of Fortune initiating conflict with the vyig

Dean of Laroc Cathedral

2026-10-31T17:11:04Z

Responsible1: /* The Cathedral at Laroc */

__NOTOC__
<div style="float: right; width: 250px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png|caption=This title is appointed by the Dawnish Assembly|width=250px}}</div>
==Overview==
Dedicated to the Imperial virtue of [[Courage]], the Cathedral at [[Astolat#Laroc|Laroc]] was [[commission|commissioned]] by a [[Construct_Cathedral_of_Courage|motion]] of the [[Senate]] in Summer 380YE by '''Earl Valentin Orzel''', Senator for [[Weirwater]]. Construction of the Cathedral was completed shortly before the 380YE Autumn Equinox. At the Autumn Equinox 380YE the National Assembly of [[Dawn]] appointed Lady '''Eleanor de Rondell''', the former [[Virtue Inquisitor]] of Courage, as the first Dean.

==Responsibilities==
The Dean of Laroc Cathedral has no particular responsibilities; they receive a bounty of [[liao]] from the civil service and a vial of errant's wine from the ''Azure Rose''. If the cathedral were to be threatened in any way, it would be the responsibility of the Dean to deal with those threats.

==Powers==
===A Portion of Liao===
The Dean of Laroc Cathedral is an [[Imperial title]] that grants custodianship of a [[sinecure]]. The sinecure provides an income of nine doses of [[liao]] each season, to be used as they see fit.
===Errant's Wine===
The ''Azure Rose'' are a band of questing knights from Laroc and are regular visitors to the Cathedral of Laroc. These fierce followers of Courage have been inspired by the message laid out in the poem composed by Kahendrin Wordsmith. The Dean of Laroc Cathedral will receive three vials of [[Skop's Mead|Errant's Wine]] each season from the Azure Rose for as long as the poem of Kahendrin is maintained in the cathedral.

==Appointment==
The [[Assembly#The_National_Assemblies|National Assembly]] of Dawn appoints the Dean of Laroc Cathedral. Only a Dawnish citizen may be Dean of Laroc Cathedral. Despite the sinecure's association with the virtue of Courage, there is no requirement for the recipient to be part of the Courage assembly.

The Dean has [[tenure]] and serves until they die or step down. They can be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]], the Dawn National Assembly. or the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Valentin with Scroll.jpg|caption='''Valentin Ivarovich Orzel''', Dean of Laroc Cathedral|align=left|width=450}}
{{RecentElections|Dean_of_Laroc_Cathedral}}
==The Cathedral at Laroc==
Built of white granite, the cathedral lies close to the tournament grounds in Laroc, [[Astolat]]. Pentagonal in shape, it has five transepts surrounding a central hall, in the centre of which stands a polished marble block inlaid with an epic poem composed by Kahendrin Wordsmith. Four of the transepts are dedicated to paragons and exemplars of Courage, while the fifth is dedicated to specific Imperial heroes.

Although it is officially named a cathedral, the actual structure is more akin to a chapel in size and grandeur. While it is tiny, it is beautifully decorated. Fine works of art painted by artists inspired by the virtue of [[Courage]] adorn the walls, brought from all the nations of the Empire. It stands in a well-maintained garden.

The statues in particular are noteworthy. One stands in each of the four transepts dedicated to a paragon or an exemplar.

* A Vard with a toothed axe, representing [[Korl]], Paragon of Courage.
* A Highborn with their hood up, representing [[Permion]], Exemplar of Courage.
* A Dawnish with a crown of blue roses, representing [[Gilda Ashwine]], Exemplar of Courage.
* A Steinr with a two-handed hammer, representing [[Inga Tarn]], Exemplar of Courage

The fifth statue is more a diorama, representing five figures, each a hero of the recent Empire. Two Highborn, a Leaguer, a Marcher and a Dawnish stand side by side, and the inscription on the plinth indicates they represent individuals named Asher, Vulgaris, Tyrus, Andrea Von Holberg, and Henry Talbot.
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:Dawn]]

<quote by="composed by Kahendrin Wordsmith">
I am one to weave my words where stalwart roses shed their name<br>
And turn their tales to ash, but gird about their fleshy petals greater fame.<br>
Take up your Courage; an axe burred is better tried than never whet again!<br>
Slip your sword from scabbard where it stirred! Let lie the coward, embrace your flame!<br>
You shall stand the brighter for their claim; the strongest fears are those we face within,<br>
When forests darkly weave about our frame fear shall not find a hold therein<br>
For we are seven, they are six…<br>
<br>
I am one who seeks to know the fire, for what is spoken twice is never truth,<br>
And words – not wings – shall be my squire, no place for fireside folly ‘neath my roof.<br>
Think freely on your actions and admire the warmth within the ember’s arms, love’s youth,<br>
And bring the breath of Wisdom to inspire – un-shutter them! Knowledge incomplete but not aloof<br>
That passion pulse within, they know, but lacking proof they will not believe that fires burn.<br>
Yet guide their gentle embers, be their glow, sooth the nature they shall grow to yearn.<br>
For we are seven, they are six…<br>
<br>
I am one who stands unblinking as the stone, with gazing eyes without and eyes within<br>
The merry warmth of home may be undone should I but blink and think what might have been.<br>
Fling the fetters, lose the brackets wide! Tis known: the Vigilant strike before their enemies begin<br>
To raise a single, smothered brand. Be ever bright, fire-sown, brightly bathed in light. Your kin<br>
Will never want for warmth – your gaze shall turn, and when the warning comes you are half-saved, stand tall:<br>
Take not the dousing dullard at their word, a pin may yet be beaten to a sword, or not at all.<br>
Yet we are seven they are six…<br>

I am one and by my deeds I shall become much more than my own words, for unashamed<br>
Of past transgressions’ trailing tales I drum the thunder out: heart as witness, I untamed<br>
Lead on in full, and bank the budding bloom to brighter glow. Not content to be named -<br>
For Pride leads always by the better step – I run. And watch, that I shall not be blamed<br>
Should other’s stories turn to ash, I never claimed as kin the passionless. Pave my path with embers,<br>
I revel in the running! Teach the tamed this inner fire, and I shall teach you of such splendour!<br>
Thus we are seven, they are six…<br>
<br>
I am one that aims at stars, for they shall never be enough!<br>
My price is consequence, my art will shun the shackles spoken rough<br>
To drag me down in darkness – I shall thwart attempts to tell me ‘Life’s too tough!’<br>
For what is life if un-forged by heart and flame? I shall not snuff<br>
The dream of friends, nor willing cuff their hands from quill and steel.<br>
Burn bright, the stars are not enough, and we aren’t known to kneel.<br>
Thus we are seven, they are six…<br>
<br>
I am one that grows with my own blood a crop of warmth that’s fit to share<br>
To comfort all deserving. Such the good that comes from work and honest fare -<br>
But never waste it! A fool in the flood steals the flame, should ye dare<br>
To bring its taker back, their name be mud. The thief and the miser need beware<br>
That all the coins they would declare as theirs will sit uneasy on the bones<br>
And cannot go beyond, nor yet compare with the happiness such choice postpones.<br>
So we are seven, they are six…<br>
<br>
I am one, a chain of many links new-forged, and we our foes outlast.<br>
Let them that strike us – glean a glimpse of passion each to each, our past<br>
Was but a tempering – and what beast blinks shall find that we hold fast.<br>
Our hearts are empty to what thinks that treachery forms a fair contrast<br>
To our Loyalty. May forge’s blast find purchase on their skin, for we are marked<br>
When first we threw our shackles cast, foes knew not what they had sparked<br>
As we are seven, they are six…</quote>

Bloody Custodian of Pride

2026-10-29T18:03:27Z

Responsible1: /* Bloody Massive Pride of Temeschwar */

==Overview==
<div style="float: right; width: 250px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|caption=This title is appointed by the League Assembly|width=250px}}</div>
The Bloody Custodian of Pride, once ''Guardian of Giselle's Tomb'', is an Imperial title [[Construct tomb for Empress Giselle|created]] by the [[Senate]] in Autumn 380YE. Work on the memorial was completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 381YE.

In 387YE, the body of [[Empress Giselle]] was relocated from the memorial to a new resting place in [[Archbishop_of_Capodomus#Capodomus_Cathedral|Capodomus Cathedral]], in Sarvos. The Custodian was barely impacted by the change as the place was visited more often as a memorial to the history of the League and the successes of Temeschwar, and as a tribute to Demitri Archama, than it ever was as the tomb of a southern Empress.

The title was [[Amend Virtue's Respite|amended]] in a motion raised by '''Giuseppe Sanguineo von Temeschwar''', as [[Temeschwar|Senator for Temeschwar]], as part of a [[The_concisest_tenant#Pride_of_Temeschwar|campaign]] to remodel the memorial into the [[#Bloody Massive Pride of Temeschwar|Bloody Massive Pride of Temeschwar]].

==Responsibilities==
The Bloody Custodian oversees the ''Bloody Massive Pride of Temeschwar'' in [[Temeschwar]]. If the memorial were to be threatened, it would be the responsibility of the Bloody Custodian to face those threats; likewise, should any [[opportunity]] related to the memorial arise, the Bloody Custodian would decide how to respond.

==Powers==
__TOC__
===Portion of Liao===
The sinecure provides four doses of [[liao]] to the Guardian each season, to be used as they see fit.

===Memorable Income===
The Bloody Massive Pride of Temeschwar draws pilgrims from across the League, though mostly from Temeschwar. Some visitors who want to commemorate their pilgrimage pay a premium fee for one of the resident artists to create art of them involved in one of the historic moments of Temeschwari history. The income from this, along with other amenities, nets the Bloody Massive Pride of Temeschwar 140 rings each season.

==Appointment==
The Bloody Custodian of Pride is a [[the League|League]] national title [[Appointment|appointed]] by [[judgement]] of the League [[Assembly#The_National_Assemblies|national assembly]].

As Casimir Marcelino di Sarvos was appointed with tenure, they will remain in position until they step down, die, or are revoked.

The Bloody Custodian is appointed during the Summer Solstice each year. They can be revoked by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]], the League National Assembly, and the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]].
{{RecentElections|Guardian_of_Giselle%27s_Tomb}}
==Bloody Massive Pride of Temeschwar==
Built within the city walls, near one of the two river gates, the memorial takes the form of an open-air amphitheatre, decorated with the motif of the unbroken chain of [[Loyalty]]. At the entrance to the seats, a statue of the former Senator of Temeschwar Gant Archama's father, Demitri Archama, is shown seated, swathed in fur with a stern visage.

The sarcophagus of Giselle once rested on a plinth before the raised stage, with the theatrical back-drop consisting of four large white granite panels carved with scenes depicting the recent joint ventures of the League. They show the raising of [[Caricomare]]; the liberation of [[Holberg]]; and the rebuilding of Sarvos after the Grendel attack. The final panel depicts the escorting Giselle's body from Highguard to Temeschwar by a company of soldiers bearing the tattered gonfalon of the Brotherhood of Torn Banners, with the Brotherhood's Colonel Iacob Genoshu clearly identifiable as the figure leading the procession.

Alongside these are other beautiful depictions of inspiring moments in Temeschwar's history. The destruction of the [[Vyig]] (both recent and historical), the raising of the walls, the victory over the [[Into_the_woods|night terrors]] of [[Temeschwar#Metri|Metri]] and the like. Several more granite spaces have been left empty for future imagery celebrating Temeschwari successes yet to come.
===The History of Virtue's Respite===
For decades after her death, [[Empress Giselle]] was interred in her family estates in [[Sarvos]]. Following the [[Grendel]] assault and the [[the sack of Sarvos|sacking]] of the city, which included an attempt to steal her body, her sarcophagus was moved to a safer location. After [[The other empress|much debate]] the Senate chose to re-inter Giselle in Temeschwar. A new [[Construct_tomb_for_Empress_Giselle|tomb]] was constructed for her, under the supervision of '''Gant Archama''', then Senator for Temeschwar.

Almost immediately, there was wry commentary that the tomb - dubbed "Virtue's Respite" by Gant Archama - appeared to be less a memorial to the dead [[the Throne|Throne]], and more a testament to the recent successes of the League and the Brotherhood of Torn Banners in particular. During 386YE, the [[Temeschwar#Rat plague|rat plague]] that beset Temeschwar seemed to show a particular dislike for the tomb. Eventually, thanks to the work of [[Archbishop of Capodomus|Archbishop]] '''Estella Lucati''', the mortal remains of the Empress were [[Golden_light#The_Woman's_Work|relocated]] to [[Archbishop_of_Capodomus#Capodomus_Cathedral|Capodomus Cathedral]] in Sarvos.
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:The League]]

Necropolis

2026-10-29T17:40:23Z

Responsible1: /* The Necropolis */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofNecropolis.png|title=If Bastion is the heart of the nation, then Necropolis is where its spirit lies|caption=Regions of Necropolis|align=left|width=500}}
==Overview==
Necropolis is a land of sorrow, first and foremost. Poets wax lyrical about the sad grandeur of the landscape, but even the least sensitive sometimes have to suppress a cold realisation of their own mortality. Yet the sorrow of Necropolis is tempered with the knowledge that ''all'' things pass - that sorrows teach valuable lessons, and that loss is part of life. Even the most bustling chapterhouse in Necropolis will contain some ''memento mori'', some little touch that is ignored consciously but that subconsciously reminds them every day that people die.

The first Highborn settled along the coast of the Bay of Catazar here, and some of the oldest post-Terunael human-built structures are found here. In some ways, it is the foundation upon which Highguard - and to a degree the Empire - was built.

When the Highborn arrived, the entire area that is now Highguard was controlled by [[orc|orcs]]. As they established themselves, the newly arrived humans drove the orcs north and east - eventually eliminating the majority of the orc nations and forcing the rest to flee toward [[Reikos]] and [[the Mallum]]. Fragmentary records of the time talk about the conflict this created with the [[Navarr]] and the [[Urizen]] as the spreading Highborn kingdom drove angry orcs to attack [[Therunin]] and [[Redoubt]]. The early diplomatic incidents this created soured relations with the two "native" human cultures for several decades.

This first territory the Highborn conquered they called ''Pharos'', and built a great city here to serve as their capital. The city of Pharos was burnt to the ground during the time of turmoil, the civil war between the patricians and the chapters. Yet Pharos was not the only victim of the war - a number of towns and early chapters were destroyed by one side or the other. Many were never rebuilt, serving as permanent memorials to, and warnings against, the most tragic period in the history of Highguard. Following the war, many citizens chose to establish chapters in [[Casinea]] and [[Bastion]], beginning new lives and putting the memories of a vicious internal conflict behind them. As a result, Necropolis had the lowest population of all the Highborn territories - at least until the invasion of [[Reikos]] by the Druj.

==Recent History==
The most significant event in the last hundred years was most likely the problems with [[Grendel]] raids in the early 300s. These were dealt with decisively during the reign of [[Empress Deanne]] - parts of [[#Sanctuary Sand|Sanctuary Sand]] and [[#Longbeach|Longbeach]] are still marked by [[orc]] attempts to secure the territory. These attacks petered out over the course of her reign, and had largely ended by the time [[Emperor Ahraz]] took the throne.

Recent years have seen increasing Grendel action, and the threat to [[#Longbeach|Longbeach]] and [[#Sanctuary Sand|Sanctuary Sand]] is all too real. The Empire has taken pains to try and ensure there is an [[Army|army]] garrisoned along the southern coast as much as possible - the Grendel would no doubt relish the opportunity to pillage the tombs of the Thrones and heroes of the Empire. Fortunately, they cannot directly assault the Necropolis itself - the cliffs protect the city from marine assaults.

In Summer 384YE a network of roads, tentatively dubbed "the Virtuous Roads" were [[Construct_White_Roads|commissioned]] by the Imperial Senate. Now the White Roads serve to link Necropolis with both [[Bastion]] and [[Reikos]]. They also provided a major boon to the [[farm|farms]] and [[business|businesses]] of the territory. In the Winter of 386YE, however, the Imperial Senate determined to [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Levy_Tolls_on_White_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]].

== Major Features ==
=== The Necropolis ===
At the mouth of the river Couros lies Bastion’s shadowed twin, a mausoleum in black marble. The Black City is a mirror of the White City to the north, but where Bastion is full of life and a symbol of the pride and future of the Highborn, Necropolis is a silent, sombre memorial to the past. Built in the ruins of Pharos after its destruction during the civil war, the tombs have spread to encompass almost all the old ruins. Scattered throughout the ruins are mausoleums built to house the Highborn dead. To many Highborn it is as if the city itself has been entombed, its memory preserved in the house of the dead.

The Necropolis holds the bodies of the Empire’s heroes, along with the Imperial Histories, guarded eternally by the [[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Stewards_of_the_dead|stewards of the dead]]. The legendary mausoleum has become the final resting place of almost every Emperor and Empress. In death, all Highborn desire to be lain to rest here, amongst the heroes of the past, where the stewards watch eternally over their silent graves. It is a tremendous honour for heroes of other Imperial Nations to be offered a final resting place alongside them. Those who would be heroes know that granite – and the words placed upon it – will endure long after their flesh has faded.

Preserved and maintained by several chapters with strong connections to the stewards, the permanent population of Necropolis is tiny compared to the area it covers. Some of these chapters are dedicated to preserving a single tomb, or the tombs of all the dead from a specific era or nation. Even for Highborn chapters, these chapters have a reputation for being dour, grim and restrained. "Only the dead live in Necropolis" is a common, if somewhat disrespectful, saying about the Black City.

There are a great many point of interest in Necropolis but the majority are tombs or memorials to the dead. One of the best known memorials, outside the tombs of the emperors and empresses, are '''the Silent Obelisks''', scattered here and there throughout the city. Each is roughly the same - an obelisk of black granite surrounded by a small memorial garden - and each bears the names of every known Imperial soldier who has laid down their life in a significant conflict against the enemies of the Empire. In each case, a small shrine is maintained by a dedicated steward of the dead that serves in the role of a museum - decorated with plaques and friezes that chronicle the conflict, and containing carefully chosen relics of the past war. The obelisks sometimes attract criticism, especially from the Urizen, as they record history with a [[Highguard_history#Archivists|distinctly Highborn flavour]] that favours inspiring lessons over strict adherence to facts. Not every conflict the Empire has ever fought is recorded here - which has in the past been a source of additional criticism. A small number of the obelisks have suffered damage over the centuries, but only one has ever been damaged through malice. In 228YE a cabal of heretics led by an alleged [[Vardas#Mikkal|false exemplar]] marred one of the oldest obelisks - the obelisk memorialising those slain in the war against [[Alderei the Fair]]. While the obelisk was partially restored, roughly a third of the names were lost beyond recovery.

While it is a respected repository of historical knowledge, Necropolis survived the rampage of [[Emperor Nicovar]] largely unscathed. While he was merciless in regard to the libraries and centres of learning elsewhere in the Empire, he spared the memorial shrines of Necropolis. That is not to say that he did not come here; his forces destroyed the '''Hall of Chronicles''', a library dedicated primarily to the biographies of the dead. A surprising number of the actual documents survived this attempted purge however. In addition to those texts smuggled out when it was clear that an attack was imminent, magical means were used to preserve a number of the most valuable books. Even while the building was being burnt a dedicated coven of [[magister|magisters]] evoked powerful Winter magic to place protective enchantments against fire on many of the texts. While the magicians themselves perished in the blaze, the books survived unscathed. Unfortunately, their magic had not gone unnoticed. After the destruction, Nicovar's forces searched the rubble for three days and found many of the undamaged texts and tore them apart. Still, not everyone was as committed to the destruction of the library as the mad Emperor - and as a result, fragments and individual pages - as well as entire books - occasionally turn up in the possession of descendants of these soldiers.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Necropolis is one of the most haunted locations in the Empire. The stewards maintain careful vigilance for hauntings, and for the rare occasions where an unliving creature emerges from one of the tombs. The traditional approach is to make cautious contact and discover the purpose of the haunting. Ghosts invariably are brought back by some unfinished business, or terrible wrong that needs righting, and the stewards are experts at working out how to do this. Violence and [[Religious skills#Exorcism|exorcism]] are seen as a last resort: better to help a poor soul into the Labyrinth than to risk destroying it.

===The Litharge===
This single-storey building sprawls across a cemetery in the north of the Necropolis, and is the premier Imperial college specifically devoted to the study of death. Priests come here to study the funeral rites not only of the Empire, but of the entire world. Obviously, they have large stores of lore related to Imperial funeral ceremonies, but they also have extensive information about the rites of [[Faraden]], the [[Iron Confederacy]], [[Asavean Archipelago]], [[Sarcophan Delves]], [[Sumaah Republic]], and [[Principalities of Jarm]]. They are known to have a great deal of interest in the death ceremonies of the [[Axos|Axou]] but to date have only managed to secure sketchy information - and a great deal of fanciful hearsay. Several covens of magisters proficient in the magic of Winter study here, and often support the priests in their work.

It is customary to speak only in whispers in Litharge, out of respect for the dead, and even lectures are given quietly. The priests who study here maintain several shrines of [[Pride]], [[Ambition]], and [[Vigilance]], but the college is hardly a place of pilgrimage.

===First Sentinel===
[[#Highrod|Highrod]] contains one of the oldest human-built structures in Highguard - and perhaps the Empire. The ''first'' First Sentinel was a fortification built in the first days after the Highborn arrived on these shores. Constructed to help secure the northern borders of the first Highborn kingdom against the orc barbarians in [[Bastion]]. Later, when the Highborn began to expand, it was from the First Sentinel that the armies went forth. While the structure looks tiny compared to modern fortifications, the ruins still show all the expertise of the Highborn siege engineers, using the same effective techniques that they have honed over centuries and still employ today.

The castle endured until the civil war, during which it was severely damaged during a bitter conflict between an occupying force loyal to the patricians, and three chapters of grim-faced cataphracts. The castle was re-purposed as a military academy, training generations of Highborn commanders. In 77YE, the structure was gutted by a fire that raged out of control for three days; historians are divided as to the cause. Most claim that the fire started when a candle was knocked over in one of the cellars, but a few point to fragmentary accounts about the fire that suggest the involvement of supernatural forces - perhaps even an eternal such as [[The_Thrice-cursed_Court#Surut|Surut]]. After its destruction, the ruins were troubled by the ghosts of the dead soldiers, and a team of exorcists worked year-round to lay them each to rest while also trying to piece together the story of the fire. In the end, the shell of the structure was partially reconstructed, but repurposed again as a place of pilgrimage and shrine dedicated to the [[Ambition]], [[Pride]], and [[Courage]] of not only those Highborn who died in the fire, but those who defended their people or marched to war to build a better future.

Some Highborn point to First Sentinel as a metaphor for Highguard; while they can adapt to the times, their core identity endures, and remains unchanged. A popular heresy, however, suggests that First Sentinel is not simply a metaphor for the state of Highguard but in some ways a spiritual or magical "barometer" of its fortunes. They point to so-called significant events such as the multiple expansions during the initial conquest of what is today Highguard; or certain incidents during the civil war. They claim that its destruction by fire and return as a spiritual place of pilgrimage reflected the Highguard finding their new identity within the Empire. These ''Seers of the First Sentinel'' claim to be able to predict future events by studying the structure and the lands around it; when they are caught in the vicinity of First Sentinel, they are invariably moved on and in some cases have faced charges of heresy and blasphemy.

=== The Shrine of Britta ===
A recent construction in [[#the Necropolis|the Necropolis]], this beautiful white granite shrine honours the [[Empress Britta]]. An eternal flame burns in a paved courtyard in front of the memorial, which serves as a place of pilgrimage for those wishing to pay their respects or meditate on the lessons of Britta's reign and death. While the body of the Empress was interred in the swamps of [[Kallavesa]], her accoutrements were placed in the shrine. With the removal of these relics, and their internment in the marshes along with her body, interest in the shrine declined. The [[Guardian of Britta's Shrine]] watches over the memorial, but since the removal of the relics the title has become purely ceremonial.

=== The Sumaah Embassy ===
During the Spring Equinox 379YE, the [[Senate]] [[commission|commissioned]] an [[embassy]] to the [[Sumaah Republic]] to be built in the city of [[#The Necropolis|Necropolis]]. Work began shortly after the Summer Solstice 379YE, and was finally completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 380YE. The white granite compound is built after the Sumaah style - a central five-tiered ziggurat surrounded by several single-story buildings nestled in extensive gardens.

===Reumah's Rest===
Built in [[#Coursmouth|Coursmouth]] as part of the project to [[fortification|fortify]] the entire southern coast, Reumah's Rest is a proudly impervious, gleaming white fortress accented with red and black marble reflecting the colours of the [[Highguard groups#Reumah.27s_Redoubt|namesake chapter]]. As with many of the fortifications completed with the [[Sing_your_name#Securing_the_borders|aid of devotees of Vigilance]], there is a beautiful chapel in the lower levels of the fortress dedicated to the inspiration of [[the Sentinel]]. Reumah's Rest was [[Fortify_Coursmouth|approved by the Senate]] in Autumn 382YE, and completed in a mere nine months thanks to the use of powerful [[Autumn magic]] that greatly speeded the construction.

==Regions==
===Coursmouth===
'''Qualities:''' City, Haunted<br>
The river Couros empties out into the Bay of Catazar here, but for the most part the coast is inhospitable. The [[#The Necropolis|Necropolis]] is built atop the cliffs around the mouth of the river, in the ruins of the first Highborn city. One of the most well know [[inspirational location|inspirational tombs]], that of [[Atuman]] the Navigator, stands a little apart from the rest of the city of the dead high atop the cliffs here. Outside the so-called Black City, most of this region is open parkland with a few scattered [[farm|farms]] generally overseen by chapters based in the city itself. The presence of the Necropolis means that there are believed to be more ghosts here than anywhere else in the Empire with the possible exception of [[Kallavesa#The Sovevann|the Sovevann]] in [[Kallavesa]]. Occasionally the [[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Stewards_of_the_dead|Stewards of the Dead]] are called upon to deal with a particularly disruptive or frightening haunting - or to deal with a creature of the realms that has issued from one of the several Winter [[regio]] found in this region.

The gleaming [[fortification|fortress]] of [[#Reumah's Rest|Reumah's Rest]] guards the approach to the Necropolis, defending both against the threat of seaborne assault from [[#Sanctuary Sands|Sanctuary Sands]] and against (admittedly unlikely) overland attacks from [[Reikos]] or [[Morrow]].

===Fishguard===
The open plains of Fishguard are criss-crossed with roads and scattered liberally with chapterhouses. Trade caravans constantly move across Fishguard. The roads here connect merchants from [[the Brass Coast]] and [[Sarvos]], as well as numerous [[the Marches|Marcher]] grain wagons to customers in [[Bastion]], [[Urizen]], and [[Therunin]]. Many chapters maintain hostelries, and there are several very old Navarri [[wayhouse|wayhouses]] established here during early contact with the Highborn newcomers. Perhaps the best known is '''Myfanwy's Rest'''; legend claims that when the First Empress was on her way to [[Casinea#Anvil|Anvil]], she and her companions paused here for two days to prepare themselves for the final leg of their journey. The wayhouse was built in 1YE by members of Myfanwy's striding - partially to commemorate the story, but primarily because its position at the point where the three major roads diverge both makes it a healthy business and gives the Navarr access to a great many people potentially in need of their aid. Not far from Myfanwy's Rest stands the [[Abbess_of_Reconciliation#Abbey_of_Reconciliation|Abbey of Reconciliation]], which works to support refugees and help them join the Empire and embrace the Way.

===Hedrossan===
The river Couros is navigable for much of its length, allowing riverboats to travel up past [[Bastion]] and [[Redoubt]] to [[Reikos#Haros Water|Haros]] in [[Reikos]], as well as to reach parts of [[Morrow]]. Chapters are built at regular intervals along the banks of the river, and Hedrossan is one of the most populous regions of Necropolis as a consequence. The trading port of '''Hedra''' is a fair distance inland, but is the favoured destination of ships from the [[The League|League]] and the [[The Brass Coast|Brass Coast]]. Vessels from as far afield as the [[The Marches|Marches]] and even [[Wintermark]] prefer to bypass the archaic docks at Crown's Quay and do their trading here. A great deal of grain and other foodstuffs are sold to merchants destined for the peaks of [[Urizen]], despite (or perhaps causing) a great deal of economic rivalry with the port of [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]] in [[Redoubt]].

Hedra is also the site of the [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth#The Diplomatenschloss|diplomatenschloss]], a fortified embassy built to [[Commonwealth]] designs. The garrison of Commonwealth soldiers stand ready to defend not only the embassy, but Necropolis itself should their allies be attacked. There has however been some concern that the proximity of the [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] embassy across the river in [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]] might lead to problems, as ships belonging to both rival nations are sailing up and down the Couros river.

===Highrod===
'''Qualities:''' Forest, Haunted<br>
Highrod is rolling, gently-forested plain known for bounteous [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon lemon] crops. According to Highborn historians, the common refreshing drink of lemonade was invented here in the early days after the Highborn arrived. This claim has been contested, but the fact remains that the best lemons in the Empire come from Highrod, generated perhaps by the unusually hot summers and cold winters that the local chapterhouses endure with pride. It is also known for containing one of the oldest human-built structures in Highguard - and perhaps the Empire - the remains of the '''[[#First Sentinel|First Sentinel]]''', a fortification built in the first days after the Highborn arrived on these shores.

The chapters here are almost exclusively built around the margins of the forest rather than at its heart. At the time of the civil war, the woodlands here had been extensively harvested by the Highborn. After Pharos burned, however, the woodlands were allowed to grow wild again, to cover over several especially bitter battlefields. According to local legend, the woods are haunted by the unquiet spirits of the Patrician's soldiers who died here in great numbers during the civil war. Occasionally, travellers encounter ivy-choked ruins in Highrod, the shattered remnants of Patrician palaces and villas, several of which have their own unpleasant spectres associated with them that prove particularly resistant to [[exorcism]]. Consequently, Highrod remains the least populous region in Necropolis.

===Longbeach===
'''Qualities:''' Coastal<br>
With one of the most literal names of all the regions of Highguard, Longbeach is home to several fishing villages and most of the chapters here make their living from the sea. It is perhaps best known for the port-town of '''Crown's Quay'''. Once a small fishing village called Westport, Crown’s Quay became notable as the preferred port for those wishing to travel to Anvil, and its docks were rebuilt by the [[Military Council|military council]] in the early days of Empire. Legend also says that it was the place the Three Sisters, the founders of the Brass Coast, took ship. Despite its age and fame, it has never been especially prosperous as a trade port - although several attempts have been made to built lighthouses and to upgrade the quayside they have rarely amounted to significant change. One point of interest at Crown's Quay is the unassuming building that serves as the offices for overseeing the [[Imperial Orcs|Imperial orc]] national [[Bourse|Bourse Seat]] known as the [[Steel Fist]]. Every season, a fast ship belonging to the rulers of the [[Sarcophan Delves]] arrives at the Quayside to deliver a parcel of [[ilium]] as part of the trade deal negotiated by [[Empress Britta]]. Crown's Quay is also the site of the [[Kruidenkenner_Trademaster#The_Kruidenkenner_Magazijn|Kruidenkenner ''magazjin'']], a warehouse used by the Sarcophan herbalist and apothecary guild of the same name to trade [[Cerulean Mazzarine|cerulean mazzarine]] with the Empire.

===Sanctuary Sand===
'''Qualities:''' Coastal<br>
This is where the Highborn ships first made landfall. The only major settlement in the region, the town of '''Sanctuary''', is said to have been built on the very spot where [[Atun]]'s ship first came to rest in the new world. Since the establishment of Necropolis, this is where funeral boats land their cargo of the dead. From all over the Empire, great heroes take their final journey to Sanctuary and then are carried along the steep cliffside trail to their final resting place.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth.jpg|caption='''Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth''', Senator for Necropolis|align=left|width=350}}
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Necropolis|Territory=Necropolis|Season=Winter}}

==OOC Notes==
* The Highborn, and thus the Empire, control all the regions of Necropolis, making it a firmly Imperial territory.
* [[#Reumah's Rest|Reumah's Rest]] in [[#Coursmouth|Coursmouth]] is a rank two [[fortification]]
* The ''[[Ambassador_to_the_Commonwealth#The_Diplomatenschloss|diplomatenschloss]]'' is a rank one [[fortification]] as well as an [[embassy]]. The [[Fortification#Bastion|bastion]] stands in [[#Hedrossan|Hedrossan]], and the [[Fortification#Garrison|garrison]] is made up of [[Commonwealth]] soldiers. There is no additional upkeep to the Empire to maintain these troops.
[[Commonwealth]]
[[Category:Highguard]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]]
[[Category:Imperial Territory]]

Mistress of the Glass Parador

2026-10-28T23:47:07Z

Responsible1:

<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GlassParador.jpg|title=Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra|caption='''Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra''', elected as Mistress of the Glass Parador in Summer 379YE|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==Overview==
The Mistress (or Master) of the Glass Parador is an [[Imperial title]] awarded to a [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] citizen. It is a national position appointed through the [[Bourse]].

The Mistress of the Glass Parador was initially created to help preserve the integrity and reputation of the merchants of the Brass Coast. The title granted the use of beautiful offices in [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]]. [[Corsair|Corsairs]] and merchants who were looking to sell their goods quickly would often approach the Mistress of the Glass Parador or one of her agents, and she was regularly consulted by the citizens of Siroc on minor matters related to good conduct and business.

The luxurious Glass Parador itself was centrally located, and constructed of beautiful white marble columns, gorgeous stained glass windows and delicate lanterns lit by fine quality lightstones imported from [[Urizen]]. It had a small permanent staff, and was a regular stop for merchants and travellers visiting Siroc from all over the Empire and beyond.

Prior to the [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Sails_of_Fire|popular change]] prompted by the Brass Coast National Assembly, only those captains of fleets that had engaged in [[Fleet#Take_Independent_Action|privateering]] during the previous year could vote for the Mistress of the Glass Parador. This changed shortly before the Spring Equinox 383YE and now every captain of a [[fleet]] in the Brass Coast has a say in who will hold the title.

The offices of the Mistress of the Glass Parador were looted by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz during the [[A_beacon_of_smoke|destruction of Siroc]] after the Autumn Equinox 385YE before the firing of the city by Asaveans. What remained was swept into the sea by the magical floods at the end of 386YE.

==Responsibilities==
The Mistress of the Glass Parador was expected to ensure that [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests|paradors]] and merchants operating in and around the City of a Thousand Sails are trading honestly. Many of her duties are ceremonial - she was often asked to officially launch new vessels, or to offer advice on business ventures that will travel to distant or dangerous lands. In return, Mistress received preferential treatment from many [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests|corsair]] and merchant [[fleet|fleets]] operating out of [[Madruga]], or who visit the Jewel of the Bay.

In actuality, the Mistress of the Glass Parador is no more or less likely to be a paragon of honesty than any other Freeborn merchant. Indeed, they often encounter more opportunities to receive bribes or make disreputable deals than they would if they did not possess the title. This being the Brass Coast it is expected the Mistress will take advantage of the connections offered to enrich themselves. The role offers ample opportunity to purchase luxury goods such as vibrant [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]] or polished [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]].


==Appointment==
This title is appointed during the Summer Solstice. The Mistress of the Glass Parador is appointed by citizens of the Brass Coast who control [[fleet]] [[Resource|personal resources]]. The voting is handled by the civil servants in the Bourse.

Only a Freeborn character may hold the title. They do not receive a seat on the Bourse. As a title appointed through the Bourse they cannot be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Synod]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bassim i Chort i Riqueza.jpg|caption='''Bassim i Chort i Riqueza''', Master of the Glass Parador|align=left|width=250}}
{{RecentElections|Mistress_of_the_Glass_Parador}}
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:The Brass Coast]]
[[Category:Bourse]]

Mistress of the Glass Parador

2026-10-28T23:46:12Z

Responsible1:

<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GlassParador.jpg|title=Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra|caption='''Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra''', elected as Mistress of the Glass Parador in Summer 379YE|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==Overview==
The Mistress (or Master) of the Glass Parador is an [[Imperial title]] awarded to a [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] citizen. It is a national position appointed through the [[Bourse]].

The Mistress of the Glass Parador was initially created to help preserve the integrity and reputation of the merchants of the Brass Coast. The title granted the use of beautiful offices in [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]]. [[Corsair|Corsairs]] and merchants who were looking to sell their goods quickly would often approach the Mistress of the Glass Parador or one of her agents, and she was regularly consulted by the citizens of Siroc on minor matters related to good conduct and business.

The luxurious Glass Parador itself was centrally located, and constructed of beautiful white marble columns, gorgeous stained glass windows and delicate lanterns lit by fine quality lightstones imported from [[Urizen]]. It had a small permanent staff, and was a regular stop for merchants and travellers visiting Siroc from all over the Empire and beyond.

Prior to the [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Sails_of_Fire|popular change]] prompted by the Brass Coast National Assembly, only those captains of fleets that had engaged in [[Fleet#Take_Independent_Action|privateering]] during the previous year could vote for the Mistress of the Glass Parador. This changed shortly before the Spring Equinox 383YE and now every captain of a [[fleet]] in the Brass Coast has a say in who will hold the title.

The offices of the Mistress of the Glass Parador were looted by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz during the [[A_beacon_of_smoke|destruction of Siroc]] after the Autumn Equinox 385YE before the firing of the city by Asaveans. What remained was swept into the sea by the magical floods at the end of 386YE.

==Responsibilities==
The Mistress of the Glass Parador was expected to ensure that [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests|paradors]] and merchants operating in and around the City of a Thousand Sails are trading honestly. Many of her duties are ceremonial - she was often asked to officially launch new vessels, or to offer advice on business ventures that will travel to distant or dangerous lands. In return, Mistress received preferential treatment from many [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests|corsair]] and merchant [[fleet|fleets]] operating out of [[Madruga]], or who visit the Jewel of the Bay.

In actuality, the Mistress of the Glass Parador is no more or less likely to be a paragon of honesty than any other Freeborn merchant. Indeed, they often encounter more opportunities to receive bribes or make disreputable deals than they would if they did not possess the title. This being the Brass Coast it is expected the Mistress will take advantage of the connections offered to enrich themselves. The role offers ample opportunity to purchase luxury goods such as vibrant [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]] or polished [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]].
<!--
==Powers==
<div style="display:inline-block; float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 500px;">
<table style="width:500px; float: right; margin-left:10px;" class="mw-collapsible"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Wealth of Madruga'''</td>
<tr><td>14 Crowns</td><td>8 measures of iridescent gloaming, 6 measures of ambergelt, and 6 ingots of weltsilver</td></tr>
<tr><td>30 Crowns</td><td>14 measures of iridescent gloaming, 10 measures of ambergelt, 10 ingots of weltsilver, and 4 measures of dragonbone</td></tr>
<tr><td>65 Crowns</td><td>21 measures each of iridescent gloaming and ambergelt, 17 ingots of weltsilver, and 11 measures of dragonbone
</td></tr>
<tr><td>120 Crowns</td><td>29 measures each of iridescent gloaming and ambergelt, 29 ingots of weltsilver, and 23 measures of Dragonbone</td></tr>
</table></div>
===Ministry===
As a [[ministry]], the title of Mistress of the Glass Parador allows the holder to purchase quantities of special materials at a set price. The Mistress spends her money and makes her choices during downtime from their character page. Money is removed from, and resources are placed into, the character's inventory when the downtime is processed.
--!>

==Appointment==
This title is appointed during the Summer Solstice. The Mistress of the Glass Parador is appointed by citizens of the Brass Coast who control [[fleet]] [[Resource|personal resources]]. The voting is handled by the civil servants in the Bourse.

Only a Freeborn character may hold the title. They do not receive a seat on the Bourse. As a title appointed through the Bourse they cannot be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Synod]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bassim i Chort i Riqueza.jpg|caption='''Bassim i Chort i Riqueza''', Master of the Glass Parador|align=left|width=250}}
{{RecentElections|Mistress_of_the_Glass_Parador}}
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:The Brass Coast]]
[[Category:Bourse]]

Mistress of the Glass Parador

2026-10-28T23:43:11Z

Responsible1: /* Responsibilities */

<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GlassParador.jpg|title=Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra|caption='''Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra''', elected as Mistress of the Glass Parador in Summer 379YE|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==Overview==
The Mistress (or Master) of the Glass Parador is an [[Imperial title]] awarded to a [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] citizen. It is a national position appointed through the [[Bourse]].

The Mistress of the Glass Parador was initially created to help preserve the integrity and reputation of the merchants of the Brass Coast. The title granted the use of beautiful offices in [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]]. [[Corsair|Corsairs]] and merchants who were looking to sell their goods quickly would often approach the Mistress of the Glass Parador or one of her agents, and she was regularly consulted by the citizens of Siroc on minor matters related to good conduct and business.

The luxurious Glass Parador itself was centrally located, and constructed of beautiful white marble columns, gorgeous stained glass windows and delicate lanterns lit by fine quality lightstones imported from [[Urizen]]. It had a small permanent staff, and was a regular stop for merchants and travellers visiting Siroc from all over the Empire and beyond.

Prior to the [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Sails_of_Fire|popular change]] prompted by the Brass Coast National Assembly, only those captains of fleets that had engaged in [[Fleet#Take_Independent_Action|privateering]] during the previous year could vote for the Mistress of the Glass Parador. This changed shortly before the Spring Equinox 383YE and now every captain of a [[fleet]] in the Brass Coast has a say in who will hold the title.

The offices of the Mistress of the Glass Parador were looted by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz during the [[A_beacon_of_smoke|destruction of Siroc]] after the Autumn Equinox 385YE before the firing of the city by Asaveans. What remained was swept into the sea by the magical floods at the end of 386YE.

==Responsibilities==
The Mistress of the Glass Parador was expected to ensure that [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests|paradors]] and merchants operating in and around the City of a Thousand Sails are trading honestly. Many of her duties are ceremonial - she was often asked to officially launch new vessels, or to offer advice on business ventures that will travel to distant or dangerous lands. In return, Mistress received preferential treatment from many [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests|corsair]] and merchant [[fleet|fleets]] operating out of [[Madruga]], or who visit the Jewel of the Bay.

In actuality, the Mistress of the Glass Parador is no more or less likely to be a paragon of honesty than any other Freeborn merchant. Indeed, they often encounter more opportunities to receive bribes or make disreputable deals than they would if they did not possess the title. This being the Brass Coast it is expected the Mistress will take advantage of the connections offered to enrich themselves. The role offers ample opportunity to purchase luxury goods such as vibrant [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]] or polished [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]].

==Powers==
<div style="display:inline-block; float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 500px;">
<table style="width:500px; float: right; margin-left:10px;" class="mw-collapsible"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Wealth of Madruga'''</td>
<tr><td>14 Crowns</td><td>8 measures of iridescent gloaming, 6 measures of ambergelt, and 6 ingots of weltsilver</td></tr>
<tr><td>30 Crowns</td><td>14 measures of iridescent gloaming, 10 measures of ambergelt, 10 ingots of weltsilver, and 4 measures of dragonbone</td></tr>
<tr><td>65 Crowns</td><td>21 measures each of iridescent gloaming and ambergelt, 17 ingots of weltsilver, and 11 measures of dragonbone
</td></tr>
<tr><td>120 Crowns</td><td>29 measures each of iridescent gloaming and ambergelt, 29 ingots of weltsilver, and 23 measures of Dragonbone</td></tr>
</table></div>
===Ministry===
As a [[ministry]], the title of Mistress of the Glass Parador allows the holder to purchase quantities of special materials at a set price. The Mistress spends her money and makes her choices during downtime from their character page. Money is removed from, and resources are placed into, the character's inventory when the downtime is processed.
==Appointment==
This title is appointed during the Summer Solstice. The Mistress of the Glass Parador is appointed by citizens of the Brass Coast who control [[fleet]] [[Resource|personal resources]]. The voting is handled by the civil servants in the Bourse.

Only a Freeborn character may hold the title. They do not receive a seat on the Bourse. As a title appointed through the Bourse they cannot be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Synod]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bassim i Chort i Riqueza.jpg|caption='''Bassim i Chort i Riqueza''', Master of the Glass Parador|align=left|width=250}}
{{RecentElections|Mistress_of_the_Glass_Parador}}
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:The Brass Coast]]
[[Category:Bourse]]

Mistress of the Glass Parador

2026-10-28T23:42:28Z

Responsible1: /* Overview */

<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GlassParador.jpg|title=Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra|caption='''Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra''', elected as Mistress of the Glass Parador in Summer 379YE|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==Overview==
The Mistress (or Master) of the Glass Parador is an [[Imperial title]] awarded to a [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] citizen. It is a national position appointed through the [[Bourse]].

The Mistress of the Glass Parador was initially created to help preserve the integrity and reputation of the merchants of the Brass Coast. The title granted the use of beautiful offices in [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]]. [[Corsair|Corsairs]] and merchants who were looking to sell their goods quickly would often approach the Mistress of the Glass Parador or one of her agents, and she was regularly consulted by the citizens of Siroc on minor matters related to good conduct and business.

The luxurious Glass Parador itself was centrally located, and constructed of beautiful white marble columns, gorgeous stained glass windows and delicate lanterns lit by fine quality lightstones imported from [[Urizen]]. It had a small permanent staff, and was a regular stop for merchants and travellers visiting Siroc from all over the Empire and beyond.

Prior to the [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Sails_of_Fire|popular change]] prompted by the Brass Coast National Assembly, only those captains of fleets that had engaged in [[Fleet#Take_Independent_Action|privateering]] during the previous year could vote for the Mistress of the Glass Parador. This changed shortly before the Spring Equinox 383YE and now every captain of a [[fleet]] in the Brass Coast has a say in who will hold the title.

The offices of the Mistress of the Glass Parador were looted by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz during the [[A_beacon_of_smoke|destruction of Siroc]] after the Autumn Equinox 385YE before the firing of the city by Asaveans. What remained was swept into the sea by the magical floods at the end of 386YE.

==Responsibilities==
The Mistress of the Glass Parador is expected to ensure that [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests|paradors]] and merchants operating in and around the City of a Thousand Sails are trading honestly. Many of her duties are ceremonial - she is often asked to officially launch new vessels, or to offer advice on business ventures that will travel to distant or dangerous lands. In return, Mistress receives preferential treatment from many [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests|corsair]] and merchant [[fleet|fleets]] operating out of [[Madruga]], or who visit the Jewel of the Bay.

In actuality, the Mistress of the Glass Parador is no more or less likely to be a paragon of honesty than any other Freeborn merchant. Indeed, they often encounter more opportunities to receive bribes or make disreputable deals than they would if they did not possess the title. This being the Brass Coast it is expected the Mistress will take advantage of the connections offered to enrich themselves. The role offers ample opportunity to purchase luxury goods such as vibrant [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]] or polished [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]].
==Powers==
<div style="display:inline-block; float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 500px;">
<table style="width:500px; float: right; margin-left:10px;" class="mw-collapsible"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Wealth of Madruga'''</td>
<tr><td>14 Crowns</td><td>8 measures of iridescent gloaming, 6 measures of ambergelt, and 6 ingots of weltsilver</td></tr>
<tr><td>30 Crowns</td><td>14 measures of iridescent gloaming, 10 measures of ambergelt, 10 ingots of weltsilver, and 4 measures of dragonbone</td></tr>
<tr><td>65 Crowns</td><td>21 measures each of iridescent gloaming and ambergelt, 17 ingots of weltsilver, and 11 measures of dragonbone
</td></tr>
<tr><td>120 Crowns</td><td>29 measures each of iridescent gloaming and ambergelt, 29 ingots of weltsilver, and 23 measures of Dragonbone</td></tr>
</table></div>
===Ministry===
As a [[ministry]], the title of Mistress of the Glass Parador allows the holder to purchase quantities of special materials at a set price. The Mistress spends her money and makes her choices during downtime from their character page. Money is removed from, and resources are placed into, the character's inventory when the downtime is processed.
==Appointment==
This title is appointed during the Summer Solstice. The Mistress of the Glass Parador is appointed by citizens of the Brass Coast who control [[fleet]] [[Resource|personal resources]]. The voting is handled by the civil servants in the Bourse.

Only a Freeborn character may hold the title. They do not receive a seat on the Bourse. As a title appointed through the Bourse they cannot be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Synod]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bassim i Chort i Riqueza.jpg|caption='''Bassim i Chort i Riqueza''', Master of the Glass Parador|align=left|width=250}}
{{RecentElections|Mistress_of_the_Glass_Parador}}
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:The Brass Coast]]
[[Category:Bourse]]

Madruga

2026-10-28T23:00:01Z

Responsible1: /* OOC Notes */

[[Category:Imperial_Territory]][[category:The Brass Coast]]
{{stub}}
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Madruga_Made_Anew.png|align=left|caption=Artist's Impression of Madruga|width=600}}</div>[[Category:Gazetteer]]
== Overview ==
Madruga of the Jewelled Isles is the easternmost territory of the Brass Coast, running from the [[Kahraman]] mountains down to the Bay of Catazar. Down the coast of Madruga and [[Feroz]] the [[corsair|corsairs]] and merchants raise their sails, running goods to [[Bastion]] and [[Sarvos]], trading with foreign powers, and fighting off barbarian incursions.

It is the most densely settled of the Freeborn territories; the nation began here, with the landing of the three sisters and their families at old [[#Atalaya|Atalaya]]. Over generations, their descendants spread across the mainland building and cultivating, until Madruga was tamed. Today, it is scattered with villages and small towns - the sprawling city [[#Siroc (Ruined)|Siroc]] at its height rivalled the cities of [[the League]] in size and wealth.

It is the spiritual home of the [[Corsair|corsairs]]; many maritime families have lived on the islands of [[#Free Landing|Free Landing]] and [[#Calvos Sound|Calvos Sound]] since the earliest days of the Freeborn nation.

The history of Madruga is one of change, however. The [[Grendel]] have attacked the islands and towns here for centuries; usually their fleets are intercepted at sea before they can do too much damage, but there have been times when their raiders have sacked coastal settlements. For a few harrowing months in the years before the foundation of the Empire, the Grendel swept inland here conquering [[#Lightsea|Lightsea]] and the islands, and threatening to burn Siroc. They were turned back after months of vicious fighting, but the memory of their attack is sometimes credited by historians as being a factor in the decision of the Freeborn to join the Empire. Since the disappearance of [[Empress Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta]], life in the territory has become even more tumultuous, with regular Grendel attacks compounded with deadly magical chaos.
==Recent History==
After the Autumn Equinox 381YE, the [[Grendel]] armada invaded Madruga. They [[381YE Winter Solstice winds of war#To_Fool_The_Crowd|destroyed the Freeborn Storm]], burnt the [[Madruga#The_Atalaya_Shipyards_.28Ruined.29|Atalaya shipyards]], and brought the [[Black Thorns]] to the brink of annihilation. Their forces then moved against [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]], raided the port of Quzar, and within short order half the coast of Madruga was in their hands. The Empire responded quickly, driving the Grendel out, but it was only a matter of time before they returned.

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 Freeborn luxuries and allowing the caravans of the Brass Coast 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]] of 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]].

In the Winter of 385YE, the Grendel returned to Madruga in force, accompanied by warships from the [[Asavean Archipelago]]. In a surprise attack, they [[A beacon of smoke|burnt the city of Siroc]], and established a beachhead in what was then Siroc Plains. In the coming months, war and powerful [[Spring magic]] battered the region, culminating in the [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|destruction of the Silent Pillar]] and the formation of the [[Children of Wrecks]]. The [[Siakha]]-inspired pirates began a rampage of their own, even going so far as to use Spring magic to isolate the islands of Free Landing, turning them into a stronghold of their own that Imperial armies cannot approach.

As if this were not bad enough, a [[Colourblind|peculiar blight]] began to spread across the [[#Quiet Grasses|Great Grasses]] in the north-east. The grasslands were quickly turned to ash and dust, and the desiccating [[Winter magic]] threatened to spill over into [[Kahraman]] and [[Segura]]. The cause of the spreading desert was discovered to be a generations-old conspiracy of the ''Aldea di Tutamen'' family who had become awful harbingers of destruction called the Dry Patricians. Their awful threat was stopped by Imperial heroes, but the blight remained.

Then in Autumn 386YE, ritual magicians from every Freeborn [[tribe]] raised the wrath of the Scorrero river, causing it to [[Where the river rises|break its banks]] in a cataclysmic expression of [[Spring magic#Ruin|ruin]] and [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]]. A cleansing tide swept across the Great Grasses, washing away the remnants of the blight. In the process, however, the magical floods also transformed the southern reaches of the territory, leaving three new regions whose mysteries are still being carefully explored as the Summer Solstice 388YE dawns.

== Major Features ==
===Trajadoz===
The town of Trajadoz in north-western [[#Torres|Torres]] was founded roughly three hundred years ago by the Trajaduz family of traders who were intent on fostering trade between the mines of newly conquered [[Kahraman]] and the wealth of [[Sarvos]]. The most recent influx of townsfolk was during the invasion of [[Segura]] in 363YE. Since the reclamation of Segura in 378YE it stood mostly empty, save for a few bandits, as the Freeborn returned to their homes. Following the end of the rebellion in Marracoss and Emphedor Imperial fleet captains had an opportunity to [[Through_my_sails#Evacuation|evacuate some of the defeated rebels]]. Roughly a third of the refugees, offered sanctuary in the Empire, have [[Large_but_far_away#Asavea|taken up residence]] in the mostly abandoned town, and created a community.

The Marracossans (never Nemorians, and rarely accepting Asavean) are a disparate group; made up of priests and soldiers, crafters and traders. One of their number Leonorada Rousseau, [[Asavean_Archipelago#Religion|priest of Aseus]], has spent some time in the paradors of nearby [[#Calvos Sound|Calvos]]. They have made clear that they, and their community, like the Empire, and they like the town of Tradajoz. They wish to remain in the town, but Leonorada understands that the community's intent to continue following and worshipping their gods could lead to some unfortunate accusations. In Winter 384YE, the Imperial Senate [[Cede Trajadoz|ceded control of Trajadoz]] to the Nemorians. This has raised a few concerns among their neighbours as it frees them to build temples to their gods if they wish - and indeed to do anything else they want to do. You can read more about the Marracossans in the '''[[Large_but_far_away#Asavea|Large but far away]]''' wind of fortune.
===Calvos===
The bustling town of Calvos lies on the shores of [[#Calvos Sound|Calvos Sound]]. The slopes outside the town are rich with grapes, and the fine wines produced here travel all over the Empire. Even the sommeliers of the [[The League|League]] pay well for a Calvos vintage. The [[Paragons and Exemplars|exemplar]] [[Zemress|Zemress i Ezmara i Erigo]] was born here towards the end of the second century YE, and her ship ''The Kraken's Bane'' is housed at a special dry dock here. The ship is a destination for many pilgrims of [[Prosperity]] from as far afield as the [[Sumaah Republic]], as was the nearby [[Zemress#The_Seminary_of_Zemress|Seminary]] before it was destroyed in a [[Below_the_thunders#In_Roaring,_Rise|cataclysmic storm]]. Near the seminary ruins stands the [[Hand of Guerra#House of Guerra|House of Guerra]], a place dedicated to supporting refugees to the Empire, especially those who seek a new family among the Freeborn, and the [[#Zemress Naval Academy|Zemress Naval Academy]] (also known as the School of Blood and Brass) where the Freeborn study maritime warfare and the construction of warships.
===Quzar===
This bustling port town of white towers and stained glass is sometimes described as the soul of the Brass Coast and is one of the oldest permanent settlements in the nation. The Towers of Quzar are known as a gathering place for [[hakima]] from all across the nation - an annual "council" meets here every midsummer to share knowledge and gossip. Since the completion of the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]], a large community of hakima, including a significant number of refugees from Feroz, have taken up permanent residence here. The town is now best known for its community of magicians, especially those versed in [[Autumn magic]].

Like many of the coastal settlements in [[#Lightsea|Lightsea]], Quzar was plundered by the Grendel during their incursion toward the end of 381YE. The town was particularly hard hit by the orc raiders, with some damage to the buildings and significant damage to the wealth of the citizens. The town was also hard hit by the Children of Wrecks, especially during their 386YE [[Below the thunders|attacks]] against the Brass Coast. Flooding became a regular threat, especially given the awful weather that accompanied the followers of [[Siakha]], and today many of the coastal buildings in Quzar have built-in flood defences of one kind or another.

===Zemress Naval Academy===
[[#Calvos|Calvos]] is the final resting place of the Kraken's Bane, the legendary vessel captained by the exemplar [[Zemress]]. When people fled [[Feroz]] following the Grendel occupation, many of those who looked to Zemress chose to settle in Calvos, drawn by the [[Zemress#The_Seminary_of_Zemress|Seminary of Zemress]] (before it was destroyed). They swelled the ranks of the faithful and created a unique opportunity to build a ''School of Naval Warfare'' on the Coast. Similar to the ambitious [[Focused_and_methodical#The_School_of_Shipbuilding|School of Shipbuilding]] originally [[Focused_and_methodical#The_School_of_Shipbuilding|proposed for Siroc by Frederick di Sarvos]], it is more limited in its scope and focussed purely on teaching and research.

The school allows the Freeborn to delve deep into the practice and theory of [[navy|naval warfare]], allowing them to disseminate newly developed techniques across the Brass Coast and the Empire. Each year the researchers at the school present three possible [[Army qualities|qualities]] that new Imperial navies might be built with. The [[fleet|fleet owners]] of the Brass Coast are then able to vote on which quality they felt was most important - whichever quality wins becomes the focus on their research. Such research often takes a year or more, but once work is complete the Freeborn can again vote on what project to being next (researchers present a new quality to consider, usually alongside the two previously rejected options).

It's notable that several of visiting [[Sumaah]] präster pointed out that if the Empire were prepared to share any new naval techniques they learned with the Republic, then that would be very well received by their fellow adherents of the Way. The Sumaah apparently have two navies of their own, but they are outclassed by the Asaveans, in much the same way that the Empire struggle to compete with the Grendel navies. Redressing that balance would be a huge boost to diplomatic relations with the Sumaah.
{{Anchor|The Lyceum}}

=== The Lyceum (Hidden)===
The Lyceum was established during the reign of [[Empress Aenea]] on an island east of Siroc. It is a centre of arcane learning in the Empire, and the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] maintains sumptuous apartments here. Approach to the island is carefully controlled by the magicians and professors, and the most promising magicians are invited to study or teach there.

During the Winter Solstice 385YE, Imperial heroes [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Intercede_at_the_Lyceum_(Battle)|travelled to the Lyceum]] to protect its secrets from the Grendel who sought to claim them. In the process, they activated powerful wards that hid the island behind a wall of fog preventing barbarian or Imperial ships from reaching it. The walls were expected to remain until shortly before the Winter Solstice 386YE, but with both the Grendel and the Children of Wrecks threatening the college, the [[Conclave]] accepted an offer from [[Sadogua]] to help [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Alignment:_Sadogua,_Amity|keep the wards up for the time being]] with an eye towards finding a way to get people in and out, and perhaps make the misty wards permanent.

Shortly before Summer Solstice 387YE, Sadogua provided [[Sound_and_vision#A_Course_of_Shadows|plans]] for "''Gates of Shadow''"; a pair of gates that drew inspiration from the [[Liathaven#Paths_of_Lan_Thúven_(Gone)|Paths of Lan Thúven]]. Construction of these gates was [[Construct_Path_to_the_Lyceum|announced]] by '''Amalia Vicente''', as the [[Arcane Architect]], during the Spring Equinox 388YE and work was completed in [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]] just three months later.

===Atalaya===
The town of Atalaya in [[#Free Landing|Free Landing]] marks the place where the Brass Coast was born; the first landing of the three sisters and their families. Built around the side of a secluded cove, the seas around the island that share its name are a navigational nightmare. Before the [[#The Shining Pillar (Destroyed)|Shining Pillar]] was built, reaching the hidden docks of Atalaya was a feat to tax the most skilled ship's crews. Today, the landwards channel has been widened but is protected by hidden obstructions that only the Freeborn pilots know well. Atalaya is also known for its deep natural harbour - many ships of the Freeborn fleet count Atalaya as their home port.

Atalaya is the oldest Freeborn settlement in the Brass Coast, but its prominence was eclipsed centuries ago by [[#Lightsea|Quzar]]. Today, it is a place of pilgrimage for many Freeborn followers of [[the Way]] - there are a number of shrines and temples dedicated to [[Pride]] and [[Vigilance]] here. The [[Vizier_of_the_Incarnadine_Satchel#School of the Sanguine Bloom|School of the Sanguine Bloom]], one of the most prestigious schools dedicated to herb-lore in the Brass Coast also stands here, founded long ago by Sameen i Riqueza, youngest daughter of [[Riqueza]] herself.

With the rise of the [[Children of Wrecks]], the oldest settlement of the Freeborn was lost to the nation. The museums were looted, and the once beautiful town transformed into a den of pirates. When the Iron Confederacy [[Phantasms_and_foam|launched their invasion]] of Free Landing in Summer 388YE, they were supported by corsair ships. As part of the arrangement, these vessels were able to recover some of the relics and manuscripts still in Atalaya and transport them to the safety of Calvos and Quzar. Now under the dominion of the Suranni, the future of Atalaya remains uncertain.

===Freeborn Flame Marina===
Work began on the [[Construct_Atalaya_Harbour|reconstruction]] of Atalaya harbour following an opportunity [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Atalaya|presented]] after the National Assembly of the Brass Coast called on the people of Feroz to flee the territory rather than suffer under the hands of the Grendel. Work was completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 385YE and the abundance of willing, talented shipwrights meant [[fleet|fleets]] were more easily upgradeable, at least until the Brass Coast reclaim Feroz. Unfortunately, along with Atalaya, the Freeborn Flame Marina is currently in the hands of the Children of Wrecks.

On the harbour, looking out to sea, are a number of statues each one different but reminiscent of contemporary Freeborn.

===Sunset Roads===
{{Anchor|South-West Roads}}With encouragement from the notoriously sea-averse Faraden, a grand highway connects Siroc with Calvos, cutting across the territory rather than following the coast. A shorter road runs along the northern banks of the Scorrero, crossing just north of [[Segura#Cerevado|Cerevado]] in [[Segura]] via a beautiful arched bridge of white granite. While the road is used extensively by the Faraden, it also serves to cut the journey time from the northern borders of Madruga to the trading city of Siroc, making it a popular route for Freeborn and League merchants as well.

The Sunset Roads are a [[great work]] that complement the already existing [[Lorenzo's Legacy#Blood Red Roads|Blood Red Roads]], bringing increased prosperity to the owners of [[farm|farms]] and [[business|businesses]] in Madruga.

=== The Spider's Dream ===
An elegant bridge spans the river Vassa, connecting [[#Torres|Torres]] to the town of [[Sarvos#Bocche|Trivento]] in Sarvos. It is a marvellous piece of engineering that resembles a spider's web. The [[Spider%27s_Tollkeep#The_Spider%27s_Dream|Spider's Dream]] has significant strategic importance - without it armies cannot cross the Vassa between Sarvos and Madruga without going north and passing through Tassato and the Mournwold. It is overseen by the [[Spider%27s_Tollkeep|Spider's Tollkeep]], an [[Imperial title]] uniquely appointed by both the [[senator|senators]] of the League and the Brass Coast together.

The Spider's Dream was once severely damaged by the [[Jotun]], but has since been extensively rebuilt and fortified.

==Regions==
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=MadrugaBorders.png|caption=A very rough region map of pre-transformation Madruga|align=right|width=600}}</div>
===Calvos Sound===
* '''Quality:''' Coastal
The town of [[#Calvos|Calvos]] stands on the shores of Calvos Sound; the entire [[territory#regions|region]] is named for the great shallow bay that cuts into the eastern shores of the Brass Coast. The waters of the Sound are prime fishing grounds, and the surrounding slopes are known for their rich agriculture, especially grapes, grapefruits, and pomegranates. At the end of the [[Imperial_history#.28281_YE_-_300_YE.29_The_Second_Interregnum|second interregnum]], Calvos Sound was the site of a vicious engagement between [[Grendel]] raiders and the forces of the [[Red_Wind_Corsairs#History|Red Wind Corsairs]]. Despite catastrophic losses, the Freeborn army held. Close to breaking they were forced to retreat, but the campaign achieved its purpose by convincing the nations of the south that the threat from the Grendel was real, events that would eventually lead to the elevation of [[Empress Deanne]]. To this day, many of the people of Calvos Sound have a notable antipathy for the orcs of the Broken Shore.
===Lightsea===
* '''Quality:''' Coastal
A well-settled region known for the friendliness of its [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests#Paradors|paradors]]. The largest settlement here is '''Quzar''', a bustling port town of white towers and stained glass that is sometimes described as the soul of the Brass Coast. Many of the coastal settlements here were plundered by the Grendel during their incursion toward the end of 381YE. Quzar in particular was hard hit by the orc raiders, with some damage to the town and significant damage to the wealth of the citizens. A year later, toward the end of 382YE, potent magic [[The_mystic,_the_willful#Miracles_in_Lightsea|restored the town]], wiping away any sign the Grendel were ever there.

Standing at the boundary of the town is a shining white granite statue of '''Umbar i Elba Stardo i Guerra''', bedecked in a gleaming crown and baring his open chest. Its plaque reads: "''Umbar visited Bastion and exemplified Pride in all things. 388 Year of the Empire''"

===Torres===
* '''Quality:''' Foreigners (Marracossans)
The northernmost region of Madruga, and one end of the [[#The Spider's Dream|Spider's Dream]]. The land here is a little more rugged than in the southern regions, and the climate is generally cooler. The people who dwell here share some of the reputation of the miners of [[Kahraman]]; as being suspicious and quarrelsome. Partly this reputation might be a result of regular clashes between Freeborn traders and [[the League|League]] merchants out of [[Sarvos]]. A regular 'problem' for the inhabitants is that League merchants would prefer to travel south to the more prosperous towns of the eastern coast to sell their wares, bypassing the markets of Torres. It is shameful to admit, but there are more incidents of brigandry against League caravans in Torres than in almost any other area around the Bay of Catazar. When such incidents get out of hand, the [[Spider's Tollkeep]] is often prevailed upon to sort them out.

The town of [[#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]] is found in the north-west of Torres. Formerly a home to Freeborn displaced from Kahraman and Segura, it is now home to a very different group of refugees - Marracossan exiles from the [[Asavean Archipelago]].

===Free Landing===
* '''Qualities:''' Coastal, Island
The sprawling islands that form the region of Free Landing are diverse and well-settled. The islands here were the first home of the Freeborn - the town of [[#Atalaya|Atalaya]] marks the spot where the Brass Coast proper began. When the Grendel invaded Madruga in Winter 381YE, they looted many precious relics from the town of Atalaya and burnt the shipyard there to the ground. In the process, they destroyed the Freeborn [[navy|navy]], the Freeborn Storm.

The waters between the islands have a reputation for being treacherous and difficult for foreign captains; during the reign of [[Empress Aenea]] the Empire built a great lighthouse here called '''[[#The Shining Pillar (Destroyed)|the Shining Pillar]]''', which was [[The_cry_of_gulls#The_Darkened_Beacon|destroyed]] by forces loyal to the eternal [[Siakha]] during the Winter Solstice 385YE. In its place, a perpetual churning maelstrom appeared, serving as a way for servants of the eternal to enter the mortal world and providing [[fortification|significant protection]] to the Wreckers' claim to the island. In Summer 388YE, [[Iron Confederacy]] forces [[Phantasms_and_foam|assailed Free Landing]], destroying the Children of Wrecks and closing the Maw of Siakha. They did so with the aid of Freeborn corsairs, who took the opportunity to recover as many of the treasures of Atalaya lost to the Wreckers as possible.

The waters around Free Landing have become treacherous due to the presence of dozens of immature kraken hatched in the waters by the Children of Wrecks. As a result, the region has gained the '''island''' quality, it cannot be attacked by armies unless each army is accompanied by a navy capable of conveying the soldiers across.{{Anchor|Great Grasses}}

===Quiet Grasses===
* '''Qualities:''' Quiet
The Great Grasses were consumed by the Blight, but have now been restored thanks to the surging Spring waters. They are marked not only from the flooding of the Scorrero, but from a year or more of gentle rain conjured with [[Regrow the Land's Heart]]. Where once there was a sea of jade and emerald grasses, and then a lifeless desert of ash and dust, there is now a profusion of plants and flowers. The grass is different to that which grew before, standing easily taller than the tallest soldier and remarkably resistant to damage. Where the thickets of grass are densest, it is slow going trying to make headway and all too easy to get lost. In addition to the grasses, there are large numbers of broad, open meadows covered in ''flameblooms'' - a mass of previously unseen flowers that grow in a profusion of shapes and a riot of reds, oranges, yellows, and an extremely rare white petalled variety.

There is an odd silence to the Grasses now. The grasses seem to eat sounds, causing the cries of circling hawks to fall flat, and even the blaring of horns sounds tinny and can be heard over comparatively short distances. Even the wind whispers as it flows across the plains. Some scouts tagged the place as the "Quiet Grasses," and while the name may have begun as a wry commentary, it has quickly spread. Magicians say that this silence is partly due to a lingering touch of Winter magic - not the harsher resonances of [[Winter_magic#Death|death]] or [[Winter_magic#Survival|survival]] but something less tangible - a sense of sadness, loss, or perhaps the [[Winter_magic#Wisdom|wisdom]] that comes from an awareness of [[Winter magic#Ending|ending]], tinged with the wistfulness for the [[Winter_magic#Preservation|way things were before]].

{{Anchor|Siroc Plains}}
===Siroc Bayou===
* '''Qualities:''' Marsh, Coastal, Ruins, Wild, Underpopulated, Enigmatic
The region that was once Siroc Plains is now the [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]]. Slow moving streams and lakes of brackish water characterise the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayou bayou]. The river itself, and the gulf between Madruga and Feroz, teem with fish and other creatures. The fury of the Scorrero, already mitigated by the Crucible, loses itself in meandering, shifting streams as it makes its way to the [[Bay of Catazar]]. Here and there, ruined Freeborn settlements and structures emerge from the marshes, or stand surrounded by still pools of water. Even though the flooding that transformed the region are quite recent, many of these ruins look as if they have stood in the marshes for decades, heavily overgrown with odd plant growths. Others are more intact, often serving as lairs for the transformed creatures of the marsh. When the river rose, this region was under control of the Grendel, and [[Below_the_thunders#The_Latter_Fire|battle raged]] between the orcs and Imperial forces. The Grendel have since withdrawn almost all their forces, but there are still signs of abandoned encampments here. Some of the Broken Shore troops were left behind as well, and it seems that in the absence of any easy means of escape they have taken up banditry.

In Summer 388YE, the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] began the [[Phantasms and foam|slow conquest]] of Siroc Bayou, discovering more wonders and mysteries in the process.

The City of Sails, poor ruined [[Madruga#Siroc (Ruined)|Siroc]], is now lost beneath the waters of the Bay, or consumed by the marsh. There is no chance of rebuilding - there is little left to rebuild on. There is apparently some interest in the [[Sarcophan Delves]] in [[Hyenas_and_herbs#Hyenas_Under_Sail|purchasing salvage rights]] to the ruins, but only once the [[Children of Wrecks]] problem is resolved.

===Crucible===
* '''Qualities:''' Marsh, Wild, Underpopulated, Enigmatic
The new region of Madruga, north of the Scorrero, was once the southern Great Grasses and the western Siroc Plains. This place has been most obviously transfigured by the unleashed magic, and the odd haze reported by scouts is most pronounced here. Even the least magical explorer can sense that there is magic here; a mixture of Spring magic from the flood and the influence of [[Ossegrahn]], or Night magic tinged by the gifts of [[Azoth]], and even a hint of lingering [[Winter magic]] from the Dry Patricians and their Blight. There are reports of a few Grendel camps here as well, scouts trapped behind enemy lines when the flood rushed in.

Scouts report that this area is where the peculiar ''marsh flowers'', some of which possess magical properties, are most abundant. There also seem to be spontaneously occurring sources of [[vis]] here - [[Vis#Warm Honey|warm honey]], [[Vis#Heart's Blood|heart's blood]], and [[Vis#Crystal_Fire|crystal fire]]. In addition, there are a number of oddities - things that either were not here before of have been changed so much as to be effectively new. There is apparently a tower that rises out of the river itself and changes subtly over a course of several days, which puts viewers in mind of a lighthouse despite being miles from the Bay of Catazar. There is a standing pool of ebony water that does not reflect humans or orcs; anything staring into it sees only a monstrous image of themselves. A fountain in the courtyard of an old parador that once stood by the road along the banks of the Scorrero that now flows with rainbow waters; drinking from them by moonlight can prompt a transformation in unlineaged humans such that they unpredictably gain [[briar]], [[naga]] or [[draughir]] [[lineage]].

==Strategic Considerations==
* '''The damage to the bridges along the Scorrero prevents movement between Madruga and both Feroz and Segura'''
The damage to almost all the bridges along the Scorrero means that it is effectively impossible for an [[Army|army]] to move between Madruga and both [[Feroz]] and [[Segura]] (or vice versa). More information can be found in the '''[[Where_the_river_rises#Crossing|Where the river rises]]''' wind of fortune.
==Special Qualities==
===Enigmatic===
* '''Rituals and curses cast on enigmatic regions will be unpredictable and may have more powerful effects'''
* '''Rituals and curses cast on territories with an enigmatic region may be unpredictable or have more powerful effects'''
* '''Such rituals can be made permanent using 2 rings of ilium per magnitude rather than 3'''
* '''Any commission in an enigmatic region can substitute wains of mithril for weirwood or white granite on a one-for-one basis'''
Two of the new regions are marked with a unique quality - ''Enigmatic''. This means the areas are infused with magic of Spring, Winter, and Night. As a consequence, any magic from those realms that operates on the territory level (or the Empire level), or targets the region with this quality, may have unexpected effects. This is not guaranteed - sometimes the ritual will have no noticeable extra impact. Sometimes, however, the impact of the magic will be enhanced in some way - more powerful or more extreme than expected. Even the wisest Unfettered Mind can't say more than that. ('''OOC Note:''' A ritual enchantment or curse will always at least equal or exceed its normal mechanical effect. The magic might be altered but it would never simply be the same effect but ''less'' powerful.)

Any Spring, Winter, or Night ritual that targets a region with a specific quality can target Crucible or Siroc Bayou. For example, even though neither region has the [[forest]] quality, both can be targeted with [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] or [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]]. The form the magic takes may be transformed or altered in unpredictable ways (for example, [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] cast on one of these regions is likely to cause a cloud of toxic marsh fog rather than volcanic gas).

If [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] is cast on a region with the enigmatic quality, the victory points necessary to claim the region are increased by fifteen, up from ten.

If [[The Basalt Citadel]] or [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] are cast on a region with the enigmatic quality, the resulting battalion or wards will be enhanced such that they provide an additional one thousand effective strength, to four thousand or five thousand strength, respectively.

If the [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil|Penumbral Veil]] is drawn over a territory where at least one region has the enigmatic quality, its effective magnitude is increased by 10 - the same would apply to any [[Vale of Shadows]] created anywhere in Madruga.

Any territory-wide enchantment or curse, or enchantment or curse targeting one of the two regions is easier to [[Ilium#Using_ilium_in_rituals|make permanent]]. Rather than requiring three rings of [[ilium]] for each magnitude of the effect, it only requires ''two'' rings of ilium per magnitude. The Unfettered Mind scholars warn that this should be approached with some caution - enchantments and curses are rarely meant to be made permanent and experimentation should be done on the understanding that there will be unlooked for side effects. In particular they warn against assuming that a ritual that works one way when cast on Madruga will have the same effect if made permanent with ilium. It might... but it is impossible to be sure given the wildness of the magic coalescing here. Also, if recent events have shown nothing else, this warning is even more significant when dealing with an effect that draws on the power of an eternal.

Any commission built in an enigmatic region can take advantage of the strange magical qualities of the region to substitute mithril for white granite or weirwood on a one-for-one basis. The amount of mithril used must be specified in the details of the commission; it cannot be substituted later. The necessary details should include a description of how mithril, and Freeborn glass, replace traditional building materials. All such structures will have elements of the weird and uncanny about them. Construction that arises from an [[opportunity]] may or may not be possible in an ''enigmatic'' region - the best thing to do is to email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] to confirm it is possible.

Finally, during any trip through the [[Sentinel Gate]] that involves an encounter in Madruga, any participating character with the [[Magical skills#Magician|magician]] skill finds that they have two additional personal mana available. These mana points are the first used when spellcasting, and cannot be replenished. They last until used, or until the next sunrise. The bonus mana is gained only once in the rare situation where the same magician visits Siroc Bayou or Crucible more than once during a summit.

===Quiet===
* '''It is not possible to create a commission that produces liao in a region with the quiet quality or any commission that has a musical basis'''
* '''It is not possible to create an inspirational location in this region'''
* '''Any conjunctions in this region will experience the "quiet" roleplaying effect'''
* '''Appraisal could be used to find ways to exploit the benefits of the quiet region'''
The Quiet Grasses have the ''quiet'' quality. Sounds are a little muted here, and even loud noises fall off more swiftly. Passions and emotions are also muted in a similar fashion, causing travellers and settlers to feel a little more restrained. It's easy and satisfying to embrace emotions such as sadness, sorrow, or regret. These effects are not especially overt - only sensitive individuals are really aware of them. It is, however, impossible to create a [[commission]] that produces [[liao]] in a region with the quiet quality, or any commission that has a musical basis. Inspirational locations cannot be created in such a region, and conjunctions here will experience the "quiet" roleplaying effect. This means that during a skirmish or encounter in a region with the Quiet quality, a character with [[Heroic skills#Hero|hero points]] must have a [[Roleplaying_effects#Overcoming_Roleplaying_Effects|source of spiritual strength]] (or spend a hero point) to overcome the roleplaying effect, or they cannot spend hero points to power their abilities or magic items.

An [[appraisal]] could be used to find ways to exploit the benefits of a quiet region.

===Wild===
* '''A wild region is harder for armies to conquer, requiring 15 rather than 10 victory points to take the region'''
Crucible and Siroc Bayou have the ''Wild'' quality. The land itself defies easy conquest - so much so that each region will require a total of 15 victory points, rather than the more usual 10, to conquer. The good news is that this difficulty will persist - anyone attempting to conquer these regions in the future will face additional challenges.

