Empire - User contributions [en]

Marrowort

2026-02-23T18:40:57Z

TomH: /* Description */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Marrowort.jpg|align=right|width=350|caption=Artwork by Emmanuelle Midmer}}
==Description==
The marrowort plant grows in small patches, and in the wild is most commonly found around battlefields. Its stems are erect, branched in the upper section, and can grow to four-feet high. It has opposing, stalkless, ovate leaves, and has a naturally pale colouration. It flowers in spring and early summer, and the flower-buds and seed-pods alike are collected and crushed to produce a sticky, translucent oil. It grows particularly well in the [[Sarcophan Delves]], and is regularly imported to the Empire from the southern merchant-state.

Properly prepared, marrowort oil has valuable medicinal properties. Ingested it thickens the blood, slows the heartbeat, and speeds natural healing processes. In emergencies, it can be applied directly to a serious wound to help seal it, but doing so can be risky. Marrowort treats ''symptoms'', not the underlying effects of an injury. There are stories of warriors who receive serious wounds, continue to fight with the aid of marrowort, and then keel over dead after the battle from an internal injury that could easily have been treated by a physician.

In high concentrations, marrowort can be used as a poison; the victim's heart slows, they become lethargic, and eventually they fall into a deep coma-like sleep from which they do not awaken. Eventually, the heart simply ceases to beat. Imperial physicians can easily identify the results of Marrowort poisoning, and it is easily treated with the [[purify]] spell or the application of a dose of [[Imperial Roseweald|Imperial roseweald]].

An [[Surgical_skills#Apothecary|apothecary]] with access to an [[Escharotic Cauldron]] can substitute two doses of marrowort for a single dose of [[Cerulean Mazzarine|cerulean mazzarine]] when preparing a [[potion]].

==Rules==
* '''Can only be applied by a character with the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]] skill.'''
* '''Using 30 seconds of [[appropriate roleplaying]], the physick can allow a target to ignore the ''roleplaying effects'' of traumatic wounds until the end of the battle.'''
*'''The herb use fails if you or your target are hit or attack another character during application, but the herb is not consumed'''

A character who is treated with marrowort by a physick may ignore the roleplaying effects of any traumatic wounds they have received until the end of the battle. If a traumatic wound has specific rules effects, then these effects are not affected by marrowort. The benefits apply until the end of the entire battle that the character is in - effectively until the character leaves the battlefield and returns to Anvil or a similar location.

{{Category:Herbs}}
[[Category:Rules]]
[[Category:Potions]]

387YE Autumn Equinox winds of war

2025-09-06T18:02:41Z

TomH: /* Battle opportunities */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Autumn]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Upon the precipice.jpg|align=left|caption=It's a dangerous business, going out your door.|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide-ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said, we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Mournwold]] || [[Because they must]]
|-
| [[Bregasland]] || [[So our path is laid]]
|-
| [[Mareave]] || [[Lines of care and sorrow]]
|-
| [[Redoubt]] || [[To ruin]]
|-
| [[Therunin]] || [[Songs like trees]]
|-
| [[Sarvos]] || [[Those that break a thing]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]] and [[Zenith]] || [[Even darkness must pass]]
|-
|}

==Over Rock and Under Tree==
After a long, hot Summer, Autumn seems to come creeping in like a thief stealing a few minutes from each day until suddenly here we are. The green leaves are unaware that they will soon begin to turn a riot of colours, fire on the branches, then in falling die and rest as the promise of the year to come. The trees know, though. They have seen it all before. And the rocks... oh the memory of the rocks. They know that nothing changes and nothing stays the same and sure as day follows night, people will fight and fall. Just as the leaves do.

Here we are in the [[Mournwold]], where there are golden harvests to be gathered from field and hill and where the last beats of the war drum sound. The [[Tusks]] lower their heads, and the [[Burning Falcon]] laugh, and the battle is joined. The champions of Jarl Haakon hold fast to their fortress, and it will all come down to whose resolve is stronger. In the end, [[Mournwold#Landskeeper's_Bulwark|Landskeeper's Bulwark]] is breached, and the Jotun fall, and only Imperial [[Summer magic]] saves the [[fortification]] from following them into darkness. The Mournwold is now, once more, entirely in the hands of the Marchers.

To the north of Mournwold, in the marshes of [[Bregasland]], the [[Strong Reeds]] play a lethal game of cat-and-eel with the Lion of the North - the army of the Queen of Kallsea herself. The barbarians seek to root out the Marcher army, who have been a thorn in their side for the last year. At the same time, champions raid eastward into [[Mitwold]], seeking both to assail Marcher pride and test the lay of the land and the temper of the defenders.

To the west, a massive host of Jotun sweeps east through [[Liathaven]]. The Empire's armies, however, are not there to face them. Clearly suspecting a ruse, the Jotun smash against the walls of ''Schogsfestnir'' with furious force. A number of Imperial captains had chosen to support the garrison, but they were no match for the eight armies arrayed against them. The fortification - one the Jotun themselves built - is shattered. The defenders are forced to flee before the Jotun host, and Imperial mercenaries must scatter to Kahraman and Mournwold or face the Choice (or, for the Navarr among them, summary execution). The Jotun do not stop until the entirety of Liathaven is under their control once again, and all trace of Imperial presence is rooted out.

===Schogsfestnir (Outcome and Conjunction)===
* '''Any player whose character was at Schogfestnir will find a lingering wound in their pack
* '''These characters may also choose to take part in a pre-event conjunction
Any player who either assigned their resource to support Schogsfestnir or who has a personal resource in Liathaven can choose to enter play at the event through the Sentinel Gate. If you wish to time in at the event as part of this skirmish, please email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] to let us know by the '''5<small>th</small> of September.''' This encounter will be a '''[[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]]''' and there is a high likelihood that players will be required to move through dense or uneven terrain. Everyone who has opted into starting the event this way must come to the Monster tent before 17:30 ready to time in at 18:00.

Each character whose military unit supported Schogfestnir will find a lingering wound in their pack that will need treatment during the event. These wounds represent injuries received either in the attack on the fortification or in the pell-mell flight out of Liathaven.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Territory'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave]]</td><td>Claim Whisperwood</td><td>''Uklead Groves'', Whisperwood</td><td>Druj</td><td>Saturday</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Bregasland]]</td><td>Intervene for the Strong Reeds</td><td>''Leakey Moss'', Grey Fens</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Saturday or Sunday</td><td>[[So_our_path_is_laid#Battle_Opportunity_%3A_How_Will_They_Rise_Up%3F|How Will They Rise Up?]]</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Redoubt]]</td><td>Protect the Tower of Light and Shadow</td><td>''Tilphussian Approach'', Naris</td><td>Grendel & Winter Husks</td><td>Saturday or Sunday</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Therunin]]</td><td>Disrupt the Ettercap Nest</td><td>Thorngroves, Peakedge Song</td><td>Vallorn</td><td>Sunday</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</table>

The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''TBC''' and at most '''TBC''' force weight sent on it.
===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units regardless of the battle opportunity, and should not include human combatants.

* '''The Sarangrave opportunity involves forces composed primarily of Druj orc fighters'''
We ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Druj orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask, please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Druj orcs. You can help by wearing leather or plate armour you have, as well as any iconic Druj weaponry, particularly swords, spears and great weapons, as well as bows of all types. You can find out more about the iconic Druj look [[Druj_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the Druj is a mantle and ragged material layers that echo natural greens, browns, greys, and black, with occasional bright accent colours as their iconic look.

* '''The Bregasland opportunity involves forces of Jotun orc warriors'''
We ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over mail as their iconic look.

Due to the nature of this battle there will be ''_very_'' limited numbers of human yegarra roles, available to those who are unable to wear the orc masks.'''

* '''The Redoubt opportunity involves forces composed primarily of Grendel orc soldiers, as well as winter husks'''
We ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Grendel orcs as normal, with options for monstering as winter husks. You can help by wearing leather or plate armour you have, as well as any iconic Grendel weaponry, particularly swords, spears, and bows of all types. You can find out more about the iconic Grendel look [[Grendel look and feel|here]], and the key elements for portraying the Grendel are a light coloured base layer, with mantles, shoulder capes, wraps and other purple clothing and other bright colours as their iconic look.

Due to the nature of this battle there will be additional roles for winter husks, available to those unable to wear the orc masks or wanting a change from normal orc monstering. Suitable kit for these would be [[The League look and feel|League]], [[Wintermark look and feel|Wintermark]], or [[Urizen look and feel|Urizen]]. Portraying a Winter husk will involve some makeup, but will not involve wearing a mask.

* '''The Therunin opportunity involves forces composed primarily of vallornspawn husks'''
We ask the player volunteers to take on the roles of vallornspawn. You can help by wearing any armour you have, tattered clothing, and any weapons you have. Due to the nature of vallornspawn it will not be possible to use any ranged weapons during this battle. You can find out more about vallornspawn [[Vallornspawn husk|here]].

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

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>

==Military Considerations==
{{stub}}
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Highguard'''
** Highborn armies can take the '''''Protect the Innocent''''' order. [[Highguard_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** Any Highborn army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]

* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
** Any Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

387YE Summer Solstice winds of war

2025-07-22T06:09:03Z

TomH: /* Battle opportunities */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Black_White_and_Red.png|caption=Shoulder to shoulder against the foe.|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Along the Winding Road==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Liathaven]]|| [[Axe-bite and ploughshare]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]] and [[Bregasland]]|| [[Shovels and spades]]
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[Willow and rain]]
|-
| [[Bay of Catazar]] || [[Long grass and stormclouds]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]] and [[Zenith]] || [[Root and branch]]
|-
|}

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

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

<table><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Territory'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td>
<tr><td>[[Bregasland]]</td><td>Kill the Guardian</td><td>''Cinder Drove'', The Rushes</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[Shovels_and_spades#Breaking_Burhfæst_(Battle_Opportunity)|Breaking Burhfæst]]</td><td>[[:file:Breaking_Burhfæst.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Liathaven]]</td><td>Destroy the Mechanism</td><td>''Far Steading'', West Ranging</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#Tinker's_Tribute_(Battle_Opportunity)|Tinker's Tribute]]</td><td>[[:file:Tinker's_Tribute.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave]]</td><td>Break the Enchantment</td><td>''Palace Expanse'', Kroll</td><td>Druj</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Root_and_branch#Shine_a_Light_(Battle_Opportunity)|Shine a Light]]</td><td>[[:file:Shine_a_Light.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Zenith]]</td><td>Poison the Sac</td><td>''Plantation of Tall Ferns'', Proceris</td><td>Druj</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Root_and_branch#A_Sackful_Of_Poison_(Battle_Opportunity)|A Sackful Of Poison]]</td><td>[[:file:A_Sackful_Of_Poison.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
</table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 15
|-
| Dawn || 58
|-
| Highguard || 23
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 24
|-
| Marches || 28
|-
| Navarr || 55
|-
| Urizen || 12
|-
| Varushka || 16
|-
| Wintermark || 62
|}
-->
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''145''' and at most '''153''' force weight sent on it.

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

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

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

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

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

It's very important to pay attention to the [[accessibility]] note for each conjunction, which covers the likelihood of combat. Further details about the accessibility of a conjunction are [[Accessibility#Who_and_how_to_ask.3F|available both before and during the event]]. You can learn more about this on the [[accessibility]] page.
===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Southmoor, Warthill Woods || '''Jedediah Boon''' || [[Shovels_and_spades#A_Matter_of_Property_(Mournwold)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 18:35 || 6 || 40 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Hahnmark, Wood Heath, Dunfrith || [[Guardian of Dunfrith]] || [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#Blades_in_the_Mark_(Hahnmark)|Investigate the source of trouble]]
|-
| 18:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Honour's Rest Fields || [[Friar of Honour's Rest]] || [[Shovels_and_spades#On_Honour's_Fields|Kill the Ulvenwar]]
|-
| 19:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, West Ranging, Halbera's Stockade || [[Seventh Wave|General of the Seventh Wave]] || [[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#Bonds|Kill ''Halbera Strongarm'']]
|-
| 19:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Farstrider Approach || [[Bailiff of the Downs]] || [[Shovels_and_spades#Raindrops|Kill the Ulvenwar]]
|-
| 20:05 || 11 || 40 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Therunin, Eastring, Glimmerwater || ''Eanna Glimmerwater'' || [[When_I_met_you#Lights_in_the_Dark|Bask in the lantern]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Suaq Wastes, Typhawn's Pen || [[Banner-bearer of Atkonaroq]] || [[LINK|Kill ''Typhawn'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, Liath's Ring, Sigryn's Bawn || [[Champion of Ambition]] || [[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#To_Surprise_Kings_and_Queens|Defeat the heralds]]
|-
|21:25 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 21:30 ||65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, Liaven's Glen, Freydi's Meadow || [[Autumn Hammers|General of the Autumn Hammers]] || [[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#Another_Plan|Recover the construct]]
|-
| 22:45 || 100 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Miaren, Serenael, Seren Temple Building Site || [[Eternal Flame of Miaren]] || [[A_thousand_steps#A_Great_Dance_for_Seren_%28Conjunction%29|Ease the passing of the ghosts]]
|-

|-
| 23:10 || 10 || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Skallahn, Fareskov, The Dark Woods || '''Eerikki Korpi''' || [[LINK|Enter the dark woods of Fareskov on behalf of the Toad King]]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Coursmouth, Broken Grove || [[Champion of Pride]] || [[Long_grass_and_stormclouds#A_Plan_Succeeds_(Necropolis)|Kill the servants of the Red God]]
|-
| 15:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Icarion, The Courath's Hold || [[Citadel Guard|General of the Citadel Guard]] || [[Long_grass_and_stormclouds#Flags_(Mareave)|Defeat the ''Courath of Icarion'']]
|-
| 15:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Mjod’s Glen || [[Crow Keeper of the Rest]] || [[LINK|Defeat the coral husks]]
|-
| 15:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Fleisardh, Halkrin's Orchard || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Long_grass_and_stormclouds#Expectations_(Mareave)|Defeat the Grendel and claim the cache]]
|-
| 15:45 || Cadets || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, Ottermire, Picklers Marsh || [[The Academy|Cadet Commander]] || [[LINK|Rescue the magicians]]
|-
| 17:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Greenheart, The Untrod Wilds || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Willow_and_rain#Scent_of_Madness|Defeat the Druj]]
|-
| 17:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Dark Ranging, Darkened Glade || [[Vallornguard#Speaker of the Vallornguard|Speaker of the Vallornguard]] || [[Eight_for_a_wish#Lose_the_Sun_(Brocéliande)|Kill the cult's leaders]]
|-
| 18:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarangrave, Bendol, Ghulai's Rest || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[Eight_for_a_wish#Portion_of_Wisdom_(Sarangrave)|Claim ''Vate's Shelter'']]
|-
| 20:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Zenith, Lustri, Danwyn's Path || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Root_and_branch#Ideas_of_Importance_(Zenith)|Defeat the Druj]]
|-
| 20:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Miekarova, Mieriada, Painted Clearing || [[Miekarova|Senator for Miekarova]] || [[LINK|Defeat the cultists]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Eastring, Toxic Sward || [[Champion of Wisdom]] || [[Willow_and_rain#A_Veil_Hides|Defeat the heralds and the Druj]]
|-
| 20:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skarsind, Estermark, Mormyk Woods || [[Shepherd of the Great Herd]] || [[LINK|Defeat the cultists]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Last Battle's Field|| [[Keeper of the Last Battle]] || [[Root_and_branch#Hummingbird's_Secret_(The_Barrens)|Kill the Druj and the heralds of Arhallogen]]
|-
| 21:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hahnmark, Valasmark, Dunhall Copse || [[Hahnmark|Senator for Hahnmark]] || [[LINK|Defeat the cultists]]
|-
|21:25 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 00:00 || 5 || 40 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Mareave, Beoraidh, Black Sand Tower || [[Ambassador to the Grendel]] || [[LINK|Meet the visiting Grendel wind lord]]
|}

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Highguard'''
**Any Highborn army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
**Any Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

387YE Summer Solstice winds of war

2025-07-21T19:00:19Z

TomH: /* Saturday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Black_White_and_Red.png|caption=Shoulder to shoulder against the foe.|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Along the Winding Road==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Liathaven]]|| [[Axe-bite and ploughshare]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]] and [[Bregasland]]|| [[Shovels and spades]]
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[Willow and rain]]
|-
| [[Bay of Catazar]] || [[Long grass and stormclouds]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]] and [[Zenith]] || [[Root and branch]]
|-
|}

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

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

The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''TBC''' and at most '''TBC''' force weight sent on it.
===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units, and should not include human combatants.

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

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

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

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

It's very important to pay attention to the [[accessibility]] note for each conjunction, which covers the likelihood of combat. Further details about the accessibility of a conjunction are [[Accessibility#Who_and_how_to_ask.3F|available both before and during the event]]. You can learn more about this on the [[accessibility]] page.
===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Southmoor, Warthill Woods || '''Jedediah Boon''' || [[Shovels_and_spades#A_Matter_of_Property_(Mournwold)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 18:35 || 6 || 40 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Hahnmark, Wood Heath, Dunfrith || [[Guardian of Dunfrith]] || [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#Blades_in_the_Mark_(Hahnmark)|Investigate the source of trouble]]
|-
| 18:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Honour's Rest Fields || [[Friar of Honour's Rest]] || [[Shovels_and_spades#On_Honour's_Fields|Kill the Ulvenwar]]
|-
| 19:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, West Ranging, Halbera's Stockade || [[Seventh Wave|General of the Seventh Wave]] || [[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#Bonds|Kill ''Halbera Strongarm'']]
|-
| 19:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Farstrider Approach || [[Bailiff of the Downs]] || [[Shovels_and_spades#Raindrops|Kill the Ulvenwar]]
|-
| 20:05 || 11 || 40 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Therunin, Eastring, Glimmerwater || ''Eanna Glimmerwater'' || [[When_I_met_you#Lights_in_the_Dark|Bask in the lantern]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Suaq Wastes, Typhawn's Pen || [[Banner-bearer of Atkonaroq]] || [[LINK|Kill ''Typhawn'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, Liath's Ring, Sigryn's Bawn || [[Champion of Ambition]] || [[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#To_Surprise_Kings_and_Queens|Defeat the heralds]]
|-
|21:25 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 21:30 ||65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, Liaven's Glen, Freydi's Meadow || [[Autumn Hammers|General of the Autumn Hammers]] || [[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#Another_Plan|Recover the construct]]
|-
| 22:45 || 100 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Miaren, Serenael, Seren Temple Building Site || [[Eternal Flame of Miaren]] || [[A_thousand_steps#A_Great_Dance_for_Seren_%28Conjunction%29|Ease the passing of the ghosts]]
|-

|-
| 23:10 || 10 || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Skallahn, Fareskov, The Dark Woods || '''Eerikki Korpi''' || [[LINK|Enter the dark woods of Fareskov on behalf of the Toad King]]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Coursmouth, Broken Grove || [[Champion of Pride]] || [[Long_grass_and_stormclouds#A_Plan_Succeeds_(Necropolis)|Kill the servants of the Red God]]
|-
| 15:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Icarion, The Courath's Hold || [[Citadel Guard|General of the Citadel Guard]] || [[Long_grass_and_stormclouds#Flags_(Mareave)|Defeat the ''Courath of Icarion'']]
|-
| 15:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Mjod’s Glen || [[Crow Keeper of the Rest]] || [[LINK|Defeat the coral husks]]
|-
| 15:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Fleisardh, Halkrin's Orchard || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Long_grass_and_stormclouds#Expectations_(Mareave)|Defeat the Grendel and claim the cache]]
|-
| 15:45 || Cadets || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, Ottermire, Picklers Marsh || [[The Academy|Cadet Commander]] || [[LINK|Rescue the magicians]]
|-
| 17:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Greenheart, The Untrod Wilds || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Willow_and_rain#Scent_of_Madness|Defeat the Druj]]
|-
| 17:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Dark Ranging, Darkened Glade || [[Vallornguard#Speaker of the Vallornguard|Speaker of the Vallornguard]] || [[Eight_for_a_wish#Lose_the_Sun_(Brocéliande)|Kill the cult's leaders]]
|-
| 18:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarangrave, Bendol, Ghulai's Rest || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[Eight_for_a_wish#Portion_of_Wisdom_(Sarangrave)|Claim ''Vate's Shelter'']]
|-
| 20:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Zenith, Lustri, Danwyn's Path || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Root_and_branch#Ideas_of_Importance_(Zenith)|Defeat the Druj]]
|-
| 20:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Miekarova, Mieriada, Painted Clearing || [[Miekarova|Senator for Miekarova]] || [[LINK|Defeat the cultists]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Eastring, Toxic Sward || [[Champion of Wisdom]] || [[Willow_and_rain#A_Veil_Hides|Defeat the heralds and the Druj]]
|-
| 20:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skarsind, Estermark, Mormyk Woods || [[Shepherd of the Great Herd]] || [[LINK|Defeat the cultists]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Last Battle's Field|| [[Keeper of the Last Battle]] || [[Root_and_branch#Hummingbird's_Secret_(The_Barrens)|Kill the Druj and the heralds of Arhallogen]]
|-
| 21:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hahnmark, Valasmark, Dunhall Copse || [[Hahnmark|Senator for Hahnmark]] || [[LINK|Defeat the cultists]]
|-
|21:25 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 00:00 || 5 || 40 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Mareave, Beoraidh, Black Sand Tower || [[Ambassador to the Grendel]] || [[LINK|Meet the visiting Grendel wind lord]]
|}

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Highguard'''
**Any Highborn army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
**Any Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

387YE Summer Solstice winds of war

2025-07-21T18:44:30Z

TomH: /* Friday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Black_White_and_Red.png|caption=Shoulder to shoulder against the foe.|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Along the Winding Road==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Liathaven]]|| [[Axe-bite and ploughshare]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]] and [[Bregasland]]|| [[Shovels and spades]]
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[Willow and rain]]
|-
| [[Bay of Catazar]] || [[Long grass and stormclouds]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]] and [[Zenith]] || [[Root and branch]]
|-
|}

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

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

The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''TBC''' and at most '''TBC''' force weight sent on it.
===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units, and should not include human combatants.