===Underpopulated ===
* '''These regions will not contribute to army supply unless the quality is removed'''
The two southern regions of the new marsh also have the [[Send_for_me#Underpopulated|underpopulated]] quality, and it is tricky to see how that might be removed. The regions are rich, but they defy easy habitation. The people who once lived here have fled Grendel occupation, dire thirst, and the raging river - most have found new homes in northern Madruga. The marshes are also an environment alien to most Freeborn people. Exploring the marshes and claiming the odd wonders there is certainly possible, but it will be a significant undertaking to encourage people to permanently settle in these regions. Siroc Bayou is the best bet for removing this quality, perhaps finding a way to merge traditional Freeborn architecture with such innovations as Kallavesi stilt-dwellings, or establishing a settlement built on pontoons. Even so, there's no chance of such a settlement reaching the size of a city such as Siroc. Trying to populate Crucible will be even harder, if it is even possible.
<div style="float:left; width: 450px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Eulàlia i Phovas i Riqueza.jpg|caption='''Eulàlia i Phovas i Riqueza''', Senator for Madruga|align=left|width=500}}</div>
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Madruga|Territory=Madruga|Season=Winter}}
==OOC Notes==
* As of the start of the Summer Solstice 388YE, the Iron Confederacy controls Free Landing, the Brass Coast controls Calvos Sound, Lightsea, Torres, Siroc Bayou, and Quiet Grasses. Crucible is uncontrolled. Madruga is an Imperial territory.
* The territory has regions with several odd qualities, most significantly the [[#Enigmatic|enigmatic]] quality that affects commissions and ritual effects across the whole of Madruga. The '''[[Made_anew#Sing_of_Tides|Made Anew]]''' wind of fortune contains more detail of the peculiar inhabitants of the southern marshes
* [[Business|Businesses]] in the territory benefit from the Sunset Roads and Municipal Docks and produce an extra 72 rings each season.
* [[Farm|Farms]] in the territory benefit from the Sunset Roads and produce an extra 36 rings each season.
* [[Fleet|Fleets]] in the territory benefit from the Municipal Docks and benefit from an additional rank when engaging in a [[Fleet#Questing|quest]], [[Fleet#Raiding|raid]], or [[Fleet#Trading|trade]]
* The Municipal Docks offer the benefits of a rank one fortification in Calvos Sound.


==Lost and Ruined==
{{Anchor|Siroc}}
=== Siroc (Ruined) ===
The Sapphire, the City of a Thousand Sails, was acknowledged as the pre-eminent city of the Freeborn. The city was said to have been founded by the [[Guerra]] family shortly after the Freeborn came to the Brass Coast. It lay in Madruga close by the border with [[Feroz]]. Brightly coloured tents extended Siroc out far beyond the small cluster of stone buildings that made up the heart of the city. Sails of all shapes and sizes filled the sheltered bay, which was guarded by a series of iron woven nets and chains bought at great expense from the forges of Wintermark.

Siroc was the site of the '''Glass Parador''', where the [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] held court. It was also the location of the ''Parador of the Kindled Flame'', an [[folly|orphanage]] whose [[Construct Parador of the Kindled Flame|construction]] was overseen by '''Laughlan Vi Temeschwar''', the first [[Master of Rings]]. One of only a small number of permanent stone structures of any size in the City of a Thousand Sails, it was surprisingly understated and utilitarian with the only notable decoration being a small plaque at the entrance bearing the legend “''In Virtue we remember those who watch over others''", and a list of names of those who helped construct the sanctuary.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Parador.jpg|caption=The City of A Thousand Sails was home to many fine paradors.|title=Art by Beth Dooner|align=right|width=500}}
It was also the site of the [[#Commonwealth Embassy (Ruined)|Commonwealth Embassy]], a severe structure that represented the Commonwealth's diplomatic relationship with the Empire.

The city prospered for centuries, but following the Autumn Equinox 385YE it was [[A beacon of smoke|burned to the ground]] by the Grendel and their [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] allies, apparently in retaliation for the Empire's role in the [[Mosaic|destruction of the city of Chalonsio]] in Asavea. While some of the stone buildings survived, the majority of the structures were wood and canvas, and were destroyed by fire. The transforming flood that swept through the territory towards the end of 386YE sealed Siroc's fate - those ruins not sinking into marsh mud are lost beneath the waters of the Bay, and any hope of restoring the city to its former glory is gone.
===Commonwealth Embassy (Ruined)===
The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth|Commonwealth Embassy]] was located in [[#Siroc (Ruined)|Siroc]]. It consisted of several buildings built after the severe Commonwealth style, which stood in beautifully laid out and maintained gardens, surrounded by a low white granite wall. Despite the severity of the architecture, the embassy was surprisingly welcoming - the gates stood permanently open, albeit under the watchful gaze of a cadre of Commonwealth soldiers attached to the staff of ambassador Mila Eisenfalke. The majority of the staff were human, although there were apparently half a dozen orcs whose role on the ambassadorial staff is not clear. There were no daeva citizens working at the embassy as far as Imperial observers can make out. When the city of Siroc was attacked by the Grendel and their Asavean allies, almost all the soldiers garrisoned here perished while fighting bravely alongside the Freeborn defenders of the Salt Guard.
===The Salt Guard (Ruined)===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Destruction of the Shining Pillar.jpg|caption=The destruction of the Shining Pillar was heartbreaking for many Freeborn.|title=Art by Juniper Orton|align=right|width=450}}
A grand [[fortification]] [[The_same_bed#The_Salt_Guard|designed]] by Menno van Ritsjhof comprised of two stout fortifications on either side of the bay along the approach to Siroc. Each fort is equipped with powerful trebuchet and catapults. A garrison of skilled mariners and corsairs ensures the towers are always ready to respond to any threat, and with the significant reinforcement of the existing iron chains and nets that guard the harbour they are extremely effective against shore offensives. He believes that not only will a sea assault against Siroc be made nigh impossible, but that the garrisons of the two towers would also be in a position to protect the Lyceum which lies to the south-east of Siroc proper.
{{anchor|The Atalaya Shipyards}}

===The Atalaya Shipyards (Ruined)===
Following a [[Construct_Madruga_shipyard|motion]] at the first [[Senate]] session in Winter 376YE, work began to expand the docks of Atalaya. Under the guidance of Miroslav, Senator for the [[The League|League]] city of [[Sarvos]], many wains of white granite and weirwood were committed to building both a massive seawall, and a great Imperial shipyard equipped with drydocks, powerful cranes for loading and unloading, and expanded warehouses and work spaces. Completed shortly before Autumn 377YE, the shipyard provided significant benefits to the Freeborn [[fleet|ships]] based in Madruga. In addition, the facilities here proved sufficient to allow the construction of the first [[navy]] since the days of [[Emperor Barabbas]]; [[Raise_Freeborn_navy|work]] began on constructing Freeborn vessels in Winter 378YE.

It is perhaps fitting that when the [[Grendel]] invaded Madruga after the Autumn Equinox 381YE, and [[381YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_war#To_Fool_The_Crowd|destroyed the shipyard]] the Freeborn Storm was [[Navy_orders#Put_to_Port|put to port]] and shared the same fiery fate as the docks where it was created.
===The Shining Pillar (Destroyed)===
Built in [[#Free Landing|Free Landing]], this massive white-and-gold tower was one of the most prominent landmarks in the Empire. It was often adopted by Freeborn sailors as a symbol of the Brass Coast as a whole; when they can see the beacon of the Shining Pillar, they knew they were home. The grand lighthouse echoed the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lighthouse_of_Alexandria Lighthouse of Alexandria] in design, rather than more modern tall cylindrical towers, and was constructed of white granite. Mithril mirrors captured and amplified the light of the fire burning atop it, which was kept burning by a cadre of attendants who lived in the tower.

During the Grendel [[A beacon of smoke|invasion of Madruga]] in Winter 385YE, the Shining Pillar was [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|annihilated]] by the servants of [[Siakha]], and the [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Objective:_Rescue_the_Beacon_Watch|Beacon Watch]] were slaughtered. The terrible rites performed there not only destroyed the lighthouse and drowned the rocky island on which it was built, but they [[The_cry_of_gulls#The_Darkened_Beacon|apparently tore open]] a terrible maelstrom, something akin to a [[fane]] for Siakha allowing the eternal to send their servants to the [[Bay of Catazar]]. Where once a shining beacon stood, a terrible maw now gapes.

==Further Reading==
* [[Phantasms and foam]] - 388YE wind of war about conquest in Madruga
* [[Made anew]] - 386YE Winter wind of fortune concerning the changes to Madruga in the wake of the river rising
* [[Where the river rises]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune detailing the rising of the Scorrero

Steward of Good Leaf Gardens

2026-10-28T22:47:23Z

Responsible1: /* Overview */

[[Category:The Marches]] [[Category:Title]] [[Category:Bourse]]
==Overview==
The Steward of Good Leaf Gardens is an [[Imperial title]] awarded to a [[the Marches|Marcher]] citizen. It is a national position appointed by vote of Marcher citizens who own a [[farm]]. The position is a [[sinecure]], requiring minimal responsibility but offering a regular income drawn from the profits provided by [[Navarr]] herb traders.

The Wayhouse was built as an [[opportunity]] arising from a [[statement of principle]] by Corey Brackensong in the Navarr national assembly relating to [[Blood_and_gold#A_Fitting_Testimony|rewarding Marcher generals]] for their support in [[Liathaven]]. Establishing the wayhouse required a sacrifice from the Navarr [[herb garden]] owners, inspired by a [[Navarr_religious_beliefs|guide]] named ''Morgan of Brock Bottom Steading''.

==Responsibilities==
The Steward is responsible for sharing the herbs donated to the Wayhouse with the people of the Marches who need them.

==Powers==
===Brokers' Bounty===
The Steward has no legal powers, but receives donations of [[herbs]] from Navarr traders passing through Upwold. Each season the steward receives 10 doses of [[True Vervain]], and 5 doses each of [[Imperial Roseweald]], [[Bladeroot]], [[Marrowort]], and [[Cerulean Mazzarine]].

==Appointment==
This title is appointed during the Winter Solstice by citizens of the Marches who control [[farm]] [[Resource|personal resources]]. The larger the farm an individual has, the more votes they can allocate in support to a candidate. The voting is handled by the civil servants in the Bourse.

Only a Marcher character may hold the title. As a title in the Bourse, they cannot be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Synod]]

==Good Leaf Gardens==
The Wayhouse is an unassuming building built in southern [[Upwold#Birchland|Birchland]] at the point where the road from [[Upwold#Ashbrook|Ashbrook]] turns south toward [[Upwold#Tower_March|King's Stoke]]. It lies not far from the [[trods|trod]] that runs north through the forest toward [[Kallavesa]]. Traders make a point of passing near the wayhouse, and leaving bundles of herbs donated by Navarr from all across the Empire, given in thanks for the continuing support of the Marches in fighting the vallorn.

The wayhouse is a meld of architectural styles - built of sturdy weirwood it would not stand out in any Marcher village unless one were to look closely and mark the many little touches and flourishes inspired by the [[steading|steadings]] of [[Miaren]].

{{RecentElections|Steward_of_Good_Leaf_Gardens}}

Madruga

2026-10-28T22:15:24Z

Responsible1: /* OOC Notes */

[[Category:Imperial_Territory]][[category:The Brass Coast]]
{{stub}}
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Madruga_Made_Anew.png|align=left|caption=Artist's Impression of Madruga|width=600}}</div>[[Category:Gazetteer]]
== Overview ==
Madruga of the Jewelled Isles is the easternmost territory of the Brass Coast, running from the [[Kahraman]] mountains down to the Bay of Catazar. Down the coast of Madruga and [[Feroz]] the [[corsair|corsairs]] and merchants raise their sails, running goods to [[Bastion]] and [[Sarvos]], trading with foreign powers, and fighting off barbarian incursions.

It is the most densely settled of the Freeborn territories; the nation began here, with the landing of the three sisters and their families at old [[#Atalaya|Atalaya]]. Over generations, their descendants spread across the mainland building and cultivating, until Madruga was tamed. Today, it is scattered with villages and small towns - the sprawling city [[#Siroc (Ruined)|Siroc]] at its height rivalled the cities of [[the League]] in size and wealth.

It is the spiritual home of the [[Corsair|corsairs]]; many maritime families have lived on the islands of [[#Free Landing|Free Landing]] and [[#Calvos Sound|Calvos Sound]] since the earliest days of the Freeborn nation.

The history of Madruga is one of change, however. The [[Grendel]] have attacked the islands and towns here for centuries; usually their fleets are intercepted at sea before they can do too much damage, but there have been times when their raiders have sacked coastal settlements. For a few harrowing months in the years before the foundation of the Empire, the Grendel swept inland here conquering [[#Lightsea|Lightsea]] and the islands, and threatening to burn Siroc. They were turned back after months of vicious fighting, but the memory of their attack is sometimes credited by historians as being a factor in the decision of the Freeborn to join the Empire. Since the disappearance of [[Empress Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta]], life in the territory has become even more tumultuous, with regular Grendel attacks compounded with deadly magical chaos.
==Recent History==
After the Autumn Equinox 381YE, the [[Grendel]] armada invaded Madruga. They [[381YE Winter Solstice winds of war#To_Fool_The_Crowd|destroyed the Freeborn Storm]], burnt the [[Madruga#The_Atalaya_Shipyards_.28Ruined.29|Atalaya shipyards]], and brought the [[Black Thorns]] to the brink of annihilation. Their forces then moved against [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]], raided the port of Quzar, and within short order half the coast of Madruga was in their hands. The Empire responded quickly, driving the Grendel out, but it was only a matter of time before they returned.

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 Freeborn luxuries and allowing the caravans of the Brass Coast 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]] of 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]].

In the Winter of 385YE, the Grendel returned to Madruga in force, accompanied by warships from the [[Asavean Archipelago]]. In a surprise attack, they [[A beacon of smoke|burnt the city of Siroc]], and established a beachhead in what was then Siroc Plains. In the coming months, war and powerful [[Spring magic]] battered the region, culminating in the [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|destruction of the Silent Pillar]] and the formation of the [[Children of Wrecks]]. The [[Siakha]]-inspired pirates began a rampage of their own, even going so far as to use Spring magic to isolate the islands of Free Landing, turning them into a stronghold of their own that Imperial armies cannot approach.

As if this were not bad enough, a [[Colourblind|peculiar blight]] began to spread across the [[#Quiet Grasses|Great Grasses]] in the north-east. The grasslands were quickly turned to ash and dust, and the desiccating [[Winter magic]] threatened to spill over into [[Kahraman]] and [[Segura]]. The cause of the spreading desert was discovered to be a generations-old conspiracy of the ''Aldea di Tutamen'' family who had become awful harbingers of destruction called the Dry Patricians. Their awful threat was stopped by Imperial heroes, but the blight remained.

Then in Autumn 386YE, ritual magicians from every Freeborn [[tribe]] raised the wrath of the Scorrero river, causing it to [[Where the river rises|break its banks]] in a cataclysmic expression of [[Spring magic#Ruin|ruin]] and [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]]. A cleansing tide swept across the Great Grasses, washing away the remnants of the blight. In the process, however, the magical floods also transformed the southern reaches of the territory, leaving three new regions whose mysteries are still being carefully explored as the Summer Solstice 388YE dawns.

== Major Features ==
===Trajadoz===
The town of Trajadoz in north-western [[#Torres|Torres]] was founded roughly three hundred years ago by the Trajaduz family of traders who were intent on fostering trade between the mines of newly conquered [[Kahraman]] and the wealth of [[Sarvos]]. The most recent influx of townsfolk was during the invasion of [[Segura]] in 363YE. Since the reclamation of Segura in 378YE it stood mostly empty, save for a few bandits, as the Freeborn returned to their homes. Following the end of the rebellion in Marracoss and Emphedor Imperial fleet captains had an opportunity to [[Through_my_sails#Evacuation|evacuate some of the defeated rebels]]. Roughly a third of the refugees, offered sanctuary in the Empire, have [[Large_but_far_away#Asavea|taken up residence]] in the mostly abandoned town, and created a community.

The Marracossans (never Nemorians, and rarely accepting Asavean) are a disparate group; made up of priests and soldiers, crafters and traders. One of their number Leonorada Rousseau, [[Asavean_Archipelago#Religion|priest of Aseus]], has spent some time in the paradors of nearby [[#Calvos Sound|Calvos]]. They have made clear that they, and their community, like the Empire, and they like the town of Tradajoz. They wish to remain in the town, but Leonorada understands that the community's intent to continue following and worshipping their gods could lead to some unfortunate accusations. In Winter 384YE, the Imperial Senate [[Cede Trajadoz|ceded control of Trajadoz]] to the Nemorians. This has raised a few concerns among their neighbours as it frees them to build temples to their gods if they wish - and indeed to do anything else they want to do. You can read more about the Marracossans in the '''[[Large_but_far_away#Asavea|Large but far away]]''' wind of fortune.
===Calvos===
The bustling town of Calvos lies on the shores of [[#Calvos Sound|Calvos Sound]]. The slopes outside the town are rich with grapes, and the fine wines produced here travel all over the Empire. Even the sommeliers of the [[The League|League]] pay well for a Calvos vintage. The [[Paragons and Exemplars|exemplar]] [[Zemress|Zemress i Ezmara i Erigo]] was born here towards the end of the second century YE, and her ship ''The Kraken's Bane'' is housed at a special dry dock here. The ship is a destination for many pilgrims of [[Prosperity]] from as far afield as the [[Sumaah Republic]], as was the nearby [[Zemress#The_Seminary_of_Zemress|Seminary]] before it was destroyed in a [[Below_the_thunders#In_Roaring,_Rise|cataclysmic storm]]. Near the seminary ruins stands the [[Hand of Guerra#House of Guerra|House of Guerra]], a place dedicated to supporting refugees to the Empire, especially those who seek a new family among the Freeborn, and the [[#Zemress Naval Academy|Zemress Naval Academy]] (also known as the School of Blood and Brass) where the Freeborn study maritime warfare and the construction of warships.
===Quzar===
This bustling port town of white towers and stained glass is sometimes described as the soul of the Brass Coast and is one of the oldest permanent settlements in the nation. The Towers of Quzar are known as a gathering place for [[hakima]] from all across the nation - an annual "council" meets here every midsummer to share knowledge and gossip. Since the completion of the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]], a large community of hakima, including a significant number of refugees from Feroz, have taken up permanent residence here. The town is now best known for its community of magicians, especially those versed in [[Autumn magic]].

Like many of the coastal settlements in [[#Lightsea|Lightsea]], Quzar was plundered by the Grendel during their incursion toward the end of 381YE. The town was particularly hard hit by the orc raiders, with some damage to the buildings and significant damage to the wealth of the citizens. The town was also hard hit by the Children of Wrecks, especially during their 386YE [[Below the thunders|attacks]] against the Brass Coast. Flooding became a regular threat, especially given the awful weather that accompanied the followers of [[Siakha]], and today many of the coastal buildings in Quzar have built-in flood defences of one kind or another.

===Zemress Naval Academy===
[[#Calvos|Calvos]] is the final resting place of the Kraken's Bane, the legendary vessel captained by the exemplar [[Zemress]]. When people fled [[Feroz]] following the Grendel occupation, many of those who looked to Zemress chose to settle in Calvos, drawn by the [[Zemress#The_Seminary_of_Zemress|Seminary of Zemress]] (before it was destroyed). They swelled the ranks of the faithful and created a unique opportunity to build a ''School of Naval Warfare'' on the Coast. Similar to the ambitious [[Focused_and_methodical#The_School_of_Shipbuilding|School of Shipbuilding]] originally [[Focused_and_methodical#The_School_of_Shipbuilding|proposed for Siroc by Frederick di Sarvos]], it is more limited in its scope and focussed purely on teaching and research.

The school allows the Freeborn to delve deep into the practice and theory of [[navy|naval warfare]], allowing them to disseminate newly developed techniques across the Brass Coast and the Empire. Each year the researchers at the school present three possible [[Army qualities|qualities]] that new Imperial navies might be built with. The [[fleet|fleet owners]] of the Brass Coast are then able to vote on which quality they felt was most important - whichever quality wins becomes the focus on their research. Such research often takes a year or more, but once work is complete the Freeborn can again vote on what project to being next (researchers present a new quality to consider, usually alongside the two previously rejected options).

It's notable that several of visiting [[Sumaah]] präster pointed out that if the Empire were prepared to share any new naval techniques they learned with the Republic, then that would be very well received by their fellow adherents of the Way. The Sumaah apparently have two navies of their own, but they are outclassed by the Asaveans, in much the same way that the Empire struggle to compete with the Grendel navies. Redressing that balance would be a huge boost to diplomatic relations with the Sumaah.
{{Anchor|The Lyceum}}

=== The Lyceum (Hidden)===
The Lyceum was established during the reign of [[Empress Aenea]] on an island east of Siroc. It is a centre of arcane learning in the Empire, and the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] maintains sumptuous apartments here. Approach to the island is carefully controlled by the magicians and professors, and the most promising magicians are invited to study or teach there.

During the Winter Solstice 385YE, Imperial heroes [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Intercede_at_the_Lyceum_(Battle)|travelled to the Lyceum]] to protect its secrets from the Grendel who sought to claim them. In the process, they activated powerful wards that hid the island behind a wall of fog preventing barbarian or Imperial ships from reaching it. The walls were expected to remain until shortly before the Winter Solstice 386YE, but with both the Grendel and the Children of Wrecks threatening the college, the [[Conclave]] accepted an offer from [[Sadogua]] to help [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Alignment:_Sadogua,_Amity|keep the wards up for the time being]] with an eye towards finding a way to get people in and out, and perhaps make the misty wards permanent.

Shortly before Summer Solstice 387YE, Sadogua provided [[Sound_and_vision#A_Course_of_Shadows|plans]] for "''Gates of Shadow''"; a pair of gates that drew inspiration from the [[Liathaven#Paths_of_Lan_Thúven_(Gone)|Paths of Lan Thúven]]. Construction of these gates was [[Construct_Path_to_the_Lyceum|announced]] by '''Amalia Vicente''', as the [[Arcane Architect]], during the Spring Equinox 388YE and work was completed in [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]] just three months later.

===Atalaya===
The town of Atalaya in [[#Free Landing|Free Landing]] marks the place where the Brass Coast was born; the first landing of the three sisters and their families. Built around the side of a secluded cove, the seas around the island that share its name are a navigational nightmare. Before the [[#The Shining Pillar (Destroyed)|Shining Pillar]] was built, reaching the hidden docks of Atalaya was a feat to tax the most skilled ship's crews. Today, the landwards channel has been widened but is protected by hidden obstructions that only the Freeborn pilots know well. Atalaya is also known for its deep natural harbour - many ships of the Freeborn fleet count Atalaya as their home port.

Atalaya is the oldest Freeborn settlement in the Brass Coast, but its prominence was eclipsed centuries ago by [[#Lightsea|Quzar]]. Today, it is a place of pilgrimage for many Freeborn followers of [[the Way]] - there are a number of shrines and temples dedicated to [[Pride]] and [[Vigilance]] here. The [[Vizier_of_the_Incarnadine_Satchel#School of the Sanguine Bloom|School of the Sanguine Bloom]], one of the most prestigious schools dedicated to herb-lore in the Brass Coast also stands here, founded long ago by Sameen i Riqueza, youngest daughter of [[Riqueza]] herself.

With the rise of the [[Children of Wrecks]], the oldest settlement of the Freeborn was lost to the nation. The museums were looted, and the once beautiful town transformed into a den of pirates. When the Iron Confederacy [[Phantasms_and_foam|launched their invasion]] of Free Landing in Summer 388YE, they were supported by corsair ships. As part of the arrangement, these vessels were able to recover some of the relics and manuscripts still in Atalaya and transport them to the safety of Calvos and Quzar. Now under the dominion of the Suranni, the future of Atalaya remains uncertain.

===Freeborn Flame Marina===
Work began on the [[Construct_Atalaya_Harbour|reconstruction]] of Atalaya harbour following an opportunity [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Atalaya|presented]] after the National Assembly of the Brass Coast called on the people of Feroz to flee the territory rather than suffer under the hands of the Grendel. Work was completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 385YE and the abundance of willing, talented shipwrights meant [[fleet|fleets]] were more easily upgradeable, at least until the Brass Coast reclaim Feroz. Unfortunately, along with Atalaya, the Freeborn Flame Marina is currently in the hands of the Children of Wrecks.

On the harbour, looking out to sea, are a number of statues each one different but reminiscent of contemporary Freeborn.

===Sunset Roads===
{{Anchor|South-West Roads}}With encouragement from the notoriously sea-averse Faraden, a grand highway connects Siroc with Calvos, cutting across the territory rather than following the coast. A shorter road runs along the northern banks of the Scorrero, crossing just north of [[Segura#Cerevado|Cerevado]] in [[Segura]] via a beautiful arched bridge of white granite. While the road is used extensively by the Faraden, it also serves to cut the journey time from the northern borders of Madruga to the trading city of Siroc, making it a popular route for Freeborn and League merchants as well.

The Sunset Roads are a [[great work]] that complement the already existing [[Lorenzo's Legacy#Blood Red Roads|Blood Red Roads]], bringing increased prosperity to the owners of [[farm|farms]] and [[business|businesses]] in Madruga.

=== The Spider's Dream ===
An elegant bridge spans the river Vassa, connecting [[#Torres|Torres]] to the town of [[Sarvos#Bocche|Trivento]] in Sarvos. It is a marvellous piece of engineering that resembles a spider's web. The [[Spider%27s_Tollkeep#The_Spider%27s_Dream|Spider's Dream]] has significant strategic importance - without it armies cannot cross the Vassa between Sarvos and Madruga without going north and passing through Tassato and the Mournwold. It is overseen by the [[Spider%27s_Tollkeep|Spider's Tollkeep]], an [[Imperial title]] uniquely appointed by both the [[senator|senators]] of the League and the Brass Coast together.

The Spider's Dream was once severely damaged by the [[Jotun]], but has since been extensively rebuilt and fortified.

==Regions==
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=MadrugaBorders.png|caption=A very rough region map of pre-transformation Madruga|align=right|width=600}}</div>
===Calvos Sound===
* '''Quality:''' Coastal
The town of [[#Calvos|Calvos]] stands on the shores of Calvos Sound; the entire [[territory#regions|region]] is named for the great shallow bay that cuts into the eastern shores of the Brass Coast. The waters of the Sound are prime fishing grounds, and the surrounding slopes are known for their rich agriculture, especially grapes, grapefruits, and pomegranates. At the end of the [[Imperial_history#.28281_YE_-_300_YE.29_The_Second_Interregnum|second interregnum]], Calvos Sound was the site of a vicious engagement between [[Grendel]] raiders and the forces of the [[Red_Wind_Corsairs#History|Red Wind Corsairs]]. Despite catastrophic losses, the Freeborn army held. Close to breaking they were forced to retreat, but the campaign achieved its purpose by convincing the nations of the south that the threat from the Grendel was real, events that would eventually lead to the elevation of [[Empress Deanne]]. To this day, many of the people of Calvos Sound have a notable antipathy for the orcs of the Broken Shore.
===Lightsea===
* '''Quality:''' Coastal
A well-settled region known for the friendliness of its [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests#Paradors|paradors]]. The largest settlement here is '''Quzar''', a bustling port town of white towers and stained glass that is sometimes described as the soul of the Brass Coast. Many of the coastal settlements here were plundered by the Grendel during their incursion toward the end of 381YE. Quzar in particular was hard hit by the orc raiders, with some damage to the town and significant damage to the wealth of the citizens. A year later, toward the end of 382YE, potent magic [[The_mystic,_the_willful#Miracles_in_Lightsea|restored the town]], wiping away any sign the Grendel were ever there.

Standing at the boundary of the town is a shining white granite statue of '''Umbar i Elba Stardo i Guerra''', bedecked in a gleaming crown and baring his open chest. Its plaque reads: "''Umbar visited Bastion and exemplified Pride in all things. 388 Year of the Empire''"

===Torres===
* '''Quality:''' Foreigners (Marracossans)
The northernmost region of Madruga, and one end of the [[#The Spider's Dream|Spider's Dream]]. The land here is a little more rugged than in the southern regions, and the climate is generally cooler. The people who dwell here share some of the reputation of the miners of [[Kahraman]]; as being suspicious and quarrelsome. Partly this reputation might be a result of regular clashes between Freeborn traders and [[the League|League]] merchants out of [[Sarvos]]. A regular 'problem' for the inhabitants is that League merchants would prefer to travel south to the more prosperous towns of the eastern coast to sell their wares, bypassing the markets of Torres. It is shameful to admit, but there are more incidents of brigandry against League caravans in Torres than in almost any other area around the Bay of Catazar. When such incidents get out of hand, the [[Spider's Tollkeep]] is often prevailed upon to sort them out.

The town of [[#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]] is found in the north-west of Torres. Formerly a home to Freeborn displaced from Kahraman and Segura, it is now home to a very different group of refugees - Marracossan exiles from the [[Asavean Archipelago]].

===Free Landing===
* '''Qualities:''' Coastal, Island
The sprawling islands that form the region of Free Landing are diverse and well-settled. The islands here were the first home of the Freeborn - the town of [[#Atalaya|Atalaya]] marks the spot where the Brass Coast proper began. When the Grendel invaded Madruga in Winter 381YE, they looted many precious relics from the town of Atalaya and burnt the shipyard there to the ground. In the process, they destroyed the Freeborn [[navy|navy]], the Freeborn Storm.

The waters between the islands have a reputation for being treacherous and difficult for foreign captains; during the reign of [[Empress Aenea]] the Empire built a great lighthouse here called '''[[#The Shining Pillar (Destroyed)|the Shining Pillar]]''', which was [[The_cry_of_gulls#The_Darkened_Beacon|destroyed]] by forces loyal to the eternal [[Siakha]] during the Winter Solstice 385YE. In its place, a perpetual churning maelstrom appeared, serving as a way for servants of the eternal to enter the mortal world and providing [[fortification|significant protection]] to the Wreckers' claim to the island. In Summer 388YE, [[Iron Confederacy]] forces [[Phantasms_and_foam|assailed Free Landing]], destroying the Children of Wrecks and closing the Maw of Siakha. They did so with the aid of Freeborn corsairs, who took the opportunity to recover as many of the treasures of Atalaya lost to the Wreckers as possible.

The waters around Free Landing have become treacherous due to the presence of dozens of immature kraken hatched in the waters by the Children of Wrecks. As a result, the region has gained the '''island''' quality, it cannot be attacked by armies unless each army is accompanied by a navy capable of conveying the soldiers across.{{Anchor|Great Grasses}}

===Quiet Grasses===
* '''Qualities:''' Quiet
The Great Grasses were consumed by the Blight, but have now been restored thanks to the surging Spring waters. They are marked not only from the flooding of the Scorrero, but from a year or more of gentle rain conjured with [[Regrow the Land's Heart]]. Where once there was a sea of jade and emerald grasses, and then a lifeless desert of ash and dust, there is now a profusion of plants and flowers. The grass is different to that which grew before, standing easily taller than the tallest soldier and remarkably resistant to damage. Where the thickets of grass are densest, it is slow going trying to make headway and all too easy to get lost. In addition to the grasses, there are large numbers of broad, open meadows covered in ''flameblooms'' - a mass of previously unseen flowers that grow in a profusion of shapes and a riot of reds, oranges, yellows, and an extremely rare white petalled variety.

There is an odd silence to the Grasses now. The grasses seem to eat sounds, causing the cries of circling hawks to fall flat, and even the blaring of horns sounds tinny and can be heard over comparatively short distances. Even the wind whispers as it flows across the plains. Some scouts tagged the place as the "Quiet Grasses," and while the name may have begun as a wry commentary, it has quickly spread. Magicians say that this silence is partly due to a lingering touch of Winter magic - not the harsher resonances of [[Winter_magic#Death|death]] or [[Winter_magic#Survival|survival]] but something less tangible - a sense of sadness, loss, or perhaps the [[Winter_magic#Wisdom|wisdom]] that comes from an awareness of [[Winter magic#Ending|ending]], tinged with the wistfulness for the [[Winter_magic#Preservation|way things were before]].

{{Anchor|Siroc Plains}}
===Siroc Bayou===
* '''Qualities:''' Marsh, Coastal, Ruins, Wild, Underpopulated, Enigmatic
The region that was once Siroc Plains is now the [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]]. Slow moving streams and lakes of brackish water characterise the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayou bayou]. The river itself, and the gulf between Madruga and Feroz, teem with fish and other creatures. The fury of the Scorrero, already mitigated by the Crucible, loses itself in meandering, shifting streams as it makes its way to the [[Bay of Catazar]]. Here and there, ruined Freeborn settlements and structures emerge from the marshes, or stand surrounded by still pools of water. Even though the flooding that transformed the region are quite recent, many of these ruins look as if they have stood in the marshes for decades, heavily overgrown with odd plant growths. Others are more intact, often serving as lairs for the transformed creatures of the marsh. When the river rose, this region was under control of the Grendel, and [[Below_the_thunders#The_Latter_Fire|battle raged]] between the orcs and Imperial forces. The Grendel have since withdrawn almost all their forces, but there are still signs of abandoned encampments here. Some of the Broken Shore troops were left behind as well, and it seems that in the absence of any easy means of escape they have taken up banditry.

In Summer 388YE, the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] began the [[Phantasms and foam|slow conquest]] of Siroc Bayou, discovering more wonders and mysteries in the process.

The City of Sails, poor ruined [[Madruga#Siroc (Ruined)|Siroc]], is now lost beneath the waters of the Bay, or consumed by the marsh. There is no chance of rebuilding - there is little left to rebuild on. There is apparently some interest in the [[Sarcophan Delves]] in [[Hyenas_and_herbs#Hyenas_Under_Sail|purchasing salvage rights]] to the ruins, but only once the [[Children of Wrecks]] problem is resolved.

===Crucible===
* '''Qualities:''' Marsh, Wild, Underpopulated, Enigmatic
The new region of Madruga, north of the Scorrero, was once the southern Great Grasses and the western Siroc Plains. This place has been most obviously transfigured by the unleashed magic, and the odd haze reported by scouts is most pronounced here. Even the least magical explorer can sense that there is magic here; a mixture of Spring magic from the flood and the influence of [[Ossegrahn]], or Night magic tinged by the gifts of [[Azoth]], and even a hint of lingering [[Winter magic]] from the Dry Patricians and their Blight. There are reports of a few Grendel camps here as well, scouts trapped behind enemy lines when the flood rushed in.

Scouts report that this area is where the peculiar ''marsh flowers'', some of which possess magical properties, are most abundant. There also seem to be spontaneously occurring sources of [[vis]] here - [[Vis#Warm Honey|warm honey]], [[Vis#Heart's Blood|heart's blood]], and [[Vis#Crystal_Fire|crystal fire]]. In addition, there are a number of oddities - things that either were not here before of have been changed so much as to be effectively new. There is apparently a tower that rises out of the river itself and changes subtly over a course of several days, which puts viewers in mind of a lighthouse despite being miles from the Bay of Catazar. There is a standing pool of ebony water that does not reflect humans or orcs; anything staring into it sees only a monstrous image of themselves. A fountain in the courtyard of an old parador that once stood by the road along the banks of the Scorrero that now flows with rainbow waters; drinking from them by moonlight can prompt a transformation in unlineaged humans such that they unpredictably gain [[briar]], [[naga]] or [[draughir]] [[lineage]].

==Strategic Considerations==
* '''The damage to the bridges along the Scorrero prevents movement between Madruga and both Feroz and Segura'''
The damage to almost all the bridges along the Scorrero means that it is effectively impossible for an [[Army|army]] to move between Madruga and both [[Feroz]] and [[Segura]] (or vice versa). More information can be found in the '''[[Where_the_river_rises#Crossing|Where the river rises]]''' wind of fortune.
==Special Qualities==
===Enigmatic===
* '''Rituals and curses cast on enigmatic regions will be unpredictable and may have more powerful effects'''
* '''Rituals and curses cast on territories with an enigmatic region may be unpredictable or have more powerful effects'''
* '''Such rituals can be made permanent using 2 rings of ilium per magnitude rather than 3'''
* '''Any commission in an enigmatic region can substitute wains of mithril for weirwood or white granite on a one-for-one basis'''
Two of the new regions are marked with a unique quality - ''Enigmatic''. This means the areas are infused with magic of Spring, Winter, and Night. As a consequence, any magic from those realms that operates on the territory level (or the Empire level), or targets the region with this quality, may have unexpected effects. This is not guaranteed - sometimes the ritual will have no noticeable extra impact. Sometimes, however, the impact of the magic will be enhanced in some way - more powerful or more extreme than expected. Even the wisest Unfettered Mind can't say more than that. ('''OOC Note:''' A ritual enchantment or curse will always at least equal or exceed its normal mechanical effect. The magic might be altered but it would never simply be the same effect but ''less'' powerful.)

Any Spring, Winter, or Night ritual that targets a region with a specific quality can target Crucible or Siroc Bayou. For example, even though neither region has the [[forest]] quality, both can be targeted with [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] or [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]]. The form the magic takes may be transformed or altered in unpredictable ways (for example, [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] cast on one of these regions is likely to cause a cloud of toxic marsh fog rather than volcanic gas).

If [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] is cast on a region with the enigmatic quality, the victory points necessary to claim the region are increased by fifteen, up from ten.

If [[The Basalt Citadel]] or [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] are cast on a region with the enigmatic quality, the resulting battalion or wards will be enhanced such that they provide an additional one thousand effective strength, to four thousand or five thousand strength, respectively.

If the [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil|Penumbral Veil]] is drawn over a territory where at least one region has the enigmatic quality, its effective magnitude is increased by 10 - the same would apply to any [[Vale of Shadows]] created anywhere in Madruga.

Any territory-wide enchantment or curse, or enchantment or curse targeting one of the two regions is easier to [[Ilium#Using_ilium_in_rituals|make permanent]]. Rather than requiring three rings of [[ilium]] for each magnitude of the effect, it only requires ''two'' rings of ilium per magnitude. The Unfettered Mind scholars warn that this should be approached with some caution - enchantments and curses are rarely meant to be made permanent and experimentation should be done on the understanding that there will be unlooked for side effects. In particular they warn against assuming that a ritual that works one way when cast on Madruga will have the same effect if made permanent with ilium. It might... but it is impossible to be sure given the wildness of the magic coalescing here. Also, if recent events have shown nothing else, this warning is even more significant when dealing with an effect that draws on the power of an eternal.

Any commission built in an enigmatic region can take advantage of the strange magical qualities of the region to substitute mithril for white granite or weirwood on a one-for-one basis. The amount of mithril used must be specified in the details of the commission; it cannot be substituted later. The necessary details should include a description of how mithril, and Freeborn glass, replace traditional building materials. All such structures will have elements of the weird and uncanny about them. Construction that arises from an [[opportunity]] may or may not be possible in an ''enigmatic'' region - the best thing to do is to email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] to confirm it is possible.

Finally, during any trip through the [[Sentinel Gate]] that involves an encounter in Madruga, any participating character with the [[Magical skills#Magician|magician]] skill finds that they have two additional personal mana available. These mana points are the first used when spellcasting, and cannot be replenished. They last until used, or until the next sunrise. The bonus mana is gained only once in the rare situation where the same magician visits Siroc Bayou or Crucible more than once during a summit.

===Quiet===
* '''It is not possible to create a commission that produces liao in a region with the quiet quality or any commission that has a musical basis'''
* '''It is not possible to create an inspirational location in this region'''
* '''Any conjunctions in this region will experience the "quiet" roleplaying effect'''
* '''Appraisal could be used to find ways to exploit the benefits of the quiet region'''
The Quiet Grasses have the ''quiet'' quality. Sounds are a little muted here, and even loud noises fall off more swiftly. Passions and emotions are also muted in a similar fashion, causing travellers and settlers to feel a little more restrained. It's easy and satisfying to embrace emotions such as sadness, sorrow, or regret. These effects are not especially overt - only sensitive individuals are really aware of them. It is, however, impossible to create a [[commission]] that produces [[liao]] in a region with the quiet quality, or any commission that has a musical basis. Inspirational locations cannot be created in such a region, and conjunctions here will experience the "quiet" roleplaying effect. This means that during a skirmish or encounter in a region with the Quiet quality, a character with [[Heroic skills#Hero|hero points]] must have a [[Roleplaying_effects#Overcoming_Roleplaying_Effects|source of spiritual strength]] (or spend a hero point) to overcome the roleplaying effect, or they cannot spend hero points to power their abilities or magic items.

An [[appraisal]] could be used to find ways to exploit the benefits of a quiet region.

===Wild===
* '''A wild region is harder for armies to conquer, requiring 15 rather than 10 victory points to take the region'''
Crucible and Siroc Bayou have the ''Wild'' quality. The land itself defies easy conquest - so much so that each region will require a total of 15 victory points, rather than the more usual 10, to conquer. The good news is that this difficulty will persist - anyone attempting to conquer these regions in the future will face additional challenges.

===Underpopulated ===
* '''These regions will not contribute to army supply unless the quality is removed'''
The two southern regions of the new marsh also have the [[Send_for_me#Underpopulated|underpopulated]] quality, and it is tricky to see how that might be removed. The regions are rich, but they defy easy habitation. The people who once lived here have fled Grendel occupation, dire thirst, and the raging river - most have found new homes in northern Madruga. The marshes are also an environment alien to most Freeborn people. Exploring the marshes and claiming the odd wonders there is certainly possible, but it will be a significant undertaking to encourage people to permanently settle in these regions. Siroc Bayou is the best bet for removing this quality, perhaps finding a way to merge traditional Freeborn architecture with such innovations as Kallavesi stilt-dwellings, or establishing a settlement built on pontoons. Even so, there's no chance of such a settlement reaching the size of a city such as Siroc. Trying to populate Crucible will be even harder, if it is even possible.
<div style="float:left; width: 450px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Eulàlia i Phovas i Riqueza.jpg|caption='''Eulàlia i Phovas i Riqueza''', Senator for Madruga|align=left|width=500}}</div>
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Madruga|Territory=Madruga|Season=Winter}}
==OOC Notes==
* As of the start of the Summer Solstice 388YE, the Iron Confederacy controls Free Landing, the Brass Coast controls Calvos Sound, Lightsea, Torres, Siroc Bayou, and Quiet Grasses. Crucible is uncontrolled. Madruga is an Imperial territory.
* The territory has regions with several odd qualities, most significantly the [[#Enigmatic|enigmatic]] quality that affects commissions and ritual effects across the whole of Madruga. The '''[[Made_anew#Sing_of_Tides|Made Anew]]''' wind of fortune contains more detail of the peculiar inhabitants of the southern marshes
* [[Business|Businesses]] in the territory benefit from the Sunset Roads and Municipal Docks and produce an extra 72 rings each season.
* [[Farm|Farms]] in the territory benefit from the Sunset Roads and produce an extra 36 rings each season.
* [[Fleet|Fleets]] in the territory benefit from the Municipal Docks and benefit from an additional rank when engaging in a [[Fleet#Questing|quest]], [[Fleet#Raiding|raid]], or [[Fleet#Trading|trade]]
* The Municipal Docks are a rank one fortification in Calvos Sound.


==Lost and Ruined==
{{Anchor|Siroc}}
=== Siroc (Ruined) ===
The Sapphire, the City of a Thousand Sails, was acknowledged as the pre-eminent city of the Freeborn. The city was said to have been founded by the [[Guerra]] family shortly after the Freeborn came to the Brass Coast. It lay in Madruga close by the border with [[Feroz]]. Brightly coloured tents extended Siroc out far beyond the small cluster of stone buildings that made up the heart of the city. Sails of all shapes and sizes filled the sheltered bay, which was guarded by a series of iron woven nets and chains bought at great expense from the forges of Wintermark.

Siroc was the site of the '''Glass Parador''', where the [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] held court. It was also the location of the ''Parador of the Kindled Flame'', an [[folly|orphanage]] whose [[Construct Parador of the Kindled Flame|construction]] was overseen by '''Laughlan Vi Temeschwar''', the first [[Master of Rings]]. One of only a small number of permanent stone structures of any size in the City of a Thousand Sails, it was surprisingly understated and utilitarian with the only notable decoration being a small plaque at the entrance bearing the legend “''In Virtue we remember those who watch over others''", and a list of names of those who helped construct the sanctuary.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Parador.jpg|caption=The City of A Thousand Sails was home to many fine paradors.|title=Art by Beth Dooner|align=right|width=500}}
It was also the site of the [[#Commonwealth Embassy (Ruined)|Commonwealth Embassy]], a severe structure that represented the Commonwealth's diplomatic relationship with the Empire.

The city prospered for centuries, but following the Autumn Equinox 385YE it was [[A beacon of smoke|burned to the ground]] by the Grendel and their [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] allies, apparently in retaliation for the Empire's role in the [[Mosaic|destruction of the city of Chalonsio]] in Asavea. While some of the stone buildings survived, the majority of the structures were wood and canvas, and were destroyed by fire. The transforming flood that swept through the territory towards the end of 386YE sealed Siroc's fate - those ruins not sinking into marsh mud are lost beneath the waters of the Bay, and any hope of restoring the city to its former glory is gone.
===Commonwealth Embassy (Ruined)===
The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth|Commonwealth Embassy]] was located in [[#Siroc (Ruined)|Siroc]]. It consisted of several buildings built after the severe Commonwealth style, which stood in beautifully laid out and maintained gardens, surrounded by a low white granite wall. Despite the severity of the architecture, the embassy was surprisingly welcoming - the gates stood permanently open, albeit under the watchful gaze of a cadre of Commonwealth soldiers attached to the staff of ambassador Mila Eisenfalke. The majority of the staff were human, although there were apparently half a dozen orcs whose role on the ambassadorial staff is not clear. There were no daeva citizens working at the embassy as far as Imperial observers can make out. When the city of Siroc was attacked by the Grendel and their Asavean allies, almost all the soldiers garrisoned here perished while fighting bravely alongside the Freeborn defenders of the Salt Guard.
===The Salt Guard (Ruined)===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Destruction of the Shining Pillar.jpg|caption=The destruction of the Shining Pillar was heartbreaking for many Freeborn.|title=Art by Juniper Orton|align=right|width=450}}
A grand [[fortification]] [[The_same_bed#The_Salt_Guard|designed]] by Menno van Ritsjhof comprised of two stout fortifications on either side of the bay along the approach to Siroc. Each fort is equipped with powerful trebuchet and catapults. A garrison of skilled mariners and corsairs ensures the towers are always ready to respond to any threat, and with the significant reinforcement of the existing iron chains and nets that guard the harbour they are extremely effective against shore offensives. He believes that not only will a sea assault against Siroc be made nigh impossible, but that the garrisons of the two towers would also be in a position to protect the Lyceum which lies to the south-east of Siroc proper.
{{anchor|The Atalaya Shipyards}}

===The Atalaya Shipyards (Ruined)===
Following a [[Construct_Madruga_shipyard|motion]] at the first [[Senate]] session in Winter 376YE, work began to expand the docks of Atalaya. Under the guidance of Miroslav, Senator for the [[The League|League]] city of [[Sarvos]], many wains of white granite and weirwood were committed to building both a massive seawall, and a great Imperial shipyard equipped with drydocks, powerful cranes for loading and unloading, and expanded warehouses and work spaces. Completed shortly before Autumn 377YE, the shipyard provided significant benefits to the Freeborn [[fleet|ships]] based in Madruga. In addition, the facilities here proved sufficient to allow the construction of the first [[navy]] since the days of [[Emperor Barabbas]]; [[Raise_Freeborn_navy|work]] began on constructing Freeborn vessels in Winter 378YE.

It is perhaps fitting that when the [[Grendel]] invaded Madruga after the Autumn Equinox 381YE, and [[381YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_war#To_Fool_The_Crowd|destroyed the shipyard]] the Freeborn Storm was [[Navy_orders#Put_to_Port|put to port]] and shared the same fiery fate as the docks where it was created.
===The Shining Pillar (Destroyed)===
Built in [[#Free Landing|Free Landing]], this massive white-and-gold tower was one of the most prominent landmarks in the Empire. It was often adopted by Freeborn sailors as a symbol of the Brass Coast as a whole; when they can see the beacon of the Shining Pillar, they knew they were home. The grand lighthouse echoed the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lighthouse_of_Alexandria Lighthouse of Alexandria] in design, rather than more modern tall cylindrical towers, and was constructed of white granite. Mithril mirrors captured and amplified the light of the fire burning atop it, which was kept burning by a cadre of attendants who lived in the tower.

During the Grendel [[A beacon of smoke|invasion of Madruga]] in Winter 385YE, the Shining Pillar was [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|annihilated]] by the servants of [[Siakha]], and the [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Objective:_Rescue_the_Beacon_Watch|Beacon Watch]] were slaughtered. The terrible rites performed there not only destroyed the lighthouse and drowned the rocky island on which it was built, but they [[The_cry_of_gulls#The_Darkened_Beacon|apparently tore open]] a terrible maelstrom, something akin to a [[fane]] for Siakha allowing the eternal to send their servants to the [[Bay of Catazar]]. Where once a shining beacon stood, a terrible maw now gapes.

==Further Reading==
* [[Phantasms and foam]] - 388YE wind of war about conquest in Madruga
* [[Made anew]] - 386YE Winter wind of fortune concerning the changes to Madruga in the wake of the river rising
* [[Where the river rises]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune detailing the rising of the Scorrero

Tally of the Votes

2026-10-28T21:47:05Z

Responsible1: /* Schedule */

<quote by="Giovanni, The Throne">I prefer coins to people. Coins only have two faces.</quote>
==Overview==
At each summit the Bourse selects citizens to fill most national positions through the Tally of the Votes. The Tally applies to the majority of Bourse titles that are national positions; the Imperial seats and two League national positions are elected by [[Auction of the Seats]].

Participation in the Tally of the Votes is open to all Imperial citizens who have an eligible resource. To support the process, the civil service providing a voting bond to each eligible citizen, with their name, how many votes they hold, the titles they can support and the times of the election.

==Voting==
* '''The civil service distribute voting bonds to all eligible citizens'''
* '''Your bond has the date of issue, your name, how many votes you have and what titles you can vote for printed on it'''
* '''Voting Bonds are only valid are the summit where they are issued'''
* '''If you have a bond then you can use it to vote in the elections or give it to anyone for them to use'''
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 400px; width: 50%;">
<table>
<tr><th>Nation</th><th>Location</th></tr>
<tr><td>Brass Coast</td><td>Waypoint</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Glory Square</td></tr>
<tr><td>Highguard</td><td>Chapel</td></tr>
<tr><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Fire Pit</td></tr>
<tr><td>League</td><td>The Plaza</td></tr>
<tr><td>Marches</td><td>Community Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Navarr</td><td>Standing Circle</td></tr>
<tr><td>Urizen</td><td>Near Net of Heaven</td></tr>
<tr><td>Varushka</td><td>Central Hearth</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Tree of Names</td></tr>
</table></div>
If a nation has one or more Imperial titles to elect through the Bourse then the Civil Service provide each eligible citizen of that nation who is attending Anvil that summit with a bond, a printed document that certifies the number of votes held by that citizen. To be eligible, a citizen must [[#Votes|possess an appropriate personal resource]]. If you are issued with a bond it will have your name on it as well as how many votes you have and what titles they can be used to support. It will also have the date of the summit it was issued at - bonds are only valid at the summit where they are issued.

All tally of the votes elections are held on the Saturday afternoon of each summit. The Imperial civil servants will visit each nation in turn to conduct the elections. If you have a bond you can either attend the election in person to cast your votes or pass the bond to another party to use. A bond is considered to be your legal property - it is legal for a citizen to sell or transfer your bond to any other citizen or foreigner, although only a citizen of the appropriate nation can hold a title.

The civil service will visit each nation in turn at times [[Event schedule|published in advance of each summit]] to conduct the elections. Titles are elected in published order, with the [[Agent of the Bourse]] inviting eligible candidates to present themselves. At the start of the election for each title, all candidates must complete a slip provided by the Agent, stating their name, and how many votes they have gathered. These sealed bids are submitted to the Agent who will then invite the candidate with the strongest claim - the highest total number of votes on their bonds - to step forward and present their voting bonds. The Agent will take all their bonds, count up the votes, and provided they have sufficient legal votes in excess of any other claim, they will be declared the winner.

All the votes of the winner will be destroyed, anyone who has not won the election is entitled to keep their votes. Voting will then proceed to remaining titles. This means that if more than one title is being elected, then any citizen who is unsuccessful can use the votes they hold for a subsequent election, if they wish to do so.

It is possible for a representative to present the voting bonds of behalf of a candidate who is not present, but it is important to note that a proxy cannot collect any [[#Production|production]]. Any resources that the winner is eligible to collect will be added to their inventory if they are not physically present to collect them.

==Schedule==
The major Bourse seats operate to a schedule dictated by the materials produced. For example, all titles focussed on the production of white granite are elected at the Summer Solstice each year

* [[Weirwood]] seats are re-elected at the Winter Solstice.
* [[Ilium]] seats and the [[Master of the Imperial Mint]] are re-elected at the Spring Equinox.
* [[White granite]] seats are re-elected at the Summer Solstice.
* [[Mithril]] seats are re-elected at the Autumn Equinox.

The elections for other titles are spread across the year by the Civil Service to ensure a smooth process. A list of seats to be appointed at the upcoming event can be found on the [[Recent history|recent history]] page and on notices in the Hub. Once appointed, the new seat holders are announced via the Bourse noticeboard in the Hub.

Where multiple national titles are being elected at the same events, the elections are conducted in the order published below based on the civil service assessment of their prominence. Occasionally, the election date for a title will need to be moved to smooth administration and keep elections competitive. Where this happens, an election with a short term of office will be carried out the next time the title is elected, so that the re-election falls at the correct summit in future.

<table>
<tr><th>Nation</th><th>Winter</th><th>Spring</th><th>Summer</th><th>Autumn</th></tr>
<tr><td>'''Brass Coast'''</td><td>[[Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel]]<br>[[Hakima of the Rippling Marshes]]<br>[[Marracossa Sendito]]</td><td>[[Broken Shore Bounty]]<br>[[Cerevado Nets]]<br>[[Dhomiro of Afar]]<br>[[Quaymaster of the Municipal Docks]]</td><td>[[Hakima of Salt and Sand]]<br>[[Corsair of Oran]]<br>[[Mistress of the Glass Parador]]</td><td>[[The Red Depths]]<br>[[Mistress of the Dust Parador]]<br>[[Dhomiro of the Cinnabar Hills]]<br>[[Chief Wrangler]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Dawn'''</td><td></td><td></td><td>[[Reeve of Drycastle]]<br>[[Envoy to the Karass]]</td><td>[[Castellan of Spiral Castle]]<br>[[Reeve of Boar's Market]]<br>[[Merchant of the Fangs]]<br>[[Warden of the Weary]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Highguard'''</td><td></td><td>[[Bursar of the House of Spirits]]<br>[[Exarch of Virtue's Rest]]<br>[[Steward of the Ossuary]]</td><td>[[Vigilant Swan]]<br>[[Cinderpath Custodian]]</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Imperial Orcs'''</td><td>[[Shepherd of the Southern Herd]]<br>[[Keeper of the Bronze Bowls]]<br>[[Steward of the Mines of Gulhule]]<br>[[Four Seasons' Boneweaver]]</td><td>[[Steel Fist]]<br>[[Bonesetter of Torfast Trading Post]]</td><td></td><td>[[Sorrowful Tunnels]]<br>[[Legion Engineer]]<br>[[Preceptor of the Skarsind College of Warcasting]]<br>[[Bonesetter of the Delving Market]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''The League'''</td><td>[[Master of Rings]]<br>[[Chair of the Wolf]]</td><td>[[Custodian of the Assayer's Guild]]</td><td>[[Northbound Trademaster]]<br>[[Keeper of the Tome]]</td><td>[[Vardstein Vandal]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''The Marches'''</td><td>[[Steward of Good Leaf Gardens]]<br>[[Bailiff of the Grand Market]]<br>[[Keeper of the Breadbasket]]</td><td></td><td>[[Stone Smith]]<br>[[Reeve of the Happiston Mana Exchange]]</td><td>[[Singing Caves]]<br>[[Alder of Meade]]<br>[[Master of the Root and Stem]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Navarr'''</td><td>[[Broker of Thorns]]<br>[[Broker of the Invisible Cord]]</td><td></td><td>[[Broker of Treji Wayhouse]]</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Urizen'''</td><td>[[Gloaming Merchant]]<br>[[Architect of Illumination]]<br>[[Architect of the Conscious River]]</td><td></td><td>[[Arch of the Sky]]<br>[[Quaymaster of the Hesychian Docks]]<br>[[Architect of the Crucible]]<br>[[Custodian of the Bleak Tower]]</td><td>[[Brilliant Star]]<br>[[Architect of Hammers]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Varushka'''</td><td>[[Harbourmaster of the Semmerlak]]<br>[[Eagle of Triosk]]<br>[[Overseer of the Westward Road]]<br>[[Warden of the Trees and Hills]]<br>[[Speaker to the Leshun]]</td><td>[[Gift of the Dwindling Star]]<br>[[Merchant-Boyar of the Stinking Market]]<br>[[Merchant Boyar of the Bittershore]]<br>[[Custodian of Ivarsgard Docks]]</td><td>[[Granites of Veltsgorsk]]<br>[[Boyar of the Iron Roads]]<br>[[Keeper of the Bonehives]]<br>[[Custodian of the Shchaslyvyy Spile]]</td><td>[[Eternal Shafts of Time]]<br>[[Bargainer of the Iron Tower]]<br>[[Merchant Boyar of the Light Market]]<br>[[Tolvoli Butcher]]<br>[[Volhov of the Wyrding Tower]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Wintermark'''</td><td></td><td>[[Mediator of Wreck]]<br>[[Talon of Kauppahall]]<br>[[Mediator of Fisk]]</td><td>[[Dean of Runesmith's Caution]]</td><td>[[Pride of Ikka's Tears]]<br>[[Keeper of the Runegrott]]<br>[[Kalpaheim Tradeholder]]</td></tr>
</table>

==Selection==
An Imperial citizen must be a member of the appropriate nation to hold a national Bourse seat and it must be the only Imperial title they control.

All national titles elected through the bourse are re-elected annually. If the title is elected at the normal summit each year then the chosen citizen serves for one year until the start of the equivalent summit one year later.

If a national Bourse seat becomes vacant outside the normal election cycle (due to death, resignation, or excommunication of the title holder) then the seat is elected at the following summit. In this case, the winning citizen will only serve for the remaining term. The title becomes vacant again at the normal point in the election cycle.

==Votes==
<div style="float:right; width: 500px;"><box>'''Determining the votes'''<br>
Voting for a national bourse position depends on ownership of a specific [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resource]]. A personal resource provides 10 votes, plus an extra 2 votes for each time it has been upgraded. You receive the average of these votes for ''each season'' during the previous year that the resource was active. Only the actual rank of the resource counts in this calculation. [[Enchantment|Enchantments]], [[curse|curses]], penalties or bonuses for downtime effects and so on have no effect.

Brand new characters who have the appropriate personal resource are assumed to have had that resource for the previous year (and taken the appropriate action in the case of the Imperial Orcs). Likewise, players with the resource who have missed an event similarly receive votes for events they did not attend. We've made this rule for game balance reasons - so that new characters and players unable to attend every event are not unfairly penalised.</box></div>

The Bourse appoints national positions by vote of members of that nation who hold the resources traditional for that nation. For example, a League position in the Bourse is usually elected by vote of League business owners. Each citizen who owned the right resource receives a number of votes proportional to the size of their resource (even if they have changed their resource since then) which they can cast for a single candidate of their choice whenever the position is elected. To be eligible to vote the required resources are:

* [[The Brass Coast]] - [[Fleet|fleets]]<sup>(1)</sup>
* [[Dawn]] - [[Military unit]]
* [[Highguard]] - [[Congregation]]
* [[Imperial Orcs]] - [[Military unit]] [[Military_unit#Supporting_an_Army|supporting]] an [[army]] during the previous year.
* [[Navarr]] - [[Herb garden]]
* [[The League]] - [[Business]]
* [[The Marches]] - [[Farm]]
* [[Urizen]] - [[Mana site]]
* [[Varushka]] - [[Mine]] and [[Forest]] owners
* [[Wintermark]] - [[Military unit]]

<sup>(1)</sup> Prior to the Spring Equinox 384YE, votes in the Brass Coast were restricted to fleets engaging in [[Fleet#Privateering|privateering]] during the previous year. This [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Sails_of_Fire|was changed]] following a statement of principle by the Brass Coast National Assembly that gained widespread support in the nation.

==Production==
For national Bourse seats that produce large amounts of mithril, white granite, weirwood or ilium, the most recent season's production can be immediately claimed from the Agent of the Bourse by the winning candidate, if they are present. Any production that is not claimed is added to their inventory. Subsequent production in later seasons is added to the title holder's inventory before each summit until the last one. The title holder does not receive any production on the run-up to the summit where the title is due to be re-elected - that is reserved for whoever wins the auction for the title at the summit.

For other titles that do not produce large amounts of mithril, white granite, weirwood or ilium, the winning candidate receives whatever production or access to a ministry the title provides in the following downtime, until the title is elected again.

==Removal==
The Bourse is explicitly protected from interference from the [[Synod]] in the [[Imperial Constitution]]. Because of this, it is not possible to revoke a Bourse seat holder to remove them from their position. They serve until the title is reelected or until they die or step down.
{{Bourse Further Reading}}

Volodmartz

2026-10-28T21:29:03Z

Responsible1: /* OOC Notes */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofVolodmartz.png|caption=Rich in timber and bottomless mines|title=Regions of Volodmartz|align=left|width=500}}
== Overview ==
Mountainous Volodmartz is rich in timber and deep mines. There are comparatively few vales here, and the boyars have a reputation for being particularly iron-fisted. Much more common are [[Varushka Economic Interests#Outposts|outposts]], scattered across the brooding hills and growing rich from the mineral wealth they exploit. Both tend to be very well fortified, and not without reason. There are dark things in the Volodmartz mountains, and plenty of folk tales tell of malign horrors that burrow under them, emerging without warning to overwhelm the foolish, especially on Winter nights when the [[Sermersuaq#Northern lights|northern lights]] dance in the sky. An equally worrying threat is that posed by the northern [[Thule]] barbarians who sometimes strike down through the north-eastern forests. As recently as 376YE a major offensive was launched through the northern mountains in an attempt to secure a beachhead near [[#Brez|Void]]; it is very unlikely to be the last.

The [[Volodny]] had their old centre of power in Volodmartz, and it was here that [[Alderei_the_Fair|Alderei the tyrant-boyar]] was defeated by the Imperial Army. The ruins of several strongholds still lie beneath the forest canopy. One of the most vicious battles took place in the foothills of the [[#Opascari|Opascari]] mountains at what is now a valuable [[#The Hunt of Alderei the Fair|weirwood forest]]. This vital strategic asset, the largest source of weirwood in Varushka, was essential to the support of the tyrant-boyar's armies. The penultimate, savage battle of the Imperial campaign against Alderei took place here; after the forest was lost, his forces were forced to fall back towards [[#Murupa|Alderei's Run]] in Murupa, where they finally met their end.

==Recent History==
Following the [[Thule]] invasion of [[Karsk]] in 368YE, probing assaults were made against [[#Livardz|Livardz]] and [[#Suvretz|Suvretz]]. These were turned back by Imperial forces, but the threat of further attacks has never been ruled out. The northern barbarians certainly covet the valuable resources of Volodmartz; in the Summer of 377YE an attempt was made to create a [[War#Creating_a_Beachhead|beachhead]] in the north near the vale of [[#Void|Void]] - almost certainly a strike not only against the mana sites and libraries of the [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Cabalists|cabalists]] but against the [[#The Granites of Veltsgorsk|Granites of Veltsgorsk]]. The expeditionary force was scattered by a force of Imperial heroes, and a follow-up campaign by Imperial forces wiped out the survivors, stymieing the attempted invasion.

== Major Features ==
=== Triosk ===
A riverside town in [[#Livardz|Livardz]], with a fish-dam and low bridge that has always been the main land route into Karsk. Once a hotbed of support for Alderei the Fair on the edge of what was then Varushka, and the scene of savage fighting in the war against his forces. Empire armies laid siege to it and burnt the original town to the ground. The tyrant-boyar sallied forth before the final assault, and gathered those still loyal from across Volodmartz and the wilds to his final battle to the north. Today, the town serves as something of a crossroads; a trade hub that serves travellers from [[Karsk]], [[Miekarova]], and [[Karov]].

===Void===
The cabalists of the mountains of [[#Brez|Brez]] tend to be somewhat isolationist; the best known settlement is the vale of Void in the western foothills, home to a number of allied cabals who study and perform those rituals best kept away from centres of population. Rumour has it that heralds from the realm of Winter come here to treat and bargain with the inhabitants, while others speak of a ''shadow library'' containing great stores of information about curses, malign magics and the nature of the Winter [[eternal|eternals]].

The [[Bredavoi Emissary]] liaises with - and keeps a watch on - the cabalists, especially since they opened the [[Bredavoi Emissary#The Deep Chamber|Deep Chamber]], a mine that delves into the very roots of the mountains here.

Void has also become a place of contact for the orcs of [[Otkodov]] - the offices of the [[Gift of the Dwindling Star]] are here, and the warlocks of the north have begun to visit the settlement more regularly in the wake of this arrangement.

===Sungold Pass===
High in the mountains of [[#Opascari|Opascari]], above the treeline on the easternmost peak known as the Traveller, lies [[Sungold Pass]]. Extensive mineworkings and ruins that date back to Terunael times were revealed during a [[Sowing_on_the_mountains|terrible storm]] that wracked the northern mountains of Varushka after the Autumn Equinox 381YE. Sungold Pass was a source of contention between the Empire and Otkodov - both claiming that the ruins lay within their own nation - until it was resolved in favour of the Thule as part of the [[Ratify Sungold Treaty|Sungold Treaty]] of Summer 382YE. It is not entirely clear where the pass lies with regard to the border between Volodmartz and Otkodov - the Empire claims it is in Volodmartz while the Thule claim it is in [[Otkodov#Sk.C3.BCld|Kógur]] in Sküld.

=== The [[Hunt of Alderei the Fair]]===
The Hunt of Alderei the Fair is a Bourse resource located at the foot of the [[#Opascari|Opascari]] mountains. Custodianship of the Hunt is an [[Imperial Title]] that brings with it a Seat on the [[Bourse]]. It produces 26 Imperial wains of weirwood every season and control is allocated to any Imperial citizen by open auction during the Winter Solstice. As with the [[Night Quarry]], there is some resentment that the Hunt is Imperial, rather than a Varushkan national seat.

===The [[Granites of Veltsgorsk]]===
The Granites of Veltsgorks are a Bourse resource located deep in the mountains of [[#Brez|Brez]]. Custodianship of the Granites is an [[Imperial Title]] that brings with it a Seat on the [[Bourse]]. It produces 26 Imperial wains of white granite every season. The seat is allocated during the Summer Solstice, to whichever Varushkan candidate receives the most support from Varushkan owners of [[mine]] and [[forest]] resources.

===The [[Gift of the Dwindling Star]]===
Following the impact of the [[Starfall|falling star]] known as the Stalker or the Miscreant during the Autumn Equinox 380YE, the [[Thule]] [[orc|orcs]] arranged to [[Lantern's_light|provide some of the bounty]] of [[ilium]] the star provides to the [[Varushka|Varushkan]] people. The offices for overseeing this tribute are located at Void in the mountainous foothills of [[#Brez|Brez]]. Custodianship of the [[Gift of the Dwindling Star]] is an [[Imperial Title]] that brings with it a Seat on the [[Bourse]]. It produces 4 rings of ilium every season. The seat is allocated during the Spring Equinox to whichever Varushkan candidate receives the most support from Varushkan owners of [[forest]] and [[mine]] resources.

===The Iron Roads===
The majority of the [[Varushkan Road|roads]] in Volodmartz are the result of a grand building project completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 385YE. The Iron Roads were first proposed by the civil service [[Starting_at_the_end#The_Iron_Roads_of_Varushka|several years]] earlier. In Volodmartz, the project was somewhat more ambitious. Rather than just expanding on existing roads, the plan involved building a major road along the edges of the foothills north of [[#Triosk|Triosk]], passing by the [[Hunt of Alderei the Fair]] and then striking north-west through the dark woods of central Volodmartz to [[#Brez|Void]], and ultimately to [[Granites_of_Veltsgorsk|Veltsgorsk]] in the shadow of the northern mountains. The new road linking to the Hunt of Alderei and the Fair and the Granites of Veltsgorsk required careful planning, and protection from the wolves of the forests, but once it was complete it greatly increased the prosperity of the territory.

==Regions==
===Brez===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
The mountains of Brez have a shadowy reputation among Varushkans. The peaks are high enough that they are perpetually shrouded in snow, even at the height of summer, and even the Iron Roads have not made the foothills much more accessible. The [[#The Granites of Veltsgorsk|Granites of Veltsgorsk]] lie high in the eastern peaks of the region, and it is said that without the presence of this valuable Bourse resource, no outsider would ever visit the peaks here despite the rich seams of copper, iron, silver and [[Materials#Tempest_Jade|tempest jade]] the mountains conceal.

The mountains are known to hold several strong [[regio]], associated primarily with the realm of Winter which have attracted [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Cabalists|cabalists]] and magical scholars since before there was a Varushka. The cabalists of the mountains of Brez tend to be somewhat isolationist; the best known settlement is the vale of '''[[#Void|Void]]''' in the western foothills.

The southern peaks are the site of '''Ruin'''. Once a key mining settlement called ''Vikram's Haven'', its destruction in 349YE is generally believed to have been at the hands of a group of miners who delved too far into rocks under the broken peak above Alderei’s Run in search of rare ores. The vale did not survive their return. Precisely what led to the doom of Ruin is unclear, but scattered rumours suggest that the miners came upon a trove of ancient pre-Imperial artefacts, and fell prey either to a maddening curse or possession by malign occult forces. Ruin is now the occasional home of [[Warden]]-bands who seek to ensure no Vale makes the same mistake again, and is closely watched by the inhabitants of the nearby '''Vale of Gorazima''' who are keen to avoid a similar fate.

===Livardz===
*'''Quality:''' Ruins
The southernmost region of Volodmartz, and once the most densely settled, was for centuries a prosperous crossroads where trade flowed freely. The vales - the best known among which was certainly the riverport of [[#Triosk|Triosk]] - maintained close ties west to [[Miekarova]] and south to [[Karov]] - especially to the bustling port-town of [[Karov#Malimorzi|Korotny]] - and [[karsk#Kopevnost|Kosti]] in [[Karsk]]. In addition to the permanent population, there are a number of vales who maintain their prosperity by catering to the [[Varushka_military_concerns|wagon raiders]] - either as a base of operations or serving as middle-men purchasing the raw materials they rip from the northern mountains and forests.

This changed in late 385YE when [[Cold Sun]] [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Varushka|attacked the Empire]]. An army of ''scions'' called the [[Things_that_burn#The_Shepherds_of_Ash|Shepherds of Ash]] ravaged Volodmartz, and much of the damage was focused here. The scions themselves [[Eclipse#Shepherds_of_Ash|mysteriously vanished]] shortly after, lured into the ''[[#Murupa|Star Caverns]]'' in pursuit of some hidden [[regio]] and never returning. The legacy of their attacks, however, left many of the vales [[Region_qualities#Ruined|in ruins]]. Nearly a dozen vales and settlements across Livardz were shattered or razed. Several hundred people were slain, many more forced to abandon their homes. Ever since, when the wind blows north through the woods where the ''Sumisev Peegel'' lies (the regio from which the Shepherds of Ash emerged), it brings with it the ashes of those the heralds obliterated. Some of the vales have been rebuilt, but Livardz has yet to reclaim the prosperity it once enjoyed.

===Murupa===
*'''Quality:''' Forest
Central Volodmartz is home to several vales and outposts drawn by the rich bounty of [[Materials#Dragonbone|Dragonbone]] that the forests promise. Several of the vales here maintain close ties with [[Miekarova#Perumaki|Razorwatch]] in [[Miekarova]] - and keep a close eye on the [[Miekarova#The Razors|Razors]] and the [[Varushkan_Monster#Sovereigns|dark power]] that lurks beneath them. There is also a brisk trade in items scoured from the old battlefields, where Varushkan and Imperial forces fought Alderei's armies. The valley known as '''Alderei’s Run''' is the largest of these battlefields, the Tyrant-Boyar’s forces were finally destroyed by the Imperial Armies. Rumour says that Alderei can still be heard there, ordering his forces back into the fray.

To the north of the run are a series of small caves that Alderei’s army used for stores. They were generally referred to as '''The Star Caverns''', due to a prevalence of eroded carvings of star patterns attributed to the Ushka mystics. Some scholars suggested that some of the patterns were much older, probably pre-Terunael in origin. The caverns themselves contained a [[regio]] aligned with the realm of Day, whose power waxed and waned from season to season and year to year - studies suggested the strength of the regio was related to the position of certain [[Astronomancy|constellations]] especially the [[The_Key_and_The_Lock#The Key|Key]] and [[The_Key_and_The_Lock#The Lock|Lock]]. In 385YE, allegedly following an agreement with the [[Night Below]] to destroy invading ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]], the caverns were scoured by that dangerous sovereign. The carvings and the regio are both gone.

===Opascari===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
The mountains of Opascari are rich in gold, [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] and precious stones. Opascari is known in particular for its sapphires and emeralds, which are often of uncommon size and lustre. The range is also rich in [[mana site|mana sites]], often jealously guarded by and requiring regular protection from packs of hungry [[trogoni]] (among other things). While much of Opascari's wealth is mineral in nature, at the feet of the southern peaks lies the rich weirwood forest known as [[#The Hunt of Alderei the Fair|The Hunt of Alderei the Fair]]. High in the easternmost peaks, atop the mountain known as the Traveller, lies [[Sungold Pass]], although the mines there were ceded to the Thule as part of the [[Ratify Sungold Treaty|Sungold Treaty]]. The cavern known as [[Birds#Zoria's Cave|Zoria's Cave]] is found at the foot of the Black Hill, part of the Opascari mountains.

===Suvretz===
*'''Quality:''' Forest
A sprawling region of forests that extends to the eastern borders of Volodmartz and, by extension, the Empire. Many of the vales here are especially fortified, even for Volodmartz - fortifications designed to offer protection not only from wolves, but also from barbarian raiders coming down from the cold forests of barbarian [[Otkodov]]. There are few permanent settlements in the eastern woods - but many crow-haunted battlefields.

Of special interest in Suvretz is a place of legend named '''Runa's Loss'''. Runa was a [[draughir]] [[warden]] who watched the [[Varushkan_Monster|monsters]] of the hills with Toki, her [[changeling]] lover, an apprentice [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Volhov|volhov]]. Toki's master was seduced by an eternal of Winter (generally held to be [[Agramant]]), and Toki chose loyalty to master over love. Runa was one of the wardens who hunted and killed the volhov and all loyal to him. The Vale reminds all wardens that their calling is more important than lesser [[Loyalty|loyalties]], and is considered a site of pilgrimage for devotees of Loyalty and [[Vigilance]] - albeit a particularly perilous one. The vale maintains a careful watch not only over the eastern forests but also over the borders with [[Karsk]].<br>

{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Volodmartz|Territory=Volodmartz|Season=Autumn}}

==OOC Notes==
* All the regions of Volodmartz are under Imperial control.
* [[Mine|Mines]] in the territory benefit from the [[#The Iron Roads|Iron Roads]] and produce an extra 2 ingots each season.
* [[Mine|Mines]] in the territory benefit from the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Light_Market|The Light Market]] and produce either an extra 2 ingots or an extra 36 rings each season, depending on the decisions of the Merchant Boyar of the Light Market.
* [[Forest|Forests]] in the territory benefit from the [[#The Iron Roads|Iron Roads]] and produce an extra 2 measures each season.
[[Category:Varushka]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]]
[[Category:Imperial Territory]]

Miekarova

2026-10-28T21:28:53Z

Responsible1: /* OOC Notes */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofMiekarova.png|caption=The woods are lovely, dark and deep|title=Regions of Miekarova|align=left|width=600}}
== Overview ==
Miekarova is more heavily forested than the rest of Varushka. It is known for its furs, for its hunting, and for its particularly harsh winters. Snow regularly falls here for up to six months in the year, and it is common for vales to be snowed-in during the darkest months - months when [[Sermersuaq#Northern lights|eerie lights]] often dance in the sky. The [[Varushkan Monsters|wolves]] of Miekarova are especially savage, and every few years or so gather in great hordes that sweep down out of the north, threatening the unwary and causing widespread trouble until they are eventually dealt with. [[Plaguewulf|Plaguewulfs]] are more common here than anywhere else in Varushka, and the [[Varushkan Monster#Sovereigns|sovereign]] believed to be their progenitor, ''The Howling Queen'', is said to slumber somewhere beneath the hills of north-eastern Miekarova.

Noted for beautiful painted caves beneath several of the larger ranges of hills, it was also the heart of Ushkan mysticism in the dim days long before the foundation of the Empire. It was in Miekarova that the [[The Way|Imperial Faith]] found its deepest roots in Varushka, and there are a number of vale here that surround [[congregation|churches and shrines]] to the Way. The priests here are especially vigilant against the dangers of the dark winters and the monsters that come with it, and several [[warden]] fellowships make a practice of spending their winters here to offer additional assistance.

==Major Features==
===Mormyk===
In [[#Miechernya|Mierchernya]], Mormyk was the furthest western vale and closest to the territory of [[Skarsind]]. It enjoyed a long history of good relations with the people of [[Skarsind#Estermark|Krysse]]. Varushkan merchants regularly travelled east to the great market there, while adventurous Winterfolk traders and pedlars were a common feature along the road linking the two. This came to an end with the fall of [[Skarsind]] to the [[Thule]] in 373YE. Amid concerns that the barbarians would push east into Miekarova, the people of Mormyk fortified their vale and cast expectant eyes towards the barbarian bastion that the orcs had made amid the halls of Estermark. Now Miechernya has been ceded to the Thule, the town serves as the seat of power for the warlock Vatnafjöll who is busy overseeing settlement of the area by the orcs of Otkodov.

===The Painted Caves===
{{Stub}}
Several clusters of beautifully painted caves lie under the hills of Miekarova, thought to be of Ushkan origin. The paintings in the cave are incredibly vibrant, and [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]] has clearly been added to the pigments. They are often quite abstract, but occasional enigmatic images of people and animals are common features. Several of the caves are known to have potent wards laid over them that still maintain their power today, and more than one contains a strong [[regio]], usually connected to the realm of Night.

The most famous are those in western [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]]; they have been extensively explored and the galleries extend for at least a mile beneath the hills. Many of the paintings here are damaged, either by weapons or by a deliberate attempt to deface them, and historians believe the damage may be the result of an early conflict between Vard and Ushka. Others mutter darkly that the damage here has nothing to do with the Vard, but talk about an internal conflict between the ancient Ushka - they generally claim to have come by this information through visionary dreams, and can provide little proof. Some [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Cabalists|cabalists]] have claimed that the caves enhance night rituals intended to provide visions, while the famous [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Volhov|volhov]] Pakaanan claimed that the caves were somehow connected to the enigmatic dreams created with [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]]. Other caves exist under several other peaks.

===The Razors===
These seven spines of black obsidian stand atop a mountain that shadows the road through [[#Perumaki|Perumaki]]. An outpost at the foot of the mountain observes the razors each morning - they are usually shrouded in cloud as the day dawns, which is a good omen. If the razors are "unsheathed" (clearly visible at sunrise), it often signifies that a band of [[Plaguewulf|plaguewulfs]] will attack somewhere along the road before the next sunrise. Warning bells are rung, and runners dispatched to nearby vales to warn them of the danger. The razors themselves have never been closely examined - the approach is sheer and the presence of wolves makes it effectively impossible to approach - but study through spyglass has reinforced the belief that several of the ravening beasts that accompany their ''unsheathing'' dwell in caves and gulleys around the top of the mountain. Stories say that the ''Howling Queen'' rests under the mountain peak, and sometimes gives audience to brave or foolhardy explorers and volhov. The stories further suggest that the mists that generally shroud the razors are nothing other than a massive cloud of corpse-raising venom similar to that produced by the plaguewulfs. They fear what might happen if that malignant fog were to flow down the mountain and into the vales of Perumaki.