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

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

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

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

It's very important to pay attention to the [[accessibility]] note for each conjunction, which covers the likelihood of combat. Further details about the accessibility of a conjunction are [[Accessibility#Who_and_how_to_ask.3F|available both before and during the event]]. You can learn more about this on the [[accessibility]] page.
===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Southmoor, Warthill Woods || '''Jedediah Boon''' || [[Shovels_and_spades#A_Matter_of_Property_(Mournwold)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 18:35 || 6 || 40 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Hahnmark, Wood Heath, Dunfrith || [[Guardian of Dunfrith]] || [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#Blades_in_the_Mark_(Hahnmark)|Investigate the source of trouble]]
|-
| 18:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Honour's Rest Fields || [[Friar of Honour's Rest]] || [[Shovels_and_spades#On_Honour's_Fields|Kill the Ulvenwar]]
|-
| 19:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, West Ranging, Halbera's Stockade || [[Seventh Wave|General of the Seventh Wave]] || [[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#Bonds|Kill ''Halbera Strongarm'']]
|-
| 19:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Farstrider Approach || [[Bailiff of the Downs]] || [[Shovels_and_spades#Raindrops|Kill the Ulvenwar]]
|-
| 20:05 || 11 || 40 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Therunin, Eastring, Glimmerwater || ''Eanna Glimmerwater'' || [[When_I_met_you#Lights_in_the_Dark|Bask in the lantern]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Suaq Wastes, Typhawn's Pen || [[Banner-bearer of Atkonaroq]] || [[LINK|Kill ''Typhawn'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, Liath's Ring, Sigryn's Bawn || [[Champion of Ambition]] || [[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#To_Surprise_Kings_and_Queens|Defeat the heralds]]
|-
|21:25 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 21:30 ||65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, Liaven's Glen, Freydi's Meadow || [[Autumn Hammers|General of the Autumn Hammers]] || [[Axe-bite_and_ploughshare#Another_Plan|Recover the construct]]
|-
| 22:45 || 100 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Miaren, Serenael, Seren Temple Building Site || [[Eternal Flame of Miaren]] || [[A_thousand_steps#A_Great_Dance_for_Seren_%28Conjunction%29|Ease the passing of the ghosts]]
|-

|-
| 23:10 || 10 || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Skallahn, Fareskov, The Dark Woods || '''Eerikki Korpi''' || [[LINK|Enter the dark woods of Fareskov on behalf of the Toad King]]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Coursmouth, Broken Grove || [[Champion of Pride]] || [[Long_grass_and_stormclouds#A_Plan_Succeeds_(Necropolis)|Kill the servants of the Red God]]
|-
| 15:00 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Icarion, The Courath's Hold || [[Citadel Guard|General of the Citadel Guard]] || [[Long_grass_and_stormclouds#Flags_(Mareave)|Defeat the ''Courath of Icarion'']]
|-
| 15:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Mjod’s Glen || [[Crow Keeper of the Rest]] || [[LINK|Defeat the coral husks]]
|-
| 15:30 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Fleisardh, Halkrin's Orchard || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Long_grass_and_stormclouds#Expectations_(Mareave)|Defeat the Grendel and claim the cache]]
|-
| 15:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, Ottermire, Picklers Marsh || [[The Academy|Cadet Commander]] || [[LINK|Rescue the magicians]]
|-
| 17:00 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Greenheart, The Untrod Wilds || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Willow_and_rain#Scent_of_Madness|Defeat the Druj]]
|-
| 17:30 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Dark Ranging, Darkened Glade || [[Vallornguard#Speaker of the Vallornguard|Speaker of the Vallornguard]] || [[Eight_for_a_wish#Lose_the_Sun_(Brocéliande)|Kill the cult's leaders]]
|-
| 18:00 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarangrave, Bendol, Ghulai's Rest || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[Eight_for_a_wish#Portion_of_Wisdom_(Sarangrave)|Claim ''Vate's Shelter'']]
|-
| 20:00 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Zenith, Lustri, Danwyn's Path || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Root_and_branch#Ideas_of_Importance_(Zenith)|Defeat the Druj]]
|-
| 20:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Miekarova, Mieriada, Painted Clearing || [[Miekarova|Senator for Miekarova]] || [[LINK|Defeat the cultists]]
|-
| 20:30 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Eastring, Toxic Sward || [[Champion of Wisdom]] || [[Willow_and_rain#A_Veil_Hides|Defeat the heralds and the Druj]]
|-
| 20:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skarsind, Estermark, Mormyk Woods || [[Shepherd of the Great Herd]] || [[LINK|Defeat the cultists]]
|-
| 21:00 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Last Battle's Field|| [[Keeper of the Last Battle]] || [[Root_and_branch#Hummingbird's_Secret_(The_Barrens)|Kill the Druj and the heralds of Arhallogen]]
|-
| 21:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hahnmark, Valasmark, Dunhall Copse || [[Hahnmark|Senator for Hahnmark]] || [[LINK|Defeat the cultists]]
|-
|21:25 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 00:00 || 5 || 40 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Mareave, Beoraidh, Black Sand Tower || [[Ambassador to the Grendel]] || [[LINK|Meet the visiting Grendel wind lord]]
|}

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Highguard'''
**Any Highborn army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
**Any Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

Sarangrave

2025-07-20T16:52:24Z

TomH: /* Turan Flats */

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

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

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

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

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

==Points of Interest==
===Miasma Pillars===
The entire territory is in the grip of the [[Druj miasma]] - the oppressive aura of despair and fear that the orcs of the Mallum cultivate wherever they establish their dominion. It causes nightmares and impedes efforts to conquer the territory. As with other Druj territories the Empire has encountered, the crushing atmosphere is supported by [[Druj_miasma#Miasma_Pillars|miasma pillars]] in each of the seven regions.
===Trods===
There are currently no [[trods]] in Sarangrave, although the presence of a [[vallorn]] heart here no doubt means the [[Navarr]] will be keen to establish some.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

==Regions==
===Nesustak Forest===
* '''Quality:''' Forest, [[Region_qualities#Under_Threat|Under Threat]] (Empire)
The Nesustak Forest is dank and unpleasant. It is dominated by the Banded Snake clan, ruled from nearby '''Turan''', but there are few Druj settlements here. Most of the populace are made up of orc septs, with one obvious exception. At the point where the river leaves the vallorn-infested region of Bendol there is a small town given over to a predominantly human sept who call themselves the Grynbor (which also seems to be the name of their settlement).

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

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

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

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

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

There is a pass here through the mountains into north-western Axos – the [[#Path of the Eye|Path of the Eye]] - which is how the Druj invade that foreign nation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

There is no sign of any trods in the region- and the vallorn does not appear quiescent so much as ''contained''. It is notable that parts of the marsh and forest in all the regions that border Bendol show signs of having been touched by the vallorn. There is no [[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|miasma]] but the plants and some of the animals show signs of having been twisted by vallorn magic.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sarangrave Region Map.png|caption=A very rough region map of the Sarangrave|align=right|width=600}}</div>

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

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

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

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

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

==Further Reading==
* [[The Mallum]]
* [[Root and branch]] - Summer 387YE wind of war continuing the invasion of Sarangrave
* [[Unlock thy hidden gate]] - Spring 387YE wind of war about the initial invasion of Sarangrave
* [[Into Béantal Dol]] - Spring 386YE results of a foray into Bendol to explore the vallorn there
* [[Make it happen]] - Summer 384YE wind of fortune regarding [[appraisal]] of the chances of creating an uprising in Sarangrave using the [[spy network]] there.

Lictors

2025-06-14T15:42:24Z

TomH: /* Appearance */

{{CaptionedImage|file=LictorsJohn.jpg|title="Green Iron" artist unknown. A disturbing image giving an impression of the Green Iron Prison that is sometimes referred to as the "City of the Lictors".|caption=''Green Iron'' depicts the prison where the Lictors take those who break their word.|align=left|width=400}}
==Eternals of Autumn==
===Sobriquets===
Most commonly, Lictors are referred to as ''The Punishers'' or ''The Hunters''.

They may also be known as ''The Chainbound'', ''The Binders'', the ''Brass Magistrates'' and occasionally ''The Furious Ones''. In [[The League]] they are sometimes called ''The Reckoners''. Individual lictors bear names such as 'Implacable', 'Inescapable', 'Treacherhound' and 'Wordbinder'.

===Appearance===
The Lictors are hooded figures and cloaked, armoured wrapped in heavy iron and [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]] chains, with razor-sharp brass claws and horns, and iron face-masks. Armed with scourges, whips, flails, ropes and nets they stalk the dark places of the Autumn Realm, looking for miscreants. Their voices are said to be very quiet, except when they are pursuing their prey when they are said to give voice to deafening metallic cries that chill the blood and may even paralyse a weak-willed target.

Through 385YE and into 386YE, the Lictors appear to have undergone a transformation. Following an apparent [[Inkpot_gods#All_That.27s_Fit_To_Read|murder]] in the Autumn Realm, they [[Inkpot_gods#City_of_Bars|all but vanished]] from the world for several months. When their emissaries began to visit the Empire again, they had undergone a marked transformation. Gone were the hooded robes and sinister masks. Rather, they were soberly yet smartly dressed, and while they were armed with chains their talons were short and decorated with runes and tiny gemstones rather than jagged edges. Those who spoke to them found them apparently amicable, and even on occasions expressing a dry wit. Their harshness is still clearly there, but it is now somewhat concealed beneath a more personable facade.

===Concerns===
The Lictors hunt oath-breakers, and those who refuse to honour agreements, contracts or obligations. In the Autumn Realm they are viewed with some suspicion or fear, and even deadly political rivals think twice before breaking sworn agreements. They can be invoked, apparently, by any of the other [[eternal|eternals]] of Autumn to officiate over agreements or oaths. Those who break such oaths are mercilessly hunted and either destroyed or carried back to the green iron citadel that the Lictors use as a prison. The Lictors are individually quite potent, but in a group they are almost irresistible, even by the powerful eternal lords of Autumn. Some eternals will simply invoke their name when making a promise, indicating that they consider themselves bound, although to what degree this is actually binding, mortals are uncertain.

Magicians who have studied the lictors disagree as to whether they are an order of eternals, possibly led by a single powerful figure, or some sort of product of the Autumn realm itself, an expression of the role that agreements, favours and grudges play in a realm so thematically linked to deception and manipulation.

===Boons===
The Lictors are rarely encountered by mortals, but there are said to be rituals that can summon them to the mortal realm as well as [[Regio#Portals and Regio|chambers]] where they can be encountered, or where the outskirts of their green iron citadel can be visited. They can be persuaded to offer boons that deal with binding and holding prisoners, especially oathbreakers and those who have debts to pay. They can oversee mortal covenants, oaths, promises and contracts, placing powerful curses that may fall on those who break their agreements - or even calling down the ire of the Lictors themselves.

They may sometimes accept prisoners; how they transport a mortal prisoner to the Autumn Realm is unclear, and it may be that they simply kill them. They can also allow access to some of those creatures and beings imprisoned in their citadel. They appear to value [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]] especially, although they have never explained why and simply ignore questions - it is theorized that they may use it to expand their citadel, or even to craft new Lictors.

They also very occasionally offer bounties - although what someone would have to do to come to the attention of the lictors is unclear and has led to much nightmarish speculation.

[[Category:Eternals]]

387YE Spring Equinox winds of war

2025-06-13T10:57:59Z

TomH: /* Saturday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Spring]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=To war.png|caption=If one should fall, we will carry on to glory, at the end.|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Along the Winding Road==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[To hold death's hand in mine]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]]|| [[Unlock thy hidden gate]]
|-
| [[Bay of Catazar]]|| [[A circle sewn with fate]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]] and [[Bregasland]]|| [[If one be gone we carry on]]
|-
| [[Reinos]] || [[Follow me my friend]]
|-
|}
From midwinter, the days get longer and the nights shorter. The promise of Spring whispers of renewal, of green shoots and pale flowers amid the frosts. A new year! The three-hundredth-and-eighty-seventh since the founding of the Empire! How changed our nations are, how unchanged the face of war. There are battles in the east and the west, with the south and the north quiet - for now.

There are victories and defeats for Imperial soldiers. The armies of the Empire have withdrawn from [[Therunin]] in the west, leaving the [[Druj]] free rein to rampage across the [[Navarr]] territory. They conquer the Tarn Valley, and pour into [[Therunin#Peakedge Song|Peakedge Song]] hungry for destruction. Between courageous defenders who will not abandon their homes, and the blessings of the [[Ossegrahn|Tarnfather]], the ancient houses of healing and life are preserved - but for how long? Worse, as Spring blooms and blossoms and slumbering life awakens beneath the soil, the [[Druj lore#Ghulai|Ghulai]] of the Tainted Basilisk, uninterrupted, complete their malignant magical workings and rouse the vallorn of Tharunind to wakefulness.

The Empire is not idle in the east. Four armies come from the south, through the [[Realm#Night|night-haunted]] forests of [[Zenith#Lustri|Lustri]] across the borders into the [[Sarangrave]]. They find armies of the Druj resting here, disrupting their recovery and forcing them to fight alongside the garrison of the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]] to try and hold Imperial soldiers back. The [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater_Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]] teems with life, much of it seemingly intent on eating or draining the blood from human and orc alike. The Empire is victorious, but it is slow going, and they have yet to claim a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]].

Further south, along the [[Bay of Catazar]], the Imperial presence in the desolate [[Bay_of_Catazar#Petrified Forest|petrified forest]] of [[Bay_of_Catazar#Ayereed|Ayereed]] comes to an abrupt end. A force of [[Grendel]] land-troops sweeps up from the interior, and those soldiers who do not retreat are slain or captured. The Imperial beachhead in the arid south-east is brought to an abrupt end. The Salt Lords now control the southern borders of [[Mareave]] once again.

Across the Bay, the defences of the lands most at risk of attack from the sea are bolstered. Folks look to the horizon, watching for the sails that will herald a brutal invasion. In the west, in recently liberated [[Feroz]], the [[Children of Wrecks]] launch an attack against the battered town of [[Feroz#Oran|Oran]], pirates, privateers and Imperial traitors eager to loot the imagined treasures of the late and unlamented Governor Rahab. There are few Imperial defenders to stand against them and the unnatural servants of [[Siakha|Maelstrom]] that throng in the waters around their ships. Aid comes from an unexpected source, as the entire garrison of [[Feroz#Mora's Rock|Mora's Rock]] under ''Commander Fliesarch'' comes to the defence of the Brass Coast. Not, they are clear, from any particular love for the Freeborn but because they ''despise'' the Children of Wrecks. The raid is turned back, and the Grendel return to their vigil in their mighty fortress.

North, then, to [[the Marches]]. Two armies fight the champions of the [[Jotun]] for control of [[Mournwold]] - and the [[Mournwold#Ore Hills|Ore Hills]] are once again freed from the yoke of the barbarians. Across the border in the fens of [[Bregasland]], however, things are very different. A host of Jotun erupt from [[Liathaven]], through their magical fortifications at [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Gravenmarch]], and across the marshes. The [[Strong Reeds]] rally the defenders, but it is difficult for the household militia to hold back a force of this magnitude. In the end, only the town of Otterly, on the eastern borders, remains in Marcher hands.

As the Jotun invade in the north, Imperial armies gather in the south. Five armies march out of Segura into [[Reinos]], into the Lasambrian Hills, to bring war to the barbarians. The garrisons of the twin castles there do their best, but the Empire quickly conquers the olive groves and the fig orchards of [[Reinos#Ribeira|Ribeira]] and almost all of [[Reinos#Bastasor|Bastasor]]. The Lasambrians refuse to surrender, their [[Pride]] driving them to fight the Empire every step of the way. The battles continue.

Across the Empire itself, in [[Astolat]], in [[Reikos]], in [[Upwold]], and [[Tassato]], the rest of the Imperial armies prepare themselves for the year to come. Just over the borders from the fighting, readying themselves, recovering from the battles of the three-hundredth-and-eighty-sixth year of the Empire. The road calls to them, the winding road to battle, to death, and to glory.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Territory'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td>
<tr><td>[[Bregasland]]</td><td>Block the path</td><td>''Sal-Ott Meet'', Ottermire</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Glory_at_the_End_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Glory at the End]]</td><td>[[:file:Glory At The End.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Reinos]]</td><td>Seize the township</td><td>''Grismont Road'', Bastasor</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Follow_me_my_friend#Tame_Your_Fears_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Tame Your Fears]]</td><td>[[:file:Tame Your Fears.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave]]</td><td>Influence the vallorn</td><td>''Mirereach'', Bendol</td><td>Druj</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Unlock_thy_hidden_gate#Miles_of_Tricks_and_Trials_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Miles of Tricks and Trials]]</td><td>[[:file:Miles of Tricks and Trials.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr></table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 17
|-
| Dawn || 61
|-
| Highguard || 26
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 23
|-
| Marches || 26
|-
| Navarr || 58
|-
| Urizen || 13
|-
| Varushka || 17
|-
| Wintermark || 61
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''149''' and at most '''158''' force weight sent on it.
===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units, and should not include human combatants.

* '''The Bregasland opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs. Due to the nature of this battle there will be ''_very_'' limited numbers of human yegarra roles.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over maile as their iconic look.

* '''The Reinos opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs, human yegarra, and some Lasambrian Jotun.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over mail as their iconic look. Lasambrian Jotun can be portrayed by incorporating elements of Freeborn kit or orange material alongside your normal monstering gear.

* '''The Sarangrave opportunity involves forces composed primarily of Druj orcs'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Druj orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Druj orcs. You can help by wearing leather or plate armour you have, as well as any iconic Druj weaponry, particularly swords, spears and great weapons, as well as bows of all types. You can find out more about the iconic Druj look [[Druj_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the Druj is a mantle and ragged material layers that echo natural greens, browns, greys, and black, with occasional bright accent colours as their iconic look.

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

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:20 || 5 || 15 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Spiral, Apulus, The Cellar Below || [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Vigilance]] || [[Our_eyes_in_Spiral#The_Empty_Cellar_(Conjunction)|Meet with followers of Berechiah]]
|-
| 18:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Broken Copse || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Tangles_(Therunin)|Kill the ''Lord of Thorns'']]
|-
| 18:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, Grey Fens, Drowner's Dell || [[Keeper of the Breadbasket]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Drowning_Pools_(Bregasland)|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 19:00 || 90 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Morrow, Altis, Canticulous Valley || [[Archmage of Winter]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#The_Breaking_Storm_(Morrow)|Perform Ward of the Black Waste]]
|-
| 19:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Holberg, Misericorde, Sacrifice Point || [[Flaxen Pillars|Red-Eyed Reaper]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Fishers_of_Folks_(Holberg)|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 20:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, Hope's Rest, Field of Triumph || [[High Exorcist]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Threads_(The_Barrens)|Exorcise the tortured souls]]
|-
| 20:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Osweald|| [[Brilliant Shore|Custodian of the Brilliant Shore]] || [[#A_Quiet_Place_%28Kallavesa%29|Intercept the cult's vanguard]]
|-
| 21:00 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Peakedge Song, Catrin's Glade || [[Eastern Broker]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Changes_(Therunin)|Rescue the Axou warrior]]
|-
| 21:10 || 10 || 30 mins || {{Possible}} || Sermersuaq, Stark, Njord Beach Hut || [[Unfettered Mind|Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind]] || [[Stars_and_sigils#Unfettered_Vivisections_(Sermersuaq)|Investigate the body]]
|-
| 21:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Whittling Grove || [[Strategos of Wintermark]] || [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#A_Quiet_Place_(Kallavesa)|Intercept the bandits]]
|-
| 21:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Eastring, Tainted Meadow || '''Blaze Dunning''' || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Beginnings_(Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]]
|-
|21:30 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 22:20 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Curator of the Blood Red River]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Celestial_Arcs_(Sung)|Draw and name constellations]]
|-
| 22:40 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Azure Sutannir]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Celestial_Arcs_(Sung)|Create lore and mythology for the constellations]]
|-
| 00:20 || 5 || 25 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Cave of Bones || '''Alistair de Vere''' || [[In_the_flesh#The_Little_Bones_of_Grandmother|Bargain with ''Tuki of the Little Bones'']]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 10:35 || 8 || 60 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Gull Isle || [[Imperial Consul]] || [[Keep_talking#A_Meeting_Place|Meet with the godhi]]
|-
| 14:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ossium, Drownbark Forest, Makgore's Grove || [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]] || [[#Stronger_Than_Law_(Ossium)|Defeat the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Tassato, Madeiras, Lucrezia's Orchard || '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' || [[#An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)|Kill the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Zenith, Iteri, Lutum Woods || [[Warmage]] || [[#The Bargain (Zenith)|Retrieve the ilium]]
|-
| 15:45 || Cadets only || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Suitable_For_Cadets|Suitable For Cadets]] || Sarvos, Uccelini, Smugglers Copse || Cadet Commander || [[The_Academy#Sat_Afternoon|Interrogate the Grendel captain]]
|-
| 17:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Alderly, Boar's Hall || '''Stanley of Chalkdown''' || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Gathering_Clouds_(Mournwold)|Kill ''Einar the Cunning'']]
|-
| 17:15 || 100 || 75 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Tournament Square || '''Enchanter Morien de Carsenere''' || [[In_the_flesh#The_Tournament_of_the_Groves|Attend the tournament of the Earl of the Groves]]
|-
| 17:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Hufi's Glen || [[Woundbinder of the Mark]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Time_for_Iron_(Kallavesa)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 18:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mitwold, Meade March, John's Holt || [[Bailiff of Meade]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Peculiar_Calling_(Mitwold)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 20:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, The Rushes, Sallow's Shallows || [[Strong Reeds|General of the Strong Reeds]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Fog_of_War_(Bregasland)|Recover the plundered goods]]
|-
| 20:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Ribeira, Carmo's Sheepfold || [[Summer Storm|General of the Summer Storm]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#Storm_of_Battle_(Reinos)|Kill ''Carmo Stoneblade'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Pedreira, Getshold || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#The_Extra_Bit_(Reinos)|Recover ''Bulangiin Karadghra'']]
|-
|21:30 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|}

===Stronger Than Law (Ossium)===
{{SOP|by=Miroslav Temnavoda, Varushkan Assembly|statement=Alert! The traitor Zavetta Voglanova is allied with the Children of Wrecks, and will be bringing storm and plunder to our lands. We are stronger than any traitor - we will defend our homes.|vote=338-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to pillage Marshstand Skerry'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Cabalist of the Hollow Stone'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Dozens of ships sail along the Barren sea; for fleet captains from Dawn, the northern League, and Varushka it is their route to the rest of the world. There was absolutely nothing untoward about the seemingly simple merchant ship that docked in southern [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]]. Nothing to suggest they were anything other than a band of Varushkan merchants on their way home from a successful season of trade. Then the first reports came of an attack along the [[Ossium#The_Iron_Roads|Iron Roads]], of travellers butchered and looted. ''The Alabaster Watchers'', a warden fellowship inspired by the judgement raised by '''Miroslav Temnavoda''', encountered the band and attempted to bring them to Imperial justice before retreating. Now, the newly revealed wreckers are making their way to [[Cabalist_of_the_Hollow_Stone#Marshstand_Skerry|Marshstand Skerry]] to loot and pillage it on the orders of ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Zavetta Voglavnova]]'', though the traitor has not been seen.

The call has gone out to the [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]], '''Vasili Zoryakovich Zverokaz''', to come to the defence of the skerry. The wreckers are still some distance from the skerry, and the expectation of the ''Alabaster Watchers'' is that they will use the opportunity to rest in an old, long-abandoned wayhouse. The Sentinel Gate will open close to the wayhouse, in truth barely more than a dilapidated set of palisades, around five minutes before the wreckers arrive, potentially allowing the Imperials the chance to ready an ambush.

===An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)===
{{SOP|by=Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario, League Assembly|statement=Sarvos be alert! <u>Maurizia Spada di Sarvos</u> is a traitor allied with the <u>Children of Wrecks</u>. She has plans to <u>raid and plunder</u> Sarvos. Our Ambition for the strength of Sarvos demands that you protect your city!!!|vote=106-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to curse Tassato'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
In [[Tassato#Madeiras|Madeiras]], a group of wreckers are making their way towards the ''Circle of Decay'', a regio of the Spring realm aligned to the resonance of [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]]. The wreckers, guided by ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Maurizia Spada di Sarvos]]'', are expected to arrive at the regio on the last day of the summit, and if they are not stopped, will curse the [[Tassato]]. This band of wreckers sailed up the Gancio, past the lost home of ''Maurizia'', and hauled their boat onto shore a few weeks before the Spring Equinox.

A group of officer cadets from [[Tassato#Five_Cities_Military_Academy|Five Cities Military Academy]] were on a planned action in Madeiras with several [[Red_Wind_Corsairs#Composition|Jackals]] in Madeiras. The officer cadets managed to spot the wrecker's ship and, investigating further, tracked the band on a direct path to the regio. If they are not stopped, then they will curse Tassato with [[Thunderous Deluge]], and slip away in the centre of the Empire. The Sentinel Gate will open in the path of the wreckers. It is the responsibility of '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' to kill the wreckers before they can perform the ritual.

===The Bargain (Zenith)===
* '''Wreckers are retreating back to the river Couros with looted ilium'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Warmage'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers and retrieving the ilium'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Tuomas of Pirenea]]'', one of the traitors who managed to survive the [[On_southern_sands#Salt_Burned_(Battle_Opportunity)|Battle for Visten]] last season, has ventured further into their old nation. Withdrawing back from the battle to the sea, they sailed up the Couros into [[Zenith#Iteri|Iteri]]. Tuomas and their band of followers struck at their target a few days before the Spring Equinox. Now, the wreckers are fleeing through the western glades of Zenith with [[ilium]] and other wealth looted from the [[Warmage#The_Bounty_of_the_Heavens|Alliance of the Sky]], the offshoot spire that sprung up following the ruination of the [[Zenith#Arch_of_the_Sky_(Ruins)|Arch of the Sky]].

The gang of wreckers are returning to their ship, behind them are the majority laden down with the heavier treasures. If the [[Warmage]], '''Ilysses of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros''', can kill the wreckers present and retrieve the star-metal, then the rest of the wreckers will scatter and prove easy targets for the garrisons and [[Spire#Citadels|citadels]] of Urizen.

===A Quiet Place (Kallavesa)===
* '''A group of bandits are travelling to the shores of the Gullet'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Strategos of Wintermark'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for intercepting the bandits before they reach the shores of the Gullet'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
Kallavesa has been tumultuous this season. [[Stars_and_sigils#Feast_For_Kallavesa|Delicious food and drink]] has flowed freely, yegarra have [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Time_for_Iron_(Kallavesa)|crossed the Westmere]] to strike at Hufi's Garden, and now a strange little toad creature has warned the people of [[Kallavesa#Rundhal|Rundhal]] of bandits journeying to the shores of the Gullet.

The strange little toad creature, which introduces itself as ''The Magentic Magus'' (even though its colouring is much closer to violet than magenta), gives a warning of what the bandits are trying to achieve. This group has laid down a trap for the [[Mediator of Fisk|Salagiin]] ships, and are moving to slaughter the merchants and claim their [[ilium]]. The mystics and scops have asked the [[Strategos of Wintermark]], '''Aeolwulf''', to intercept the bandits. Given that this threatens the safety of the Salagiin traders, it is hoped that the incumbent [[Mediator of Fisk]], '''Thritt''', will offer what aid they can.

===Floating like Snow (Skarsind)===
{{CaptionedImage|file=ClawIllustrationInk.JPG|align=right|width=150}}
* '''A vanguard of cultists of the Claw are travelling through Pakanaan's Pass'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of the Brilliant Shore'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the cultists'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
A few weeks before the Spring Equinox, there are disturbed mutterings of bandits in eastern [[Skarsind]]. These are dismissed by most folk as nothing more than worries - though others take up the task of walking the paths on the lookout for ne'er-do-wells. Just a week before the summit, just after dusk, they strike. Howling in the twilight, they launch themselves at one of the caravans from the [[Brilliant Shore]], overwhelming the guards and escaping with almost a dozen wains of [[white granite]].

They are spotted again by a patrol from [[Skarsind#The_Will|The Will]], who they manage to evade. The patrol reports that the entire group is making for the [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Fire_and_Flame_(Estavus)|newly reopened]] Pakanaan's Pass back into Sermersuaq. If the vanguard can be defeated then the rest - those travelling with the wagons - will be easy pickings. If not, then whoever wins the auction for the [[Brilliant Shore]] will receive only 17 wains of white granite at the Summer Solstice.

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

387YE Spring Equinox winds of war

2025-06-13T10:51:31Z

TomH: /* Saturday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Spring]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=To war.png|caption=If one should fall, we will carry on to glory, at the end.|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Along the Winding Road==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[To hold death's hand in mine]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]]|| [[Unlock thy hidden gate]]
|-
| [[Bay of Catazar]]|| [[A circle sewn with fate]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]] and [[Bregasland]]|| [[If one be gone we carry on]]
|-
| [[Reinos]] || [[Follow me my friend]]
|-
|}
From midwinter, the days get longer and the nights shorter. The promise of Spring whispers of renewal, of green shoots and pale flowers amid the frosts. A new year! The three-hundredth-and-eighty-seventh since the founding of the Empire! How changed our nations are, how unchanged the face of war. There are battles in the east and the west, with the south and the north quiet - for now.

There are victories and defeats for Imperial soldiers. The armies of the Empire have withdrawn from [[Therunin]] in the west, leaving the [[Druj]] free rein to rampage across the [[Navarr]] territory. They conquer the Tarn Valley, and pour into [[Therunin#Peakedge Song|Peakedge Song]] hungry for destruction. Between courageous defenders who will not abandon their homes, and the blessings of the [[Ossegrahn|Tarnfather]], the ancient houses of healing and life are preserved - but for how long? Worse, as Spring blooms and blossoms and slumbering life awakens beneath the soil, the [[Druj lore#Ghulai|Ghulai]] of the Tainted Basilisk, uninterrupted, complete their malignant magical workings and rouse the vallorn of Tharunind to wakefulness.

The Empire is not idle in the east. Four armies come from the south, through the [[Realm#Night|night-haunted]] forests of [[Zenith#Lustri|Lustri]] across the borders into the [[Sarangrave]]. They find armies of the Druj resting here, disrupting their recovery and forcing them to fight alongside the garrison of the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]] to try and hold Imperial soldiers back. The [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater_Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]] teems with life, much of it seemingly intent on eating or draining the blood from human and orc alike. The Empire is victorious, but it is slow going, and they have yet to claim a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]].

Further south, along the [[Bay of Catazar]], the Imperial presence in the desolate [[Bay_of_Catazar#Petrified Forest|petrified forest]] of [[Bay_of_Catazar#Ayereed|Ayereed]] comes to an abrupt end. A force of [[Grendel]] land-troops sweeps up from the interior, and those soldiers who do not retreat are slain or captured. The Imperial beachhead in the arid south-east is brought to an abrupt end. The Salt Lords now control the southern borders of [[Mareave]] once again.

Across the Bay, the defences of the lands most at risk of attack from the sea are bolstered. Folks look to the horizon, watching for the sails that will herald a brutal invasion. In the west, in recently liberated [[Feroz]], the [[Children of Wrecks]] launch an attack against the battered town of [[Feroz#Oran|Oran]], pirates, privateers and Imperial traitors eager to loot the imagined treasures of the late and unlamented Governor Rahab. There are few Imperial defenders to stand against them and the unnatural servants of [[Siakha|Maelstrom]] that throng in the waters around their ships. Aid comes from an unexpected source, as the entire garrison of [[Feroz#Mora's Rock|Mora's Rock]] under ''Commander Fliesarch'' comes to the defence of the Brass Coast. Not, they are clear, from any particular love for the Freeborn but because they ''despise'' the Children of Wrecks. The raid is turned back, and the Grendel return to their vigil in their mighty fortress.

North, then, to [[the Marches]]. Two armies fight the champions of the [[Jotun]] for control of [[Mournwold]] - and the [[Mournwold#Ore Hills|Ore Hills]] are once again freed from the yoke of the barbarians. Across the border in the fens of [[Bregasland]], however, things are very different. A host of Jotun erupt from [[Liathaven]], through their magical fortifications at [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Gravenmarch]], and across the marshes. The [[Strong Reeds]] rally the defenders, but it is difficult for the household militia to hold back a force of this magnitude. In the end, only the town of Otterly, on the eastern borders, remains in Marcher hands.

As the Jotun invade in the north, Imperial armies gather in the south. Five armies march out of Segura into [[Reinos]], into the Lasambrian Hills, to bring war to the barbarians. The garrisons of the twin castles there do their best, but the Empire quickly conquers the olive groves and the fig orchards of [[Reinos#Ribeira|Ribeira]] and almost all of [[Reinos#Bastasor|Bastasor]]. The Lasambrians refuse to surrender, their [[Pride]] driving them to fight the Empire every step of the way. The battles continue.

Across the Empire itself, in [[Astolat]], in [[Reikos]], in [[Upwold]], and [[Tassato]], the rest of the Imperial armies prepare themselves for the year to come. Just over the borders from the fighting, readying themselves, recovering from the battles of the three-hundredth-and-eighty-sixth year of the Empire. The road calls to them, the winding road to battle, to death, and to glory.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Territory'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td>
<tr><td>[[Bregasland]]</td><td>Block the path</td><td>''Sal-Ott Meet'', Ottermire</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Glory_at_the_End_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Glory at the End]]</td><td>[[:file:Glory At The End.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Reinos]]</td><td>Seize the township</td><td>''Grismont Road'', Bastasor</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Follow_me_my_friend#Tame_Your_Fears_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Tame Your Fears]]</td><td>[[:file:Tame Your Fears.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave]]</td><td>Influence the vallorn</td><td>''Mirereach'', Bendol</td><td>Druj</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Unlock_thy_hidden_gate#Miles_of_Tricks_and_Trials_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Miles of Tricks and Trials]]</td><td>[[:file:Miles of Tricks and Trials.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr></table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 17
|-
| Dawn || 61
|-
| Highguard || 26
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 23
|-
| Marches || 26
|-
| Navarr || 58
|-
| Urizen || 13
|-
| Varushka || 17
|-
| Wintermark || 61
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''149''' and at most '''158''' force weight sent on it.
===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units, and should not include human combatants.

* '''The Bregasland opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs. Due to the nature of this battle there will be ''_very_'' limited numbers of human yegarra roles.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over maile as their iconic look.

* '''The Reinos opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs, human yegarra, and some Lasambrian Jotun.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over mail as their iconic look. Lasambrian Jotun can be portrayed by incorporating elements of Freeborn kit or orange material alongside your normal monstering gear.

* '''The Sarangrave opportunity involves forces composed primarily of Druj orcs'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Druj orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Druj orcs. You can help by wearing leather or plate armour you have, as well as any iconic Druj weaponry, particularly swords, spears and great weapons, as well as bows of all types. You can find out more about the iconic Druj look [[Druj_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the Druj is a mantle and ragged material layers that echo natural greens, browns, greys, and black, with occasional bright accent colours as their iconic look.