===The [[Night Quarry]]===
The Night Quarry is a Bourse resource located in [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]]. Custodianship of the Quarry is an [[Imperial Title]] that brings with it a Seat on the [[Bourse]]. Since the Thule took control of Mieriada, the seat only receives 14 Imperial wains of [[white granite]] every season. Control is allocated to any Imperial citizen by open auction during the Summer Solstice - the fact that the Night Quarry is not a national Bourse seat is a bone of contention for some Miekarovans.

===The Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun===
This [[college of magic]] focused on the study of the [[summer magic|summer realm]] was built in Volchitrava shortly before the Summer Solstice 380YE. It stands in the forest south-west of Olodny, near the Imperial Orc border. Said to have been built with the assistance of the Summer [[eternal]] [[Cathan Canae]], the towers of the white granite castle that houses the college glisten as if carved from glacial ice, and are visible for leagues around. The studies of the magicians associated with the Icy Crag are directed by the [[Master of Ice and Darkness]], an Imperial title appointed by [[Declaration#Declaration of Candidacy|Declaration]] of the [[Conclave]].

===The Iron Roads===
The majority of the roads in Miekarova are the result of a grand building project completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 385YE. The Iron Roads were first proposed by the civil service [[Starting_at_the_end#The_Iron_Roads_of_Varushka|several years]] earlier. Much of the project involved maintaining and expanding the existing [[Varushkan Road|Varushkan roads]]. While Miekarova is heavily forested, a central road already linked the rich mines of [[#Dupadealuri|Essk]], the prosperous trade-hub of [[#Srodkoja|Olodny]], and the fortified trade-town of [[#Mormyk|Mormyk]]. These roads have always seen regular travel by Varushkan, [[Wintermark]], [[Navarr]], and [[Imperial Orcs]] traders. The existing roads were reinforced and carefully expanded to allow access to several of the more isolated vales, forests, and mines. The plan drawn up by the roadbuilders and the civil servants included a new road that cut north-east from Mormyk to the [[#The_Night_Quarry|Night Quarry]], then skirts the southern foothills to [[Miekarova#Mieriada|Wendell's Hope]] and the [[#Embassy_to_Otkodov|Embassy to Otkodov]].

===Grimhold===
In Spring 379YE, the Imperial Senate [[Fortify_Miekarova_II|commissioned]] the construction of a [[fortification]] in [[Miekarova#Perumaki|Perumaki]]. Built in the Vale of Strascovia, home of the Vor'Azi people, it used the crumbling ruins of their ancestral castle, notable for the peculiarity of its inward facing fortification, as the foundation. The castle was completed in early 380YE and now broods over the surrounding forest. Following the Winter Solstice 382YE, the fortress was enshrouded in an eerie mist for the better part of a month. The mist disappeared as inexplicably as it appeared, and if the Vor'Azi know what it was about, they have not shared that knowledge with outsiders.

===Embassy to Otkodov===
In [[Miekarova#Mieriada|Mieriada]], just across the Coldmere from Wendell's Hope, stands the [[Ambassador to Otkodov|Thule Embassy]], a cold and forbidding structure in the foothills of the northern mountains. Under snow for half the year, it is already seen as a poor posting by civil servants associated with the diplomatic corps. The Thule ambassador to the Empire, Runa Who-Speaks-For-The-Dragon's-Undivided, has been comfortably established in the old apartment of Rak. For their part, the Thule have repurposed a watchpost in [[Otkodov#Skuld|Kógur]] as their Imperial embassy. The draughty tower stands just on the other side of the border, overlooking one of the few passes through the northern mountains. Imperial civil servants posted to the Thule embassy to the Empire report that they are forbidden to venture into Sküld without an escort, and describe the embassy as cold, gloomy, and oppressive.

===The Mountain Passes===
The mountains to the north and west of Miekarova present a significant obstacle to [[Army|military forces]] travelling to and from [[Skarsind]] and [[Otkodov]]. They form an impassable wall between [[#Srodkoja|Srodkoja]] and [[Skarsind#Estermark|Estermark]] for example, and the only accessible route through to [[Skarsind#Skogei_Glens|Skogei Glens]] is via '''Ustyma's Gate''' in western [[#Miechernya|Miechernya]]. It's likewise not possible to reach Otkodov from Srodkoja; there are passes north into [[Otkodov#Urdur|Urdur]] from Miechernya, and one can follow the river past [[#Wendell's Hope|Wendell's Hope]] into [[Verthandi#Erskjuvaten|Erskjuvaten]] from [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]], but otherwise the mountains are simply too hostile to massive groups of soldiers. These strategic considerations are only a matter for armies; [[military unit|smaller groups of soldiers]] can still use the less-accessible paths across the borders of Miekarova.

===Heart of the Tempest===
In late 379YE, an [[edifice]] was constructed in [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]] by [[Construct_the_Hearth_of_the_Tempest|order]] of the [[Senate]]. Swiftly completed, over the course of the next season, a powerful Spring regio formed around the edifice. It was believed that the edifice - then called the ''Heart'''h''' of the Tempest'' - would serve in some fashion as a focus for the power of the [[eternal]] known as [[Irra Harah|Papa Otec]].

Whether it did so or not is unclear; but during the Spring Equinox 380YE there was a significant and unexpected development. The structure disappeared within a spreading thicket of powerful trees that grew from nothing to tower over the area in exactly one day. Now renamed the Heart of the Tempest, the woodlands are extremely unwelcoming. In addition to thorny bushes, there are several plant- or plant-like creatures now in residence. Similar to ''dubik'' (the blood-hungry plant-like [[Varushkan_Monster#Wolves|wolves]] that inhabit certain isolated forests), these guardians prevent trespassers from getting too close to whatever waits in the heart of the woodlands, allowing only certain powerful masters of [[Spring magic]] to enter and leave unmolested.

A little less than a year later, the forest around the Heart of the Tempest [[The_flood_and_the_storm#Heart_of_the_Tempest|again started to expand]] and there were rumours that the ''dubik''-like creatures were pressing beyond its bounds. During the Solstice, however, the forest abruptly ceased expanding. Over the next several weeks, sightings of strange creatures tailed off and then ceased entirely. By the Spring Equinox 382YE, adventurous [[warden]] fellowships venturing into the area reported that not only were the woodlands deserted but the structure at the heart of the forest had completely collapsed and lay in ruins entirely overgrown with vines and briars. If there was ever a [[regio]] here, they say, it has also disappeared.

Three years later an enterprising group of wagon raiders, inspired by the [[385YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_146|mandate of the Varushkan Assembly]], set out from the nearby vale of Tolvoli to see if they could gain anything from the haunted groves around the Heart. What they discovered was a host of [[Varushkan_Monster#Wolves|dubik]] that had made their home amongst the forest who were [[The_horror_and_the_wild#Heart_of_the_Tempest|thirsty for blood]] and able to offer dark red liquor in return. The wagon raiders asked for the support of the Imperial Senate and a [[Tolvoli Butcher#Tolvoli Slaughterhouse and the Heart of the Tempest|slaughterhouse]] was [[Construct Tolvoli Slaughterhouse|commissioned]] to help support the burgeoning trade.

==Regions==
===Dupadealuri===
The hills of Dupadealuri are scattered with vales that mine rich veins of [[Materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]] and [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]]. It is watched over by '''Essk''', a hilltop town behind a great wooden wall. The broad [[Varushkan_Road|road]] that runs through Essk links Miekarova to the rest of Varushka. It is famed for the Bell of Essk, a great Winterfolk-forged monstrosity that is high in the wooden watchtower at the junction of the roads from Miekarova, [[Karsk]] and [[Karov]]. This bell can be heard for miles, and is sounded when a known Sovereign of the area has been spied. The tower itself serves as a place of pilgrimage for those dedicated to [[Vigilance]].

===Miechernya===
*'''Quality:''' Hills, [[Otkodov]]
At one point, the trading vale of [[#Mormyk|Mormyk]] protected the road from Varushka to Skarsind. Since the region was ceded to the Thule as part of the [[Ratify treaty with Thule Winter 383YE|Sermersuaq treaty]] in 383YE, the majority of the Varushkan inhabitants here have moved out, either establishing new vales elsewhere or joining existing settlements.

Much of the region is wild, and the hills and mountains are home to both [[mine|mines]] and well-defended [[forest|forests]] that endure the cold winters and occasional attacks by wolves. A former danger in Miechernya were [[Thule]] raiders who would come down out of the northern mountains, from [[Otkodov]], to steal the bounty of the miners and the foresters. There are several ancient battlefields in Miechernya where human and orc have clashed - and on occasion a conflict between barbarian and Imperial warriors near one of these battlefields stirs up old ghosts, or remnants of soldiers who attack both sides indiscriminately, angry that their sleep has been disturbed.

Construction on ''Eldfell'', a [[fortification]] built supernaturally quickly thanks to the Thule's [[Autumn magic]] enchantment, was finished [[The_sweetest_of_songs#Voice_of_the_Dragons|shortly before]] the 384YE Summer Solstice. The fortification is positioned to overlook the passes through to [[Otkodov]], and also secures the eastern end of '''[[Skarsind#The_Mountain_Passes|Ustyma's Gate]]''' (what the people of Wintermark called '''Wulfric's Fall''').

===Mieriada===
*'''Quality:''' Forest, Otkodov
This region is known for rich veins of [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] in the mountains, and for savage raids by the [[Thule]] who used to follow the rivers down out of the mountains to attack the vales or the [[mine|mines]]. Both the [[#The Painted Caves|Painted Caves]] and the [[Night Quarry]] are found here. The remains of the [[#Heart of the Tempest|Hearth of the Tempest]] are found here not far from the town of '''Tolvi''', where is found the [[Tolvoli Butcher#Tolvoli Slaughterhouse and the Heart of the Tempest|Tolvoli Slaughterhouse]]. The area is known to be inhabited by large numbers of ''dubik'', but the [[Tolvoli Butcher]] reduces the threat they pose. In theory.

The most famous vale in Mieriada lies on shores of the '''Coldmere''' (which often freezes solid in the depths of winter). '''Wendell’s Hope''' is a mining vale that grew up around a tavern and trading post. It is unusual in that its [[Varushka_leadership|boyar]] is traditionally the owner of the largest tavern in the vale, which is a place of pilgrimage for the dedicates of [[Courage]]. In the past groups of warriors who were planning to raid into Otkodov would often gather here on their outward journey, and on their return. It is especially welcoming to [[stzena]]; the nights are long, and both the miners and the warriors are wealthy. It is sometimes called the Last Warm Hearth in the North.

Across the Coldmere stands the [[Ambassador to Otkodov|Thule Embassy]], a cold and forbidding structure in the foothills of the northern mountains. Under snow for half the year, it is already seen as a poor posting by civil servants associated with the diplomatic corps. The Thule ambassador to the Empire, Rak Who-Speaks-For-The-Dragon's-Undivided, is likewise said to be a little regretful that he has had to leave the relative welcome of the ''Red Lantern'' inn in Void for these comparatively less hospitable quarters.

===Perumaki===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
In the mountains of Perumaki are the [[#The Razors|Razors]], and at the foot of their mountain lies the vale of '''Razorwatch''' which keeps an eye on them. As with most regions of Miekarova, Perumaki contains a number of prosperous [[mine|mines]], and there are numerous rich veins of [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] and [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]]. The richest material in Perumaki is probably silver, however, and a number of [[business|businesses]] are scattered through the vales here that deal in precious metals or fine jewellery.

Perumaki is also the ancestral home of the Vor'Azi, who have lived in the ''Vale of Strascovia'' for generations. At the Spring Equinox 379YE, the [[Senate]] [[Fortify Miekarova II|approved construction]] of a [[fortification]] at the Vale of Strascovia, building on the crumbling remains of the Vor'Azi estates. In the shadow of Grimhold stand the [[Grim Gardener|Gardens of the Grim]], a [[herb garden]] [[sinecure]] that also serves as a memorial to the respected Varushkan hero Chernobog.

===Srodkoja===
*'''Quality:''' Forest
The centre of the northern fur trade; pelts from here adorn many a [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[Earl]] or [[The_League_leadership|Merchant Prince]] of the [[The League|League]] cities. The largest vale in Srodkoja is '''Olodny''', and has made much of its wealth from trapping and skinning. It is built to defend against wolf packs - the ditches are deep and the walls thick with spikes - and it serves as a base of operations for both hunters and [[Varushka_military_concerns|wagon raiders]]. Not far from Olodny stands the [[Gloaming_Sentinel#Butterfly_Holt|Butterfly Holt]], an area of forest girdled with wooden palisades that serves as a breeding ground for a hardy strain of [[Mundane_beasts#Iridescent_Butterfly|iridescent butterfly]].

In the forest south-west of Olodny, near the Imperial Orc border, is the vale of '''Volchitrava'''. Home to the Gremani family, this vale is also the site of the [[#The Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun|Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun]], a [[college of Magic|college]] of [[Summer magic]].

In the forests to the north of Olodny lies the vale of Sciany. On the perimeter of this vale lies the tower of Gorowac, which is believed by some to be home to a powerful Volodny.

Srodkoja is also the location of '''Olga’s Ashes''', a place of virtuous study, part-built into caverns above the road. Olga was an early Varushkan convert to the Way, a warden by calling, and her ashes are said to have miraculous powers to reveal possessing spirits. Some Varushkans claimed her as an [[Paragons_and_Exemplars#Exemplars|exemplar]] of [[Vigilance]], and she was finally recognised as such by the [[Synod]] in [[377YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements| Autumn 377YE]].

==Strategic Considerations==
{{Strategic Considerations|Miekarova}} [[#The Mountain Passes|The passes]] through the mountains to the west and north restrict free movement of Imperial armies. Armies cannot move between [[#Srodkoja|Srodkoja]] and [[Skarsind#Estermark|Estermark]], nor between Srodkoja and [[Otkodov]] (and vice versa). There are passes into Skarsind and [[Otkodov#Urdur|Urdur]] from Miechernya, and into [[Verthandi#Erskjuvaten|Erskjuvaten]] from [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]] in [[Verthandi]] from [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]], but otherwise the mountains are simply too hostile to massive groups of soldiers. These strategic considerations are only a matter for armies; [[military unit|smaller groups of soldiers]] can still use the less-accessible paths across the borders of Miekarova.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic.jpg|caption='''Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic''', Senator for Miekarova|align=left|width=250}}
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Miekarova|Territory=Miekarova|Season=Winter}}
==OOC Notes==
* As of the Autumn Equinox 387YE, the Thule control Miechernya and Mieriada. Varushka, and by extension the Empire, controls the rest of the territory.
* [[#Grimhold|Grimhold]] in [[Miekarova#Perumaki|Perumaki]] is a rank one [[fortification]].
* Eldfell in [[#Miechernya|Miechernya]] is a rank one fortification controlled by the Thule
* [[Mine|Mines]] in the territory benefit from the [[#The Iron Roads|Iron Roads]] and produce an extra 2 ingots each season.
* [[Mine|Mines]] in the territory benefit from the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Light_Market|The Light Market]] and produce either an extra 2 ingots or an extra 36 rings each season, depending on the decisions of the Merchant Boyar of the Light Market.
* [[Forest|Forests]] in the territory benefit from the [[#The Iron Roads|Iron Roads]] and produce an extra 2 measures each season.
<box>'''The businesses of Miekarova'''<br>Several vales of Miekarova are described as dealing in valuable minerals or furs. While you could represent this kind of endeavour with a [[mine]] or a [[farm]], you could also represent it with a [[business]]. A trading post that deals in ostensibly mundane goods would produce money rather than game materials, making business ideal - and it would be easy to imagine [[Business#Diversification|diversifying]] it to provide small amounts of appropriate raw materials. Perhaps the miners who provide your silversmith with silver occasionally bring ingots of [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]] as well.<br><br>Likewise, while you might represent a gang of wagon raiders with a [[military unit]], an inn or tavern like [[#Wendells Hope|Wendell's Hope]] that serves as their base of operations would make an interesting business - perhaps again with a little diversification to reflect the spoils of war they might trade you to pay off their bar tab.</box>
[[Category:Varushka]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]]
[[Category:Imperial Territory]]

Volodmartz

2026-10-28T21:28:36Z

Responsible1: /* OOC Notes */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofVolodmartz.png|caption=Rich in timber and bottomless mines|title=Regions of Volodmartz|align=left|width=500}}
== Overview ==
Mountainous Volodmartz is rich in timber and deep mines. There are comparatively few vales here, and the boyars have a reputation for being particularly iron-fisted. Much more common are [[Varushka Economic Interests#Outposts|outposts]], scattered across the brooding hills and growing rich from the mineral wealth they exploit. Both tend to be very well fortified, and not without reason. There are dark things in the Volodmartz mountains, and plenty of folk tales tell of malign horrors that burrow under them, emerging without warning to overwhelm the foolish, especially on Winter nights when the [[Sermersuaq#Northern lights|northern lights]] dance in the sky. An equally worrying threat is that posed by the northern [[Thule]] barbarians who sometimes strike down through the north-eastern forests. As recently as 376YE a major offensive was launched through the northern mountains in an attempt to secure a beachhead near [[#Brez|Void]]; it is very unlikely to be the last.

The [[Volodny]] had their old centre of power in Volodmartz, and it was here that [[Alderei_the_Fair|Alderei the tyrant-boyar]] was defeated by the Imperial Army. The ruins of several strongholds still lie beneath the forest canopy. One of the most vicious battles took place in the foothills of the [[#Opascari|Opascari]] mountains at what is now a valuable [[#The Hunt of Alderei the Fair|weirwood forest]]. This vital strategic asset, the largest source of weirwood in Varushka, was essential to the support of the tyrant-boyar's armies. The penultimate, savage battle of the Imperial campaign against Alderei took place here; after the forest was lost, his forces were forced to fall back towards [[#Murupa|Alderei's Run]] in Murupa, where they finally met their end.

==Recent History==
Following the [[Thule]] invasion of [[Karsk]] in 368YE, probing assaults were made against [[#Livardz|Livardz]] and [[#Suvretz|Suvretz]]. These were turned back by Imperial forces, but the threat of further attacks has never been ruled out. The northern barbarians certainly covet the valuable resources of Volodmartz; in the Summer of 377YE an attempt was made to create a [[War#Creating_a_Beachhead|beachhead]] in the north near the vale of [[#Void|Void]] - almost certainly a strike not only against the mana sites and libraries of the [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Cabalists|cabalists]] but against the [[#The Granites of Veltsgorsk|Granites of Veltsgorsk]]. The expeditionary force was scattered by a force of Imperial heroes, and a follow-up campaign by Imperial forces wiped out the survivors, stymieing the attempted invasion.

== Major Features ==
=== Triosk ===
A riverside town in [[#Livardz|Livardz]], with a fish-dam and low bridge that has always been the main land route into Karsk. Once a hotbed of support for Alderei the Fair on the edge of what was then Varushka, and the scene of savage fighting in the war against his forces. Empire armies laid siege to it and burnt the original town to the ground. The tyrant-boyar sallied forth before the final assault, and gathered those still loyal from across Volodmartz and the wilds to his final battle to the north. Today, the town serves as something of a crossroads; a trade hub that serves travellers from [[Karsk]], [[Miekarova]], and [[Karov]].

===Void===
The cabalists of the mountains of [[#Brez|Brez]] tend to be somewhat isolationist; the best known settlement is the vale of Void in the western foothills, home to a number of allied cabals who study and perform those rituals best kept away from centres of population. Rumour has it that heralds from the realm of Winter come here to treat and bargain with the inhabitants, while others speak of a ''shadow library'' containing great stores of information about curses, malign magics and the nature of the Winter [[eternal|eternals]].

The [[Bredavoi Emissary]] liaises with - and keeps a watch on - the cabalists, especially since they opened the [[Bredavoi Emissary#The Deep Chamber|Deep Chamber]], a mine that delves into the very roots of the mountains here.

Void has also become a place of contact for the orcs of [[Otkodov]] - the offices of the [[Gift of the Dwindling Star]] are here, and the warlocks of the north have begun to visit the settlement more regularly in the wake of this arrangement.

===Sungold Pass===
High in the mountains of [[#Opascari|Opascari]], above the treeline on the easternmost peak known as the Traveller, lies [[Sungold Pass]]. Extensive mineworkings and ruins that date back to Terunael times were revealed during a [[Sowing_on_the_mountains|terrible storm]] that wracked the northern mountains of Varushka after the Autumn Equinox 381YE. Sungold Pass was a source of contention between the Empire and Otkodov - both claiming that the ruins lay within their own nation - until it was resolved in favour of the Thule as part of the [[Ratify Sungold Treaty|Sungold Treaty]] of Summer 382YE. It is not entirely clear where the pass lies with regard to the border between Volodmartz and Otkodov - the Empire claims it is in Volodmartz while the Thule claim it is in [[Otkodov#Sk.C3.BCld|Kógur]] in Sküld.

=== The [[Hunt of Alderei the Fair]]===
The Hunt of Alderei the Fair is a Bourse resource located at the foot of the [[#Opascari|Opascari]] mountains. Custodianship of the Hunt is an [[Imperial Title]] that brings with it a Seat on the [[Bourse]]. It produces 26 Imperial wains of weirwood every season and control is allocated to any Imperial citizen by open auction during the Winter Solstice. As with the [[Night Quarry]], there is some resentment that the Hunt is Imperial, rather than a Varushkan national seat.

===The [[Granites of Veltsgorsk]]===
The Granites of Veltsgorks are a Bourse resource located deep in the mountains of [[#Brez|Brez]]. Custodianship of the Granites is an [[Imperial Title]] that brings with it a Seat on the [[Bourse]]. It produces 26 Imperial wains of white granite every season. The seat is allocated during the Summer Solstice, to whichever Varushkan candidate receives the most support from Varushkan owners of [[mine]] and [[forest]] resources.

===The [[Gift of the Dwindling Star]]===
Following the impact of the [[Starfall|falling star]] known as the Stalker or the Miscreant during the Autumn Equinox 380YE, the [[Thule]] [[orc|orcs]] arranged to [[Lantern's_light|provide some of the bounty]] of [[ilium]] the star provides to the [[Varushka|Varushkan]] people. The offices for overseeing this tribute are located at Void in the mountainous foothills of [[#Brez|Brez]]. Custodianship of the [[Gift of the Dwindling Star]] is an [[Imperial Title]] that brings with it a Seat on the [[Bourse]]. It produces 4 rings of ilium every season. The seat is allocated during the Spring Equinox to whichever Varushkan candidate receives the most support from Varushkan owners of [[forest]] and [[mine]] resources.

===The Iron Roads===
The majority of the [[Varushkan Road|roads]] in Volodmartz are the result of a grand building project completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 385YE. The Iron Roads were first proposed by the civil service [[Starting_at_the_end#The_Iron_Roads_of_Varushka|several years]] earlier. In Volodmartz, the project was somewhat more ambitious. Rather than just expanding on existing roads, the plan involved building a major road along the edges of the foothills north of [[#Triosk|Triosk]], passing by the [[Hunt of Alderei the Fair]] and then striking north-west through the dark woods of central Volodmartz to [[#Brez|Void]], and ultimately to [[Granites_of_Veltsgorsk|Veltsgorsk]] in the shadow of the northern mountains. The new road linking to the Hunt of Alderei and the Fair and the Granites of Veltsgorsk required careful planning, and protection from the wolves of the forests, but once it was complete it greatly increased the prosperity of the territory.

==Regions==
===Brez===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
The mountains of Brez have a shadowy reputation among Varushkans. The peaks are high enough that they are perpetually shrouded in snow, even at the height of summer, and even the Iron Roads have not made the foothills much more accessible. The [[#The Granites of Veltsgorsk|Granites of Veltsgorsk]] lie high in the eastern peaks of the region, and it is said that without the presence of this valuable Bourse resource, no outsider would ever visit the peaks here despite the rich seams of copper, iron, silver and [[Materials#Tempest_Jade|tempest jade]] the mountains conceal.

The mountains are known to hold several strong [[regio]], associated primarily with the realm of Winter which have attracted [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Cabalists|cabalists]] and magical scholars since before there was a Varushka. The cabalists of the mountains of Brez tend to be somewhat isolationist; the best known settlement is the vale of '''[[#Void|Void]]''' in the western foothills.

The southern peaks are the site of '''Ruin'''. Once a key mining settlement called ''Vikram's Haven'', its destruction in 349YE is generally believed to have been at the hands of a group of miners who delved too far into rocks under the broken peak above Alderei’s Run in search of rare ores. The vale did not survive their return. Precisely what led to the doom of Ruin is unclear, but scattered rumours suggest that the miners came upon a trove of ancient pre-Imperial artefacts, and fell prey either to a maddening curse or possession by malign occult forces. Ruin is now the occasional home of [[Warden]]-bands who seek to ensure no Vale makes the same mistake again, and is closely watched by the inhabitants of the nearby '''Vale of Gorazima''' who are keen to avoid a similar fate.

===Livardz===
*'''Quality:''' Ruins
The southernmost region of Volodmartz, and once the most densely settled, was for centuries a prosperous crossroads where trade flowed freely. The vales - the best known among which was certainly the riverport of [[#Triosk|Triosk]] - maintained close ties west to [[Miekarova]] and south to [[Karov]] - especially to the bustling port-town of [[Karov#Malimorzi|Korotny]] - and [[karsk#Kopevnost|Kosti]] in [[Karsk]]. In addition to the permanent population, there are a number of vales who maintain their prosperity by catering to the [[Varushka_military_concerns|wagon raiders]] - either as a base of operations or serving as middle-men purchasing the raw materials they rip from the northern mountains and forests.

This changed in late 385YE when [[Cold Sun]] [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Varushka|attacked the Empire]]. An army of ''scions'' called the [[Things_that_burn#The_Shepherds_of_Ash|Shepherds of Ash]] ravaged Volodmartz, and much of the damage was focused here. The scions themselves [[Eclipse#Shepherds_of_Ash|mysteriously vanished]] shortly after, lured into the ''[[#Murupa|Star Caverns]]'' in pursuit of some hidden [[regio]] and never returning. The legacy of their attacks, however, left many of the vales [[Region_qualities#Ruined|in ruins]]. Nearly a dozen vales and settlements across Livardz were shattered or razed. Several hundred people were slain, many more forced to abandon their homes. Ever since, when the wind blows north through the woods where the ''Sumisev Peegel'' lies (the regio from which the Shepherds of Ash emerged), it brings with it the ashes of those the heralds obliterated. Some of the vales have been rebuilt, but Livardz has yet to reclaim the prosperity it once enjoyed.

===Murupa===
*'''Quality:''' Forest
Central Volodmartz is home to several vales and outposts drawn by the rich bounty of [[Materials#Dragonbone|Dragonbone]] that the forests promise. Several of the vales here maintain close ties with [[Miekarova#Perumaki|Razorwatch]] in [[Miekarova]] - and keep a close eye on the [[Miekarova#The Razors|Razors]] and the [[Varushkan_Monster#Sovereigns|dark power]] that lurks beneath them. There is also a brisk trade in items scoured from the old battlefields, where Varushkan and Imperial forces fought Alderei's armies. The valley known as '''Alderei’s Run''' is the largest of these battlefields, the Tyrant-Boyar’s forces were finally destroyed by the Imperial Armies. Rumour says that Alderei can still be heard there, ordering his forces back into the fray.

To the north of the run are a series of small caves that Alderei’s army used for stores. They were generally referred to as '''The Star Caverns''', due to a prevalence of eroded carvings of star patterns attributed to the Ushka mystics. Some scholars suggested that some of the patterns were much older, probably pre-Terunael in origin. The caverns themselves contained a [[regio]] aligned with the realm of Day, whose power waxed and waned from season to season and year to year - studies suggested the strength of the regio was related to the position of certain [[Astronomancy|constellations]] especially the [[The_Key_and_The_Lock#The Key|Key]] and [[The_Key_and_The_Lock#The Lock|Lock]]. In 385YE, allegedly following an agreement with the [[Night Below]] to destroy invading ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]], the caverns were scoured by that dangerous sovereign. The carvings and the regio are both gone.

===Opascari===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
The mountains of Opascari are rich in gold, [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] and precious stones. Opascari is known in particular for its sapphires and emeralds, which are often of uncommon size and lustre. The range is also rich in [[mana site|mana sites]], often jealously guarded by and requiring regular protection from packs of hungry [[trogoni]] (among other things). While much of Opascari's wealth is mineral in nature, at the feet of the southern peaks lies the rich weirwood forest known as [[#The Hunt of Alderei the Fair|The Hunt of Alderei the Fair]]. High in the easternmost peaks, atop the mountain known as the Traveller, lies [[Sungold Pass]], although the mines there were ceded to the Thule as part of the [[Ratify Sungold Treaty|Sungold Treaty]]. The cavern known as [[Birds#Zoria's Cave|Zoria's Cave]] is found at the foot of the Black Hill, part of the Opascari mountains.

===Suvretz===
*'''Quality:''' Forest
A sprawling region of forests that extends to the eastern borders of Volodmartz and, by extension, the Empire. Many of the vales here are especially fortified, even for Volodmartz - fortifications designed to offer protection not only from wolves, but also from barbarian raiders coming down from the cold forests of barbarian [[Otkodov]]. There are few permanent settlements in the eastern woods - but many crow-haunted battlefields.

Of special interest in Suvretz is a place of legend named '''Runa's Loss'''. Runa was a [[draughir]] [[warden]] who watched the [[Varushkan_Monster|monsters]] of the hills with Toki, her [[changeling]] lover, an apprentice [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Volhov|volhov]]. Toki's master was seduced by an eternal of Winter (generally held to be [[Agramant]]), and Toki chose loyalty to master over love. Runa was one of the wardens who hunted and killed the volhov and all loyal to him. The Vale reminds all wardens that their calling is more important than lesser [[Loyalty|loyalties]], and is considered a site of pilgrimage for devotees of Loyalty and [[Vigilance]] - albeit a particularly perilous one. The vale maintains a careful watch not only over the eastern forests but also over the borders with [[Karsk]].<br>

{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Volodmartz|Territory=Volodmartz|Season=Autumn}}

==OOC Notes==
* All the regions of Volodmartz are under Imperial control.
* [[Mine|Mines]] in the territory benefit from the [[#The Iron Roads|Iron Roads]] and produce an extra 2 ingots each season.
* [[Mine|Mines]] in the territory benefit from the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Light_Market|The Light Market]] and produce either an extra 2 ingots or an extra 36 rings each season, depending on the decisions of the Merchant Boyar of the Night Market.
* [[Forest|Forests]] in the territory benefit from the [[#The Iron Roads|Iron Roads]] and produce an extra 2 measures each season.
[[Category:Varushka]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]]
[[Category:Imperial Territory]]

Miekarova

2026-10-28T21:28:24Z

Responsible1: /* OOC Notes */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofMiekarova.png|caption=The woods are lovely, dark and deep|title=Regions of Miekarova|align=left|width=600}}
== Overview ==
Miekarova is more heavily forested than the rest of Varushka. It is known for its furs, for its hunting, and for its particularly harsh winters. Snow regularly falls here for up to six months in the year, and it is common for vales to be snowed-in during the darkest months - months when [[Sermersuaq#Northern lights|eerie lights]] often dance in the sky. The [[Varushkan Monsters|wolves]] of Miekarova are especially savage, and every few years or so gather in great hordes that sweep down out of the north, threatening the unwary and causing widespread trouble until they are eventually dealt with. [[Plaguewulf|Plaguewulfs]] are more common here than anywhere else in Varushka, and the [[Varushkan Monster#Sovereigns|sovereign]] believed to be their progenitor, ''The Howling Queen'', is said to slumber somewhere beneath the hills of north-eastern Miekarova.

Noted for beautiful painted caves beneath several of the larger ranges of hills, it was also the heart of Ushkan mysticism in the dim days long before the foundation of the Empire. It was in Miekarova that the [[The Way|Imperial Faith]] found its deepest roots in Varushka, and there are a number of vale here that surround [[congregation|churches and shrines]] to the Way. The priests here are especially vigilant against the dangers of the dark winters and the monsters that come with it, and several [[warden]] fellowships make a practice of spending their winters here to offer additional assistance.

==Major Features==
===Mormyk===
In [[#Miechernya|Mierchernya]], Mormyk was the furthest western vale and closest to the territory of [[Skarsind]]. It enjoyed a long history of good relations with the people of [[Skarsind#Estermark|Krysse]]. Varushkan merchants regularly travelled east to the great market there, while adventurous Winterfolk traders and pedlars were a common feature along the road linking the two. This came to an end with the fall of [[Skarsind]] to the [[Thule]] in 373YE. Amid concerns that the barbarians would push east into Miekarova, the people of Mormyk fortified their vale and cast expectant eyes towards the barbarian bastion that the orcs had made amid the halls of Estermark. Now Miechernya has been ceded to the Thule, the town serves as the seat of power for the warlock Vatnafjöll who is busy overseeing settlement of the area by the orcs of Otkodov.

===The Painted Caves===
{{Stub}}
Several clusters of beautifully painted caves lie under the hills of Miekarova, thought to be of Ushkan origin. The paintings in the cave are incredibly vibrant, and [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]] has clearly been added to the pigments. They are often quite abstract, but occasional enigmatic images of people and animals are common features. Several of the caves are known to have potent wards laid over them that still maintain their power today, and more than one contains a strong [[regio]], usually connected to the realm of Night.

The most famous are those in western [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]]; they have been extensively explored and the galleries extend for at least a mile beneath the hills. Many of the paintings here are damaged, either by weapons or by a deliberate attempt to deface them, and historians believe the damage may be the result of an early conflict between Vard and Ushka. Others mutter darkly that the damage here has nothing to do with the Vard, but talk about an internal conflict between the ancient Ushka - they generally claim to have come by this information through visionary dreams, and can provide little proof. Some [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Cabalists|cabalists]] have claimed that the caves enhance night rituals intended to provide visions, while the famous [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Volhov|volhov]] Pakaanan claimed that the caves were somehow connected to the enigmatic dreams created with [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]]. Other caves exist under several other peaks.

===The Razors===
These seven spines of black obsidian stand atop a mountain that shadows the road through [[#Perumaki|Perumaki]]. An outpost at the foot of the mountain observes the razors each morning - they are usually shrouded in cloud as the day dawns, which is a good omen. If the razors are "unsheathed" (clearly visible at sunrise), it often signifies that a band of [[Plaguewulf|plaguewulfs]] will attack somewhere along the road before the next sunrise. Warning bells are rung, and runners dispatched to nearby vales to warn them of the danger. The razors themselves have never been closely examined - the approach is sheer and the presence of wolves makes it effectively impossible to approach - but study through spyglass has reinforced the belief that several of the ravening beasts that accompany their ''unsheathing'' dwell in caves and gulleys around the top of the mountain. Stories say that the ''Howling Queen'' rests under the mountain peak, and sometimes gives audience to brave or foolhardy explorers and volhov. The stories further suggest that the mists that generally shroud the razors are nothing other than a massive cloud of corpse-raising venom similar to that produced by the plaguewulfs. They fear what might happen if that malignant fog were to flow down the mountain and into the vales of Perumaki.

===The [[Night Quarry]]===
The Night Quarry is a Bourse resource located in [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]]. Custodianship of the Quarry is an [[Imperial Title]] that brings with it a Seat on the [[Bourse]]. Since the Thule took control of Mieriada, the seat only receives 14 Imperial wains of [[white granite]] every season. Control is allocated to any Imperial citizen by open auction during the Summer Solstice - the fact that the Night Quarry is not a national Bourse seat is a bone of contention for some Miekarovans.

===The Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun===
This [[college of magic]] focused on the study of the [[summer magic|summer realm]] was built in Volchitrava shortly before the Summer Solstice 380YE. It stands in the forest south-west of Olodny, near the Imperial Orc border. Said to have been built with the assistance of the Summer [[eternal]] [[Cathan Canae]], the towers of the white granite castle that houses the college glisten as if carved from glacial ice, and are visible for leagues around. The studies of the magicians associated with the Icy Crag are directed by the [[Master of Ice and Darkness]], an Imperial title appointed by [[Declaration#Declaration of Candidacy|Declaration]] of the [[Conclave]].

===The Iron Roads===
The majority of the roads in Miekarova are the result of a grand building project completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 385YE. The Iron Roads were first proposed by the civil service [[Starting_at_the_end#The_Iron_Roads_of_Varushka|several years]] earlier. Much of the project involved maintaining and expanding the existing [[Varushkan Road|Varushkan roads]]. While Miekarova is heavily forested, a central road already linked the rich mines of [[#Dupadealuri|Essk]], the prosperous trade-hub of [[#Srodkoja|Olodny]], and the fortified trade-town of [[#Mormyk|Mormyk]]. These roads have always seen regular travel by Varushkan, [[Wintermark]], [[Navarr]], and [[Imperial Orcs]] traders. The existing roads were reinforced and carefully expanded to allow access to several of the more isolated vales, forests, and mines. The plan drawn up by the roadbuilders and the civil servants included a new road that cut north-east from Mormyk to the [[#The_Night_Quarry|Night Quarry]], then skirts the southern foothills to [[Miekarova#Mieriada|Wendell's Hope]] and the [[#Embassy_to_Otkodov|Embassy to Otkodov]].

===Grimhold===
In Spring 379YE, the Imperial Senate [[Fortify_Miekarova_II|commissioned]] the construction of a [[fortification]] in [[Miekarova#Perumaki|Perumaki]]. Built in the Vale of Strascovia, home of the Vor'Azi people, it used the crumbling ruins of their ancestral castle, notable for the peculiarity of its inward facing fortification, as the foundation. The castle was completed in early 380YE and now broods over the surrounding forest. Following the Winter Solstice 382YE, the fortress was enshrouded in an eerie mist for the better part of a month. The mist disappeared as inexplicably as it appeared, and if the Vor'Azi know what it was about, they have not shared that knowledge with outsiders.

===Embassy to Otkodov===
In [[Miekarova#Mieriada|Mieriada]], just across the Coldmere from Wendell's Hope, stands the [[Ambassador to Otkodov|Thule Embassy]], a cold and forbidding structure in the foothills of the northern mountains. Under snow for half the year, it is already seen as a poor posting by civil servants associated with the diplomatic corps. The Thule ambassador to the Empire, Runa Who-Speaks-For-The-Dragon's-Undivided, has been comfortably established in the old apartment of Rak. For their part, the Thule have repurposed a watchpost in [[Otkodov#Skuld|Kógur]] as their Imperial embassy. The draughty tower stands just on the other side of the border, overlooking one of the few passes through the northern mountains. Imperial civil servants posted to the Thule embassy to the Empire report that they are forbidden to venture into Sküld without an escort, and describe the embassy as cold, gloomy, and oppressive.

===The Mountain Passes===
The mountains to the north and west of Miekarova present a significant obstacle to [[Army|military forces]] travelling to and from [[Skarsind]] and [[Otkodov]]. They form an impassable wall between [[#Srodkoja|Srodkoja]] and [[Skarsind#Estermark|Estermark]] for example, and the only accessible route through to [[Skarsind#Skogei_Glens|Skogei Glens]] is via '''Ustyma's Gate''' in western [[#Miechernya|Miechernya]]. It's likewise not possible to reach Otkodov from Srodkoja; there are passes north into [[Otkodov#Urdur|Urdur]] from Miechernya, and one can follow the river past [[#Wendell's Hope|Wendell's Hope]] into [[Verthandi#Erskjuvaten|Erskjuvaten]] from [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]], but otherwise the mountains are simply too hostile to massive groups of soldiers. These strategic considerations are only a matter for armies; [[military unit|smaller groups of soldiers]] can still use the less-accessible paths across the borders of Miekarova.

===Heart of the Tempest===
In late 379YE, an [[edifice]] was constructed in [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]] by [[Construct_the_Hearth_of_the_Tempest|order]] of the [[Senate]]. Swiftly completed, over the course of the next season, a powerful Spring regio formed around the edifice. It was believed that the edifice - then called the ''Heart'''h''' of the Tempest'' - would serve in some fashion as a focus for the power of the [[eternal]] known as [[Irra Harah|Papa Otec]].

Whether it did so or not is unclear; but during the Spring Equinox 380YE there was a significant and unexpected development. The structure disappeared within a spreading thicket of powerful trees that grew from nothing to tower over the area in exactly one day. Now renamed the Heart of the Tempest, the woodlands are extremely unwelcoming. In addition to thorny bushes, there are several plant- or plant-like creatures now in residence. Similar to ''dubik'' (the blood-hungry plant-like [[Varushkan_Monster#Wolves|wolves]] that inhabit certain isolated forests), these guardians prevent trespassers from getting too close to whatever waits in the heart of the woodlands, allowing only certain powerful masters of [[Spring magic]] to enter and leave unmolested.

A little less than a year later, the forest around the Heart of the Tempest [[The_flood_and_the_storm#Heart_of_the_Tempest|again started to expand]] and there were rumours that the ''dubik''-like creatures were pressing beyond its bounds. During the Solstice, however, the forest abruptly ceased expanding. Over the next several weeks, sightings of strange creatures tailed off and then ceased entirely. By the Spring Equinox 382YE, adventurous [[warden]] fellowships venturing into the area reported that not only were the woodlands deserted but the structure at the heart of the forest had completely collapsed and lay in ruins entirely overgrown with vines and briars. If there was ever a [[regio]] here, they say, it has also disappeared.

Three years later an enterprising group of wagon raiders, inspired by the [[385YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_146|mandate of the Varushkan Assembly]], set out from the nearby vale of Tolvoli to see if they could gain anything from the haunted groves around the Heart. What they discovered was a host of [[Varushkan_Monster#Wolves|dubik]] that had made their home amongst the forest who were [[The_horror_and_the_wild#Heart_of_the_Tempest|thirsty for blood]] and able to offer dark red liquor in return. The wagon raiders asked for the support of the Imperial Senate and a [[Tolvoli Butcher#Tolvoli Slaughterhouse and the Heart of the Tempest|slaughterhouse]] was [[Construct Tolvoli Slaughterhouse|commissioned]] to help support the burgeoning trade.

==Regions==
===Dupadealuri===
The hills of Dupadealuri are scattered with vales that mine rich veins of [[Materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]] and [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]]. It is watched over by '''Essk''', a hilltop town behind a great wooden wall. The broad [[Varushkan_Road|road]] that runs through Essk links Miekarova to the rest of Varushka. It is famed for the Bell of Essk, a great Winterfolk-forged monstrosity that is high in the wooden watchtower at the junction of the roads from Miekarova, [[Karsk]] and [[Karov]]. This bell can be heard for miles, and is sounded when a known Sovereign of the area has been spied. The tower itself serves as a place of pilgrimage for those dedicated to [[Vigilance]].

===Miechernya===
*'''Quality:''' Hills, [[Otkodov]]
At one point, the trading vale of [[#Mormyk|Mormyk]] protected the road from Varushka to Skarsind. Since the region was ceded to the Thule as part of the [[Ratify treaty with Thule Winter 383YE|Sermersuaq treaty]] in 383YE, the majority of the Varushkan inhabitants here have moved out, either establishing new vales elsewhere or joining existing settlements.

Much of the region is wild, and the hills and mountains are home to both [[mine|mines]] and well-defended [[forest|forests]] that endure the cold winters and occasional attacks by wolves. A former danger in Miechernya were [[Thule]] raiders who would come down out of the northern mountains, from [[Otkodov]], to steal the bounty of the miners and the foresters. There are several ancient battlefields in Miechernya where human and orc have clashed - and on occasion a conflict between barbarian and Imperial warriors near one of these battlefields stirs up old ghosts, or remnants of soldiers who attack both sides indiscriminately, angry that their sleep has been disturbed.

Construction on ''Eldfell'', a [[fortification]] built supernaturally quickly thanks to the Thule's [[Autumn magic]] enchantment, was finished [[The_sweetest_of_songs#Voice_of_the_Dragons|shortly before]] the 384YE Summer Solstice. The fortification is positioned to overlook the passes through to [[Otkodov]], and also secures the eastern end of '''[[Skarsind#The_Mountain_Passes|Ustyma's Gate]]''' (what the people of Wintermark called '''Wulfric's Fall''').

===Mieriada===
*'''Quality:''' Forest, Otkodov
This region is known for rich veins of [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] in the mountains, and for savage raids by the [[Thule]] who used to follow the rivers down out of the mountains to attack the vales or the [[mine|mines]]. Both the [[#The Painted Caves|Painted Caves]] and the [[Night Quarry]] are found here. The remains of the [[#Heart of the Tempest|Hearth of the Tempest]] are found here not far from the town of '''Tolvi''', where is found the [[Tolvoli Butcher#Tolvoli Slaughterhouse and the Heart of the Tempest|Tolvoli Slaughterhouse]]. The area is known to be inhabited by large numbers of ''dubik'', but the [[Tolvoli Butcher]] reduces the threat they pose. In theory.

The most famous vale in Mieriada lies on shores of the '''Coldmere''' (which often freezes solid in the depths of winter). '''Wendell’s Hope''' is a mining vale that grew up around a tavern and trading post. It is unusual in that its [[Varushka_leadership|boyar]] is traditionally the owner of the largest tavern in the vale, which is a place of pilgrimage for the dedicates of [[Courage]]. In the past groups of warriors who were planning to raid into Otkodov would often gather here on their outward journey, and on their return. It is especially welcoming to [[stzena]]; the nights are long, and both the miners and the warriors are wealthy. It is sometimes called the Last Warm Hearth in the North.

Across the Coldmere stands the [[Ambassador to Otkodov|Thule Embassy]], a cold and forbidding structure in the foothills of the northern mountains. Under snow for half the year, it is already seen as a poor posting by civil servants associated with the diplomatic corps. The Thule ambassador to the Empire, Rak Who-Speaks-For-The-Dragon's-Undivided, is likewise said to be a little regretful that he has had to leave the relative welcome of the ''Red Lantern'' inn in Void for these comparatively less hospitable quarters.

===Perumaki===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
In the mountains of Perumaki are the [[#The Razors|Razors]], and at the foot of their mountain lies the vale of '''Razorwatch''' which keeps an eye on them. As with most regions of Miekarova, Perumaki contains a number of prosperous [[mine|mines]], and there are numerous rich veins of [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] and [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]]. The richest material in Perumaki is probably silver, however, and a number of [[business|businesses]] are scattered through the vales here that deal in precious metals or fine jewellery.

Perumaki is also the ancestral home of the Vor'Azi, who have lived in the ''Vale of Strascovia'' for generations. At the Spring Equinox 379YE, the [[Senate]] [[Fortify Miekarova II|approved construction]] of a [[fortification]] at the Vale of Strascovia, building on the crumbling remains of the Vor'Azi estates. In the shadow of Grimhold stand the [[Grim Gardener|Gardens of the Grim]], a [[herb garden]] [[sinecure]] that also serves as a memorial to the respected Varushkan hero Chernobog.

===Srodkoja===
*'''Quality:''' Forest
The centre of the northern fur trade; pelts from here adorn many a [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[Earl]] or [[The_League_leadership|Merchant Prince]] of the [[The League|League]] cities. The largest vale in Srodkoja is '''Olodny''', and has made much of its wealth from trapping and skinning. It is built to defend against wolf packs - the ditches are deep and the walls thick with spikes - and it serves as a base of operations for both hunters and [[Varushka_military_concerns|wagon raiders]]. Not far from Olodny stands the [[Gloaming_Sentinel#Butterfly_Holt|Butterfly Holt]], an area of forest girdled with wooden palisades that serves as a breeding ground for a hardy strain of [[Mundane_beasts#Iridescent_Butterfly|iridescent butterfly]].

In the forest south-west of Olodny, near the Imperial Orc border, is the vale of '''Volchitrava'''. Home to the Gremani family, this vale is also the site of the [[#The Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun|Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun]], a [[college of Magic|college]] of [[Summer magic]].

In the forests to the north of Olodny lies the vale of Sciany. On the perimeter of this vale lies the tower of Gorowac, which is believed by some to be home to a powerful Volodny.

Srodkoja is also the location of '''Olga’s Ashes''', a place of virtuous study, part-built into caverns above the road. Olga was an early Varushkan convert to the Way, a warden by calling, and her ashes are said to have miraculous powers to reveal possessing spirits. Some Varushkans claimed her as an [[Paragons_and_Exemplars#Exemplars|exemplar]] of [[Vigilance]], and she was finally recognised as such by the [[Synod]] in [[377YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements| Autumn 377YE]].

==Strategic Considerations==
{{Strategic Considerations|Miekarova}} [[#The Mountain Passes|The passes]] through the mountains to the west and north restrict free movement of Imperial armies. Armies cannot move between [[#Srodkoja|Srodkoja]] and [[Skarsind#Estermark|Estermark]], nor between Srodkoja and [[Otkodov]] (and vice versa). There are passes into Skarsind and [[Otkodov#Urdur|Urdur]] from Miechernya, and into [[Verthandi#Erskjuvaten|Erskjuvaten]] from [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]] in [[Verthandi]] from [[#Mieriada|Mieriada]], but otherwise the mountains are simply too hostile to massive groups of soldiers. These strategic considerations are only a matter for armies; [[military unit|smaller groups of soldiers]] can still use the less-accessible paths across the borders of Miekarova.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic.jpg|caption='''Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic''', Senator for Miekarova|align=left|width=250}}
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Miekarova|Territory=Miekarova|Season=Winter}}
==OOC Notes==
* As of the Autumn Equinox 387YE, the Thule control Miechernya and Mieriada. Varushka, and by extension the Empire, controls the rest of the territory.
* [[#Grimhold|Grimhold]] in [[Miekarova#Perumaki|Perumaki]] is a rank one [[fortification]].
* Eldfell in [[#Miechernya|Miechernya]] is a rank one fortification controlled by the Thule
* [[Mine|Mines]] in the territory benefit from the [[#The Iron Roads|Iron Roads]] and produce an extra 2 ingots each season.
* [[Mine|Mines]] in the territory benefit from the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Light_Market|The Light Market]] and produce either an extra 2 ingots or an extra 36 rings each season, depending on the decisions of the Merchant Boyar of the Night Market.
* [[Forest|Forests]] in the territory benefit from the [[#The Iron Roads|Iron Roads]] and produce an extra 2 measures each season.
<box>'''The businesses of Miekarova'''<br>Several vales of Miekarova are described as dealing in valuable minerals or furs. While you could represent this kind of endeavour with a [[mine]] or a [[farm]], you could also represent it with a [[business]]. A trading post that deals in ostensibly mundane goods would produce money rather than game materials, making business ideal - and it would be easy to imagine [[Business#Diversification|diversifying]] it to provide small amounts of appropriate raw materials. Perhaps the miners who provide your silversmith with silver occasionally bring ingots of [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]] as well.<br><br>Likewise, while you might represent a gang of wagon raiders with a [[military unit]], an inn or tavern like [[#Wendells Hope|Wendell's Hope]] that serves as their base of operations would make an interesting business - perhaps again with a little diversification to reflect the spoils of war they might trade you to pay off their bar tab.</box>
[[Category:Varushka]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]]
[[Category:Imperial Territory]]

Keeper of the Tome

2026-10-28T17:59:39Z

Responsible1: /* Overview */

==Overview==
The Keeper of the Tome is an [[Imperial title]] awarded to a citizen of [[the League]]. Construction of the Temeschwar-Otkodov Mana Exchange was [[Construct_Temeschwar_Otkodov_Mana_Exchange|announced]] by '''Elsha Bertolf''' as [[Chair of the Wolf]] during the Spring Equinox 385YE following an opportunity presented to [[Don%27t_blame_me#Exploit_the_Thule|take advantage]] of the danger presented by the heralds of [[Skathe]] in the [[Temeschwar#Metri|forests of Metri]].

Work was completed shortly before the Summer Solstice 385YE but election of the title was stalled due to [[Construct_Temeschwar_Otkodov_Mana_Exchange#Outcome|issues]] raised by the Constitutional Court. An administrative motion was [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Amend_the_Keeper_of_the_Tome|raised]] to the Imperial Senate at the first session of the Solstice and passed, allowing the title to be elected for the first time at the Summer Solstice 385YE.

==Responsibilities==
The Keeper of the Tome is responsible for keeping the trading relations with the Thule cordial. In addition if the Temeschwar-Otkodov Mana Exchange were to be threatened, or something were to threaten the trade routes between Otkodov and Temeschwar, it would be the responsibility of the Keeper to deal with those threats.

==Powers==
===Ministry===
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left: 10px;">
<table style="width:400px; float: right; margin-left:10px;" class="mw-collapsible"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mana Crystals'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;"></td>
<tr><td>720 rings</td><td>40 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>1710 rings</td><td>80 mana crystals </td></tr>
<tr><td>3510 rings</td><td>125 mana crystals </td></tr>
</table></div>
As a [[ministry]], the title of Keeper of the Tome allows the holder to purchase quantities of mana crystals traded from the north at a set price. The Keeper makes their decision on how much money to spend during downtime from their character page. Money is removed from, and resources are placed into, the character's inventory when the downtime is processed.

==Appointment==
This title is appointed during the Summer Solstice by citizens of the League who control [[business]] [[Resource|personal resources]]. The larger the business an individual has, the more votes they can allocate in support to a candidate. The voting is handled by the civil servants in the Bourse.

Only a League character may hold this title. They do not receive a seat on the Bourse. As an Imperial title appointed through the Bourse, they cannot be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Synod]].

{{RecentElections|Keeper_of_the_Tome}}
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:The League]]
[[Category:Bourse]]

Keeper of the Runegrott

2026-10-28T17:55:44Z

Responsible1: /* Runegrott */

==Overview==
The Keeper of the Runegrott is an Imperial title [[385YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Construct_Runeforge_in_Hahnmark|created]] by the Imperial Senate during the Spring Equinox 385YE. They are appointed by the [[military unit]] captains of [[Wintermark]] through [[Tally of the Votes]] and have a responsibility to support and encourage the expansion of [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmith's Law]]. The opportunity to build the [[runeforge]] was first presented in the [[Conduit to destiny]] wind of fortune.

The runeforge allows the creation of new and unique [[magic items]], as well as offering the possibility of sharing that knowledge with Imperial [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]].

==Responsibilities==
The Keeper of the Runegrott has a responsibility to support and encourage the expansion of [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmith's Law]]. The Keeper also oversees the research agenda of the runeforge, and is responsible for crafting the unique magic items the structure produces. In the event the runeforge is threatened, the Keeper is responsible for addressing such threats.

==Powers==
===Unique Crafting===
The runeforge can be used to create a single copy of a unique magic item. It takes six months to research a new item, which can require up to 40 materials to create. If the finished item requires more than 40 materials, it requires one extra season of work for every 20 extra materials. When the research is completed, the Keeper is presented with a standard magic item that, as with all such items, will last for one year.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px;"><box>'''Unique items'''<br>
A unique item is one that does not already exist in the magic item lists. It is likely that such an item will need to be [[magic items#Bonded items|bonded]], and will be a [[Magic_items#Weapons|weapon]], [[Magic_items#Armour|armour]], [[Magic_items#Talismans|talisman]] or [[Magic_items#Group_Magic_Items|group magic item]]. Magic items tend to do one thing, rather than multiple types of things, and creating an item that does more than one thing is increasingly more expensive that creating an item that does one thing well. Not every ability of a magic item is equally appropriate to every kind of item, and more powerful items may prove to be prohibitively expensive in terms of time or materials required - or flat out impossible. It is worth talking to Profound Decisions about the kind of item you wish to create so that we can work together to come up with something possible that is as close as we can get to your original idea.
</box></div>
At this time, the Keeper of the Runegrott may choose to learn the ability to make that item for the usual experience point costs. However, the character will be unable to teach anyone else how to make the item - the ability to do so will remain theirs alone.

===Forge Schema===
Instead of constructing a single copy of a magic item, the Keeper may choose to make a [[Magic items#Schema|schema]]. It takes six months to research a schema, which can require up to 40 materials to create. If the finished item requires more than 40 materials, it requires one extra season of work for every 20 extra materials. Creating a schema requires the Keeper of the Runegrott to provide ten rings of [[ilium]]. A schema is permanent unless destroyed with [[Words of Ending]].

A schema is a "pattern" for the new crafted item that anyone can use to learn the method of creating the item. It can also be expended with the assistance of the Imperial Senate to spread the knowledge of how to make the new item throughout the Empire.

===Using the Forge===
The runeforge is used during downtime. The Keeper of the Runegrott should email [mailto:rules@profounddecisions.co.uk rules@profounddecisions.co.uk] after the event and before downtime ends with the details of the item they wish to try and create. If they want to make a schema, they will need the appropriate number of rings of ilium in their inventory. Profound Decisions will let the player know before the next event the number and type of materials required to make the new item.

The Keeper of the Runegrott is an Imperial title and thus may appoint a [[proxy]]. It is important to note however that a proxy cannot wield powers related to downtime; they cannot direct the runeforge nor learn how to create a unique magic item. Only the actual character with the title of Keeper of the Runegrott is legally allowed to use the runeforge to make or master new magic items.

==Appointment==
This title is appointed during the Autumn Equinox each year. The Keeper of the Runegrott is appointed, through the [[Tally of the Votes]], by citizens of Wintermark who control [[military unit|military units]]. The larger the resource an individual has, the more votes they can allocate in support to a candidate. The voting is handled by the civil servants in the Bourse.

Only a Wintermark citizen may hold the title. They do not receive a seat on the Bourse. As a title appointed through the Bourse they cannot be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Synod]].
{{RecentElections|Keeper_of_the_Runegrott}}

==Runegrott==
<div style="float: right; width: 200px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Runeforge Symbol.jpg|width=200px}}</div>
The runeforge's main entrance is a set of heavy wooden doors, flanked by two large herons, decorated with a simple motif of three tears. Beyond the doors is the main foyer; the walls on either side hold three large engravings depicting key events in the construction of the forge: the gifting of the resources from Skarsind, the lost runesmiths being welcomed home, the consecration of the tomb of Isenbrad. Attention to detail is evident everywhere in both form and function. No doors snag or hang heavy on their hinges, no furniture even threatens to rock or creak. The decoration throughout is extensive but unobtrusive.

The centre of the runeforge is an everburning forge, rumoured to be fueled by coals won from [[Barien|Barien Dragonforge]]. The high ceiling of interlocked weirwood beams arch to a central point to let out the smoke. Woven between them are glittering points of mithril marking out the constellation of [[the Great Wyrm]], and then two small points which would match [[the Key]], all clearly picked out in the light of the fire.

Workshops surround this central area, with experts and apprentices hard at work; crafting, learning, and teaching. The smell of hot metals, freshly cut wood, and rich dyes fill the whole building. Beyond and above them are reading areas for the less direct research. Between two of the workshops is a corridor and a small door which leads to the one outside section of the forge. A small garden, protected by a circular high wall and the warmth from the building. Built so that the near-constant sounds from the forge are a gentle background noise. Scented by the patches of herbs and with a small selection of places to sit and think, this is an area for contemplation. Facing the doorway is a lifesize carving depicting an adult and three children standing proud of the wall, all unlineaged and [[steinr]] by the design of their clothing. The adult stands beneath a carving of [[Ophis]], the children bear the runes [[Evrom]], [[Gralm]], and [[Cavul]]. A plaque at the base is carved with the words “''From our past, we learn. For our future, we build''”

The rear of the runeforge is made up of a suite of rooms for the personal use of the Keeper of the Runegrott.
[[Category:Bourse]][[Category:Title]][[Category:Wintermark]]

Powers of the Imperial Senate

2026-10-28T17:36:55Z

Responsible1: /* Declaration of Peace */

[[Category: Senate]]
<quote by="Varkula, The Throne">If I rule for a thousand years I would never question the existence of your loyalty, Senator Holberg. I merely wonder to whom you have given it.</quote>

==Overview==
The [[Senate]] is the most powerful of all the great bodies of the Empire and their powers are the most flexible and wide ranging. The legal powers of the [[Synod]] and the [[Conclave]] are clearly defined and tightly constrained in the range of things they can directly accomplish. The [[Military Council]] and the [[Bourse]] are flexible but their focus is much more constrained. Only Senate has the power to make law and it is the Senate that chooses an Empress and the Senate that controls the balance of power between the houses.

The powers of the Senate are employed using either a [[Senate motion]] or a [[Senate announcement]]. Only a member of the Senate with the [[Senator#Proposal|right to propose a motion]] may raise motions on the Senate floor. Some of the powers of the Senate may be delegated to the holder of an [[Imperial title]] to carry out. Any Imperial title that has had Senate powers delegated to it may employ those powers by making a suitable announcement during a session.

==Legal==
===Changes to Imperial Law===
The Senate has the power to introduce new laws or to change existing laws. As with other motions, changes to the law are subject to [[scrutiny]] by the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]]. A proposal may be consistent with the Constitution or inconsistent with the Constitution. In the latter case the motion is described as having constitutional implications.

* A motion that is consistent with the constitution can be passed by majority vote of the senators present.
* A vote that has constitutional implications requires the approval of two-thirds of all current senators in the Empire and must be authorised by The Throne and approved by three senior Magistrates.

Any character may discuss a proposed motion with [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|the Constitutional Court]] to try to find a way to make it consistent, or stop it being inconsistent with the Constitution. They will offer advice as best they can. There is no right of appeal however, as the members of the court are NPCs. Their decisions are made in the interests of keeping the game enjoyable, they are not made so as to create plot when players disagree with them.

Where a motion with constitutional implications is passed and ratified, the civil service will amend their interpretation of the constitution as necessary and add any relevant notes to the [[Imperial_Constitution#Commentary_on_the_constitution|commentary.]]

===Imperial Titles===
Only the Senate has the power to create [[new Imperial titles]].

===Appointments===
A number of titles are appointed by the Senate, including [[the Throne]]. The procedures for an [[appointment by the Senate]] depend on whether the position is Imperial or national; whether it was created by a [[Senate_motion#Constitutional_Vote|constitutional vote]], and whether the Senator who raised the motion indicates that they intend to use the power of [[Appointment_by_the_Senate#Escalation|escalation]].

The Senate may be also step in to appoint a national title where the Senators of the nation in question cannot reach an agreement.

===Conclave Orders===
The Senate can create a new [[Conclave order]] or dissolve an existing one. This is always a constitutional vote. A newly created order requires a clear statement as to its purpose and attitudes to magic, and a symbol similar to those possessed by existing orders that is used with the [[Arcane Mark]] ritual. If an order is dissolved, the contents of its [[Conclave vault|vault]] are redistributed among the remaining orders.

This power is usually used at the [[Declaration#Declaration of Concord|instigation of the Conclave]].
===Imperial Sodalities===
The Senate can recognise a new [[Imperial sodality]] or dissolve an existing one. This is always a constitutional vote. A newly created sodality requires a clear statement as to its purpose, and a symbol similar to those possessed by existing sodalities and orders that is used with the [[Mark of Fellowship]] ritual. If a sodality is dissolved, any Imperial titles appointed by the sodality are [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|abrograted]].

==Diplomatic==
The Senate is responsible for relations with foreign powers. It has the power to issue a formal declaration of war or peace, as well as extending legal protection to envoys and representatives of barbarian powers for short periods to allow diplomacy to take place.

===Declaration of War===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Barbarian'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]]</td><td>Empire</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Grendel]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Jotun]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Druj]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Children of Wrecks]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Volodny]]</td><td>Secret Society</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Not_to_conquer#The_Black_Wind|The Black Wind]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Here_to_stay#Shells|The Brine Turtles]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>

</table></div>
The Senate can declare war on any foreign power. Any foreign powers or nations that the Empire is at war with are considered to be barbarians. Barbarians are not protected by Imperial Law and are considered enemies of the Empire, so it is illegal to trade with them.

===Declaration of Peace===
{{stub}}
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Foreigners'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Commonwealth]]</td><td>Empire</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Principalities_of_Jarm|Principalities of Jarm]]</td><td>Empire</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarcophan_Delves|Sarcophan Delves]]</td><td>Empire</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sumaah_Republic|Sumaah Republic]]</td><td>Empire</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Axos]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Faraden]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Iron_Confederacy|The Iron Confederacy]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Skoura]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Thule]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Tsark]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[When_peace_was_far_away#Free_Port|Zemelslo]]</td><td>Nation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Make_it_happen#The_Bloodwater_Spears|Bloodwater Spears]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Culling_the_threat#Reservation_of_Benefits|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Great Forest Orcs]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Not_to_conquer#Karass|Karass]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Blood_makes_noise#The_Sept_of_the_Menrothat|Menrothat]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Not_to_conquer#Rahvin|Rahvin]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Pride_and_prejudice#The_Orcs_of_Branoc|Sept of the Leshun]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Severed Hornet Sept]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Make_it_happen#The_Water_Walkers|Water Walkers]]</td><td>Sept</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Asavean_factions#The_Satrapy_of_Ibaria|Ibaria]]</td><td>Satrapy</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[I_wish_you_would#Grendel|Protectorate of Morajasse]]</td><td>Protectorate</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Shimmerglisten#Giving_the_Game_Away_to_the_Feni|The Feni of "The Woods that Fell"]]</td><td>People</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossans of Trajadoz]]</td><td>People</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Here_to_stay#Selfishness|Orcs of Clisearn]]</td><td>People</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Here_to_stay#Cynicism|Orcs of Eoradal]]</td><td>People</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Weight_of_the_world#Here_to_Stay|Orcs of Ossium who are not Druj]]</td><td>People</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Spiral#Cinion|Silver Flame]]</td><td>People</td></tr>
</table></div>
The Senate can also end to a state of war. External powers that the Empire is not at war with are classed as foreigners; it is legal to trade with them and their rights are protected by Imperial Law.

===Foreign Relations===
The Senate can create an Imperial [[ambassador]] to negotiate on behalf of the Empire with the representatives of a specific foreign nation or empire. If the Empire completes the construction of an [[embassy]], a new Imperial title of ambassador is automatically created, if one does not exist already for that nation. This legal power allows the Senate to deal with nations and countries - it is not possible to create an ambassador to a family, group, or faction within a nation.

An ambassador has the authority to negotiate with representatives of the foreign power on behalf of the Imperial Senate, but if the results of any negotiation require the use of one or more of the Senate's legal powers, then that deal must be [[Ambassador#Treaty|ratified as a treaty]] by the Senate. The ambassador cannot automatically undertake actions that require the use of any legal powers - such as a declaration of war or peace - unless explicitly granted these additional legal powers by Senate motion.

There may only be a single ambassador to a foreign nation at once - but the Senate can choose to create other Imperial titles that have ''responsibilities'' to cover specific areas - for example to ensure good relations with certain members of a nation, or to encourage and promote trade with that nation.

===Ratification===
The Imperial Senate can vote to ratify a treaty that has been raised as a Senate motion. Ratification of a treaty is considered to be a single motion before the Senate because the Senate can either choose to accept the treaty or reject it. It is not possible to amend a treaty once it is presented as a motion; it either passes in its entirety in the form it was submitted or it does not pass. The only legal way for the Senate to ratify variations of a treaty is to submit different treaties as separate motions.

Any citizen can negotiate and agree a deal with individuals from another nation, but only the Imperial title with authority may submit a treaty for ratification by the Senate and only when the civil service have confirmed that it is a genuinely negotiated treaty with members of that nation.

===Concedence===
The Senate can opt to cede Imperial control over a [[territory#Region|region]] or [[territory]] to a foreign power. This allows a foreign nation, empire, or [[eternal]] the ability to take uncontested control of the location. Control of the land is not granted immediately - the foreign power must still send forces to seize the area - but no Imperial citizens or forces will attempt to resist the incursion unless one or more generals gives explicit orders to the contrary. Normally the Senate will use this power to cede land as part of a peace treaty, but this is not a constitutional requirement.

When land is ceded by the Senate, the effects are different to an invasion. The civil service ensure that the Imperial citizens who dwell in the affected areas are duly informed and do everything possible to help them evacuate the area. There are always a few hold-outs who prefer to take their chances and remain - but the majority of citizens prefer to live in the Empire and will move as the border moves, taking what belongings they can with them. Such movements are not without cost, but the civil service does everything possible to reduce the burden.

In Summer 384YE, the Constitutional Court issued new guidance indicating that ceding a region or territory carries significant constitutional implications - in particular it jeopardises the key requirement of the Constitution that the Empire guarantee the dignity, freedom, and prosperity of its citizens. In light of recent events, the Court is mindful of the capacity for this power to be abused to force a nation to give up territory against its will, but also cognizant that they are not best placed to judge such matters. As a result, they have ruled that any further Senate motion that cedes a region or territory of a nation would be subject to a [[veto]] by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] or the [[Assembly#The_National_Assemblies|national assembly]] of the nation or nations relinquishing land. A national assembly are not restricted to vetoing a single Senate motion in the way the General Assembly are (though of course this is the only type of Senate motion they can veto). This restriction only applies to motions that cede substantial areas of land, a region or a territory or more.

The Senate may also use a motion to cede control of any Imperial [[commission]]. The Senate may choose to relinquish control of ''any'' Imperial asset in this way. [[sinecure|Sinecures]], [[edifice|edifices]], [[college of magic|colleges]], [[great work|great works]], bourse seats, [[fortification|fortifications]], even an [[Army|army]] (representative of weapons, armour, and other materials being handed over) can all legally be ceded to a foreign power. It is possible to cede a commission as part of the same motion used to create the commission in the first place - for example the Senate could pass a motion to construct an edifice in the form of a giant monkey in the Bay of Catazar and cede control of the completed statue to the [[Grendel]] with the same motion.

As with ceding land, the foreign power must still exert their power to claim the asset - otherwise it remains under the control of the Empire. However seizing an asset is usually easier and may not always require the foreign power to send soldiers to take control. If the Empire cedes control of a commission then they cannot continue to build it or employ it in anyway - even if the other party does not take control of the asset.

Any Imperial title whose powers are linked to an asset that is ceded is automatically abrogated as soon as the motion of concedence comes into force. For example, if the Empire passes a motion to cede a territory to the Druj then the Imperial title of senator for that territory is automatically abrogated as part of the same motion. Ceding an edifice, great work, or similar would abrogate any Imperial title with responsibility for the structure.

This power asserts the legal will of the Empire to give up ''all'' control over the affected area - it is categorically not possible to cede control of something but retain any element of control over it under any circumstances.

==Military==
===Guerdon===
Military units and fleets are not paid automatically for supporting Imperial armies on campaign. To incentivise independent captains to back the Empire's armies, and to reward them for doing so, the Empire created the Guerdon, a pool of money drawn from the Imperial treasury, which can be shared out amongst those whose actions are judged worthy enough. The Imperial Senate can use a motion to set the level of the Imperial guerdon, determining how much money in total will be shared out among all the eligible heroes.

The Senate can also use a motion to determine which military actions will qualify - determining which armies, navies, fortifications, spy networks or adventures are worthy of earning a share of the guerdon. They may choose any of the options available - they could even give the guerdon to those units taking mercenary work if they cared to. Military units and fleets that qualify receive a share of the total purse that is proportional to the military strength they have contributed, based on the strength of the military unit or fleet and any enchantments they are under.

In recent years, the Senate has devolved much of the responsibility for determining eligibility to the [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies]]. The Quartermaster must provide the [[Herald of the Council|Herald of the Military Council]] with an exclusive list of which armies and other options will receive a share of the guerdon and then make an announcement to that effect in the Senate.

{{CurrentGuerdon}}

==Economic==
===Imperial Treasury===
The Senate receives taxes drawn from every territory in the Empire, along with the money raised from the auction of Imperial Bourse seats and such donations as may be made by private citizens from time to time. This great wealth forms the [[Imperial treasury]]. Much of the wealth is pre-allocated to pay for the armies and fortifications that defend the empire, however senators can pass motions that call for one-off or regular disbursements from the Imperial treasury.

A senator can raise a motion to have treasury funds assigned to almost any project. Such a motion will usually include wording that indicates what the money is for. Although this direction does not carry legal standing - it cannot be enforced by a magistrate, it may be used by the Synod to judge if the money has been well spent. The funds might be used for anything - buying medical supplies for an upcoming battle; purchasing mithril to improve all the mana sites in Dawn; constructing a set of magic standards for the armies of Varushka; funding a project, scheme or group, or any number of other examples.

The most common disbursements are for one-off payments to pay for [[Commission|commissions]] and regular payments that form a stipend as part of the creation of an [[Imperial title]]

===Commissions===
Only the Senate has the power to authorise a new [[commission]].

===Historical Research===
The Senate can order rudimentary [[historical research]] on a chosen subject.

===Appraisal===
The Senate can instruct civil servants working the Prognosticators Office to carry out an [[appraisal]] of a known problem to see what opportunities exist.

===Tariffs===
The Senate can use a senate motion to instruct civil servants to vary the [[tariffs]] charged by the Empire on goods bought and sold by visiting foreigners.

==Territorial==
===Assignment===
A territory is conquered at the point where half or more of the regions in that territory are under Imperial control. When a territory is conquered it must be assigned to a nation of the Empire by a vote in the Senate, before it can legally be considered part of the Empire. Until 379YE it was understood that it would be unconstitutional for the Senate to reassign a territory. Once a vote had been passed then the status was fixed and could not be changed while the territory remains part of the Empire. However, this is no longer the case and territories may be reassigned by use of a [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Relinquishment|motion of relinquishment]] and then a motion of assignment. A national bourse seat in a territory that is assigned will automatically transfer to the nation receiving the assignment and will be appointed by the [[New_Imperial_titles#The_Imperial_Bourse|bourse mechanisms]] laid down for that nation.

In practice competing claims are exceptionally rare and only [[Holberg]] has ever been successfully contested, so the motion is normally more formal than political. Traditionally a [[senator]] from the Imperial nation that laid claim to a territory would propose the motion and take the opportunity to deliver a suitably portentous speech.

Since the [[Into the spin|Spring Equinox 386YE]] and the conquering of [[Mareave]] it has fallen under the remit of the Speaker for the Senate to raise an administrative motion to assign a territory. These motions are part of the first Saturday session and allow any senator to nominate a nation to be assigned the territory.

===Allocation===
If an asset that produces ilium, mithril, weirwood or white granite is in a region that is conquered by the Imperial armies - the asset is subject to a vote of allocation. Control of the asset is vested in the [[Bourse]] - as prescribed by the [[Imperial Constitution]] but the vote determines whether the asset will be a national asset or an Imperial asset.

Imperial assets are auctioned to the highest bidder - with the money raised being added to the Imperial treasury. Any Imperial citizen may bid for such a position - although as with any position, an individual citizen can only ever hold one title.

National assets are appointed by the [[New_Imperial_titles#The_Imperial_Bourse|bourse mechanisms]] laid down for the nation in which the territory is located. Only an Imperial citizen of the nation in which the territory is situated may be selected to hold that title. If the asset is in imperial control but the territory has not yet been conquered by the empire, then it can be allocated to any nation and will be appointed according to that nation's mechanism.

The only way for a new vote of allocation to take place is if the resource is lost and then later reconquered. At this point the former status of the resource is irrelevant and a new vote of allocation is needed. Any senator may raise a vote of allocation, although if the motion calls for the resource to be national then it is traditional for the senator whose territory the resource is located in to raise the motion.

A vote of allocation does not arise for a bourse asset in a territory that is relinquished and re-assigned, the asset remains national or Imperial (see [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#assignment|assignment]] above).

===Relinquishment===
During the Winter Solstice 381YE, The Imperial Senate [[Create_Senate_power_of_relinquishment_II|voted to create]] the power of ''relinquishment'' - the power to open a [[territory]] or Bourse resource up for [[#Assignment|assignment]] or [[#Allocation|allocation]] as appropriate.

The Senate can relinquish a national or Imperial Bourse resource, or a territory. The motion of relinquishment requires a [[Senate_motion#Constitutional_Vote|constitutional vote]] to pass and is subject to a [[veto]] by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]], the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]] and by the [[Assembly#The_National_Assemblies|National Assembly]] of the nation relinquishing the territory or resource if it were not Imperial.

The relinquished territory or resource would become eligible for allocation or assignment as appropriate at the next Senate session.

If the Senate relinquishes a Bourse seat the new assignment comes into effect next time that seat is eligible to be allocated (for example, if the current holder dies or steps down, or during the normal season where the Bourse seat would be appointed).

==Abrogation==
A motion may call for the abrogation of most previous Senate decisions. If the vote is successful, then the motion is nullified in the most effective way possible. A change to the law would be repealed, a title created would be dissolved, a war declared would be cancelled.

Abrogation cannot reverse time, resources expended on a commission that is abrogated are lost. The powers of a title are lost when the title is dissolved but previous uses of those powers are not unwound. A foreign power might be placated by the abrogation of a declaration of war - but they are not likely to forget that it happened. When a [[commission]] is abrogated, the exact outcome depends on the nature of the commission but it usually means any production provided is lost after the summit where the motion is passed. As an example of the effects of abrogating a commission - in this case a great work - can be seen when the Senate voted to [[abrogate Moonwater Hall]].

Territorial motions (allocation and assignment), disbursements and appointments cannot be abrogated.

{{Senate Further Reading}}

An angry blade

2026-10-19T15:16:27Z

Responsible1: /* By Any Other Name */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Spring]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Appraisal]]
<ic>Graciana watched the corsairs as they moved swiftly round the vessel, quickly and skilfully furling the main sail as the Red Dawn glided towards the jetty. It was a dangerous manoeuvre, especially at the speed the vessel was moving. Safer to come in slower and safer by far to have a pilot vessel bring the ship in. Slower meant less risky, but also less exhilarating... And, if you needed to reach a hostile quayside quickly then slower could also mean dead. The corsair families practiced these skills for a reason, you never knew when you might need them.

In a matter of moments, there were a dozen Freeborn soldiers swarming onto the dock, hauling on the thick hawsers to help guide the vessel into its berth. The rest of the crew didn't wait for them to tie off, throwing out the gangplanks as soon as the dock was close enough to reach. It was an impressive and elegant feat of coordination and skill, and just what Graciana had been hoping to see.

She fought the urge to push forwards, to walk up the gangplank, to feel the deck beneath her feet. Ten years on land now, had done nothing to diminish her love of the sea. But this was not her ship, that was long gone. If she wanted to make a good impression on captain Salvada, she would need to do them the courtesy of waiting for them to disembark. So she waited patiently as they secured the vessel and began unloading the cargo.

Finally, as the last amphora of wine were moved to the quayside, she stepped forward to approach the ship, put one foot on the gangplank and then stopped. "May I have your permission to come aboard Captain?" she asked. She might have marched onboard a normal ship, but the Red Dawn was still a military vessel, a part of the detachment of ships that supported the Red Wind Corsairs.

Still, she was up on the deck in the blink of an eye, as soon as she got the nod. Partly because she couldn't wait to be back on deck, and partly because she knew it wouldn't hurt to let those watching she her move confidently board. She smiled as the captain came over with a quizzical look on his face.

"I have a proposal to discuss with you" she explained. And then she smiled again "One I hope will be to your advantage..."</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=FreebornMobileCorsair.jpg|caption=Many corsairs pride themselves on being mobile and unpredictable.|align=left|width=500}}</div>{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=498qUD4l0Ks}}
==Overview==
The Imperial Senate has instructed [[Appraisal#Graciana_i_Lòpez_i_Guerra|Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra]] to appraise options to deploy Imperial Fleet captains to disrupt enemy naval and logistical operations in the Bay of Catazar. With the Empire facing four Grendel navies, there is a pressing need to find a way to counter that threat, and the recent attack on Madruga has created a burning need for Vengeance in the hearts of many Freeborn.