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

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:20 || 5 || 15 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Spiral, Apulus, The Cellar Below || [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Vigilance]] || [[Our_eyes_in_Spiral#The_Empty_Cellar_(Conjunction)|Meet with followers of Berechiah]]
|-
| 18:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Broken Copse || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Tangles_(Therunin)|Kill the ''Lord of Thorns'']]
|-
| 18:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, Grey Fens, Drowner's Dell || [[Keeper of the Breadbasket]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Drowning_Pools_(Bregasland)|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 19:00 || 90 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Morrow, Altis, Canticulous Valley || [[Archmage of Winter]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#The_Breaking_Storm_(Morrow)|Perform Ward of the Black Waste]]
|-
| 19:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Holberg, Misericorde, Sacrifice Point || [[Flaxen Pillars|Red-Eyed Reaper]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Fishers_of_Folks_(Holberg)|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 20:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, Hope's Rest, Field of Triumph || [[High Exorcist]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Threads_(The_Barrens)|Exorcise the tortured souls]]
|-
| 20:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Osweald|| [[Brilliant Shore|Custodian of the Brilliant Shore]] || [[#A_Quiet_Place_%28Kallavesa%29|Intercept the cult's vanguard]]
|-
| 21:00 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Peakedge Song, Catrin's Glade || [[Eastern Broker]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Changes_(Therunin)|Rescue the Axou warrior]]
|-
| 21:10 || 10 || 30 mins || {{Possible}} || Sermersuaq, Stark, Njord Beach Hut || [[Unfettered Mind|Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind]] || [[Stars_and_sigils#Unfettered_Vivisections_(Sermersuaq)|Investigate the body]]
|-
| 21:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Whittling Grove || [[Strategos of Wintermark]] || [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#A_Quiet_Place_(Kallavesa)|Intercept the bandits]]
|-
| 21:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Eastring, Tainted Meadow || '''Blaze Dunning''' || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Beginnings_(Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]]
|-
|21:30 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 22:20 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Curator of the Blood Red River]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Celestial_Arcs_(Sung)|Draw and name constellations]]
|-
| 22:40 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Azure Sutannir]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Celestial_Arcs_(Sung)|Create lore and mythology for the constellations]]
|-
| 00:20 || 5 || 25 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Cave of Bones || '''Alistair de Vere''' || [[In_the_flesh#The_Little_Bones_of_Grandmother|Bargain with ''Tuki of the Little Bones'']]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 10:35 || 8 || 60 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Gull Isle || [[Imperial Consul]] || [[Keep_talking#A_Meeting_Place|Meet with the godhi]]
|-
| 14:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ossium, Drownbark Forest, Makgore's Grove || [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]] || [[#Stronger_Than_Law_(Ossium)|Defeat the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Tassato, Madeiras, Lucrezia's Orchard || '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' || [[#An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)|Kill the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Zenith, Iteri, Lutum Woods || [[Warmage]] || [[#The Bargain (Zenith)|Retrieve the ilium]]
|-
| 15:45 || Cadets only || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Suitable_For_Cadets|Suitable For Cadets]] || Sarvos, Uccelini, Smugglers Copse || Cadet Commander || [[The_Academy#Sat_Afternoon|Interrogate the Grendel captain]]
|-
| 17:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Alderly, Boar's Hall || '''Stanley of Chalkdown''' || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Gathering_Clouds_(Mournwold)|Kill ''Einar the Cunning'']]
|-
| 17:15 || TBC || 75 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Tournament Square || '''Enchanter Morien de Carsenere''' || [[In_the_flesh#The_Tournament_of_the_Groves|Attend the tournament of the Earl of the Groves]]
|-
| 17:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Hufi's Glen || [[Woundbinder of the Mark]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Time_for_Iron_(Kallavesa)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 18:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mitwold, Meade March, John's Holt || [[Bailiff of Meade]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Peculiar_Calling_(Mitwold)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 20:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, The Rushes, Sallow's Shallows || [[Strong Reeds|General of the Strong Reeds]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Fog_of_War_(Bregasland)|Recover the plundered goods]]
|-
| 20:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Ribeira, Carmo's Sheepfold || [[Summer Storm|General of the Summer Storm]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#Storm_of_Battle_(Reinos)|Kill ''Carmo Stoneblade'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Pedreira, Getshold || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#The_Extra_Bit_(Reinos)|Recover ''Bulangiin Karadghra'']]
|-
|21:30 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|}

===Stronger Than Law (Ossium)===
{{SOP|by=Miroslav Temnavoda, Varushkan Assembly|statement=Alert! The traitor Zavetta Voglanova is allied with the Children of Wrecks, and will be bringing storm and plunder to our lands. We are stronger than any traitor - we will defend our homes.|vote=338-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to pillage Marshstand Skerry'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Cabalist of the Hollow Stone'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Dozens of ships sail along the Barren sea; for fleet captains from Dawn, the northern League, and Varushka it is their route to the rest of the world. There was absolutely nothing untoward about the seemingly simple merchant ship that docked in southern [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]]. Nothing to suggest they were anything other than a band of Varushkan merchants on their way home from a successful season of trade. Then the first reports came of an attack along the [[Ossium#The_Iron_Roads|Iron Roads]], of travellers butchered and looted. ''The Alabaster Watchers'', a warden fellowship inspired by the judgement raised by '''Miroslav Temnavoda''', encountered the band and attempted to bring them to Imperial justice before retreating. Now, the newly revealed wreckers are making their way to [[Cabalist_of_the_Hollow_Stone#Marshstand_Skerry|Marshstand Skerry]] to loot and pillage it on the orders of ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Zavetta Voglavnova]]'', though the traitor has not been seen.

The call has gone out to the [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]], '''Vasili Zoryakovich Zverokaz''', to come to the defence of the skerry. The wreckers are still some distance from the skerry, and the expectation of the ''Alabaster Watchers'' is that they will use the opportunity to rest in an old, long-abandoned wayhouse. The Sentinel Gate will open close to the wayhouse, in truth barely more than a dilapidated set of palisades, around five minutes before the wreckers arrive, potentially allowing the Imperials the chance to ready an ambush.

===An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)===
{{SOP|by=Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario, League Assembly|statement=Sarvos be alert! <u>Maurizia Spada di Sarvos</u> is a traitor allied with the <u>Children of Wrecks</u>. She has plans to <u>raid and plunder</u> Sarvos. Our Ambition for the strength of Sarvos demands that you protect your city!!!|vote=106-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to curse Tassato'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
In [[Tassato#Madeiras|Madeiras]], a group of wreckers are making their way towards the ''Circle of Decay'', a regio of the Spring realm aligned to the resonance of [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]]. The wreckers, guided by ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Maurizia Spada di Sarvos]]'', are expected to arrive at the regio on the last day of the summit, and if they are not stopped, will curse the [[Tassato]]. This band of wreckers sailed up the Gancio, past the lost home of ''Maurizia'', and hauled their boat onto shore a few weeks before the Spring Equinox.

A group of officer cadets from [[Tassato#Five_Cities_Military_Academy|Five Cities Military Academy]] were on a planned action in Madeiras with several [[Red_Wind_Corsairs#Composition|Jackals]] in Madeiras. The officer cadets managed to spot the wrecker's ship and, investigating further, tracked the band on a direct path to the regio. If they are not stopped, then they will curse Tassato with [[Thunderous Deluge]], and slip away in the centre of the Empire. The Sentinel Gate will open in the path of the wreckers. It is the responsibility of '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' to kill the wreckers before they can perform the ritual.

===The Bargain (Zenith)===
* '''Wreckers are retreating back to the river Couros with looted ilium'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Warmage'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers and retrieving the ilium'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Tuomas of Pirenea]]'', one of the traitors who managed to survive the [[On_southern_sands#Salt_Burned_(Battle_Opportunity)|Battle for Visten]] last season, has ventured further into their old nation. Withdrawing back from the battle to the sea, they sailed up the Couros into [[Zenith#Iteri|Iteri]]. Tuomas and their band of followers struck at their target a few days before the Spring Equinox. Now, the wreckers are fleeing through the western glades of Zenith with [[ilium]] and other wealth looted from the [[Warmage#The_Bounty_of_the_Heavens|Alliance of the Sky]], the offshoot spire that sprung up following the ruination of the [[Zenith#Arch_of_the_Sky_(Ruins)|Arch of the Sky]].

The gang of wreckers are returning to their ship, behind them are the majority laden down with the heavier treasures. If the [[Warmage]], '''Ilysses of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros''', can kill the wreckers present and retrieve the star-metal, then the rest of the wreckers will scatter and prove easy targets for the garrisons and [[Spire#Citadels|citadels]] of Urizen.

===A Quiet Place (Kallavesa)===
* '''A group of bandits are travelling to the shores of the Gullet'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Strategos of Wintermark'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for intercepting the bandits before they reach the shores of the Gullet'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
Kallavesa has been tumultuous this season. [[Stars_and_sigils#Feast_For_Kallavesa|Delicious food and drink]] has flowed freely, yegarra have [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Time_for_Iron_(Kallavesa)|crossed the Westmere]] to strike at Hufi's Garden, and now a strange little toad creature has warned the people of [[Kallavesa#Rundhal|Rundhal]] of bandits journeying to the shores of the Gullet.

The strange little toad creature, which introduces itself as ''The Magentic Magus'' (even though its colouring is much closer to violet than magenta), gives a warning of what the bandits are trying to achieve. This group has laid down a trap for the [[Mediator of Fisk|Salagiin]] ships, and are moving to slaughter the merchants and claim their [[ilium]]. The mystics and scops have asked the [[Strategos of Wintermark]], '''Aeolwulf''', to intercept the bandits. Given that this threatens the safety of the Salagiin traders, it is hoped that the incumbent [[Mediator of Fisk]], '''Thritt''', will offer what aid they can.

===Floating like Snow (Skarsind)===
{{CaptionedImage|file=ClawIllustrationInk.JPG|align=right|width=150}}
* '''A vanguard of cultists of the Claw are travelling through Pakanaan's Pass'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of the Brilliant Shore'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the cultists'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
A few weeks before the Spring Equinox, there are disturbed mutterings of bandits in eastern [[Skarsind]]. These are dismissed by most folk as nothing more than worries - though others take up the task of walking the paths on the lookout for ne'er-do-wells. Just a week before the summit, just after dusk, they strike. Howling in the twilight, they launch themselves at one of the caravans from the [[Brilliant Shore]], overwhelming the guards and escaping with almost a dozen wains of [[white granite]].

They are spotted again by a patrol from [[Skarsind#The_Will|The Will]], who they manage to evade. The patrol reports that the entire group is making for the [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Fire_and_Flame_(Estavus)|newly reopened]] Pakanaan's Pass back into Sermersuaq. If the vanguard can be defeated then the rest - those travelling with the wagons - will be easy pickings. If not, then whoever wins the auction for the [[Brilliant Shore]] will receive only 17 wains of white granite at the Summer Solstice.

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

387YE Spring Equinox winds of war

2025-06-13T10:46:16Z

TomH: /* Friday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Spring]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=To war.png|caption=If one should fall, we will carry on to glory, at the end.|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Along the Winding Road==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[To hold death's hand in mine]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]]|| [[Unlock thy hidden gate]]
|-
| [[Bay of Catazar]]|| [[A circle sewn with fate]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]] and [[Bregasland]]|| [[If one be gone we carry on]]
|-
| [[Reinos]] || [[Follow me my friend]]
|-
|}
From midwinter, the days get longer and the nights shorter. The promise of Spring whispers of renewal, of green shoots and pale flowers amid the frosts. A new year! The three-hundredth-and-eighty-seventh since the founding of the Empire! How changed our nations are, how unchanged the face of war. There are battles in the east and the west, with the south and the north quiet - for now.

There are victories and defeats for Imperial soldiers. The armies of the Empire have withdrawn from [[Therunin]] in the west, leaving the [[Druj]] free rein to rampage across the [[Navarr]] territory. They conquer the Tarn Valley, and pour into [[Therunin#Peakedge Song|Peakedge Song]] hungry for destruction. Between courageous defenders who will not abandon their homes, and the blessings of the [[Ossegrahn|Tarnfather]], the ancient houses of healing and life are preserved - but for how long? Worse, as Spring blooms and blossoms and slumbering life awakens beneath the soil, the [[Druj lore#Ghulai|Ghulai]] of the Tainted Basilisk, uninterrupted, complete their malignant magical workings and rouse the vallorn of Tharunind to wakefulness.

The Empire is not idle in the east. Four armies come from the south, through the [[Realm#Night|night-haunted]] forests of [[Zenith#Lustri|Lustri]] across the borders into the [[Sarangrave]]. They find armies of the Druj resting here, disrupting their recovery and forcing them to fight alongside the garrison of the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]] to try and hold Imperial soldiers back. The [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater_Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]] teems with life, much of it seemingly intent on eating or draining the blood from human and orc alike. The Empire is victorious, but it is slow going, and they have yet to claim a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]].

Further south, along the [[Bay of Catazar]], the Imperial presence in the desolate [[Bay_of_Catazar#Petrified Forest|petrified forest]] of [[Bay_of_Catazar#Ayereed|Ayereed]] comes to an abrupt end. A force of [[Grendel]] land-troops sweeps up from the interior, and those soldiers who do not retreat are slain or captured. The Imperial beachhead in the arid south-east is brought to an abrupt end. The Salt Lords now control the southern borders of [[Mareave]] once again.

Across the Bay, the defences of the lands most at risk of attack from the sea are bolstered. Folks look to the horizon, watching for the sails that will herald a brutal invasion. In the west, in recently liberated [[Feroz]], the [[Children of Wrecks]] launch an attack against the battered town of [[Feroz#Oran|Oran]], pirates, privateers and Imperial traitors eager to loot the imagined treasures of the late and unlamented Governor Rahab. There are few Imperial defenders to stand against them and the unnatural servants of [[Siakha|Maelstrom]] that throng in the waters around their ships. Aid comes from an unexpected source, as the entire garrison of [[Feroz#Mora's Rock|Mora's Rock]] under ''Commander Fliesarch'' comes to the defence of the Brass Coast. Not, they are clear, from any particular love for the Freeborn but because they ''despise'' the Children of Wrecks. The raid is turned back, and the Grendel return to their vigil in their mighty fortress.

North, then, to [[the Marches]]. Two armies fight the champions of the [[Jotun]] for control of [[Mournwold]] - and the [[Mournwold#Ore Hills|Ore Hills]] are once again freed from the yoke of the barbarians. Across the border in the fens of [[Bregasland]], however, things are very different. A host of Jotun erupt from [[Liathaven]], through their magical fortifications at [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Gravenmarch]], and across the marshes. The [[Strong Reeds]] rally the defenders, but it is difficult for the household militia to hold back a force of this magnitude. In the end, only the town of Otterly, on the eastern borders, remains in Marcher hands.

As the Jotun invade in the north, Imperial armies gather in the south. Five armies march out of Segura into [[Reinos]], into the Lasambrian Hills, to bring war to the barbarians. The garrisons of the twin castles there do their best, but the Empire quickly conquers the olive groves and the fig orchards of [[Reinos#Ribeira|Ribeira]] and almost all of [[Reinos#Bastasor|Bastasor]]. The Lasambrians refuse to surrender, their [[Pride]] driving them to fight the Empire every step of the way. The battles continue.

Across the Empire itself, in [[Astolat]], in [[Reikos]], in [[Upwold]], and [[Tassato]], the rest of the Imperial armies prepare themselves for the year to come. Just over the borders from the fighting, readying themselves, recovering from the battles of the three-hundredth-and-eighty-sixth year of the Empire. The road calls to them, the winding road to battle, to death, and to glory.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Territory'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td>
<tr><td>[[Bregasland]]</td><td>Block the path</td><td>''Sal-Ott Meet'', Ottermire</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Glory_at_the_End_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Glory at the End]]</td><td>[[:file:Glory At The End.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Reinos]]</td><td>Seize the township</td><td>''Grismont Road'', Bastasor</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Follow_me_my_friend#Tame_Your_Fears_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Tame Your Fears]]</td><td>[[:file:Tame Your Fears.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave]]</td><td>Influence the vallorn</td><td>''Mirereach'', Bendol</td><td>Druj</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Unlock_thy_hidden_gate#Miles_of_Tricks_and_Trials_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Miles of Tricks and Trials]]</td><td>[[:file:Miles of Tricks and Trials.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr></table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 17
|-
| Dawn || 61
|-
| Highguard || 26
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 23
|-
| Marches || 26
|-
| Navarr || 58
|-
| Urizen || 13
|-
| Varushka || 17
|-
| Wintermark || 61
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''149''' and at most '''158''' force weight sent on it.
===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units, and should not include human combatants.

* '''The Bregasland opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs. Due to the nature of this battle there will be ''_very_'' limited numbers of human yegarra roles.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over maile as their iconic look.

* '''The Reinos opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs, human yegarra, and some Lasambrian Jotun.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over mail as their iconic look. Lasambrian Jotun can be portrayed by incorporating elements of Freeborn kit or orange material alongside your normal monstering gear.

* '''The Sarangrave opportunity involves forces composed primarily of Druj orcs'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Druj orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Druj orcs. You can help by wearing leather or plate armour you have, as well as any iconic Druj weaponry, particularly swords, spears and great weapons, as well as bows of all types. You can find out more about the iconic Druj look [[Druj_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the Druj is a mantle and ragged material layers that echo natural greens, browns, greys, and black, with occasional bright accent colours as their iconic look.

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

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:20 || 5 || 15 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Spiral, Apulus, The Cellar Below || [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Vigilance]] || [[Our_eyes_in_Spiral#The_Empty_Cellar_(Conjunction)|Meet with followers of Berechiah]]
|-
| 18:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Broken Copse || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Tangles_(Therunin)|Kill the ''Lord of Thorns'']]
|-
| 18:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, Grey Fens, Drowner's Dell || [[Keeper of the Breadbasket]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Drowning_Pools_(Bregasland)|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 19:00 || 90 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Morrow, Altis, Canticulous Valley || [[Archmage of Winter]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#The_Breaking_Storm_(Morrow)|Perform Ward of the Black Waste]]
|-
| 19:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Holberg, Misericorde, Sacrifice Point || [[Flaxen Pillars|Red-Eyed Reaper]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Fishers_of_Folks_(Holberg)|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 20:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, Hope's Rest, Field of Triumph || [[High Exorcist]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Threads_(The_Barrens)|Exorcise the tortured souls]]
|-
| 20:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Osweald|| [[Brilliant Shore|Custodian of the Brilliant Shore]] || [[#A_Quiet_Place_%28Kallavesa%29|Intercept the cult's vanguard]]
|-
| 21:00 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Peakedge Song, Catrin's Glade || [[Eastern Broker]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Changes_(Therunin)|Rescue the Axou warrior]]
|-
| 21:10 || 10 || 30 mins || {{Possible}} || Sermersuaq, Stark, Njord Beach Hut || [[Unfettered Mind|Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind]] || [[Stars_and_sigils#Unfettered_Vivisections_(Sermersuaq)|Investigate the body]]
|-
| 21:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Whittling Grove || [[Strategos of Wintermark]] || [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#A_Quiet_Place_(Kallavesa)|Intercept the bandits]]
|-
| 21:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Eastring, Tainted Meadow || '''Blaze Dunning''' || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Beginnings_(Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]]
|-
|21:30 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 22:20 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Curator of the Blood Red River]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Celestial_Arcs_(Sung)|Draw and name constellations]]
|-
| 22:40 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Azure Sutannir]] || [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Celestial_Arcs_(Sung)|Create lore and mythology for the constellations]]
|-
| 00:20 || 5 || 25 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Cave of Bones || '''Alistair de Vere''' || [[In_the_flesh#The_Little_Bones_of_Grandmother|Bargain with ''Tuki of the Little Bones'']]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 10:35 || 8 || 60 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Gull Isle || [[Imperial Consul]] || [[Keep_talking#A_Meeting_Place|Meet with the godhi]]
|-
| 14:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ossium, Drownbark Forest, Makgore's Grove || [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]] || [[#Stronger_Than_Law_(Ossium)|Defeat the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Tassato, Madeiras, Lucrezia's Orchard || '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' || [[#An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)|Kill the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Zenith, Iteri, Lutum Woods || [[Warmage]] || [[#The Bargain (Zenith)|Retrieve the ilium]]
|-
| 15:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Suitable_For_Cadets|Suitable For Cadets]] || Sarvos, Uccelini, Smugglers Copse || Cadet Commander || [[The_Academy#Sat_Afternoon|Interrogate the Grendel captain]]
|-
| 17:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Alderly, Boar's Hall || '''Stanley of Chalkdown''' || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Gathering_Clouds_(Mournwold)|Kill ''Einar the Cunning'']]
|-
| 17:15 || TBC || 75 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Tournament Square || '''Enchanter Morien de Carsenere''' || [[In_the_flesh#The_Tournament_of_the_Groves|Attend the tournament of the Earl of the Groves]]
|-
| 17:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Hufi's Glen || [[Woundbinder of the Mark]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Time_for_Iron_(Kallavesa)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 18:00 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mitwold, Meade March, John's Holt || [[Bailiff of Meade]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Peculiar_Calling_(Mitwold)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 20:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, The Rushes, Sallow's Shallows || [[Strong Reeds|General of the Strong Reeds]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Fog_of_War_(Bregasland)|Recover the plundered goods]]
|-
| 20:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Ribeira, Carmo's Sheepfold || [[Summer Storm|General of the Summer Storm]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#Storm_of_Battle_(Reinos)|Kill ''Carmo Stoneblade'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Pedreira, Getshold || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#The_Extra_Bit_(Reinos)|Recover ''Bulangiin Karadghra'']]
|-
|21:30 || colspan="6" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|}

===Stronger Than Law (Ossium)===
{{SOP|by=Miroslav Temnavoda, Varushkan Assembly|statement=Alert! The traitor Zavetta Voglanova is allied with the Children of Wrecks, and will be bringing storm and plunder to our lands. We are stronger than any traitor - we will defend our homes.|vote=338-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to pillage Marshstand Skerry'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Cabalist of the Hollow Stone'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Dozens of ships sail along the Barren sea; for fleet captains from Dawn, the northern League, and Varushka it is their route to the rest of the world. There was absolutely nothing untoward about the seemingly simple merchant ship that docked in southern [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]]. Nothing to suggest they were anything other than a band of Varushkan merchants on their way home from a successful season of trade. Then the first reports came of an attack along the [[Ossium#The_Iron_Roads|Iron Roads]], of travellers butchered and looted. ''The Alabaster Watchers'', a warden fellowship inspired by the judgement raised by '''Miroslav Temnavoda''', encountered the band and attempted to bring them to Imperial justice before retreating. Now, the newly revealed wreckers are making their way to [[Cabalist_of_the_Hollow_Stone#Marshstand_Skerry|Marshstand Skerry]] to loot and pillage it on the orders of ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Zavetta Voglavnova]]'', though the traitor has not been seen.

The call has gone out to the [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]], '''Vasili Zoryakovich Zverokaz''', to come to the defence of the skerry. The wreckers are still some distance from the skerry, and the expectation of the ''Alabaster Watchers'' is that they will use the opportunity to rest in an old, long-abandoned wayhouse. The Sentinel Gate will open close to the wayhouse, in truth barely more than a dilapidated set of palisades, around five minutes before the wreckers arrive, potentially allowing the Imperials the chance to ready an ambush.

===An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)===
{{SOP|by=Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario, League Assembly|statement=Sarvos be alert! <u>Maurizia Spada di Sarvos</u> is a traitor allied with the <u>Children of Wrecks</u>. She has plans to <u>raid and plunder</u> Sarvos. Our Ambition for the strength of Sarvos demands that you protect your city!!!|vote=106-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to curse Tassato'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
In [[Tassato#Madeiras|Madeiras]], a group of wreckers are making their way towards the ''Circle of Decay'', a regio of the Spring realm aligned to the resonance of [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]]. The wreckers, guided by ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Maurizia Spada di Sarvos]]'', are expected to arrive at the regio on the last day of the summit, and if they are not stopped, will curse the [[Tassato]]. This band of wreckers sailed up the Gancio, past the lost home of ''Maurizia'', and hauled their boat onto shore a few weeks before the Spring Equinox.

A group of officer cadets from [[Tassato#Five_Cities_Military_Academy|Five Cities Military Academy]] were on a planned action in Madeiras with several [[Red_Wind_Corsairs#Composition|Jackals]] in Madeiras. The officer cadets managed to spot the wrecker's ship and, investigating further, tracked the band on a direct path to the regio. If they are not stopped, then they will curse Tassato with [[Thunderous Deluge]], and slip away in the centre of the Empire. The Sentinel Gate will open in the path of the wreckers. It is the responsibility of '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' to kill the wreckers before they can perform the ritual.

===The Bargain (Zenith)===
* '''Wreckers are retreating back to the river Couros with looted ilium'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Warmage'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers and retrieving the ilium'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Tuomas of Pirenea]]'', one of the traitors who managed to survive the [[On_southern_sands#Salt_Burned_(Battle_Opportunity)|Battle for Visten]] last season, has ventured further into their old nation. Withdrawing back from the battle to the sea, they sailed up the Couros into [[Zenith#Iteri|Iteri]]. Tuomas and their band of followers struck at their target a few days before the Spring Equinox. Now, the wreckers are fleeing through the western glades of Zenith with [[ilium]] and other wealth looted from the [[Warmage#The_Bounty_of_the_Heavens|Alliance of the Sky]], the offshoot spire that sprung up following the ruination of the [[Zenith#Arch_of_the_Sky_(Ruins)|Arch of the Sky]].

The gang of wreckers are returning to their ship, behind them are the majority laden down with the heavier treasures. If the [[Warmage]], '''Ilysses of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros''', can kill the wreckers present and retrieve the star-metal, then the rest of the wreckers will scatter and prove easy targets for the garrisons and [[Spire#Citadels|citadels]] of Urizen.

===A Quiet Place (Kallavesa)===
* '''A group of bandits are travelling to the shores of the Gullet'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Strategos of Wintermark'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for intercepting the bandits before they reach the shores of the Gullet'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
Kallavesa has been tumultuous this season. [[Stars_and_sigils#Feast_For_Kallavesa|Delicious food and drink]] has flowed freely, yegarra have [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Time_for_Iron_(Kallavesa)|crossed the Westmere]] to strike at Hufi's Garden, and now a strange little toad creature has warned the people of [[Kallavesa#Rundhal|Rundhal]] of bandits journeying to the shores of the Gullet.

The strange little toad creature, which introduces itself as ''The Magentic Magus'' (even though its colouring is much closer to violet than magenta), gives a warning of what the bandits are trying to achieve. This group has laid down a trap for the [[Mediator of Fisk|Salagiin]] ships, and are moving to slaughter the merchants and claim their [[ilium]]. The mystics and scops have asked the [[Strategos of Wintermark]], '''Aeolwulf''', to intercept the bandits. Given that this threatens the safety of the Salagiin traders, it is hoped that the incumbent [[Mediator of Fisk]], '''Thritt''', will offer what aid they can.

===Floating like Snow (Skarsind)===
{{CaptionedImage|file=ClawIllustrationInk.JPG|align=right|width=150}}
* '''A vanguard of cultists of the Claw are travelling through Pakanaan's Pass'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of the Brilliant Shore'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the cultists'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
A few weeks before the Spring Equinox, there are disturbed mutterings of bandits in eastern [[Skarsind]]. These are dismissed by most folk as nothing more than worries - though others take up the task of walking the paths on the lookout for ne'er-do-wells. Just a week before the summit, just after dusk, they strike. Howling in the twilight, they launch themselves at one of the caravans from the [[Brilliant Shore]], overwhelming the guards and escaping with almost a dozen wains of [[white granite]].

They are spotted again by a patrol from [[Skarsind#The_Will|The Will]], who they manage to evade. The patrol reports that the entire group is making for the [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Fire_and_Flame_(Estavus)|newly reopened]] Pakanaan's Pass back into Sermersuaq. If the vanguard can be defeated then the rest - those travelling with the wagons - will be easy pickings. If not, then whoever wins the auction for the [[Brilliant Shore]] will receive only 17 wains of white granite at the Summer Solstice.

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

387YE Spring Equinox winds of war

2025-06-09T19:36:44Z

TomH: /* Friday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Spring]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=To war.png|caption=If one should fall, we will carry on to glory, at the end.|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Along the Winding Road==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[To hold death's hand in mine]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]]|| [[Unlock thy hidden gate]]
|-
| [[Bay of Catazar]]|| [[A circle sewn with fate]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]] and [[Bregasland]]|| [[If one be gone we carry on]]
|-
| [[Reinos]] || [[Follow me my friend]]
|-
|}
From midwinter, the days get longer and the nights shorter. The promise of Spring whispers of renewal, of green shoots and pale flowers amid the frosts. A new year! The three-hundredth-and-eighty-seventh since the founding of the Empire! How changed our nations are, how unchanged the face of war. There are battles in the east and the west, with the south and the north quiet - for now.

There are victories and defeats for Imperial soldiers. The armies of the Empire have withdrawn from [[Therunin]] in the west, leaving the [[Druj]] free rein to rampage across the [[Navarr]] territory. They conquer the Tarn Valley, and pour into [[Therunin#Peakedge Song|Peakedge Song]] hungry for destruction. Between courageous defenders who will not abandon their homes, and the blessings of the [[Ossegrahn|Tarnfather]], the ancient houses of healing and life are preserved - but for how long? Worse, as Spring blooms and blossoms and slumbering life awakens beneath the soil, the [[Druj lore#Ghulai|Ghulai]] of the Tainted Basilisk, uninterrupted, complete their malignant magical workings and rouse the vallorn of Tharunind to wakefulness.

The Empire is not idle in the east. Four armies come from the south, through the [[Realm#Night|night-haunted]] forests of [[Zenith#Lustri|Lustri]] across the borders into the [[Sarangrave]]. They find armies of the Druj resting here, disrupting their recovery and forcing them to fight alongside the garrison of the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]] to try and hold Imperial soldiers back. The [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater_Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]] teems with life, much of it seemingly intent on eating or draining the blood from human and orc alike. The Empire is victorious, but it is slow going, and they have yet to claim a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]].

Further south, along the [[Bay of Catazar]], the Imperial presence in the desolate [[Bay_of_Catazar#Petrified Forest|petrified forest]] of [[Bay_of_Catazar#Ayereed|Ayereed]] comes to an abrupt end. A force of [[Grendel]] land-troops sweeps up from the interior, and those soldiers who do not retreat are slain or captured. The Imperial beachhead in the arid south-east is brought to an abrupt end. The Salt Lords now control the southern borders of [[Mareave]] once again.

Across the Bay, the defences of the lands most at risk of attack from the sea are bolstered. Folks look to the horizon, watching for the sails that will herald a brutal invasion. In the west, in recently liberated [[Feroz]], the [[Children of Wrecks]] launch an attack against the battered town of [[Feroz#Oran|Oran]], pirates, privateers and Imperial traitors eager to loot the imagined treasures of the late and unlamented Governor Rahab. There are few Imperial defenders to stand against them and the unnatural servants of [[Siakha|Maelstrom]] that throng in the waters around their ships. Aid comes from an unexpected source, as the entire garrison of [[Feroz#Mora's Rock|Mora's Rock]] under ''Commander Fliesarch'' comes to the defence of the Brass Coast. Not, they are clear, from any particular love for the Freeborn but because they ''despise'' the Children of Wrecks. The raid is turned back, and the Grendel return to their vigil in their mighty fortress.

North, then, to [[the Marches]]. Two armies fight the champions of the [[Jotun]] for control of [[Mournwold]] - and the [[Mournwold#Ore Hills|Ore Hills]] are once again freed from the yoke of the barbarians. Across the border in the fens of [[Bregasland]], however, things are very different. A host of Jotun erupt from [[Liathaven]], through their magical fortifications at [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Gravenmarch]], and across the marshes. The [[Strong Reeds]] rally the defenders, but it is difficult for the household militia to hold back a force of this magnitude. In the end, only the town of Otterly, on the eastern borders, remains in Marcher hands.

As the Jotun invade in the north, Imperial armies gather in the south. Five armies march out of Segura into [[Reinos]], into the Lasambrian Hills, to bring war to the barbarians. The garrisons of the twin castles there do their best, but the Empire quickly conquers the olive groves and the fig orchards of [[Reinos#Ribeira|Ribeira]] and almost all of [[Reinos#Bastasor|Bastasor]]. The Lasambrians refuse to surrender, their [[Pride]] driving them to fight the Empire every step of the way. The battles continue.

Across the Empire itself, in [[Astolat]], in [[Reikos]], in [[Upwold]], and [[Tassato]], the rest of the Imperial armies prepare themselves for the year to come. Just over the borders from the fighting, readying themselves, recovering from the battles of the three-hundredth-and-eighty-sixth year of the Empire. The road calls to them, the winding road to battle, to death, and to glory.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Territory'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td>
<tr><td>[[Bregasland]]</td><td>Block the path</td><td>''Sal-Ott Meet'', Ottermire</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Glory_at_the_End_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Glory at the End]]</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Reinos]]</td><td>Seize the township</td><td>''Grismont Road'', Bastasor</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Follow_me_my_friend#Tame_Your_Fears_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Tame Your Fears]]</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave]]</td><td>Influence the vallorn</td><td>''Mirereach'', Bendol</td><td>Druj</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Unlock_thy_hidden_gate#Miles_of_Tricks_and_Trials_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Miles of Tricks and Trials]]</td><td></td></tr></table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 17
|-
| Dawn || 61
|-
| Highguard || 26
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 23
|-
| Marches || 26
|-
| Navarr || 58
|-
| Urizen || 13
|-
| Varushka || 17
|-
| Wintermark || 61
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''149''' and at most '''158''' force weight sent on it.
===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units, and should not include human combatants.

* '''The Bregasland opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs. Due to the nature of this battle there will be ''_very_'' limited numbers of human yegarra roles.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over maile as their iconic look.

* '''The Reinos opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs, human yegarra, and some Lasambrian Jotun.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over mail as their iconic look. Lasambrian Jotun can be portrayed by incorporating elements of Freeborn kit or orange material alongside your normal monstering gear.

* '''The Sarangrave opportunity involves forces composed primarily of Druj orcs'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Druj orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Druj orcs. You can help by wearing leather or plate armour you have, as well as any iconic Druj weaponry, particularly swords, spears and great weapons, as well as bows of all types. You can find out more about the iconic Druj look [[Druj_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the Druj is a mantle and ragged material layers that echo natural greens, browns, greys, and black, with occasional bright accent colours as their iconic look.

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

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:20 || 5 || 15 mins || {{Possible}} || Spiral, Apulus, The Cellar Below || [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Vigilance]] || [[Our_eyes_in_Spiral#The_Empty_Cellar_(Conjunction)|Meet with followers of Berechiah]]
|-
| 18:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Broken Copse || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Tangles_(Therunin)|Kill the ''Lord of Thorns'']]
|-
| 18:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, Grey Fens, Drowner's Dell || [[Keeper of the Breadbasket]] || [[LINK|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 19:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Morrow, Altis, Canticulous Valley || [[Archmage of Winter]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#The_Breaking_Storm_(Morrow)|Perform Ward of the Black Waste]]
|-
| 19:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Holberg, Misericorde, Sacrifice Point || [[Flaxen Pillars|Red-Eyed Reaper]] || [[LINK|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 20:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, Hope's Rest, Field of Triumph || [[High Exorcist]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Threads_(The_Barrens)|Exorcise the tortured souls]]
|-
| 20:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Osweald|| [[Brilliant Shore|Custodian of the Brilliant Shore]] || [[LINK|Intercept the cult's vanguard]]
|-
| 21:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Peakedge Song, Catrin's Glade || [[Eastern Broker]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Changes_(Therunin)|Rescue the Axou warrior]]
|-
| 21:10 || 10 || 30 mins || {{Possible}} || Sermersuaq, Stark, Njord Beach Hut || [[TBC]] || [[LINK|TBC]]
|-
| 21:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Whittling Grove || [[Strategos of Wintermark]] || [[LINK|Intercept the bandits]]
|-
| 21:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Eastring, Tainted Meadow || '''Blaze Dunning''' || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Beginnings_(Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 22:20 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Curator of the Blood Red River]] || [[LINK|Draw and name constellations]]
|-
| 22:40 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Azure Sutannir]] || [[LINK|Create lore and mythology for the constellations]]
|-
| 00:20 || 5 || 25 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Cave of Bones || '''Alistair de Vere''' || [[LINK|Bargain with ''Tuki of the Little Bones'']]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 10:35 || TBC || 60 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Gull Isle || [[Imperial Consul]] || [[LINK|TBC]]
|-
| 14:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ossium, Drownbark Forest, Makgore's Grove || [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]] || [[#Stronger_Than_Law_(Ossium)|Defeat the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Tassato, Madeiras, Lucrezia's Orchard || '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' || [[#An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)|Kill the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Zenith, Iteri, Lutum Woods || [[Warmage]] || [[#The Bargain (Zenith)|Retrieve the ilium]]
|-
| 15:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Suitable_For_Cadets|Suitable For Cadets]] || Sarvos, Uccelini, Smugglers Copse || Cadet Commander || [[The_Academy#Sat_Afternoon|Interrogate the Grendel captain]]
|-
| 17:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Alderly, Boar's Hall || '''Stanley of Chalkdown''' || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Gathering_Clouds_(Mournwold)|Kill ''Einar the Cunning'']]
|-
| 17:15 || TBC || 75 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Tournament Square || '''Enchanter Morien de Carsenere''' || [[LINK|Attend the tournament of the Earl of the Groves]]
|-
| 17:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Hufi's Glen || [[Woundbinder of the Mark]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Time_for_Iron_(Kallavesa)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 18:00 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mitwold, Meade March, John's Holt || [[Bailiff of Meade]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Peculiar_Calling_(Mitwold)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 20:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, The Rushes, Sallow's Shallows || [[Strong Reeds|General of the Strong Reeds]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Fog_of_War_(Bregasland)|Recover the plundered goods]]
|-
| 20:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Ribeira, Carmo's Sheepfold || [[Summer Storm|General of the Summer Storm]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#Storm_of_Battle_(Reinos)|Kill ''Carmo Stoneblade'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Pedreira, Getshold || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#The_Extra_Bit_(Reinos)|Recover ''Bulangiin Karadghra'']]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|}

===Stronger Than Law (Ossium)===
{{SOP|by=Miroslav Temnavoda, Varushkan Assembly|statement=Alert! The traitor Zavetta Voglanova is allied with the Children of Wrecks, and will be bringing storm and plunder to our lands. We are stronger than any traitor - we will defend our homes.|vote=338-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to pillage Marshstand Skerry'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Cabalist of the Hollow Stone'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Dozens of ships sail along the Barren sea; for fleet captains from Dawn, the northern League, and Varushka it is their route to the rest of the world. There was absolutely nothing untoward about the seemingly simple merchant ship that docked in southern [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]]. Nothing to suggest they were anything other than a band of Varushkan merchants on their way home from a successful season of trade. Then the first reports came of an attack along the [[Ossium#The_Iron_Roads|Iron Roads]], of travellers butchered and looted. ''The Alabaster Watchers'', a warden fellowship inspired by the judgement raised by '''Miroslav Temnavoda''', encountered the band and attempted to bring them to Imperial justice before retreating. Now, the newly revealed wreckers are making their way to [[Cabalist_of_the_Hollow_Stone#Marshstand_Skerry|Marshstand Skerry]] to loot and pillage it on the orders of ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Zavetta Voglavnova]]'', though the traitor has not been seen.

The call has gone out to the [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]], '''Vasili Zoryakovich Zverokaz''', to come to the defence of the skerry. The wreckers are still some distance from the skerry, and the expectation of the ''Alabaster Watchers'' is that they will use the opportunity to rest in an old, long-abandoned wayhouse. The Sentinel Gate will open close to the wayhouse, in truth barely more than a dilapidated set of palisades, around five minutes before the wreckers arrive, potentially allowing the Imperials the chance to ready an ambush.