Graciana is an excellent choice for the appraisal, more than her reputation for novel and imaginative solutions, she was once a successful corsair herself. Surely if anyone can find a way for Imperial fleets to take the fight to the Grendel, it is Graciana?

Unfortunately, the short answer appears to be no - despite her best efforts Graciana is unable to achieve the ideal - to find a way for Imperial fleets to directly counter the threat posed by the Grendel. There is a long answer, of course, she does have four proposals the Senate to consider that hew as close as possible to the Senate's instructions.

<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Proposed: Miaren, Seconded: The Barrens">The Senate request Graciana to conduct an appraisal of methods to deploy Imperial Fleet captains to disrupt enemy naval and logistical operations in the Bay of Catazar.</quote></div>

==By Any Other Name==
* '''Imperial fleets can only directly oppose a Grendel navy if they unite to support an Imperial navy'''
* '''It is debatable whether the Empire could ever fully defeat the Grendel without building a substantial navy of their own'''

It seems like the most useful outcome would be for Imperial fleet captains to band together to try and oppose a Grendel navy directly. Graciana spends weeks looking at options for that, but it is clear that there is one, and only one, effective way to do that, and that is to construct an Imperial navy. When the Freeborn Storm fought the Grendel, the Empire routinely saw scores of fleet captains choosing to support them. There is every reason to think that would happen again, it is clear that corsairs and others are keen to take the fight to the Grendel directly. Building a new navy would enable hundreds of fleet captains to take the fight directly to the Grendel.

But it's not possible without an Imperial navy to support. Fleets are simply too small to directly oppose an entire navy, they lack the central coordination needed to bring them together as an effective military force. They are potent when acting in support of an Imperial navy, but without that, they would be quickly scattered or sunk. It is the same reason military units cannot directly oppose a barbarian army - they are powerful in support of an Imperial army, but alone they would be quickly driven off or destroyed.

Graciana notes that this is not a consequence of the Empire's limited experience with naval warfare. She points out that the three Asavean warships are in some ways similar to a very large and powerful Imperial fleet. But even the Asaveans, with all their expertise and long history with naval warfare were unable to use their warships directly. They had to wait for the Grendel to attack, so they could offer their support.

If the Empire want naval fleets to be able to directly oppose the Grendel, the only really effective way to do that is to raise a navy. Navies are as expensive, they need as much weirwood as an army needs mithril and they take just as long to raise. They also require the Empire to possess a [[shipyard]], which is a significant investment and immediately becomes a strategic target for the Empire's enemies. But given the Grendel's huge naval advantage over the Empire - they have at least four navies that the Empire knows of - it is debatable whether the Empire could ever fully defeat them without building a substantial navy of their own. In theory it might be possible to fortify the Bay of Catazar to hold them off long enough for armies to reach Dubhtraig, but that is a very sheer cliff to climb.

<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Elos Shipyards'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Shipyard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 white granite, 10 weirwood, 60 crowns, and three months to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Allows navies to be raised at Elos. A Navy could be commissioned here at the same time the shipyard is being
built</td></tr></table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Cargo Cranes'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Great Work</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 25 mithril, 75 crowns, and three months to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Raises the level of investment in businesses in Redoubt</td></tr></table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Nostos Docks'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Sinecure</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 18 white granite, 54 crowns, and three months to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates the Architect of the Conscious River</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Raises Urizen supply by one for navies only if all three of these commissions are built.</td></tr></table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Architect of the Conscious River'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Title:''' Imperial position</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Urizen Tally of the Votes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Gains 10 tempest jade and 5 green iron each season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Promote trade and investment on the River Couros.</td></tr></table>
</div>

==Dear Perfection==
{{Expired}}
* '''Graciana proposes to build a shipyard at Elos to take advantage of the skilled Night mages there'''
* '''She has added plans to upgrade the cranes at Cargo and build a new docks at Nostos in Morrow'''
* '''If all three commissions are completed, it would raise Urizen's supply by one for navies'''
The most obvious solution to the problem would be for the Empire to raise a navy. Of course that solution is incredibly expensive, but that doesn't remotely concern Graciana, costs are the Senate's problem. Given her reputation for producing expensive solutions she often takes the view that the Empire wouldn't ask her to do an appraisal if cost were an issue. The traditional place to raise a navy would be the Brass Coast, they are the pre-eminent sailors in the Empire, there are more fleets in the Coast than any other nation by far. Unfortunately launching a navy here would be very difficult. The Grendel burned the Atalaya shipyards, and then [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Atalaya|when the Empire rebuilt them]], the Grendel quickly moved to capture them. It is clear that any navy raised on the Brass Coast would be exceptionally vulnerable right now.

One place that might be able to provide a safe harbour from which to launch a navy is the port of Elos. The docks were only recently upgraded, and while they aren't yet big enough to allow the Empire to build a navy there, they could be quickly upgraded. What is more, the existing facilities are sufficiently impressive that [[To_see_what_you_sell#Additional_Benefits|the Empire could begin work raising the navy at the same time that the work was being done to upgrade the docks]]. (The shipyards were completed before the navy was launched). Perhaps most importantly of all, the [[Penumbral Watcher]] could direct the Night mages under their authority to weave enchantments to shroud the docks, hiding what was taking place from Grendel spies. That could prove crucial in allowing the Empire to complete the docks and the navy before the Grendel could get wind of what was going on.

While studying the previous proposals, Graciana is fascinated to learn that it might be possible for Urizen to commission a navy, to operate alongside the Citadel Guard. The nation is notoriously short of soldiers, the Citadel Guard is one of the most famous Imperial armies with good reason, but there is only one of them. An opportunity to build a new Urizeni navy might solve two of the Empire's problems with one stone.

Graciana's plans are not cheap, involving a large expansion of the Urizen's naval capabilities starting with building a shipyard at Elos. That expansion would require 10 wains of white granite, 10 wains of weirwood and 60 crowns and take three months to complete. That would be sufficient to allow Imperial navies to be built there. In addition, her plans involve new upgraded cranes at Cargo, which would need 25 wains of mithril and 75 crowns. That would raise the level of investment for businesses in Redoubt by one.

Finally, Graciana's plan involves a new facility at the Conscious River near Canterspire in Morrow. This small spire is built on the banks of the Nostos, a tributary that flows from Canterspire down to the River Couros. The Conscious River is mostly populated by [[architect|architects]] who study river economics, despite the fact that there is relatively little trade down the Nostos. However together they have devised a proposal to construct new docks here to make a burgeoning river port. The commission would require 18 wains of white granite and 54 crowns and would boost trade in tempest jade and green iron. That would create a sinecure, the Architect of the Conscious River, that would benefit from 10 Tempest Jade and 5 Green Iron each season.

More importantly, the docks would facilitate the production and distribution of weirwood from nearby Canterspire raising output from the bourse seat by 4 wains to a total of 26 wains of weirwood each season. The wood is crucial for building fleets and navies, so if all three commissions were built, and Graciana accepts that that is an expensive proposition, then the combined benefits would be sufficient to enable Urizen to support a single navy alongside the Citadel Guard. Each of the three commissions would require a commission slot, but they could all be built independently at any time.

<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Free Docks'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Fortification</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 50 white granite, 50 weirwood, 300 crowns, and one year to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates a basic fortification in Free Landing that can be supported by Imperial fleets.</td></tr></table></div>

==For That Name==
{{Expired}}
* '''Graciana has presented proposals to fortify Free Landing in such a way that Imperial fleets could support the fortification'''
One of the factors that has made the Brass Coast so vulnerable to attack from the Grendel is the complete lack of any fortifications in the nation. Empress Lisabetta's bold plan to fortify the coastline of the Bay of Catazar, saw a fortification raised at [[Feroz#Mora.27s_Rock|Mora's Rock]] in Feroz, but that fortification was traded to the Grendel years ago, to buy two more years of peace. A more impressive fortification, [[Madruga#The_Salt_Guard_(Ruined)|The Salt Guard]] that protected Madruga was supposed to make a naval assault impossible, but apparently nobody told the Grendel. It was ruined when they attacked the city in overwhelming numbers.

Graciana is keen to improve on Menno's design and fix what she sees as a crucial flaw, the reliance of Imperial armies to adequately defend any fortification. Rather than a single great stone structure at Siroc, Graciana proposes to build small fortified jetties and docks throughout the many islands of Free Landing. Her Free Docks would require 50 wains of white granite, 50 wains of weirwood, 300 crowns and take a year to construct, but once complete, they would make it more difficult to attack Madruga by effectively serving as a basic fortification in Free Landing.

More importantly, Corsairs and other Imperial fleets could make extensive use of the Free Docks to help counter any attack on Free Landing or Madruga that came from the sea. That would mean that fleet captains could chose to commit themselves to the defence of Free Landing by supporting the Free Docks, in the same way that military captains can choose to help defend an Imperial fortification. They would only provide any benefit if Madruga was attacked by a navy, the fleets wouldn't be effective against an army. But if the Grendel did attack Madruga by sea, then Imperial Fleet captains would be able to disrupt enemy naval and logistical operations as requested.

The commission could be built at any time in Free Landing - but of course the Empire would have to control the area. It would be foolish beyond belief to attempt to raise the Free Docks while the Grendel hold Madruga.

==Hear More==
* '''Graciana has found a way for the Empire to build smugglers coves, spy networks for fleets like the one they constructed in Feroz'''
* '''These coves have been added to the list of standard commissions that the Empire can arrange'''
One way that the Empire has been able to utilise fleets to help with military efforts is to employ them to spy on the Grendel. Information can be crucial to victory in war, and the Empire were able to develop [[Bones_in_the_ocean#A_Cuckoo's_Egg|an effective network in Shantarim]] that allowed captains to support the network, allowing it to gather crucial information, just as military units will support a regular spy network.

That spy network is gone now, destroyed when the Asaveans razed the Isle of Osseini, but Graciana is convinced that the techniques employed there could be reused. She spends time liaising with the war scouts to discuss what might be involved and after a lot of work they produce a set of plans that would allow the Empire to create smugglers coves, effectively spy networks for fleets.

Each cove would need to commissioned in a territory adjacent to a region controlled by the Empire. It would require a commission slot and take 10 wains of white granite and 30 thirty crowns. The smugglers cove wouldn't need to be built in a coastal region, but it could only be commissioned in a territory that had a coastline that Imperial fleets could reach.

Building a smugglers cove would be a standard commission that requires an appropriately worded Senate motion.  Alternatively the Imperial Senate could use a Senate motion to grant the Imperial Spymaster the power to commission a smugglers cove instead of a spy network each season.
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RedWindCorsairs_Colour.png|align=left|width=300}}</div>
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Corsairs Reborn'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Army</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 80 weirwood, 240 crowns, and six months to complete </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Upgrade the Daring quality to the Foraying quality.</td></tr></table></div>
==Speak At This==
* '''Graciana has a proposal to upgrade the Red Wind Corsairs to allow them to take to the sea to act as a navy for a time'''

Graciana devotes some a significant chunk of her time to discussions with the corsair families of the Brass Coast with whom she shares kinship and a long affiliation, convinced that if anyone can find a way to achieve the Senate's goals it is them. They are unable to turn up anything new, but when their discussion shifts to the Freeborn armies, a novel does emerge.

The [[Red Wind Corsairs]] takes its name from the many corsairs who serve in the army. For many years it was the closest thing the Empire had to a naval force. Many of the Red Wind soldiers already have experience serving as sailors, more than enough to teach those amongst their ranks who do not yet have their sea legs. The force also enjoys the support of a number of boats and ships, and with the connections to the Corsair families of the Coast, it could quickly call on many more. If the Empire really needs a navy, then perhaps what they need is already in front of their eyes?

To make the plan a reality would require some investment, enough to build a trio of large powerful ships that could form the core of the force when it was at sea. That would need 80 weirwood and 240 crowns and take six months to complete, but it could be done at any time, even when the Corsairs are on active engagement. Once the work was complete, the Corsairs would gain a new quality, Forayers, which in addition to their ability to plunder the enemy in battle would allow them to submit a new order to change from being an army to a navy - or back.

{{anchor|Forayer}}
<big>'''Forayer'''</big>
* '''Can use the ''Take to the Sea'' or ''Take to the Land'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]] a coastal region in the Bay of Catazar'''
* '''Can use the ''daring raid'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
A foraying army is made up of soldiers with extensive experience of fighting in naval battles, such as the corsairs of the Brass Coast. They also have access to the kind of powerful fighting ships that are needed to fight effectively at sea. This allows them to operate in either domain, switching between the two as needs must. Embarking or disembarking takes a season and the force is vulnerable while that happens, but they can move off as normal in the following season, once the change is complete. The Red wind Corsairs could only use this ability in the Bay of Catazar at present.

In addition, the Red Wind Corsairs embrace their instinct to treat their defeated enemies with respect and take their money not their lives. The general can submit the daring raid order. Although some Wintermark armies find fighting alongside a foraging army distasteful - many Wintermark heroes prefer the idea of ransoming defeated enemies to butchering them and have no reason to dislike a daring army.

<box>'''Take to the Sea'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by two fifths.'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is reduced by a fifth.'''
* '''Casualties suffered by the army are increased by two fifths.'''
* '''At the end of the season the army converts into a navy (or vice versa).'''

The army retains access to numerous ships and vessels that are powerful enough to make a difference in naval battles. Either vessels that are directly part of the army or aid from the Corsair families of the Brass Coast that they can call on. By spending a season in a coastal region, changing the operation and arrangement of the force, they can embark on these ships to become a navy at the start of the following season. If the force are not attacked during this time, then they can resupply as normal - if they are attacked, their ability to defend the region will be compromised and they will suffer higher casualties. The Corsairs can use the same order to return to land-based operations, spending a season to cease being a navy and become an army once more.</box>

Out of the abyss

2026-10-19T15:06:25Z

Responsible1: /* Illumination */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:385YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>The first thing Sayana Gretlya Mannanavic had done once she was alone was to light half a dozen candles, to make the room a little cheerier. When the knock came, she was re-reading Marzanna's judgement, and some of the commentary on it that had circulated over the last month.

She settled her shawl carefully on her shoulders, and straightened her bun, before opening the door. The woman in the hall inclined her head in greeting and asked if she might come in. Sayana stepped back but did not explicitly invite her to enter. The cabalist pressed her lips together in amusement, and stepped into the room.

"You are settling in, I hope?" asked the cabalist as she settled herself on the chair Sayana had indicated.

"Thank you, yes. Everyone has been very hospitable." That, at least, was the literal truth. Everyone ''had'' been hospitable, but what they had ''not'' been was welcoming. The cabalists of Void had greeted her and her travelling companions with the same chilly politeness usually reserved for a drunken relative who could not hold down a job. Only the miners seemed at all pleased to see them, and even they had been at best standoffish.

"You've spoken with the workers already, I hear." The cabalist's gaze constantly roved around the room, never settling on anything for more than a moment, never quite making eye contact with Sayana. Everything she said was spoken in the same, neutral, somewhat indifferent tone as if she had better places to be and did not care if her "guest" knew it.

"Yes, they were our first priority. Several of them have already asked for and received an anointing. They seem quite relieved to see us, actually. Some of them were very concerned about things they have heard in the dark. Is it true they must work in complete-"

"They are well paid," The cabalist interrupted. Sayana began to become irritated but took a moment to calm herself.

"Some of them are worried that there are dangers they were-"

Again, the cabalist did not wait for her to finish her thought. "We are not paying them to worry. And for the amount we ''are'' paying them I would have expected a little more discretion. Who has been telling you about dangers in the dark, wise one?"

Sayana didn't answer her pointed question, but soldiered on regardless.

"I don't think that's relevant right now. But the reason I wanted to talk to you was to discuss when it would be possible for us to visit the Deep Chamber. To see the worksite as it were." The cabalist finally met her eyes. The unblinking golden-eyed stare was very unsettling, and Sayana found herself becoming flustered. "Not all of us at once of course, but we all have different specialities and..."

"Never," interrupted the cabalist with finality.

"...I beg your pardon?"

"It will never be possible for you to see the Deep Chamber, wise one." The naga had not blinked, still.

"But why?" Sayana broke eye contact, looked away, feeling like she had lost a fight.

"I do not have to give you reasons, but I will offer you two. Firstly, you will not be able to ''see'' the Deep Chamber for it is a place entirely lightless, and must remain that way. Secondly, because I do not plan to give you permission to visit it, or even to enter the upper mine workings. You may stay as long as you like, and as long as you limit your annoyance to hours when the workers are off duty, you may speak with them and bring them the comfort of your Wisdom as you wish. Attempt to interfere, however, and I will pack you a lunch for the road myself."

"This is outrageous rudeness! Who are you to talk to me this way? What gives you the right-"

"Wise One... If you were truly wise you would know what gives me the right." The Cabalist's voice had dropped almost to a whisper. "I belong to a tradition that was old when our ancestors first came to the woods and the hills, first came into the shadow of the peaks. A tradition whose roots predate Varushka itself as a nation. A tradition that was ancient when the first Highborn had their dreams of virtue, and wove a creed out of them. That is what gives me the right to talk to you like this, wise one."

"But you are playing with forces you cannot control! The peril to the souls of these workers! To your own soul!"

"Ah!" The cabalists face became animated for the first time. "Now we get to it. You are afraid for our souls. How noble of you, Wise One. And there I thought this was just an excuse to poke your nose into business that is very much not your own."

She leaned forward, her fangs just visible as she spoke intensely.

"Your concern is noted, but you must remember that there is nobody else in the whole of Creation to match a Varushkan bargainer when it comes to dealing with the forces of the dark. But more importantly, you must remember that we are Imperial citizens - even we cabalists out here on the very edge of the civilised world - and we are under no obligation to show you ''anything'' we do not wish to. Good evening, wise one."

The cabalist stood, smoothing her skirts. Sayana sputtered, trying to salvage her dignity.

"I shall speak to the Assembly..." she began weakly.

The cabalist smiled for the first time. "The Assembly? The same assembly that told us that it is not against the doctrines of the faith to bargain with sovereigns? By all means tell them what you wish. I am sure that I and my fellow bargainers will greet their words with the same rapt attention we view all their statements."

And then she was gone, the door closing quietly behind her. Sayana pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, wondering where the sudden chill had come from. Probably, she thought, there is a draft. Which would explain why all but one of the candles had gone out.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Blackdamp.jpg|caption=Night Below is one name given to a [[Varushkan_Monster#Sovereigns|sovereign]] that lairs beneath the northern peaks of [[Varushka]], said to watch from every shadowed corner for those foolish enough to seek its aid.|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==Overview==
{{SOP|statement=We the priests of Varushka call upon the builders of the Deep Chamber to dedicate to wisdom. We wish for priests of wisdom and wardens to go and ensure their safe return from the mines.|by=Marzanna, Varushkan Assembly|vote=Greater Majority, 292-0 (Primacy)|when=Autumn Equinox385YE}}
The Varushkan National Assembly [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_154|expressed concern]] for the well-being of the miners working to create the [[Bredavoi Emissary#The Deep Chamber|Deep Chamber]] - whatever that is - in the mountains beneath the vale of [[Volodmartz#Void|Void]]. They upheld a [[statement of principle]] presented by '''Marzanna''', urging the builders to [[dedication|dedicate]] to [[Wisdom]] and encouraging priests to go and ensure that they return safely from the mines.

Some of those who heard the words followed the advice, and offered support to the miners. Of those working in the deep places beneath the Mountains of Brez, a few sought dedications. A few more sought [[anointing]]. For the most part they weren't certain that spiritual aid would actually do anything. Those priests who followed the urging of the Assembly weren't actually allowed down to the site of the Deep Chamber - the cabalists were icily polite hosts but insistent that nothing disrupt the building work down there in the pitch blackness beneath the mountains of Brez.

Work is now complete, and the first [[Bredavoi Emissary]] will be appointed at the Winter Solstice. It seems that this is not the end of the matter, however.

==Delving Deep==
* '''There are further signs that a certain ancient horror has become more active'''
There is something in the darkness beneath the Mountains, a [[Varushkan_Monster#Sovereigns|sovereign]] that some stories refer to as the [[Night Below]]. Others call it ''Blackdamp'', ''Listening Dark'', ''Haunter'', ''Extinguished Sun'' and a dozen or more other names, each more fanciful and foreboding than the last. It has never been quiescent, but in the last year or so it has become noticeably more active. Indeed, there's some suggestion the disappearances around the [[Various_storms_and_saints#The_Cave_of_Zoria|Cave of Zoria]] might be the result of this entity (or its servants). It may well be the entity that some sense in the depths of the [[Granites of Veltsgorsk]]. Sensible Varushkan miners, in [[Miekarova]] and [[Volodmartz]] particularly, know the importance of carving watchful faces into pit props, and ensuring that they have plenty of lights. When the lamps start to burn out a little too quickly, when the lightstones begin to flicker, they either reinforce the tunnels with additional wards or else seal the affected passages and seek other veins. In the end it's maybe no wonder so many Varushkan miners in the north end up leaving the tunnels behind to become wagon-raiders or sell-swords.

In recent months, the shadow under the northern mountains seems to have roused itself further. Every miner seems to know someone with a story of someone who has gone missing in the middle of a shift. Travellers along the northern Iron Roads carry rumours of watchers in the darkness beneath the trees, or voices that try to entice them to leave the safety of the road when they pass near the foothills of the soaring peaks. The bats have been fluttering in the dreams of those visiting the [[Guardian_of_the_Maze_of_Zoria#The_Maze_of_Zoria|Maze of Zoria]], twittering tales of foolish bargains, the rolling night, and the dark beneath the hills.

<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Lightstones.jpg|align=right|caption=[[Technology#Lightstones|Lightstone]] is an uncommon crystalline mineral mined primarily in the peaks of [[Urizen]].|width=300}}</div>

==Picks in the Dark==
* '''Miners in the northern mountains share the concerns of the Varushkan assembly regarding their safety'''
* '''Disruption in Volodmartz and Karov has endangered the supply of good quality lighting'''
* '''Businesses in Varushka and Urizen can diversify for free following the Winter Solstice, to add 2 ingots of random metal to their resource'''
* '''A more ambitious proposal has been presented to address the demand for Urizeni light sources in Varushka'''
The touch of [[liao]] can only do so much. It can help miners face their fears, remembering their [[Courage]] or their [[Ambition]], or the pursuit of [[Prosperity]]. But it is little help in the face of a fading [[Technology#Lightstones|lightstone]] or a burnt out torch. It offers comfort, but it cannot help a lost miner find their way out of a maze of passages become suddenly unfamiliar and hostile.

In many ways the problem for miners in Varushka is not one of virtue, but of light. There are wards that are effective against the ''Grasping Dark'' but the most effective way to keep it at bay - and to mark places where it may be gathering - is with large amounts of light. Especially lightstones. Unfortunately, the demand for good lightstone (and fine lamps) is in danger of outstripping the supply. The situation is particularly bad in Volodmartz where the presence of Cold Sun in the southern regions is proving disruptive to the import of good quality lightstones from [[Urizen]]. The mineral is found sparsely under the mountains of Varushka, of course, but that brought from the far south is particularly prized for its clarity, its purity, and most importantly its longevity.

After some discussion with priests and pilgrims dedicated to Wisdom, a scheme has been hatched. Mostly, the scheme amounts to "buy more lightstone from Urizen and ship it to Varushka", which is actually reasonably straightforward. Following the Winter Solstice any [[business]] in Varushka or Urizen can [[business#Diversification|diversify]] for free. They lose 36 rings of income but permanently gain 2 ingots of whichever metal they like. This represents an arrangement with mines in northern Varushka to provide finest quality lightstones, lamp oil, torches, lanterns and the like.
===Illumination===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:400px;">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''House of Illumination and Light Market'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type: '''[[Great work|Great Work]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Both Cargo, Redoubt and Dupadealuri, Miekarova </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 75 wains of white granite, 225 crowns, six months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''Increases level of investment in mines in Miekarova and Volodmartz to 2, and businesses in Morrow and Redoubt to 1; establishes two Imperial titles; reduces danger to the miners of Varushka from the Night Below</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time Limit:''' If the great work is not commissioned by the end of the Winter Solstice 385YE the opportunity is lost</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Opportunity:''' This commission has required elements; if any are not all fulfilled the commission does nothing</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A complex great work is proposed by the Wise of Varushka'''
* '''A House of Illumination could be built at Cargo in Redoubt, and a Light Market at Essk in Miekarova'''
* '''This would both solve the problems of acquiring good quality light, benefit the mines of Volodmartz and Miekarova, and provide additional money to the businesses of Redoubt and Morrow'''
* '''The opportunity is only available during the Winter Solstice 385YE'''
There is a second proposal, however, that represents a little more investment but would provide a lasting boon to the people of both Urizen and Varushka. A ''House of Illumination'' would be established at [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]] in [[Redoubt]] that would deal not only in lightstone but in all the other devices the Urizen have developed over the years exploring their fascination with [[Urizen_hearth_magic#Illumination|illumination]]. Transported north via the Blood Red Roads, these materials would be brought to [[Miekarova#Dupadealuri|Dupadealuri]] in [[Miekarova]], and a ''Light Market'' established at the walled town.

Establishing the two structures would require a single [[commission]]. It would be relatively cheap; a total of 75 white granite and 225 crowns in labour and take six months to complete. At the end of that time, it would raise the [[mine]] investment level in both Miekarova and Volodmartz to 2, and raise the investment level by 1 for [[business|businesses]] in [[Morrow]] and [[Redoubt]] where much of the nation's lightstone production is based. It would also significantly reduce the danger from ''Dark-Below-The-Mountain'' and its servants to the miners of Varushka. People would still make foolish bargains, but it would be much harder for ''Night Below'' to simply drag people off into the darkness and consume them.
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:400px;">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Architect of Illumination'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Title:''' Urizen National Position</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Tally of the Votes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Control of a sinecure; custodianship of the House of Illumination; ability to change the benefit of the great work when appointed</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Oversee House of Illumination, seek closer trade ties with Varushka, find other markets for Urizen illumination tools</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Opportunity:''' This title has required elements; if any are not all fulfilled the title does not gain some or all of its powers</td></tr>
</table></div>
The commission would also create two [[Imperial title|Imperial titles]] to oversee the trade. The ''Architect of Illumination'' would be appointed by the mana site owners of Urizen. They would be responsible for protecting the ''House of Illumination'', making decisions regarding it, and maintaining the trade in lightstones and other sources of illumination. They would also be responsible for securing Urizen's position as the foremost creators of illumination in the Empire. They'd receive an income of 10 crowns each season. They'd also receive two magical items that relate to light and illumination each year; in Spring a [[Fireglass]] and in Autumn a [[Brazier of Benediction]]. Finally, when each ''Architect of Illumination'' is appointed they will receive the ability to make an [[Senate_announcement|announcement]] in the Senate during that summit, to declare whether the traders of Urizen wish to be paid in coin or goods for their lightstones. If they pick coin, the investment will provide every business with 36 extra rings each season; if they pick goods, each business will receive two random ingots instead. This represents the "flavour" of the trade in light stones; it can only be changed when the title is appointed not every season.
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:400px;">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Merchant Boyar of the Light Market'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Title:''' Varushka National Position</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Tally of the Votes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Control of a sinecure; custodianship of the Light Market; ability to change the benefit of the great work when appointed</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Oversee the Light market; maintain trade with Urizen; protect and support Varushka's miners; monitor Night Below</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Opportunity:''' This title has required elements; if any are not all fulfilled the title does not gain some or all of its powers</td></tr>
</table></div>
The ''Merchant-Boyar of the Light Market'' would be appointed by mine and forest owners in Varushka. They would be responsible for maintaining the trade in lightstone, ensuring that miners across Varushka had access to the lights they need, and keeping an eye on the [[Night Below]] and its minions. They'd be expected to liaise with the various other positions such as the [[Warden of the Trees and Hills]] to help build Varushkan Prosperity. They'd receive an income of ingots from the mines of Varushka; 12 ingots of Tempest Jade in Spring, 12 ingots of Weltsilver in Summer, 12 ingots of Orichalcum in Autumn and 12 ingots of green iron in Winter. They would also have the ability when appointed to [[Senate_announcement|announce]] whether the lights provided should be used to seek out precious metals and jewels for trade, or to seeks deeper veins of ore. This would determine if the investment provided by the Light Market would grant mines 36 rings each season, or 2 additional ingots of base material. This represents the "flavour" of the trade in light stones; it can only be changed when the title is appointed not every season.
{{SOP|statement=The Prosperous are not selfish, all that is worthwhile is shared with those who deserve it. Last season, the Varushkan boyars donated the use of an Imperial Wayleave to ensure that the Gardens of Pallas could be built in Zenith. We the Urizen National Assembly Witness this act of sharing. Be it hearthside hospitality or uplifting their fellows at a time when much feels broken and uncertain, the Varushkan people have held out their hand to us, and we thank them from the depths of our souls. Despise those who take without giving - this act will not be forgotten by the people of Urizen.|by=Cassia Silkweaver|vote=Greater Majority 314-0|when=Autumn Equinox 385YE}}
The two titles, it is expected, would work together to keep the trade routes open and perhaps look to engineer further opportunities for Varushka and Urizen to work together. There is some interest in this especially in the light of the [[statement of principle]] by '''Cassia Silkweaver''' [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_100|during the Autumn Equinox]] that spoke of the generosity of the Varushkan Boyars: "''Be it hearthside hospitality or uplifting their fellows at a time when much feels broken and uncertain, the Varushkan people have held out their hand to us, and we thank them from the depths of our souls.''" This could be the beginning of closer ties between the two distant nations, and a step towards burying the lingering spectre of past deeds.

This opportunity is ''only'' available at the Winter Solstice; after that the situation will have moved on.

==Blot out the Sun==
* '''The Sovereign known as the Extinguished Sun has presented an offer to destroy the ''Shepherds of Ash'''''
* '''It desires a meeting with several Varushkans during the Winter Solstice'''
* '''It has asked Frayderric Pyanytsyavich Vasiliev of Volodmartz to arrange a delegation including the cabalists of Varushka'''
* '''Desilav Sergeyevich Jesen, Ostrik Vulpe, and Marzanna Verchernyaya Zorya are all invited by name'''
Midway between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice a peculiar encounter takes place in the foothills of the mountains of Brez. A Wise One, a priest dedicated to Wisdom, reports encountering a shadowed figure stood patiently beside the road, barely illuminated by moonlight. The figure greatly resembled her father - despite him having died ten years prior. This ''phantasm'' spoke calmly, politely, friendly even. It bore a message from the Shadowdamp. A bargain, to be taken to Anvil.

The ''Dark Beneath the World'' has become aware of the ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]], due in part to their brief proximity to the ''[[Karov#The_Weeping_Stone|Tallowman's Post]]'' in Karov. It finds them... ''unacceptable''. That they should be in Volodmartz, walking around, bringing their corrupt illumination into the world? It cannot be allowed to continue.

At the moment, the Varushkan covens have them penned in at [[Volodmartz#Livardz|Livardz]] but the phantasm offers a bargain. It will claim the [[Things_that_burn#The_Shepherds_of_Ash|Shepherds of Ash]]. Take them into itself, into the darkness that no light can penetrate. For their part, all the Varushkans need to do is lure them into a place where the sovereign can enfold them. And meet its price...

The place the shadow has selected is the ''Star Caverns'' under [[Volodmartz#Murupa|Murupa]]. The caverns lie in the far north of that region, in the hills south of the Mountains of Brez where the sovereign has its places of power. The ''scions'' must first be led into position. This will require work by the Varushkan covens - or their allies. They will need to create a wall that leaves the scions no alternate route but to enter the forests of Murupa. This would be done by raising [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae|ice citadels]] in [[Volodmartz#Opascari|Opascari]] and weaving wards of [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|living wood]] in [[Volodmartz#Suvretz|Suvretz]], but ''not'' in [[Volodmartz#Murupa|Murupa]] or [[Volodmartz#Brez|Brez]]. The Shepherds of Ash will be unable to resist the lure of slaughtering the people of Murupa and Brez, of the chance to destroy [[Volodmartz#Void|Void]], of the opportunity to claim the Granites of Veltsgorsk... of the teasing promise of the [[regio]] that lies at the heart of the Star Caverns. As soon as they reach the caves, however, the trap will close. The sovereign will take them.

All of them.

Or... perhaps only ''most'' of them, depending on how suspicious they are. Some might escape and require mopping up - but this is why a ''boyar'' has ''schlacta'' is it not? To deal with the stray beasts that go too far? The sovereign will easily claim enough of them to cause the army threatening Volodmartz to collapse, however.

Before this plan will work, however, the Senator of Volodmartz must consent to the ''Haunter'' claiming the Star Caverns. It was driven out centuries ago, long before the Empire was born, by the Ushkan bargainers. It wants the caverns, and this trap presents the perfect opportunity for both sovereign and Varushkan to get what they want. However, it also wants one thing more. It wants [[Keeper_of_Berislav%27s_Rest|Berislav's Rest]].

Berislav's Rest is a vale in Volodmartz. In 381YE, the Imperial Senate commissioned an [[Construct village expansion in Volodmartz|expansion to the village]] to "''house the growing vigilant population of a virtuous mine in Volodmartz''." The ''Listening Dark'' doesn't really care about the people of the vale, but it wants the mine. It wants the wards removed, and to flow and pool into the tunnels and chambers as it did in "times before." This would be a severe blow to the Prosperity of the vale, but it would survive. It would no longer be able to support the [[Keeper_of_Berislav%27s_Rest#Income|sinecure]] however and the title of [[Keeper of Berislav's Rest]] would cease to exist. Before it can take the mine, however, it requires permission from someone who has [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Dominion|dominion]]. Either the Keeper, '''Ostrik Vulpe''', or if their position is vacant a unanimous decision of the Senators of Varushka.
===Gift Giving (Conjunction)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Cabalists of Varushka'''</tr>
<tr><td>Frayderric Pyanytsyavich Vasiliev of Volodmartz</td></tr>
<tr><td>Simargl, the Empty One of Miekarova</td></tr>
<tr><td>Zoria of Miekarova</td></tr>
<tr><td>Drusillia Strascovitch of Miekarova</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti of Karsk</td></tr>
<tr><td>Nestchastya Maksimova Bosko of Karsk</td></tr>
<tr><td>Anya of Karov</td></tr>
<tr><td>Jereni Hinda Bogdanov of Karov</td></tr>
<tr><td>Svetlana Ekaterina Petrov of Karov</td></tr>
<tr><td>Xaelija Iganja of Karov</td></tr>
<tr><td>Gretchin of Ossium</td></tr>
<tr><td>Darva of Ossium</td></tr>
<tr><td>Halya Mattiovich Lyktan of Ossium</td></tr>
<tr><td>Jasenka Yulianova Remisnyk of Ossium</td></tr>
<tr><td>Oksana Zuzana Vudrayt of Ossium</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ostromir Miroslavovich Dubov of Ossium</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A conjunction of the Sentinel gate allows passage to the ''Varyu Mets'', Murupa, Volodmarts'''
* '''The conjunction will allow thirty people to visit the area near the Star Caverns'''
* '''This is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|combat unlikely or contained]] encounter'''
* '''It opens at 23.30 on Friday evening'''
Granting the sovereign permission to claim the Star Caverns and the mines of Verislav is not a matter for the Senate, the Synod, or the Conclave. It is a matter for the people of Varushka. The [[cabalists]] have identified a conjunction of the Sentinel Gate that leads to the ''Varyu Mets'', an area of woodland not far from the Star Caverns in northern Murupa.

The ''Night Below'' specifically asks '''Frayderric Pyanytsyavich Vasiliev''' to gather the [[cabalists]] of Varushka to come and meet it there. They should bring with them '''Desilav Sergeyevich Jesen''' the Senator for Volodmartz, and either '''Ostrik Vulpe''' the [[Keeper of Berislav's Rest]], or the other four senators of Varushka if the title is for some reason vacant. It also cordially invites the [[Varushka religious beliefs|wise one]] '''Marzanna Verchernyaya Zorya''' to attend should they so desire, but wishes to be clear that this is a matter of bargains rather than courtesy. If there are any others who wish to attend, then Frayderric, as a representative of the cabalists of Volodmartz, would have the final say, presumably in consultation with their peers.

The visitors should bring lights with them, of course. The woods are dark. When they reach the heart of the ''Varyu Mets'' the cabalists should form as large a circle as they may and call out to the Night Below three times, extinguishing all save one light as they do so. The sovereign will attend in the form of a ''phantasm''; everyone will be safe as long as everyone remains [[Varushka hearth magic#Hospitality|hospitable]].

If the Varushkans are amenable, they can make their bargain with the ''Heart of Darkness''; place the citadels that will channel the Shepherds; and rest assured that the sovereign will do the rest and the ''scions'' of Cold Sun will learn fear.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Desilav10126.jpg||caption=Desilav Sergeyevich Jesen (centre), Senator Volodmartz|align=right|width=400}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Ostrik11793.jpg|caption=Ostrik Vulpe (right), Keeper of Berislav's Rest|align=right|width=400}}

==Further Reading==
* [[Night Below]]
* [[The_horror_and_the_wild#Speakers_of_the_Void|Speakers of the Void]] - 385YE Summer Wind of Fortune section presenting the Deep Chamber

Quaymaster of the Black Sails

2026-10-16T21:32:30Z

Responsible1:

==Overview==
The ''Quaymaster of the Black Sails'' is an [[Imperial title]], responsible for overseeing the [[#Black Sails Quay|Black Sails Quay]], part of the Imperial docks at [[Necropolis#Longbeach|Crown's Quay]] in [[Necropolis]]. The Black Sails Quay is dedicated to the use of ships from [[Axos]] involved in trading valuable Axou goods for Imperial [[liao]]. Following the [[mandate]] [[383YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_27|raised]] by '''Maximillian Ankarien''' in Summer 383YE, encouraging Imperial traders to seek out closer ties with the people of Axos, an influx of traders from the Chambers of Issyk and Halls of Maykop brought [[A_mountain_of_vipers#Traders_from_Issyk|additional opportunities]] to sell large amounts of liao directly for cash.

When they were first established, the title of Quaymaster was assigned by the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Loyalty Assembly]]. In 384YE however, after several low-key incidents involving accusations of heresy, the merchants of Axos [[All_at_sea#Matter_of_the_Black_Sails|requested a different method of appointment]] be implemented as they were uncomfortable dealing with "agents of the Creator." The Synod was [[On_the_outside_looking_inside#Black_Sails_and_Brokers|resistant to their demands]], but during the Spring Equinox the Imperial Senate [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Ratify_treaty_with_Axos|amended the title]] so that it would instead be [[Auction_of_the_Seats|auctioned]]. This also had the effect of moving the title from being a Synod position to being a Bourse position - meaning it could no longer be revoked by the assemblies.

==Responsibilities==
The Quaymaster of the Black Sails is expected to ensure that the citadels of Axos continue to exchange trade goods for Imperial liao. If this trade, or the Black Sails Quay, were ever directly threatened, the Quaymaster would be responsible for dealing with those threats - but also for making decisions about any opportunity related to them. The continued operation of the quays, and thus the ministry, requires that relations between the Empire and Axos remain cordial - the Quaymaster thus has a vested interest in ensuring friendship between the two nations continues.

==Powers==
===Ministry===
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right; margin-left: 10px;">
<table style="width:500px; float: right; margin-left:10px;" class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Materials'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;"></td>
<tr><td>8 doses of Liao</td><td>3 measures of [[beggar's lye]], 3 ingots of [[orichalcum]], 3 ingots of [[tempest jade]], and 2 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>20 doses of Liao</td><td>6 measures of beggar's lye, 6 ingots of orichalcum, 6 ingots of tempest jade, and 4 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>40 doses of Liao</td><td>9 measures of beggar's lye, 9 ingots of orichalcum, 9 ingots of tempest jade, and 6 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>56 doses of Liao</td><td>13 measures of beggar's lye, 12 ingots of orichalcum, 12 ingots of tempest jade, and 8 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>72 doses of Liao</td><td>16 measures of beggar's lye, 15 ingots of orichalcum, 15 ingots of tempest jade, and 10 mana crystals</td></tr>
</table>
<table style="width:500px; float: right; margin-left:10px;" class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Selling Liao'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;"></td>
<tr><td>25 doses of Liao</td><td>25 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>50 doses of Liao</td><td>51 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>75 doses of Liao</td><td>79 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>100 doses of Liao</td><td>108 crowns</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
As a [[ministry]], the title of Quaymaster of the Black Sails allows the holder to purchase quantities of special materials at a set price. The Quaymaster makes their decision how much liao to spend during downtime from their character page. The liao is removed from, and resources are placed into, the character's inventory when the downtime is processed.

==Appointment==
This title is appointed during the Autumn Equinox. As of Summer 384YE, the title is auctioned by the civil servants associated with the Bourse.

The title may be held by any Imperial citizen. As an Imperial Bourse title, the Quaymaster cannot be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Synod]].

{{RecentElections|Quaymaster_of_the_Black_Sails}}

==Black Sails Quay==
Crown's Quay in [[Necropolis#Longbeach|Longbeach]] sees significant international traffic, much of it diplomatic in nature. Shortly before the Autumn Equinox 381YE, some modifications were made to one of the quays, modifying them to better accommodate the sleek black sailed ships from the Citadels of [[Axos]]. At the same time, a building opposite the quay was converted for the use of the Quaymaster and the Axou merchants with which they will deal.

The exchange itself is a wide squat building, characterised by large rooms with lots of open space. What furnishings exist are comfortable, but perhaps unsurprisingly for a building facilitating meetings predominantly between [[Highguard|Highborn]] civil servants and Axou traders the decorations can only be described as austere. Even though the Quaymaster was once appointed by the Synod, is located in Highguard, and deals in a uniquely spiritual material, the exchange has less religious imagery than might be expected. That said, a small area is set aside that can be [[consecration|consecrated]] to one of the virtues specifically for the use of traders who prefer to conduct their business in such a setting.
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:Bourse]]

Prime Factor of the deBruin Docks

2026-10-16T21:28:26Z

Responsible1: /* deBruin Docks */

==Overview==
Constructed [[Construct_Jarmish_Docks#Campaign_Outcome|by order]] of the [[Senate]], work was completed on this set of dedicated docks shortly before the Spring Equinox 381YE. When they were first established, they were known as the ''Pallas Docks'', and represented a [[ministry]] allowing the purchase of [[weirwood]] from the [[Principalities of Jarm]] - specifically from the Magician-Prince of Pӓrnau Principality. As relations with the Jarmish declined, however, the shipments of weirwood became more expensive. Following the [[384YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Amend_Liberty_Pact|amendment]] to the [[Liberty Pact]] and the [[Tariffs#Embargo|embargo]] placed on Jarm during the Summer Solstice 384YE all trade ceased.

The Gjullet family of Sarcophan were very interested in the docks, but ultimately the deal fell through. Shortly after, however, a wealthy family from the [[Sarcophan Delves]] - the deBruin - [[Hyenas_and_herbs#Cargo_for_Cargo|negotiated the contract]] to supply weirwood to the Empire using the docks, provided they [[Redesign Pallas Docks|were refurbished]]. The Docks reopened shortly before the Spring Equinox 387YE.

==Responsibilities==
The Prime Factor of the deBruin Docks is expected to ensure that the deBruin family of the Sarcophan Delves continues to trade weirwood to the Empire. If the [[#deBruin Docks|deBruin Docks]] were ever directly threatened, the Prime Factor would be responsible for dealing with those threats - but also for making decisions about any [[opportunity]] related to the docks. The continued operation of the docks, and thus the ministry, requires that relations between the Empire and the Sarcophan remain cordial - the Prime-factor has a vested interest in ensuring friendship between the two nations continues.

==Powers==
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;"></td></tr>
<tr><td>160 Crowns</td><td>5 wains of weirwood</td></tr>
<tr><td>305 Crowns</td><td>10 wains of weirwood</td></tr>
<tr><td>435 Crowns</td><td>15 wains of weirwood</td></tr>
</table></div>
===Ministry===
As a [[ministry]], the title of Prime Factor of the deBruin Docks allows the holder to purchase quantities of weirwood at a set price. The Prime Factor spends their money and makes their choices during downtime from their character page. Money is removed from, and resources are placed into, the character's inventory when the downtime is processed.

==Appointment==
This title is auctioned during the Winter Solstice alongside the Imperial Bourse's [[Bourse#Weirwood_Seats|weirwood seats]].

Any Imperial citizen can participate in the auction and hold the title. They do not receive a seat on the Bourse. As a title appointed through the Bourse they cannot be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Synod]].
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><box>'''The deBruin'''<br>''Bastien deBruin'' is not a Bedelaar Huisbaas; his cousin sits in the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Bear|seat of the Bear]] during the Beggar's Feast. He does however head up a wealthy and well-respected mercenary company. Recently, his company came into possession of a sizable source of [[weirwood]]. In the past, the ''Gjullit'' family proposed repurposing the docks in Cargo. Never one to throw things away, the ''deBruin'' presented a similar proposal.

The civil service believe that Bastien deBruin made this offer as a way to improve his political position in the Delves, and within the house of the Bear. There's no suggestion Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike thinks this is a problem the Empire needs to worry about. There is also some suggestion that securing a working relationship with the deBruin family, and by extension the House of the Bear, might provide other opportunities. There is a reason the deBruin are not worried about transporting valuable weirwood through the contested Bay of Catazar – the Bear are well known for their martial prowess. Having the deBruin family with a vested interest in Cargo and by extension the Bay of Catazar could open up other opportunities if the Ambassador can think of a way to broach the subject.</box></div>
{{anchor|Pallas Docks}}
==deBruin Docks==
These private docks are built in [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]], not far from the [[Redoubt#The_Embassies_of_Cargo|Jarmish and Sarcophan embassies]]. They were built with the aid of the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] architect [[Those_who_worship#Almodin_Okt.C3.ADstis.2C_Priest_of_the_Builder|Almodin Oktístis]] who was approached to design 'in keeping with [[Urizen|Urizeni]] style' by [[Senator]] [[Kallavesa]]. The original design included a number of statues and decorations referencing the false gods of the Asavean religion. Following the Spring Equinox 383YE, the docks were somewhat damaged by a mob of angry citizens riled up by the Imperial Synod. The statues and mosaics were torn out, smashed, and the remains repurposed as ballast for ships visiting Cargo. Fortunately, this coincided with a Senate plan to redesign the works of Almodin Oktístis. These events are covered in more detail [[383YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#Wrecking_Ball|here]].

Then in late 386YE, the docks were [[Redesign Pallas Docks|redesigned and refurbished]] again, as part of the agreement with the deBruin family. They still take the form of a number of long piers and jetties that extend the available space at the cargo docks, along with a series of dedicated cranes for lifting the wares to the town proper. Notable features include a series of lights mounted on towers at the ends of the piers to guide ships in made to look like miniature Urizeni Spires; and a gorgeous fresco in the main warehouse depicting Urizen mages in their spires watching the arrival of the first Highborn ships. On the shore at the base of the quays stands a sturdy three metre stone statue of a bear, standing on its hind legs.

Almost directly above the docks, in the town proper, is a small enclave for use by the visiting deBruin merchants. It consists of two residential buildings, one of which includes a small office, and two large warehouses for storing the weirwood prior to its transfer to the civil service (who issue the Factor with bourse paperwork as normal). Originally designed for the use of Jarmish princes, the Sarcophan merchant-mercenaries have gutted the place and redecorated it more in keeping with the style of the Delves.

The docks are for the exclusive use of merchants and traders dispatched by the deBruin family, who bring regular shipments of weirwood for sale to the Prime factor. Bastien deBruin and his family, cousins of the current holder of the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Bear|Seat of the Bear]] at the Beggar's Feast, are known for their martial prowess. They deal with the protection of their ships in-house, and if anything seem to relish the opportunity to repel pirates, taking their loot and vessels from them and throwing any pirate who doesn't immediately surrender into the sea in the process. As such they are unconcerned with the Asavean bounty placed on ships trading with the Empire.
{{RecentElections|Prime_Factor_of_the_Pallas_Docks}}
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:Bourse]]
{{Sarcophan Links}}

Steward of the Tassato Mana Exchange

2026-10-15T11:04:35Z

Responsible1: /* Tassato Mana Exchange */ Fixing tenses - authorised by Steve

==Overview==
The Steward of the Tassato Mana Exchange is an [[Imperial title]] awarded to a [[The League|League]] citizen.

==Responsibilities==
The Steward is responsible for ensuring that all business taking place at the Tassato Mana Exchange is above board, although the actual day-to-day running of the Exchange is handled by officers who are well paid for their work. In the event that the Exchange was threatened, they would be expected to deal with those threats; they might also be called on to make decisions about the broad policies of the Exchange such as whether certain nations or individuals should be prevented from trading, and so on. In return, the agents of the Exchange appraise the Steward of opportunities to purchase crystal mana at bargain prices.

==Powers==
===Ministry===
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left: 10px;">
<table style="width:400px; float: right; margin-left:10px;" class="mw-collapsible"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mana Crystals'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;"></td>
<tr><td>7 Crowns</td><td>8 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>17 Crowns</td><td>16 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>35 Crowns</td><td>25 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>48 Crowns</td><td>33 mana crystals</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
The Tassato Mana Exchange is a [[ministry]]. The Steward can purchase quantities of crystal mana at a set price. The Steward makes their decision how much money to spend during downtime from their character page. Money is removed from, and resources are placed into, the character's inventory when the downtime is processed.

==Appointment==
The Steward of the Sarvos Mana Exchange is appointed during the Summer Solstice each year by unanimous decision of the [[senator|senators]] of [[the League]]. If a unanimous decision cannot be reached, the title [[Appointments_by_the_Senate#National_Position|may be appointed]] by the [[Senate]] instead.

The title can be held by a citizen of the League. They can be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]], the League [[Assembly#The_National_Assemblies|National Assembly]], and by the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]].

==Tassato Mana Exchange==
The Mana Exchange was [[commission|commissioned]] by Cesare Sanguineo Rezia Di Tassato of the Gilded Horn Carta during the Winter Solstice 379YE, and [[Construct_the_Tassato_Mana_Exchange|work completed]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 380YE. The physical structure occupies two connected three-storey buildings in [[Tassato#Tassato Mestra|Tassato Mestra]] overlooking the river. It has its own private dock, and several heavily reinforced sub-levels with mithril-infused wards against scrying and intrusion. The business of the Mana Exchange is the sale and purchase of crystal mana. While many of the customers are League citizens, the Exchange is open to customers from across the Empire and beyond. There was immediate interest from [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] and [[Axos|Axou]] mana traders.

Despite early concerns about a mana exchange in Tassato (it opened during the [[O_rose_thou_art_sick#The_stink_of_Tassato|mana shortage of Spring 380YE]]), the Exchange has been greeted with near universal approval by several [[guild|guilds]] including both the prominent DeSousa Crystal Traders and their bitter rivals the DeMosca House of Mana.

From Spring 381YE to Summer 384YE, a number of traders from the [[Principalities of Jarm]] used the Mana Exchange to engage in lucrative trade with the Empire. Operating from their [[Tassato#The_Jarmish_Lodge|lodge]] in [[Tassato#Enterio|Enterio]], they significantly increased the volume of mana going through the ministry. The Jarmish traders left the lodge following the Imperial Senate placing an embargo on the Principalities of Jarm.

Following the [[Expand Mana Ministries|decision]] of the Imperial Senate in Spring 384YE, the exchange was expanded slightly to allow the civil service to increase the amount of mana they could [[Grandmaster#Funding the Order|purchase on behalf of]] the [[Grandmaster|grandmasters]] of the [[Conclave]].

{{RecentElections|Steward_of_the_Tassato_Mana_Exchange}}
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:The League]]
[[Category:Senate]]

Chance Blossoms, Chaos Thrives

2026-10-13T17:29:07Z

Responsible1: /* Description */

[[Category:Spring Ritual]][[Category:Rituals]][[Category:Resource]]
==Rules==
{{Season|Spring|8}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Resource|[[herb garden]]}}

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
This enchantment increases adds an additional 10 random [[herbs]] to the production of a [[herb garden]]. The herb garden experiences a burst of enthusiastic growth, but collecting the herbs may take longer as it also fills the garden with other, less useful, plants and flowers.

{{Downtime buff}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional herb gardens in the same territory. Each additional herb garden increases the magnitude by 6. The character who controls each herb garden must be present throughout the ritual.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Fausta Ankarien.jpg|caption='''Fausta Ankarien''', who undertook the initial research that lead to the codification of the ritual.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
==Description==
This ritual was based on work performed by ''Fausta Ankarien'', then-[[Grandmaster]] of the [[Silver Chalice]]. It was codified at the [[Master_of_Ice_and_Darkness#The_Icy_Crag_of_the_Eternal_Sun|Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun]] shortly before the Autumn Equinox 388YE, under the auspices of ''Alexander Tallstag'' of [[Dawn]] (the [[Master of Ice and Darkness]]. The [[declaration]] that added it to [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List|Imperial Lore]] was [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Imperial_Lore:_Chance_Blossoms,_Chaos_Thrives|raised]] by ''Yarvi Swiftwind'' on behalf of the [[Silver Chalice]] and funded by the [[Apparently_with_no_surprise#A_Decrepit_Flower|Wise Flower chapter]]. The funding is notable because it was offered as part of an [[opportunity]] relating to a desire by certain herbalists to be less reliant on [[Ruthless Vigilance, Healthy Crop]], a ritual of [[Winter magic]] that they saw as unneccessarily cruel and wasteful.

This ritual draws on the resonance of [[Spring magic#Fertility|fertility]], but is also coloured by certain other resonances of the [[Realms#Spring|Primal Forest]]. [[Spring magic]] is a study in discord and opposition. The same healing energies that will [[heal|restore]] a wounded warrior or [[purify|cleanse venom]] empower the [[vallorn]]. The same wild zest for life that fills the spirit with enthusiasm and joy can, in a different context, drive a warrior to the edge of madness in the lust for blood and slaughter. So it is with the resonance of [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]] drawn on through this enchantment. More than any other realm of magic, invocation of a Spring ritual often result in unlooked for and unpredictable side effects. It also makes Spring magic difficult to control, and often when it is unleashed the exact form it settles into cannot be guided.

Sometimes this chaos is wildly destructive – but other times the chaos is aligned with life and infinite diversity. So it is with this ritual – it harnesses the more wholesome aspects of chaos to cause a [[herb garden]] to blossom with life of all kinds. Some of this life takes the predictable form of [[herbs]] – although which herbs will grow in a wild riot cannot be controlled by the coven performing the rituals. The ritual also encourages the growth of all other plants – weeds and wild flowers, vines and thornbushes. This can paradoxically make it a little harder to actual harvest the bounty the ritual performs, but those who garden know that the work is always going to be hard.

There is still a danger that the chaotic growth may take on malignant forms, as there is with any Spring magic, but it does seem that the innate healing resonances of magical herbs and the places they grow mitigate this risk. Even Spring chaos does not create something from nothing – it is a magic of change after all. It might produce [[marrowort]] with red petals, or a single massive [[bladeroot]] plant, but it will not lead to the creation of carnivorous monster plants such as [[Yaw'nagrah]] favours. Even in chaos, there are natural channels that magic will follow, and this fine ritual makes use of those channels.

In addition to the magicians of the Icy Crag, the codification was supported by magically-inclined herbalists from several nations. They were not shy about sharing their opinions on the value of herbs. "It is an understatement to say that healing herbs are vital to the preservation of life," wrote one. "Without [[Marrowort]], [[Bladeroot]], [[Imperial Roseweald]], [[Cerulean Mazzarine]], and especially [[True Vervain]], there would be a great many fewer Imperial citizens than there are today. In some ways, herbs are superior to magical rituals, They require significantly less time to use, for example, and can be stored indefinitely wheras a ritual such as [[Hands of the Healer]] must be re-invoked each season. Even a spell such as healing or purification can only be cast so many times before the magician must rest."

Others waxed lyrical about the creation of [[potion]]s. "Herbs also unlock a deeper level of power, in the form of the potions crafted by [[surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecaries]]. While some forms of magic can create useful materials, they generally do so at great cost and in limited amounts. This ritual increases the bounty of healing herbs, and does so using the positive, life-affirming aspects of Spring magic rather than the more common, cruel magic of Ruthless Vigilance, Healthy Crop. It is assumed that many herbalists will welcome this innovative new ritual, simply because it aligns their garden with life rather than death."

==Common Elements==
This ritual encourages healthy plants to grow in great profusion in a herb garden. Ritual performances that celebrate life and diverse change are particularly resonant, as is an acceptance of the reality that the ritual also causes other plants to prosper at the same time, leading to harder work.

The runes [[Bravash]] and [[Xun]] are both resonant with this ritual, as are [[heath magic]]s and symbols related to life, healing, hard work, and prosperity. Shedding small amounts of blood, or consuming wholesome food and drink as part of the ritual will help the magic flow in the right ways as will the presence of herbs harvested by the herbalists who are to benefit from the enchantment.

The eternal [[Ossegrahn]] might be invoked in this ritual, as might [[Llofir]]. [[Wise Rangara]] might also be invoked, even though the ritual uses Spring rather than Winter magic – the eternal is a patron of herbal lore after all and there are arguably lessons to be learned from filling a garden with transformative life, just as there are from wielding the scalpel to cut out weak plants.

[[The Witch]], [[the Cup]], and the throne of [[the Garden]] are all fine dramaturgical symbols to invoke with this enchantment, and [[the Fountain]] resonates strongly with the enchantment for practitioners of [[astronomancy]].

Woven Strands of Life

2026-10-13T15:11:14Z

Responsible1: /* Description */

[[Category:Spring Ritual]][[Category:Rituals]][[Category:Resource]]
{{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|Spring|14}}
{{Urizen Lore}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Resource|[[mana site]]}}

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
This ritual diverts all the flows of magic that would normally infuse a [[mana site]] into provoking the growth of valuable [[herbs]]. The target produces no crystal mana during the coming season. Instead it produces herbs as if it were a [[herb garden]] of the same rank. In addition, the magical herb garden produces an additional 14 drams of random herbs.

{{Downtime buff}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional mana sites in the same [[territory]]. Each additional mana site increases the magnitude by 10. The character who controls each mana site must be present throughout the ritual.

==Description==
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Cassirra Greenwell of Bleak Tower Spire">There is no doubt that pure magic is the essence of life - that the same force that moves our blood gives us the power to shape the world with our will. Just as Kala demonstrated how light may be split into a rainbow of colours with a crystal prism, so we can split and recombine the raw energy of mana to weave strands of pure lifegiving essence. Think of it - all the energy that would be captured in the crystals of a mana site instead set to work driving the growth of healing herbs. What a bounty we reap thereby even in the bleakest of climes!</quote></div>
This potent if focused ritual works with the flows of magic through a [[mana site]], weaving them with [[Spring magic]] to turn them toward the creation and sustaining of wholesome growth. Instead of crystal mana, for a whole season the site will produce healing [[herbs]]. The mana site must be tended carefully, to ensure the plants can prosper, which often involves an entirely different set of skills to those possessed by folk used to tending the growth of crystals rather than vegetation. It is not uncommon for the herbs may be touched by the [[Spring magic#resonance|resonance]] of [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]] - herbs that grow much larger than normal or which have odd characteristics or colouration are common. At the end of the day, however, the owner of the mana site will be able to claim a significant bounty of valuable herbs once the enchantment has run its course.

This ritual became part of [[Urizen lore]] in 383YE alongside [[A Goblet of Stars]], [[Fountain's Bounty]], and [[Wellspring of the High Peak]]. All four rituals were contained in ''[[Some_heavenly_music#The_Well_of_Nine_Stars|The Well of Nine Stars]]'', a grimoire belonging to ''Cassirra Greenwell'', a refugee from Grendel-occupied [[Spiral]]. The book was given to the founders of Fountainhome Spire in the reign of [[Empress Richilde]] and handed down from generation to generation. It contained a wealth of [[Spring magic|Spring lore]] relating to green growing plants. The survivors of Fountainhome Spire proposed that the book be entered into lore as much to reconnect their fellow Urizeni with their pasts as to swell their understanding of the realm of Spring. Arbiter Cyrus of the [[Custodian_of_the_Bleak_Tower#The_Bleak_Tower|Bleak Tower]] agreed, and worked with Cassirra and her fellows to arrange for the rituals contained within to be [[Some_heavenly_music#Beneath_a_Bleak_Spire|shared]] with the rest of URizen.

As with the other groups with rituals to propose for Urizen lore, however, ''The Well of Nine Stars'' did not come without [[Some_heavenly_music#Focusing_the_Chalice|complications]]. As a requirement before the book can become part of Urizen lore, Cassirra Greenwell and the members of Bleak Tower wanted the then-newly formed [[Silver Chalice]] [[Conclave order]] to make a significant change to its [[Silver Chalice#Manifesto|manifesto]]. Specifically they wanted it to officially remove the statement that it existed to "''Look into supporting long term efforts to aid the infrastructure (and foundations) of the Empire''." Both were quick to make clear that they and their spiremates bear the Order no ill-will. On the contrary, they are concerned that the Silver Chalice has erred by choosing four goals rather than the traditional three. Three is an ideal number, claims Cassirra Greenwell; more than three and the order risks becoming unfocused - especially with a goal that is so open ended as to be functionally meaningless. For the order to be truly successful it must have ''focus''. The Senate ultimately [[383YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Amend_manifesto_of_the_Silver_Chalice|modified the manifesto]], and the ''Well of Nine Stars'' became part of Urizen lore shortly thereafter.

==Common Elements==
The ritual creates fertility and encourages supernatural growth fuelled by the currents of magic that swirl around a mana site. Performing the ritual with crystals harvested from the site that is to be enchanted is a particularly effective way to weave the enchantment. Likewise, [[hearth magic|hearth magics]] and symbols associated with health and fertility are commonly evoked, such as shedding small amounts of blood or offering a cup or bowl of wine, ale, milk or mead to those who control the target mana sites.

Ritual performances in Urizen typically include the evocation of [[the Fountain]], and the spilling of fresh water. The rune [[Bravash]] resonates strongly with the ritual, as does [[Xun]]. Likewise the [[dramaturgy|dramaturgical]] persona of [[the Witch]] and the throne of [[the Garden]] can help when working this enchantment.

Skarsind spoils of war

2026-10-12T21:42:37Z

Responsible1: /* The Wells of Janon */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Braunwald Alps.jpg |title=Skarsind|align=right|width=500}}

Following the liberation of Skarsind by Imperial troops in 377YE, these resources were presented to the [[Military Council|Military council]] for assignment as [[spoils of war]]

===Goeki Expanses===
'''Dragonbone Forest / Rank 4''' <br>
A wide expanse of forest in the hinterlands of the [[Skarsind#Skogei_Glens|Skogei Glens]] is particularly rich in [[Materials#Dragonbone|dragonbone]]. A twisting maze of interconnected paths forms a network throughout the area along which collectors pick their way, searching the undergrowth for deposits of the valuable material.

===Solvihill Beggarwood Barrens===
'''Beggar's Lye Forest / Rank 2'''<br>
Frequented by charcoal burners from nearby [[Skarsind#Solvihill|Solvi]], the Solvihill beggarwood barrens were abandoned to the Thule, then partially burnt when the barbarians retreated. They are still a rich source of the raw materials to make [[Materials#Beggar's Lye|beggar's lye]], thanks to prompt action by citizens of the nearby town.

===Southpine Southbound ===
'''Business / Rank 2'''<br>
Based in [[Skarsind#Southpine|Torfast]], caravans operated by Southpine Southbound smuggled valuable supplies to the resistance during the recent occupation. Now the war is over, the trading company can return to the lucrative business of selling raw materials to the [[Temeschwar|Temeschwari]], and valuable crafted goods to the people of Skarsind.

===Irontongue Hall===
'''Military Unit / Rank 3'''<br>
When [[Skarsind#Solvihill|General Dunstan Irontongue]] fell alongside Empress Britta, his personal unit of Suaq scouts declared themselves [[Wintermark_religious_beliefs#The_Frayed|Frayed]]. They fought valiantly alongside the Imperial armies dedicated to recovering Skarsind, but only when the Thule were driven from the territory did they consider their shame lifted. They are now seeking a courageous Winterfolk Captain to lead them in future campaigns against the enemies of the Wintermark people.

==Previous Spoils of War==
===The Hall of White Ravens===
* Previously '''Congregation / Rank 5'''
Gildenheim - once second largest of the Winterfolk settlements - was ruined by the Thule. The Hall of White Ravens was badly damaged, but unlike many structures in Gildenheim it still had all four walls and a roof, and some of the beautifully carved white granite raven façade still remained. Survivors of the Thule oppression visited the Hall to seek spiritual guidance and to remember the occupation. During the Spring Equinox 381YE, the [[Senate]] gave orders for the Hall to be used as the basis for a [[Construct_The_Legion's_Rookery|new structure]] - the [[Skarsind#Legion's Rookery|Legion's Rookery]].

===The Clattering Gulley===
'''Mana site / Rank 3'''<br>
Located several miles east of [[Skarsind#Pakaanan.27s_Pass|Pakaanan's Pass]], the Clattering Gulley is a winding rock crevasse used for generations by [[Steinr]] [[Wintermark_magical_traditions#Runesmiths|Runesmiths]]. It takes its name from hundreds of [[Mundane_beasts#Mammoths|mammoth]] bones hung along the walls and inscribed with mithril-inlaid runes that twist and move in the occasional winds that roar down the gulley, seemingly from nowhere.

Following the Winter Solstice 383YE, the Clattering Gulley was destroyed when the Jotun [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#In_the_West|collapsed the western end of Pakaanan's Pass]].

===Four-Seasons Market===
'''Business / Rank 3'''<br>
The market of [[Skarsind#Estermark|Krysse]] played host to merchants from across Skarsind and nearby Varushka, as well as traders from as far afield as the Brass Coast. When Skarsind was returned to Imperial hands, the market looked set to become a regular fixture again - and the overseer of the market stood to make a pretty profit. Unfortunately, shortly after the Winter Solstice 380YE, the Four-Seasons Market was destroyed in a catastrophic fire.

===The Wells of Janon ===
'''Green Iron Mine / Rank 4'''<br>
A series of wide shafts punch down to remarkable depths in the northwest of [[Skarsind#Estermark|Gulhule]], exploiting a seemingly inexhaustible vein of [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]] deep beneath the mountains. During the occupation by the Thule, the miners took refuge in galleries and passages concealed with the aid of the Night Eternal Janon who had long served as a patron of the hard-bitten miners.

Contact with the Wells of Janon was eventually [[Long_shadows#Wells_of_Janon|lost]]. During the assessment of Skarsind by the Golden Pyramid, it was discovered to have been hidden in some way and impossible to find. The miners who were working it apparently still trade occasionally with nearby orc settlements butwhat exactly has happened to it is unknown. ('''OOC Note:''' This personal resource is no longer available.)

===Crimson Peak Mining===
'''Orichalcum Mine / Rank 3'''<br>
Crimson Peak takes its name from the extensive [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] mining operation rather than from the colour of the mountain itself (which appears quite normal to outsiders). The owners made a tidy profit selling to the runesmiths of nearby [[Skarsind#Estermark|Gulhule]] before they perished valiantly during the Thule attack - they intentional collapsed a number of key passages on themselves, denying the barbarians access to the richest seams.

Crimson Peak Mining, was eventually [[Long shadows#Drimson Peak Mining|overrun by trogoni]]. Fortunately there was a significant bounty of [[orichalcum]] available to pay for [[reaver|reavers]] and foreign mercenaries to clear the mine. With the trogoni cleared, the [[Steward of the Mines of Gulhule]] beacme able to buy orichalcum directly from the newly operational mines, and the grateful miners arranged for a bequest to be sent to the [[Golden Pyramid]] Conclave vault each season. ('''OOC Note:''' This personal resource is no longer available)

[[Category:Military Council]]
[[Category:Wintermark]]

Faraden

2026-10-07T16:24:33Z

Responsible1: /* Prominent Families */

<onlyinclude>
==Overview==
Faraden lies to the west of the Empire. It is a rocky, hilly nation on the far side of the Lasambrian hills. The Faraden are canny traders and fierce warriors. Up until very recently, the Faraden traded frequently with the [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] at [[Segura#Anduz|Anduz]], but since the fall of [[Segura]] in 363YE this has become a good deal more difficult. They are known to trade with their neighbours the [[Iron Confederacy]], but also with lands to the south and west that are largely unvisited by Imperial traders - their nation serves as a “gateway” to the southwestern parts of the continent.

The people of Faraden have a lot in common with the Empire but are very independent. A major bone of contention is that their religion is closely related to the Imperial faith but includes elements that the [[Synod]] believes is heretical, which helps make them extra touchy around Imperial citizens. They are often unprepared for what they see as the 'superior' attitude of their Imperial neighbours.
</onlyinclude>
==People==
The people of Faraden gather together into extended families, each led by a High Lord or High Lady. The nation as a whole is led by the Lord (or Lady) of the Five Winds, who is chosen by agreement of the High Lords and High Ladies and serves for life. The Lord of the Five Winds in practice comes from one of a half-dozen extremely rich “noble” families to whom the other families owe debts of loyalty and allegiance. It is a somewhat feudal society. Lords and Ladies serve as judges, while the High Lord or High Lady effectively rules the nation with the support of the Lords.

Politics between the various powerful families can become intense, especially when it is time to select a new Lady of the Five Winds. The support of a powerful Imperial faction can offer additional weight to a High Lord or High Lady in their internal manoeuvring.

In this nation, the traders are very much in charge, and pay their warriors to protect their people and their borders. They do not especially value ambition, and consequently it is traditional for a family to specialise in one or two areas. They're not a true caste-based society, but a Faraden who is at odds with the profession practiced by her family will need to find another family prepared to take them in, and another family will only do this for people who are very skilled.

Changing family is always done as part of a transaction; it costs money to buy someone from their family, so the family “buying” you needs to be sure it will get a return on its investment. Priests usually oversee adoption ceremonies and often [[Religious skills#Testimony|testify]] that the adoptee is now part of the family. This is important given Faraden spiritual beliefs about reincarnation, but it increases the cost to the family adopting their new member as [[liao]] must usually be secured.

Unlike their Imperial neighbours, Faraden used to keep human slaves. Criminals, especially thieves, were often sentenced to slavery for a period of time depending on the value of the item they stole and the dishonour the theft caused. Faraden slaves always served for a period of time, and their sentence could be ended prematurely if their family chooses to buy their debt off; foreigners were kept indefinitely and were not well treated. This changed recently, with the [[All_in_red#Change_Comes_Suddenly|ascension of]] Tchinua Ganbatar to the Seat of Five Winds, [[The_sweetest_of_songs#A_New_Order|significant changes]] were made to the laws around indentured servitude.
===Prominent Families===
As with the Empire, there are families and factions within Faraden whose influence and prestige wax and wane over time. Some of the prominent families with a regular interest in the Empire include the following.
* The '''[[Butterfly_in_reverse#Mead_from_Meade|Tseriyn]]''' are a merchant family of [[Sea_of_Snow#Menendram|Menendram]] who control a prosperous [[mithril]] mine. They are responsible for trading mithril to the [[Alder of Meade]] in return for fine Marcher produce. Being able to provide the best food and drink of the Marches has seen their influence in Faraden society on the ascendant. They are known as keen supporters the Liege of the Five Winds.
* The '''[[Butterfly_in_reverse#Fiskal_Expansion|Salagiin]]''' are traditional rivals to the Tseriyn, and are also based on Menendram. They engage in trade with the [[Mediator of Fisk]], offering [[ilium]] in return for [[runes|rune-marked]] goods from [[Wintermark]] crafters, and [[beggar's lye]] from the [[Kallavesa]] marshes. Their decision to trade with the Empire raised some eyebrows at home because they are part of a faction that opposes Tchinua Ganbatar's pro-Imperial stance.
* The '''[[Where_five_winds_meet#High_Lord_of_the_Rain|Tchemetzi]]''' are a wizard family, one of the most powerful in Faraden. They are respected for their mastery of [[Spring magic]] in particular, and are known to have a close relationship with [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]]. The head of the family is ''Mukhali Tchemetzi'', who is one of the High Lords of the Faraden and the ruler of Menendram. The family has enjoyed good relations with the [[Celestial Arch]], and hosted several priests of the [[Pride]] assembly involved in putting together a report [[on Faraden faith]].
* The '''[[All_the_wind#Visiting_the_Muhnkhabat|Muhnkhabat]]''' are a wizard family that specialises in battlefield magic. In Summer 387YE, several of their members [[Wild_is_the_wind#Sparks_Fly_Up|made the trip]] to [[Anvil]] as guests of the [[Rod and Shield]]. ''High Lord Ganzorig Muhnkhabat'' is their leader and they are first-and-foremost loyal to the nation of Faraden and to their allies among the other families.
* The '''[[All_the_wind#Guests_of_the_Jokhi|Jokhi]]''' are a wizard family who practice the arts of [[Winter magic|Winter]] and [[Night magic|Flame]]. They are represented by ''High Liege Enkhtuya Jokhi'', and are known to be cunnng, subtle, and deeply entrenched in Faraden politics.
* '' High Lady Enkhtuya'' leads the '''[[All_the_wind#In_the_Court_of_the_Golden_Flower|Altantsetseg]]''' who are among the most prestigious and influential of the Faraden families. They are ambitious wizards, adept at the arts of [[Autumn magic|fortune]] and [[Day magic|Wind]], and have taken something of an interest in the Celestial Arch who visited them.
* ''High Lady Togene Altsanig'' leads the '''Altsanig''' family of [[Sea_of_Snow#Tujahan|Tujahan]] from her Palace of the Azure Sky. The Altsanig are hostile to both the Empire and the Liege of Five Winds, and High Lady Togene is known to have ambitions to take control of the Court of Five Winds. The Altsanig were heavily involved with [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] attempts to extend their influence to Faraden, and their prestige suffered when Asavean involvement with the Cinders was revealed.
* The '''[[Wild_is_the_wind#Gratitude_and_Grain|Hakhandra]]''' are a western Faraden merchant family who specialise in a number of areas including the raising of yaks and trade in the magical Faraden mooncheese. A large number of family members visited the Marches in Summer 387YE and they helped put together the proposal for [[Construct Yakholme Grange|Yakholme Grange]] in [[Upwold]] to gain access to the cattle markets there.
* '''House Ogudai''' is one of the most powerful warrior families in Faraden, and they have little love for the Empire. Years ago, a popular heir of the house visited Anvil to participate in a [[past life vision]] that ended in disaster and the family has been at odds with the Empire - especially the Synod- ever since.
* The '''[[When_the_ship_comes_in#Faraden|Tsagaan]]''' are a priestly family with their own reasons for disliking the Empire. Particularly venerating the Flame of Justice, they are very critical of the Imperial Synod and its attitudes to the Faraden faith. They swore vengeance on those responsible for [[Sinews_of_the_heart#International_Justice_.28Faraden.29|executing]] some [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] heretics, and as far as anyone knows they have not given up on their vendetta.
* The '''[[All_in_red#The_Modnos|Modnos]]''' are another Faraden family that dislikes the Empire, following what they claim is a slanderous attack on one of their ancestors by the [[Seer of the Gateway]]. They went as far as to place bounties on the heads of those they held responsible for this insult, using connections with the [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] to do so.

==Culture and Customs==
As a people, they are first-and-foremost traders, who look for wealth outside their palaces, and outside their borders. They are not the daring, reckless adventurers that the Freeborn are, nor the cunning and ruthless mercantilists of the League, but rather they are clever entrepreneurs who view wealth as a means to an end rather than an end in itself - comfort, happiness and power all flow from the coin purse.

The most striking element of Faraden culture is the value they place on the concept of honour. Each Faraden has a sense of personal honour, but also recognises family honour and national honour. An offence against any one of these causes them to become intractable and even hostile. They will tell someone if they are offending their honour and then the onus is on that person to make amends – if they've been insulted with words, then a sincere apology sorts the situation out. If the situation is not quickly dealt with, it will often escalate until a High Lord or High Lady becomes involved.

Tied up with their idea of honour is a form of escalating lex talionis – every punishment among the Faraden includes an element of deterrent and is often quite cruel. If someone steals from them, then not only is the item returned but they expect punishment for the dishonour caused often in the form of mutilation, corporal punishment, or enslavement. If someone kills one of their relatives, they expect that person and one of ''their'' relatives to be killed in return, and so on. This means that the Faraden are fairly law-abiding people, but their concept of legality puts them squarely at odds with the codes of Imperial Law.

This fierce attitude to law and justice means vendettas are common between rivals, and are often settled by bloodshed. Sometimes those vendettas get settled on Imperial soil, which can lead to all sorts of diplomatic incidents.

They especially enjoy flags, streamers, kites and other things that move in the wind; most Faraden settlements are decorated with these adornments, and wind-chimes are common. They also like wind instruments over any other sort – recorders and penny whistles particularly.

As a nation they fear and hate the sea – in tales it is a place of horror full of dreadful creatures that kill anyone foolish enough to venture out onto it. Sea storms are seen as ill omened (as opposed to storms over land which represent the power and fury of nature and are seen as good omens). Sailors are figures of superstitious dread among the Faraden and they do not willingly associate with them.

==Abridged History==
It is unclear when the Faraden first came to the lands they now inhabit, but they are believed to have migrated there from somewhere further south around six hundred years ago. They carved a land out from the barbarian orcs in the area who were no match for their single-minded, methodical campaign. When the [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] arrived in the land that is now the Brass Coast there were a few scattered families of Faraden living in western Segura, who were either absorbed by the Freeborn, fell to orcish aggression from the Lasambrian hills, or voluntarily relocated back to Faraden.

Relations between Freeborn and Faraden remained cordial, and when [[Highguard|Highborn]] missionaries eventually crossed the Lasambrian Hills to Faraden they found a people receptive to their teachings, and a religion not massively dissimilar to the Imperial Faith. However the Faraden had no interest in joining the Empire, and refused to give up their core philosophical belief in Justice, nor to recognise as essential the virtues of [[wisdom]], [[vigilance]] or [[ambition]]. Religious conflict with the Empire briefly boiled over during the reign of [[Empress Teleri]], when certain reactionary forces in the Imperial Synod called for a war with the impious 'barbarian' Faraden, but the fighting was short lived and found little support with any of the Imperial nations who shared a border with their western neighbours.

Occasional bands of Faraden warriors have served as mercenaries, especially in [[The Marches]] and [[Wintermark]]; in return some groups of Imperial soldiers have spent a little time as auxiliaries to Faraden forces protecting their northern borders from the [[Jotun]].

==Faraden Military Concerns==
The Faraden favour families of professional warriors and soldiers who protect their borders, although even the most mercantile or religious family is likely to have a few members who practice with arms and armour to protect their kin from bandits or rampaging beasts. They also have a history of skirmishes along their borders with the [[Iron Confederacy]], and even occasionally with troops or bandits out of Segura. Since [[Liathaven]] was taken by the orcs, however, the Faraden have apparently been having increasing problems with the southern [[Jotun]], as well as having to fend off opportunistic raids from the Lasambrian hills.

In battle Faraden warriors prefer round shields, one-handed swords and bows. They layer leather and metal armour, and the more ornamental the armour, the higher the warrior's status. They prefer to fight with small units rather than engaging in large campaign battles, but when the Lord (or Lady) of the Five Winds calls they are capable of fielding large armies made up of units that can still function independently in pursuit of a military goal.

==Faraden Economic Concerns==
The Faraden value wealth, but they value it for the comfort and opportunity it brings, rather than as an end in itself. Relations between families often involve the transfer of wealth, not only in the form of coins but in goods and animals. It is common for families to be tied with almost feudal bonds, where a smaller family gives regular tribute to a larger family in return for protection or access to resources. Other families serve as retainers to larger families in return for payment.

The Faraden make their own lead coins for internal use, but they use coinage from all over their part of the world, and that includes [[Currency#Imperial Coins|Imperial coinage]]. As a nation where trade is paramount, they are adept at valuing the coins of other nations; some are melted down for their metal content, others are traded as a commodity in their own right. For example, a Faraden family with a surfeit of Imperial coinage will trade it to a family with stronger Imperial ties, possibly in return for commodities or currency of interest to the nations with which they in turn trade.

Their traders range far and wide; it is common for a group of Faraden traders to set off with a wagon or two laden with goods and disappear for a year or two, returning home with entirely different goods and (hopefully) plenty of coins. Their connections with distant foreigners mean they often have odd materials or items for sale when they visit the Empire.

The Faraden do not have much in the way of forest, so they are often willing to trade for weirwood and especially the [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]] that they use to make their richest dyes. In return they trade the fruits of their western mines (especially [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] and [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]]).

==Faraden Religious Beliefs==
In the Faraden, [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[Highguard religious beliefs|wayfarers]] and [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] [[sutannir]] found a people receptive to their teachings, and a religion not massively dissimilar to the Imperial Faith. However the Faraden refused to recognise as essential the virtues (or "flames") of [[wisdom]], [[vigilance]] or [[ambition]]. More worryingly for the Highborn, they claimed that 'justice' was as important as the other virtues and insisted on including it alongside [[courage]], [[loyalty]], [[prosperity]] and [[pride]]. While they are spiritual kin to the people of the Empire, the shared similarity of their beliefs just throws the differences into stark relief - there are priests on both sides who would like to see the matter of their religious differences settled once and for all.

The priests of Faraden refuse to accept the truth of the [[The Labyrinth of Ages and the Paragons and Exemplars|Labyrinth]] and instead teach that after life there is an endless howling waste where souls wander; the more virtuous they are in life, the more friendly the spirits of that place are, and the more they help the wanderer to find their way back to true life. There is also a belief that virtue ignites a "flame" in the spirit of the dead, helping them endure the travails of the howling wastes. They also believe that souls are always born into the same family; wiping out all members of a family consigns the dead spirits of that family to an eternity of wandering in the howling waste, until they eventually become [[malign spiritual presences|malign spirits]]. This belief in reincarnation along familial lines is one of the reasons that adoption between families is such a significant event in a Faraden life.

Faraden priests have minimal access to [[liao]], meaning that liao ceremonies are much less commonly practiced among them. What liao they do have access to is often traded with the Empire, and some [[Navarr]] especially make a point of trading liao to the Faraden. As a consequence of their restricted access to spiritual ceremonies, priests are rarer in Faraden than in the Empire and many serve in roles as advisors to political figures than as religious figures.

Funerals are air burials; the body is laid out on a raised platform and left for the elements and the birds. Sometimes valuable items are placed on these platforms and it is a capital crime to take them. An item that falls off a platform is available for anyone to take however, and if the platform collapses. It is taken as a sign that the spirit has been reborn and the items can be claimed. Burying people in the ground is seen as abhorrent, and burning them is seen as offensive. Vultures and other carrion-birds are seen as lucky by the Faraden.

In Spring 385YE, a [[mandate]] was enacted to encourage Imperial priests of the [[Pride]] assembly to visit Faraden and converse with the priestly families and gain a deeper understanding of [[Tooth_by_tooth#Pride_and_Prejudice|their understanding of the virtues, and the Way]]. A short report was compiled by these priests, providing insight into Faraden spirituality, that was published a year later as ''[[On Faraden faith]]''.

==Faraden Magic Traditions==
As with merchants, warriors and priests some families specialise in magic and sell their services to the other families. Each family jealously guards its store of ritual lore, and so Faraden magicians are not as widely versed as those of the Empire although they often possess a ritual or two unknown by their neighbours to the east. Their ritual performances often involve streamers, smoke and other things that rise into the wind, and their magicians often use prestidigitation, theatrical tricks, flash powder and the like to create odd effects alongside their actual magic to impress their audiences.

Wind and fire are used extensively as metaphors for magic, and their stories contain images of spirits and magical creatures whose bodies are composed entirely of living flame and living wind. It is never entirely clear if the magician believes in these spirits, or if they are merely metaphors for magical processes. Their ritual magicians use the same names for the four 'corporeal' realms as their Imperial neighbours. Instead of [[Day]] and [[Night]] however they call the remaining two Realms ''Wind'' and ''Flame''. The wind they say travels everywhere and sees and knows everything. The flame by contrast dances, shifts and changes; comes from nowhere, and returns to nowhere when it dies.

==Faraden Territories==
Faraden is a little larger than an Imperial nation, and the population is usually spread out across a number of towns that surround the estates of a High Lord or High Lady. The Palace of the Five Winds is the largest settlement in Faraden, but only just approaches the size of the Imperial cities of [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]] or [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]]. Fortifications are common - almost all settlements are surrounded by a stone wall. Faraden love to make their homes as sumptuous and beautiful as they can afford. Their buildings are designed with strong aesthetics as well as practical considerations, and they are very skilled at working with stone, especially white granite. Minarets, domes and towers are all very common features in Faraden architecture and they are known to be talented bridge and road builders as befits the broken terrain that forms most of their home.

==Look and Feel==
The basic influence on Faraden costume is medieval Mongolia and has been summarised as: an upright collar (preferably on a base layer); a wrap-around tunic (preferably as an over layer); fuller sleeves but tight from wrist to elbow; contrasting or decorative trim to edges; fuller/baggy trousers that are either tight to knee or tucked into long boots. Armour is worn in layers: a top layer of plated leather is common, but as a sleeveless vest rather than a full-length hauberk. Below that some padded armour, like a short-sleeved gambeson, with nicely decorated shoulders, both worn over a raw silk long-sleeved tunic. Heavier armour is likewise worn in layers, and it is much more common for Faraden warriors to wear chain armour than plate ([https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR5R5moRJf_4PW0kOKPYExragqJl15g9aTu1g4FgAJ0KBH0Ypt2 this image] might represent a heavily armoured Faraden.

The Faraden are a wealthy people, and show it by dyeing kit deep, vibrant colours. While their costume shows obvious signs of Mongolian influence, the colour palette is much richer than the traditional darker browns, and is often highly ornamented. Colourful sashes are a common element of their costume, as is curling decoration reminiscent of wind or smoke.

==Faraden in Play==
Faraden lies near to the Empire, and they speak the language known as Imperial, represented by English.

The Faraden are guardedly friendly to the Empire as a whole. For the most part, they do not send their priests to negotiate with the Empire, and the Empire has learned not to send missionaries to Faraden unless they are prepared to be cautious. Religion remains a point of contention, and the Faraden show no signs of changing their traditions any time soon. Honour can also cause problems - casual friendliness from Imperial citizens has been misinterpreted as contempt, leading to tragic misunderstandings. Faraden visitors to the Empire are often on their 'best behaviour' but accidents can and do happen, and the Faraden expect anyone who offends against their values, persons or goods to be punished severely which often puts them at odds with Imperial Law.

The information here should be sufficient to create a character with a background connection to Faraden, but a connection to one family is unlikely to impress a member of another family. It is worth bearing in mind that while the Faraden draw on Mongolian imagery, they are not plains-living, warlike cavalry-folk; they are traders first and warriors second. They drive wagons drawn by oxen, they don't ride horses.

The Faraden has one port open to the Empire; [[Foreign_ports#Caitun|Caitun]]. You could also represent trade with this nation using a [[business]] resource, especially if you diversify the resource to include small amounts of orichalcum or weltsilver.
{{Faraden Links}}
[[Category:Foreign Nations]]
[[Category:The World]]

Resolutions

2026-10-05T14:19:41Z

Responsible1: /* List */

==List==

[[Opening_ceremonies]]

[[Mushroom,_mushroom,_mushroom#Resolution]]

[[Mermaids_in_the_basement]]

[[Germinating_a_city]]

Germinating a city

2026-10-05T14:19:09Z

Responsible1:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Spring]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Foreign Nations]]
<ic>The two academics lounged on their dockside chairs, a bucket half-full of melting ice and beer bottles sat between them. The rest of their party had dispersed in search of food, a moment of peace, or a place to argue without disturbing everyone else. It was never quiet in the City of Masks, but for a moment the two of them could just enjoy one another's company.

Gelberg broke the silence first. "Urban planning. That's a new one."

Their companion smiled. "Come on, Immy. You're always complaining about how it's impossible to find your way around any city east of Maarbeck. Don't you want to give old Lotte from Volkavaar a run for her money? Show her what a properly laid out map looks like?"

Gelberg frowned. "Enough of that. We're raising funds for the war here, there's no time for rivalries. This isn't some junket out to Hujurosland to debate the metaphysics of the economy. We're working here." They fished a couple more bottles out of the bucket. "Another Holberger?"

"Please." The professors enjoyed their beers in silence for a little moment. "Damn, that's good."

"I'm getting sweetness, notes of spice. There's something almost... oily?"

"But in a good way."

"Yes, in a good way." Gelberg took another long drink and watched the horizon pensively. "I worry that they won't like it. They're a very... demonstrative people. I can't help but worry that they might overreact."

"That's not our problem." Gelberg's companion laid a comforting hand on their arm. "We're the head, they're the hands, remember? We lay out the options, they decide what to do with them. Sometimes they listen to us, sometimes they don't. That's the job. The job that you're the best at. That we're all the best at."

"You're right. You always are." Gelberg finished their drink and looked somewhat blearily at the pile of empty bottles that had somehow managed to collect at their feet. "Oh, this is dangerous stuff. Did we really drink all of this tonight?"

"So what if we did? We've been working hard, we can play at being undergraduates again for a night."

"That we can." Professor Immanuel Gelberg, one of the finest minds of the Commonwealth, hauled themselves to their feet. "Come on, the night's still young and the city's beautiful. Let's make some more memories before we have to go back into that forsaken swamp again."</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Theodolit-zeiss.jpg|align=left|caption=The academics, professors, and philosophers of the Commonwealth universities are easily a match for those of the Empire, and often take a role similar to that of the civil service in Commonwealth affairs - including the presentation of [[appraisal|appraisals]] for discussion by the nation's generals.|width=600}}</div>
==Overview==
Each season the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations, based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the Senate and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response.

The [[Commonwealth]] are a militaristic nation committed to the idea of ensuring the greatest good to the greatest number of people. They are perhaps the closest allies the Empire has among the great powers of the known world. This is in no small part due to their membership of the [[Liberty Pact]], dedicated to destroying the abhorrent practice of slavery across the world. Both nations are dedicated to extending their influence over the whole world, and know that only one of them can fulfil their grand ambition, but for now their rivalry with the Empire remains amicable. The Empire shared their mastery of magic with the magicians of the Commonwealth, and Commonwealth soldiers fought and died alongside the Freeborn in the [[A beacon of smoke|fall of Siroc]].

At present, the Commonwealth remains locked in a bitter war with [[Principalities of Jarm]], over what appear to be irreconcilable differences. The proximate cause is the nation of Lantir, a tiny landlocked country surrounded by the two rival great powers. The Commonwealth [[According_to_principle#The_Lantir_War|took sides in a civil war]] in the nation causing the Jarmish to back the rival faction. The war continues to rage without any sign of burning out and it remains the key focus of the Commonwealth's Military Council, distracting them from other business.

The Commonwealth ambassador to the Empire is ''Militärattache Ludkhannah Schöningen'', of die Stahlhalle in the port-city of Volkavaar, a veteran soldier who reports to the generals who hold the reins of political power in their nation. An old campaigner, they generally speak plainly and as honestly as any politician can when dealing with their Imperial counterpart.
{{Nation|nation=Commonwealth|status=Foreigner|port=[[Commonwealth_ports#Leerdam_(Eastern_Commonwealth)|Leerdam]] and [[Commonwealth_ports#Volkavaar_(Western_Commonwealth)|Volkavaar]]|ambassador=Lucia Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato of [[the League]]}}
==Improving Relations==
* '''The Commonwealth are pleased by the progress on the new Diplomatenschloss and the improved trade with Leerdam and Volkavaar'''
* '''They are also grateful for the respect shown by the Empire regarding the island nation of Viyerda'''
* '''The close proximity of the Jarmish embassy to the planned Diplomatenschloss remains a matter of concern '''
A season of careful diplomacy by the Imperial [[ambassador to the Commonwealth]] and their staff have continued to yield some small incremental improvements in the relationship. The Commonwealth remains a close ally of the Empire on the international stage, their fates tied together by the [[Liberty Pact]]. They don't agree with the Empire on everything of course, and there is always room to improve the links between the two great powers. Fortunately this season has seen a number of seeds planted in previous seasons bloom.

The steady progress on the new ''Diplomatenschloss'' has helped of course. Almost all the funds and fully half of the [[weirwood]] and [[white granite]] needed have been delivered so the building work is advancing at a pace. More resources will be required to complete the new [[embassy]], but with all the signs indicating that will happen, the Militärattache is careful to pass on the Commonwealth's thanks. It has taken work and effort to maintain close links without a proper working embassy in the Empire and the Militärattache is pleased that the Empire is taking steps to quickly redress the problem.

The Militärattache is also clearly pleased that the Empire have gracefully acknowledged the Commonwealth's authority over the many small island nations in the [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Steel|Sea of Steel]], such as the recently discovered island of [[A_star_is_born#The_Viyerda|Viyerda]]. The Commonwealth deliberately avoids entanglements with the many small nations that border the Empire such as [[Axos]], the [[Faraden]], and the like. They might trade with them, but they try to avoid opening diplomatic channels in lands close to their ally. Their view is that such relations are best avoided out of respect for the Empire's authority in this part of the world and they are pleased that the Empire has had the courtesy to show them the same respect.

Trade between the Empire and the Commonwealth has provided another source of positive news. While few Commonwealth traders are travelling to the Empire due to the attacks by Asavean pirates, scores of brave Imperial captains have travelled to purchase the exotic goods now offered in [[Foreign_ports#Volkavaar|Volkavaar]] and [[Foreign_ports#Leerdam|Leerdam]]. Both ports have seen increased trade this season; Leerdam had one of the best seasons ever and Volkavaar saw a ''huge'' jump in the number of Imperial captains visiting, providing some of the best returns they have had from trade with the Empire in many years. Of course it remains to be seen if these numbers will endure for the long term, but the initial results look very promising. The Militärattache looks forward to hearing how the trade has been for the Empire and what refinements the ambassador might recommend.

The one hole in the net remains the close proximity of the Jarmish embassy at [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]]. The Commonwealth understand that the Empire are obliged to maintain an embassy with the Jarmish, they don't necessarily expect their ally to close the embassy simply because the nefarious slave-trading rulers of the Principalities are locked in a life and death war with the Commonwealth. However they are concerned that there will inevitably be trouble once there are Commonwealth and Jarmish vessels sailing past each other, up and down the Couros river. It is clear that the Militärattache believes it is only a matter of time before the Jarmish engineer some kind of incident.

==Die Beurteilung==
* '''Thus far the Senate has opted not to take up the Commonwealth's proposal to offer an appraisal for auction by the civil service'''
* '''Having completed their work for Gisli Baerson, the professors will return home if no new proposal is forthcoming'''
As [[According_to_principle#The_Lantir_War|the Lantir War]] plays out on the other side of the Known World, the Empire's allies in the Commonwealth seek whatever support they can get to turn the tide against the magical might of their old enemies in Jarm. With almost every resource dedicated to the current armed struggle, a party of academics led by Professor Gelberg from one of the many Universities that dot the landscape of the Commonwealth has come to the Empire hoping to [[According_to_principle#die_Beurteilung|make their services available]]. Their idea was a small-scale [[appraisal]], offered by auction to whichever Imperial citizen can pay the most to support their allies in the [[Liberty Pact]]. A laudable act of international cooperation - or perhaps a sign that the war is not going quite as well as the followers of Altmann would have hoped.
{{WingedMessenger|address=The head of the visiting delegation, Professor Immanuel Gelberg, is happy to receive letters from Imperial academics. A [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] sent during the Winter Solstice to ''Professor Gelberg, Wavefather's Rest, Calvos, Madruga'' will reach them; after that communication is likely to be more sketchy.}}
The Professor and his team had hoped to offer their services by auction to the highest bidder. The aim was to trade valuable services with the Empire in exchange for Imperial coin that the Commonwealth could use to buy mana and other supplies essential for the war. The proposal needed the approval of the [[Senate]] - and is not completely uncontentious. There are implications to the idea of a team of Commonwealth researchers pottering around the Empire poking their nose into who knows what. Perhaps for that reason, the Senate has chosen not to proceed with the plan for now.

With the work this season [[#Gisli's Request|now complete]], the professor and their team are planning to return back to the Commonwealth. If they are upset by the Empire's failure to take up their proposal, they do not show it, but clearly there is little point in them remaining if there is no work for them to do. Sitting around drinking bottles of fine [[the League|League]] beers and chatting with their Imperial peers might be a wonderful experience, but it does nothing to advance the Common Good - nor provide any help in their fierce war with Jarm.

The Senate could still choose to take up the proposal this season if they wish - allowing the Empire to formalise the arrangements. If the professor and his team don't receive the approval of the Senate (meaning a successful [[Senate motion]]) by the end of the Spring Equinox, they will return home. There will be no recriminations here; the visiting political philosophers entirely appreciate the need for even allies to sometimes keep each other at arm's length.

==Gisli's Request==
* '''The Commonwealth professors have performed an appraisal for Gisli Baerson'''
* '''They have looked into ways that a new city might be established in the Freeborn regions of Madruga'''
To try to generate interest, the Professor had offered the first ''Beurteilung'' to '''Gisli 'the Provider' Baerson''', a citizen of [[Wintermark]], in recognition of the assistance they had provided to the Commonwealth. In what is apparently the fulfilment of an oath, Gisli tasked the assembled academics with investigating the possibility of building a new city in the former [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] territory of [[Madruga]]. The Commonwealth's finest minds are every bit the equal of the Empire's best architects and planners in this regard and the Commonwealth has plenty of experience with such work with [[Foreign_ports#Volkavaar|entire new towns]] constructed to fulfil the needs of the ever-expanding nation. Their instructions received, the academics set to their task with all the speed they can muster.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: left;"><quote-right by="Old Commonwealth Proverb">When embarking on a campaign, first know the enemy you face.</quote-right></div>
The Commonwealth academics work with military precision, gathering reports from the civil service, first-hand testimony from displaced Freeborn, and intelligence gathered by the [[Unfettered Mind]] and the [[Rod and Shield]] in their [[Made_anew|recent scouting]]. Rather than focusing initially on what might be done, the scholars first lay out every difficulty that might make the work challenging or even impossible. The list that they return is not long, but is no less problematic.

They soon discover that there are major issues standing in the way of any serious work in Madruga. The first problem is that nobody controls the territory. The [[Madruga#Quiet Grasses|Quiet Grasses]], the [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]] and [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]] are all uncontrolled at this time - although that is a situation that could be rectified by the [[Military Council]] with relative ease. Worse, though, the islands of [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]] are controlled by the [[Children of Wrecks]]. Any building work undertaken in a territory infested with lawless pirates will be extremely hazardous, especially any project as large as the development of a new city. The scholars advise that the first step towards this project ought to be resolving the threat of [[Siakha|Siakha's]] chosen, either by destroying them or making peace with them. It would not be impossible to work with the Children of Wrecks still in control of the islands, but it would risk interruptions in the labour, as well as potential threats to materials and workers.

===A Bitter Pill===
* '''Having been burned to the ground and sunk into a swamp, Siroc can never be rebuilt as it was before.'''
* '''Any development project will be severely impeded by the current state of open warfare in Madruga.'''
{{SOP|statement=We cannot reignite the grand rivalry between Oran and Siroc without Siroc. Once it is reclaimed, let us float the City of Sails upon the Bayou. Let the prideful people of Madruga lift each other up, and a new Siroc stand as testament to the Ambition of a nation rebuilding. We will rebuild Siroc.|when=Winter Solstice 386YE|by=Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo, Freeborn Assembly|vote=118-0 (Greater Majority)}}
Professor Gelberg has been made aware of a [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_119|judgement of the Freeborn National Assembly]] calling for the rebuilding of Siroc to reignite the rivalry between Siroc and Oran. Sadly if such a thing were possible, they soon discover that it is entirely outside the ability of some of the greatest minds of the Commonwealth. To rebuild the former ''City of Sails'', there would have to be something left to restore. Siroc had more in common with the tent city of Anvil than any other town or city, and burned tents leave little to restore.

There were some permanent structures, of course, and while they were destroyed, they could hypothetically have been rebuilt on top of their old foundations, a symbol of continuity. However, recent developments have put paid to this possibility. [[Azoth]], agent of madness and transformation, offered the Freeborn the chance to [[Where_the_river_rises#Annihilation_and_Transformation|change the Blight-riddled Great Grasses]] into something new. The Scorrero rose, the Blight was ended, and the ruins of Siroc sank beneath the water. Simply put, Siroc can never be rebuilt as it once was nor anything be built where it once was.

They tactfully suggest that sometimes the best way to honour a fallen rival is to take up their work and carry it forward with their memory in mind. If the old city cannot be rebuilt - perhaps Siroc can be reborn! The rivalry between the two cities on the mouth of the Scorrero rested on trying to attract the lion's share of foreign traders. With Siroc gone, the docks at Oran are currently the only option left. If the [[Send_for_me#Wharfage_of_Oran|Wharfage of Oran]] is constructed, not only will the resident [[Corsair|Corsairs]] fight piracy, they will escort trading ships safely to harbour. Could a bustling port in Madruga not be a worthy successor to rival Oran?

===A Spiritual Successor===
* '''Calvos has the potential to grow into a great city with the right incentive'''
* '''The Professors' team propose to build the Municipal Docks to spur the growth of the town in the coming years'''
* '''If built, the municipal docks would create conditions for Calvos to ultimately grow into one of the great cities of the Empire'''
* '''The Docks would have an upkeep of 5 thrones a season but would increase taxation by 12 thrones a season'''
* '''Once complete the docks would provide significant benefits in Madruga, and in the Brass Coast as a whole'''
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Municipal Docks'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Great Work (Shipyard)</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Calvos Sound, Madruga </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 80 white granite, 40 weirwood and 45 Thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Upkeep:''' 5 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Raises the level of investment in fleets in Madruga engaging in trading, questing or raiding
* Raises the level of investment in businesses in Madruga
* Reduces the cost for Freeborn characters to upgrade fleets by 1 weirwood for a year after completion
* Raises income of all Freeborn characters by 7 rings for a year after completion
* Boosts taxation from the territory by 12 thrones a season
* Protects Calvos Sound as a level one fortification
* Acts as a shipyard allowing the construction or refuge of up to two navies at a time
* Creates a new questing Voyage for Freeborn fleets, Hunt the Free Landing Kraken
* Creates the Freeborn position Quaymaster of the Municipal Docks
* Includes personal offices and accommodation for the Quaymaster and their family
</td></tr>
</table>

<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Quaymaster of the Municipal Docks'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Freeborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Tally of the Votes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Can purchase goods from Commonwealth ships docking at Calvos</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Oversee the Municipal Docks</td></tr>
</table>

<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:LightYellow;">'''Trade Purchases Volkavaar'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>50 rings</td><td>1 Hero Stones</td></tr>
<tr><td>6 crowns</td><td>2 Hero Stones</td></tr>
</table>

<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:LightYellow;">'''Trade Purchases Leerdam'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>36 rings</td><td>1 draught of Clear Headedness</td></tr>
<tr><td>4 crowns</td><td>2 draughts of Clear Headedness</td></tr>
</table>
</div>

Building a town is a major undertaking, but creating a completely new city is beyond anyone's skills. Nonetheless, the Professor and his team are familiar with finding ways to encourage the seed of a town to flower into a great metropolis. They understand that that seed needs people to grow and what people need is a reason to want to live there. To become a city a town needs to be something grand, something compelling, that will draw people to the town.

[[Madruga#Calvos|Calvos]] is already a prosperous settlement, and an important port in Madruga. It houses the flagship of the exemplar [[Zemress]], as well as the [[Hand_of_Guerra#House_of_Guerra|House of Guerra]] and the [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Calvos|Zemress Naval Academy]]. Many of the locals have been complaining that the docks are becoming slow and cramped even before the destruction of Siroc. The professor and his team believe the docks are the key to unleash Calvos' full potential.

Working with Imperial architects, the academics propose to tear down the current docks and build a [[great work]] in their place, the'' Municipal Docks''. Instead of building what Calvos or even Madruga needs ''now'', the idea is to build something much more ambitious - something much bigger than the existing town could ever need. People will flood to the town to take advantage of the new opportunities that the docks create and over time the population will swell, drawing more trade and yet more people. Calvos is like a pot-bound plant says one of the team, it must be re-potted so that over time it can grow into something majestic.

The proposal is certainly [[Ambition|Ambitious]], nobody can fault the professor and his team on that score. The plan is for a huge sweeping docks far beyond the scale of anything ever built in the Empire. In one fell swoop, Calvos would become the largest docks on the continent - a fine reflection of the Brass Coast's naval traditions and a fitting capstone for a great city. There's nothing in the town that could possibly justify construction on this scale, but that is the whole point. By building something magnificent, it will draw people in and the town will grow into a city. One that can rival not just Oran but any city in the Empire.

The docks would provide invaluable benefits for Freeborn [[business|businesses]] and [[fleet|fleets]] based in Madruga boosting returns. Having such secure facilities in Calvos Sound would make it possible for Freeborn fleets to engage in quests into the waters round Free Landing to hunt the baby kraken that are growing there. That won't provide a solution to the problem, but it would be a new source for wealth and resources.

The docks would include massive [[shipyard|shipyards]] capable of outfitting even the largest warships. The facilities would be so grand that the docks could be used to build up to two [[navy|navies]] at once - or perhaps more importantly to [[Navy_orders#Put_to_Port|provide refuge]] to up to two navies at once. Shipwrights would flood to Calvos looking for work, which would provide temporary benefits to all Freeborn fleet owners allowing them to upgrade their fleets for one [[weirwood]] less for a year after completion of the docks. That initial gold rush of opportunity would boost [[Prosperity]] across the Coast, increasing personal income by 7 rings for ''every'' Freeborn character for a year.

The traditional Commonwealth approach to architecture is that any building at scale is designed to be well-defended and the Municipal Docks is no exception. The plans include a pair of robust stone towers jutting up from the waters themselves, equipped with siege weaponry designed to deter an attacking navy. These are accompanied by similar defences intended to protect the nascent city from approach by land. The result is that the docks would act as a basic [[fortification]], making it significantly harder for attackers to capture or damage the settlement.

In line with [[Send_for_me#Great_Works|a recent appraisal]], the plan include facilities for a ''Quaymaster''. This position would need to be a national position appointed by [[Tally of the Votes]], and be given the responsibility to oversee the operation of the docks and protect them from attack and to direct the work of the shipyards. Including the creation of this title in the [[commission]] of the Municipal Docks would enable the great work to respond to a crisis if the potential to do so were ''explicitly'' identified in an [[opportunity]] that was examined and reported on by the civil service. The title would need to have the ability to supervise the great works and the power to make a single announcement in the Imperial Senate ''if'' they were responding to an opportunity.

Whoever was appointed as Quaymaster would also benefit from the opportunity to purchase select items from Commonwealth captains visiting the Empire. The potential for purchases is low at present, due to the actions of the Asavean pirates, but if that problem could be resolved, new opportunities for the Quaymaster to expand trade might become available.

Crucially - creating the Municipal Docks would create the perfect conditions for Calvos to rival any port on the Bay and to one day grow into a great city. Such growth would take many years - but the Imperial Senate would see the benefits immediately. People would flock to Calvos hoping to grow rich from the young city's boom by setting up their own businesses. As a result, taxation from the region would increase by 12 thrones a season (although such benefits would be diminished by the upkeep of the Municipal Docks).

===The Sternenmetal Tower===
* '''The Empire could build the Sternenmetal Tower in Calvos in exchange for a guarantee of exclusive access to the new Docks for Commonwealth traders'''
* '''The deal would be for five years, with the potential to renegotiate after this time.
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Sternenmetal Tower'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Ministry</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Calvos, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 14 white granite, 42 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates a title ''Sternenmetal Merchant'' who would receive imports of Commonwealth ilium</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Requires a guarantee from the Empire that the Municipal Docks would be solely for the use of Commonwealth merchants</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''The Sternenmetal Merchant'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Any</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Any</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Gains five ilium each season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Upkeep:''' 2 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To help Commonwealth traders purchase supplies of mana crystals and other magical materials from Madruga and ensure only Commonwealth vessels can make use of the Municipal Docks.</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Restriction:''' Only operation provided the Commonwealth have exclusive access to the Municipal Docks at Calvos</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
Gisli's request asked the Professor to consider how trade with the Commonwealth might benefit the new city. The ambassador is the best person to offer such advice, so Gelberg consulted with the Militärattache. They informed the Professor that there was [[For_the_Common_Good#Star_Metal_and_Mana|an outstanding trade offer on the table]] with the Empire - with the Commonwealth looking to sell [[ilium]] and acquire the funds to purchase mana crystals. The work has not yet begun, in part because the Empire are apparently interested in paying for the star iron in mana crystals directly, rather than paying with Imperial coin, while the Militärattache is deeply concerned about any possibility that the Sternenmetal Tower might end up near the Jarmish embassy, allowing prying eyes to see what was happening.

After reviewing the plans originally provided by the Commonwealth, the Professor has found a way to adapt the proposal that will hopefully satisfy all parties. It would not even need a separate commission, ''if'' the Sternenmetal were be built as part of the Municipal Docks. That would ensure that it benefited from the defences that are incorporated in the docks, as well as making it easier for the ''Sternenmetal Merchant'' to help arrange shipments of ilium to the Empire. Best of all, it would be well away from the Jarmish embassy, ideally preventing their spies from uncovering what was going on, and making it difficult for them to attack the operations even if they did discover it.

The Professor's suggestion is based on the idea that the Commonwealth is given a five year guarantee of exclusive access to the Municipal Docks once they are complete. Obviously Imperial ships will come and go regularly from the port, but the Empire would not permit any other foreign nation to use the grandest, most efficient docks in the entire Empire. That will give some considerable trading advantages to the Commonwealth merchants using the docks. In return they would provide a generous bounty of ilium, 5 rings each season, to the citizen elected to the position of the ''Sternenmetal Merchant''.

From everything the Professor has heard about the powerful magics unleashed on Madruga recently, there is every reason to hope that the territory will soon be a source of cheap mana crystals as well as other magical materials. Once people begin to explore the new magically-transfigured marshes and find ways to exploit the wealth, then there is every reason to hope that the Commonwealth will be able to purchase valuable materials for their war effort against the Jarmish. Of course the arrangements won't be up and running for a year - that's how long the Docks would take to build - but it is notable that the Commonwealth are increasingly talking of their war with the Jarmish in terms of years...

Obviously this new proposal would replace the original opportunity; only one Sternenmetal Tower can be built. The Militärattache is happy to commit the Commonwealth to these arrangements for a period of five years, with a view to renegotiating the deal after that time.

===Some Alternatives===
* '''The Sarcophan Delves have extensive knowledge of building in swampy terrain, and are the one group who might be able to rebuild Siroc'''
* '''Quzar could be a viable alternative to Calvos if the Children of Wrecks are dealt with.'''
* '''The Eternals of Autumn are often enthusiastic about encouraging the growth of cities'''
Professor Gelberg and their team are quick to point out that they are not able to explore every possible course of action. There are a number of options which are well outside their areas of expertise. They are enthusiastic about the idea of building a massive docks, but they feel they should point the Empire at some alternatives.

If [[the Brass Coast]] are absolutely set on rebuilding Siroc then he suggests they contact the [[Sarcophan Delves|Sarcophan]]. The entire history of the [[Sarcophan Delves|Delves]] is founded on making the best out of other people's ruins and much of their city is built in or on marshy ground. If anyone can find a way to try to build something in the flooded and drowned ruins of Siroc, then it is them. The [[Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves]] could potentially send word to their counterparts letting it be known that there was money to be made in assisting Imperial reconstruction efforts. The Sarcophans are the only ones the Professor knows who possess the skills to direct such a project. However, any experts who were prepared to travel across the world for such a job would certainly charge a premium for their services. As a result the project would be more expensive and less profitable than building up Calvos.

Another alternative to Calvos would be the expansion of the [[Madruga#Lightsea|bustling port town of Quzar]]. While the port, sometimes described as 'the soul of the Brass Coast' would be a great option for further development, its proximity to occupied Free Landing and the erratic Children of Wrecks would make any potential development there very hazardous. But once the threat of the Children of Wrecks is ended, then a suitably-worded appraisal of some kind would be bound to identify ways that a similar expansion of Quzar could be arranged. As with Siroc, such work would have to be an alternative to the Municipal Docks at Calvos, there simply aren't enough people living in Madruga to grow two new cities in such close proximity to each other.

Finally, Professor Gelberg readily admits that their team does not possess a particularly deep knowledge of magical theory or the politics of the [[Realm|realms]]. However, they know enough to observe that the [[Realm#Autumn|realm of Autumn]] is known for its associations with cities and construction projects. [[Ephisis|Die Unsichtbare Hand]] might act as a broker for the services of skilled builders, or else provide other useful services in exchange for suitable remuneration. The fact that she is known to favour the Freeborn may even lead to a better deal, depending on how it is phrased. Alternatively, [[Estavus|Das Feuer der Industrie]] often patronises grand construction projects and could potentially provide assistance with such a project. The [[Archmage of Autumn]] would need to take the lead on making such connections using a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] specifically for the purpose.
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Actuallythebest001.png|align=left|width=250}}</div>

==A Narrowly Missed Opportunity==
* '''The judgement in the League Assembly welcoming guests from the Commonwealth has been gratefully received but has not led to a significant increase in visitors'''
{{SOP|statement=Citizens of the League! Our siblings-in-Liberty, the Gemeinwesen, the Commonwealth, battle the slaving Princes of Jarm. We, the assembled Bishops of the League exhort you to welcome Commonwealth visitors in our cities, cafes, and salons. Citizens! Commonwealth and Empire, we each have our own wars to fight against the slavers - Plenum or Principalities - and Virtue & Common Good differ profoundly, but here and now let us build up the Tower of our Friendship on the rock that is Liberty.|when=Winter Solstice 386YE|by=Paulus Adelaar von Holberg, League Assembly|vote=250-20 (Greater Majority)}}
Various notable citizens of Holberg had extended a warm hand of friendship towards the Commonwealth, inviting them to visit the Greatest City in the World during the celebrations of its 250th anniversary. There were suggestions that the League and the Commonwealth might both benefit from greater ties and clearly the city of Holberg has a lot to offer the Commonwealth.

Sadly, with the Lantir War making travel difficult and expensive, most people in the Commonwealth are not minded to risk the dangerous voyage to the other side of the world. The Militärattache had suggested that the League might use a statement of principle to formalise an invitation - but suggested that the wording might be critical. To be appealing to members of the Commonwealth, the statement would need to ''either'' acknowledge that the League believes the search for the Common Good is an admirable goal, or that some spiritual auras can impede free will which is a vital quality of sapient beings, or that the Commonwealth's war with the Jarmish is a virtuous cause. Or, indeed, all three.

If such a statement received a greater majority, and the sentiment approving of Commonwealth philosophy was clear, it would likely see the enthusiasm for the Commonwealth visitors lead to an [[opportunity]]. In fact the League Assembly did pass a ''similar'' judgement put forward by '''Paulus Adelaar von Holberg''' that extended a warm welcome and passed with a greater majority. However the statement, while eloquent and inviting, carefully avoids passing any judgement on the Common Good, and stops short of calling the war against Jarm virtuous. As a result, while there has been interest from the Commonwealth in Holberg this season, the number of visitors has been modest and has not led to any new [[opportunity]].

<!--
==Resolution==

The [[Construct_Municipal_Docks|Municipal Docks]] were commissioned in Winter 387YE, and completed shortly before Autumn Equinox 388YE, hastened by Autumn magic.

--!>

{{Template:Commonwealth Links}}

Resolutions

2026-10-05T14:13:02Z

Responsible1: /* List */

==List==

[[Opening_ceremonies]]

[[Mushroom,_mushroom,_mushroom#Resolution]]

[[Mermaids_in_the_basement]]

Mermaids in the basement

2026-10-05T14:12:46Z

Responsible1:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Appraisal]]
<ic>
Albrecht von Temeschwar stared mournfully at the invader in his study. Time was a precious commodity, one he didn't have to spare since his class on buttresses was due to start in barely two hour's time and nearly a third of their papers were not yet marked. Still, it didn't do to give short shrift to one of La Salle's people; the chancellor would have his guts for garters. Best to be polite - civil even - he thought with a smile he kept off his face.

"I'm sorry Madam Lutomysla, " he said somewhat unsure of her correct title, "I hadn't realised your request was... serious." He spread his hands, painfully aware of what a poor answer that was.

The hard-faced Varushkan woman's eyes narrowed and her lips pinched. "I see. Well, for future reference... please understand that I am ''always'' serious." He expected her to say something further, but she fell silent simply staring at him. His eyes fell on the pile of unmarked papers... surely she didn't expect him to attempt this now?

"It's just the costs... they would be... incalculable" he protested.

"Just so I understand you - are you saying that your knowledge of engineering is not sufficient to calculate the costs?"

Albrecht bristled with indignation even as he appreciated that was exactly the response his visitor had wanted. "Look" he demanded, pointing to the picture on his wall of the Spider's Tollkeep. "That was one of finest works of engineering proposed in the Empire! When it was damaged it needed thirty wains of mithril and ten wains of white granite ''just to repair it!''"

The prognosticator's gaze didn't waver, so he tried again. "The Spider's Kiss spans the Vassa - but it's barely a mile wide at that point! You're proposing a bridge, no!, a set of bridges, fifty times that size! It would take literally thousands of wains of white granite to join all those islands to the mainland! It would take decades!"

"But it could be done? We could calculate the costs?" she asked in a voice that implied she was asking him to price up a baker's dozen warm rolls.

"No!" he said firmly, trying to keep control of his temper. "It most certainly could ''not'' be done, Madam Lutomysla. The Spider's Tollkeep is built to withstand the rushing waters of the Vassa. But that terrible river pales into insignificance compared to the winter storms that trouble the Brass Coast. You'd need to design something capable of surviving waves as high as the walls of Holberg! You'd need a way to sink the piles two hundred feet and more into the sea bed. And that's not counting for all the blood-thirsty monsters the crazy shark worshippers let loose! So no Madam, it can not be done."

The last was said with a voice of complete finality. Or at least that was what he was aiming for. It always worked with his students. Sadly he had misjudged either his tone or his audience. Possibly both.

"Thousands of wains..." the woman's quill moved across the parchment, as she made hurried notes. "And you would need a design capable of withstanding the waves and the monsters." She looked up at him, and smiled, "Now we're getting somewhere professor..."
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Andaman Islands at sunset.jpg|align=left|caption=Under the domination of the Children of Wrecks, the islands of Free Landing and Cazar Straits have become much harder to reach.|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0yfuLzaS-g}}
At the Autumn Equinox, the Imperial [[Senate]] approved a [[Senate motion|motion]] calling for an [[appraisal]] into the potential for constructing a bridge between the mainlands and the islands of [[the Brass Coast]] to enable [[army|armies]] to move easily between them. ''[[Appraisal#Lutomysla_Niegoslava|Lutomysla Niegoslava]]'' was selected to investigate the possibilities.

Regrettably, Lutomysla quickly confirms that it is effectively impossible to connect the islands to the mainland with bridges in this way - the costs are astronomical and the work would require a feat of engineering greater than any the Empire has ever achieved. Rather than waste too much time pursuing this approach, the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|prognosticator]] has summarised the problems involved. They're not ''technically'' insurmountable - but the experienced prognosticator knows a cliff face when she sees one.

This is not an unusual state of affairs - the prognosticator's role in an appraisal is to ''find'' a solution to a '''problem''' the Senate have identified. If it were possible to know what approach would work best before the appraisal has been carried out, then no prognosticators would be needed. The civil service guidance is clear that all prognosticators can [[Appraisal#OOC_Design|ultimately ignore a suggestion]] on ''how'' to solve the problem, if it is clear, this will only make the work more difficult. While that is rare, it definitely applies here.

Rather than linger on what can't be achieved, Lutomysla has spent what time she has left looking at what might be achieved...
<quote by="Proposed Madruga, Seconded Kahraman">To appraise the construction of bridges between the mainlands and islands of the Brass Coast to remove the island quality. Lutomysla Niegoslava</quote>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Madruga_Made_Anew.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
==A Bridge to Nowhere==
* '''Building bridges to join the islands of the Brass Coast to the mainland would be difficult and prohibitively expensive'''
The Empire has significant experience creating bridges - the city of [[Sarvos]] has many beautiful constructions that join the mainland to the nearby islands, albeit over shallow waters. The [[Spider's Tollkeep]] is a unique suspension bridge linking [[Madruga]] and Sarvos, designed by the talented engineer ''Carmen i Dehasa i Erigo'' to bridge a very specific river. These examples are deceptive; however, they all feature relatively small bridges, or at least small in comparison to the distances that would be needed to span the waters of the [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazaar Straits]] and [[Madruga#Free_Landing|Free Landing]].

The actual bridges themselves would represent a massive investment of time, resources, and labour. Even without the threat of monsters, pirates, and [[Grendel]], these bridges would be built over very deep water indeed. Connecting the six major islands of the [[Feroz#Cazar Straits|Cazar Straits]] - a [[territory#Regions|region]] that runs the length of the [[Feroz]] coastline - would require more than half a dozen miles-long bridges. [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]] is a little more feasible - by which Lutomysla means it would require "''only''" half a dozen bridges. Total costs for the project would end up in excess of three thousand wains of white granite.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofFeroz.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
That is only the start of the problem - any concrete plan would require both Free Landing and Cazar Straits to be in Imperial hands. Despite [[Red_skies#Chase_them_where_they_run|recent victories]], Free Landing remains under the control of the Children of Wrecks. In the south, the [[Iron Confederacy]] has [[Red_skies#Swords_of_the_South|taken control]] of the Cazar Straits. The threat posed by the creatures of [[Siakha]] still remains - building anything while literal sea monsters are attacking the builders would be impossible without the use of slaves. Nobody would take that job out of choice, not for all the crowns in [[Emperor Giovanni|Giovanni's]] purse.

Creating a bridge capable of withstanding the kind of sea storms that occasionally batter the Brass Coast would require a reinforced bridge deck and need supports that reached all the way down to the seabed. The Empire lacks the engineering know-how for such a feat, but it is ''rumoured'' that the [[Commonwealth]] might know a way it could be done. Given the good relations that exist, it is likely that the Empire could find a way to acquire such knowledge if it were genuinely determined to proceed. The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] might make such an enquiry, or a [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] dispatched to [[Patron_of_the_Beurteilung|Professor Gelberg]] might also determine if this is the case.

Even if all the other hurdles could be overcome, the bridges would ''not'' remove the [[Region_qualities#Island|island quality]] from either region. Rather, they would provide the ''bridged'' quality, allowing armies to move between the mainland and the island regions and back again... as long as nobody destroyed any of the bridges. That might suffice, but it is important to remember that the Grendel in particular have demonstrated a talent for smashing bridges up...

Magical alternatives to mundane methods are equally difficult. While some eternals are capable of impressive feats, Lutomysla cautions that their powers are neither boundless nor without cost. The [[Semmerholm#The_Golden_Causeway|Golden Causeway]] is a boon from [[Eleonaris]] that allowed the armies of [[Dawn]] to [[382YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war#In_The_End_.28The_Mallum.29|march across]] the massive [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]] to invade [[Ossium]]. But the ''Commander of the Golden Armies'' created the Causeway to enable the Empire to go to war with the [[Druj]]. The ''Queen of Summer'' always seems eager to plunge the Empire and their neighbours into conflict - and is more than ready to use her magic to help make that happen. In many ways, her "payment" was the years of warfare that followed the act. But a causeway in the Brass Coast would offer little in the way of [[glory]]. As [[Red_skies|recent events]] show, the Wreckers are a danger, but they are a pale shadow of the threat cast by the Druj. This project would require dozens of bridges and risks angering the ''Lion of Summer'' if she thinks the Empire are invoking her aid to do something which is beneath her regal demeanour.

[[Adamant]] and [[Estavus]] are more than happy to help the Empire building things - and for ''the King Under the Mountain'' the bigger, the better, and the more white granite is involved the more enthusiastic he tends to be. Having the aid of either eternal would remove the need to ask the Commonwealth to help with the engineering. Adamant could also help protect the commission from casual destruction by the Grendel, if the Empire were prepared to meet the eternal's price to infuse the bridges with indestructible adamant. However, the ''Deep Dragon'' would be certain to require the Empire to foot the bill, so someone would still have to find at least three thousand wains of white granite. It also risks marring the Empire's good relations with the ''Throne of Stone'' if, as seems likely, thousands of ''koboldi'' are killed and eaten by the [[Mundane_beasts#Kraken|immature kraken]] and other monsters that currently dwell in the waters while the work is underway. Estavus might take a more pragmatic approach, but any construction she oversees is likely to involve at least as much [[mithril]] as white granite, and while she seems less concerned than Adamant about the wellbeing of her workers she would surely expect a premium be paid for any harm done to them.

When the appraisal was discussed in Senate at the time, there was some debate about whether tunnels would be a better solution than bridges. League engineers are quick to scotch that idea - even the most experienced mining professors of [[Temeschwar]] have never heard of anyone attempting to dig such a massive series of tunnels. They would need to stretch for many miles, all under the seabed. The slightest mistake would mean that the entire thing would collapse and quickly flood even with the best pumps the engineers of [[Holberg]] could design. They are confident that the methods and skills needed to create tunnels under the sea do not exist anywhere in the world.
<div style="max-width: 500px; width: 50%; float: right;"><box>
====OOC Design====
<p>Any appraisal involves three elements - the first is the fundamental problem that the players wish to overcome or address. The second element, is the method - the way that the problem will be addressed. The final part is the outcome - the result that will occur if the methods outlined are enacted by the Empire.</p>

The crucial information needed by the plot team to write a useful appraisal response is a clear outline of the problem that the Empire wants addressed. Only if we are certain what problem the players want to deal with can we be confident that the solutions we present will address those issues. We don't want to give players possible solutions to different problems.

It is usually better to avoid outlining a method for the appraisal, as this can lead to disappointment if it isn't possible to solve the problem that way. However, it is also better to avoid defining the outcome you want - since that outcome may not be possible. A motion that clearly states what problem the Senate would like addressed is the best way to maximise your chances that the results achieve what the Empire wants.

In this example, the Senate motion stated that the method should be to employ bridges. We've ultimately ignored that element, as per the published guidance, because we considered it wouldn't be possible to construct a vast network of sea bridges in the time of the Empire. The Senate motion also stated that the outcome would be the removal of the island quality. That isn't possible at this time, so we've had to guess at what the problem is that the appraisal was intended to address. We have ''inferred'' that the problem is most likely to be a way to allow the Empire to extend its military control to the island chains, so we've offered ways to address that.</box></div>
==Adapt and Prosper==
* '''Given the challenges of meeting the terms of the assessment, Lutomysla has looked at alternatives'''
* '''She has tried to guess what the underlying goals for the Senate motion are'''
Lutomysla is frank that the prospects are dim for building enough bridges to the islands to end their current isolation. While it might technically be possible, the volume of white granite required seems prohibitive. The first limit of magic is not what you can achieve but what you can afford, as Lutomysla's grandmama was fond of saying.

Worse, Lutomysla can see few options to achieve the specific ''outcome'' stated in the motion. Removing the island quality from the Brass Coast archipelago is [[Limits_of_magic#Changing_Qualities|beyond the limits of ritual magic]], and despite Lutomysla's best efforts, she has not been able to identify any way to achieve that outcome. Even if bridges could be built - the islands would still be islands - and the problems would immediately return if the bridges were destroyed.

That being the case, Lutomysla has focused her remaining efforts on what problem she believes the Senate were looking to solve with this appraisal. The most likely answer is that the [[Military Council]] were looking for a way to extend military control to the islands, but even that creates more questions than it answers. Is the aim a way to quickly move armies to and from the islands, or does the Council simply need a way to secure them from attack? Or is the concern more economic? That the isolation of the islands might be injurious to the Prosperity of the Coast? It is unlikely that the Senate simply want the islands themselves gone, but even that is not unthinkable. Difficult, yes, but not unthinkable.

Lutomysla has tried to look at each of these problems in turn, to outline possible solutions.
==Reaching the Islands==
* '''The cheapest way to enable any Imperial army to reach the islands is to commission a navy'''
* '''There are ways the Empire could allow two Freeborn armies to reach the islands without building a navy'''
The prognosticator hasn't found any way to be rid of the insular quality of the islands, but she has identified ways the Empire might enable two of the Freeborn armies to reach them. The simplest way to reach the islands is to commission a [[navy]]. That might prove challenging, and the Senate already has the ability to do so, so Lutomysla has left that option to the last.
===The Red Wind Wharfs===
* '''The Red Wind Corsairs could reach the islands at any time'''
* '''Creating dedicated berths at Oran would allow the Red Wind Corsairs to cross the straits without delay'''
* '''Plans for municipal docks at Calvos could be expanded to create the same potential in Madruga'''
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''New Berths in Oran'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Shipyard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Oranseri, Feroz</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 5 weirwood and 15 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Allows any army with the Forayer quality to move normally between the Cazar Straits and the mainland ignoring the island quality
* Increases the upkeep of the wharfs by 1 throne</td></tr>
</table></div>
[[The Brass Coast]] already has an [[army]] that can reach Free Landing and Cazar Straits. The [[Army_qualities#Forayer|unique ability]] of the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] to put to sea means that they could do so relatively easily. For that matter, they could even transport an army with them if needed.
{{CaptionedImage|file=RedWindCorsairs_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}
The problem with putting to sea - and back again - is the time and risks involved. It takes a season for the army to put to sea, and they are exposed throughout. Delays are expensive, and no general wants their army vulnerable. But the recently completed [[Send_for_me#Wharfage_of_Oran|wharfs at Oran]] offer one way around that problem. If new berths were constructed and set aside for the sole use of the Imperial military, then it would allow the Red Wind Corsairs to move normally between the [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]] and the mainland ignoring the island quality.

The proposals for [[Germinating_a_city#A_Spiritual_Successor|municipal docks in Madruga]] have not yet progressed, but if the Senate wished, then it would be simple to include similar dedicated berths at those docks. Once complete, they would allow the Red Wind Corsairs to move normally between [[Madruga#Free_Landing|Madruga]] and the mainland ignoring the island quality. If both sets of berths were built, then the Red Wind Corsairs could move normally between Free Landing and the Cazar Straits.

Obviously, this outcome doesn't allow ''any'' Imperial army to reach the islands quickly - but it does have the advantage of being pleasingly cheap (at least relatively speaking). It would only take 5 wains of weirwood and 15 crowns to build the dedicated berths in Oran - though it would increase the upkeep of the facilities by one throne a season. Professor Gelbert's municipal docks have not been approved, but if they were, the Senate could easily include dedicated berths in the plans. It would increase the construction costs by an additional 5 wains of weirwood and 15 crowns and increase upkeep by a throne each season, but it would mean all the work could be done at the same time.

===The Alcazar of Flame===
* '''Janon has maintained a great interest in the Burning Falcon'''
* '''The eternal will enable the Falcon to reach the islands if the Empire builds a fane on Free Landing'''
* '''A fane would allow the General of the Burning Falcon to submit a special defensive order to improve natural resupply'''
* '''The Fane would allow the Keeper of the Flame to exchange liao for crystal fire'''
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Alcazar of Flame'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Fane</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Free Landing, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 16 white granite, 10 mithril, 10 rings of ilium and 78 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Allows the Burning Falcon to move normally between Free Landing and the Cazar Straits and between the islands and the mainland
* Allows the Burning Falcon to submit the fervent celebration defensive order, increasing their natural resupply by 250
* Creates the Freeborn national position, Keeper of the Flame of Passion
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Keeper of the Flame of Passion'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Freeborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' National Assembly</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Restriction:''' The Keeper can only purchase crystal fire and communicate with Janon if they are a [[Sutannir]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Voice of Janon
* Can purchase Crystal Fire in exchange for liao at the Fane
* Can send a winged messenger to the servants of Janon once per summit
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To inflame the passions of the Freeborn people to set the world ablaze</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: LightYellow;">'''Enflamed Passions'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>2 liao</td><td>1 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>5 liao</td><td>2 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>9 liao</td><td>3 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>14 liao</td><td>4 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>20 liao</td><td>5 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
There is another Freeborn army that might be able to reach the islands... if they had the right help. There are far fewer experienced sailors in the [[Burning Falcon]], and they lack the access to the ships and support that the Red Wind Corsairs enjoy. But they do benefit from the friendship and approval of the [[Janon|Shadowed Fire]], the strange eternal of [[Realms#Night|Night]] whose remit is passion and conviction. Aided by the ''Muse of Fire'', the army already burns with [[Army_qualities#True_Conviction|true conviction]], a fervour that drives them to treat every battle like it is their last.
{{CaptionedImage|file=BurningFalcon_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}
Given their recent history, Lutomysla is able to track down a herald of ''Firebrand'', a performing musician which calls itself Qraqeb. With some care, she outlines the problem to it... ''"The soldiers of the 'Falcon burn with desire to retake their homeland from their enemies, but their ardour is stymied by the treacherous waters. The straits are holding their passions in check... will Shadowed Fire help them unleash their fury on their enemies?"''...

Qraqeb soon returns with the answer that Shadowed Fire is eager to support the passionate soldiers of the Burning Falcon, but he cannot do so without a little help from the Empire. If the Coast wishes the Night eternal to aid them, they must build a temple to their passions on the islands. Qraqeb describes the ideal for this temple, a simple palace of white stone that will resound with music and become a crucible for passion. If the Empire grants Shadowed Fire [[Eternal#Dominion_in_the_Empire|dominion over the temple]], then his followers will abide there, joining the soldiers of the Burning Falcon in revelry, dancing and passion whenever they visit the isles. The Alcazar will become a sanctuary for the army, reviving their spirits whenever they might flag. Crucially, once Torchbearer is able to extend their power throughout the region they will ensure that nothing prevents the Falcon from moving swiftly to or from the islands.

After some discussion, it is clear to Lutomysla and her team that Qraqeb is proposing a [[fane]], albeit one that is particularly large and grandiose. That means it would ''have'' to be [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|ceded]] to the eternal to function - a solution the Senate has only rarely permitted in recent times. Janon isn't asking the Empire to cede the entire region, just the palace itself, but it is clear from the discussions that such a move would permit the eternal to use their power unhindered throughout Free Landing ''and'' the Cazar Straits.

If that happened, then the Alcazar of Flame would allow the Burning Falcon to move normally from Free Landing to the Cazar Straits and from the islands to the mainland. Qraqeb will not be drawn on what magic Shadowed Fire would employ to achieve this, but it assures the prognosticator that the soldiers - nor any local civilians - will not be harmed - all the general need do is issue the relevant orders and Qraqeb and its fellow musicians and performers will handle the rest.

In addition, the Alcazar of Flame would allow heralds of the Night eternal to travel abroad, allowing them to join with the Burning Falcon wherever they were. Their presence would enable the general to submit the '''fervent celebration''' defensive order, causing the army to engage in wild festivities and Night-fuelled revelry. Soldiers and anyone living nearby would be drawn into these uninhibited celebrations, raising the blood of all those who took part. The army would regain an ''additional'' 250 force provided they were eligible for [[Casualties#Natural_Resupply|natural resupply]], as they spread Janon's message of embracing your emotions. The order would default to [[Army_qualities#Fast|desperate reinforcement]] if the army were attacked (in terms of how it affected the army's ability to defend territory rather than movement).

Janon would require the Freeborn National Assembly to appoint a suitable [[sutannir]] to oversee the celebrations and festivities on the island. This ''Keeper of the Flame'' would be charged by Janon to work to inflame the passions of the Freeborn people, encouraging them to throw caution to the wind and commit themselves utterly to their destiny.

==Defending the Islands==
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Song of Salt and Sand'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' None required</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Quzar, Lightsea, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' Free (Lashonar may demand payment for their aid)</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Requirements:''' Requires the agreement of the eternal Lashonar</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Allows the Hakima of Salt and Sand to call the corsair families to defend the Brass Coast
* Creates a garrison of 3,000 force protected just Free Landing and the Cazar Straits for one season
* Creates a defensive voyage for corsair fleets to join the defence of Free Landing and the Straits
* Costs the Imperial treasury six thrones each season it is employed</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''If the Empire is concerned about defending the islands from attack, they could fortify them'''
* '''Lashonar could provide a way for the corsairs to defend the islands'''
Given the [[Red_skies|recent victory by Imperial fleets]], the Red Wind Corsairs should face little opposition if they attempt to take the islands back from the Children of Wrecks. However, that might not be the case in the future and with the Grendel's armada still controlling the seas, the islands could easily become a vulnerability for the Empire if their armies cannot reach them. If that is what the Senate are concerned about, then a better alternative might be to look at some way to defend the islands.

The obvious way to do that would be to build a massive [[fortification]] at a suitable location in each territory. That would be expensive, of course, but it would still save a fortune compared to bridging all the islands together. The Empire wouldn't need an appraisal to do that, so it may be that the Senate considers even this cost too much.

Seeking a cheaper alternative, Lutomysla explores many avenues before finally managing to secure a possibility that could help defend the islands of the Brass Coast. In her view, the best way to defend the islands would be to call on the combined might of the [[corsair]] families. If they sailed to the defence of Madruga or Feroz they would represent an effective force that would prove a powerful deterrent. The problem is how to coordinate the defences - corsair vessels would pile on sail to come to the rescue of their homes from any attacker, but they can't afford to abandon their livelihoods and commit to this full-time. The Coast would need some way to call their wayward scions home for the fight.

After some searching, Lutomysla discovers a possible solution in the ''Burning Feathers'', a [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests#Paradors|parador]] in Calvos. The establishment is run by a retired corsair who goes by the name of ''Sabella i Tourez i Erigo'' and her husband, a hakima called ''Ramiro i Erigo''. The Tourez family have a small choir of beautiful songbirds with brilliant red and gold feathers - all of which exhibit a most peculiar talent. The birds know more than a dozen different tunes which they will sing on command, but they always sing the same song, ''no matter how far apart they are''.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=LashonarArt.jpg|caption=Lashonar is currently under the [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] of the [[Conclave]].|align=right|width=200}}</div>
When pushed, Ramiro admits that the birds were a gift from the ''[[Lashonar|Guardian of the Southern Skies]]'', though he is coy about what moved the ''Eater-of-Silence'' to make the endowment. What he will say is that they were gifted to the pair many years ago so that they could remain in touch - so he could know that his wife was safe, even while she was far away at sea. Now they are retired, the birds are little but a curio; an amusing entertainment for the guests staying at the Feathers.

Lutomysla is confident that if ''Lashonar the Loquacious'' were approached in the right way, the eternal would be more than happy to provide more songbirds for the people of the Brass Coast. Those corsairs who wanted to help with the defence of the islands could keep one on their boat - while the [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] could maintain a small breeding flock in a volery. If the need presented itself, the Hakima could call the birds to sing an agreed warning song, which would be immediately mimicked by the birds on the ships. It's no [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#The_Heliopticon|heliopticon]], but the prognosticator is confident it would work.

If the eternal agreed to support the Coast in this way, then Lutomysla calculates that the Hakima of Salt and Sand could use the songbirds to call the corsair families to the defence of the islands off the coast of Madruga and Feroz. That would amount to a naval garrison with an effective military strength of three thousand that would be effective against any attack on Free Landing or the Cazar Straits. This garrison could benefit further if those corsairs who regularly attend Anvil also took up the call ('''OOC Note:''' characters with a fleet resource and the corsair archetype could choose to defend the islands).

There are two clear drawbacks to this approach. The first and most obvious is that the eternal Lashonar is under enmity by the [[Conclave]]. It would not be illegal for the Archmage of Night to use a plenipotentiary to discuss the idea with the eternal, but unless the Conclave changed Lashonar's status, it definitely would be illegal to make any exchange.

The other problem is the costs. The approach wouldn't require any substantial upfront investment - cages for songbirds are not dear. Lashonar would have to be convinced, however and might demand a high price. It is impossible to tell what price Lashonar they might require for their aid without asking them, but this subtle magic would be well within Lashonar's purview.

More importantly, calling the corsairs to fight to defend the islands, even for a single season, would mean a loss of trade. Taxes in both Madruga and Feroz would fall - reducing the money flowing to the Imperial treasury by six thrones in the season immediately following the call.

Crucially, the corsairs themselves would lose all their income for the season, unless the guerdon were made available to them in exchange for their efforts. Corsairs who regularly attend Anvil and sailed to the defence of the islands would find themselves with nothing but their personal income the following season - all the corsairs in the Brass Coast would lose out in the same way. They would cheerfully shoulder that burden to protect their homes for a season or two, but if they were being called to defend the islands every season and there was no enemy in sight, they would soon lose patience to match their lost profits.

==Counting the Coins==
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Archipelago Parador'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Sinecure</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Cazar Straits, Feroz</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 3 wains of mithril, 7 wains of white granite, 2 rings of ilium and 30 crowns </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Removes the impoverished quality from the Cazar Straits
* Creates the Freeborn national position, Proprietor of the Thousand Islands
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Proprieter of the Thousand Islands'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Freeborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Tally of the Votes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' The Proprietor receives twenty random materials each season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To protect the Parador and encourage the Freeborn to embrace change</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''The insular quality of Free Landing and the Cazar Straits has not damaged the Prosperity of the Brass Coast'''
* '''If the Brass Coast embraces the islands, Azoth will help the people of the Cazar Straits restore their fortunes'''
* '''Building the Archipelago Parador will remove the impoverished quality from the region'''

For the most part, Lutomysla concentrates on the military problems posed by the island, but the canny Varushkan does not rule out the possibility that the Senate was concerned about any impact the isolation of the islands might have on the [[Prosperity]] of Madruga and Feroz. While bridges might conceivably have provided some economic benefits, she calculates they would not be significant, if only because sailing to the islands would be likely to remain appealing compared with a slow, dangerous journey along a vast windswept bridge. There may be monsters hunting the waters, but the Freeborn are born to the sea, so there are still plenty of smaller vessels prepared to risk sailing out to the islands to allow trade to occur. These ships aren't large enough to convey an army across the waters, but they are more than enough to allow the people who live there to get by.

At least that is true in Free Landing. The situation in the Cazar Straits is a little more complicated. The entire territory suffered under the brutal rule of the Grendel governor Rahab. Constantly provoked by Freeborn partisans, the tyrant squeezed his holdings harder and harder with each new assault, desperate to try to replenish his dwindling coffers. He is gone now, but much of the territory, including the Straits, has been left [[Region_qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] as a result. [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|Abandoned]] and [[Region_qualities#Underpopulated|underpopulated]], there seems to be little hope for the region to recover.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|caption=The Rebis is fascinated by transformation, and already has an interest in the Brass Coast thanks to the [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]] in Madruga.|file=Crucible.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
Lutomysla has spent some time in discussions with the servants of [[Azoth|the Rebis]]. This esoteric serpent is fascinated by change and transformation. Rather than offering to help remove their insular quality, ''Crucible'' has instead suggested that it would aid the Freeborn to recover their wealth if they ''embrace'' the changes they have experienced, and look for the new opportunities that the islands might present. The ''Great Work'' claims that the islands are one expression of the true nature of the Freeborn. ''"What are islands, but great ships of stone? Homes afloat upon the sea, encircled by the waters that bear them up to the sky. To live on an island is to dwell upon the sea. What could be more Freeborn than that?"''

After discounting a not entirely serious proposal by ''the Azoth'' to find a way to tear Feroz free of the mainland in its entirety, Lutomysla works with the eternal's heralds to congeal an idea that would provide a concrete benefit to the prosperity of the islands. The Azoth's peculiar request involves the creation of a new sinecure, which the eternal calls the Archipelago Parador. The eternal's heralds describe an intriguing restaurant whose kitchens are infused with Night magic, so that every meal they produce is unique in aroma, taste or texture. The alluring prospect of a meal in such an establishment would draw people from afar, eager to sample the wares. The Parador would quickly attract other businesses to the island, helping to create Prosperity and spread it across the Cazar Straits.

Lutomysla is at pains to stress that the Parador would <u>not</u> be a fane. The [[Azoth]] has no interest in the location being ceded to the eternal; in fact, it seems to think that that would be a very bad change for reasons which remain inscrutably opaque. The Crucible would send heralds to help with work in the kitchens of the Parador, but other than that, it seems to have no designs on the place. The eternal's only requirement is that the [[Senate motion]] or similar, that is used to create the Parador, must explicitly stress the importance of embracing change and make sure that promoting such an attitude is the primary responsibility of whichever Freeborn citizen is elected to oversee the operations of the Parador.

Once the Archipelago Parador was established, its impact would remove the impoverished quality from the Cazar Straits. This benefit would be permanent; if the Azoth were ever subject to [[Alignment|enmity]], the Parador might slowly lose its eclectic nature but the economy of the islands would have already recovered so they would not become destitute.

==The Eye of the Storm==
* '''The Archmage of Winter could use plenipotentiary to ask Khobel Tavah to pull the islands beneath the waves'''
* '''The impact would be a small loss of life and some economic damage but the islands would be gone'''
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|caption=The Queen of the Vast and the King of Nowhere are relative newcomers to the Empire.|file=KhobelTavah.jpg|align=right|width=200}}</div>
Lutomysla has found one way that the Empire could be rid of the islands of the Brass Coast. If the [[Archmage of Winter]] used plenipotentiary to approach the ''Monarchs of the Vast'', Khobel Tavah, then they could implore that eternal to sink the chain of islands beneath the waves. It would need a careful approach as ever, but if the Winter Archmage made it clear that the islands were doomed and that the Empire had decided to cut its losses, then the eternal might be persuaded to help.

Of course, the impact would be severe - some loss of life would be inevitable. The wars that have ravaged the island chains have left them mostly uninhabited, but there are still some Freeborn clinging on. The Empire could warn them of impending destruction, but there are ''always'' some people who refuse to flee.

The permanent loss of the islands wouldn't damage the economy of Feroz and Madruga - much of what would be lost in that way was swept away by the wreckers. The loss of the islands would mean that wealth would never return, but it would create as many opportunities as it destroyed.

What would be lost is the connection to the past. The islands are often seen as the birthplace of the Brass Coast, tied as they are with [[The_Brass_Coast_history#The_Conquest_of_the_Coast|the story of the three sisters]]. With the [[Madruga#The_Shining_Pillar_(Destroyed)|Shining Pillar]] destroyed, can the Freeborn afford to condemn the last of their heritage to the abyss?

Even if the islands meant nothing to anybody, Lutomysla advises caution. Magic of this kind is deeply unpredictable, with far-reaching consequences that are impossible to predict. A forest fire bring news opportunities, but only at the cost of destroying everything it touches...

==Commissioning a Navy==
* '''The Empire could commission a navy capable of transporting two armies to the islands'''
* '''The Empire cannot launch a navy without building a shipyard'''
* '''The Empire's military rivals have repeatedly destroyed every Imperial shipyard'''
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=CorsairZanterr.jpg|caption=The corsair families once held court in Free Landing and Cazar Straits, and might do so again.|align=right|width=200}}</div>
As a result of the dreadful magic of [[Siakha|''the Maelstrom'']] unleashed on the Coast, the waters separating the islands from the mainland have become treacherous and dangerous to navigate. The terrible sea beasts spawning in the waters will become a threat that only grows with time, but for now, they aren't powerful enough to prevent a military force from making the crossing. As [[Red_skies#Swords_of_the_South|recent events]] demonstrate, an army or navy can make a passage if they have the means to cross the waters.

The simplest way for the Empire to allow any army to reach the islands would be to employ a [[navy]], ideally one with [[Navy#Large_Hulls|large hulls]] capable of carrying two armies with it. Now that the Red Wind Corsairs have put to sea, they could transport an army to the islands, but a lone navy carrying a single army could be at risk if they were attacked by a large Grendel force. A second navy, could double their fighting strength or more, making any military action on the islands more secure.

Commissioning a navy would require the Empire to maintain a suitable [[shipyard]], which has proved to be a stumbling block. Lutomysla notes that the Grendel took pains to destroy the shipyards at Atalaya, and [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|the short-lived peace treaty]] forbade the Empire from building any more. It is clear that the Grendel fear this outcome more than any other.

Commissioning a new shipyard is expensive, but there are some outstanding opportunities that the Empire could take advantage of, such as the [[Germinating_a_city#A_Spiritual_Successor|Municipal Docks]] proposed by ''Professor Gelberg''. Simply building a shipyard might not be enough however, the Empire would need to find a way to stop the Grendel targeting them. Lutomysla can imagine various possibilities, perhaps defending the shipyard with a massive fortification, or using powerful magic to hide its existence behind impenetrable mists. The prognosticator hasn't had time to look into this matter in depth, but she would be happy to do so if the Senate used a subsequent appraisal to request it.

===Old Rope===
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Expand Elos Shipyards'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Shipyard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Naris, Redoubt</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 white granite, 10 weirwood, 60 crowns, and three months to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Allows navies to be raised at Elos. A Navy could be commissioned here at the same time the shipyard is being
built</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE or the situation changes</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Rebuild Atalya Shipyards'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Shipyard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Free Landing, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 white granite, 10 weirwood, 60 crowns, and three months to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Allows navies to be raised at Atalaya. A Navy could be commissioned here at the same time the shipyard is being
built</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE or the situation changes</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Expand Oran Wharf'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Shipyard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Oranseri, Feroz</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 15 white granite, 20 weirwood, 105 crowns, and three months to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Allows navies to be raised at Oranseri.</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Open-ended or the situation changes</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''The cheapest option would be to expand the facilities at Elos and Atalya into a shipyard'''
* '''Either facility would allow the Empire to commission a navy while the shipyards were being built'''
* '''The wharfs at Oran are less expansive but could still be expanded to build a shipyard'''
* '''Only Oran is under Imperial control at this time'''
There is a set of outstanding opportunities to build new shipyards, which could cut costs and, in some cases, save precious time. It would require 10 wains of white granite, 10 wains of weirwood and 60 crowns to [[Elosian_Architect#Further_Opportunities|expand the existing facilities at Elos into a new shipyard]], and the Empire could commission a navy as soon as the work began, potentially allowing them to launch a new navy a season earlier.

A similar opportunity exists to expand the docks at [[Madruga#The_Atalaya_Shipyards_(Ruined)|Atalya]], given that Miroslav's seawall still exists. This would cost 10 wains of white granite, 10 wains of weirwood, and 60 crowns to create a shipyard here, and work could start on a new navy in the same season the shipyard was being built. Any facility here would be exposed to attack from the Grendel, but it would be a bold restatement of the Freeborn commitment to control their own destiny and their own waters. Given the destruction of the Shining Pillar at the hands of the Children of Wrecks, it would help to raise sentiment across the Coast.

Unfortunately, the Elos docks are currently in the control of the Grendel, and Atalya Harbour was seized by the Wreckers. The Children of Wrecks navy might be gone, but the pirates still control Free Landing, at least for now. Nothing could be done with either of them until they are back in Imperial control, and Lutomysla warns that it's impossible to know what state the docks will be in by the time the Empire does reclaim them.

Realistically, it might be more practical to [[Corsair_of_Oran#Expansion|upgrade the wharfs at Oran]]. That would be more expensive, costing 15 wains of weirwood, 20 wains of white granite, and 105 crowns. It wouldn't make building a navy any quicker, but it would secure Oran's position as a crucial port on the Bay of Catazar.

===New Sails===
* '''Urizen has an existing opportunity that could allow them to raise a navy'''
* '''If the Empire had a shipyard, they could use the prow of the Storm's Child to commission a new Freeborn navy'''

Assuming that the Empire had access to a shipyard, they could commission a navy, but it would cost 200 wains of weirwood. There is nobody working in the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|prognosticators office]] today who is capable of devising solutions that are ''cheaper'' than the standard methods. Whatever happens, raising a navy is going to be expensive.

However, there are other limitations as well. Several Imperial nations are already supporting as many forces as they can, including every nation that adjoins the Bay of Catazar. [[Urizen]], [[The Brass Coast]] and [[Highguard]] are all supporting as many forces as their nation can supply and [[the League]] will be in a similar situation as soon as their [[Raise_Third_League_Army|new army is completed]]. There seems to be little point in building a shipyard if the Empire cannot supply a navy.

Where there is a will, there is a way, however. The people of Urizen have an existing [[opportunity]] that would allow them to raise a navy if they were able to [[An_angry_blade#Dear_Perfection|build all the maritime infrastructure required]]. The Nostos and Elos Docks are now complete, though of course the latter would need to be in Imperial hands to serve in that capacity. But if the Empire reclaims Elos without major damage, and constructs the Cargo Cranes, then they could support a navy in addition to the [[Citadel Guard]] and the [[Argent Sword]].

In the meantime, another opportunity has presented itself that might be useful. The Empire could employ the mystique surrounding [[Red_skies#Game_Information|the prow of the Storm's Child]] - the flagship of the Gathered Storm, which bears the stolen figurehead which once sailed at the front of the Freeborn Storm.

If the prow were given to the Freeborn egregores, they could use it to rally the families to support the creation of a new navy. It would need to have a new name, it is decades before anyone will be ready for the Freeborn Storm to ride the waves again. But the prow would be a symbol of the Freeborn victory over their enemies and an important link to the past. It would inspire corsairs and others to join the new flotilla and seize the opportunity to take the battle for control of the waves to the Grendel. The Empire would still need a shipyard - there's no easy way to get around that problem - but with the additional support that the prow would produce, the Brass Coast could afford to supply an additional force, provided it were a navy.

<!--
==Resolution==

- The [[Construct_Red_Wind_Wharfs|Red Wind Wharfs]] were commissioned in Summer 388YE and completed shortly afterwards.
- A fane to [[Janon]] has not been constructed in Free Landing.
- Lashonar has not been publicly approached about fortifying the islands.
- The Archipelago Parador has not been commissioned.
- [[Kobel Tavah]] was not asked to pull the islands beneath the waves.
- None of the proposed shipyards have been commissioned yet.

--!>

==Further Reading==
* [[Appraisal]]
* [[The Brass Coast]]
* [[Madruga]]
* [[Feroz]]
* [[Germinating_a_city#A_Spiritual_Successor|Germinating a city]] - 387YE Spring wind of fortune with an opportunity to build a shipyard that can raise and/or harbour two navies at once

Mermaids in the basement

2026-10-05T14:02:28Z

Responsible1:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Appraisal]]
<ic>
Albrecht von Temeschwar stared mournfully at the invader in his study. Time was a precious commodity, one he didn't have to spare since his class on buttresses was due to start in barely two hour's time and nearly a third of their papers were not yet marked. Still, it didn't do to give short shrift to one of La Salle's people; the chancellor would have his guts for garters. Best to be polite - civil even - he thought with a smile he kept off his face.

"I'm sorry Madam Lutomysla, " he said somewhat unsure of her correct title, "I hadn't realised your request was... serious." He spread his hands, painfully aware of what a poor answer that was.

The hard-faced Varushkan woman's eyes narrowed and her lips pinched. "I see. Well, for future reference... please understand that I am ''always'' serious." He expected her to say something further, but she fell silent simply staring at him. His eyes fell on the pile of unmarked papers... surely she didn't expect him to attempt this now?

"It's just the costs... they would be... incalculable" he protested.

"Just so I understand you - are you saying that your knowledge of engineering is not sufficient to calculate the costs?"

Albrecht bristled with indignation even as he appreciated that was exactly the response his visitor had wanted. "Look" he demanded, pointing to the picture on his wall of the Spider's Tollkeep. "That was one of finest works of engineering proposed in the Empire! When it was damaged it needed thirty wains of mithril and ten wains of white granite ''just to repair it!''"

The prognosticator's gaze didn't waver, so he tried again. "The Spider's Kiss spans the Vassa - but it's barely a mile wide at that point! You're proposing a bridge, no!, a set of bridges, fifty times that size! It would take literally thousands of wains of white granite to join all those islands to the mainland! It would take decades!"

"But it could be done? We could calculate the costs?" she asked in a voice that implied she was asking him to price up a baker's dozen warm rolls.

"No!" he said firmly, trying to keep control of his temper. "It most certainly could ''not'' be done, Madam Lutomysla. The Spider's Tollkeep is built to withstand the rushing waters of the Vassa. But that terrible river pales into insignificance compared to the winter storms that trouble the Brass Coast. You'd need to design something capable of surviving waves as high as the walls of Holberg! You'd need a way to sink the piles two hundred feet and more into the sea bed. And that's not counting for all the blood-thirsty monsters the crazy shark worshippers let loose! So no Madam, it can not be done."

The last was said with a voice of complete finality. Or at least that was what he was aiming for. It always worked with his students. Sadly he had misjudged either his tone or his audience. Possibly both.

"Thousands of wains..." the woman's quill moved across the parchment, as she made hurried notes. "And you would need a design capable of withstanding the waves and the monsters." She looked up at him, and smiled, "Now we're getting somewhere professor..."
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Andaman Islands at sunset.jpg|align=left|caption=Under the domination of the Children of Wrecks, the islands of Free Landing and Cazar Straits have become much harder to reach.|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0yfuLzaS-g}}
At the Autumn Equinox, the Imperial [[Senate]] approved a [[Senate motion|motion]] calling for an [[appraisal]] into the potential for constructing a bridge between the mainlands and the islands of [[the Brass Coast]] to enable [[army|armies]] to move easily between them. ''[[Appraisal#Lutomysla_Niegoslava|Lutomysla Niegoslava]]'' was selected to investigate the possibilities.

Regrettably, Lutomysla quickly confirms that it is effectively impossible to connect the islands to the mainland with bridges in this way - the costs are astronomical and the work would require a feat of engineering greater than any the Empire has ever achieved. Rather than waste too much time pursuing this approach, the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|prognosticator]] has summarised the problems involved. They're not ''technically'' insurmountable - but the experienced prognosticator knows a cliff face when she sees one.

This is not an unusual state of affairs - the prognosticator's role in an appraisal is to ''find'' a solution to a '''problem''' the Senate have identified. If it were possible to know what approach would work best before the appraisal has been carried out, then no prognosticators would be needed. The civil service guidance is clear that all prognosticators can [[Appraisal#OOC_Design|ultimately ignore a suggestion]] on ''how'' to solve the problem, if it is clear, this will only make the work more difficult. While that is rare, it definitely applies here.