===An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)===
{{SOP|by=Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario, League Assembly|statement=Sarvos be alert! <u>Maurizia Spada di Sarvos</u> is a traitor allied with the <u>Children of Wrecks</u>. She has plans to <u>raid and plunder</u> Sarvos. Our Ambition for the strength of Sarvos demands that you protect your city!!!|vote=106-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to curse Tassato'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
In [[Tassato#Madeiras|Madeiras]], a group of wreckers are making their way towards the ''Circle of Decay'', a regio of the Spring realm aligned to the resonance of [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]]. The wreckers, guided by ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Maurizia Spada di Sarvos]]'', are expected to arrive at the regio on the last day of the summit, and if they are not stopped, will curse the [[Tassato]]. This band of wreckers sailed up the Gancio, past the lost home of ''Maurizia'', and hauled their boat onto shore a few weeks before the Spring Equinox.

A group of officer cadets from [[Tassato#Five_Cities_Military_Academy|Five Cities Military Academy]] were on a planned action in Madeiras with several [[Red_Wind_Corsairs#Composition|Jackals]] in Madeiras. The officer cadets managed to spot the wrecker's ship and, investigating further, tracked the band on a direct path to the regio. If they are not stopped, then they will curse Tassato with [[Thunderous Deluge]], and slip away in the centre of the Empire. The Sentinel Gate will open in the path of the wreckers. It is the responsibility of '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' to kill the wreckers before they can perform the ritual.

===The Bargain (Zenith)===
* '''Wreckers are retreating back to the river Couros with looted ilium'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Warmage'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers and retrieving the ilium'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Tuomas of Pirenea]]'', one of the traitors who managed to survive the [[On_southern_sands#Salt_Burned_(Battle_Opportunity)|Battle for Visten]] last season, has ventured further into their old nation. Withdrawing back from the battle to the sea, they sailed up the Couros into [[Zenith#Iteri|Iteri]]. Tuomas and their band of followers struck at their target a few days before the Spring Equinox. Now, the wreckers are fleeing through the western glades of Zenith with [[ilium]] and other wealth looted from the [[Warmage#The_Bounty_of_the_Heavens|Alliance of the Sky]], the offshoot spire that sprung up following the ruination of the [[Zenith#Arch_of_the_Sky_(Ruins)|Arch of the Sky]].

The gang of wreckers are returning to their ship, behind them are the majority laden down with the heavier treasures. If the [[Warmage]], '''Ilysses of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros''', can kill the wreckers present and retrieve the star-metal, then the rest of the wreckers will scatter and prove easy targets for the garrisons and [[Spire#Citadels|citadels]] of Urizen.

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

Unlock thy hidden gate

2025-06-09T19:25:21Z

TomH: /* Alternate Objective: Unleash the Vallorn */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:387YE Spring]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Road of Shadows.png|caption=With ward, and gate, with steel and spite, the Druj defend the Mallum.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
==Winding Through the Wood==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hN_dIAWk3k}}
Up through the shadowed forests of Lustri march four Imperial armies. They march to the [[Sarangrave]], following the same route the Druj took to invade Zenith not so many years ago. The same paths through the deep woods, down toward the marshes of [[the Mallum]]. Their rough path runs through the lowland valleys, between the foothills of the towering peaks to the east and the west. Past the ruins of the [[Zenith#Spire of Twisting Shadows (Ruined)|Spire of Twisting Shadows]], under the [[vigilance|vigilant]] eyes of the [[Zenith#The Stork's Gaze|Stork's Gaze]], toward the Bloodwater Marsh.

As the armies march north the ground becomes increasingly boggy; since the [[Light_upon_the_water#Sodden_Ground|magical storms]] that swept the Empire three years ago the ground here has never quite dried out. It is a foreshadowing of what is to come, perhaps. Or a warning that the Sarangrave has followed after the Druj, reaching out seeping tendrils to change the land the way the invasion of the Mallum changed the people of Urizen.

Many of the soldiers who pass through the forest report odd dreams, and odd glimpses of half-seen shadowy figures beneath the trees that disappear as soon as they are looked at directly. They do not pose any threat, it seems. Simply peculiar little spirits of mystery and secrets, curious about the great force of soldiers marching through the woodlands.

Here and there are markers that commemorate one engagement or another in the fight against the orcs of the Mallum. The forest presses close around them – in another few years they will be lost entirely to the grasping roots, and the dark beneath the boughs, and the short memories of mortal folk.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Regions of Sarangrave.png|caption=Sarangrave is mapped, but parts of the territory remain unknown.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
==Into the Sarangrave==
The Sarangrave is first scented rather than seen. The wind from the north brings with it the faint odour of rot and stagnant water, reminiscent of the Proceris marshes yet altogether stronger, more woody. The trees undergo a marked change, giving way to willow, aspen, and poplar. Only the beggarwood remains constant as the Imperial armies approach the border with the Mallum. Yellow marigolds and pale pink marsh orchids bloom among the roots, along the ponds and streams. Footlong iridescent dragonflies flit hither and yon, and curious fist-sized black beetles become a minor menace, fascinated by the boots and sleeping rolls of Imperial soldiers when they camp for the night.

Then, halfway through the last morning before the armies leave the Empire for the lands of the Druj, the trees suddenly fall away and the Sarangrave stretches before them. Some of the newer recruits to the Citadel Guard find it particularly unsettling – this immense expanse of flat openness beneath a flat open sky. Mist still clings here and there drifting over the surface of the shallow lakes, or wrapped like cotton wool of cuckoospit around the boles of the bowed beggarwood trees.

Perhaps the strangest element is the beauty of the place. This is the Mallum, the fastness of the Druj. To some it seems particularly jarring, the way the deep umber, the ochre, the olive tones of the marshes are scattered with swathes of colour as the early spring flowers reach toward the sun. It is notably warmer here, in the Bloodwater Marshes, than it was in the shaded forests of Lustri. And the beasts! Birds of all sizes and colours swooping down to skim the waterways hungry for insects. Some are large enough to hunt fish, dipping beneath the surface to emerge triumphant with their shimmering prize caught between their talons. Voles and water mice, scampering away from the tramping boots of the soldiers. Otters and beavers, their fur slick with oils, disappearing with nary a ripple, panicked by the presence of so many humans and orcs all at once.

The sun is bright this morning, but as the armies begin to push forward, they encounter an undeniable reminder that this beautiful place is the domain of the Druj. The first tendrils of that malign miasma that infests those lands claimed by the orcs of the Mallum gently touch the hearts and minds of the Imperial soldiers, as if testing them. It is as if a stormcloud crosses over the sun as the armies push northward into the marsh. The marching songs and soldier's banter falter and fall quiet as the creeping dread assails the marching soldiers. That subtle, awful feeling that you are in danger, that something is watching you, that you are not alone, that you are making a mistake, that you should not be here, spreads through the armies. It is all-too familiar to those who fought in Zenith, in Ossium, in the Salt Flats of Sanath, in Reikos back in the day. Yet here it seems stronger, more insistent, more ''immanent''. The Druj have ruled here for a very long time, the taint of their tyranny has worn deep grooves in the marshes of the Sarangrave.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=GoldenAxe_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=TowerJacks_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=WinterSun_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=CitadelGuard_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
</div>
==Axe and Word and Ward==
The Imperial commanders have anticipated this, prepared their soldiers as best they can, and allow little delay before the full-fledged invasion of the Sarangrave begins. The [[Golden Axe]] set the pace – eager to [[Army_qualities#Driven|take the land]] of the Druj. With steel in their fists and in their spirits, they are the legacy of the Vard made manifest. Here to conquer what can be conquered, to bar their door against what cannot be defeated, and to endure what must be endured without flinching. An irresistible advance across the land they have marked as their own, driving their enemies before them.

The traditional problems caused by having to maintain supply lines do not apply to the Varushkan 'Axe. What they do not carry with them they take from the land they conquer, and this is a rich land, very different to Ossium in the north. The Bloodwater Marsh will provide well for them, burgeoning as it is with game and fish and other provender.

Alongside them march the Crimson Schlacta; a cohort of warriors [[Knights of Glory|drawn from the Fields of Glory]], their heavy helms forged in the fearsome visage of wolf, or bear, or snarling lion. The miasma does nothing to quell their eagerness for battle, for the chance to one again meet the Druj in battle, testing their bloodgold swords against the spite of the Mallum. Their presence bolsters the spirit of the Varushkans they march beside, with mortal and herald urging each other to greater feats of strength, endurance, and military prowess.

As the general has said “Everything behind us is Imperial, Everything in front is barbarian.”

The [[Winter Sun]] and the [[Towerjacks]] employ a more careful strategy designed to [[Army_orders#Steady_Conquest|limit Imperial losses]]. Their battlefield [[surgical skills#Physick|physicks]], their doctors and bonesetters, their [[Imperial_Orcs_magical_traditions#Warcasters|warcasters]] and magicians well-versed in the arts of [[heal|healing]] and [[purify|purification]], are deployed expertly in support of the soldiery. Risky tactics are eschewed, the lures and tricks of the Druj and their manipulative magic ignored or turned back against their originators. The Winter Sun in particular are alert to the deceptions of the Mallum, the soldiers able to see through their machinations with [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|supernatural clarity]].

The more careful approach of these two armies is not solely about avoiding foolhardy action. Both the Towerjacks and the Winter Sun seek to reach out to the septs of the Sarangrave, to those crushed under the Druj yoke. There is a hope that allies might be found here, perhaps even an opportunity to make contact with the [[Make_it_happen#The_Bloodwater_Spears|Bloodwater Spears]] who dwell along the shores of the [[Therunin#The_Docks_at_Feverwater|Feverwater]]. An optimistic hope, perhaps.

Finally, there are the [[sentinel|sentinels]] of the [[Citadel Guard]]. There is a quiet grimness about the forces of [[Urizen]] as they travel through Lustri into the marshes of the Mallum. Before setting off, the masters of magic set in motion the ''[[Highest_discipline#Technique_of_the_Bond_of_Tears|Technique of the Bond of Tears]]'', a consummate working of [[Winter magic]] that grants the entire army the ward of ''Winter's Mantle''. Until the Spring Equinox, not one of those soldiers who march beneath the banners of phoenix and star can be harmed – at least not in body. With the twin resonances of [[Winter magic#Survival|survival]] and [[Winter magic#Preservation|preservation]] they are guarded from injury, from venom, from the barbed arrows and wicked spears of the Druj and the talons and fangs of the marsh beasts alike. This protection comes at a price – for does not all Winter magic come at a price? The hurt they avoid is visited upon their fellow Imperial soldiers. Whatever else happens, no matter how badly this invasion of the Sarangrave might go, the Citadel Guard at least will [[Under eastern skies|avoid the fate]] of the [[Iron Helms]] and [[Isaella's Dance]].

The heroes of the other armies know the price, and bear it willingly. And so the armies of the Empire enter the Mallum, and battle is joined.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Druj4.jpg|caption=The Deathsinger wasp is the symbol of the [[Arkad#Hupul|Hupul]], scouts and hunters adept at moving unseen and attacking from ambush.|align=right|width=200}}</div>
==Tricks and Towers==
If the Imperial armies sought to enter the Bloodwater Marshes unobserved, they are not successful. There are scattered watchposts along the southern borders of the Sarangrave – set in haphazardly built towers, or concealed among the spreading branches of the older mangrove trees. Nobody tries to fight – they immediately flee north and east to sound the alarm. Attempts to intercept these spies are rarely effective – their ability to avoid the Imperial scouts is nothing short of supernatural.

The source of that supernatural evasion is soon apparent. The Bloodwater Marshes themselves are warded with [[Night magic]], woven by the Druj [[Druj lore#Ghulai|Ghulai]] with the aid of an unknown [[eternal]]. The waterways shift and twist, and the further the Imperial armies push into the territory the thicker the fog that rises each morning and evening becomes. It is easy to get lost here, unnaturally so. Orders quickly pass down through the ranks that nobody goes anywhere by themselves – too many soldiers step away for a private moment never to return. Some of the wildlife is possessed of a malign cunning and desire to inflict pain, shorn of their fear of humans and orcs. The deathstingers, the favoured symbol of the Druj [[Arkad#Hupul|Hupul]], are a particular menace. Soldiers quickly come to fear the angry low-pitched drone of their wings, with the flash of red-and-black between the trees or flitting through the reeds providing scant warning before a swarm of a dozen or more of the bird-sized wasps attack.

There are also more overtly supernatural threats – massive crocodilian hunters with sparkling scales and eight legs, literally invisible when submerged in water, who erupt with terrible speed to drag soldiers to their doom. Flitting spirits that take the shape of loved ones left behind in the Empire that emerge at night to lure sentries into the darkness from which they never emerge. Jade and ebony serpents whose hypnotic swaying dance, sibilant song, and glittering scales entrance and beguile, and leave their prey paralysed even as the snake draws closer and closer. Lanky, faceless figures with reed-thin limbs ending in terrible rending claws that unfold from the shadows to rip and terrorize before disappearing as if they were never there leaving only bleeding bodies in their wake.

Perhaps as many as three hundred Imperial soldiers fall prey to these threats – lost, killed, or maimed by the supernatural defences the Druj magicians have woven around the Bloodwater Marshes. Yet the enticing, obfuscating magic is by no means the greatest threat facing the invaders. It serves more to delay the advance of the Empire, to complicate their conquest, and to allow the ''real'' defenders of the Sarangrave to get into position.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SpringRune.jpg|caption=The Druj armies bear [[enchantment|enchantments]] woven with [[Spring magic]] intended to help them recover from recent losses; the presence of the Empire renders these enchantments useless|align=right|width=200}}</div>
==The Druj Are Coming==
Imperial strategists expect some resistance to their attack on the Sarangrave. To the east, on the far side of the [[Sarangrave#Whisperwood|Whisperwood]], stands the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]]. This massive [[fortification]] guards the ''[[Sarangrave#Path_of_the_Eye|Path of the Eye]]'' into [[Axos]], and broods over the sprawling Druj town of Sephals. It also keeps a keen eye out for potential threats, and the armies of the Empire certainly count.

The first Druj soldiers probe the Empires' defences, cloaking themselves in the protection of the magical wards on the marshes. As the days tick by they become bolder, engaging more directly with Imperial soldiers. They are skirmishers first and foremost, striking from ambush and retreating swiftly before their foes can rally against them. They avoid pitched battles, sniping and pricking at the flanks of the armies, trying to provoke them into a pursuit that inevitably ends in another ambush or a terrible death sinking into a quagmire or caught in a cruel deadfall.

It's pretty clear however that there are more defenders than just the garrison of the Tower of the Skink. A few weeks after the invasion of the Bloodwater Marshes begin in earnest, the scouts of the Druj armies begin to appear in the north-east of the region. Here the Empire encounters serious resistance. From the serpent-and-sword banners of the Deadly Blade, their weapons dripping with venom; from the empty standards of the Hidden Snake, who are adept as using the marshes and their magical wards to outmanoeuvre the Imperial soldiers; and the predatory marsh bird standards of the Poison Crane, who fight relentlessly to drive the Empire back.

The scouts of the Towerjacks and the Winter Sun report that it appears these armies were on furlough in the north, seeking to [[Casualties#Natural_Resupply|recover from losses]] suffered in their recent campaigns against the Empire. Indeed, the [[seer|seers]] of the Citadel Guard report that the armies bear potent enchantments of [[Spring magic]] designed not to empower their [[Spring magic#Savagery|savagery]], but to [[Spring_magic#Healing_and_Vitality|renew their vitality]]. The Imperial attack has taken them by surprise, forcing the weakened armies to fight, to defend the marshes, instead.

Fight they do. Between the garrison of the Tower of the Skink and the warriors of the three armies, there are clearly more Druj here than Imperials (even with their magical allies). The Empire's armies move north through the Bloodwater, towards the shores of the great lake, and the Druj use every trick in their vicious book to try and turn them aside. The orcs try to contain the invaders; the Empire refuses to be contained.

==The Battle of Tabun==
As the year draws to a close and the Spring Equinox nears, the masters of the Mallum are forced to finally confront the invaders. Outside the central village of Tabun, a shambolic nowhere on the banks of a slow-moving river, things come to a head. The banners of the Thornwasp hang limp from the uneven stone wall, the drone of the marsh insects grinds on and on in an almost maddening whine, the air thick and heavy like clear amber, the massed forces of Empire and Druj come together at last. Four Imperial armies with the proud standards of Varushka at the fore, against three battered armies of the Druj supported by the teeming garrison of the Tower of the Skink.

The farmers and fishers of Tabun would flee if they could, but the Druj do not allow them that luxury. They are caught between the hammer and the anvil, and while the Towerjacks and the Winter Sun do their best not to harm them, their tyrannical masters know no such mercy, more than happy to hide behind their broken servants as Imperial troops advance. The Tower garrison and the Poisoned Crane have set up catapults on one of the sparse sections of dry land that dot the marshes, using them to launch broken rocks and rusted metal into the advancing Imperials. The Towerjacks quickly peel away to deal with the siege engines, fighting hard to drive the 'Crane back from their defensive position. As the Winter Sun and Golden Axe batter the low walls, engaging in chaotic melee with the Hidden Blade, the Citadel Guard splits its forces to support all three of its allies with mobile groups of sentinels eager to go where the fighting is most fierce, trusting to their protections to ensure their force is applied in the most effective way.

The Winter Sun, possessed as they are of the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], note the danger minutes before the trap closes. The guerrilla fighters of the Hidden Snake live up to their names; they have scattered across the marshes in cunningly concealed hides, or buried themselves in shallow trenches, or in a few cases slipped into the pools using hollow reeds to breathe. As the Empire moves forward, they erupt from their concealment targeting the Citadel Guard specifically. The Golden Axe and the Winter Sun are caught between the defenders of Tabun and the attackers to the rear, but the Urizen soldiers urge them to press forward while they deal with the ambushing Druj. Discord reigns, but between the discipline of the Citadel Guard and the strategic insight of the Winter Sun the Imperials swiftly rally against the desperate tactics of the barbarians.

There is a price to pay of course; the Winter magic that protects the Citadel Guard leaves their soldiers uninjured but the burden of that displaced injury is bourn by their allies, already bleeding from the spears and arrows of Tabun's defenders. If the Druj sought to break the Empire, to split its forces apart and pick them off, then they are sorely disappointed. A hail of stone and metal falls on Tabun as the Towerjacks seize the Druj catapults and turn them against their masters. A rousing cheer rises in the throats of the Golden Axe and, with the defenders in disarray, they break the walls and storm the village, quickly smashing through the barricades and palisades the Druj have erected to try and channel them into the killing zone of the village square.

Once the wall falls, the fight goes out of the Druj. They have no stomach for fighting their foes face to face, and in disarray they flee the battlefield. The Imperial forces harry them for a short distance, but no further - they are too wise to fall for the lures of the Mallum orcs, refusing to be drawn away from Tabun and into the unknown marshes to the east. The banners of the Thornwasp are torn down, and replaced with the bright standards of the four Imperial armies.

Between the extensive wards of Night magic that stretch far beyond the Bloodwater Marshes, and the ever-present oppressive atmosphere, progress has been slow, but the Empire is ultimately victorious. Without the hammer of the Golden Axe in the fore, its unclear the Empire would make much headway at all. The battle at Tabun is decisive, but there are still months of gruelling fighting ahead. The Empire knows well that the Druj favour a war of attrition, and they are unlikely to abandon the rich farms of Sarangrave to their enemies.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Only just begun.png|caption=The Empire has made some headway, but the battle for the Sarangrave has only just begun.|align=right|width=500}}</div>

==Tales of Terror==
Tabun may have been captured, and the Druj forced to cede much of the Bloodwater March, but the Thornwasp sept still holds sway. The Druj are not the only people in Sarangrave, of course. While there are some subject septs that seek to emulate their wicked ways to curry favour with them, there are also countless numbers of slaves and underclass subjects here, those cowed by the whips and cruelties of their heartless masters. Throughout the campaign the Winter Sun and the Towerjacks seek to reach out to them, but to little avail. In almost every case, the inhabitants of the southern marshes flee in terror as soon as they are aware of the Imperial advance. The armies encounter farms and villages completely abandoned – in some cases with meagre meals still on tables, furniture overturned, doors wide open. They may fear the Druj, but it seems the common folk of Bloodwater Marsh fear the Empire even more.