Rather than linger on what can't be achieved, Lutomysla has spent what time she has left looking at what might be achieved...
<quote by="Proposed Madruga, Seconded Kahraman">To appraise the construction of bridges between the mainlands and islands of the Brass Coast to remove the island quality. Lutomysla Niegoslava</quote>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Madruga_Made_Anew.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
==A Bridge to Nowhere==
* '''Building bridges to join the islands of the Brass Coast to the mainland would be difficult and prohibitively expensive'''
The Empire has significant experience creating bridges - the city of [[Sarvos]] has many beautiful constructions that join the mainland to the nearby islands, albeit over shallow waters. The [[Spider's Tollkeep]] is a unique suspension bridge linking [[Madruga]] and Sarvos, designed by the talented engineer ''Carmen i Dehasa i Erigo'' to bridge a very specific river. These examples are deceptive; however, they all feature relatively small bridges, or at least small in comparison to the distances that would be needed to span the waters of the [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazaar Straits]] and [[Madruga#Free_Landing|Free Landing]].

The actual bridges themselves would represent a massive investment of time, resources, and labour. Even without the threat of monsters, pirates, and [[Grendel]], these bridges would be built over very deep water indeed. Connecting the six major islands of the [[Feroz#Cazar Straits|Cazar Straits]] - a [[territory#Regions|region]] that runs the length of the [[Feroz]] coastline - would require more than half a dozen miles-long bridges. [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]] is a little more feasible - by which Lutomysla means it would require "''only''" half a dozen bridges. Total costs for the project would end up in excess of three thousand wains of white granite.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofFeroz.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
That is only the start of the problem - any concrete plan would require both Free Landing and Cazar Straits to be in Imperial hands. Despite [[Red_skies#Chase_them_where_they_run|recent victories]], Free Landing remains under the control of the Children of Wrecks. In the south, the [[Iron Confederacy]] has [[Red_skies#Swords_of_the_South|taken control]] of the Cazar Straits. The threat posed by the creatures of [[Siakha]] still remains - building anything while literal sea monsters are attacking the builders would be impossible without the use of slaves. Nobody would take that job out of choice, not for all the crowns in [[Emperor Giovanni|Giovanni's]] purse.

Creating a bridge capable of withstanding the kind of sea storms that occasionally batter the Brass Coast would require a reinforced bridge deck and need supports that reached all the way down to the seabed. The Empire lacks the engineering know-how for such a feat, but it is ''rumoured'' that the [[Commonwealth]] might know a way it could be done. Given the good relations that exist, it is likely that the Empire could find a way to acquire such knowledge if it were genuinely determined to proceed. The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] might make such an enquiry, or a [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] dispatched to [[Patron_of_the_Beurteilung|Professor Gelberg]] might also determine if this is the case.

Even if all the other hurdles could be overcome, the bridges would ''not'' remove the [[Region_qualities#Island|island quality]] from either region. Rather, they would provide the ''bridged'' quality, allowing armies to move between the mainland and the island regions and back again... as long as nobody destroyed any of the bridges. That might suffice, but it is important to remember that the Grendel in particular have demonstrated a talent for smashing bridges up...

Magical alternatives to mundane methods are equally difficult. While some eternals are capable of impressive feats, Lutomysla cautions that their powers are neither boundless nor without cost. The [[Semmerholm#The_Golden_Causeway|Golden Causeway]] is a boon from [[Eleonaris]] that allowed the armies of [[Dawn]] to [[382YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war#In_The_End_.28The_Mallum.29|march across]] the massive [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]] to invade [[Ossium]]. But the ''Commander of the Golden Armies'' created the Causeway to enable the Empire to go to war with the [[Druj]]. The ''Queen of Summer'' always seems eager to plunge the Empire and their neighbours into conflict - and is more than ready to use her magic to help make that happen. In many ways, her "payment" was the years of warfare that followed the act. But a causeway in the Brass Coast would offer little in the way of [[glory]]. As [[Red_skies|recent events]] show, the Wreckers are a danger, but they are a pale shadow of the threat cast by the Druj. This project would require dozens of bridges and risks angering the ''Lion of Summer'' if she thinks the Empire are invoking her aid to do something which is beneath her regal demeanour.

[[Adamant]] and [[Estavus]] are more than happy to help the Empire building things - and for ''the King Under the Mountain'' the bigger, the better, and the more white granite is involved the more enthusiastic he tends to be. Having the aid of either eternal would remove the need to ask the Commonwealth to help with the engineering. Adamant could also help protect the commission from casual destruction by the Grendel, if the Empire were prepared to meet the eternal's price to infuse the bridges with indestructible adamant. However, the ''Deep Dragon'' would be certain to require the Empire to foot the bill, so someone would still have to find at least three thousand wains of white granite. It also risks marring the Empire's good relations with the ''Throne of Stone'' if, as seems likely, thousands of ''koboldi'' are killed and eaten by the [[Mundane_beasts#Kraken|immature kraken]] and other monsters that currently dwell in the waters while the work is underway. Estavus might take a more pragmatic approach, but any construction she oversees is likely to involve at least as much [[mithril]] as white granite, and while she seems less concerned than Adamant about the wellbeing of her workers she would surely expect a premium be paid for any harm done to them.

When the appraisal was discussed in Senate at the time, there was some debate about whether tunnels would be a better solution than bridges. League engineers are quick to scotch that idea - even the most experienced mining professors of [[Temeschwar]] have never heard of anyone attempting to dig such a massive series of tunnels. They would need to stretch for many miles, all under the seabed. The slightest mistake would mean that the entire thing would collapse and quickly flood even with the best pumps the engineers of [[Holberg]] could design. They are confident that the methods and skills needed to create tunnels under the sea do not exist anywhere in the world.
<div style="max-width: 500px; width: 50%; float: right;"><box>
====OOC Design====
<p>Any appraisal involves three elements - the first is the fundamental problem that the players wish to overcome or address. The second element, is the method - the way that the problem will be addressed. The final part is the outcome - the result that will occur if the methods outlined are enacted by the Empire.</p>

The crucial information needed by the plot team to write a useful appraisal response is a clear outline of the problem that the Empire wants addressed. Only if we are certain what problem the players want to deal with can we be confident that the solutions we present will address those issues. We don't want to give players possible solutions to different problems.

It is usually better to avoid outlining a method for the appraisal, as this can lead to disappointment if it isn't possible to solve the problem that way. However, it is also better to avoid defining the outcome you want - since that outcome may not be possible. A motion that clearly states what problem the Senate would like addressed is the best way to maximise your chances that the results achieve what the Empire wants.

In this example, the Senate motion stated that the method should be to employ bridges. We've ultimately ignored that element, as per the published guidance, because we considered it wouldn't be possible to construct a vast network of sea bridges in the time of the Empire. The Senate motion also stated that the outcome would be the removal of the island quality. That isn't possible at this time, so we've had to guess at what the problem is that the appraisal was intended to address. We have ''inferred'' that the problem is most likely to be a way to allow the Empire to extend its military control to the island chains, so we've offered ways to address that.</box></div>
==Adapt and Prosper==
* '''Given the challenges of meeting the terms of the assessment, Lutomysla has looked at alternatives'''
* '''She has tried to guess what the underlying goals for the Senate motion are'''
Lutomysla is frank that the prospects are dim for building enough bridges to the islands to end their current isolation. While it might technically be possible, the volume of white granite required seems prohibitive. The first limit of magic is not what you can achieve but what you can afford, as Lutomysla's grandmama was fond of saying.

Worse, Lutomysla can see few options to achieve the specific ''outcome'' stated in the motion. Removing the island quality from the Brass Coast archipelago is [[Limits_of_magic#Changing_Qualities|beyond the limits of ritual magic]], and despite Lutomysla's best efforts, she has not been able to identify any way to achieve that outcome. Even if bridges could be built - the islands would still be islands - and the problems would immediately return if the bridges were destroyed.

That being the case, Lutomysla has focused her remaining efforts on what problem she believes the Senate were looking to solve with this appraisal. The most likely answer is that the [[Military Council]] were looking for a way to extend military control to the islands, but even that creates more questions than it answers. Is the aim a way to quickly move armies to and from the islands, or does the Council simply need a way to secure them from attack? Or is the concern more economic? That the isolation of the islands might be injurious to the Prosperity of the Coast? It is unlikely that the Senate simply want the islands themselves gone, but even that is not unthinkable. Difficult, yes, but not unthinkable.

Lutomysla has tried to look at each of these problems in turn, to outline possible solutions.
==Reaching the Islands==
* '''The cheapest way to enable any Imperial army to reach the islands is to commission a navy'''
* '''There are ways the Empire could allow two Freeborn armies to reach the islands without building a navy'''
The prognosticator hasn't found any way to be rid of the insular quality of the islands, but she has identified ways the Empire might enable two of the Freeborn armies to reach them. The simplest way to reach the islands is to commission a [[navy]]. That might prove challenging, and the Senate already has the ability to do so, so Lutomysla has left that option to the last.
===The Red Wind Wharfs===
* '''The Red Wind Corsairs could reach the islands at any time'''
* '''Creating dedicated berths at Oran would allow the Red Wind Corsairs to cross the straits without delay'''
* '''Plans for municipal docks at Calvos could be expanded to create the same potential in Madruga'''
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''New Berths in Oran'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Shipyard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Oranseri, Feroz</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 5 weirwood and 15 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Allows any army with the Forayer quality to move normally between the Cazar Straits and the mainland ignoring the island quality
* Increases the upkeep of the wharfs by 1 throne</td></tr>
</table></div>
[[The Brass Coast]] already has an [[army]] that can reach Free Landing and Cazar Straits. The [[Army_qualities#Forayer|unique ability]] of the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] to put to sea means that they could do so relatively easily. For that matter, they could even transport an army with them if needed.
{{CaptionedImage|file=RedWindCorsairs_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}
The problem with putting to sea - and back again - is the time and risks involved. It takes a season for the army to put to sea, and they are exposed throughout. Delays are expensive, and no general wants their army vulnerable. But the recently completed [[Send_for_me#Wharfage_of_Oran|wharfs at Oran]] offer one way around that problem. If new berths were constructed and set aside for the sole use of the Imperial military, then it would allow the Red Wind Corsairs to move normally between the [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]] and the mainland ignoring the island quality.

The proposals for [[Germinating_a_city#A_Spiritual_Successor|municipal docks in Madruga]] have not yet progressed, but if the Senate wished, then it would be simple to include similar dedicated berths at those docks. Once complete, they would allow the Red Wind Corsairs to move normally between [[Madruga#Free_Landing|Madruga]] and the mainland ignoring the island quality. If both sets of berths were built, then the Red Wind Corsairs could move normally between Free Landing and the Cazar Straits.

Obviously, this outcome doesn't allow ''any'' Imperial army to reach the islands quickly - but it does have the advantage of being pleasingly cheap (at least relatively speaking). It would only take 5 wains of weirwood and 15 crowns to build the dedicated berths in Oran - though it would increase the upkeep of the facilities by one throne a season. Professor Gelbert's municipal docks have not been approved, but if they were, the Senate could easily include dedicated berths in the plans. It would increase the construction costs by an additional 5 wains of weirwood and 15 crowns and increase upkeep by a throne each season, but it would mean all the work could be done at the same time.

===The Alcazar of Flame===
* '''Janon has maintained a great interest in the Burning Falcon'''
* '''The eternal will enable the Falcon to reach the islands if the Empire builds a fane on Free Landing'''
* '''A fane would allow the General of the Burning Falcon to submit a special defensive order to improve natural resupply'''
* '''The Fane would allow the Keeper of the Flame to exchange liao for crystal fire'''
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Alcazar of Flame'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Fane</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Free Landing, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 16 white granite, 10 mithril, 10 rings of ilium and 78 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Allows the Burning Falcon to move normally between Free Landing and the Cazar Straits and between the islands and the mainland
* Allows the Burning Falcon to submit the fervent celebration defensive order, increasing their natural resupply by 250
* Creates the Freeborn national position, Keeper of the Flame of Passion
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Keeper of the Flame of Passion'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Freeborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' National Assembly</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Restriction:''' The Keeper can only purchase crystal fire and communicate with Janon if they are a [[Sutannir]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Voice of Janon
* Can purchase Crystal Fire in exchange for liao at the Fane
* Can send a winged messenger to the servants of Janon once per summit
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To inflame the passions of the Freeborn people to set the world ablaze</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: LightYellow;">'''Enflamed Passions'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>2 liao</td><td>1 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>5 liao</td><td>2 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>9 liao</td><td>3 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>14 liao</td><td>4 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>20 liao</td><td>5 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
There is another Freeborn army that might be able to reach the islands... if they had the right help. There are far fewer experienced sailors in the [[Burning Falcon]], and they lack the access to the ships and support that the Red Wind Corsairs enjoy. But they do benefit from the friendship and approval of the [[Janon|Shadowed Fire]], the strange eternal of [[Realms#Night|Night]] whose remit is passion and conviction. Aided by the ''Muse of Fire'', the army already burns with [[Army_qualities#True_Conviction|true conviction]], a fervour that drives them to treat every battle like it is their last.
{{CaptionedImage|file=BurningFalcon_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}
Given their recent history, Lutomysla is able to track down a herald of ''Firebrand'', a performing musician which calls itself Qraqeb. With some care, she outlines the problem to it... ''"The soldiers of the 'Falcon burn with desire to retake their homeland from their enemies, but their ardour is stymied by the treacherous waters. The straits are holding their passions in check... will Shadowed Fire help them unleash their fury on their enemies?"''...

Qraqeb soon returns with the answer that Shadowed Fire is eager to support the passionate soldiers of the Burning Falcon, but he cannot do so without a little help from the Empire. If the Coast wishes the Night eternal to aid them, they must build a temple to their passions on the islands. Qraqeb describes the ideal for this temple, a simple palace of white stone that will resound with music and become a crucible for passion. If the Empire grants Shadowed Fire [[Eternal#Dominion_in_the_Empire|dominion over the temple]], then his followers will abide there, joining the soldiers of the Burning Falcon in revelry, dancing and passion whenever they visit the isles. The Alcazar will become a sanctuary for the army, reviving their spirits whenever they might flag. Crucially, once Torchbearer is able to extend their power throughout the region they will ensure that nothing prevents the Falcon from moving swiftly to or from the islands.

After some discussion, it is clear to Lutomysla and her team that Qraqeb is proposing a [[fane]], albeit one that is particularly large and grandiose. That means it would ''have'' to be [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|ceded]] to the eternal to function - a solution the Senate has only rarely permitted in recent times. Janon isn't asking the Empire to cede the entire region, just the palace itself, but it is clear from the discussions that such a move would permit the eternal to use their power unhindered throughout Free Landing ''and'' the Cazar Straits.

If that happened, then the Alcazar of Flame would allow the Burning Falcon to move normally from Free Landing to the Cazar Straits and from the islands to the mainland. Qraqeb will not be drawn on what magic Shadowed Fire would employ to achieve this, but it assures the prognosticator that the soldiers - nor any local civilians - will not be harmed - all the general need do is issue the relevant orders and Qraqeb and its fellow musicians and performers will handle the rest.

In addition, the Alcazar of Flame would allow heralds of the Night eternal to travel abroad, allowing them to join with the Burning Falcon wherever they were. Their presence would enable the general to submit the '''fervent celebration''' defensive order, causing the army to engage in wild festivities and Night-fuelled revelry. Soldiers and anyone living nearby would be drawn into these uninhibited celebrations, raising the blood of all those who took part. The army would regain an ''additional'' 250 force provided they were eligible for [[Casualties#Natural_Resupply|natural resupply]], as they spread Janon's message of embracing your emotions. The order would default to [[Army_qualities#Fast|desperate reinforcement]] if the army were attacked (in terms of how it affected the army's ability to defend territory rather than movement).

Janon would require the Freeborn National Assembly to appoint a suitable [[sutannir]] to oversee the celebrations and festivities on the island. This ''Keeper of the Flame'' would be charged by Janon to work to inflame the passions of the Freeborn people, encouraging them to throw caution to the wind and commit themselves utterly to their destiny.

==Defending the Islands==
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Song of Salt and Sand'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' None required</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Quzar, Lightsea, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' Free (Lashonar may demand payment for their aid)</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Requirements:''' Requires the agreement of the eternal Lashonar</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Allows the Hakima of Salt and Sand to call the corsair families to defend the Brass Coast
* Creates a garrison of 3,000 force protected just Free Landing and the Cazar Straits for one season
* Creates a defensive voyage for corsair fleets to join the defence of Free Landing and the Straits
* Costs the Imperial treasury six thrones each season it is employed</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''If the Empire is concerned about defending the islands from attack, they could fortify them'''
* '''Lashonar could provide a way for the corsairs to defend the islands'''
Given the [[Red_skies|recent victory by Imperial fleets]], the Red Wind Corsairs should face little opposition if they attempt to take the islands back from the Children of Wrecks. However, that might not be the case in the future and with the Grendel's armada still controlling the seas, the islands could easily become a vulnerability for the Empire if their armies cannot reach them. If that is what the Senate are concerned about, then a better alternative might be to look at some way to defend the islands.

The obvious way to do that would be to build a massive [[fortification]] at a suitable location in each territory. That would be expensive, of course, but it would still save a fortune compared to bridging all the islands together. The Empire wouldn't need an appraisal to do that, so it may be that the Senate considers even this cost too much.

Seeking a cheaper alternative, Lutomysla explores many avenues before finally managing to secure a possibility that could help defend the islands of the Brass Coast. In her view, the best way to defend the islands would be to call on the combined might of the [[corsair]] families. If they sailed to the defence of Madruga or Feroz they would represent an effective force that would prove a powerful deterrent. The problem is how to coordinate the defences - corsair vessels would pile on sail to come to the rescue of their homes from any attacker, but they can't afford to abandon their livelihoods and commit to this full-time. The Coast would need some way to call their wayward scions home for the fight.

After some searching, Lutomysla discovers a possible solution in the ''Burning Feathers'', a [[The_Brass_Coast_economic_interests#Paradors|parador]] in Calvos. The establishment is run by a retired corsair who goes by the name of ''Sabella i Tourez i Erigo'' and her husband, a hakima called ''Ramiro i Erigo''. The Tourez family have a small choir of beautiful songbirds with brilliant red and gold feathers - all of which exhibit a most peculiar talent. The birds know more than a dozen different tunes which they will sing on command, but they always sing the same song, ''no matter how far apart they are''.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=LashonarArt.jpg|caption=Lashonar is currently under the [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] of the [[Conclave]].|align=right|width=200}}</div>
When pushed, Ramiro admits that the birds were a gift from the ''[[Lashonar|Guardian of the Southern Skies]]'', though he is coy about what moved the ''Eater-of-Silence'' to make the endowment. What he will say is that they were gifted to the pair many years ago so that they could remain in touch - so he could know that his wife was safe, even while she was far away at sea. Now they are retired, the birds are little but a curio; an amusing entertainment for the guests staying at the Feathers.

Lutomysla is confident that if ''Lashonar the Loquacious'' were approached in the right way, the eternal would be more than happy to provide more songbirds for the people of the Brass Coast. Those corsairs who wanted to help with the defence of the islands could keep one on their boat - while the [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] could maintain a small breeding flock in a volery. If the need presented itself, the Hakima could call the birds to sing an agreed warning song, which would be immediately mimicked by the birds on the ships. It's no [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#The_Heliopticon|heliopticon]], but the prognosticator is confident it would work.

If the eternal agreed to support the Coast in this way, then Lutomysla calculates that the Hakima of Salt and Sand could use the songbirds to call the corsair families to the defence of the islands off the coast of Madruga and Feroz. That would amount to a naval garrison with an effective military strength of three thousand that would be effective against any attack on Free Landing or the Cazar Straits. This garrison could benefit further if those corsairs who regularly attend Anvil also took up the call ('''OOC Note:''' characters with a fleet resource and the corsair archetype could choose to defend the islands).

There are two clear drawbacks to this approach. The first and most obvious is that the eternal Lashonar is under enmity by the [[Conclave]]. It would not be illegal for the Archmage of Night to use a plenipotentiary to discuss the idea with the eternal, but unless the Conclave changed Lashonar's status, it definitely would be illegal to make any exchange.

The other problem is the costs. The approach wouldn't require any substantial upfront investment - cages for songbirds are not dear. Lashonar would have to be convinced, however and might demand a high price. It is impossible to tell what price Lashonar they might require for their aid without asking them, but this subtle magic would be well within Lashonar's purview.

More importantly, calling the corsairs to fight to defend the islands, even for a single season, would mean a loss of trade. Taxes in both Madruga and Feroz would fall - reducing the money flowing to the Imperial treasury by six thrones in the season immediately following the call.

Crucially, the corsairs themselves would lose all their income for the season, unless the guerdon were made available to them in exchange for their efforts. Corsairs who regularly attend Anvil and sailed to the defence of the islands would find themselves with nothing but their personal income the following season - all the corsairs in the Brass Coast would lose out in the same way. They would cheerfully shoulder that burden to protect their homes for a season or two, but if they were being called to defend the islands every season and there was no enemy in sight, they would soon lose patience to match their lost profits.

==Counting the Coins==
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Archipelago Parador'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Sinecure</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Cazar Straits, Feroz</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 3 wains of mithril, 7 wains of white granite, 2 rings of ilium and 30 crowns </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Removes the impoverished quality from the Cazar Straits
* Creates the Freeborn national position, Proprietor of the Thousand Islands
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Proprieter of the Thousand Islands'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Freeborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Tally of the Votes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' The Proprietor receives twenty random materials each season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To protect the Parador and encourage the Freeborn to embrace change</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''The insular quality of Free Landing and the Cazar Straits has not damaged the Prosperity of the Brass Coast'''
* '''If the Brass Coast embraces the islands, Azoth will help the people of the Cazar Straits restore their fortunes'''
* '''Building the Archipelago Parador will remove the impoverished quality from the region'''

For the most part, Lutomysla concentrates on the military problems posed by the island, but the canny Varushkan does not rule out the possibility that the Senate was concerned about any impact the isolation of the islands might have on the [[Prosperity]] of Madruga and Feroz. While bridges might conceivably have provided some economic benefits, she calculates they would not be significant, if only because sailing to the islands would be likely to remain appealing compared with a slow, dangerous journey along a vast windswept bridge. There may be monsters hunting the waters, but the Freeborn are born to the sea, so there are still plenty of smaller vessels prepared to risk sailing out to the islands to allow trade to occur. These ships aren't large enough to convey an army across the waters, but they are more than enough to allow the people who live there to get by.

At least that is true in Free Landing. The situation in the Cazar Straits is a little more complicated. The entire territory suffered under the brutal rule of the Grendel governor Rahab. Constantly provoked by Freeborn partisans, the tyrant squeezed his holdings harder and harder with each new assault, desperate to try to replenish his dwindling coffers. He is gone now, but much of the territory, including the Straits, has been left [[Region_qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] as a result. [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|Abandoned]] and [[Region_qualities#Underpopulated|underpopulated]], there seems to be little hope for the region to recover.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|caption=The Rebis is fascinated by transformation, and already has an interest in the Brass Coast thanks to the [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]] in Madruga.|file=Crucible.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
Lutomysla has spent some time in discussions with the servants of [[Azoth|the Rebis]]. This esoteric serpent is fascinated by change and transformation. Rather than offering to help remove their insular quality, ''Crucible'' has instead suggested that it would aid the Freeborn to recover their wealth if they ''embrace'' the changes they have experienced, and look for the new opportunities that the islands might present. The ''Great Work'' claims that the islands are one expression of the true nature of the Freeborn. ''"What are islands, but great ships of stone? Homes afloat upon the sea, encircled by the waters that bear them up to the sky. To live on an island is to dwell upon the sea. What could be more Freeborn than that?"''

After discounting a not entirely serious proposal by ''the Azoth'' to find a way to tear Feroz free of the mainland in its entirety, Lutomysla works with the eternal's heralds to congeal an idea that would provide a concrete benefit to the prosperity of the islands. The Azoth's peculiar request involves the creation of a new sinecure, which the eternal calls the Archipelago Parador. The eternal's heralds describe an intriguing restaurant whose kitchens are infused with Night magic, so that every meal they produce is unique in aroma, taste or texture. The alluring prospect of a meal in such an establishment would draw people from afar, eager to sample the wares. The Parador would quickly attract other businesses to the island, helping to create Prosperity and spread it across the Cazar Straits.

Lutomysla is at pains to stress that the Parador would <u>not</u> be a fane. The [[Azoth]] has no interest in the location being ceded to the eternal; in fact, it seems to think that that would be a very bad change for reasons which remain inscrutably opaque. The Crucible would send heralds to help with work in the kitchens of the Parador, but other than that, it seems to have no designs on the place. The eternal's only requirement is that the [[Senate motion]] or similar, that is used to create the Parador, must explicitly stress the importance of embracing change and make sure that promoting such an attitude is the primary responsibility of whichever Freeborn citizen is elected to oversee the operations of the Parador.

Once the Archipelago Parador was established, its impact would remove the impoverished quality from the Cazar Straits. This benefit would be permanent; if the Azoth were ever subject to [[Alignment|enmity]], the Parador might slowly lose its eclectic nature but the economy of the islands would have already recovered so they would not become destitute.

==The Eye of the Storm==
* '''The Archmage of Winter could use plenipotentiary to ask Khobel Tavah to pull the islands beneath the waves'''
* '''The impact would be a small loss of life and some economic damage but the islands would be gone'''
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|caption=The Queen of the Vast and the King of Nowhere are relative newcomers to the Empire.|file=KhobelTavah.jpg|align=right|width=200}}</div>
Lutomysla has found one way that the Empire could be rid of the islands of the Brass Coast. If the [[Archmage of Winter]] used plenipotentiary to approach the ''Monarchs of the Vast'', Khobel Tavah, then they could implore that eternal to sink the chain of islands beneath the waves. It would need a careful approach as ever, but if the Winter Archmage made it clear that the islands were doomed and that the Empire had decided to cut its losses, then the eternal might be persuaded to help.

Of course, the impact would be severe - some loss of life would be inevitable. The wars that have ravaged the island chains have left them mostly uninhabited, but there are still some Freeborn clinging on. The Empire could warn them of impending destruction, but there are ''always'' some people who refuse to flee.

The permanent loss of the islands wouldn't damage the economy of Feroz and Madruga - much of what would be lost in that way was swept away by the wreckers. The loss of the islands would mean that wealth would never return, but it would create as many opportunities as it destroyed.

What would be lost is the connection to the past. The islands are often seen as the birthplace of the Brass Coast, tied as they are with [[The_Brass_Coast_history#The_Conquest_of_the_Coast|the story of the three sisters]]. With the [[Madruga#The_Shining_Pillar_(Destroyed)|Shining Pillar]] destroyed, can the Freeborn afford to condemn the last of their heritage to the abyss?

Even if the islands meant nothing to anybody, Lutomysla advises caution. Magic of this kind is deeply unpredictable, with far-reaching consequences that are impossible to predict. A forest fire bring news opportunities, but only at the cost of destroying everything it touches...

==Commissioning a Navy==
* '''The Empire could commission a navy capable of transporting two armies to the islands'''
* '''The Empire cannot launch a navy without building a shipyard'''
* '''The Empire's military rivals have repeatedly destroyed every Imperial shipyard'''
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=CorsairZanterr.jpg|caption=The corsair families once held court in Free Landing and Cazar Straits, and might do so again.|align=right|width=200}}</div>
As a result of the dreadful magic of [[Siakha|''the Maelstrom'']] unleashed on the Coast, the waters separating the islands from the mainland have become treacherous and dangerous to navigate. The terrible sea beasts spawning in the waters will become a threat that only grows with time, but for now, they aren't powerful enough to prevent a military force from making the crossing. As [[Red_skies#Swords_of_the_South|recent events]] demonstrate, an army or navy can make a passage if they have the means to cross the waters.

The simplest way for the Empire to allow any army to reach the islands would be to employ a [[navy]], ideally one with [[Navy#Large_Hulls|large hulls]] capable of carrying two armies with it. Now that the Red Wind Corsairs have put to sea, they could transport an army to the islands, but a lone navy carrying a single army could be at risk if they were attacked by a large Grendel force. A second navy, could double their fighting strength or more, making any military action on the islands more secure.

Commissioning a navy would require the Empire to maintain a suitable [[shipyard]], which has proved to be a stumbling block. Lutomysla notes that the Grendel took pains to destroy the shipyards at Atalaya, and [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|the short-lived peace treaty]] forbade the Empire from building any more. It is clear that the Grendel fear this outcome more than any other.

Commissioning a new shipyard is expensive, but there are some outstanding opportunities that the Empire could take advantage of, such as the [[Germinating_a_city#A_Spiritual_Successor|Municipal Docks]] proposed by ''Professor Gelberg''. Simply building a shipyard might not be enough however, the Empire would need to find a way to stop the Grendel targeting them. Lutomysla can imagine various possibilities, perhaps defending the shipyard with a massive fortification, or using powerful magic to hide its existence behind impenetrable mists. The prognosticator hasn't had time to look into this matter in depth, but she would be happy to do so if the Senate used a subsequent appraisal to request it.

===Old Rope===
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Expand Elos Shipyards'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Shipyard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Naris, Redoubt</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 white granite, 10 weirwood, 60 crowns, and three months to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Allows navies to be raised at Elos. A Navy could be commissioned here at the same time the shipyard is being
built</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE or the situation changes</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Rebuild Atalya Shipyards'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Shipyard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Free Landing, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 white granite, 10 weirwood, 60 crowns, and three months to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Allows navies to be raised at Atalaya. A Navy could be commissioned here at the same time the shipyard is being
built</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE or the situation changes</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Expand Oran Wharf'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Shipyard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Oranseri, Feroz</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 15 white granite, 20 weirwood, 105 crowns, and three months to construct</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Allows navies to be raised at Oranseri.</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Open-ended or the situation changes</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''The cheapest option would be to expand the facilities at Elos and Atalya into a shipyard'''
* '''Either facility would allow the Empire to commission a navy while the shipyards were being built'''
* '''The wharfs at Oran are less expansive but could still be expanded to build a shipyard'''
* '''Only Oran is under Imperial control at this time'''
There is a set of outstanding opportunities to build new shipyards, which could cut costs and, in some cases, save precious time. It would require 10 wains of white granite, 10 wains of weirwood and 60 crowns to [[Elosian_Architect#Further_Opportunities|expand the existing facilities at Elos into a new shipyard]], and the Empire could commission a navy as soon as the work began, potentially allowing them to launch a new navy a season earlier.

A similar opportunity exists to expand the docks at [[Madruga#The_Atalaya_Shipyards_(Ruined)|Atalya]], given that Miroslav's seawall still exists. This would cost 10 wains of white granite, 10 wains of weirwood, and 60 crowns to create a shipyard here, and work could start on a new navy in the same season the shipyard was being built. Any facility here would be exposed to attack from the Grendel, but it would be a bold restatement of the Freeborn commitment to control their own destiny and their own waters. Given the destruction of the Shining Pillar at the hands of the Children of Wrecks, it would help to raise sentiment across the Coast.

Unfortunately, the Elos docks are currently in the control of the Grendel, and Atalya Harbour was seized by the Wreckers. The Children of Wrecks navy might be gone, but the pirates still control Free Landing, at least for now. Nothing could be done with either of them until they are back in Imperial control, and Lutomysla warns that it's impossible to know what state the docks will be in by the time the Empire does reclaim them.

Realistically, it might be more practical to [[Corsair_of_Oran#Expansion|upgrade the wharfs at Oran]]. That would be more expensive, costing 15 wains of weirwood, 20 wains of white granite, and 105 crowns. It wouldn't make building a navy any quicker, but it would secure Oran's position as a crucial port on the Bay of Catazar.

===New Sails===
* '''Urizen has an existing opportunity that could allow them to raise a navy'''
* '''If the Empire had a shipyard, they could use the prow of the Storm's Child to commission a new Freeborn navy'''

Assuming that the Empire had access to a shipyard, they could commission a navy, but it would cost 200 wains of weirwood. There is nobody working in the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|prognosticators office]] today who is capable of devising solutions that are ''cheaper'' than the standard methods. Whatever happens, raising a navy is going to be expensive.

However, there are other limitations as well. Several Imperial nations are already supporting as many forces as they can, including every nation that adjoins the Bay of Catazar. [[Urizen]], [[The Brass Coast]] and [[Highguard]] are all supporting as many forces as their nation can supply and [[the League]] will be in a similar situation as soon as their [[Raise_Third_League_Army|new army is completed]]. There seems to be little point in building a shipyard if the Empire cannot supply a navy.

Where there is a will, there is a way, however. The people of Urizen have an existing [[opportunity]] that would allow them to raise a navy if they were able to [[An_angry_blade#Dear_Perfection|build all the maritime infrastructure required]]. The Nostos and Elos Docks are now complete, though of course the latter would need to be in Imperial hands to serve in that capacity. But if the Empire reclaims Elos without major damage, and constructs the Cargo Cranes, then they could support a navy in addition to the [[Citadel Guard]] and the [[Argent Sword]].

In the meantime, another opportunity has presented itself that might be useful. The Empire could employ the mystique surrounding [[Red_skies#Game_Information|the prow of the Storm's Child]] - the flagship of the Gathered Storm, which bears the stolen figurehead which once sailed at the front of the Freeborn Storm.

If the prow were given to the Freeborn egregores, they could use it to rally the families to support the creation of a new navy. It would need to have a new name, it is decades before anyone will be ready for the Freeborn Storm to ride the waves again. But the prow would be a symbol of the Freeborn victory over their enemies and an important link to the past. It would inspire corsairs and others to join the new flotilla and seize the opportunity to take the battle for control of the waves to the Grendel. The Empire would still need a shipyard - there's no easy way to get around that problem - but with the additional support that the prow would produce, the Brass Coast could afford to supply an additional force, provided it were a navy.

<!--
==Resolution==
--!>

==Further Reading==
* [[Appraisal]]
* [[The Brass Coast]]
* [[Madruga]]
* [[Feroz]]
* [[Germinating_a_city#A_Spiritual_Successor|Germinating a city]] - 387YE Spring wind of fortune with an opportunity to build a shipyard that can raise and/or harbour two navies at once

Resolutions

2026-10-05T13:58:49Z

Responsible1: /* List */

==List==

[[Opening_ceremonies]]

[[Mushroom,_mushroom,_mushroom#Resolution]]

Resolutions

2026-10-05T13:58:42Z

Responsible1: /* List */

==List==

[[Opening_ceremonies]]
[[Mushroom,_mushroom,_mushroom#Resolution]]

Mushroom, mushroom, mushroom

2026-10-05T13:58:18Z

Responsible1: /* Resolution */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>"Can I help you?" Renard kept his voice neutral, hoping that diplomacy was still an option. He was intimately aware of the distance between himself and the two treewardens that had brought this potentially threatening visitor to his attention.

The entity stopped poking at the petrified tree and slowly turned around to focus its attention on the Navarr priest. It barely came up to his shoulder, but it was three times as broad as he was. It had long, spindly, sinewy arms that reached almost to the ground, and squat legs that seemed to be little more than stumps. It was clearly not anything mortal - the wide spreading red cap that seemed to be part of its head marked it out as some kind of ambulatory toadstool. Renard noted that it didn't seem to have a face as such, but directed his wary smile at where he imagined one might be.

"The question. Is. Rather." The creature spoke in stops and starts, its voice surprisingly soft and breathy for a clumpy mass of fungus with no obvious way of speaking. Or breathing. It tailed off. Renard wondered if it was broken. Then it spoke again, that same stilted pattern to its speech. "Rather. It is whether. I can help. You."

When it was obvious that there was no more coming, Renard asked what it meant. The thing gestured to the petrified tree, and the priest swallowed nervously as its sheer length, and the club-like hand at its end, became more apparent. It didn't seem to have any joints as such, and Renard was pretty confident that if the thing decided to hit him with it, then it would end badly.

"This. Is a thing. That should not. Be." It said, and Renard fancied he could hear just the tinge of anger in its voice. "It should. Not. Be like. This."

"It was the Cold Sun," Renard explained quickly. He didn't want the thing thinking ''he'' was to blame. "When the Empty Hands came they did this. There's trees like it all over Miaren. We're working on a way to deal with them but... it takes time. Sorry."

He wasn't sure why he was apologising. The mushroom being rested its misshapen hand against the calcified "bark" of the tree. It was one of those that passing artists had decorated, turning the bone-white aberration into something if not beautiful then at least symbolic of the defiance of the Navarr people.

"Trees die." Said the visitor, as if it had not really listened to what Renard had said. "They die. They rot. New trees grow. This is. An abomination. I will. Take care. Of it. For you."

Renard felt the air shift then, and took an involuntary step back. The treewardens, sensitive to his worry, readied their spears. The mushroom creature began to sing, then, softly. A wordless, shifting, throbbing song that the priest felt in his skin and bones rather than heard with his ears. Colours pulsed across the pale surface of the fungusman - soft pink, deep red, startling violet - and then with a loud ''snap'' the petrified trunk of the tree split straight up the middle. Cracks ran maze-like across the surface, and pieces began to fall away. Still the visitor sang its weird song and Renard saw pale tendrils spread from where its stumpy legs touched the ground into the ashen soil that surrounded the accursed tree. In less than a minute the destruction was complete. The corrupted tree lay in pieces, and the blasted ground around it... swelled with life. Mushrooms, toadstools, puffballs, and less identifiable things began to cover the remains, as dark green ferns uncoiled and opened their feathered leaves all around it.

The mushroom fellow observed the transformation calmly then turned its attention back to Renard who was staring speechless at the little blue and purple flowers beginning to open across several of the ferns.

"It will take. Time. For new trees. To grow." Said the visitor. "But. They will. Grow."

It shook itself - a wave going from the top of its wide cap to the ground and then back again. Renard noted that the tendrils which had emerged from its feet had broken off, and now lay drained and lifeless amid the burgeoning growth.

"I misspoke. Before. You can. Help me. Maybe." It said. "I have been sent. To speak. With your people. About gardens. And Life. Is that. Something. You can. Assist me. With?"

Renard took a breath, and ratchetted his smile up a notch, as he tried to think of a suitable response.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 275px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Mushroom Sage.jpg|caption=The heralds of Llofir have been abroad in the Empire, especially in Navarr.|align=left|width=275}}</div>
==Overview==
In 384YE, Llofir [[Alignment|demanded amity]] in response to a request for [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]]. At that time it [[I_knew_you_were_trouble#Llofir|explicitly stated that it would use that amity]] to take revenge for the [[383YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_war#Destroying_Angels|destruction of its garden]] at [[Reikos#Tamarbode|Tamarbode]]. The request was denied and there was little further contact, but the most recent summit saw another attempt to call the eternal for a plenipotentiary. This time Llofir responded by [[Has_reared_himself_a_throne#Hours_Breathing_Faint_and_Low|demanding the Empire first perform the dangerous ritual]] [[Hallow of the Green World]] as a show of trust.

Unwilling to take such a risky step, the [[Conclave]] appear to have offered a compromise - [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Alignment:_Llofir,_Neutrality|declaring neutrality]] with [[Llofir]]. The removal of enmity represents a more cautious approach. Llofir's heralds can now move freely about the Empire, which is a potential matter for concern, but it can't wield its power freely, as it could if it were granted amity.

To the surprise of some, it seems to be a compromise the eternal is prepared to accept - to a degree. Earlier that year heralds of Llofir had [[The_first_shot#Miaren|suggested that the eternal would be willing to aid a war against the vallorn]]. The eternal is clear that it has not yet forgiven the Empire for the destruction of the garden, but it seems it is keen to fight against an enemy so inimical to everything the ''Rotlord'' stands for.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ibiss8557.jpg||caption='''Ibiss Briarheart''', Archmage of Spring|align=right|width=250}}</div>
==Cautious Detente==
* '''The Conclave has declared neutrality with Llofir'''
* '''Llofir has accepted the compromise this decision represents but the eternal continues to nurse a grudge for Highguard, the League and Urizen'''
* '''Ibiss Briarheart is the current Archmage of Spring'''
Llofir's message is clear - it is not interested in plenipotentiary. It offered a way that the Conclave could restore trust and they chose a halfway house and that is absolutely fine. But it does not erase the crimes of the past, and if something new is going to grow out of destruction it will be on Llofir's terms.

Specifically Llofir focuses its disgruntlement on the nations it holds responsible for the destruction of its garden - [[the League]], [[Highguard]], and the people of [[Urizen]]. They'll receive no favours, no assistance, no wisdom, and Llofir makes no secret of its willingness to support anyone prepared to bring these nations to account. Perhaps, say the heralds, it is time to test them; to see if they are still healthy or if it is time for them to fade from history. It could all just be talk; the heralds of Llofir are not visiting these nations and there's no sign of immediate retribution taking place.

==Conversations With Navarr==
* '''Llofir is prepared to help the Navarr construct an army'''
* '''The Advisor on the Vallorn has been asked to gather Navarr together - and only Navarr - to speak with heralds of Llofir at 15:00 on Saturday'''
* '''''Seren Embercast'' is the current Advisor on the Vallorn'''
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Seren Embercast.jpg|caption='''Seren Embercast''', Advisor on the Vallorn|align=right|width=250}}</div>
Following the olive branch extended by the Conclave, the ''Lady of Spores'' is prepared to aid the Navarr in their fight against the [[vallorn]]. Shortly after the Autumn Equinox, several heralds of the Spring eternal appear in [[Brocéliande]], [[Hercynia]] and [[Miaren]], keen to talk to the magicians and vates of the nation about this matter. They're adamant however that the ''Great Fungus'' is interested in aiding ''the Navarr'' and not ''the Empire'' in this matter.

The heralds are enthusiastic about the [[A thousand years of longing|grand plan]] to unite the vallorn hearts and render the entity mortal. They are aware that only two vallorn hearts remain unconnected to the great network of [[trods]] - the one in [[Sarangrave]] (a territory now claimed by the Empire) and the one in [[Axos]]. The heralds are interested to hear how the Navarr plan to complete the "mycelial network" that will begin the war with the vallorn in earnest.

As such some heralds are planning to visit Anvil to talk to the Navarr. They will visit them in their camp, and they are interested in speaking to Spring magicians (and not just the vates) of the nation. They have asked '''Seren Embercast''', the [[Advisor on the Vallorn]] to gather them together to talk about the vallorn and the progress of the great plan. They are not interested in talking to anyone other than Navarri however - and ask that the Navarr ensure that there are not members of other nations present.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Orange_Pore_Fungus.jpg|caption=The ''Lady of Spores'' has expressed support for the war against the Vallorn.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
===A New Army===
* '''Llofir offers help to the army raised in Miaren if it is dedicated to the destruction of the vallorn'''
The ''Rotlord'' is prepared to offer its support for the new Navarr army to help it fight the vallorn, ''provided the meeting with the Navarr mages goes well''. To ensure that there is no misunderstanding, the heralds are happy to make the offer clear. If the negotiations are successful, then scores of Llofir's heralds will join the army, providing spores that spread rot and putrefaction, scouring the landscape, but leaving it ready for new life to emerge. If that happened, the army would gain the scouring quality allowing the general to issue the following orders.
====Scouring====
* '''Can use the ''Scour the Land'' order while attacking'''
* '''Can use the ''Turn the Circle'' order while defending'''

If the Navarr can convince Llofir's heralds to join the new army in Miaren it would gain the "scouring" quality granting it access to two unique orders. Scouring the land would help the army drive the vallorn back and inflict heavy casulaties on it, while Turn the Circle helps to bleed the enemy while it is attacking.

<box>'''Scour the Land'''<br>
* '''All casualties inflicted by this army on forces of the vallorn are increased by two fifths'''
* '''The ability of this army to contest territory against the vallorn is increased by three tenths'''
* '''All casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth'''
With the aid of Llofir's heralds, the army spreads spores unleashing a wave of rot and decay against the the forces of the vallorn. Lifeless husks, twisted ettercaps, and mutated insects alike are exposed to infection from the spores. This infection is deep enough to overcome even the supernatural vitality of the vallorn so that the slightest wounds turning deadly.</box>

<box>'''Turn the Circle'''<br>
* '''All casualties inflicted by this army on forces of the vallorn are increased by a tenth'''
* '''All casualties suffered by this army are increased by a tenth'''
* '''All ruins in the targeted regions are destroyed'''
The seeds and spores that Llofir spreads can do more than just destroy the forces of the vallorn - they can also tear down abandoned buildings allowing them to quickly consume ruins. The heralds will target any ruins in the territory, tearing them down as they scour the land clear. One or more regions in the territory will lose the ruined quality, sites of antiquity will be consumed as the slate is wiped clean. As things rot and decay, they leave the soil in the area as rich and fertile as it has ever been. Taking this order won't turn a desert into a garden, but ruins and the like will be replaced by verdant landscapes. The order is completely indiscriminate, attacking anything that is old and decaying in the territory.</box>

===A New Garden===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Llofir's Paludarium'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Fane</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Greenfalls, Miaren</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 weirwood, 10 rings of ilium and 30 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Must be ceded to Llofir by the Senate</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Allows Llofir to claim the entire region of Greenfalls turning it into a vast garden.
* Allows the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild|Apothecaries Guild]] to appoint the Tender of Llofir's Garden</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Opportunity ends if not commissioned before the end of Autumn Equinox 388YE</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Tender of Llofir's Garden'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Navarr</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Apothecaries Guild</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives mushrooms each season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To oversee the garden and lead the defence against any attacks on the garden</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''There has been talk of the Navarr granting Llofir a new garden to replace the one in Tamarbode that was destroyed'''
* '''Llofir's Paludarium is a commission that requires 10 wains of weirwood, 10 rings of ilium, and 30 crowns in labour costs'''
* '''The Senate would need to cede the commission to Llofir'''
* '''The entire region where the garden is built will be claimed by Llofir over the coming year'''
There has been suggestions that the Navarr might allow Llofir to create a new garden to replace the one that was destroyed in Tamarbode. It seems that Llofir is prepared to accept an offer of a new garden in Navarr lands. It has accepted that the Tamarbode garden is gone but there is new life, provided the location is suitable. When Llofir created the first garden, it did so as part of unleashing a great wave of magic that scoured the territory of [[Reikos]]. Plants bloomed, tearing down ruined structures, devouring graves and crypts. The scars of the Druj occupation were erased, but with them went much of the Highborn history in the territory.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Panellus Stipticus.jpg|caption=The ''Quiet One'' wishes to establish a new mushroom garden in Miaren.|align=right|width=300}}
Having scoured lands claimed by the Navarr, the heralds say that the location Llofir would choose is [[Miaren#Greenfalls|Greenfalls]] in [[Miaren]]. This location is safe and secure, far from the vallorn and similar destructive threats like Highguard and Urizen. Sadly it is dangerously close to Temeschwar and Tassato, but Llofir is confident that this time, its forces would be strong enough to defeat this enemy should it be attacked again. Greenfalls contains many important Navarr ruins which would inevitably be altered as a minimum, if not destroyed by Llofir's embrace, but for the servants of the Rotlord such renewal is one of the reasons why the region interests the eternal.

If the Navarr were minded to provide Llofir's with a new garden, they would need to [[commission]] Llofir's Paludarium in Greenfalls. This structure is similar to a [[fane]], though without the [[Fane#Benefits|usual benefits]] associated, and would need to be ceded to the eternal to function. Once the structure is complete and has been ceded to the Rotlord, then it will slowly spread to consume the entire region in which it is built. The entire region of Greenfalls will be converted into a rich verdant garden by the Lady of Spores, teeming with mushrooms, fungus and molds. If that happens, then the Llofir would allow the Apothecaries Guild to appoint a Navarr citizen to tend the garden and protect its borders. In return they would be invited to gather a handful of mushrooms with magical abilities each season.

Llofir's heralds are unable to provide information on what properties these mushrooms might have, saying that it would depend how the garden is grown. However that appears to be something the Navarr could affect.

====Old Rope====
* '''Llofir seeks 1000 herbs to power the transformation of Greenfalls into a verdant garden'''
* '''In return it offers material support worth 15 wains of mithril for the new army being raised in Miaren'''
* '''The type of herb provided will affect the nature of the garden Llofir creates'''
Even with the Paludarium, the transformation of Greenfalls will require a huge undertaking of magic by Llofir. Creating a vast garden is a hugely ''expensive'' endeavour, and while the Rotlord has the power to accomplish the deed, it would apparently leave them quiescent for many moons. That is a fate it would rather avoid, so rather than drive the transformation themselves, Llofir would prefer to utilise herbs to power the change.

Huge numbers of herbs would be required to perform the magic. Llofir's heralds believe the eternal could use up to a thousand herbs to complete the transformation of the region. The ''Quiet One'' does not ask for this aid as a gift however - instead it offers a simple trade. If the Navarr and their allies were willing to provide the necessary herbs, then in return the eternal will provide the Navarr with weapons and armour fashioned from mycelium that has grown so old and hard that it is as light and strong as [[mithril]]. Based on the samples shown, the civil service calculate that this would reduce the amount of mithril required to raise the army in Miaren by 15 wains. If less herbs were provided, then the exchange could still be made, but the eternal would provide proportionally less aid to the new army.

The Rotlord is content to allow the Navarr to choose which herb might be exchanged in this way - but it would need to be all the ''same'' type of herb. Mixing different herbs would be a catastrophe as the innate properties of the herbs would clash with each other. The heralds claim that whichever herb the Navarr chose would determine the properties of the garden Llofir created, affecting the mushrooms available to the Tender of Llofir's Garden and any future benefits the garden might offer.

Llofir's heralds will discuss the offer with the Navarr when they meet at the coming summit and provide arrangements if they wish to proceed.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Amanita_muscaria.jpg|caption=Llofir is... interested... in the fall of the Druj empire.|align=right|width=300}}

==End of Empire==
* '''Llofir sees the Druj nation in decline and offers to help hasten that end'''
* '''This is risky because it might instead revitalise the Druj'''
* '''It proposes that Hallow of the Green World be performed in Therunin while it remains under Druj control'''
There's one other matter that is of interest to Llofir. That of the Druj. The eternal seems to believe that the "Empire of the Druj" is in decline, that Imperial aggression has weakened it so much that it may be on the brink of collapse. It proposes to test if this is the case.

If the Empire are prepared to evoke [[Hallow of the Green World]] in [[Therunin]], then that [[enchantment]] will settle over the Druj Empire (such as it is) rather than the Imperial Empire - due to the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Boundaries|magical Law of Boundaries]]. The effects will be concentrated in Therunin itself, in the [[Forest of Ulnak]], and in the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]]. The ritual will provide some succour to the Druj of course - it helps to promote the growth of [[herb|healing herbs]] in [[herb garden|herb gardens]] - but that may be of little comfort to the orcs of the Mallum. It will also allow Llofir to focus his power freely on the Druj, to fulfil its identity as the "Ender of Empires." With the tools at its disposal it will act to hasten the collapse of the Druj, bringing sickness and ruin. The eternal cannot predict exactly what form this will take, but it will be impactful.

The ritual will ''also'' free the other Spring eternals to act directly in the Druj Empire. [[Yaw'nagrah]] and [[Arhallogen]] already have a fair amount of freedom to operate there, and are broadly inclined to support the Druj. On the other hand it seems the [[Irra Harah|Prince with a Thousand Foes]] is chomping at the bit to be able to act freely in the Mallum against the Druj. And while [[Siakha]] shows no favour where the Druj are concerned, she revels in ''any'' chance to destroy. For that matter, there are other Spring eternals with no interest in the Empire who might be goaded to intervene in the Druj empire if the doors were opened for them to do so.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Cassandra11972.jpg|caption='''Cassandra i Periera i Erigo''', Imperial Censor (Summer 385-Autumn 386)|align=right|width=250}}</div>
Obviously, invoking this ritual is no simple matter - but the magnitude required to affect the Druj right now is ''significantly'' lower than that required to affect the entire Empire. It could be cast at magnitude 100 at the coming Winter Solstice, if it were targeted against the Druj territories. It would still be tricky - and risky - because it would require a strong Spring regio in a Druj held territory, so it would be impossible to cast from Anvil. Anyone prepared to make the attempt would need to find an opportunity to use the [[Sentinel Gate]] to a suitable location in the Druj empire containing a Spring regio.

One fly in the ointment is that it is currently illegal to perform an empire-wide enchantment such as [[Hallow of the Green World]]. The magistrate's ruling on the [[interdiction]] that was [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Interdiction_:_Empire_Wide_Enchantments|raised two years ago]] by [[Imperial Censor]] '''Cassandra i Periera i Erigo''' was that it covers all uses of such a ritual, not just those targeting the Empire. Whilst the interdiction holds, it is illegal to perform the ritual - but the heralds of the Rotlord clearly either don't care about legality or can't conceive of why such a thing would stop people.

Llofir's heralds try to be plain that the eternal has no particular enmity against the Druj - it is simply that it believes they are on the cusp of falling into ruin. If they are too sickly to survive, Llofir would see them perish, and new life rise from their remains. "They will either fall, or rise," says one philosophical little herald. "We will either hasten their inevitable end, or they will be rejuvenated. Either outcome is acceptable."
===Waves of Ruin (Conjunction)===
* '''There is a pair of conjoined conjunctions to Eastring in Therunin at Greensward Lea'''
* '''The Druj are attempting to use Spring magic to rile up the vallorn even further'''
* '''If they can be stopped and driven off from the ritual site, then ritualists could travel to the area to perform Hallow of the Green World on the remaining Mallum territories'''
* '''The ''Speaker of the Vallornguard'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for clearing out the Druj'''
* '''The ''Spear of the Seven'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for taking advantage of the conjunction'''
There is a pair of strange conjoined conjunctions to Eastring in Therunin late on Saturday at the next summit. The first is a large conjunction for 60 people, the second conjunction is to the same location but smaller, and occurs just ten minutes after the first one. Conjoined conjunctions are rare, but not completely unknown - and this one would be ideal for Llofir's plan.

Even if the Empire is not minded to take up Llofir's offer, the conjunction is still crucial. The Druj have moved a group of ''[[Druj_lore#Ghulai|ghulai]]'' to the area, looking to repeat the ritual they used a year ago to rile the vallorn. If they are not stopped, then the current risks in Therunin will grow significantly worse. The expansionist threat of the vallorn will continue, and will last for another year, potentially seeing the whole of Therunin swallowed up. The Druj are clearly desperate to do something that might draw the Empire's attention away from their homelands.

The area is, inevitably, within the [[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|vallorn miasma]] which presents its own difficulties. At least the miasma does not play favourites; the Druj will be as affected by it as Imperial forces. It might be prudent, however, to make preparations for dealing with the effects even if only arranging a way to remove [[Calls#VENOM|venom]] from those who return from the conjunctions.

Stopping the ritual is a victory in itself, but if the Druj are stopped and the area is secured, then a ritual team of up to twenty-five people could use the second conjunction to join the heroes in Therunin. They could use the regio to perform Hallow the Green World - they may even be able to take advantage of any resources or items the Druj are carrying to help them perform their own magic. With their ritual team defeated, the Druj would be in no position to counter any such ritual.

If the enchantment is cast, it will wash out of Therunin and take hold across the Mallum. [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|Heralds]] of the [[Realms#Spring|Spring realm]], and the eternals themselves, will be freed to exert influence over the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]] and the [[Forest of Ulnak]]. It is impossible to say what the impact that might have - beyond saying there will definitely ''be'' one.

It is easier to assess the effect on Therunin itself. Llofir's heralds will spread the power of ruin across the territory, weakening and sapping strength from the [[vallorn]]. Its ability to claim another region will be significantly reduced - falling by 5,000 from its current total. Imperial armies fighting in the territory will find it easier to hold the vallorn back during the season, but will still suffer the effects of fighting an active vallorn. Assuming the Druj ritual is stopped, by the start of the Spring Equinox, the vallorn will settle back into relative quiescence - active but not expanding. It will keep any land it has already expanded into, of course, but the threat of any further expansion will be gone for the time being.

At the same time, Llofir will "rejuvenate" the marshy territory. Given what happened in [[Reikos]] when the eternal did the same, it will mean that any ruins in the regions the Navarr once occupied will be swept away. New life will rise from the destruction with supernatural speed - seeing [[Therunin#Peakedge Song|Peakedge Song]] and [[Therunin#Upper Tarn Valley|Upper Tarn Valley]] gain the ''forested'' quality. The Lower Tarn Valley will lose the ''poisoned'' quality, but in the process gain the ''Mycelial'' quality as all kinds of fungus and mushrooms - most natural but some infused with Spring magic - sprout across it. The scars of war with the Druj will be erased, but in the process any damaged or ruined structures or settlements will be consumed by Llofir's power.

{{KaelaGift}}

{{Vallornmiasma}}
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''Whisperspore'''<br>If you plan to take the boon Llofir is offering, you will need a suitable phys-rep for the resultant ''whisperspore''. A pouch containing an amount of pale powder, such as sherbet or flour, makes an adequate phys-rep for whisperspore. The whisperspore itself is provided in the form of a typical rip-on-use card. The only way to find out exactly what it does is to use it (by inhaling it).</box></div>

==Rot and the Magic==
* '''Whisperspore is still available to Imperial magicians who seek it through Madyn's Gift'''
* '''The strange material can be used to involve the eternal in the casting of certain rituals during the Winter Solstice'''
Despite, or perhaps because of, the change in status, the Rotlord has [[Has_reared_himself_a_throne#Trust|continued to offer Whisperspore]] to any Imperial magicians prepared to pay its price. During the Winter Solstice, any Imperial magician can perform the Spring ritual [[Madyn's Gift]] but include up to five measures of [[beggar's lye]] alongside the [[realmsroot]]. For each pair of realmsroot and beggar's lye, the casters will receive a dose of ''whisperspore''. Any leftover realmsroot or beggar's lye will be returned untouched.

This substance is valuable in its own right, but during the Solstice the substance can also be used to capture the attention of Llofir. Obviously, both the creation of whisperspore and its use to gain boons from Llofir is only legal while the eternal has neutrality; if the Conclave restores enmity than accepting any of these boons would be a crime.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=LlofirArt.jpg|caption=The ''Wisdom of Fallen Wood'' offers magical boons to some of the Empire's masters of Spring magic.|align=right|width=250}}</div>
===Skin of the Mushroom===
* '''Skin of Bark, Blood of Amber will provide additional endurance if cast with a dose of whisperspore
* '''The target becomes subject to VENOM, and their body will swiftly fall apart if they die
* '''This will prevent them from rising as a husk or vallornspawn husk
[[Skin of Bark, Blood of Amber]] is a potent enchantment of Spring magic that brings vitality. Yet Llofir and its servants often speak of the way new life rises from death. If at least one dose of whisperspore is used in the performance of the ritual during the Winter Solstice, the ritual will provide an additional rank of Endurance to the target, but they will also become subject to VENOM. If the VENOM is removed, the enchantment immediately ends. If the subject dies while the enchantment is in place, their body will swiftly break down in the same way as if someone had cast [[Turns the Circle]] on it. This means that subjects will not rise as [[vallornspawn husks]] or otherwise leave bodies to be possessed or claimed.

The ritual can be cast on multiple targets as normal, but in this case, it requires a dose of whisperspore for each target. Otherwise, everyone involved will simply gain the usual effects of ''Skin of Bark, Blood of Amber''. If the enchantment is placed on a single target, it can be made [[Ilium#Using_ilium_in_rituals|permanent with ilium]] in the usual way. If this happens, the heightened effects - for good or ill - are permanently infused into the target.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''Magical Mushrooms'''<br>Like [[Yaw'nagrah]], Llofir's demesne in the [[Realms#Spring|Spring realm]] overflows with the magical substances known as ''donahorti''. They take the form of fungus, spores, rots and rusts of all kinds. Common effects include boons for magicians casting Spring rituals (especially those associated with the resonance of [[Spring magic#Ruin|ruin]]); endurance or healing at a price (often represented by [[Calls#VENOM|venom]] or [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakness]]; or gifts of strange insight, exhilaration, or awareness similar to those experienced by consuming some mundane fungi (albeit much more pronounced and powerful).

Ideal phys-reps for such substances might be actual pieces of mushroom or toadstool, or small bags of powder representing spores.</box></div>

===Blessing of Old Winter===
* '''Blessing of New Spring has additional effects if cast with whisperspore
* '''A farm will provide 6 fewer crowns for one year but four doses of magical mushrooms of various kinds
* '''The effect lasts for a full year
* '''A farm enchanted with Llofir's power cannot be targeted with Strong Ox, Golden Sun or Gathering the Harvest
[[Blessing of New Spring]] is a very old ritual widely used across the Empire to enchant farms to make them fertile and productive. It is especially powerful when used in conjunction with [[Strong Ox, Golden Sun]] and [[Gathering the Harvest]], rituals that build on the effects of this magic to increase a farm's yield even further.

Llofir offers an alternative for those who are eager to embrace the gifts that the ''Great Fungus'' offers. If a dose of whisperspore is used while performing the ritual - then a new enchantment will settle over the farm - something his heralds call "The Blessing of the Rotlord." This new enchantment will last for one year, unless the ritual is replaced in that time. During that time, the farm will produce a small crop of magical mushrooms, in place of the normal crops that would grow. While that happens, the farm will produce six crowns less but gain four magical mushrooms in their place.

A ritual group could invoke the Blessing of the Rotlord on multiple farms at once, but it would require one dose of whisperspore for each farm that is targeted by the ritual, otherwise the normal Blessing of New Spring will settle over all the farms instead. A farm enchanted with ''Blessing of the Rotlord'' cannot benefit from [[Strong Ox, Golden Sun]] or [[Gathering the Harvest]].

===Regrow the Land's Heart===
* '''Regrow the Land's Heart can be infused with Llofir's power if at least one whisperspore and one vital honey are used, and no crystal mana is included
* '''The territory will experience a burst of renewal focused around transforming places of ruin and rot into fertile land
* '''Farms and herb gardens in the territory will produce less money or fewer herbs, but provide additional magical mushrooms
The ''Great Fungus'' perceives death and decay as a route to new life. Sometimes its blessings are terrible, bringing disease and infection. Sometimes, however, its blessing promotes the blooming of new life from mulch and putrefaction. The final boon it offers Imperial magicians is an offer to weave this growth into any casting of [[Regrow the Land's Heart]] that targets an Imperial territory. To claim this boon, the ritual must be cast with both ''whisperspore'' and [[Vis#Vital Honey|vital honey]], and no crystal mana must be used (although mana from other sources such as [[Balms of the Fountainhead#Suffusion of Blood|Suffusion of Blood]] is fine), and the performance must include an evocation of Llofir by at least three of its names.

If this is done Llofir will pour its own power into the enchantment. It will still have its normal effect - indeed it will be even more effective. Areas scarred by war or natural disaster, will quickly become overgrown with new plants and mushrooms. Regions with the [[Region_qualities#Ruined|ruined]] quality will not lose it, but the areas of ruin will swiftly be transformed into gardens or even woodlands. Every [[farm]] in the territory will provide 3 crowns fewer in income in the period leading up to the Spring Equinox, and every [[herb garden]] will produce six fewer true vervain. Instead, they will provide three doses of magical mushrooms from the demesne of Llofir.

The exception is a territory that is part of the League, Highguard, or Urizen. The heralds of Llofir will not prevent the boon being used to cast ''Regrow the Land's Heart'' on those nations, but they warn that doing so will invite the eternal to take a measure of vengeance against the enchanted territory. No boons will be provided; what exactly will happen is unpredictable but the [[Unfettered Mind]] and [[Celestial Arch]] theorise that the eternal's influence will cause the ritual to deploy its effects in the most unhelpful fashion. Yet there is also a possibility here to drain away some of the enmity Llofir feels towards those nations - targeting a territory from one of those nations, especially if the ritual is performed by magicians of that nation, will satisfy the eternal's anger and repair the relationship with the ''Rot Lord''.

==Resolution==
[[#A New Garden|Llofir's Paludarium]] was not commissioned. [[Hallow of the Green World]] was not cast on the Druj. [[Regrow the Land's Heart]] was cast on [[Hahnmark]] and [[Ossium]] causing farms and herb gardens to produce [[##Regrow_the_Land's_Heart|magical mushrooms]] in the territories for the follow season.

<!--In Summer 388YE, Senate [[commissioned|Raise_Fourth_Navarr_Army]] a Navarr army to fight the Vallorn, and received Llofir's aid to construct it. --!>

==Further Reading==
* [[Llofir]]
* [[Has_reared_himself_a_throne#Hours_Breathing_Faint_and_Low|Has reared himself a throne]] - Autumn 387YE plenipotentiary wind of fortune
* [[383YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_war#Destroying_Angels|Destroying angels]] - Summer 383YE wind of war

Resolutions

2026-10-05T13:53:39Z

Responsible1: /* List */

==List==

https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Opening_ceremonies

Opening ceremonies

2026-10-05T13:53:26Z

Responsible1:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>Caroline had been volunteered to talk to the heralds again, given she had fought alongside them during the delve into the depths to install the Red Iron Door. They were in the middle of erecting a truncated pillar of blue-white stone that looked extremely heavy. A dozen little scaled ''koboldi'' straining on ropes to bring it vertical in the deep hole they had dug for it. The League bravo noted that the column was covered in runes, but had no idea what they might mean.

"Hold! Hold!" The ''koboldi'' surveyor had a piercing high pitched voice that cut through the hubbub like a greatsword through leather. The ''koboldi'' labourers did indeed hold, while the surveyor quickly examined the site with an oversized loupe and several references to a scrunched up parchment. Caroline peered over their shoulder (easily done given the stature of the ''koboldi'') and saw that it was an esoteric, arcane diagram of a structure of columns, a foundation, and some low walls. She was not an architect herself, of course. For all she knew the surveyor was holding it upside down and it was actually a roof.

"Perfect! Perfect!" piped the surveyor excitedly, and the workers released their ropes with a great cheer that nearly drowned out the sound of the stone column dropping into place. There was a certain amount of backslapping and yipping at what Caroline assumed was a job well done. The surveyor didn't waste any time on congratulations, but turned all their attention on the League citizen behind them.

"Can I help you?" Normally when Caroline was asked this kind of question there was an undertone of suspicion or challenge, but the ''koboldi'' seemed genuinely to be offering assistance.

"I hope so," she said, hunkering down slightly. "We were just wondering what was going on here?"

There were some more cheers and cries at the other end of the structure as another column was expertly guided into place. The ''koboldi'' surveyor nodded several times.

"Oh we're just building a frame," they piped. "It's nothing to worry about. It's perfectly safe."

As if to cast doubt on their words, there was an outbreak of yipping and shouting over the surveyor's shoulder as a vital rope snapped and a rod of blue-white stone nearly sheared through the middle of a group of labourers into one of the pillars. The labourers managed to get control just in time. The surveyor noticed that Caroline was staring aghast and followed her eyeline.

"Oh don't worry," they said chuckling. "All the stone is infused with adamant. It's almost impossible to damage."

"I was more worried about the workers," said Caroline. The surveyor frowned and blinked, then chuckled again and just looked expectant.

"Is all this approved then?" Caroline tried again. "Only there are rules about building things in Anvil..."

"Oh no need to worry about that either." The ''koboldi'' beamed at her. "The site's been carefully chosen, right on the edge of Anvil where the restrictions end."

"And the Master knows all about this then?"

"Oh absolutely, it was the master who instructed us to put this in place, very prestigious commission you know. Serious magic involved. Why, if one of the anchor pillars is more than a finger's width out of place the whole thing might collapse. Or explode, you know? Ha! I wouldn't want to be nearby if that was happening, let me tell you."

One of the other ''koboldi'' leaned in and whispered to the surveyor, who frowned again.

"Oh, you mean the Imperial Master! Dima Vasilyevna Novosad! Wonderful person, very proud to work with them. No, they don't know anything about this. This has come from the Master himself, The King Under the Mountain. Some arrangement with the Iron Duke, you know? But don't worry - the Conclave is friends with both of them so I assume they've sorted out all the permissions and things you people worry about so much!"

All the ''koboldi'' were smiling at her now, and a woman who had fought all four of the barbarian nations in her time found herself taking a step backward from all those on-display sharp ivory teeth. After a moment of consideration, she decided this was very much above her pay grade, and that she'd found out as much as she was going to find out, and so just nodded and muttered something about that all making sense before beating a hasty retreat.

Several of the ''koboldi'' waved goodbye as she departed and one of them called out "Have a lovely afternoon!" without the slightest hint of sarcasm.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Camock.jpg|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
Barely a week after the Autumn Equinox, a gang of ''koboldi'' pass through the Hall of Worlds and emerge at [[Anvil]]. They carry large numbers of surveying tools and spend a cheerful afternoon exploring, taking measurements, and avoiding direct questions. Over the next month, they set to work pinning out a sizable area of ground; more and more ''koboldi'' arrive and bring with them building materials and construction tools of all kinds. Working at remarkable speed, over the next fortnight, they begin to raise a sizable structure on the edge of [[Anvil]]. Several wagonloads of [[white granite]] and [[weirwood]] are delivered to the site from Casinean warehouses, as the ''koboldi'' overseer ''Molibolt'' redeems a stack of very old wains some dating back as far as the reign of [[Empress Mariika]]. More and more ''koboldi'' arrive, swelling their numbers until some local residents are concerned an actual invasion from the [[Realms#Summer realm|Summer realm]] may be underway.

At first it is assumed this is some sort of arrangement with the [[Conclave]], the [[Archmage of Summer]], or the [[Master of the Koboldi]] but the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] themselves cheerfully explain that it is nothing of the sort. They are here on a commission directly from the [[Adamant|King Under the Mountain]] themselves. A commission they describe as "ever so exciting" to the worry of many.

==Barien's Gift==
* '''Adamant and Barien have collaborated to deliver a gift to the people of the Empire'''
* '''A new structure has been created on the margins between Anvil and Outer Anvil'''
With supernatural skill and speed, the servants of the ''Stone Dragon'' complete their work and, despite worries, return through the [[Regio#Imperial Regio|Imperial regio]]. It isn't at first clear what they have built - it seems to be less a building and more the skeleton of such. A large open space outlined by a series of support pillars. It looks incomplete, but when questioned Molibolt smiles secretively and says that they weren't commissioned to build the whole thing, only to construct "somewhere to put it."

The very next morning, the guards set to watch over the construction find ten heralds bearing the owl banners of the [[Barien|Lord of the Crossroads]] have arrived. They encircle the ''koboldi''-work building site and as the sun rises, they raise their banners high. Among their number are familiar faces - ''Revel'', ''Temper'', ''Flute'', and ''Bellows'' - and several who have never been seen at Anvil before including one clearly of [[orc]] appearance and draped in crimson and steel. It is clear from the exertion on their faces that whatever they are doing is no easy task, and they ignore all attempts to question them. Molibolt and her gang do their best, but their very technical explanation about what is happening leaves most who speak to them none the wiser.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><box>'''The Tourneyground of Camock'''<br>Scholars among the [[Celestial Arch]] are aware of the ''Resounding Deep'' - a great chamber between the Summer realm and the mortal world where Barien is known to bring those who would challenge great beasts of the wilderness. The tourneygrounds there have been used in the past for several [[Challenge the Iron Duke|magical challenges]] between Imperial citizens and the ''Lord of the Crossroads''. The ''koboldi'' overseer Molibolt mentions in part of their explanation of what is happening that the arena was "easier to move" because it was already quite close to the mortal realm, but that the logistics were still "a proper headscratcher"</box></div>
At midday, there is a sound like all the strings of a great harp being plucked simultaneously and between one moment and the next under the late Autumn sun, a building appears. An arena, marked with age, but formed around the pillars and supports the ''koboldi'' provided. Beaded with sweat, the heralds of Barien lower their banners and in some cases practically collapse from exhaustion. It falls to Revel to explain what has happened here.

This, it seems, is a gift from Barien to the Empire in recognition of the challenges they have faced and those yet to come. A place for them to celebrate, to practice arts of war and peace alike, and for new challenges to be set under the watching eyes of Imperial citizens. In much the same way that the [[Cathan Canae|Lady of the Blizzard]] allows her great citadels to be called to the mortal world, Barien has moved the ''Tourneyground of Camock'' from his demesne to the mortal world. From its place on the edge of the Resounding Deep where the [[icewalker]] ''Saara Vartiainen'' once bested the terrible emerald dragon ''Saxesangwin'' in a contest of riddles, and ''Ser Cadacus'' moved Barien to tears with their bittersweet music, the tourneygrounds are now in Anvil. A sign that the ''Master of Revels'' recognises and exalts the enduring prowess of the Empire, and its heroes.
==The Anvil Arena==
* '''There is a new arena in Anvil, a gift from Barien to the people of the Empire
* '''The civil service have been lumbered with sorting out the details of how it will be used
* '''Barien intends to use the space for challenges but the rest of the time it is free for use by Imperial citizens
{{CaptionedImage|file=King Under the Mountain.png|align=right|width=200}}
When the heralds depart, the arena remains behind. Temper and Flute formally hand the structure over to the nonplussed members of the civil service, on the understanding that they will be able to "handle the paperwork". Bellows is the last to depart, and mentions in an off-hand way that some of Barien's reeves will be in touch before the Winter Solstice with a proposal of how to best celebrate the creation of the new arena. The only thing that the ''Iron Duke'' asks in return for his gift is recognition that the civil service give priority to the Summer realm when it comes to the use of the space - on the understanding that they will receive plenty of advance warning when such things are to take place.

Imperial magicians are quick to explore the structure. They are able to confirm that it is ''physically there'' - not the result of an ongoing enchantment. The foundations and several of the supports are imbued with something akin to adamant - the indestructible stone of the Summer realm - and while it is not impossible to harm the structure it would take profoundly potent magic to do so in any meaningful way. Ritual divinations are deployed by members of the [[Unfettered Mind]]. [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic]] suggests that there is an enigma regarding the place - "''What does it mean to be victorious, to triumph? What is the value of a contest with rules? What is the reward for those who do not win?''". Not precisely illuminating, but perhaps a riddle for mystics and philosophers to debate. [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic]] is more forthcoming - "''This is the tourney ground of Camock that once stood in the Resounding Deep, where Imperial heroes bested and were bested by the powers of the Summer realm, given as a gift to the Empire by the ''Lord of the Crossroads'' at the end of 387YE in recognition of the willingness of Imperial champions to challenge themselves and the world.''"

The structure itself is relatively simple - a flat open space surrounded by tiered rows of seats with some small offices attached. It is sparsely decorated - many of the impossibly bright banners and standards hung here when it arrived dissolve into mist and seafoam as the sun sets. As well as having room for martial contests, it's clear that with a little projection and a willing audience it would also serve well as a performance venue for music and drama. The seating area might also work reasonably well as a place for passionate debate, reasonable discussion, or the delivery of studious lectures.

The civil servants entrusted with looking after the place have confirmed that they plan to operate a system similar to that which already exists with regard to other "Imperial" spaces - to schedule its use by Imperial citizens.
==Calling the Drottningbjotha==
* '''The rulers of the Summer realm have called the Drottningbjotha'''
* '''It will take the form of a grand tourney of the Imperial nations'''
It's been some eight years or more since the last time one of the monarchs of the Summer realm [[Calling the Drottningbjotha|called the Drottningbjotha]] (''Drott-ning-BEE-yo-thar''). As the Winter Solstice approaches, heralds of the monarchs of the Summer realm - of [[Adamant]], [[Cathan Canae]], [[Eleonaris]], [[Jaheris]], [[Meraud]], and [[Rhianos]] - let it be known that they intend to do so once again, to celebrate Imperial victories and the strong bond between the courts of Summer and the Empire. It falls to heralds of Barien to deliver the details of the challenge, which they do in discussion with the civil service.

The last time the Drottningbjotha was called, by the ''Queen of Ice and Darkness'', it was a test of endurance and fortitude as well as military prowess. This time, it is to be a test not of individuals but of bands of champions. Each nation of the Empire is invited to present a ten-strong warband of heroes, seasoned warriors and veterans of the Empire's battles against their enemies. They will contend against one another until only one remains and the warband - and the nation they represent - will receive the accolades of Summer. All who participate, however, will be granted a gift, commensurate with how far through the contest they get.
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=400}}</div>

Shortly before the Winter Solstice, Revel and the heralds of Barien return to Anvil. This time they are here to deliver the rules of the tourney to be held at the coming summit.

==Friday Evening==
* '''Opening ceremonies for the Drottningbjotha will take place on Friday evening in the arena, at 6:30pm'''
* '''The [[strategos]] of each Imperial nation is invited to attend, and to be responsible for assembling their nation's team'''
* '''Each strategos will be given a symbol of authority - they can pass the symbol to another if they prefer'''
* '''Each strategos will have a chance to address the crowd'''
* '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia has also been invited to take part by the heralds''''
At '''6:30pm''', after the opening of the summit, the heralds of Barien will invite the strategos' of the ten nations of the Empire to come before them, and open the festivities of the Drottningbjotha. Where a nation currently has no strategos, Barien assumes that the [[general|generals]] of the nations involved will expedite the [[Strategos#Appointment|appointment]]. If they aren't able to, Revel will attend the nation afterwards to try and ensure an organiser is in place.

Each nation that wishes to take part must field a single team of ten contestants; no more, no less. Barien is asking the strategoi to choose their nation's champions. The Drottningbjotha will be as much a test of the strategos' skill and management as the champions themselves. They can choose whatever combination of steel clad fighters, archers and battlemages they prefer, but the ten they select are the only ones who can take part at each stage of the tournament.

Revel will provide each strategoi with a symbol of their authority. This denotes that they have final say over who gets to take part in the tourney; the heralds will defer to the holder if there are any disputes. If a strategos does not wish to take on the responsibility for any reason, they may pass the symbol to another in their nation to act in their stead.

The heralds don't offer any restrictions on how teams should be chosen; that is left entirely up to the strategos themselves. Of course the heralds would be delighted if some kind of tourney or challenge was implemented, but the ultimate decision lies with the organisers. Each strategos is welcome to include themselves as one of the ten champions, if they so wish, but there is no requirement to do so.

Once Barien's tokens have been distributed, each strategos will be free to address the crowd for a minute, in order to set the right tone for the rest of the weekend, of course. If for some reason the strategos isn't there, the heralds of Barien will seek them out later and deliver their mark of authority.

==Mustering the Warbands==
* '''The ten champions chosen for each nation must present themselves at the area at 4:00pm on Saturday'''
* '''Those who bear Barien's symbol of authority will have the final say on who is chosen to represent their nation'''
* '''An 11th team will also participate, comprising one champion selected by each of nine covens chosen by the Iron Duke'''
* '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia is invited to lead Barien's team'''

The Drottningbjotha will open at '''4pm on the Saturday of the summit'''. The teams should present themselves to the heralds at that time, so they can ensure everything is in order. If there are any doubts who a nation's ten champions will be, then the strategos or whoever they have given Barien's symbol of authority to, will have the final say.

In addition to ten nations, an 11th team will enter the contest. At this summit, [[Locked runes|Barien has invited nine favoured covens to each choose a champion]] to take part in the tourney. The Lord of the Crossroads has offered '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia''' the opportunity to lead this motley team, as the leader of '''The Coven of Golden Wings''', the coven with the most successful Iron Duke challengers of the last year. If fewer than nine champions are chosen by Barien's covens, Vesper will be free to choose additional contestants to add to their team in order to bring the total to ten.

Once all 110 champions are accounted for, the tourney proper will begin with the first round. All rounds of the tourney will be fought under the same rules of engagement.

==Rules of Engagement==
* '''Champions may benefit from enchantments, boons, magical items, and similar'''
* '''Consumable items including potions, herbs, and crystal mana are not permitted in the arena'''
* '''Champions may not receive aid from anyone outside their team once a bout begins'''
* '''A contestant is defeated when they can no longer rise, or they yield'''
* '''A contestant may not return to the fight once they are healed or leave the arena'''
* '''Enterprising citizens are welcome to take bets on the outcome or to sell refreshments to the crowd'''
* '''These rules apply to every round of the Drottningbjotha'''

The rules of this Drottningbjotha are straightforward. Contestants can bring with them as many enchantments or magic items as they wish but once the engagement starts there must be ''no use'' of consumables (including but not limited to potions, herbs, and crystal mana) until the bout is over. There must be no interference from outside the field itself; supporters must not provide spells, potions, herbs or similar to their team once their bout begins. Only the champions may affect the outcome of the challenge, and they must do so with their wits and prowess not with endless sacks of healing potions. In the event of any dispute about the rules the heralds of Barien will adjudicate, with advice from the [[Archmage of Summer]] (or their proxy) if they are present.

Contestants are welcome to bring spare weapons and shields into the area to be used if their arms are shattered. These should be left at the edge of the fighting area; champions may only use spares their own team has brought in. This is not a fight to the death, a champion is defeated when they yield or cannot rise. Once a champion yields, leaves the arena or is healed after falling, they cannot return to that fight. They may participate in later rounds if their team is victorious.

A herald of Adamant has suggested that the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]] provide sufficient healers to ensure that wherever possible nobody actually dies. They will be the sole exception to the rule that only the contestants will be on the field - Healers may enter the field to get the fallen to safety and ensure their wounds are not fatal. They should place one hand on their heart to indicate they are not participating and should not be struck. Fallen contestants should be removed from the field and healed on the sidelines. Healers are free to use whatever resources they desire, but anyone healed in this way cannot return to the fray in this bout. They may rejoin their team in the next round if their team are victorious.

A query from a respected member of the [[Golden Pyramid]] order, about whether it is acceptable to take bets on the outcome, or to sell sausages on sticks to the audience, is met with polite incomprehension. The heralds of the Summer realm see no reason that what happens in the stands should be of interest to them or the participants in the Drottningbjotha. It seems that anyone with services to offer is more than welcome to make what coin they can from the assembled crowds.

===The Opening Round===
* '''The opening round of the Drottningbjotha begins at the arena at 4:15pm on Saturday'''
* '''It consists of five bouts, each pairing two nations against each other'''
* '''Pairings will be drawn randomly before the start of the bouts'''
* '''A team wins if their opponents have no champions left standing'''
* '''If both teams are still fighting after five minutes, the team with the most champions remaining wins'''

The opening round will consist of 5 bouts, each pitting one nation's warband against another. The heralds of Barien will draw lots randomly at the start of the round to determine pairings. Once underway, the fight ends when only one team has contestants remaining. If both sides are still in the fray after five minutes, the team with the most champions remaining is the winner. In the event of a tie, the heralds will call for the bout to continue, but whichever team loses the next champion, loses the bout.

===The Heroes' Round===
* '''After the first round is complete, a single hero from the five losing teams may enter the arena'''
* '''They will take part in a grand melee between these five heroes'''
* '''The winning hero's team will advance to the second round'''
* '''The round will be followed by a brief interlude to allow the winning hero to recover'''
* '''Barien invites the High Bard to arrange entertainment in the arena during this period'''

Once all the bouts in the first round are complete, Barien's heralds will invite each of the five losing teams to nominate a single hero to face off against the others. The decision of the strategos will settle any arguments. The five champions will enter the arena at the same time to fight in a grand melee. The team of whichever champion is left standing at the end will proceed to the next round, the others will be eliminated.

There will be a short interlude after the heroes round to allow the winner to rest and recuperate. Barien invites the High Bard to entertain the crowd during the interlude, or else nominate someone who can do so if they prefer.

===The Victors' Round===
* '''The victors' round will consist of 3 bouts between the 6 teams that won a bout previously'''
* '''Pairings will be drawn randomly before the start of the bouts'''
* '''It will be followed by a short interlude'''

The six winners from the first two rounds will be paired off in three bouts in the next round. Barien's heralds will draw lots again, but will make sure there no repeats of pairings from the first round. It will employ the same rules as the previous bouts.

The three winners will go forwards to the final round after another short interlude.

===The Final Round===
* '''The final round will be a single grand melee'''
* '''It will feature the three winners from the previous round and the team of the Iron Duke's champions'''
* '''The final bout will continue until only one team has champions remaining'''
* '''The final team with champions still standing in the arena will be crowned the victors of the Drottningbjotha'''

The three winning teams from the previous round will go enter the final round of the Drottningbjotha. They will be joined by the team of the Iron Duke's champions.

The final round will be a grand melee between the 4 teams, with no time limit. One team wins once all their opponents have no champions left standing. The winning team will be crowned the victors of the Drottningbjotha.

==Spoils of the Contest==
* '''Every champion eliminated in the opening round will receive a dose of Skop's Mead'''
* '''Champions eliminated in the victors round will each receive a dose of Troubadour's Glory'''
* '''The losers in the final round will each receive a dose of Champion's Honey'''
* '''Every member of the winning team will each receive an Iron Owl'''
* '''The nation that wins the contest will receive a boon from those kings and queens of the Summer realm who have amity'''
As befits such a grand occasion, those who demonstrate their skills will be rewarded according to their success. Each individual champion who takes part but is eliminated in the opening round will receive a single dose of [[Philtres_of_War#Skop's_Mead|Skop's Mead]] in recognition of their brave efforts. Those eliminated in the victors round will be given a flask of ''Troubadour's Glory'', a heady brew prepared by servants of the ''[[Eleonaris|Lady of Pennants]]'' which apparently has the same benefits as Skop's Mead but also restores three lost body hits to the imbiber.

Each of the brave champions eliminated in the final round will be granted a snifter of ''Champion's Honey'', a rare brew from the cellars of the [[Jaheris#Brews_of_Silverbrow|Moonsilver King]] with effects comparable to those of the [[Philtres_of_War#Elixir_of_Exalted_Puissance|Elixir of Exalted Puissance]]. Each of the ten winners will instead receive an Iron Owl, a powerful talisman enchanted by Barien themselves, which grants [[Heroic_skills#Extra_Hero_Points|one additional hero point]] to anyone bonded to it.

Perhaps just as importantly, a nation that wins the contest will also receive the boons of the Summer realm. Each of the [[Alignment#Summer|monarchs of the Summer realm]] who has [[Alignment#Amity|amity]] at the end of the Winter Solstice summit will find a way to bless the lands of the winning nation.

If Barien's champions are defeated in the final round, they will receive a dose of Champion's Honey like the other champions. If they are victorious, they will claim the Iron Owls, and the nation's prize will be claimed by Enchanter Vesper Lucentia on behalf of Dawn.

With that, the curtain will fall on the Drottningbjotha, though not on the arena. It might take another 8 years for the next Drottningbjotha to be called, but the Tourneygrounds of Camock will play host to many more scenes of challenge and spectacle at the summits in between.

<!--
==Resolution==
During the Winter Solstice 387YE, the team captained by '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia''' of [[Dawn]] won the [[Opening_ceremonies|Drottningbjotha]] at the invitation of [[Barien]]. The next season, four of the Monarchs of Summer laid down their rewards for the nation: a [[Monarchs_and_outcasts#A_Boon_For_All_Seasons_(Various)|favour]] to each of the [[Knight-protector|Knights-protector]] that allowed them to call on their patron for a boon.

--!>

==Out of Character==
* '''Our new site includes a large covered grandstand'''
* '''This is now part of the IC location of Anvil and can be booked by players for their use through liaison with the civil service'''

Our new site features a large grandstand, which we're keen to integrate into the field at Anvil. Our set team are hard at work already, adapting that to make it look as impressive as possible for the first event. We don't have any plans to run a grand tourney like this every event, but it will be the natural place for plots like this to run in the future. Having the grandstand means we won't have to take over the Dawnish Glory Square every time we need to run a large set piece of plot in the future - so that location can remain for the exclusive use of the Dawnish and for plot aimed at the Dawnish.

The space will be a normal part of Anvil, managed by the civil service, so players are welcome to [[Anvil#Booking_Civil_Service_Spaces|book the arena]] for anything they are planning that would benefit from open space and tiered seating.
<ic>
The great warrior shifted, wheeling in the sand, his spear spinning in his hands.

"Hiyaa!" He lunged forwards, the weapon a blur as it darted through the air, left then right. An orc went down clutching his midriff. The crowd gasped, as three more enemies leapt forward to take his place. "Booooooo!" the people in the stands catcalled the villains for daring to attack him three to one.

"Yeaarrgh!" He yanked the pole-axe back, loading the heavy head behind his head, then brought it forwards with devastating speed. It struck the sand with a boom so loud, the shockwave hurled everyone from their feet.

An arrow came flying out of the distance, a deadly needle aimed directly for his head. Stumbling back, he pulled the quarterstaff up, just in time to knock the arrow from the air before it tore his throat out. Triumphant, he spun the weapon in one hand, then snapped it back, the haft behind his back, the point of the bhuj held out to the side to meet the rays of the setting sun.

"Carlos i Diez! Stop messing around and get on with it!"

The voice of the great warrior's mum cut through the cheers from the grandstand. Carlos turned his back on the shout and screwed up his face in anger before the moment of truculence gave way to inevitable defeat. There was an hour of daylight left and he'd miss everything if the job wasn't done by then. He lowered the head of the rake, until the tines sank in to the sand. Resigned to the defeat, he dragged it backwards, smoothing out the very same marks that his own heels had left a moment ago.

People would be here soon. Mum reckoned it was a day, two at most. If he helped her get the arena ready in time, she said he could watch it. A great big battle, a real one... with proper weapons and everything... all the mightiest heroes in Anvil...
</ic>

Monarchs and outcasts

2026-10-05T13:52:35Z

Responsible1: /* A Boon For All Seasons (Various) */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Spring]][[Category:Winds of Magic]]
<div style="float:left; width: 30%;; clear: right; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=A sacred ibis.jpg|align=right|width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
Six [[Realms|realms of magic]] align with the mortal world, whose [[Inhabitants of the realms|inhabitants]] are fundamentally different to the people of the mortal world and yet, to a degree, share some of their concerns. They are both complex and simple at the same time, seeking to change the world to match their perception of how it should work. They bargain and negotiate, threaten and cajole, and while it can be difficult to predict exactly where their gifts or curses might lead, still they have much to offer.

The Empire can reach out to the [[eternal|eternals]] through the powers of the [[Archmage|Archmages]] and the [[Conclave]], but the creatures of the realms may sometimes take the initiative themselves. The power of [[alignment]] allows the Conclave to make it easier or harder for them to touch the world, relationships shaped by the tension between true friends and dire enemies. Some desire that state of [[Alignment#amity|amity]], some revel in the [[Alignment#enmity|enmity]] they have earned, but none can deny the power of the Conclave to guard the borders of the Empire.

It is a rare season that passes without an eternal, or a handful, seeking to influence the Empire. There are other winds of fortune that speak of different situations. The responses to the [[archmage#plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] missives of the Archmages from this season is covered in the '''[[Key of dreams]]''' wind of fortune, while '''[[Ripple of echoes]]''' deals with magic of a mortal or mysterious prevenance and '''[[Things go awry]]''' deals specifically with the ongoing chaos relating to the [[Astronomancy|astronomantic]] [[Astronomancy#Constellations|constellations]].
==Spring==
===No Hiding Place (Irra Harah)===
* '''The Prince with a Thousand Foes is somewhat put out
Last season, a group of smiths and landskeepers [[The_thing_with_feathers#The_Stone_Cried_Out_(Irra_Harah_again)|were invited]] by the [[Irra_Harah|''Warrenwise'']] to attend a meeting at the ''Hare Stone'' in order to help address a particular issue. With that issue resolved, the group departed with a number of gifts from ''Papa Otec'' in thanks, including an incredibly powerful [[:Category:Paraphernalia|coven stone]] called ''the Protector's Stone''.

Apparently, that same evening that same powerful coven stone was deliberately destroyed by a casting of [[Words of Ending]]. To say ''The Prince with a Thousand Foes'' is insulted and upset would be something of an fairly massive understatement. When a visiting herald informed the civil service of this, words along the lines of "let's see them cast [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] in [[Mournwold#Alderly|Alderly]] again, I fucking dare them" were spoken in rather unkind tones to poor Jorgen. For the moment it doesn't seem that ''Shacklebreaker'' has taken any immediate action, but if the events surrounding the [[Ossium#Towers_of_Zulgan_Tash|Towers of Zulgan Tash]] and past issues with the [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] are anything to go by, it may not be wise to rely ''too'' much on Forge the Wooden Fastness until the ''Ward of the Young'' has been placated.
===Mycelium for Old Rope (Llofir)===
* '''Last season, Llofir offered the Navarr a boon offering help raising their army in return for a thousand herbs'''
* '''This season, Llofir is offering the equivalent of 20 mithril for a thousand herbs'''
* '''The herbs must all be of the same type'''
* '''The herbs can be handed over to Avery Farkas on the Sunday'''
* '''This opportunity will not be available after the Spring Equinox is over'''
Last season the [[Llofir|Rotlord]] approached the Navarr seeking their help - they need a huge bounty of herbs to power the creation of a new Paludarium and were willing to offer weapons and armour made from mycelium to help fund a new Navarr army. They wanted up to a thousand herbs, and offered the equivalent of 15 mithril in exchange. It's not clear if a large sapient mushroom can be disappointed, but if it could then it would be when no herbs were forthcoming.

After some consideration, the eternal has taken the assumption that the deal did not go ahead because the eternal did not offer enough in return. As a result, it has reiterated its offer but found more mycelium to pay for it. Now it offers the equivalent of '''20 mithril''' for '''1000 herbs''' - or proportionately less if preferred.

Eventually someone is able to track down one of Llofir's heralds and explain that one reason no herbs were delivered may be because the eternal didn't specify how the herbs ''could'' be handed over. After due consideration, the heralds ask Avery Farkas, one of the Navarr egregores, to nominate someone to organise and collect the herbs. Once Avery has found a willing volunteer, they can gather all the herbs they can acquire and then hand them over to Avery on the final day. A herald will collect them after the summit is over and ensure that they get given to Llofir.

There are two catches, the first is that the herbs must all be of the same type. Llofir's intends to consume all the herbs at the same time. The second is that the army must [[Mushroom,_mushroom,_mushroom#A_New_Army|be dedicated to the destruction of the vallorn]]. The army need not be linked to Llofir, it doesn't need to embrace the scouring quality - but the Senate motion to raise the army must clearly state that it is dedicated to the destruction of the vallorn.

==Summer==
===Gilded Bouquet (Eleonaris)===
* '''Eleonaris reaches out to her allies in the Empire to offer aid with invocations of her ''Knights of Glory''
* '''Elodian herself, one of Eleonaris' captains, is expected to arrive at 21:00 on Friday via the Hall of Worlds
All is well in the Empire, at least as far as the ''Lady of Pennants'' can tell, yet something must be amiss? Only three of her cohorts were summoned last season to join the Empire's great campaigns, half as many or fewer as were cast each season in the rest of the 387YE. Elodian, favoured herald of the ''Commander of the Golden Armies'' informs her that the Empire has been facing some issues with its regio recently, to which she is deeply distraught. Not back long from [[Where_the_slow_river_flows#Stormbreak|fighting alongside the Green Shields]] in [[Mitwold]], Elodian is quickly sent to travel to Anvil to offer some aid to help with further castings of the [[Knights of Glory]] and is expecting to arrive via the Hall of Worlds at around nine in the evening on Friday during the summit, to distribute these favours to any who might need them.

Elodian comes with a purpose of her own, as well as the one set by the ''Lady of Pennants''. Apparently, the soldiers of the [[Valiant Pegasus]] were acting awfully strange towards Elodian and her hammersmiths when fighting alongside them and the Green Shields in Mitwold this season. She is concerned that she may have in some way offended the Highborn, and so has asked the [[Archmage of Summer]] or her representative to meet her at the Hall of Worlds that she might be guided to the Chapel in the Highborn camp to speak to either '''Lucifer''' or the newly elected General of the Army. If her [[Root_and_branch#From_the_West|old comrade]] '''Sychar of Ebon's Hall''', other Highborn or anyone else might be willing to show up to explain why she and her warband might be being [[387YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_9|treated differently]], she would be very grateful.
===A Boon For All Seasons (Various)===
* '''The regents of the Summer Realm promised boons to Dawn for winning the Drottningbjotha'''
* '''Adamant, Meraud, Barien and Rhianos have each offered a boon to one of the Knight Protectors'''

The eternals of the Summer Realm that currently enjoy the [[Alignment#Amity|amity]] of the [[Conclave]] promised to grant a boon to the nation that won [[Opening ceremonies|the Drottningbjotha]]. The team put together by '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia''' on behalf of Dawn, was ultimately victorious, and so the three regents and their wise counsellor, Adamant, Meraud, Barien and Rhianos, prepare to make good on their promise.

Their original plan was to create one grand boon together, with each regent competing to add something to the magic. Unfortunately, that group quickly fall to squabbling. Rhianos argues for an idea involving beautiful seahorses made from foam and spume, that would lead Dawnish knights on adventures, Barien suggests a plan involving weavers producing inspiring banners, while Adamant is insistent that what the Dawnish really want is for Koboldi to build an enormous tower on top of the highest mountain in Dawn so that they can reach the stars "and fix them", while Meraud wants to unleash a trio of terrifying giants through the forests of Astolat so that the yeofolk can have tests of mettle trying to kill them. Eventually Barien is forced to accept that there is no possible way that the regents of Summer can cooperate and that very clearly none of them have the slightest idea what Dawn might want.

After a lot more arguing there is a compromise, each lord will adopt a single [[knight-protector]], the closest to their heart.

* '''Rhianos chooses the Knight-Protector of Spring'''
* '''Meraud chooses Artreus D'Fauntine, the Knight-Protector of Summer'''
* '''Barien chooses the Knight-Protector of Autumn'''
* '''Adamant chooses Aletheia Wooder, the Knight-Protector of Winter'''

Each of the chosen knights will receive a favour from their summer patron. They can use their favour to request a boon from the eternal in question, activating the magic will allow the knight to send a short simple message to the summer realm. They should use this to let their patron know what their heart desires. Barien's herald is clear that this boon is for the Land of the Glorious Morning (by which he means Dawn). Barien expects whatever it is that Dawn most wants to magically manifest itself in the hearts of the Knight-Protectors. Barien is generally considered the wisest of all the Summer eternals, but all too often that is a very low bar.

The Knight-Protector of Spring is due to be re-elected this season, so ''Furole'' has given his boon to the Dawnish egregore. Once the nation has made their choice then the new Knight-Protector will receive ''Lady Gullscry's'' favour. Likewise Barien intends to wait until the nation appoints a new Knight-Protector of Autumn and make the same arrangements. Neither Meraud nor Adamant are content to wait, so their favoured knights will receive their favours this season. Of course the knight-protector can choose ''when'' to use their boon, but the ''Iron Duke''s suggests they do not wait ''too'' long. The lords of the Summer Realm can only aid the Empire while they have amity - and who knows how long the fickle affections of the [[Conclave]] will last?

The herald also points out that the powers of the regents of Summer are as far from limitless as the Sun is distant from the Moon. These favours are the kind a knight should expect from their liege for winning an important tourney. Dawn's knight-protectors may ask for ''anything'', the regents of the Summer realm will determine what they ''get''. Perhaps Barien is not such a naïf after-all...

==Autumn==
===How to Succeed in Business (Ephisis)===
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Dispose of the Quicksilver's Flame'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Motion Type: ''' [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|Concedence]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' The beneficiary of the sale</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Benefit:''' 80 wains of white granite and 240 crowns </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' The Quicksilver's Flame will be dismantled and removed</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the beginning of the Spring Equinox 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:'''
* Cannot proceed if a [[declaration]] of [[Alignment#Acceptance|acceptance]] prohibits the sale
* Cannot proceed if Ephisis is under enmity</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''The Empire could sell the Quicksilver's Flame to the City of Gold and Lead'''
* '''The sale requires a Senate motion to cede the fortification to the eternal'''
* '''The Conclave could use a declaration of acceptance to veto the sale'''
The ''Prince of Scales'' has a buyer with some very specific requirements. They wish to purchase a fortification, and by good fortune, the Quicksilver's Flame in [[Morrow]] is close enough to their specifications. As a result, the ''Grand Plutocrat'' is ready and willing to facilitate the exchange, assuming the Empire is prepared to sell. The City offers the construction cost of 80 wains of white granite and 240 crowns in return for the right to dismantle the fortification and remove it... lock, key and gatepost.

The proposed sale has some constitutional implications, to put it mildly. The fortification is the property of the Empire; nobody, not even the Conclave, can simply dispose of it without the explicit approval of the Imperial [[Senate]]. Legally, it is very clear that the sale requires the fortification to be [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|ceded to the eternal]] - and that can only happen with a successful [[Senate motion]].

However, the [[Conclave]] have the responsibility to ''"ensure the fit and proper use of magic"'', so this arrangement clearly falls squarely within their purview. After lengthy consideration, the Constitutional Court are not inclined to ''require'' the Conclave to approve the sale using a [[declaration]] - instead they have issued guidance that the concession could not proceed if the Conclave passed a declaration of [[Alignment#Acceptance|acceptance]] to reject the offer. While this is clearly a compromise, the Court hopes that it at least balances the constitutional rights of both houses without putting additional burdens on their capacity and time.

If the Senate were minded to accept the sale, then the motion should state who will receive the sale funds. The offer remains available for one year, until the beginning of the Spring Equinox 389YE.
===The Final Vault (Ephisis)===
* '''An Ephisis herald plans to auction entry to a final vault of the City of Gold and Lead'''
* '''Posters naming the owner of the vault will be provided at the Hub and the Hall of Worlds'''
* '''The auction will take place at 20:00 on Friday in the Hall of Worlds, using crystal mana'''
* '''Purchasable slots in the vault will be between 11am and 1145am on the Saturday of the Spring Equinox'''

The Autumn regio of the Empire have been mercifully free of flyers recently. A week before the Spring Equinox, that changes. Several powerful autumn regio begin to spew forth flyers like a geyser erupting. The stream of papers forms a vaguely humanoid shape, which announces in a booming voice that ''Keel, respected herald of the Hidden Prince'' is ecstatic to announce their final auction for exclusive visitation to one of the City of Gold and Lead's vaults whose owner has long since defaulted on payment.

There is an awkward apology with the unseasonable delay - unfortunately this particular vault has run into some trouble. The Lictors got themselves involved, demanding proof of the owner's untimely demise. Now that this has been provided, they are unable to stop the auction continuing. Hurrah!

Posters will be left in the Hall of Worlds and the Hub detailing the owner of this season's vault - but Keel promises that this one is "a doozy" and "a fitting finale". The auction itself will take place at 8pm on the Friday of the Spring Equinox in the Hall of Worlds. The currency will be crystal mana.

Four slots, each lasting 5 minutes, will be auctioned. Each slot allows four people entry into the vault. Whilst inside, visitors may act as they wish. They will be permitted to leave with a small basked of goods (containing no paper) and a single piece of paper each should they wish. Any objects (besides the single piece of paper each) which do not fit in the basket, and any paper place in the basket must be returned to the vault.

As always, Keel warns that those purchasing a later slot in the vault should be aware of the risk that there is nothing of value left for them to take. She hopes that in these circumstances, the lucky visitors would still enjoy a rare visit to the City - even though they will be of course unable to see any of it outside the vault. Bidders should also be aware that access to the vault requires access to the Hall of Worlds, and any appropriate arrangements to reach the space are the responsibility of the ticket-holder, and not the Lady of the Counting House or any of her intermediaries.

This season, the slots to visit the vault will only be available between 11am and 11:45am on the Saturday of the Spring Equinox. Availability should be assured before committing to bidding to avoid disappointment.

<box> '''Access Information'''</br> Full access information for the vault encounters are available on request from any crew member with a radio. But in particular we wish to draw attention to the fact that this vault makes extensive use of written material, and sifting through written information to a time limit is a key aspect of the encounter.</box>

===One-Hahaha, Two-Hahaha (Ephisis)===
* '''The City of Gold and Lead is offering to create proposals for a Counting House in Hercynia, Kallavesa or the Barrens'''
* '''Each would require the construction of a large edifice which would need to be ceded to Ephisis'''
* '''The territories in question would see a boost in taxation to the Imperial treasury'''
* '''The City must permit all trade bar the ''sale'' of people in the Counting House'''
* '''The City will proceed to draw up a detailed proposal if requested to do so by the Conclave'''
Erlend Gunnulfsson has been pressing the heralds of the [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] to consider the creation of a fane, a grand structure dedicated to the marketplace, a site where coins can flow like water turning the wheels of commerce and bringing [[Prosperity]] to all. Surprisingly, the City initially rejected the idea of building such a structure in one of the great cities of [[the League]]. The reasoning was simple - the cities of [[the League]] are some of the richest and wealthiest places in the Empire - there is no doubt at all that building a counting house would provide profits there, but [[Holberg]], [[Temeschwar]], [[Sarvos]], [[Spiral#Apulian|Apulian]] and [[Tassato]] are all thriving! Businesses are open, prices are low, the markets are competitive.

The City of Lead and Gold does not go rushing blindly into a busy marketplace. Not when there are other lands which businesses are scarce, prices are high and competition is sorely lacking. The purpose of a Counting House is not to make money - that is the purpose of the occupants of the Counting House. The reason to build a house, the reason to create one, is to encourage trade, to bolster businesses, to encourage the local economy to flourish.

For this reason the factors of the ''Prince of Scales'' believe that the returns for everyone would be better if a Counting House was build somewhere where trade does not currently flourish. Having ruled out current territories where war is currently raging, the City has identified three territories that would all benefit significantly from the presence of a Counting House, namely [[Kallavesa]], [[The Barrens]] and [[Hercynia]]. The three are presented in order of which would benefit the most, but all three are very close, there is not much in it.

Before they put further time into such a proposal, the hands of the ''Merchant Queen'' wish to be certain that a proposal would be welcomed. Arrangements would need to made, the Empire would need to pay for a substantial investment, at least thirty wains, possibly more, and the resulting edifice would need to be ceded to Ephisis once it was complete. They would then choose someone to operate the Counting House and look to make a profit thereby. Goods would then be widely available in the territory, people could come to the Counting House to buy and sell as they please, just as folk trade using [[Ephisis' Scale]] now. That would be bound to increase taxation in the territory - boosting the Imperial and Anvil economy.

Such are the many positive gains to be had from the wonders of trade. But the heralds note two concerns - the first is that trade in anything would need to be legal in the Counting House. Out of deference to the particular wishes of the Empire, the Counting House will not engage in any trade in people, an easy agreement to make since the current seat of the Voivode of Chains is empty and likely to remain so. However, they cannot stop the trade in any other physical goods, as such restrictions are anathema to the agents of the ''High Merchant''. If a bustling trade in substances like bite, as takes place now via [[Ephisis' Scale]], were going to prove a problem then it may be better not to proceed.

Of course, the inhabitants of the City thinks it would be better if the Empire scrapped these foolish laws placing limits on trade altogether. But, they understand that mortals are often unwilling to do that, despite the many clear benefits that unrestricted access to the marketplace serves to lower prices for everyone. However, since the Counting House would need to be ceded anyway, legally all trades would be taking place under the auspices of the City of Gold and Lead, rather than being covered by [[Imperial law]]. Still, the heralds appreciate that legal technicalities may not solve all problems, and so they politely request that the Conclave use a declaration of acceptance ''if and only if'' they wish the City of Gold and Lead to make a formal proposal for the construction of Counting Houses in the three territories.

Such a request should made with the full understanding that it would need to be ceded to the City, that the City would chose who ran the Counting House and that all trade - bar the sale of people would be fully legal within the premises. If the conclave indicate that those arrangements meet the Empire's need, then the City will spend the time and money needed to produce a detailed specification to be presented for consideration, as soon as it is available. The factors of the City of Gold and Lead understand if those conditions are not acceptable to the Empire, but on this occasion, the conditions are not negotiable.

===The Nobility of the Maggot (Callidus)===
* '''Callidus is keen to reach out to the maggots of Wintermark
* '''Several secretaries are expected to visit the Wintermark camp at 12.30 on Sunday
The [[Callidus|Prince of the Argent Tontine]] has received reports from his heralds that the wise and practical [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Maggot|maggots]] of Wintermark are an unfairly maligned group, and wishes to exalt and encourage them. To this end, he intends to send a small number of his secretaries to the Wintermark camp at around half past twelve on Sunday afternoon, to help any interested parties who wish to embolden and enhance their skills in maggotry for the coming year.

Those who wish to barter for these boons are advised to be able to provide a token; a piece of jewellery, an amulet or personal talisman, or some similar trinket. In the event of successful negotiation, the heralds plan to invest a little bit of Autumn magic into this token.

===Closing Orders (Callidus)===
* ''' Multitudo, herald of Callidus, will be showing up at 19:30 on Saturday to discuss the purchase of the sash of Guerra.
A herald of [[Callidus]], a short figure with curling horns and gold lines running over their skin, has delivered a letter to the civil service at [[Anvil]]. The letter contains an offer of a business deal, an opportunity for [[the Brass Coast]], [[Magpies]] and anyone else interested to purchase the Sash of [[Guerra]].

This will be a direct sale at Anvil, as a member of the trade party will have the Sash on them. The deal will be done with Multitudo and a second party at 19:30 on Saturday of the Anvil Summit. The lackey of the ''Prince of the Argent Tontine'' stresses that this is one-time offer, to demonstrate what can be achieved if the Empire truly desires it. They do not intend to initiate such a services again, the finding of lost items, however the ''Golden Bargainer'' is more than willing to consider it in response to a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] in which it was the sole subject.

===The Hunt for Stephen of Sarcombe (Lictors)===
* '''The Sun Chamber has requested that the Lictors help track down and arrest Stephen of Sarcombe
The [[Lictors]] were delighted to receive a request for assistance from the Sun Chamber last season. That the future of the empire cares so deeply about arresting criminals and punishing oath breakers speaks well to its prospects. The Lictors will ''always'' be keen to offer their assistance in hunting down such individuals and providing all aid possible, and given their current level of [[Alignment#Amity|access]] to the Empire they are ideally placed to do so.

There is however the small matter of proof. The accusations that the Sun Chamber have made are ''exceptionally'' serious and not to be levelled lightly. Under normal circumstances, the ''Brass Magistrates'' would ask to see contractual evidence to support, the cities of the Labyrinth always recommend a formal written contract for anything of import, so that these things can be independently verified, but they are aware that that is not always possible. And ultimately, an oath is still an oath, even if no record of it is ever made.

In the case of Stephen of Sarcombe however, the Brass Magistrates have carried out an initial investigation and the situation remains occluded. The individual has sworn oaths of fealty, that much is true, just not to the Empire as far as the ''Reckoners'' can tell. Stephen was born in Mournwold, but the territory was under the rule of the Jotun at the time. The ''Chainbound'' have yet to find evidence that Stephen was ever oathbound to the Marches.

Of course there may be more to discover. The Lictors have been invoked and consequences will follow. The ''City of Bar and Bond'' intends to dispatch one of their ''Reckoners'' to the Sodality Chamber at 8.30pm on the Friday of the Spring Equinox in order to discuss the specific nature of the Sodality's claims regarding Stephen's oathbreaking in order to consider what precise aid they may be able to render. The ''Furious Ones'' advise members of the Sun Chamber to gather what evidence they have in readiness, and prepare to make their case.

==Winter==
===A Question of Jetsam (Khobel Tavah)===
* '''Khobel Tavah have confirmed that Eilian Sweetwater is entirely physically safe and will remain so indefinitely'''
* '''Eilian Sweetwater will be swiftly returned as befits ''lost flotsam'' if the Conclave makes a Declaration of Acceptance declaring themselves responsible for the consequences'''
* '''The Golden Fleet Salvagemaster and the commissioner of Eilian's sabbatical are asked to attend a meeting on the Friday evening of the solstice at 22:10 to discuss the ''jetsam'''''
Eilian Sweetwater is one of the more beloved prognosticators the Prognosticator's Office possesses. An experienced researcher with a can-do attitude that befits his long time as an active member of Storm's Run Striding, he is well-known for combining a passion for the lessons the Empire's history has to teach us with a willingness to put on his mud boots and wade into the practical constraints of a problem. Unfortunately, he has been missing for half a year - ever since his sabbatical pursuing a survey of the Empire's historical lighthouses was cut short by the [[Grendel]] invasion of Redoubt in the Autumn of 387YE. At the time, Eilian was investigating the ruins of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros, which had been destroyed in an earlier Grendel attack in the Winter of 386YE - he disappeared after the attack and has not been seen since.

It is believed by some that he fled the Grendel into the caves below the lighthouse, where a powerful Winter regio lies in a cave known as the Cave of the Drowned. These rumours were given some support when, at a recent parley, the Winter eternal known as the Two-Who-Are-One, [[Khobel Tavah]], is said to have confirmed that Eilian was safe and in some sense under their protection. If this is true, however, it is not clear that Eilian is able to leave. Certainly, nothing of him has been heard since: until now. Some weeks before the Spring Equinox, a startling figure emerges from the door to the Hall of Worlds. Their gaunt, corpse-like appearance marks them as inhuman, a creature of the Realms. However, they are dressed in the garb of a Highborn sailor: the bell and the book at their belt suggest nothing more than a Steward of the Dead. Indeed, they identify themselves as the Speaker for the Drowned, herald of the Sunken Rope. They begin to relay a message from the eternal they serve.

The figure recounts the missing part of the story of Eilian's flight. Separated from their companions on the island in the midst of the Grendel attack, Eilian fled wounded to the cave of the Drowned below the isle of Nikephoros. It seems the herald of [[Kimus]] known as Fotismos perished as they attempted to defend their charge. The drowned figure does not dwell on this point, mentioning only that the affairs of the ''Unblinking Eye'' are not theirs to comment upon but that the [[Archmage of Day|Archmage of the Sea Above]] probably ought to be informed.

Alone and desperately afraid, Eilian believed in that moment that he would surely die. The Speaker says that a fervent and desperate plea from a terrified soul is exactly the kind of call that Fear Death by Water are responsive to. "There, in Her bosom and under His eye", says the Speaker for the Drowned, "your missing ''lost flotsam'' is safe - [[Kaela|Queen Esk's]] touch cannot find him in the abyssal darkness of the uttermost salt. He is suspended in terror, and terror preserves." They say this dispassionately - there is no sense of cruelty as one might expect from a representative of [[The Thrice-cursed Court]]. To the ''Speaker for the Drowned'', it seems perfectly natural that one might exist in such a state - especially if one wanted to remain protected from harm.

The Speaker explains that it is not the wish of Fear and Her Bride to deprive the Empire of their precious ''lost flotsam''. Eilian is not theirs to keep - there are old laws of the sea regarding such things. However, the chamber in which he dwells, known as the Uttermost Salt, was not unoccupied. "There is ''jetsam'' there, too - something long sealed away by an old bargain. If the flotsam is to be released into your care - and he will need care - you should know that the ''jetsam'' within the Uttermost will also follow. The gate does not open for one alone."

The Speaker for the Drowned is clear that Eilian will be returned swiftly if the Conclave makes a Declaration of Acceptance - a suggested text is provided - thanking the Sunken Rope for taking care of their lost flotsam, and accepting all responsibility for what will follow and any doom that might subsequently fall. The Consorts of Dark Water are hopeful that his stay with them has given Eilian some ideas as to how the Lighthouse at Nikephoros, constructed as a grand regio in their name in times past, can be restored. If the Conclave decides they do ''not'' want to accept the consequences of his release, that is fine - Terror-Under-Wave will continue his preservation for as long as they wish. He will be physically entirely safe. There is no cause for alarm.

<quote by="The Speaker for the Drowned's suggested Declaration of Acceptance">The Conclave thankfully claims Eilian Sweetwater as ''lost flotsam'' from Sunken Rope, and asks that the depths of the Uttermost Salt be emptied, that he might be immediately returned.

In doing so, they accept full responsibility for the doom that will follow.</quote>

Jorgen, the long-suffering [[Civil Service|civil servant]] who often fields visitors from the realms and asks what exactly this ''jetsam'' that will "follow" is, and what this "doom" that might subsequently fall might be. The Steward of the Drowned looks genuinely surprised at the question - it seems to have expected its cryptic utterances to be understood. After a little thought it says that it will arrange for a chamber to be adjoined to the Hall of Worlds at the time of favourable omen, so that the Empire may send its Receiver of Wreck to discuss the affair.

When it is explained that no such position exists, it is finally agreed that the [[Golden Fleet Salvagemaster]], '''Caleb of the Cenotaph''', and the hakima and public artist '''Allegra i Riqueza''' (who is responsible for Eilian's wellbeing) are invited to meet the Steward in the Hall of Worlds at 22:10 on the Friday of the Spring Equinox. They will adjourn to a chamber, where the matter of the ''jetsam'' will be discussed. The [[Conclave]] may want to defer their decision until this meeting has concluded - but it is not obligatory.

===Moments of Contemplation (Sorin)===
* '''The Tomb King invites five pairs of Imperial heroes to attend him in a chamber, beyond the Hall of Worlds, at 22:15 on the Saturday of the coming summit'''
* '''Named are Umarth Kannask, Odd Twiceborn, and Towlen Nighthaven. Each of these, and two others, must bring with them one who knows them intimately to enumerate their hypocrisies and weaknesses'''
* '''Should the Hungry Wolf be pleased that the Empire is learning well of his truth, then he consents to grant a ritual from the Book of Ahsaver to Towlen Nighthaven'''
Last season, the ''Tomb King'' [[The_thing_with_feathers#Moments_of_Silence_(Sorin)|sent his Sepulchral Pontifex]] to visit the Imperial Orcs with an offer. He is apparently quite pleased with the respect shown by the Unshackled at Anvil, and especially with the actions of '''Karrak''' and '''Stormsteel Skorr'''. The ''Whelpmaster'' also notes that one of their number, '''Bloodcrow Arora''' has shown the wisdom and strength to take the title of [[Archmage of Winter]] from their predecessor. This too pleases the ''Lord of the Monolith'' as it means it should be even easier to arrange a [[Alignment#Acceptance|declaration of acceptance]] to offer him the contents of the tomb of Alicia-who-knew-the-path in Eoradal in exchange for the great boon that was offered. It would appear to be even more useful given the events in [[Mareave]] this season.

[[Sorin|''The Bleak Exarch'']] notes the commitment the Empire has demonstrated toward his cause, that of ridding the self of weakness, but remains eternally unsatisfied, for the work is far from complete. He therefore invites '''Umarth Kannask''' and '''Odd Twiceborn''' to share what wisdom they have learned now that their blessing of Sand-blasted Ties is fading, as well as '''Towlen Nighthaven''', who has invoked their Pallid Charm to ask a favour of ''the Empty One''. In addition, two others, of Umarth and Odd Twiceborn's choosing, are welcome to present themselves to ''the Silent Kingdom''.

Each of these five will enter the chamber separately, at the invitation of a [[Inhabitants_of_the_realms#Heralds|herald]], there to meet ''the Lord of the Monolith'' himself. However, they will bring with them a partner. This person should know the invitee well, but be little known to ''the Father of Draughir''. Preferably, they should not be a mage at all, for the cause goes much beyond the practice of magic. They will have a short amount of time to explain to ''the Prince in Rags'' what hypocrisies and weaknesses the invitee still has to overcome. To illustrate, Towlen Nighthaven may bring a friend, and that friend will speak to Sorin of Towlen Nighthaven's hypocrisies.

The heralds explain that Towlen Nighthaven has requested help reclaiming the Book of Ahsaver. Their lord is not inclined to do so, but will offer a ritual taken from there to him, if the citizens of the Empire can prove they have begun to understand his wisdom in the chamber before him.

===Bound by Obligation (Tharim)===
* '''Tharim's herald has presented a boon on behalf of the eternal Agramant'''
* '''Varushkans that send a bloodied handprint along with any Tribute to the Thrice Cursed Court will receive a boon from Agramant'''
* '''The boon will grant the user a way to contact the eternal'''
Beneath a waning moon, a creature trussed in rusted chains emerges from the Imperial Regio ahead of the summit. It speaks through a jaw bound by iron, its gesture's constrained by the scrape of iron upon iron. It is clearly a herald of [[Tharim]], but it explains that ''Stoneheart'' is held by black iron law of a sworn oath, and so it is here to carry a message on behalf of the vile wretch [[Agramant]].

Grinding and chipping its teeth behind the jagged tines encasing its mouth, the herald recites the message. In remembrance of the Howler's favoured collaborator Milos Durenovich - so cruelly butchered as they sought to secure the survival of their people - ''Ropechewer'' shall offer the people of [[Varushka]] a boon. Throughout the coming summit, any citizen of Varushka who sends a bloodied handprint alongside a [[Tribute to the Thrice Cursed Court]] shall receive, with their allotment of [[vis#Heart's Blood|heart's blood]], a bloodied twig - a talisman allowing its user to send a missive to ''Drowner'' in his icy abode.

With a rattling groan and a look of palpable disgust, the herald then proceeds to depart once more into the regio, shedding flakes of corroded metal that dust the dewy grass underfoot with each step.

==Day==
===The Turning of the Wheel (Sinokenon)===
* '''Sinokenon is sending two of its heralds at 10:15 on Saturday, tasked with a public relations mission'''
[[Sinokenon]] is an [[eternal]] whose relationship with the Empire has generally been consistently cordial, if never close. It has tended to pay most attention to the Empire at times when the ruling [[the Throne|Throne]] of the era has been able to successfully bend the institutions of the Empire to a single cause; nevertheless, even in less unified times it has rarely shown the Empire animosity. It has helped the Empire in recent years, most notably assisting the Archmage of Day to warn the people of [[Tsark]] of a planned raid by the [[Axos|Axou]] and the [[Grendel]].

Recently, it attempted to help the foreigners of the [[Mirror_and_the_flame#The_Silver_Flame_of_Unity|Silver Flame enclave]] with their negotiations with the Empire. However, these efforts seem to have been unsuccessful, and the Conclave chose to [[387YE_Winter_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Alignment:_Sinokenon,_Neutrality|rebuke]] Sinokenon's advances. While the Silver Flame have [[Journeys_end_in_lovers_meeting#Flame_on_the_pinnacle|their own response]] to the failure of those efforts, Sinokenon's heralds have reached out to the [[Civil Service|civil service]] expressing what appears to be genuine confusion and concern. They profess to be alarmed by the very idea that Sinokenon would ever seek to subvert or countermand the [[Imperial Constitution]].

The ministers of the ''Silver Ministry'' appear to believe that this must be some kind of misunderstanding. They have assured the civil service that Sinokenon has never been more certain that the Empire is going in the right direction. Their ministers have made clear that, in particular, they regard Emperor Vesna as a particularly gifted occupant of the Throne. They point to [[Push_for_victory|the recent Imperial address]] as proof of her statecraft. Apparently, ''That Which Lives In Its Name'' had been minded to petition the Archmage of Day for the Conclave's amity - but has now put these plans on hold. Instead, two of its ministers - the Senior and Junior Minister for Casinean Public Relations - have been instructed to visit Anvil at the Spring Equinox on the Saturday morning, so as to best gauge Sinokenon's reputation at the present time and to take steps to alleviate any dismay or misapprehension.

Arriving around 10:15 and staying until a little after 13:00, they would be delighted to meet with the Archmage of Day as part of this visit; however, Sinokenon's heralds are clear that the real focus will be talking to the foundation-stones of the Imperial hierarchy - the ordinary people who make it work - and distributing gifts and pamphlets that demonstrate Sinokenon's beneficial intentions. They appear confident that by raising their reputation with the foundation of Imperial society in this manner, they will comprehensively dissolve any negative reputation for the ''Turning Mirror'' that might exist. It remains to be seen whether or not they are remotely correct in their assumptions.

===Out in the Open (Roshanwe)===
* '''Roshanwe has asked for a meeting with the Archmage of Day
* '''A herald of the Navigator aims to arrive in the Hall of Worlds at 22:00 on Saturday
In a prompt and timely manner, but not too much in advance of the Spring Equinox, a message from the ''Finder of the Path'' is delivered in very neat handwriting to the civil servants working at the [[Astolat#Castle of Thorns|Castle of Thorns]]. This is all considered normal and usual, until the contents are read.

A trusted herald of the ''Navigator'' intends to arrive in the Hall of Worlds on Saturday at 22:00 and hopes to speak with the [[Archmage of Day]] or their designated representative, regarding a particular matter. This is not a secret matter, as such, but simply something better discussed in person. Ideally without any eavesdroppers. The Archmage of Day is welcome to discuss their conversation with anyone they choose after the herald has left, but a degree of discretion is requested until that time.

One last important note, this herald will ''not'' be talking about lighthouses, despite them being of great interest to the ''Beacon''. If they choose to take the alleged expertise of [[Khobel Tavah]] on building them, over hers, as they did with [[Kimus]] when building the lighthouse at Apulian, that's absolutely fine. Of course, if Eilian Sweetwater had come to the ''Mariner'' when producing the [[For_those_in_peril_on_the_sea|appraisal]] on the matter, even to ask her opinion, he might not be in such dire straits as he is now, but what's done is done. If the Empire ever ''did'' want to talk to ''The Finder of the Path'' on the topic however, a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] on the topic would be very pleasing.

===Staring at the Sun (Kimus)===
* '''Kimus brings word of a collaborative effort between itself and a coven of seers from Redoubt to better understand the threat of Cold Sun'''
* '''The Urizeni, particularly the current seat of the Brilliant Star, Volidus, should expect the eternal's heralds at 18:15 on Friday in the Hall of Worlds'''
Unfolding from [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio|the Imperial regio]] as the sun is at its zenith but days before the Spring Equinox, a Vizier of [[Kimus|''She Who Watches'']] goes initially unnoticed amidst the sweltering heat of high spring. The herald is content to remain motionless as they observe the comings and goings of Anvil through its many staring eyes.

When it is finally approached and asked why it is here, they seem to consider the question with the same unblinking intensity before finally responding. They explain that in distant [[Redoubt]], within the dead caldera of a long-dead volcano lies ''Terminus Sol'' a potent regio corrupted by the invasion of [[Cold Sun]]. At this very moment, the Vizier continues, a [[coven]] of [[seer|seers]] from [[Redoubt#Delving|Delving]] known as ''The Circle of Enduring Wisdom'' is preparing to divine knowledge and understanding from the blinding fire of Cold Sun.

This process, formulated with assistance from ''The Celestial Eye'', depends on a final element - one that must be carried through the [[Sentinel Gate]]. The herald requests that representatives of [[Urizen]], in particular Volidus, the overseer of the Brilliant Star, should watch the [[Hall of Worlds]] for the arrival of further emissaries of ''The Glass of the Heavens'' at six hours and fifteen minutes past midday upon the first day of the coming equinox.
===Whalefail (Leviathan)===
* '''Leviathan has failed to secure any of Damakhan's blades
''[[Leviathan|She Who Counts the Ripples]]'' has [[To_fight_aloud#The_Forge|expressed an interest]] in the artefact known colloquially as the Sword of Damakhan. Wishing to secure the item for its historical value, the ''Fish of Why'' made an approach to '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''' who wields the blade as [[general]] of the [[Argent Sword]]. Through a special performance of [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]], discussion was had of what payment might be required to claim the blade. It seems that the [[Urizen|Urizeni]] were keen to replace their single sword with three other famous blades of Damakhan, tied to the three pillars of their nation. The ''Watcher Beneath the Waters'' agreed to consider the matter, believing that some or all of these swords were part of the collection of [[Zakalwe|Weapon Wise]]. By all accounts the ''Deep One'' was certain he could persuade Zakalwe to part with one of the blades. Clytemnestra was clear however that it would take all three swords to secure the final lesson of Damakhan.

Shortly before the Spring Equinox, a morose herald of the ''Hierarch of the Deepest Depth'' delivered a message to the Castle of Thorns. ''The Unspeakable One Who Lies Beneath The Eternal Ocean'' has failed utterly to make Zakalwe see reason and hand over ''any'' of the swords Clytemnestra wants let alone all three of them. As a consequence, he wishes to assure the Urizen that he has withdrawn his statement of interest in acquiring the blade and will instead watch with interest as it continues to carve its path through history.

==Night==
===Tyrannical Discipline (Whisper Gallery)===
* '''The Emerald Scholar in Sable Ribbons desires poetry from Steinr poets
* '''Performances of Whispering Shadow Courtiers can be enhanced to claim a bounty of crystal fire if they involve both an appropriate poem and poet
[[Whisper_Gallery#Members of the Court|The Emerald Scholar in Sable Ribbons]] is a known lover of poetry and is looking for some new reading material to "pass the time". In particular, it has apparently acquired a taste for the poetry of the [[Steinr]] of [[Wintermark]]. During the Spring Equinox, any magician who casts [[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]] using an additional measure of [[iridescent gloaming]] and incorporating both poem and Steinr poet into the performance will receive three [[Vis#Crystal Fire|crystal fire]] in thanks. Each poet may only make one submission, but magicians of any people or nation may help as many Steinr wordsmiths as please them. It's not entirely clear how anyone knows this is the case; anyone speaking of it is invariably reporting something they heard from a friend of a friend or read somewhere they cannot put their finger on. There may be a nefarious plan here, or it might just be that the Scholar is simply interested in art. With the Whisper Gallery, it is sometimes hard to separate the two.

Obviously there are several problems with this. The Whisper Gallery are under [[alignment#enmity|enmity]] of the [[Conclave]]. Whispering Shadow Courtiers is interdicted by that enmity. Accepting boons from an eternal under enmity is a crime. Of course, none of this is of the last concern to Emerald Scholar in Sable Ribbons.

'''OOC Note''': Anyone wanting to take advantage of this opportunity will need to ensure that the Steinr poet is a participant in the roleplay of the ritual (they do not need to be a [[Rituals#Contributors|contributor]]). Both the performers and the poet should speak to either a referee at the regio tent or a member of the GOD staff after performing the ritual.

===Torch of Shadows (Janon)===
* '''Janon welcomes Vellenka Vanyanova as the new Shadowed Torchbearer'''
* '''Heralds will attend Anvil at 19:00 on Friday to dispense Janon's blessings'''
* '''Heralds of Janon have also been seen throughout the Empire making similar offers to the people'''
Last season the conclave elected a new [[Shadowed Torchbearer]], '''Vellenka Vanyanova''', and [[Janon]] is quick to send her congratulations. The ''Muse of Fire'' loves to meet new people, and expresses hope that their new friend's tenure will burn fast and bright, leaving behind only beautiful ashes to inspire those who come after. In order to properly greet his new agent in the Empire, ''Freedom's Flame'' will send heralds to Anvil via the Hall of Worlds at 19:00 on Friday in order to dispense blessings, respond to requests and hand over a list of demands. The ''Night Sword'' is not a being noted for restraint. What sie wants remains to be seen.

In the meantime, reports of heralds of the ''Scribe of Burning Names'' are becoming more and more common across the Empire. This is not entirely surprising; the ''Voice of Zorech'' is under [[Alignment#Amity|amity]] and the doors are wide open to xir servants. What is causing some raised eyebrows is the fact that more and more often these heralds are offering to 'bless' those they meet, just as their counterparts in Anvil have been doing. The number of people willing to take them up on their offer varies from place to place; there is far more interest among curious Freeborn than there is among the cautious and restrained chapter houses of Highguard.

Where people do accept the gift, the outcome is always the same. The 'blessing' turns out to be nothing more than [[Unfettered Anarchy]], a curse well-known to the Empire. There are some minor consequences - arguments, brawls, and acts of civil disobedience from the afflicted. Magistrates reiterate once again that being cursed is no defence in the eyes of the law, and remind all citizens that responsibility for their actions is ultimately their own. Nonetheless, conservative onlookers observe this trend with a sceptical eye. Today the ''Firebrand'' offers blessings. What will it do tomorrow?
===Messups for Sadogua (Sadogua)===
* '''Sadogua has been having difficulty replying to his mail
* '''He intends to deal with it following the Arcane Colloquium on Saturday evening in the Hall of Worlds
* '''He wants to be clear he is definitely not Dumon
Over the last six months, claims the little black and yellow herald in the peculiar hat, the [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] has received quite a lot of [[Missive for Sadogua|messages]] from his friends in the Empire. Unfortunately, since the Autumn Equinox, he has been having a... the herald is clearly paraphrasing here... a dickens of a time responding. Something, he says, is messing with his ability to dispatch his return messages. The herald says that the ''Globbersnotch'' believes that there are only two possible causes - that it is something to do with the current "star crisis" going on in the Empire (this would likely be the matter discussed in the '''[[Things go awry]]''' wind of fortune), or more likely that it is part of a sinister plot by his wicked old foes the ''Circle of Zulgan Tash''.

To resolve the matter, he intends to send someone with authority to deliver his letters to the Hall of Worlds on Saturday evening after the [[arcane Colloquium]]. He promises that this won't disrupt the [[Sevenfold Path]] or [[Silver Chalice]] meetings, and he'll - that is his representative - will be out of there before [[Conclave]] starts. Anyone who sent a ''Missive to Sadogua'' at the Autumn Equinox or the Winter Solstice should come along and pick up a response. One way or another there will be a response.

''Assuming'' of course that the ''Father of Bats'' still has [[Alignment#Amity|amity]] of course. Apparently some of his friends have mentioned that the [[Synod]] has been [[387YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_24|discussing]] the "fact" that he is the entity the [[Iron Confederacy|Suranni]] know as "[[Suranni_pantheon#Dumon_the_Liar,_the_Wicked_One|Dumon the Liar]]". He would very much like to go on record, again, to make it clear that he is ''definitely not'' Dumon the Liar as he has explained to assorted Imperial magicians at various points. The Hand of Dumon and their ilk occasionally insist he ''is'' Dumon the Liar but that's coming ''entirely'' from them. Assuming good faith, this may be a complete misunderstanding fostered by the hard work he did helping the Empire [[Shake_it_off#A_Lot_Of_Mana|rescue large numbers of Suranni wizards]]. Alternatively, this might be another bad faith attempt to blacken his name by a Varushkan given he understands the judgement was raised by someone called ''Vaclav''.
===Closed Caucus (Lashonar)===
* '''Lashonar is very unhappy and has barred Imperial citizens from its Caucus Forum
* '''It has asked the magistrates to investigate the theft of its (now) illegal ritual text
The eternal [[Lashonar]] has been placed under [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] by the Imperial conclave, allegedly for [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Alignment:_Lashonar,_Enmity|spilling Imperial secrets to the Empire's foes]]. Last season there was a meeting under its auspices arranged by the people of [[Axos]] - a [[My_soul_at_liberty#The_Magpie_in_the_Room|gathering of the Liberty Pact]]. After that meeting, the [[inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|herald]] responsible for ferrying Imperial delegates back and forth unexpectedly took the opportunity to deliver an announcement from their patron. The Empire, it says, is spreading lies about it and its intentions. As a consequence, for the foreseeable future, the [Lashonar#Caucus_Forum|Caucus Forum]] is now closed to Imperial citizens. Previously, before the enmity, Lashonar had simply removed the ability of the [[Archmage of Night]] to request the Forum, no questions asked. Now, though, it will not consent to arrange ''any'' meetings for magicians of any nation that will include Imperial citizens. Instead, he will calmly explain why that is not possible - because the Empire have unfairly defamed the ''Keeper of the Gates of Wisdom'' when all they wanted was to help people talk to one another.

Further details have since emerged, primarily in the form of messages delivered by tired wizards from [[Faraden]] of all places. If the Conclave ever wants to rectify this, they can use a [[declaration]] of [[Alignment#Acceptance|Acceptance]] to retract any claims that Lashonar is intentionally "spilling secrets" and to apologise for how they have treated her. Or they can just put up with being barred from the single most effective way for folk in all parts of the Known World to talk to one another. The ''Eater-of-Silence'' does not care either way.

In addition, Lashonar would like to complain that he is the victim of a crime. He asked repeatedly for Imperial magicians to return the ritual text for the ''Summoning of the Loquacious Birds'' to him and they have refused. He would very much like the Imperial magistrates to investigate this theft, and reminds them that as a ritual that draws directly on the power of an eternal under enmity, it is almost certainly illegal to have it and ought to be destroyed. Or returned to its maker. Lashonar suggests they might like to start with the ''Guild of Ash and Embers'' in [[the League]] who were the last people to perform the ritual.

Lashonar, it appears, is taking this all very personally, despite protestations to the contrary.

==Resolution==
* Navarr provided 750 [[marrowort]] to Llofir, in return he provided the equivalent of 15 [[mithril]] towards the [[Raise_Fourth_Navarr_Army|fourth Navarr army]].
* The Quicksilver's Flame was not sold to [[Ephisis]].
* The [[#One-Hahaha, Two-Hahaha (Ephisis)|offer]] to create proposals for Counting Houses was [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Acceptance:_Counting_Houses|accepted]].

Opening ceremonies

2026-10-05T13:48:46Z

Responsible1:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>Caroline had been volunteered to talk to the heralds again, given she had fought alongside them during the delve into the depths to install the Red Iron Door. They were in the middle of erecting a truncated pillar of blue-white stone that looked extremely heavy. A dozen little scaled ''koboldi'' straining on ropes to bring it vertical in the deep hole they had dug for it. The League bravo noted that the column was covered in runes, but had no idea what they might mean.

"Hold! Hold!" The ''koboldi'' surveyor had a piercing high pitched voice that cut through the hubbub like a greatsword through leather. The ''koboldi'' labourers did indeed hold, while the surveyor quickly examined the site with an oversized loupe and several references to a scrunched up parchment. Caroline peered over their shoulder (easily done given the stature of the ''koboldi'') and saw that it was an esoteric, arcane diagram of a structure of columns, a foundation, and some low walls. She was not an architect herself, of course. For all she knew the surveyor was holding it upside down and it was actually a roof.

"Perfect! Perfect!" piped the surveyor excitedly, and the workers released their ropes with a great cheer that nearly drowned out the sound of the stone column dropping into place. There was a certain amount of backslapping and yipping at what Caroline assumed was a job well done. The surveyor didn't waste any time on congratulations, but turned all their attention on the League citizen behind them.

"Can I help you?" Normally when Caroline was asked this kind of question there was an undertone of suspicion or challenge, but the ''koboldi'' seemed genuinely to be offering assistance.

"I hope so," she said, hunkering down slightly. "We were just wondering what was going on here?"

There were some more cheers and cries at the other end of the structure as another column was expertly guided into place. The ''koboldi'' surveyor nodded several times.

"Oh we're just building a frame," they piped. "It's nothing to worry about. It's perfectly safe."

As if to cast doubt on their words, there was an outbreak of yipping and shouting over the surveyor's shoulder as a vital rope snapped and a rod of blue-white stone nearly sheared through the middle of a group of labourers into one of the pillars. The labourers managed to get control just in time. The surveyor noticed that Caroline was staring aghast and followed her eyeline.

"Oh don't worry," they said chuckling. "All the stone is infused with adamant. It's almost impossible to damage."

"I was more worried about the workers," said Caroline. The surveyor frowned and blinked, then chuckled again and just looked expectant.

"Is all this approved then?" Caroline tried again. "Only there are rules about building things in Anvil..."

"Oh no need to worry about that either." The ''koboldi'' beamed at her. "The site's been carefully chosen, right on the edge of Anvil where the restrictions end."

"And the Master knows all about this then?"

"Oh absolutely, it was the master who instructed us to put this in place, very prestigious commission you know. Serious magic involved. Why, if one of the anchor pillars is more than a finger's width out of place the whole thing might collapse. Or explode, you know? Ha! I wouldn't want to be nearby if that was happening, let me tell you."

One of the other ''koboldi'' leaned in and whispered to the surveyor, who frowned again.

"Oh, you mean the Imperial Master! Dima Vasilyevna Novosad! Wonderful person, very proud to work with them. No, they don't know anything about this. This has come from the Master himself, The King Under the Mountain. Some arrangement with the Iron Duke, you know? But don't worry - the Conclave is friends with both of them so I assume they've sorted out all the permissions and things you people worry about so much!"

All the ''koboldi'' were smiling at her now, and a woman who had fought all four of the barbarian nations in her time found herself taking a step backward from all those on-display sharp ivory teeth. After a moment of consideration, she decided this was very much above her pay grade, and that she'd found out as much as she was going to find out, and so just nodded and muttered something about that all making sense before beating a hasty retreat.

Several of the ''koboldi'' waved goodbye as she departed and one of them called out "Have a lovely afternoon!" without the slightest hint of sarcasm.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Camock.jpg|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
Barely a week after the Autumn Equinox, a gang of ''koboldi'' pass through the Hall of Worlds and emerge at [[Anvil]]. They carry large numbers of surveying tools and spend a cheerful afternoon exploring, taking measurements, and avoiding direct questions. Over the next month, they set to work pinning out a sizable area of ground; more and more ''koboldi'' arrive and bring with them building materials and construction tools of all kinds. Working at remarkable speed, over the next fortnight, they begin to raise a sizable structure on the edge of [[Anvil]]. Several wagonloads of [[white granite]] and [[weirwood]] are delivered to the site from Casinean warehouses, as the ''koboldi'' overseer ''Molibolt'' redeems a stack of very old wains some dating back as far as the reign of [[Empress Mariika]]. More and more ''koboldi'' arrive, swelling their numbers until some local residents are concerned an actual invasion from the [[Realms#Summer realm|Summer realm]] may be underway.

At first it is assumed this is some sort of arrangement with the [[Conclave]], the [[Archmage of Summer]], or the [[Master of the Koboldi]] but the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] themselves cheerfully explain that it is nothing of the sort. They are here on a commission directly from the [[Adamant|King Under the Mountain]] themselves. A commission they describe as "ever so exciting" to the worry of many.

==Barien's Gift==
* '''Adamant and Barien have collaborated to deliver a gift to the people of the Empire'''
* '''A new structure has been created on the margins between Anvil and Outer Anvil'''
With supernatural skill and speed, the servants of the ''Stone Dragon'' complete their work and, despite worries, return through the [[Regio#Imperial Regio|Imperial regio]]. It isn't at first clear what they have built - it seems to be less a building and more the skeleton of such. A large open space outlined by a series of support pillars. It looks incomplete, but when questioned Molibolt smiles secretively and says that they weren't commissioned to build the whole thing, only to construct "somewhere to put it."

The very next morning, the guards set to watch over the construction find ten heralds bearing the owl banners of the [[Barien|Lord of the Crossroads]] have arrived. They encircle the ''koboldi''-work building site and as the sun rises, they raise their banners high. Among their number are familiar faces - ''Revel'', ''Temper'', ''Flute'', and ''Bellows'' - and several who have never been seen at Anvil before including one clearly of [[orc]] appearance and draped in crimson and steel. It is clear from the exertion on their faces that whatever they are doing is no easy task, and they ignore all attempts to question them. Molibolt and her gang do their best, but their very technical explanation about what is happening leaves most who speak to them none the wiser.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><box>'''The Tourneyground of Camock'''<br>Scholars among the [[Celestial Arch]] are aware of the ''Resounding Deep'' - a great chamber between the Summer realm and the mortal world where Barien is known to bring those who would challenge great beasts of the wilderness. The tourneygrounds there have been used in the past for several [[Challenge the Iron Duke|magical challenges]] between Imperial citizens and the ''Lord of the Crossroads''. The ''koboldi'' overseer Molibolt mentions in part of their explanation of what is happening that the arena was "easier to move" because it was already quite close to the mortal realm, but that the logistics were still "a proper headscratcher"</box></div>
At midday, there is a sound like all the strings of a great harp being plucked simultaneously and between one moment and the next under the late Autumn sun, a building appears. An arena, marked with age, but formed around the pillars and supports the ''koboldi'' provided. Beaded with sweat, the heralds of Barien lower their banners and in some cases practically collapse from exhaustion. It falls to Revel to explain what has happened here.

This, it seems, is a gift from Barien to the Empire in recognition of the challenges they have faced and those yet to come. A place for them to celebrate, to practice arts of war and peace alike, and for new challenges to be set under the watching eyes of Imperial citizens. In much the same way that the [[Cathan Canae|Lady of the Blizzard]] allows her great citadels to be called to the mortal world, Barien has moved the ''Tourneyground of Camock'' from his demesne to the mortal world. From its place on the edge of the Resounding Deep where the [[icewalker]] ''Saara Vartiainen'' once bested the terrible emerald dragon ''Saxesangwin'' in a contest of riddles, and ''Ser Cadacus'' moved Barien to tears with their bittersweet music, the tourneygrounds are now in Anvil. A sign that the ''Master of Revels'' recognises and exalts the enduring prowess of the Empire, and its heroes.
==The Anvil Arena==
* '''There is a new arena in Anvil, a gift from Barien to the people of the Empire
* '''The civil service have been lumbered with sorting out the details of how it will be used
* '''Barien intends to use the space for challenges but the rest of the time it is free for use by Imperial citizens
{{CaptionedImage|file=King Under the Mountain.png|align=right|width=200}}
When the heralds depart, the arena remains behind. Temper and Flute formally hand the structure over to the nonplussed members of the civil service, on the understanding that they will be able to "handle the paperwork". Bellows is the last to depart, and mentions in an off-hand way that some of Barien's reeves will be in touch before the Winter Solstice with a proposal of how to best celebrate the creation of the new arena. The only thing that the ''Iron Duke'' asks in return for his gift is recognition that the civil service give priority to the Summer realm when it comes to the use of the space - on the understanding that they will receive plenty of advance warning when such things are to take place.

Imperial magicians are quick to explore the structure. They are able to confirm that it is ''physically there'' - not the result of an ongoing enchantment. The foundations and several of the supports are imbued with something akin to adamant - the indestructible stone of the Summer realm - and while it is not impossible to harm the structure it would take profoundly potent magic to do so in any meaningful way. Ritual divinations are deployed by members of the [[Unfettered Mind]]. [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic]] suggests that there is an enigma regarding the place - "''What does it mean to be victorious, to triumph? What is the value of a contest with rules? What is the reward for those who do not win?''". Not precisely illuminating, but perhaps a riddle for mystics and philosophers to debate. [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic]] is more forthcoming - "''This is the tourney ground of Camock that once stood in the Resounding Deep, where Imperial heroes bested and were bested by the powers of the Summer realm, given as a gift to the Empire by the ''Lord of the Crossroads'' at the end of 387YE in recognition of the willingness of Imperial champions to challenge themselves and the world.''"

The structure itself is relatively simple - a flat open space surrounded by tiered rows of seats with some small offices attached. It is sparsely decorated - many of the impossibly bright banners and standards hung here when it arrived dissolve into mist and seafoam as the sun sets. As well as having room for martial contests, it's clear that with a little projection and a willing audience it would also serve well as a performance venue for music and drama. The seating area might also work reasonably well as a place for passionate debate, reasonable discussion, or the delivery of studious lectures.

The civil servants entrusted with looking after the place have confirmed that they plan to operate a system similar to that which already exists with regard to other "Imperial" spaces - to schedule its use by Imperial citizens.
==Calling the Drottningbjotha==
* '''The rulers of the Summer realm have called the Drottningbjotha'''
* '''It will take the form of a grand tourney of the Imperial nations'''
It's been some eight years or more since the last time one of the monarchs of the Summer realm [[Calling the Drottningbjotha|called the Drottningbjotha]] (''Drott-ning-BEE-yo-thar''). As the Winter Solstice approaches, heralds of the monarchs of the Summer realm - of [[Adamant]], [[Cathan Canae]], [[Eleonaris]], [[Jaheris]], [[Meraud]], and [[Rhianos]] - let it be known that they intend to do so once again, to celebrate Imperial victories and the strong bond between the courts of Summer and the Empire. It falls to heralds of Barien to deliver the details of the challenge, which they do in discussion with the civil service.

The last time the Drottningbjotha was called, by the ''Queen of Ice and Darkness'', it was a test of endurance and fortitude as well as military prowess. This time, it is to be a test not of individuals but of bands of champions. Each nation of the Empire is invited to present a ten-strong warband of heroes, seasoned warriors and veterans of the Empire's battles against their enemies. They will contend against one another until only one remains and the warband - and the nation they represent - will receive the accolades of Summer. All who participate, however, will be granted a gift, commensurate with how far through the contest they get.
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=400}}</div>

Shortly before the Winter Solstice, Revel and the heralds of Barien return to Anvil. This time they are here to deliver the rules of the tourney to be held at the coming summit.

==Friday Evening==
* '''Opening ceremonies for the Drottningbjotha will take place on Friday evening in the arena, at 6:30pm'''
* '''The [[strategos]] of each Imperial nation is invited to attend, and to be responsible for assembling their nation's team'''
* '''Each strategos will be given a symbol of authority - they can pass the symbol to another if they prefer'''
* '''Each strategos will have a chance to address the crowd'''
* '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia has also been invited to take part by the heralds''''
At '''6:30pm''', after the opening of the summit, the heralds of Barien will invite the strategos' of the ten nations of the Empire to come before them, and open the festivities of the Drottningbjotha. Where a nation currently has no strategos, Barien assumes that the [[general|generals]] of the nations involved will expedite the [[Strategos#Appointment|appointment]]. If they aren't able to, Revel will attend the nation afterwards to try and ensure an organiser is in place.

Each nation that wishes to take part must field a single team of ten contestants; no more, no less. Barien is asking the strategoi to choose their nation's champions. The Drottningbjotha will be as much a test of the strategos' skill and management as the champions themselves. They can choose whatever combination of steel clad fighters, archers and battlemages they prefer, but the ten they select are the only ones who can take part at each stage of the tournament.

Revel will provide each strategoi with a symbol of their authority. This denotes that they have final say over who gets to take part in the tourney; the heralds will defer to the holder if there are any disputes. If a strategos does not wish to take on the responsibility for any reason, they may pass the symbol to another in their nation to act in their stead.

The heralds don't offer any restrictions on how teams should be chosen; that is left entirely up to the strategos themselves. Of course the heralds would be delighted if some kind of tourney or challenge was implemented, but the ultimate decision lies with the organisers. Each strategos is welcome to include themselves as one of the ten champions, if they so wish, but there is no requirement to do so.

Once Barien's tokens have been distributed, each strategos will be free to address the crowd for a minute, in order to set the right tone for the rest of the weekend, of course. If for some reason the strategos isn't there, the heralds of Barien will seek them out later and deliver their mark of authority.

==Mustering the Warbands==
* '''The ten champions chosen for each nation must present themselves at the area at 4:00pm on Saturday'''
* '''Those who bear Barien's symbol of authority will have the final say on who is chosen to represent their nation'''
* '''An 11th team will also participate, comprising one champion selected by each of nine covens chosen by the Iron Duke'''
* '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia is invited to lead Barien's team'''

The Drottningbjotha will open at '''4pm on the Saturday of the summit'''. The teams should present themselves to the heralds at that time, so they can ensure everything is in order. If there are any doubts who a nation's ten champions will be, then the strategos or whoever they have given Barien's symbol of authority to, will have the final say.

In addition to ten nations, an 11th team will enter the contest. At this summit, [[Locked runes|Barien has invited nine favoured covens to each choose a champion]] to take part in the tourney. The Lord of the Crossroads has offered '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia''' the opportunity to lead this motley team, as the leader of '''The Coven of Golden Wings''', the coven with the most successful Iron Duke challengers of the last year. If fewer than nine champions are chosen by Barien's covens, Vesper will be free to choose additional contestants to add to their team in order to bring the total to ten.

Once all 110 champions are accounted for, the tourney proper will begin with the first round. All rounds of the tourney will be fought under the same rules of engagement.

==Rules of Engagement==
* '''Champions may benefit from enchantments, boons, magical items, and similar'''
* '''Consumable items including potions, herbs, and crystal mana are not permitted in the arena'''
* '''Champions may not receive aid from anyone outside their team once a bout begins'''
* '''A contestant is defeated when they can no longer rise, or they yield'''
* '''A contestant may not return to the fight once they are healed or leave the arena'''
* '''Enterprising citizens are welcome to take bets on the outcome or to sell refreshments to the crowd'''
* '''These rules apply to every round of the Drottningbjotha'''

The rules of this Drottningbjotha are straightforward. Contestants can bring with them as many enchantments or magic items as they wish but once the engagement starts there must be ''no use'' of consumables (including but not limited to potions, herbs, and crystal mana) until the bout is over. There must be no interference from outside the field itself; supporters must not provide spells, potions, herbs or similar to their team once their bout begins. Only the champions may affect the outcome of the challenge, and they must do so with their wits and prowess not with endless sacks of healing potions. In the event of any dispute about the rules the heralds of Barien will adjudicate, with advice from the [[Archmage of Summer]] (or their proxy) if they are present.

Contestants are welcome to bring spare weapons and shields into the area to be used if their arms are shattered. These should be left at the edge of the fighting area; champions may only use spares their own team has brought in. This is not a fight to the death, a champion is defeated when they yield or cannot rise. Once a champion yields, leaves the arena or is healed after falling, they cannot return to that fight. They may participate in later rounds if their team is victorious.

A herald of Adamant has suggested that the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]] provide sufficient healers to ensure that wherever possible nobody actually dies. They will be the sole exception to the rule that only the contestants will be on the field - Healers may enter the field to get the fallen to safety and ensure their wounds are not fatal. They should place one hand on their heart to indicate they are not participating and should not be struck. Fallen contestants should be removed from the field and healed on the sidelines. Healers are free to use whatever resources they desire, but anyone healed in this way cannot return to the fray in this bout. They may rejoin their team in the next round if their team are victorious.

A query from a respected member of the [[Golden Pyramid]] order, about whether it is acceptable to take bets on the outcome, or to sell sausages on sticks to the audience, is met with polite incomprehension. The heralds of the Summer realm see no reason that what happens in the stands should be of interest to them or the participants in the Drottningbjotha. It seems that anyone with services to offer is more than welcome to make what coin they can from the assembled crowds.

===The Opening Round===
* '''The opening round of the Drottningbjotha begins at the arena at 4:15pm on Saturday'''
* '''It consists of five bouts, each pairing two nations against each other'''
* '''Pairings will be drawn randomly before the start of the bouts'''
* '''A team wins if their opponents have no champions left standing'''
* '''If both teams are still fighting after five minutes, the team with the most champions remaining wins'''

The opening round will consist of 5 bouts, each pitting one nation's warband against another. The heralds of Barien will draw lots randomly at the start of the round to determine pairings. Once underway, the fight ends when only one team has contestants remaining. If both sides are still in the fray after five minutes, the team with the most champions remaining is the winner. In the event of a tie, the heralds will call for the bout to continue, but whichever team loses the next champion, loses the bout.

===The Heroes' Round===
* '''After the first round is complete, a single hero from the five losing teams may enter the arena'''
* '''They will take part in a grand melee between these five heroes'''
* '''The winning hero's team will advance to the second round'''
* '''The round will be followed by a brief interlude to allow the winning hero to recover'''
* '''Barien invites the High Bard to arrange entertainment in the arena during this period'''

Once all the bouts in the first round are complete, Barien's heralds will invite each of the five losing teams to nominate a single hero to face off against the others. The decision of the strategos will settle any arguments. The five champions will enter the arena at the same time to fight in a grand melee. The team of whichever champion is left standing at the end will proceed to the next round, the others will be eliminated.

There will be a short interlude after the heroes round to allow the winner to rest and recuperate. Barien invites the High Bard to entertain the crowd during the interlude, or else nominate someone who can do so if they prefer.

===The Victors' Round===
* '''The victors' round will consist of 3 bouts between the 6 teams that won a bout previously'''
* '''Pairings will be drawn randomly before the start of the bouts'''
* '''It will be followed by a short interlude'''

The six winners from the first two rounds will be paired off in three bouts in the next round. Barien's heralds will draw lots again, but will make sure there no repeats of pairings from the first round. It will employ the same rules as the previous bouts.

The three winners will go forwards to the final round after another short interlude.

===The Final Round===
* '''The final round will be a single grand melee'''
* '''It will feature the three winners from the previous round and the team of the Iron Duke's champions'''
* '''The final bout will continue until only one team has champions remaining'''
* '''The final team with champions still standing in the arena will be crowned the victors of the Drottningbjotha'''

The three winning teams from the previous round will go enter the final round of the Drottningbjotha. They will be joined by the team of the Iron Duke's champions.

The final round will be a grand melee between the 4 teams, with no time limit. One team wins once all their opponents have no champions left standing. The winning team will be crowned the victors of the Drottningbjotha.

==Spoils of the Contest==
* '''Every champion eliminated in the opening round will receive a dose of Skop's Mead'''
* '''Champions eliminated in the victors round will each receive a dose of Troubadour's Glory'''
* '''The losers in the final round will each receive a dose of Champion's Honey'''
* '''Every member of the winning team will each receive an Iron Owl'''
* '''The nation that wins the contest will receive a boon from those kings and queens of the Summer realm who have amity'''
As befits such a grand occasion, those who demonstrate their skills will be rewarded according to their success. Each individual champion who takes part but is eliminated in the opening round will receive a single dose of [[Philtres_of_War#Skop's_Mead|Skop's Mead]] in recognition of their brave efforts. Those eliminated in the victors round will be given a flask of ''Troubadour's Glory'', a heady brew prepared by servants of the ''[[Eleonaris|Lady of Pennants]]'' which apparently has the same benefits as Skop's Mead but also restores three lost body hits to the imbiber.

Each of the brave champions eliminated in the final round will be granted a snifter of ''Champion's Honey'', a rare brew from the cellars of the [[Jaheris#Brews_of_Silverbrow|Moonsilver King]] with effects comparable to those of the [[Philtres_of_War#Elixir_of_Exalted_Puissance|Elixir of Exalted Puissance]]. Each of the ten winners will instead receive an Iron Owl, a powerful talisman enchanted by Barien themselves, which grants [[Heroic_skills#Extra_Hero_Points|one additional hero point]] to anyone bonded to it.

Perhaps just as importantly, a nation that wins the contest will also receive the boons of the Summer realm. Each of the [[Alignment#Summer|monarchs of the Summer realm]] who has [[Alignment#Amity|amity]] at the end of the Winter Solstice summit will find a way to bless the lands of the winning nation.

If Barien's champions are defeated in the final round, they will receive a dose of Champion's Honey like the other champions. If they are victorious, they will claim the Iron Owls, and the nation's prize will be claimed by Enchanter Vesper Lucentia on behalf of Dawn.

With that, the curtain will fall on the Drottningbjotha, though not on the arena. It might take another 8 years for the next Drottningbjotha to be called, but the Tourneygrounds of Camock will play host to many more scenes of challenge and spectacle at the summits in between.

<!--
==Resolution==

--!>

==Out of Character==
* '''Our new site includes a large covered grandstand'''
* '''This is now part of the IC location of Anvil and can be booked by players for their use through liaison with the civil service'''

Our new site features a large grandstand, which we're keen to integrate into the field at Anvil. Our set team are hard at work already, adapting that to make it look as impressive as possible for the first event. We don't have any plans to run a grand tourney like this every event, but it will be the natural place for plots like this to run in the future. Having the grandstand means we won't have to take over the Dawnish Glory Square every time we need to run a large set piece of plot in the future - so that location can remain for the exclusive use of the Dawnish and for plot aimed at the Dawnish.