With the victory at Tabun, some of the slaves have no alternative but to speak to the 'Jacks and the 'Sun. They are barely coherent, silenced by terror, convinced that they are to be slaughtered as soon as they outlive their usefulness as sources of information. Despite everything that has happened at Tabun, It proves difficult to get anyone to believe that the Empire is here to liberate; even the meanest field slave has heard of the murder of the Black Wind, the slaughter of the Vendarri (placed at the door of the Dawnish, it seems), the attack on the Rahvin, the destruction of the Montanians. They have heard of the terrible [[curse|curses]] the Citadel Guard unleashed in the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]] during their [[A_walk_in_shadow#The_Sydathian_Fens|invasion of the Sydathian Fens]]. These people believe wholeheartedly that they have no choice – between the cruelty of the Druj and the lies of the Empire, they see little alternative but to pick the devil they know. Some of those freed from Tabun actually flee in the night, back toward the welcoming arms of their wicked masters, rather than risk the unknown future of remaining as "prisoners" of the Empire.

Attempts to reach out to the Bloodwater Spears prove to be likewise inconclusive. There's little actual evidence the Spears are interested in siding with the Empire against the Druj anyway – the [[Appraisal|Imperial prognosticators]] simply proposed that they ''could'' fight the tyrants of Sarangrave if they were armed and armoured. That [[appraisal]] spoke of ways to [[Make_it_happen#Inciting_the_Septs|incite the Septs]] but is now three years out of date. It may be that the League and Imperial Orcs soldiers will find it significantly harder to find anyone prepared to talk to them, much less ally with them, than they imagined. The presence of the Golden Axe, so enthusiastically committed to killing the barbarians and taking their land, and the cold Urizen with their powerful magics are likely doing little to make the Imperial forces look more approachable.

==Paid in Blood==
The butcher's bill accounted, it seems that perhaps a thousand Imperial soldiers have been lost in the attack on the Sarangrave. Estimates suggest nearly twice that many Druj have spilled out their lifeblood to slow the Empire's conquest, many during the fight at Tabun. Their bodies are piled high and burned, damp pyres sending pillars of black smoke into the sky to remind the Druj that they are no longer undisputed masters of the Bloodwater Marsh.

As the Spring equinox approaches, as the battle lines inch toward the settlement of Lakhev it becomes clear that the Empire has managed to establish a tenuous toehold in Sarangrave. The Druj armies still fight, the garrison of the Tower of the Skink still fights, but they are in retreat. If nothing changes then cautious estimates suggest that at the current speed, Imperial soldiers will be in a position to capture Lakhev and bring the whole Bloodwater Marsh under their control by the Summer Solstice. If nothing changes...

==Game Information==
===Regarding Sarangrave===
* '''The Empire is just over halfway to securing a beachhead in Sarangrave'''
* '''The Tower of the Skink, the presence of a powerful ward, and the Druj miasma all contributed to delaying the Imperial conquest'''
* '''The Golden Axe provided a significant advantage in attacking the Bloodwater Marsh'''
As the Spring Equinox approaches the Empire is a little over halfway to securing a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]] in Sarangrave. The presence of the Tower of the Skink – a massive fortification in [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Thornfen]], along with three Druj [[Imperial army|armies]], coupled with the difficulties of establishing supply lines and the presence of a [[Night magic]] ward all contributed to the difficulty of achieving this outcome. Without the Golden Axe and their powerful order to ''Take their land'' it's doubtful the Empire would have been anywhere near as successful as they were.

It's notable that due to the Feverwater in the north, it's only possible for the armies here to retreat south back into Lustri, or to push east into Whisperwood (once they finish their conquest of the Bloodwater Marsh, presumably). They can't attack the far shore of the lake without an [[opportunity]], and the presence of the [[vallorn]] in [[Sarangrave#Bendol|Bendol]] effectively makes that region impassable.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SummerRune.jpg|align=right|width=200}}</div>

===Participation – Golden Axe===
The experience of fighting alongside the [[Knights of Glory|Crimson Schlacta]] can be particularly inspirational, especially if one already bears a trace of [[Summer magic]]. Any character whose [[military unit]] supported the Golden Axe in their triumphant push to claim the Bloodwater March may choose to begin the next event experiencing a [[Roleplaying effects|roleplaying effect]]: ''You are filled with confidence; nothing is beyond you if you put your mind to it. Now is the time to act, to pursue goals you have been neglecting. Anyone who questions your prowess must be taught a quick lesson about the foolishness of doubting you.''

Furthermore, if you are a [[changeling]] whose military unit supported the Varushkan army, the roleplaying effect is much more pronounced. In addition, if you have the [[Heroic skills#hero|hero]] skill you gain an ''additional'' hero point for the duration of the event. Such characters may also use their experience of fighting alongside the crimson-and-gold armoured heavy infantry to permanently increase the strength of their [[lineage]].

Please bear in mind that these opportunities are ''only'' available to characters whose military unit supported the Golden Axe this downtime. You are free to roleplay you were present, as always, but you do not qualify for the additional hero point or the ability to increase your changeling lineage trappings.

==Miles of Tricks and Trials (Battle Opportunity)==
The campaign this season to push into the [[Sarangrave]] was a big gamble for the combined forces of [[the League]], [[Dawn]], [[Varushka]] and the [[Urizen]], but that one that seems to have paid off. Whilst the beachhead is not yet secure, the armies have made sufficient progress to establish a toehold in [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater_Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]]. More importantly, the [[Citadel Guard]] are in the Sarangrave, allowing them to utilise the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Dominion|Law of Dominion]] and cast rituals upon the Druj-held territory. To the east lies the thick trees of the [[Sarangrave#Whisperwood|Whisperwood]], to the north is the lapping shore of the Feverwater, and between them the ominous and foreboding boughs of [[Sarangrave#Bendol|Bendol]] and the vallorn heart that blankets ancient [[Sarangrave#Béantal_Dol|Béantal Dol]]. The road ahead is long and there is far to go.

War scouts have made a peculiar discovery operating near the border with the Bendol vallorn. In the depths of a sodden forest they have located what appears to be a powerful edifice of [[white granite]] and [[ilium]] alongside a Spring regio. A brief examination, before they withdrew to avoid a Druj patrol, suggests that the stone is one of the powerful wards that encirle the vallorn heart in Bendol. The ''Mirelith'' as it has been named, is comprised of three pillars of light grey stone and a black star-metal infused rock. Wreathed in vital plantlife, it is infused with winter magic. The Mirelith is most likely one of the original creations of the Terunael said to have been erected to try and contain the magicks of spring before disaster befell their people. To this day it has held the vallorn in check, preventing the power that lies in Bendol from spreading into Bloodwater Marsh.

Prognosticators have identified a conjunction that will allow travel through the Sentinel Gate on the Sunday of the Spring Equinox to ''Mirereach'' in Bendol.

===Objective: Armour the Trods===
* '''Connect Sarangrave to the Trods'''
* '''Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn at Spring regio using the stones'''
* '''Conducting the ritual will link the Bendol Stones to the trod network making them unbreakable'''
The spring ritual ''[[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]'' can '''only''' be cast at a spring regio '''within''' a region infested by the power of the vallorn. This requires overcoming difficult circumstances, enduring the spores of the vallorn's miasma, avoiding shambling vallornspawn and other creatures roused by intruders. Even if a regio is reached, there is still a great risk to the casters whilst they work their magic, and to those who are there to protect them. In addition, the Druj have proven themselves capable of severing the trods in a territory - they would not be expected to last long.

The unexpected alignment of the Great Wyrm this season has opened up a unique opportunity to take advantage of the large amounts of ilium used centuries ago to create the Terunael stones. With the strong influence of the Great Wyrm, the ritual would weave a powerful transformation on the artefact construction, binding these anchor stones into the trod network. The effects would be dramatic, making the trod network effectively unbreakable, without first destroying the anchor stones.

Successfully enacting Dance of Navarr and Thorn at the Terunael stones would connect the vallorn that covers Béantal Dol to the other vallorn hearts already linked to the trod network. That would bring them [[A_thousand_years_of_longing#The_Final_Trod|one step closer]] to connecting all the former Terunael cities to the trods, leaving only Cavan in distant Axou and the recently severed trod in Therunin to be reconnected. Perhaps just as importantly, the power flowing through the stones would extend through the Barrens into the network of trods as a whole. As long as the circle of stones in Bendol [[#Alternate Objective: Unleash the Vallorn|remained intact]], it would be impossible for anyone to destroy the trods in any territory without significant effort, requiring 120 rings of ilium.

===Alternate Objective: Unleash the Vallorn===
* '''Destroy one or more of the Terunael stones by casting Inevitable Collapse into Ruin'''
* '''If one stone is destroyed the Druj will have to bring armies to the Sarangrave to protect Bloodwater'''
* '''If two stones are destroyed, the Druj won't pull back, because nothing will be able to save Bloodwater'''
* '''If all three stones are destroyed, Bloodwater will be lost and the Druj will have to pull armies back to avoid losing control of the Sarangrave'''
* '''Unleashing the vallorn will damage Imperial relations with the septs of the Sarangrave'''
A different, and highly controversial, suggestion has been proposed following a discussion between a scholar in the [[Towerjacks]] and several spring ritualists in the Citadel Guard. They note that if the stones are what is holding the vallorn back, then destroying one or more of them would be catastrophic. The stones are made of white granite, they're not easily destroyed, but the winter ritual ''Inevitable Collapse into Ruin'' would be enough. There are three stones that comprise the ''Mirelith'', and it would take three castings of the ritual to totally destroy the construction.

With the barrier containing the vallorn inside the neighbouring region broken, spring magic will begin to flood out and across Bloodwater Marsh. It's impossible to say exactly how bad that would be, but it could be disastrous for the Druj if the vallorn heart is as powerful as it is elsewhere. The monstrous energies, and the accompanying monsters of the vallorn, would be unleashed on Bloodwater and the surrounding lands. The Druj would be forced to pull back armies to deal with the threat or else abandon the region to the vallorn.

If one of the stones is destroyed it will create a major problem for the Druj to have to deal with or else lose Bloodwater. If two stones are destroyed then it will be impossible to stop the flood of Spring energy that floods out. The threat to the Druj may actually be smaller, because they will have no choice but to abandon the region. If that happens the route between Lustri through Bloodwater Marsh to the Whisperwood would become blocked by the presence of the vallorn. This would be certain death sentence for any Imperial army that remained in the region, but would also create a barrier through which the Druj could not pass. This would effectively block passage between Zenith and the Sarangrave, with armies having to pass through either Therunin or Tsark instead.

If all three stones can be destroyed, then Bloodwater would be swamped by the vallorn, and the Druj would be forced to pull back armies to prevent the loss of [[Sarangrave#Nesustak_Forest|Nesustak Forest]] and Whisperwood, otherwise they would lose control of the territory to the vallorn. If the Bloodwater Marsh falls to the vallorn, the [[Make_it_happen#The_Bloodwater_Spears|Bloodwater Spears]] will be wiped out. If the vallorn extends into the Neustak Forest, the [[Make_it_happen#The_Grynbor|Grynbor]] risk the same fate. In any case, hostility and fear of the Empire will increase markedly among the [[The Mallum|other septs in the mallum]].

===Battlefield environment: Miasma of despair===
* '''The entire battlefield is affected by an oppressive Druj miasma'''
* '''The miasma [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakens]] anyone exposed to it who does not have the ability to [[Roleplaying_effects#Overcoming_Roleplaying_Effects|overcome]] it'''

Currently, the entire battlefield, and all of Bloodwater Marsh, is under the effect of the [[Druj miasma]] a pall of a potent fear that blankets the lands the Druj claim dominion over. Any hero entering the area will need to protect themselves from the clawing dread or succumb to a weakening terror that creeps into their mind.

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

==Further Reading==
* [[Sarangrave]]
* [[Make it happen]] - 384YE Summer wind of fortune detailing an appraisal of the Sarangrave

387YE Spring Equinox winds of war

2025-06-09T19:18:55Z

TomH: /* Battle opportunities */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Spring]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=To war.png|caption=If one should fall, we will carry on to glory, at the end.|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Along the Winding Road==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[To hold death's hand in mine]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]]|| [[Unlock thy hidden gate]]
|-
| [[Bay of Catazar]]|| [[A circle sewn with fate]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]] and [[Bregasland]]|| [[If one be gone we carry on]]
|-
| [[Reinos]] || [[Follow me my friend]]
|-
|}
From midwinter, the days get longer and the nights shorter. The promise of Spring whispers of renewal, of green shoots and pale flowers amid the frosts. A new year! The three-hundredth-and-eighty-seventh since the founding of the Empire! How changed our nations are, how unchanged the face of war. There are battles in the east and the west, with the south and the north quiet - for now.

There are victories and defeats for Imperial soldiers. The armies of the Empire have withdrawn from [[Therunin]] in the west, leaving the [[Druj]] free rein to rampage across the [[Navarr]] territory. They conquer the Tarn Valley, and pour into [[Therunin#Peakedge Song|Peakedge Song]] hungry for destruction. Between courageous defenders who will not abandon their homes, and the blessings of the [[Ossegrahn|Tarnfather]], the ancient houses of healing and life are preserved - but for how long? Worse, as Spring blooms and blossoms and slumbering life awakens beneath the soil, the [[Druj lore#Ghulai|Ghulai]] of the Tainted Basilisk, uninterrupted, complete their malignant magical workings and rouse the vallorn of Tharunind to wakefulness.

The Empire is not idle in the east. Four armies come from the south, through the [[Realm#Night|night-haunted]] forests of [[Zenith#Lustri|Lustri]] across the borders into the [[Sarangrave]]. They find armies of the Druj resting here, disrupting their recovery and forcing them to fight alongside the garrison of the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]] to try and hold Imperial soldiers back. The [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater_Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]] teems with life, much of it seemingly intent on eating or draining the blood from human and orc alike. The Empire is victorious, but it is slow going, and they have yet to claim a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]].

Further south, along the [[Bay of Catazar]], the Imperial presence in the desolate [[Bay_of_Catazar#Petrified Forest|petrified forest]] of [[Bay_of_Catazar#Ayereed|Ayereed]] comes to an abrupt end. A force of [[Grendel]] land-troops sweeps up from the interior, and those soldiers who do not retreat are slain or captured. The Imperial beachhead in the arid south-east is brought to an abrupt end. The Salt Lords now control the southern borders of [[Mareave]] once again.

Across the Bay, the defences of the lands most at risk of attack from the sea are bolstered. Folks look to the horizon, watching for the sails that will herald a brutal invasion. In the west, in recently liberated [[Feroz]], the [[Children of Wrecks]] launch an attack against the battered town of [[Feroz#Oran|Oran]], pirates, privateers and Imperial traitors eager to loot the imagined treasures of the late and unlamented Governor Rahab. There are few Imperial defenders to stand against them and the unnatural servants of [[Siakha|Maelstrom]] that throng in the waters around their ships. Aid comes from an unexpected source, as the entire garrison of [[Feroz#Mora's Rock|Mora's Rock]] under ''Commander Fliesarch'' comes to the defence of the Brass Coast. Not, they are clear, from any particular love for the Freeborn but because they ''despise'' the Children of Wrecks. The raid is turned back, and the Grendel return to their vigil in their mighty fortress.

North, then, to [[the Marches]]. Two armies fight the champions of the [[Jotun]] for control of [[Mournwold]] - and the [[Mournwold#Ore Hills|Ore Hills]] are once again freed from the yoke of the barbarians. Across the border in the fens of [[Bregasland]], however, things are very different. A host of Jotun erupt from [[Liathaven]], through their magical fortifications at [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Gravenmarch]], and across the marshes. The [[Strong Reeds]] rally the defenders, but it is difficult for the household militia to hold back a force of this magnitude. In the end, only the town of Otterly, on the eastern borders, remains in Marcher hands.

As the Jotun invade in the north, Imperial armies gather in the south. Five armies march out of Segura into [[Reinos]], into the Lasambrian Hills, to bring war to the barbarians. The garrisons of the twin castles there do their best, but the Empire quickly conquers the olive groves and the fig orchards of [[Reinos#Ribeira|Ribeira]] and almost all of [[Reinos#Bastasor|Bastasor]]. The Lasambrians refuse to surrender, their [[Pride]] driving them to fight the Empire every step of the way. The battles continue.

Across the Empire itself, in [[Astolat]], in [[Reikos]], in [[Upwold]], and [[Tassato]], the rest of the Imperial armies prepare themselves for the year to come. Just over the borders from the fighting, readying themselves, recovering from the battles of the three-hundredth-and-eighty-sixth year of the Empire. The road calls to them, the winding road to battle, to death, and to glory.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Territory'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td>
<tr><td>[[Bregasland]]</td><td>Block the path</td><td>''Sal-Ott Meet'', Ottermire</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Glory_at_the_End_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Glory at the End]]</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Reinos]]</td><td>Seize the township</td><td>''Grismont Road'', Bastasor</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Follow_me_my_friend#Tame_Your_Fears_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Tame Your Fears]]</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave]]</td><td>Influence the vallorn</td><td>''Mirereach'', Bendol</td><td>Druj</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Unlock_thy_hidden_gate#Miles_of_Tricks_and_Trials_%28Battle_Opportunity%29|Miles of Tricks and Trials]]</td><td></td></tr></table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 17
|-
| Dawn || 61
|-
| Highguard || 26
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 23
|-
| Marches || 26
|-
| Navarr || 58
|-
| Urizen || 13
|-
| Varushka || 17
|-
| Wintermark || 61
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''149''' and at most '''158''' force weight sent on it.
===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units, and should not include human combatants.

* '''The Bregasland opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs. Due to the nature of this battle there will be ''_very_'' limited numbers of human yegarra roles.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over maile as their iconic look.

* '''The Reinos opportunity involves monstering as Jotun orcs, human yegarra, and some Lasambrian Jotun.'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. You can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over mail as their iconic look. Lasambrian Jotun can be portrayed by incorporating elements of Freeborn kit or orange material alongside your normal monstering gear.

* '''The Sarangrave opportunity involves forces composed primarily of Druj orcs'''
We will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Druj orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Druj orcs. You can help by wearing leather or plate armour you have, as well as any iconic Druj weaponry, particularly swords, spears and great weapons, as well as bows of all types. You can find out more about the iconic Druj look [[Druj_look_and_feel|here]], but the key element for portraying the Druj is a mantle and ragged material layers that echo natural greens, browns, greys, and black, with occasional bright accent colours as their iconic look.