The space will be a normal part of Anvil, managed by the civil service, so players are welcome to [[Anvil#Booking_Civil_Service_Spaces|book the arena]] for anything they are planning that would benefit from open space and tiered seating.
<ic>
The great warrior shifted, wheeling in the sand, his spear spinning in his hands.

"Hiyaa!" He lunged forwards, the weapon a blur as it darted through the air, left then right. An orc went down clutching his midriff. The crowd gasped, as three more enemies leapt forward to take his place. "Booooooo!" the people in the stands catcalled the villains for daring to attack him three to one.

"Yeaarrgh!" He yanked the pole-axe back, loading the heavy head behind his head, then brought it forwards with devastating speed. It struck the sand with a boom so loud, the shockwave hurled everyone from their feet.

An arrow came flying out of the distance, a deadly needle aimed directly for his head. Stumbling back, he pulled the quarterstaff up, just in time to knock the arrow from the air before it tore his throat out. Triumphant, he spun the weapon in one hand, then snapped it back, the haft behind his back, the point of the bhuj held out to the side to meet the rays of the setting sun.

"Carlos i Diez! Stop messing around and get on with it!"

The voice of the great warrior's mum cut through the cheers from the grandstand. Carlos turned his back on the shout and screwed up his face in anger before the moment of truculence gave way to inevitable defeat. There was an hour of daylight left and he'd miss everything if the job wasn't done by then. He lowered the head of the rake, until the tines sank in to the sand. Resigned to the defeat, he dragged it backwards, smoothing out the very same marks that his own heels had left a moment ago.

People would be here soon. Mum reckoned it was a day, two at most. If he helped her get the arena ready in time, she said he could watch it. A great big battle, a real one... with proper weapons and everything... all the mightiest heroes in Anvil...
</ic>

Opening ceremonies

2026-10-05T13:47:39Z

Responsible1: /* Spoils of the Contest */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>Caroline had been volunteered to talk to the heralds again, given she had fought alongside them during the delve into the depths to install the Red Iron Door. They were in the middle of erecting a truncated pillar of blue-white stone that looked extremely heavy. A dozen little scaled ''koboldi'' straining on ropes to bring it vertical in the deep hole they had dug for it. The League bravo noted that the column was covered in runes, but had no idea what they might mean.

"Hold! Hold!" The ''koboldi'' surveyor had a piercing high pitched voice that cut through the hubbub like a greatsword through leather. The ''koboldi'' labourers did indeed hold, while the surveyor quickly examined the site with an oversized loupe and several references to a scrunched up parchment. Caroline peered over their shoulder (easily done given the stature of the ''koboldi'') and saw that it was an esoteric, arcane diagram of a structure of columns, a foundation, and some low walls. She was not an architect herself, of course. For all she knew the surveyor was holding it upside down and it was actually a roof.

"Perfect! Perfect!" piped the surveyor excitedly, and the workers released their ropes with a great cheer that nearly drowned out the sound of the stone column dropping into place. There was a certain amount of backslapping and yipping at what Caroline assumed was a job well done. The surveyor didn't waste any time on congratulations, but turned all their attention on the League citizen behind them.

"Can I help you?" Normally when Caroline was asked this kind of question there was an undertone of suspicion or challenge, but the ''koboldi'' seemed genuinely to be offering assistance.

"I hope so," she said, hunkering down slightly. "We were just wondering what was going on here?"

There were some more cheers and cries at the other end of the structure as another column was expertly guided into place. The ''koboldi'' surveyor nodded several times.

"Oh we're just building a frame," they piped. "It's nothing to worry about. It's perfectly safe."

As if to cast doubt on their words, there was an outbreak of yipping and shouting over the surveyor's shoulder as a vital rope snapped and a rod of blue-white stone nearly sheared through the middle of a group of labourers into one of the pillars. The labourers managed to get control just in time. The surveyor noticed that Caroline was staring aghast and followed her eyeline.

"Oh don't worry," they said chuckling. "All the stone is infused with adamant. It's almost impossible to damage."

"I was more worried about the workers," said Caroline. The surveyor frowned and blinked, then chuckled again and just looked expectant.

"Is all this approved then?" Caroline tried again. "Only there are rules about building things in Anvil..."

"Oh no need to worry about that either." The ''koboldi'' beamed at her. "The site's been carefully chosen, right on the edge of Anvil where the restrictions end."

"And the Master knows all about this then?"

"Oh absolutely, it was the master who instructed us to put this in place, very prestigious commission you know. Serious magic involved. Why, if one of the anchor pillars is more than a finger's width out of place the whole thing might collapse. Or explode, you know? Ha! I wouldn't want to be nearby if that was happening, let me tell you."

One of the other ''koboldi'' leaned in and whispered to the surveyor, who frowned again.

"Oh, you mean the Imperial Master! Dima Vasilyevna Novosad! Wonderful person, very proud to work with them. No, they don't know anything about this. This has come from the Master himself, The King Under the Mountain. Some arrangement with the Iron Duke, you know? But don't worry - the Conclave is friends with both of them so I assume they've sorted out all the permissions and things you people worry about so much!"

All the ''koboldi'' were smiling at her now, and a woman who had fought all four of the barbarian nations in her time found herself taking a step backward from all those on-display sharp ivory teeth. After a moment of consideration, she decided this was very much above her pay grade, and that she'd found out as much as she was going to find out, and so just nodded and muttered something about that all making sense before beating a hasty retreat.

Several of the ''koboldi'' waved goodbye as she departed and one of them called out "Have a lovely afternoon!" without the slightest hint of sarcasm.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Camock.jpg|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
Barely a week after the Autumn Equinox, a gang of ''koboldi'' pass through the Hall of Worlds and emerge at [[Anvil]]. They carry large numbers of surveying tools and spend a cheerful afternoon exploring, taking measurements, and avoiding direct questions. Over the next month, they set to work pinning out a sizable area of ground; more and more ''koboldi'' arrive and bring with them building materials and construction tools of all kinds. Working at remarkable speed, over the next fortnight, they begin to raise a sizable structure on the edge of [[Anvil]]. Several wagonloads of [[white granite]] and [[weirwood]] are delivered to the site from Casinean warehouses, as the ''koboldi'' overseer ''Molibolt'' redeems a stack of very old wains some dating back as far as the reign of [[Empress Mariika]]. More and more ''koboldi'' arrive, swelling their numbers until some local residents are concerned an actual invasion from the [[Realms#Summer realm|Summer realm]] may be underway.

At first it is assumed this is some sort of arrangement with the [[Conclave]], the [[Archmage of Summer]], or the [[Master of the Koboldi]] but the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] themselves cheerfully explain that it is nothing of the sort. They are here on a commission directly from the [[Adamant|King Under the Mountain]] themselves. A commission they describe as "ever so exciting" to the worry of many.

==Barien's Gift==
* '''Adamant and Barien have collaborated to deliver a gift to the people of the Empire'''
* '''A new structure has been created on the margins between Anvil and Outer Anvil'''
With supernatural skill and speed, the servants of the ''Stone Dragon'' complete their work and, despite worries, return through the [[Regio#Imperial Regio|Imperial regio]]. It isn't at first clear what they have built - it seems to be less a building and more the skeleton of such. A large open space outlined by a series of support pillars. It looks incomplete, but when questioned Molibolt smiles secretively and says that they weren't commissioned to build the whole thing, only to construct "somewhere to put it."

The very next morning, the guards set to watch over the construction find ten heralds bearing the owl banners of the [[Barien|Lord of the Crossroads]] have arrived. They encircle the ''koboldi''-work building site and as the sun rises, they raise their banners high. Among their number are familiar faces - ''Revel'', ''Temper'', ''Flute'', and ''Bellows'' - and several who have never been seen at Anvil before including one clearly of [[orc]] appearance and draped in crimson and steel. It is clear from the exertion on their faces that whatever they are doing is no easy task, and they ignore all attempts to question them. Molibolt and her gang do their best, but their very technical explanation about what is happening leaves most who speak to them none the wiser.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><box>'''The Tourneyground of Camock'''<br>Scholars among the [[Celestial Arch]] are aware of the ''Resounding Deep'' - a great chamber between the Summer realm and the mortal world where Barien is known to bring those who would challenge great beasts of the wilderness. The tourneygrounds there have been used in the past for several [[Challenge the Iron Duke|magical challenges]] between Imperial citizens and the ''Lord of the Crossroads''. The ''koboldi'' overseer Molibolt mentions in part of their explanation of what is happening that the arena was "easier to move" because it was already quite close to the mortal realm, but that the logistics were still "a proper headscratcher"</box></div>
At midday, there is a sound like all the strings of a great harp being plucked simultaneously and between one moment and the next under the late Autumn sun, a building appears. An arena, marked with age, but formed around the pillars and supports the ''koboldi'' provided. Beaded with sweat, the heralds of Barien lower their banners and in some cases practically collapse from exhaustion. It falls to Revel to explain what has happened here.

This, it seems, is a gift from Barien to the Empire in recognition of the challenges they have faced and those yet to come. A place for them to celebrate, to practice arts of war and peace alike, and for new challenges to be set under the watching eyes of Imperial citizens. In much the same way that the [[Cathan Canae|Lady of the Blizzard]] allows her great citadels to be called to the mortal world, Barien has moved the ''Tourneyground of Camock'' from his demesne to the mortal world. From its place on the edge of the Resounding Deep where the [[icewalker]] ''Saara Vartiainen'' once bested the terrible emerald dragon ''Saxesangwin'' in a contest of riddles, and ''Ser Cadacus'' moved Barien to tears with their bittersweet music, the tourneygrounds are now in Anvil. A sign that the ''Master of Revels'' recognises and exalts the enduring prowess of the Empire, and its heroes.
==The Anvil Arena==
* '''There is a new arena in Anvil, a gift from Barien to the people of the Empire
* '''The civil service have been lumbered with sorting out the details of how it will be used
* '''Barien intends to use the space for challenges but the rest of the time it is free for use by Imperial citizens
{{CaptionedImage|file=King Under the Mountain.png|align=right|width=200}}
When the heralds depart, the arena remains behind. Temper and Flute formally hand the structure over to the nonplussed members of the civil service, on the understanding that they will be able to "handle the paperwork". Bellows is the last to depart, and mentions in an off-hand way that some of Barien's reeves will be in touch before the Winter Solstice with a proposal of how to best celebrate the creation of the new arena. The only thing that the ''Iron Duke'' asks in return for his gift is recognition that the civil service give priority to the Summer realm when it comes to the use of the space - on the understanding that they will receive plenty of advance warning when such things are to take place.

Imperial magicians are quick to explore the structure. They are able to confirm that it is ''physically there'' - not the result of an ongoing enchantment. The foundations and several of the supports are imbued with something akin to adamant - the indestructible stone of the Summer realm - and while it is not impossible to harm the structure it would take profoundly potent magic to do so in any meaningful way. Ritual divinations are deployed by members of the [[Unfettered Mind]]. [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic]] suggests that there is an enigma regarding the place - "''What does it mean to be victorious, to triumph? What is the value of a contest with rules? What is the reward for those who do not win?''". Not precisely illuminating, but perhaps a riddle for mystics and philosophers to debate. [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic]] is more forthcoming - "''This is the tourney ground of Camock that once stood in the Resounding Deep, where Imperial heroes bested and were bested by the powers of the Summer realm, given as a gift to the Empire by the ''Lord of the Crossroads'' at the end of 387YE in recognition of the willingness of Imperial champions to challenge themselves and the world.''"

The structure itself is relatively simple - a flat open space surrounded by tiered rows of seats with some small offices attached. It is sparsely decorated - many of the impossibly bright banners and standards hung here when it arrived dissolve into mist and seafoam as the sun sets. As well as having room for martial contests, it's clear that with a little projection and a willing audience it would also serve well as a performance venue for music and drama. The seating area might also work reasonably well as a place for passionate debate, reasonable discussion, or the delivery of studious lectures.

The civil servants entrusted with looking after the place have confirmed that they plan to operate a system similar to that which already exists with regard to other "Imperial" spaces - to schedule its use by Imperial citizens.
==Calling the Drottningbjotha==
* '''The rulers of the Summer realm have called the Drottningbjotha'''
* '''It will take the form of a grand tourney of the Imperial nations'''
It's been some eight years or more since the last time one of the monarchs of the Summer realm [[Calling the Drottningbjotha|called the Drottningbjotha]] (''Drott-ning-BEE-yo-thar''). As the Winter Solstice approaches, heralds of the monarchs of the Summer realm - of [[Adamant]], [[Cathan Canae]], [[Eleonaris]], [[Jaheris]], [[Meraud]], and [[Rhianos]] - let it be known that they intend to do so once again, to celebrate Imperial victories and the strong bond between the courts of Summer and the Empire. It falls to heralds of Barien to deliver the details of the challenge, which they do in discussion with the civil service.

The last time the Drottningbjotha was called, by the ''Queen of Ice and Darkness'', it was a test of endurance and fortitude as well as military prowess. This time, it is to be a test not of individuals but of bands of champions. Each nation of the Empire is invited to present a ten-strong warband of heroes, seasoned warriors and veterans of the Empire's battles against their enemies. They will contend against one another until only one remains and the warband - and the nation they represent - will receive the accolades of Summer. All who participate, however, will be granted a gift, commensurate with how far through the contest they get.
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=400}}</div>

Shortly before the Winter Solstice, Revel and the heralds of Barien return to Anvil. This time they are here to deliver the rules of the tourney to be held at the coming summit.

==Friday Evening==
* '''Opening ceremonies for the Drottningbjotha will take place on Friday evening in the arena, at 6:30pm'''
* '''The [[strategos]] of each Imperial nation is invited to attend, and to be responsible for assembling their nation's team'''
* '''Each strategos will be given a symbol of authority - they can pass the symbol to another if they prefer'''
* '''Each strategos will have a chance to address the crowd'''
* '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia has also been invited to take part by the heralds''''
At '''6:30pm''', after the opening of the summit, the heralds of Barien will invite the strategos' of the ten nations of the Empire to come before them, and open the festivities of the Drottningbjotha. Where a nation currently has no strategos, Barien assumes that the [[general|generals]] of the nations involved will expedite the [[Strategos#Appointment|appointment]]. If they aren't able to, Revel will attend the nation afterwards to try and ensure an organiser is in place.

Each nation that wishes to take part must field a single team of ten contestants; no more, no less. Barien is asking the strategoi to choose their nation's champions. The Drottningbjotha will be as much a test of the strategos' skill and management as the champions themselves. They can choose whatever combination of steel clad fighters, archers and battlemages they prefer, but the ten they select are the only ones who can take part at each stage of the tournament.

Revel will provide each strategoi with a symbol of their authority. This denotes that they have final say over who gets to take part in the tourney; the heralds will defer to the holder if there are any disputes. If a strategos does not wish to take on the responsibility for any reason, they may pass the symbol to another in their nation to act in their stead.

The heralds don't offer any restrictions on how teams should be chosen; that is left entirely up to the strategos themselves. Of course the heralds would be delighted if some kind of tourney or challenge was implemented, but the ultimate decision lies with the organisers. Each strategos is welcome to include themselves as one of the ten champions, if they so wish, but there is no requirement to do so.

Once Barien's tokens have been distributed, each strategos will be free to address the crowd for a minute, in order to set the right tone for the rest of the weekend, of course. If for some reason the strategos isn't there, the heralds of Barien will seek them out later and deliver their mark of authority.

==Mustering the Warbands==
* '''The ten champions chosen for each nation must present themselves at the area at 4:00pm on Saturday'''
* '''Those who bear Barien's symbol of authority will have the final say on who is chosen to represent their nation'''
* '''An 11th team will also participate, comprising one champion selected by each of nine covens chosen by the Iron Duke'''
* '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia is invited to lead Barien's team'''

The Drottningbjotha will open at '''4pm on the Saturday of the summit'''. The teams should present themselves to the heralds at that time, so they can ensure everything is in order. If there are any doubts who a nation's ten champions will be, then the strategos or whoever they have given Barien's symbol of authority to, will have the final say.

In addition to ten nations, an 11th team will enter the contest. At this summit, [[Locked runes|Barien has invited nine favoured covens to each choose a champion]] to take part in the tourney. The Lord of the Crossroads has offered '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia''' the opportunity to lead this motley team, as the leader of '''The Coven of Golden Wings''', the coven with the most successful Iron Duke challengers of the last year. If fewer than nine champions are chosen by Barien's covens, Vesper will be free to choose additional contestants to add to their team in order to bring the total to ten.

Once all 110 champions are accounted for, the tourney proper will begin with the first round. All rounds of the tourney will be fought under the same rules of engagement.

==Rules of Engagement==
* '''Champions may benefit from enchantments, boons, magical items, and similar'''
* '''Consumable items including potions, herbs, and crystal mana are not permitted in the arena'''
* '''Champions may not receive aid from anyone outside their team once a bout begins'''
* '''A contestant is defeated when they can no longer rise, or they yield'''
* '''A contestant may not return to the fight once they are healed or leave the arena'''
* '''Enterprising citizens are welcome to take bets on the outcome or to sell refreshments to the crowd'''
* '''These rules apply to every round of the Drottningbjotha'''

The rules of this Drottningbjotha are straightforward. Contestants can bring with them as many enchantments or magic items as they wish but once the engagement starts there must be ''no use'' of consumables (including but not limited to potions, herbs, and crystal mana) until the bout is over. There must be no interference from outside the field itself; supporters must not provide spells, potions, herbs or similar to their team once their bout begins. Only the champions may affect the outcome of the challenge, and they must do so with their wits and prowess not with endless sacks of healing potions. In the event of any dispute about the rules the heralds of Barien will adjudicate, with advice from the [[Archmage of Summer]] (or their proxy) if they are present.

Contestants are welcome to bring spare weapons and shields into the area to be used if their arms are shattered. These should be left at the edge of the fighting area; champions may only use spares their own team has brought in. This is not a fight to the death, a champion is defeated when they yield or cannot rise. Once a champion yields, leaves the arena or is healed after falling, they cannot return to that fight. They may participate in later rounds if their team is victorious.

A herald of Adamant has suggested that the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]] provide sufficient healers to ensure that wherever possible nobody actually dies. They will be the sole exception to the rule that only the contestants will be on the field - Healers may enter the field to get the fallen to safety and ensure their wounds are not fatal. They should place one hand on their heart to indicate they are not participating and should not be struck. Fallen contestants should be removed from the field and healed on the sidelines. Healers are free to use whatever resources they desire, but anyone healed in this way cannot return to the fray in this bout. They may rejoin their team in the next round if their team are victorious.

A query from a respected member of the [[Golden Pyramid]] order, about whether it is acceptable to take bets on the outcome, or to sell sausages on sticks to the audience, is met with polite incomprehension. The heralds of the Summer realm see no reason that what happens in the stands should be of interest to them or the participants in the Drottningbjotha. It seems that anyone with services to offer is more than welcome to make what coin they can from the assembled crowds.

===The Opening Round===
* '''The opening round of the Drottningbjotha begins at the arena at 4:15pm on Saturday'''
* '''It consists of five bouts, each pairing two nations against each other'''
* '''Pairings will be drawn randomly before the start of the bouts'''
* '''A team wins if their opponents have no champions left standing'''
* '''If both teams are still fighting after five minutes, the team with the most champions remaining wins'''

The opening round will consist of 5 bouts, each pitting one nation's warband against another. The heralds of Barien will draw lots randomly at the start of the round to determine pairings. Once underway, the fight ends when only one team has contestants remaining. If both sides are still in the fray after five minutes, the team with the most champions remaining is the winner. In the event of a tie, the heralds will call for the bout to continue, but whichever team loses the next champion, loses the bout.

===The Heroes' Round===
* '''After the first round is complete, a single hero from the five losing teams may enter the arena'''
* '''They will take part in a grand melee between these five heroes'''
* '''The winning hero's team will advance to the second round'''
* '''The round will be followed by a brief interlude to allow the winning hero to recover'''
* '''Barien invites the High Bard to arrange entertainment in the arena during this period'''

Once all the bouts in the first round are complete, Barien's heralds will invite each of the five losing teams to nominate a single hero to face off against the others. The decision of the strategos will settle any arguments. The five champions will enter the arena at the same time to fight in a grand melee. The team of whichever champion is left standing at the end will proceed to the next round, the others will be eliminated.

There will be a short interlude after the heroes round to allow the winner to rest and recuperate. Barien invites the High Bard to entertain the crowd during the interlude, or else nominate someone who can do so if they prefer.

===The Victors' Round===
* '''The victors' round will consist of 3 bouts between the 6 teams that won a bout previously'''
* '''Pairings will be drawn randomly before the start of the bouts'''
* '''It will be followed by a short interlude'''

The six winners from the first two rounds will be paired off in three bouts in the next round. Barien's heralds will draw lots again, but will make sure there no repeats of pairings from the first round. It will employ the same rules as the previous bouts.

The three winners will go forwards to the final round after another short interlude.

===The Final Round===
* '''The final round will be a single grand melee'''
* '''It will feature the three winners from the previous round and the team of the Iron Duke's champions'''
* '''The final bout will continue until only one team has champions remaining'''
* '''The final team with champions still standing in the arena will be crowned the victors of the Drottningbjotha'''

The three winning teams from the previous round will go enter the final round of the Drottningbjotha. They will be joined by the team of the Iron Duke's champions.

The final round will be a grand melee between the 4 teams, with no time limit. One team wins once all their opponents have no champions left standing. The winning team will be crowned the victors of the Drottningbjotha.

==Spoils of the Contest==
* '''Every champion eliminated in the opening round will receive a dose of Skop's Mead'''
* '''Champions eliminated in the victors round will each receive a dose of Troubadour's Glory'''
* '''The losers in the final round will each receive a dose of Champion's Honey'''
* '''Every member of the winning team will each receive an Iron Owl'''
* '''The nation that wins the contest will receive a boon from those kings and queens of the Summer realm who have amity'''
As befits such a grand occasion, those who demonstrate their skills will be rewarded according to their success. Each individual champion who takes part but is eliminated in the opening round will receive a single dose of [[Philtres_of_War#Skop's_Mead|Skop's Mead]] in recognition of their brave efforts. Those eliminated in the victors round will be given a flask of ''Troubadour's Glory'', a heady brew prepared by servants of the ''[[Eleonaris|Lady of Pennants]]'' which apparently has the same benefits as Skop's Mead but also restores three lost body hits to the imbiber.

Each of the brave champions eliminated in the final round will be granted a snifter of ''Champion's Honey'', a rare brew from the cellars of the [[Jaheris#Brews_of_Silverbrow|Moonsilver King]] with effects comparable to those of the [[Philtres_of_War#Elixir_of_Exalted_Puissance|Elixir of Exalted Puissance]]. Each of the ten winners will instead receive an Iron Owl, a powerful talisman enchanted by Barien themselves, which grants [[Heroic_skills#Extra_Hero_Points|one additional hero point]] to anyone bonded to it.

Perhaps just as importantly, a nation that wins the contest will also receive the boons of the Summer realm. Each of the [[Alignment#Summer|monarchs of the Summer realm]] who has [[Alignment#Amity|amity]] at the end of the Winter Solstice summit will find a way to bless the lands of the winning nation.

If Barien's champions are defeated in the final round, they will receive a dose of Champion's Honey like the other champions. If they are victorious, they will claim the Iron Owls, and the nation's prize will be claimed by Enchanter Vesper Lucentia on behalf of Dawn.

With that, the curtain will fall on the Drottningbjotha, though not on the arena. It might take another 8 years for the next Drottningbjotha to be called, but the Tourneygrounds of Camock will play host to many more scenes of challenge and spectacle at the summits in between.

<--
==Resolution==

-->

==Out of Character==
* '''Our new site includes a large covered grandstand'''
* '''This is now part of the IC location of Anvil and can be booked by players for their use through liaison with the civil service'''

Our new site features a large grandstand, which we're keen to integrate into the field at Anvil. Our set team are hard at work already, adapting that to make it look as impressive as possible for the first event. We don't have any plans to run a grand tourney like this every event, but it will be the natural place for plots like this to run in the future. Having the grandstand means we won't have to take over the Dawnish Glory Square every time we need to run a large set piece of plot in the future - so that location can remain for the exclusive use of the Dawnish and for plot aimed at the Dawnish.

The space will be a normal part of Anvil, managed by the civil service, so players are welcome to [[Anvil#Booking_Civil_Service_Spaces|book the arena]] for anything they are planning that would benefit from open space and tiered seating.
<ic>
The great warrior shifted, wheeling in the sand, his spear spinning in his hands.

"Hiyaa!" He lunged forwards, the weapon a blur as it darted through the air, left then right. An orc went down clutching his midriff. The crowd gasped, as three more enemies leapt forward to take his place. "Booooooo!" the people in the stands catcalled the villains for daring to attack him three to one.

"Yeaarrgh!" He yanked the pole-axe back, loading the heavy head behind his head, then brought it forwards with devastating speed. It struck the sand with a boom so loud, the shockwave hurled everyone from their feet.

An arrow came flying out of the distance, a deadly needle aimed directly for his head. Stumbling back, he pulled the quarterstaff up, just in time to knock the arrow from the air before it tore his throat out. Triumphant, he spun the weapon in one hand, then snapped it back, the haft behind his back, the point of the bhuj held out to the side to meet the rays of the setting sun.

"Carlos i Diez! Stop messing around and get on with it!"

The voice of the great warrior's mum cut through the cheers from the grandstand. Carlos turned his back on the shout and screwed up his face in anger before the moment of truculence gave way to inevitable defeat. There was an hour of daylight left and he'd miss everything if the job wasn't done by then. He lowered the head of the rake, until the tines sank in to the sand. Resigned to the defeat, he dragged it backwards, smoothing out the very same marks that his own heels had left a moment ago.

People would be here soon. Mum reckoned it was a day, two at most. If he helped her get the arena ready in time, she said he could watch it. A great big battle, a real one... with proper weapons and everything... all the mightiest heroes in Anvil...
</ic>

Opening ceremonies

2026-10-05T13:47:23Z

Responsible1:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>Caroline had been volunteered to talk to the heralds again, given she had fought alongside them during the delve into the depths to install the Red Iron Door. They were in the middle of erecting a truncated pillar of blue-white stone that looked extremely heavy. A dozen little scaled ''koboldi'' straining on ropes to bring it vertical in the deep hole they had dug for it. The League bravo noted that the column was covered in runes, but had no idea what they might mean.

"Hold! Hold!" The ''koboldi'' surveyor had a piercing high pitched voice that cut through the hubbub like a greatsword through leather. The ''koboldi'' labourers did indeed hold, while the surveyor quickly examined the site with an oversized loupe and several references to a scrunched up parchment. Caroline peered over their shoulder (easily done given the stature of the ''koboldi'') and saw that it was an esoteric, arcane diagram of a structure of columns, a foundation, and some low walls. She was not an architect herself, of course. For all she knew the surveyor was holding it upside down and it was actually a roof.

"Perfect! Perfect!" piped the surveyor excitedly, and the workers released their ropes with a great cheer that nearly drowned out the sound of the stone column dropping into place. There was a certain amount of backslapping and yipping at what Caroline assumed was a job well done. The surveyor didn't waste any time on congratulations, but turned all their attention on the League citizen behind them.

"Can I help you?" Normally when Caroline was asked this kind of question there was an undertone of suspicion or challenge, but the ''koboldi'' seemed genuinely to be offering assistance.

"I hope so," she said, hunkering down slightly. "We were just wondering what was going on here?"

There were some more cheers and cries at the other end of the structure as another column was expertly guided into place. The ''koboldi'' surveyor nodded several times.

"Oh we're just building a frame," they piped. "It's nothing to worry about. It's perfectly safe."

As if to cast doubt on their words, there was an outbreak of yipping and shouting over the surveyor's shoulder as a vital rope snapped and a rod of blue-white stone nearly sheared through the middle of a group of labourers into one of the pillars. The labourers managed to get control just in time. The surveyor noticed that Caroline was staring aghast and followed her eyeline.

"Oh don't worry," they said chuckling. "All the stone is infused with adamant. It's almost impossible to damage."

"I was more worried about the workers," said Caroline. The surveyor frowned and blinked, then chuckled again and just looked expectant.

"Is all this approved then?" Caroline tried again. "Only there are rules about building things in Anvil..."

"Oh no need to worry about that either." The ''koboldi'' beamed at her. "The site's been carefully chosen, right on the edge of Anvil where the restrictions end."

"And the Master knows all about this then?"

"Oh absolutely, it was the master who instructed us to put this in place, very prestigious commission you know. Serious magic involved. Why, if one of the anchor pillars is more than a finger's width out of place the whole thing might collapse. Or explode, you know? Ha! I wouldn't want to be nearby if that was happening, let me tell you."

One of the other ''koboldi'' leaned in and whispered to the surveyor, who frowned again.

"Oh, you mean the Imperial Master! Dima Vasilyevna Novosad! Wonderful person, very proud to work with them. No, they don't know anything about this. This has come from the Master himself, The King Under the Mountain. Some arrangement with the Iron Duke, you know? But don't worry - the Conclave is friends with both of them so I assume they've sorted out all the permissions and things you people worry about so much!"

All the ''koboldi'' were smiling at her now, and a woman who had fought all four of the barbarian nations in her time found herself taking a step backward from all those on-display sharp ivory teeth. After a moment of consideration, she decided this was very much above her pay grade, and that she'd found out as much as she was going to find out, and so just nodded and muttered something about that all making sense before beating a hasty retreat.

Several of the ''koboldi'' waved goodbye as she departed and one of them called out "Have a lovely afternoon!" without the slightest hint of sarcasm.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Camock.jpg|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
Barely a week after the Autumn Equinox, a gang of ''koboldi'' pass through the Hall of Worlds and emerge at [[Anvil]]. They carry large numbers of surveying tools and spend a cheerful afternoon exploring, taking measurements, and avoiding direct questions. Over the next month, they set to work pinning out a sizable area of ground; more and more ''koboldi'' arrive and bring with them building materials and construction tools of all kinds. Working at remarkable speed, over the next fortnight, they begin to raise a sizable structure on the edge of [[Anvil]]. Several wagonloads of [[white granite]] and [[weirwood]] are delivered to the site from Casinean warehouses, as the ''koboldi'' overseer ''Molibolt'' redeems a stack of very old wains some dating back as far as the reign of [[Empress Mariika]]. More and more ''koboldi'' arrive, swelling their numbers until some local residents are concerned an actual invasion from the [[Realms#Summer realm|Summer realm]] may be underway.

At first it is assumed this is some sort of arrangement with the [[Conclave]], the [[Archmage of Summer]], or the [[Master of the Koboldi]] but the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] themselves cheerfully explain that it is nothing of the sort. They are here on a commission directly from the [[Adamant|King Under the Mountain]] themselves. A commission they describe as "ever so exciting" to the worry of many.

==Barien's Gift==
* '''Adamant and Barien have collaborated to deliver a gift to the people of the Empire'''
* '''A new structure has been created on the margins between Anvil and Outer Anvil'''
With supernatural skill and speed, the servants of the ''Stone Dragon'' complete their work and, despite worries, return through the [[Regio#Imperial Regio|Imperial regio]]. It isn't at first clear what they have built - it seems to be less a building and more the skeleton of such. A large open space outlined by a series of support pillars. It looks incomplete, but when questioned Molibolt smiles secretively and says that they weren't commissioned to build the whole thing, only to construct "somewhere to put it."

The very next morning, the guards set to watch over the construction find ten heralds bearing the owl banners of the [[Barien|Lord of the Crossroads]] have arrived. They encircle the ''koboldi''-work building site and as the sun rises, they raise their banners high. Among their number are familiar faces - ''Revel'', ''Temper'', ''Flute'', and ''Bellows'' - and several who have never been seen at Anvil before including one clearly of [[orc]] appearance and draped in crimson and steel. It is clear from the exertion on their faces that whatever they are doing is no easy task, and they ignore all attempts to question them. Molibolt and her gang do their best, but their very technical explanation about what is happening leaves most who speak to them none the wiser.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><box>'''The Tourneyground of Camock'''<br>Scholars among the [[Celestial Arch]] are aware of the ''Resounding Deep'' - a great chamber between the Summer realm and the mortal world where Barien is known to bring those who would challenge great beasts of the wilderness. The tourneygrounds there have been used in the past for several [[Challenge the Iron Duke|magical challenges]] between Imperial citizens and the ''Lord of the Crossroads''. The ''koboldi'' overseer Molibolt mentions in part of their explanation of what is happening that the arena was "easier to move" because it was already quite close to the mortal realm, but that the logistics were still "a proper headscratcher"</box></div>
At midday, there is a sound like all the strings of a great harp being plucked simultaneously and between one moment and the next under the late Autumn sun, a building appears. An arena, marked with age, but formed around the pillars and supports the ''koboldi'' provided. Beaded with sweat, the heralds of Barien lower their banners and in some cases practically collapse from exhaustion. It falls to Revel to explain what has happened here.

This, it seems, is a gift from Barien to the Empire in recognition of the challenges they have faced and those yet to come. A place for them to celebrate, to practice arts of war and peace alike, and for new challenges to be set under the watching eyes of Imperial citizens. In much the same way that the [[Cathan Canae|Lady of the Blizzard]] allows her great citadels to be called to the mortal world, Barien has moved the ''Tourneyground of Camock'' from his demesne to the mortal world. From its place on the edge of the Resounding Deep where the [[icewalker]] ''Saara Vartiainen'' once bested the terrible emerald dragon ''Saxesangwin'' in a contest of riddles, and ''Ser Cadacus'' moved Barien to tears with their bittersweet music, the tourneygrounds are now in Anvil. A sign that the ''Master of Revels'' recognises and exalts the enduring prowess of the Empire, and its heroes.
==The Anvil Arena==
* '''There is a new arena in Anvil, a gift from Barien to the people of the Empire
* '''The civil service have been lumbered with sorting out the details of how it will be used
* '''Barien intends to use the space for challenges but the rest of the time it is free for use by Imperial citizens
{{CaptionedImage|file=King Under the Mountain.png|align=right|width=200}}
When the heralds depart, the arena remains behind. Temper and Flute formally hand the structure over to the nonplussed members of the civil service, on the understanding that they will be able to "handle the paperwork". Bellows is the last to depart, and mentions in an off-hand way that some of Barien's reeves will be in touch before the Winter Solstice with a proposal of how to best celebrate the creation of the new arena. The only thing that the ''Iron Duke'' asks in return for his gift is recognition that the civil service give priority to the Summer realm when it comes to the use of the space - on the understanding that they will receive plenty of advance warning when such things are to take place.

Imperial magicians are quick to explore the structure. They are able to confirm that it is ''physically there'' - not the result of an ongoing enchantment. The foundations and several of the supports are imbued with something akin to adamant - the indestructible stone of the Summer realm - and while it is not impossible to harm the structure it would take profoundly potent magic to do so in any meaningful way. Ritual divinations are deployed by members of the [[Unfettered Mind]]. [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic]] suggests that there is an enigma regarding the place - "''What does it mean to be victorious, to triumph? What is the value of a contest with rules? What is the reward for those who do not win?''". Not precisely illuminating, but perhaps a riddle for mystics and philosophers to debate. [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic]] is more forthcoming - "''This is the tourney ground of Camock that once stood in the Resounding Deep, where Imperial heroes bested and were bested by the powers of the Summer realm, given as a gift to the Empire by the ''Lord of the Crossroads'' at the end of 387YE in recognition of the willingness of Imperial champions to challenge themselves and the world.''"

The structure itself is relatively simple - a flat open space surrounded by tiered rows of seats with some small offices attached. It is sparsely decorated - many of the impossibly bright banners and standards hung here when it arrived dissolve into mist and seafoam as the sun sets. As well as having room for martial contests, it's clear that with a little projection and a willing audience it would also serve well as a performance venue for music and drama. The seating area might also work reasonably well as a place for passionate debate, reasonable discussion, or the delivery of studious lectures.

The civil servants entrusted with looking after the place have confirmed that they plan to operate a system similar to that which already exists with regard to other "Imperial" spaces - to schedule its use by Imperial citizens.
==Calling the Drottningbjotha==
* '''The rulers of the Summer realm have called the Drottningbjotha'''
* '''It will take the form of a grand tourney of the Imperial nations'''
It's been some eight years or more since the last time one of the monarchs of the Summer realm [[Calling the Drottningbjotha|called the Drottningbjotha]] (''Drott-ning-BEE-yo-thar''). As the Winter Solstice approaches, heralds of the monarchs of the Summer realm - of [[Adamant]], [[Cathan Canae]], [[Eleonaris]], [[Jaheris]], [[Meraud]], and [[Rhianos]] - let it be known that they intend to do so once again, to celebrate Imperial victories and the strong bond between the courts of Summer and the Empire. It falls to heralds of Barien to deliver the details of the challenge, which they do in discussion with the civil service.

The last time the Drottningbjotha was called, by the ''Queen of Ice and Darkness'', it was a test of endurance and fortitude as well as military prowess. This time, it is to be a test not of individuals but of bands of champions. Each nation of the Empire is invited to present a ten-strong warband of heroes, seasoned warriors and veterans of the Empire's battles against their enemies. They will contend against one another until only one remains and the warband - and the nation they represent - will receive the accolades of Summer. All who participate, however, will be granted a gift, commensurate with how far through the contest they get.
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=400}}</div>

Shortly before the Winter Solstice, Revel and the heralds of Barien return to Anvil. This time they are here to deliver the rules of the tourney to be held at the coming summit.

==Friday Evening==
* '''Opening ceremonies for the Drottningbjotha will take place on Friday evening in the arena, at 6:30pm'''
* '''The [[strategos]] of each Imperial nation is invited to attend, and to be responsible for assembling their nation's team'''
* '''Each strategos will be given a symbol of authority - they can pass the symbol to another if they prefer'''
* '''Each strategos will have a chance to address the crowd'''
* '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia has also been invited to take part by the heralds''''
At '''6:30pm''', after the opening of the summit, the heralds of Barien will invite the strategos' of the ten nations of the Empire to come before them, and open the festivities of the Drottningbjotha. Where a nation currently has no strategos, Barien assumes that the [[general|generals]] of the nations involved will expedite the [[Strategos#Appointment|appointment]]. If they aren't able to, Revel will attend the nation afterwards to try and ensure an organiser is in place.

Each nation that wishes to take part must field a single team of ten contestants; no more, no less. Barien is asking the strategoi to choose their nation's champions. The Drottningbjotha will be as much a test of the strategos' skill and management as the champions themselves. They can choose whatever combination of steel clad fighters, archers and battlemages they prefer, but the ten they select are the only ones who can take part at each stage of the tournament.

Revel will provide each strategoi with a symbol of their authority. This denotes that they have final say over who gets to take part in the tourney; the heralds will defer to the holder if there are any disputes. If a strategos does not wish to take on the responsibility for any reason, they may pass the symbol to another in their nation to act in their stead.

The heralds don't offer any restrictions on how teams should be chosen; that is left entirely up to the strategos themselves. Of course the heralds would be delighted if some kind of tourney or challenge was implemented, but the ultimate decision lies with the organisers. Each strategos is welcome to include themselves as one of the ten champions, if they so wish, but there is no requirement to do so.

Once Barien's tokens have been distributed, each strategos will be free to address the crowd for a minute, in order to set the right tone for the rest of the weekend, of course. If for some reason the strategos isn't there, the heralds of Barien will seek them out later and deliver their mark of authority.

==Mustering the Warbands==
* '''The ten champions chosen for each nation must present themselves at the area at 4:00pm on Saturday'''
* '''Those who bear Barien's symbol of authority will have the final say on who is chosen to represent their nation'''
* '''An 11th team will also participate, comprising one champion selected by each of nine covens chosen by the Iron Duke'''
* '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia is invited to lead Barien's team'''

The Drottningbjotha will open at '''4pm on the Saturday of the summit'''. The teams should present themselves to the heralds at that time, so they can ensure everything is in order. If there are any doubts who a nation's ten champions will be, then the strategos or whoever they have given Barien's symbol of authority to, will have the final say.

In addition to ten nations, an 11th team will enter the contest. At this summit, [[Locked runes|Barien has invited nine favoured covens to each choose a champion]] to take part in the tourney. The Lord of the Crossroads has offered '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia''' the opportunity to lead this motley team, as the leader of '''The Coven of Golden Wings''', the coven with the most successful Iron Duke challengers of the last year. If fewer than nine champions are chosen by Barien's covens, Vesper will be free to choose additional contestants to add to their team in order to bring the total to ten.

Once all 110 champions are accounted for, the tourney proper will begin with the first round. All rounds of the tourney will be fought under the same rules of engagement.

==Rules of Engagement==
* '''Champions may benefit from enchantments, boons, magical items, and similar'''
* '''Consumable items including potions, herbs, and crystal mana are not permitted in the arena'''
* '''Champions may not receive aid from anyone outside their team once a bout begins'''
* '''A contestant is defeated when they can no longer rise, or they yield'''
* '''A contestant may not return to the fight once they are healed or leave the arena'''
* '''Enterprising citizens are welcome to take bets on the outcome or to sell refreshments to the crowd'''
* '''These rules apply to every round of the Drottningbjotha'''

The rules of this Drottningbjotha are straightforward. Contestants can bring with them as many enchantments or magic items as they wish but once the engagement starts there must be ''no use'' of consumables (including but not limited to potions, herbs, and crystal mana) until the bout is over. There must be no interference from outside the field itself; supporters must not provide spells, potions, herbs or similar to their team once their bout begins. Only the champions may affect the outcome of the challenge, and they must do so with their wits and prowess not with endless sacks of healing potions. In the event of any dispute about the rules the heralds of Barien will adjudicate, with advice from the [[Archmage of Summer]] (or their proxy) if they are present.

Contestants are welcome to bring spare weapons and shields into the area to be used if their arms are shattered. These should be left at the edge of the fighting area; champions may only use spares their own team has brought in. This is not a fight to the death, a champion is defeated when they yield or cannot rise. Once a champion yields, leaves the arena or is healed after falling, they cannot return to that fight. They may participate in later rounds if their team is victorious.

A herald of Adamant has suggested that the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]] provide sufficient healers to ensure that wherever possible nobody actually dies. They will be the sole exception to the rule that only the contestants will be on the field - Healers may enter the field to get the fallen to safety and ensure their wounds are not fatal. They should place one hand on their heart to indicate they are not participating and should not be struck. Fallen contestants should be removed from the field and healed on the sidelines. Healers are free to use whatever resources they desire, but anyone healed in this way cannot return to the fray in this bout. They may rejoin their team in the next round if their team are victorious.

A query from a respected member of the [[Golden Pyramid]] order, about whether it is acceptable to take bets on the outcome, or to sell sausages on sticks to the audience, is met with polite incomprehension. The heralds of the Summer realm see no reason that what happens in the stands should be of interest to them or the participants in the Drottningbjotha. It seems that anyone with services to offer is more than welcome to make what coin they can from the assembled crowds.

===The Opening Round===
* '''The opening round of the Drottningbjotha begins at the arena at 4:15pm on Saturday'''
* '''It consists of five bouts, each pairing two nations against each other'''
* '''Pairings will be drawn randomly before the start of the bouts'''
* '''A team wins if their opponents have no champions left standing'''
* '''If both teams are still fighting after five minutes, the team with the most champions remaining wins'''

The opening round will consist of 5 bouts, each pitting one nation's warband against another. The heralds of Barien will draw lots randomly at the start of the round to determine pairings. Once underway, the fight ends when only one team has contestants remaining. If both sides are still in the fray after five minutes, the team with the most champions remaining is the winner. In the event of a tie, the heralds will call for the bout to continue, but whichever team loses the next champion, loses the bout.

===The Heroes' Round===
* '''After the first round is complete, a single hero from the five losing teams may enter the arena'''
* '''They will take part in a grand melee between these five heroes'''
* '''The winning hero's team will advance to the second round'''
* '''The round will be followed by a brief interlude to allow the winning hero to recover'''
* '''Barien invites the High Bard to arrange entertainment in the arena during this period'''

Once all the bouts in the first round are complete, Barien's heralds will invite each of the five losing teams to nominate a single hero to face off against the others. The decision of the strategos will settle any arguments. The five champions will enter the arena at the same time to fight in a grand melee. The team of whichever champion is left standing at the end will proceed to the next round, the others will be eliminated.

There will be a short interlude after the heroes round to allow the winner to rest and recuperate. Barien invites the High Bard to entertain the crowd during the interlude, or else nominate someone who can do so if they prefer.

===The Victors' Round===
* '''The victors' round will consist of 3 bouts between the 6 teams that won a bout previously'''
* '''Pairings will be drawn randomly before the start of the bouts'''
* '''It will be followed by a short interlude'''

The six winners from the first two rounds will be paired off in three bouts in the next round. Barien's heralds will draw lots again, but will make sure there no repeats of pairings from the first round. It will employ the same rules as the previous bouts.

The three winners will go forwards to the final round after another short interlude.

===The Final Round===
* '''The final round will be a single grand melee'''
* '''It will feature the three winners from the previous round and the team of the Iron Duke's champions'''
* '''The final bout will continue until only one team has champions remaining'''
* '''The final team with champions still standing in the arena will be crowned the victors of the Drottningbjotha'''

The three winning teams from the previous round will go enter the final round of the Drottningbjotha. They will be joined by the team of the Iron Duke's champions.

The final round will be a grand melee between the 4 teams, with no time limit. One team wins once all their opponents have no champions left standing. The winning team will be crowned the victors of the Drottningbjotha.

==Spoils of the Contest==
* '''Every champion eliminated in the opening round will receive a dose of Skop's Mead'''
* '''Champions eliminated in the victors round will each receive a dose of Troubadour's Glory'''
* '''The losers in the final round will each receive a dose of Champion's Honey'''
* '''Every member of the winning team will each receive an Iron Owl'''
* '''The nation that wins the contest will receive a boon from those kings and queens of the Summer realm who have amity'''
As befits such a grand occasion, those who demonstrate their skills will be rewarded according to their success. Each individual champion who takes part but is eliminated in the opening round will receive a single dose of [[Philtres_of_War#Skop's_Mead|Skop's Mead]] in recognition of their brave efforts. Those eliminated in the victors round will be given a flask of ''Troubadour's Glory'', a heady brew prepared by servants of the ''[[Eleonaris|Lady of Pennants]]'' which apparently has the same benefits as Skop's Mead but also restores three lost body hits to the imbiber.

Each of the brave champions eliminated in the final round will be granted a snifter of ''Champion's Honey'', a rare brew from the cellars of the [[Jaheris#Brews_of_Silverbrow|Moonsilver King]] with effects comparable to those of the [[Philtres_of_War#Elixir_of_Exalted_Puissance|Elixir of Exalted Puissance]]. Each of the ten winners will instead receive an Iron Owl, a powerful talisman enchanted by Barien themselves, which grants [[Heroic_skills#Extra_Hero_Points|one additional hero point]] to anyone bonded to it.

Perhaps just as importantly, a nation that wins the contest will also receive the boons of the Summer realm. Each of the [[Alignment#Summer|monarchs of the Summer realm]] who has [[Alignment#Amity|amity]] at the end of the Winter Solstice summit will find a way to bless the lands of the winning nation.

If Barien's champions are defeated in the final round, they will receive a dose of Champion's Honey like the other champions. If they are victorious, they will claim the Iron Owls, and the nation's prize will be claimed by Enchanter Vesper Lucentia on behalf of Dawn.

With that, the curtain will fall on the Drottningbjotha, though not on the arena. It might take another 8 years for the next Drottningbjotha to be called, but the Tourneygrounds of Camock will play host to many more scenes of challenge and spectacle at the summits in between.

<--==Resolution==

-->

==Out of Character==
* '''Our new site includes a large covered grandstand'''
* '''This is now part of the IC location of Anvil and can be booked by players for their use through liaison with the civil service'''

Our new site features a large grandstand, which we're keen to integrate into the field at Anvil. Our set team are hard at work already, adapting that to make it look as impressive as possible for the first event. We don't have any plans to run a grand tourney like this every event, but it will be the natural place for plots like this to run in the future. Having the grandstand means we won't have to take over the Dawnish Glory Square every time we need to run a large set piece of plot in the future - so that location can remain for the exclusive use of the Dawnish and for plot aimed at the Dawnish.

The space will be a normal part of Anvil, managed by the civil service, so players are welcome to [[Anvil#Booking_Civil_Service_Spaces|book the arena]] for anything they are planning that would benefit from open space and tiered seating.
<ic>
The great warrior shifted, wheeling in the sand, his spear spinning in his hands.

"Hiyaa!" He lunged forwards, the weapon a blur as it darted through the air, left then right. An orc went down clutching his midriff. The crowd gasped, as three more enemies leapt forward to take his place. "Booooooo!" the people in the stands catcalled the villains for daring to attack him three to one.

"Yeaarrgh!" He yanked the pole-axe back, loading the heavy head behind his head, then brought it forwards with devastating speed. It struck the sand with a boom so loud, the shockwave hurled everyone from their feet.

An arrow came flying out of the distance, a deadly needle aimed directly for his head. Stumbling back, he pulled the quarterstaff up, just in time to knock the arrow from the air before it tore his throat out. Triumphant, he spun the weapon in one hand, then snapped it back, the haft behind his back, the point of the bhuj held out to the side to meet the rays of the setting sun.

"Carlos i Diez! Stop messing around and get on with it!"

The voice of the great warrior's mum cut through the cheers from the grandstand. Carlos turned his back on the shout and screwed up his face in anger before the moment of truculence gave way to inevitable defeat. There was an hour of daylight left and he'd miss everything if the job wasn't done by then. He lowered the head of the rake, until the tines sank in to the sand. Resigned to the defeat, he dragged it backwards, smoothing out the very same marks that his own heels had left a moment ago.

People would be here soon. Mum reckoned it was a day, two at most. If he helped her get the arena ready in time, she said he could watch it. A great big battle, a real one... with proper weapons and everything... all the mightiest heroes in Anvil...
</ic>

Outreach across the marshes

2026-10-05T13:32:31Z

Responsible1: /* Prudence */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Highest Calling]]
<ic>
Albet van Temeschwar watched the young orc conduct the lesson with a dedication to her charges that would have made any priest of the Little Mother proud. Swift Fisher might be young, but like many Summer Children, she was impossibly tall and surprisingly mature for her age. Even so, it was a peculiar scene, the young orc stood in front of an antique looking blackboard on a heavy wooden frame, as half a dozen adult members of the sept struggled to copy their letters.

In many ways the whole thing epitomised the Sand Fishers. The young members of the sept were packed off to Holberg to study in the schools (and lately the university) alongside the children of Holberg's wealthy families. But as soon as school was out, they had to hurry home where they were expected to devote every hour to teaching what they knew to the older members of the sept before they headed back to the city. Albet couldn't remember the last time he'd spoken with someone so dedicated. When he'd asked Swift Fisher where she'd got the black board from, she'd explained that her school had been throwing it out, so she and a fellow student had lugged the rickety old thing all the way back to Misericorde between them.

He smiled to himself as a humorous notion occurred to him. "We can't possibly let them join the League" he whispered to Verah, "they work too hard... they'll make the rest of us look bad!" His fellow prince stifled a laugh, to avoid disturbing the lesson.

She shook her head as if to disagree with him. "It'll be fine," she explained, "a few hours in the company of Harlequin and he'll teach them "enjoying the fruits" is the whole point of all that labour."

Albet smiled but something about the exchange struck him as significant. He'd jumped at the chance to come to Misericorde when Lia Adelaar had asked the merchant princes to find a way to persuade the orcs to join the League. He'd told himself it was the opportunity for new customers, and maybe even the prospect of finding new members for his carta, but mostly he'd just been curious for a chance to meet the famous Holberg Orcs. Now he had, it was easy to see why everyone seemed to like the Sand Fishers. They were as affable as they were earnest. Enthusiastic supporters of Holberg and the League, they were honest and hard-working in equal measures.

It raised the rather obvious question of why anyone would want to change that. Albet and the other merchant princes had all been briefed on what they were here to do, but suddenly he was struck by the fact that he didn't know ''why'' he was here at all. To persuade the Sand Fishers to join the Empire of course, but why? Was all this for their benefit... or the Empires?

He didn't have the answer to that question, which was annoying because he had a feeling it just might be the key to the whole thing.
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Jonah Yakovitch.jpg|caption=The [[Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market]], '''Jonah Yakovitch''', is one of the Imperial envoys to the Sand Fishers.|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==Overview==
At the Spring Equinox, [[the League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|declared attracting other people to join the Empire]] was their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]]. It is a Virtuous endeavour, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation would need to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts on one group at a time]]. They also needed to decide who might be best to spearhead this diplomacy.

The League Assembly overwhelmingly backed the judgement of '''Lia Adelaar von Holberg''' urging the [[Merchant Prince|Princes]] of the League to reach out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]]. The [[Prosperity|Prosperous]] sept of orcs were given the region of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]] as their own lands in Spring 383YE - since then the relationship has only grown stronger. Now the Princes of the League are aiming to see what might be done to persuade the sept to join the Empire; who better to persuade the orcs of the benefits of a seat at the great game?

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregore recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well? Either way, the Empire can benefit by holding their allies close.

==Virtuous Friends==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Pride.png|align=right|caption=Thanks to the wayfarers who preached in Ossium, the orcs of Misericorde have found deep wells of [[Pride]] within them.|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|align=right|width=200|caption=The Sand Fishers have enthusiastically embraced the idea of [[Prosperity]].}}
</div>
* '''The Sand Fishers are deeply grateful to the League and the Empire for everything it has done for them'''
It is hard to imagine a group more likely to be open to the prospect of joining the Empire than the Sand Fishers. Holberg took a big risk when they [[Cede_region_of_Misericorde_to_Sand_Fishers|ceded an entire region of Holberg]] to a foreign sept, one only just liberated from the rule of the [[Druj]], but the gamble appears to have paid off. The sept have contributed to the [[Prosperity]] of the territory, working with the League to develop the [[Flaxen Pillars]] so that both parties could share the benefits. They have [[A_dream_that_can_last#Green_Shoots|traded herbs with League farms]] as well as using them to buy [[mithril]] and [[weirwood]] from the [[Merchant_Prince_of_Misericorde_Market#Misericorde_Market|Misericorde market]]. They've even made donations to the Imperial treasury, albeit a fraction of what they would have paid were they actual citizens dwelling in the Empire.

They've also [[Across_the_Abyss#Prosperity|embraced the Virtues]] with a fervour that would put a League [[bishop]] to shame. Most of them are passionate advocates of [[Prosperity]], but they also talk about the importance of [[Ambition]], [[Loyalty]], [[Courage]], [[Pride]], [[Vigilance]] and [[Wisdom]]. They quote the tenets of the Virtues with obvious reverence and they treat auras of the Virtues as nothing short of magical. Every season they pay seven priests of Holberg to walk all the way to Misericorde just to create consecrations for them, and those who can afford it, purchase an anointing whenever the opportunity presents itself. And they see even the most innocuous hallowed items as priceless weapons. They have an unshakeable conviction that the Empire is beating the Druj ''because'' of the Way - they contrast the power of the Virtues favourably with the Druj's embrace of the malign spiritual aura of fear.

They've also taken advantage of every opportunity the Empire has extended to them. They've sent members of the sept to study war magic with the Imperial Orcs in Skarsind and with the [[Imperial Necromancer]] Claudia Remislav. Young Sand Fishers are now a common sight in Holberg where they attend schools and universities, studying hard alongside other League students and citizens. Such an education is expensive, [[383YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Increase_upkeep_of_Holberg|but it has all been paid for by the Imperial Senate]].

If there was a single act that really made the difference however, it was the defence of the Sand Fishers [[The_blessing_way#The_Eastern_Threat|when the Druj came hunting them]]. Up to that point, the Sand Fishers seemed convinced that somehow the Druj would find them and drag them back into slavery, that everything they had gained by throwing in their lot with the Empire would be torn away from them. At the point where the Empire risked their own armies to protect the sept from the ancient enemies, it convinced them that this new future would last and that their new allies could be trusted with their lives.

Given ''all that'', the real question is why in the name of the Seven Virtues, ''wouldn't'' they join the Empire?

==Sticking Points==
* '''There are four key sticking points preventing the Sand Fishers from joining the Empire'''

Despite everything the Empire have done for them, there are a number of sticking points holding the Sand Fishers back from joining the Empire. They are reluctant to talk aboit them, but the merchant princes visiting Misericorde are persuasive and used to getting their own way. Eventually the orcs are convinced to talk openly about the prospect of becoming part of the Empire.

===Paradise===
* '''The Sand Fishers are deeply reluctant to give up ownership of their own lands and the right to rule themselves'''
Almost every Sand Fisher alive today who is over the age of ten has lived the majority of their life under the mind-numbing cruelty of the Druj. When they dwelled in Ossium, the Sand Fishers were subject to unbelievably callous brutality on a day-to-day basis, expressly intended to break their spirit. The Empire freed them from that horror, giving them new lands to dwell in, away from the homeland of the Druj. The Sand Fishers are deeply grateful to the Empire for freeing them from the Druj rule, but the very cause of that gratitude, the precious freedom they have gained, is the same thing that makes it difficult for them to accept the offer to join the League.

The sept like having their own laws, their own leadership, and most especially their own lands. They speak of Misericorde with something akin to awe - they're aware that most Holbergers consider it to be a fairly worthless strip of coastline, but to them it's akin to a utopia. It's not hard to eulogise a land of plenty, overflowing with food and drink, and safe from all threats, when you and your people have suffered hunger and deprivation for decades under the brutal rule of the Druj. It is hard for them to see joining the Empire as anything other than giving up that paradise.

And while Three Hands and the other elders might still lead the sept, they know that if they join the Empire they won't be making their own rules; they won't govern themselves. The younger Sand Fishers have studied civics in school; they know that anyone with a business will get a vote in the Holberg senatorial elections if they attend Anvil. But only one Sand Fisher with a business has ever made that long journey, so the reality for them is that they'll be led by a senator they only met once and that briefly, and subject to the laws of a Senate they've never even seen.

They're Proud of the fact that they rule themselves now. They're not foolish enough to imagine that they could ever have thrown off the tyranny of the Druj by themselves - they know that self-rule was a gift given to them by the Empire. But they've embraced that gift and taken it into their hearts - persuading them to give it up is not easy. Not at the moment, at least.

<quote by="Three Hands">We’re not ready to live on Imperial lands. The young ones are – they don’t know any different. They don’t remember what it is like to live under a tyrant. But I remember. My sept remembers. We’re just not ready to live under someone else's laws, not yet. You gave us Misericorde so that we could rule ourselves. That is precious to us – unbelievably precious. We are not yet ready to return this gift you gave us.</quote>

The Empire could just wait for this problem to go away. The Sand Fishers are a young growing sept, and within two generations, twenty years at most, this problem will be completely gone. Sand Fishers like Swift Fisher and Fleeting Grin would join the League in a heartbeat - but for the fact that they won't leave their sept. Once people like Swift Fisher and her peers are in the majority, then it's almost inevitable that the sept will embrace the Empire, but that day is still a long way off.

===Prudence===
* '''The Sept as a whole would be financially worse off if they joined the League'''

There is a pragmatic reason not to join the Empire - namely the Sand Fishers would simply be worse off. Three Hands openly repeats something he has already said in a letter to Lia Adelaar von Holberg.

<quote by="Three Hands">You gave us Misericorde, land that is teeming with life. But we’re not covered by your laws. We don’t have to pay any taxes. We’ve checked and our donation is a fraction of what we would pay if we were actually taxed like citizens. But when the Druj came… you defended us. We’ve got everything we could possibly want – and there is no price for any of it. Why would we give that up?</quote>

The Empire provides many benefits for its citizens - but few are more fundamental than the fact that it strives to defend its citizens from any threat. That promise is often honoured more in the breach on the borders of the Empire, but Holberg is protected by the greatest fortification in the world. There are fifteen thousand soldiers who garrison the territory - and curtain walls like mountains. The Sand Fishers might not have studied at the [[Tassato#Barossa_School_of_Imperial_Strategy|Barossa School of Imperial Strategy]] but they understand the implications of that perfectly. They have plans they train to abandon Misericorde, if needed, and retreat to the protection of those giant walls if their lands are attacked by the Druj.

Crucially they understand that that garrison costs a small fortune to maintain. They don't know how expensive Imperial armies are, but they do know it reqires inconceivable sums of money to keep them in the field. The Sand Fishers get all the benefits of the protection the Imperial military provides - and they pay nothing towards its upkeep.

Another great benefit of Imperial life is education. The Sand Fisher sept were completely illiterate when they came to Misericorde. If the Druj found a Sand Fisher who could read or write, they would have been subject to an agonising execution for possession of forbidden lore. Likely they would be slowly impaled on a spear in front of the whole sept as a warning to others. The youngest Sand Fishers study at Holberg with a passion for their lessons that puts many a native born Holberg child to shame. They treat their classes the way a drowning man treats a mouthful of air. The young Fishers learned their letters in record time, in part because they spent the time out of school teaching the older members of the sept. The Sand Fishers treat the education they get in Holberg as a priceless gift.

Gift is arguably the right way to describe it - because it costs the Imperial Senate over fifty thrones a year to pay to give the Sand Fishers access to the finest teachers money can buy. And the Sand Fishers contribute essentially ''nothing'' to these costs. It's all given to them for free.

Imperial citizens who own property pay taxes to meet some of the huge costs of running the Imperial state. But the Sand Fishers get all these benefits of being citizens of the Empire - without paying any of the costs. They're not the only ones with such a beneficial deal - the Sarcophan have somehow persuaded the Empire to provide them with some of the same benefits in their enclave in the [[Sarvos#Sarcophan_Enclave|Alivetti estates]]. But there are scores of Sarcophan there who own property at most, compared to hundreds of Sand Fishers who have established their own businesses. There would be costs if the Sand Fishers joined the League - the Empire would have to pay to maintain and govern the region of Misericorde, but the taxation of the territory would rise to more than cover that.

That's taxes that ''aren't'' going to the Sand Fishers. Wealthy Sand Fishers will be able to pay their tax easily - some of them are remarkably Prosperous these days - but they're also a very communal people. They're very motivated by what is in the best interests of the Sand Fishers. And it's hard to escape the obvious conclusion that joining the Empire isn't actually in their best interests - not when they currently get everything for free.

There are benefits of citizenship that the Sand Fishers don't enjoy. Most obviously, they don't have access to Imperial lore - so they are unable to study ritual magic. In a sept of thousands, they have one trained ritual magician - an orc called White Beard. He's very studious by all accounts, but he's not forming his own coven any time soon. But they never had ritual magic and they've quickly adjusted, hiring Holberg magicians to pay for enchantments on their properties.

The Sand Fishers have worked all this out for themselves. They ''know'' how good the deal they have is. It clear that this imbalance is a source of some distress for them - they are aware of the tenet of Prosperity that teaches people to "Despise... those who take without giving". The sept are searching for a way to redress what they see as this failure of Virtue. But it doesn't make it easier to persuade the Sand Fishers that they should join the Empire when they have almost all the benefits of being members, without suffering any of the costs. Pragmatically speaking, the sept are simply better off the way they are.

===Philosophy===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Labyrinth.jpg|align=right|width=300|caption=The Sand Fisher belief in reincarnation is at odds with [[the Doctrines of the Faith]].}}</div>
* '''The Sand Fishers believe they reincarnate, a view that is at odds with the Way'''

For all their commitment to Virtue, the sept don't have the best grasp of [[the Way]]. Some of the younger ones who have studied in the schools of Holberg can recite [[the Doctrines of the Faith]] by heart, but it's not clear that any of the Sand Fishers pay them much heed. They revere the seven Virtues, but they're fully aware that their beliefs are at odds with the [[Doctrines of the Faith]] and by and large they don't care.

Perhaps the reason for that is that the Sand Fishers believe that their own metaphysical beliefs are probably not true. Most of the sept believe they reincarnate - that has been the oral tradition that formed the basis of their views going back as far as anyone can remember. But of late they have started to suspect that this might not be true - and that if it isn't then it could be a lie deliberately spread by the Druj.

As a result, most Sand Fishers believe what happens after death to be a mystery. They're not particularly motivated to try to solve that mystery - they're a lot more concerned with building up their farms and businesses than they are with metaphysics and epistemology. But when pushed, they're happy to discuss the Doctrines and when encouraged to be frank their views are alarmingly at odds with the Way. They don't know if orcs reincarnate or not, but as far as they are concerned, it just doesn't seem very likely that humans reincarnate and orcs don't. Why would that be so? Clearly orcs and humans are different because humans have true liao and orcs have black lotus, but the fact that orcs can't use liao doesn't seem to them like a solid basis for an entire set of metaphysical assumptions about what happens to the souls of orcs when they die.

None of this worries the Sand Fishers in the slightest. They're simply not that curious about this kind of metaphysical question. As Three Hands says, either we get one life and should make it as Virtuous as possible because that's all we get, or we reincarnate and so we should be as Virtuous as possible to ensure that happens quickly - so it doesn't really matter which is true. What does concern them is that if they were subject to Imperial law then they could face execution for their beliefs. An Imperial Orc was executed by the Empire for failing to observe the Doctrines within the last year. The Sand Fishers are no more observant of the Doctrines than [[The_Visitation#Untangling_the_Knott|Bloodcrow Knott]] was.

None of this was a problem for the Apulian Orcs when they joined the League - they quietly abandoned centuries of supposedly, deeply held religious beliefs at the drop of a hat when it was clear they weren't acceptable to the Empire. But the Sand Fishers are a very different prospect - a deeply ''earnest'' people - they ''won't'' change their beliefs simply because it is politic to do so. They'll cite the tenets of Pride and Courage and face their deaths accordingly.

It is possible that the Sand Fishers could be convinced that the idea that they reincarnate is wrong. They are open to such a possibility, they suspect much of what they believe to be false.

<quote by="Three Hands">...we were taught that all life is an essential torment, into which orcs are born over and over again. But we know now that this not true, because life in Holberg is good! Life in Holberg is great! So everything we have always believed is a lie. We suspect the Druj taught us these things, the better to crush our spirits.</quote>

But given their history with the Druj it won't be easy for an external group to persuade them of something new. And worse, at the moment, people keep trying to encourage them to talk to the Marcher Orcs who are absolutely adamant that they reincarnate. Exposure to other orcs who believe in reincarnation is only likely to buttress their existing beliefs and demonstrate that the idea of orc reincarnation is ''not'' just something the Druj made up to subjugate them.

===Probity===
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofTheBarrens.png|caption=Events in the Barrens continue to cast a long shadow over all the Empire's efforts to deal with orc folk.|align=right|width=400}}</div>
* '''The Sand Fishers don't want to be associated with the excesses of Imperial military policy'''
Holberg lies just across the border from [[the Barrens]]. For obvious reasons, the Sand Fishers take a lot of interest in the war with the Druj, and they watched the events of the conquest of the Barrens unfold with horror. All their experiences with the Empire have been overwhelmingly benevolent - the Empire freed them from the rule of the Druj, gave them an entire region of land of their own where they could govern themselves, and then fought and died to protect them from the Druj. The Empire has been nothing but good to the Sand Fishers throughout - their experience of the Empire is overwhelmingly positive.

As a result, they're horrified by the treatment of [[Not_to_conquer#Rahvin|the Rahvin]], [[Not_to_conquer#The_Black_Wind|the Black Wind]], [[Not_to_conquer#Vendarri|the Vendarri]] and most particularly, [[Not_to_conquer#Montanians|the Montanians]]. They expected the Empire to treat these groups the same way they were treated - the fact that the Empire's treatment was arguably ''worse'' than the horrors of the Druj astounded and appalled them in equal measures. For all their Ambition, the Sand Fishers are not well informed about political decision making in the Empire and perhaps as a result, they have absolutely no idea at all why that happened. They simply do not understand why they were treated so well, when others were treated so badly.

The Sand Fishers have rarely expressed these opinions to the Empire. They may not be ruled by anyone any more, but centuries of deference are hard to break. But they have not shied away from pointing out the inconsistencies to anyone who has spoken to them. On more than one occasion they have been asked to represent the Empire to the other septs languishing under the rule of the Druj. To explain to people how good life can be in the Empire - how well the Empire treats them. They have always demurred, pointing out that Pride would compel them to also acknowledge how badly the Empire has treated some groups. They are happy to extol the benefits that they have gained through siding with the Empire, but they won't hide what happened to the other septs, less fortunate than themselves.

What concerns the Sand Fishers is not that the Empire might do these things. They like the Empire, and they love the League, but they understand that the Empire is far from perfect. In some ways they have a higher view of the Empire than ''some'' citizens do. Yes, at it's worst, it is cruel and tyrannical, capable of cruelty that would make even the Druj blanche. But at its best it is a beacon of Virtue - capable of benevolence that no Druj could ever contemplate. An Empire that swings between embracing the Virtues one moment and imitating the Druj the next is infinitely better than the Druj, even if that is only true half of the time.

The problem for the Sand Fishers is one of moral conscience - of culpability. As allies of the Empire with negligible political influence, the Sand Fishers are not haunted by the murder in the Barrens. They wish the Empire had shown the septs the same mercy they were given, but they don't blame themselves for what happened. The Sand Fishers don't imagine that the Varushkans would have held back if Three Hands had written them a strongly-worded letter asking them [[Ripples_and_shadows|not to wipe out the Montanians]]. They don't believe that there was anything they could have done to stay the hand of [[By_northern_shores|General Archavion and save the Rahvin]].

But the Sand Fishers are a very communal people - they make major decisions by everyone coming together, talking it through and agreeing what to do. It's not dissimilar to the approach used by most Urizen spires - it's the sort of simple practical arrangement that works for small communities. But that approach affects how they see the world - in their minds the decisions the sept makes are made by everyone in the sept. They believe that if they join the Empire then they become responsible for the things the Empire says and does. If that happens, and there are further massacres like the three that characterised just the closing moments of the Barrens campaign then that will be on them.

<quote by="River Cloud">This world is full of evil, but none more so than the Druj. The Empire has fought the Druj for so long that the taint of them has infected you. It is the poison in your blood. They are the sickness in your soul. Perhaps when the world is free of the Druj you will be whole. Or perhaps when the world is free of them you will simply take their place.</quote>

That thought of being culpable for such deeds horrifies the Sand Fishers. They hate the Druj with every fibre of their being. But it's what the Druj represent that they hate. The idea of imitating the Druj, of ''becoming'' the Druj, is a moral evil they cannot - will not - countenance.

==Practical Issues==
{{CaptionedImage|file=HolbergRegions.png|caption=The Sand Fishers have put down deep roots in Holberg.|align=right|width=400}}
There are some countervailing considerations as well. These issues are not fundamental - and they're probably not intractable. Provided that their friends in the League have considered them and are satisfied that the problems are not insurmountable they won't stop the Sand Fishers joining, but they do reflect some of the more worldly concerns the sept has.

===Flax===
* '''The Sand Fishers are concerned that the Flaxen Pillars could be relinquished'''
The Sand Fishers control the land that a great stand of [[weirwood]], the [[Flaxen Pillars]] is on. Working hand-in-glove with the League, the sept have established logging operations there complete with kilns to dry the timber. They share the output with the League, in return for the investment needed to develop the resource - an arrangement that provides [[The_greatest_city_in_the_world#Flaxen_Pillars|a range of complex benefits]] for both parties.

Crucially, the Flaxen Pillars salves a part of the Sand Fisher's moral qualms. As far as they are concerned they are sharing all that is worthwhile with those who deserve it. The fact that the League benefits from the Flaxen Pillars is a Virtuous response to the many things the League has given them. That reciprocity is part of the reason they insisted that the resulting bourse seat must be a League position.

If the Sand Fishers join the Empire, then Misericorde won't belong to the sept, it will belong to the Empire and that means the Flaxen Pillars won't belong to the orcs either. And ''that'' means it would be legal for the League to relinquish control of the Pillars, to make them an Imperial position. The Sand Fishers see the Pillars as a fundamental part of their settlement with the League - the thing they have done that benefits the League in a way that reflects what the League did for them by giving them Misericorde.

That kind of reciprocity is very important to them. Perhaps ironically, the Sand Fishers are ultimately concerned that if they join the Empire, they won't be in a position to pay the Empire back for everything it's done for them. But on a more practical level, they simply don't want their allies in the League to lose control of the Flaxen Pillars.

===Bunds===
* '''The sept are concerned that the lands of Rebeshof and Utterlund have been drained to create farmland'''
* '''The sept don't want to farm land that does not belong to them'''
* '''The League does not have anyone who wants to farm these lands'''

A few years ago, the late Professor Immanuel Gelberg was called on to appraise the Prosperity of Holberg. As part of his work he proposed the construction of a series of dykes to drain the wetlands of Holberg. Once complete, they would slowly drain the marshes, turning them into fertile farmland. [[Construct_Adelaarskade|Work began on the Adelaarskade]] after the Autumn Equinox 387YE and it [[Holberg#Adelaarskade|was quickly completed]]. As a result, the wetlands of [[Holberg#Rebeshof|Rebeshof]] and [[Holberg#Utterlund|Utterlund]] will be slowly drained, and, assuming nothing else changes, the regions will lose the [[Region_qualities#Marsh|marsh]] quality by the start of the Spring Equinox 389YE.

The Sand Fishers are deeply concerned about this development. As they understand it, the plan relies on members of the sept settling in these new lands, where they will live as foreigners (or citizens if they join the Empire) and farm the land. That will produce wealth for the Sand Fishers and food for Holberg - they can see the advantages, but there are two distinct problems.

The first is that there are not enough members of the Sept who are interested in settling in Imperial lands to make a difference. The Sand Fishers are inordinately Proud of the fact that they own the lands they live on - they belong to the sept. They don't want to live as foreigners - as guests - of the Empire. The taxation, ironically, is not the issue. The crown tax that each farm will need to pay is insignificant compared to the profits that Sand Fishers like Frost Eyes have calculated that a pig farm would generate. It is the emotional hurdle - the barrier of moving from living on their own lands to the lands of others that bothers them.

Of course if they were members of the Empire, the land would not be a problem - but it would create a very different issue. If the Sand Fishers join the Empire, most folk would expect them to join the League. It's certainly what many of them imagine may eventually happen to the younger members of the sept. But if they join the League, they'll become League citizens, they'll form a magical bond with the League egregore. They'll dress a little bit more like League citizens, they'll think more like other League citizens, they'll act more like any other League citizen would.

And that's a problem, because as Three Hands has repeatedly pointed out, there are precious few people in Holberg who want to live miles from the city, farming for a living. Most of the population of the territory is concentrated in the city, and moving to the city is the kind of dream that animates anyone with imagination and drive who doesn't already live there. Many older Sand Fishers still find the bustling streets of Holberg intimidating, but the younger members of the sept certainly don't. If the Sand Fishers become League citizens, why would they settle for farming lands in Rebeshof and Utterlund? Prominent League citizens don't run farms - they live in the city and run businesses. If the Sand Fishers were League citizens, why would they be any different?

<quote by="Swift Fisher">...all the Sand Fishers love Holberg and we don’t want anything bad to ever happen to it. We just want good things to happen to Holberg!</quote>

But if the Sand Fishers don't farm the land who will? This issue seems to genuinely animate the Sand Fishers - they're concerned that their friends and allies in Holberg have spent a prince's fortune arranging to drain the marshes to turn them into farmland and now there is going to be nobody to farm the land. They hate the thought of all that food going uneaten - they don't want the the city of Holberg to miss out on anything. The sept joining the Empire makes the problem of who will farm the outlying parts of the territory worse - not better - and that's a deep concern for them.

==Conclusions==
* '''The diplomacy carried out by the merchant princes of the League have identified all the issues that ''might'' prevent the Sand Fishers from joining the Empire'''
* '''The leaders of the sept are coming to Anvil at 4pm on the Saturday to discuss joining the Empire with the League'''
* '''This is a singular opportunity for the leaders of the League to persuade the sept if they can successfully address those concerns'''

These problems cannot be solved by commissioning a sinecure or giving the Sand Fishers access to Imperial lore. Not even the vaunted [[Appraisal#Available_Prognosticators|prognosticators could appraise]] a simple way to improve relations with the Sand Fishers. The Empire has not given the Sand Fishers everything they asked for, but they have given them lands, protected them from the Druj, and paid to educate their children. As a result, the Sand Fishers already love Holberg - there is no easy way to make them like the Empire ''more''. And even if there was, it isn't clear that that would address the essential doubts the Sand Fishers have.

The merchant princes who followed Lia Adelaar von Holberg to Misericorde to talk with the Sand Fishers have used their long years of experience as politicians to discover exactly what motivations the Sand Fishers have, but in doing so they have proved that the situation cannot be resolved simply by building a commission. As Albet van Temeschwar, Merchant Prince of the Four Crows charmingly puts it - ''"everything in life boils down to one of two things, problems you can throw money at to make them go away - and problems you can't."'' According to the merchant princes, this is the second. The nation's experts at throwing money at problems to make them go away, think this is very definitely not that kind of problem.

For their part, the Sand Fishers are open to discussing these problems in detail at Anvil. One thing the arrival of some of the most prominent members of League society has done is help to convey to the sept just how important this matter is to their neighbours. As a result, Three Hands and some of the other leaders of the sept are planning to travel to Anvil in the time for the next summit. They plan to head to the camp of the [[Rebeshof Roadwarden]], Lia Adelaar von Holberg at 4pm on Saturday.

Once there they will make themselves available to anyone who wishes to discuss the issue of the sept joining the Empire. The meeting is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to persuade the Sand Fishers to fully embrace the Empire. All that is needed is for the leaders of the League to find a way to address enough of the Sand Fisher's concerns.

==An Oddity==
* '''The Sand Fishers are raising a small armed force in Misericorde'''

As the merchant princes are making their way back to Holberg and the rest of the Empire, one of them, Arios von Temeschwar happens to mention the army the Sand Fishers are raising. There is some laughter at first, everyone knows the Sand Fishers don't have any soldiers. The closest thing they have to any warriors at all is their hunters and the bows and spears they use are ill-suited for warfare. But Arios is absolutely adamant that he had been talking with two members of the sept who had to leave because "it was time for drill". Intrigued, he'd gone with them to discover a camp deep in the heart of Misericorde, where the Sand Fishers are raising a small army - equipping members of the sept with mithril weapons and armour and training and drilling them in basic principles of warfare.

According to Arios, it is a very ''small'' army - a fraction of the size of an Imperial force. At most there are probably five hundred armed soldiers being equipped and trained. But they've clearly been at it for a while now and to his eye, they soldiers look green and inexperienced, but no more so than a newly raised Imperial army might be.

Discussion among the group confirms that nobody knew the Sand Fishers were doing this. It's not clear where they have got the mithril from and while technically they can do what they like on their own lands, it is concerning that they haven't mentioned this to anyone. Arios' report suggests that the camp is not exactly a state secret, but on the other hand, they've clearly hidden it away... And Three Hands and the other leaders of the sept have never once mentioned what they're doing to anyone.

It's a cause for concern among the merchant princes, in what is otherwise seen as a largely successful venture. And does it really matter? The merchant princes have identified the issues that will need to be addressed if the Sand Fishers are to join the Empire. The rest of the League just needs to step up and seal the deal and then the sept will become citizens and it won't matter that there is an orc army, albeit a very small one, hiding in the forests of Misericorde.
==Further Reading==
* [[Any dream will do]] - 388YE Summer wind of fortune discussing the League highest calling
* [[The highest calling]] - 387YE Autumn wind of fortune introducing the highest calling

{{Sandfisher Links}}