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

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:20 || 5 || 15 mins || {{Possible}} || Spiral, Apulus, The Cellar Below || [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Vigilance]] || [[Our_eyes_in_Spiral#The_Empty_Cellar_(Conjunction)|Meet with followers of Berechiah]]
|-
| 18:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Broken Copse || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Tangles_(Therunin)|Kill the ''Lord of Thorns'']]
|-
| 18:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, Grey Fens, Drowner's Dell || [[Keeper of the Breadbasket]] || [[LINK|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 19:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Morrow, Altis, Canticulous Valley || [[Archmage of Winter]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#The_Breaking_Storm_(Morrow)|Perform Ward of the Black Waste]]
|-
| 19:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Holberg, Misericorde, Sacrifice Point || [[Flaxen Pillars|Red-Eyed Reaper]] || [[LINK|Kill all the greenteeth]]
|-
| 20:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, Hope's Rest, Field of Triumph || [[High Exorcist]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Threads_(The_Barrens)|Exorcise the tortured souls]]
|-
| 20:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Osweald|| [[Brilliant Shore|Custodian of the Brilliant Shore]] || [[LINK|Intercept the cult's vanguard]]
|-
| 21:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Peakedge Song, Catrin's Glade || [[Eastern Broker]] || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Changes_(Therunin)|Rescue the Axou warrior]]
|-
| 21:10 || 10 || 30 mins || {{Possible}} || Sermersuaq, Stark, Njord Beach Hut || [[TBC]] || [[LINK|TBC]]
|-
| 21:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Whittling Grove || [[Strategos of Wintermark]] || [[LINK|Intercept the bandits]]
|-
| 21:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Eastring, Tainted Meadow || '''Blaze Dunning''' || [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Beginnings_(Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 22:20 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Curator of the Blood Red River]] || [[LINK|Draw and name constellations]]
|-
| 22:40 || 10 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Meadow of Dust and Glass || [[Azure Sutannir]] || [[LINK|Create lore and mythology for the constellations]]
|-
| 00:20 || 5 || 25 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Cave of Bones || '''Alistair de Vere''' || [[LINK|Bargain with ''Tuki of the Little Bones'']]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 10:35 || TBC || 60 mins || {{Unlikely}} || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Gull Isle || [[Imperial Consul]] || [[LINK|TBC]]
|-
| 14:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ossium, Drownbark Forest, Makgore's Grove || [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]] || [[#Stronger_Than_Law_(Ossium)|Defeat the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Tassato, Madeiras, Lucrezia's Orchard || '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' || [[#An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)|Kill the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Zenith, Iteri, Lutum Woods || [[Warmage]] || [[#The Bargain (Zenith)|Retrieve the ilium]]
|-
| 15:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Suitable_For_Cadets|Suitable For Cadets]] || Sarvos, Uccelini, Smugglers Copse || Cadet Commander || [[The_Academy#Sat_Afternoon|Interrogate the Grendel captain]]
|-
| 17:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Alderly, Boar's Hall || '''Stanley of Chalkdown''' || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Gathering_Clouds_(Mournwold)|Kill ''Einar the Cunning'']]
|-
| 17:15 || TBC || 75 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Tournament Square || '''Enchanter Morien de Carsenere''' || [[LINK|Attend the tournament of the Earl of the Groves]]
|-
| 17:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Hufi's Glen || [[Woundbinder of the Mark]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Time_for_Iron_(Kallavesa)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 18:00 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mitwold, Meade March, John's Holt || [[Bailiff of Meade]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#A_Peculiar_Calling_(Mitwold)|Defeat the yegarra]]
|-
| 20:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, The Rushes, Sallow's Shallows || [[Strong Reeds|General of the Strong Reeds]] || [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Fog_of_War_(Bregasland)|Recover the plundered goods]]
|-
| 20:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Ribeira, Carmo's Sheepfold || [[Summer Storm|General of the Summer Storm]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#Storm_of_Battle_(Reinos)|Kill ''Carmo Stoneblade'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Reinos, Pedreira, Getshold || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Follow_me_my_friend#The_Extra_Bit_(Reinos)|Recover ''Bulangiin Karadghra'']]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|}

===Stronger Than Law (Ossium)===
{{SOP|by=Miroslav Temnavoda, Varushkan Assembly|statement=Alert! The traitor Zavetta Voglanova is allied with the Children of Wrecks, and will be bringing storm and plunder to our lands. We are stronger than any traitor - we will defend our homes.|vote=338-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to pillage Marshstand Skerry'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Cabalist of the Hollow Stone'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Dozens of ships sail along the Barren sea; for fleet captains from Dawn, the northern League, and Varushka it is their route to the rest of the world. There was absolutely nothing untoward about the seemingly simple merchant ship that docked in southern [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]]. Nothing to suggest they were anything other than a band of Varushkan merchants on their way home from a successful season of trade. Then the first reports came of an attack along the [[Ossium#The_Iron_Roads|Iron Roads]], of travellers butchered and looted. ''The Alabaster Watchers'', a warden fellowship inspired by the judgement raised by '''Miroslav Temnavoda''', encountered the band and attempted to bring them to Imperial justice before retreating. Now, the newly revealed wreckers are making their way to [[Cabalist_of_the_Hollow_Stone#Marshstand_Skerry|Marshstand Skerry]] to loot and pillage it on the orders of ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Zavetta Voglavnova]]'', though the traitor has not been seen.

The call has gone out to the [[Cabalist of the Hollow Stone]], '''Vasili Zoryakovich Zverokaz''', to come to the defence of the skerry. The wreckers are still some distance from the skerry, and the expectation of the ''Alabaster Watchers'' is that they will use the opportunity to rest in an old, long-abandoned wayhouse. The Sentinel Gate will open close to the wayhouse, in truth barely more than a dilapidated set of palisades, around five minutes before the wreckers arrive, potentially allowing the Imperials the chance to ready an ambush.

===An Unwelcome Return (Tassato)===
{{SOP|by=Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario, League Assembly|statement=Sarvos be alert! <u>Maurizia Spada di Sarvos</u> is a traitor allied with the <u>Children of Wrecks</u>. She has plans to <u>raid and plunder</u> Sarvos. Our Ambition for the strength of Sarvos demands that you protect your city!!!|vote=106-0|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
* '''Wreckers are moving to curse Tassato'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
In [[Tassato#Madeiras|Madeiras]], a group of wreckers are making their way towards the ''Circle of Decay'', a regio of the Spring realm aligned to the resonance of [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]]. The wreckers, guided by ''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Maurizia Spada di Sarvos]]'', are expected to arrive at the regio on the last day of the summit, and if they are not stopped, will curse the [[Tassato]]. This band of wreckers sailed up the Gancio, past the lost home of ''Maurizia'', and hauled their boat onto shore a few weeks before the Spring Equinox.

A group of officer cadets from [[Tassato#Five_Cities_Military_Academy|Five Cities Military Academy]] were on a planned action in Madeiras with several [[Red_Wind_Corsairs#Composition|Jackals]] in Madeiras. The officer cadets managed to spot the wrecker's ship and, investigating further, tracked the band on a direct path to the regio. If they are not stopped, then they will curse Tassato with [[Thunderous Deluge]], and slip away in the centre of the Empire. The Sentinel Gate will open in the path of the wreckers. It is the responsibility of '''Tongs Barossa de Tassato Regario''' to kill the wreckers before they can perform the ritual.

===The Bargain (Zenith)===
* '''Wreckers are retreating back to the river Couros with looted ilium'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Warmage'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers and retrieving the ilium'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|Tuomas of Pirenea]]'', one of the traitors who managed to survive the [[On_southern_sands#Salt_Burned_(Battle_Opportunity)|Battle for Visten]] last season, has ventured further into their old nation. Withdrawing back from the battle to the sea, they sailed up the Couros into [[Zenith#Iteri|Iteri]]. Tuomas and their band of followers struck at their target a few days before the Spring Equinox. Now, the wreckers are fleeing through the western glades of Zenith with [[ilium]] and other wealth looted from the [[Warmage#The_Bounty_of_the_Heavens|Alliance of the Sky]], the offshoot spire that sprung up following the ruination of the [[Zenith#Arch_of_the_Sky_(Ruins)|Arch of the Sky]].

The gang of wreckers are returning to their ship, behind them are the majority laden down with the heavier treasures. If the [[Warmage]], '''Ilysses of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros''', can kill the wreckers present and retrieve the star-metal, then the rest of the wreckers will scatter and prove easy targets for the garrisons and [[Spire#Citadels|citadels]] of Urizen.

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

Strong Reeds

2025-05-26T08:40:21Z

TomH: /* Army Quality : Secretive */

{{Army Page}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=StrongReeds_Colour.png|align=right|width=300}}
===Overview===
Initially raised from the people of [[Bregasland]], there is still a strong territorial bias in the soldiers of this army. The [[Strong Reeds]] is notorious for the dour, stubborn nature of the soldiers who serve under its banner. The Strong Reeds have a long history of resisting [[Jotun]] aggression against the marshes, and have several times in their history fought alongside the [[Wintermark]] armies in [[Kallavesa]]. In recent years they have embraced much older, [[Army qualities#Secretive|secretive stratagems]], relying on skills honed by years in the fens to perfect the art of scattering into a territory and lay low in appropriate [[territory]].

The second Marcher General leads the Strong Reeds army, and is appointed (or re-appointed) at the Winter solstice each year.
===History===
TBC
__TOC__
TBC
====Recent History====
TBC

===Traditions===
TBC
==Composition==
TBC
==Army Quality: Secretive==
The Strong Reeds were a notoriously [[Army_qualities#Hard_Bitten|hard bitten]] army, making their enemies pay in blood for every inch of land ceded. In recent years, however, they have embraced much older, [[Army_qualities#Secretive|secretive]] stratagems, relying on skills honed by years in the fens to perfect the art of scattering into a territory and lay low in appropriate territory.
===Oathsworn===
* '''The Strong Reeds fight with an additional thousand strength when in Bregasland'''
As a result of a [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|mighty oath]] sworn in 386YE by [[general]] Amberlain, when the Strong Reeds fight in [[Bregasland]] they operate as if they had an additional thousand strength. However, should there every be an enemy force in Bregasland, and the army ''not'' be in place defending the territory by the start of the following downtime, the oath will be broken with major consequences for the army.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Amberlain7869.jpg||caption=Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds|align=left|width=250}}
{{RecentElections|General_of_the_Strong_Reeds|the title of [[General]] of the Strong Reeds}}
[[Category:Imperial Army]][[Category:The Marches]][[Category:Military Council]]

Mitwold

2025-05-18T06:52:25Z

TomH: /* Oddmire */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofMitwold.png|caption=The households of Mitwold engage in feuding and bitter rivalry.|title=Regions of Mitwold|align=left|width=500}}
==The Pride of the Marches==
Mitwold is arguably the richest of the Marcher territories. There's gold in the soil of Mitwold - the gold of rich harvests of fruit and grain. It has a substantial coast, scattered with small fishing villages and the occasional lonely watchtower. As one moves further inland, the rocky coast gives way to fertile chalk-soiled downs, with rich game-filled woodland, large [[farm|farms]], and prosperous [[market town|market towns]] beyond. The largest settlement in Mitwold - indeed in the Marches - is the "town" of [[#Meade|Meade]], standing proudly at the mouth of the river that shares its name. More a small city than a town, Meade is in some ways the beating heart of the Marches.

When the other nations imagine the Marches, it is usually Mitwold they bring to mind - acres upon acres of well-tended fields and orchards, laid out like a grand patchwork blanket, scattered with villages connected by roads and dirt tracks. Here and there a lonely menhir watches over the land around it, often marking a point of historical interest, or serving as a meeting place for the [[landskeeper|landskeepers]] of the adjoining area.

This is also the territory where many of the best known [[The_Marches_culture_and_customs#Sports_and_games|ball games]] are played, and it is a regular occurrence for some local dispute to be settled over a savage game of rugby, football or rounders. Some of the traditional inter-village or inter-household games go back centuries, having become regular fixtures long before the foundation of the Empire. Many have their own traditions - the people of Parkestown and Harwich in the [[#Maiden Downs|Maiden Downs]] compete annually to determine the control of a prime stretch of grazing land between their two villages, for example,

More than anywhere else in the Marches, the [[Marcher household|households]] of Mitwold are engaged in feuding and bitter rivalry. The closer two households are to one another, the more likely it is that they are engaged in a long-running feud. Often the original cause of the feud is lost to history, having become a self-perpetuating state of affairs as each slight delivered by a rival becomes justification for the retaliation that follows. These feuds rarely lead to bloodshed - it is a rivalry of skinned knuckles not bloodied knives.

==Recent History==
Mitwold's history has been comparatively peaceful. Bregasland and Mournwold provide a buffer, protecting it from the martial ambitions of the [[Jotun]]. That is not to say it has been without incident; several times in pre-Imperial history the people of the Marches were at war with the people of [[Wintermark]]. Lonely menhirs and stands of ancient trees along the northern borders of [[#The Meadows|the Meadows]] and [[#Meade March|Meade March]] mark ancient, largely-forgotten battlegrounds. From time to time, stories circulate of unquiet spirits around some of the barrow mounds - bitter Wintermark warriors interred in Marcher soil.

For the most part though, Mitwold has enjoyed the benefits of being a relatively safe place to live, secure in its prosperity - or as sure as any agricultural territory reliant on good harvests can be.

The [[March on their belly|disastrous failure of the Autumn harvest]] in 379YE was followed by a particularly [[March on their belly#Resolution|harsh winter]] during which all the farmers of the Marches suffered significant losses in order to keep the Imperial armies marching. Then the Spring 380YE planting was hit with torrential rains and a vicious blight that devoured many of the seeds before they can be put in the ground. While the rest of the Empire was enjoying a burst of [[The prime colour of the world|vitality and fertility]], the farms of Bregasland, Upwold, and Mitwold were once again labouring under the yoke of a vicious magical [[curse]] that ruined the crops, sapped the life from the beasts in the fields, and spread sickness and hunger wherever it touched.

The plan to construct the ''Imperial Breadbasket'' began in the markets of [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]] and received immediate support from [[market town|market towns]] across the Marches. Led by the people of Meade, the alders put their hands in their pockets - not as an act of charity, but as recognition of the fact the Marches prosper when the farmers prosper. It was an investment for the future, as well as an effort to "darn the rip" between the folk of the market towns, and the rest of the Marches. As a result, shortly before the Spring Equinox 381YE, work was completed on a network of granaries and storehouses across Mitwold as part of the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#Granaries and Storehouses - the Imperial Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] [[great work]]. In addition to its work in securing the future of the Marches, this has helped to improve relations between the yeomanry and the residents of the market towns - reinforcing that even though they do not till the soil, they are still Marchers.

Shortly before the Autumn Equinox 380YE, an earth tremor struck Mitwold, its epicentre near the town of [[#Wayford|Wayford]]. At first, the effects seemed minor - a little damage to some of the buildings in Wayford - but shortly after creatures similar to [[ogre|ogres]] began to appear in the area. Investigations by Marcher heroes discovered that the cause of the raids - if not the earth tremor itself - was an unnatural creature, buried deep beneath the earth. "Bloody Jack" appeared to be some sort of horrible troll creature, no doubt the source of the local legends of Jack-in-Chains. The entity lay at the bottom of an old stone-choked well, bound with magical chains - chains that had been damaged in the earth tremor and were close to breaking completely. The creature remained a threat to Mitwold until the Summer Solstice 381YE. With the [[Under_the_red_sky#Tharim|aid of the Winter Archmage]], several brave yeofolk made a bargain with the sinister [[eternal]] [[Tharim]], allowing the subterranean beast to once again be bound tightly. Several foolish youths tried to gain access to the troll-creature's tomb in search of treasure, but such expeditions were decisively curtailed by the placement of the Pale Chain, a white granite stone that now blocks the entrance to the well.

The business with Bloody Jack also brought to light stories of the Marcher blacksmiths - legendary figures who combined a practical appreciation for metalwork with a calling for negotiating with eternals. The exact story is still garbled, but it appears that these capable magicians disappeared from the Marches so long ago they have largely been forgotten as the result of a deal with the Autumn eternal [[Estavus]]. Several Marcher scholars are currently looking into the situation, and working to secure the return or release of this uniquely Marcher tradition - presuming that is even possible after all these years.

==Points of Interest==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Marcher Finery.jpg|caption=Bridget Talbot served as Senator for Mitwold in the difficult years after the death of [[Empress Britta]].|align=right|width=300}}</div>
=== Meade ===
The largest settlement in the Marches is the city (technically a [[market town]]; it received its charter from [[Empress Mariika]] in 225 YE) of Meade in [[#Meade March|Meade March]]. Crowded around the mouth of the eponymous river on the shores of Westmere, Meade is not only the spiritual and administrative heart for the nation, it is also a port whose ships deal in fishing, trade with foreign nations and sea defence against the barbarians through Westmere and the cold salt waters of the Gullet.

Meade is where yeomen from across the Marches come to spend hard-earned coin, and often plays host to foreign visitors from other nations. The lavish week-long Harvest’s End Festival takes place in Meade every autumn, and sees the city fill with folk from all across the Empire. Still, Meade is not without its problems. Some yeomen look askance at the citizens, questioning how they can be ''proper'' Marchers given they live in a town rather than on a farm. To many of their critics, they are merchants, not true yeomen. They point to the scandal during the reign of [[Empress Giselle]] when several alders were implicated in a plot to secede from the Marches - a plot that never had much popular support but whose existence alone was enough to rekindle rumours that the folk of Meade are "not proper." At the same time, the alders of Meade know that their settlement is not even half the size of the great cities of [[the League]], and this can lead to efforts to try and compete with the [[The_League_leadership|merchant princes]] of [[Tassato]] and [[Temeschwar]] with predictably disappointing consequences.

Still, regardless of the past and the attitude of some suspicious yeomen, the people of Meade are Marchers through-and-through. They are practical, stubborn people who hold fiercely to the [[The_Marches_culture_and_customs|traditions]] of the Marches. As their recent involvement in the formation of the Imperial Breadbasket demonstrates, when push comes to shove they look out for their own people - the people of the Marches.

In the wake of the death of [[Empress Britta]] in 376YE, semi-organised groups of bandits began to prey on traders travelling by land from Meade. By [[Town defences|order]] of the [[Imperial Senate]], in early 377YE a series of watchtowers and earthworks were constructed around Meade to help address this problem. The works were overseen by Bridget Eastville née Talbot (senator for Mitwold) as part of a larger plan to provide protection to towns throughout the Empire. While the defences are not sufficient to qualify Meade as a true [[fortifications|fortification]], they have already helped reduce brigandry throughout the territory.

The [[Bailiff of the Grand Market]] has a small office in Meade, although most title holders spend little time there (apart from overseeing the security of the grand market on the third weekend of each month). The Bailiff is an [[Imperial title]] appointed each Winter Solstice by the farmers of the Marches.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Forte Fidelis.jpg||caption=Built by Richard Tunstall to guard Mitwold from Jotun aggression.|align=right|width=350}}
===Forte Fidelis===
In 377YE Richard Tunstall, the [[Imperial Master of Works]], approved the creation of Forte Fidelis in Golden Downs. It was one of only two castles approved by the Master before the Senate [[Amend_powers_of_Imperial_Master_of_Works|removed their ability to do so]]. Construction was funded partly by the Master's stipend (before it was removed by the Senate), and partly by money raised and donated by the Marchers themselves. Work on the fortification was completed shortly before the Winter Solstice 378YE.

The fortification was completed while the [[Accept_Jotun_ceasefire|Jotun ceasefire]] was still in place as a counter to Mitwold's perceived vulnerability to attack from the Mournwold, once hostilities inevitably resumed. Surrounded on all sides by a deep moat, accessible only by a relatively narrow bridge. the castle has yet to see combat. It takes its name from the [[Languages#Latin|Old Asavean]] motto of the Talbot household - "forte et fidelis." Following his retirement from Imperial politics, Richard Tunstall still serves as the castellan, ensuring that the castle is prepared for any potential invasion of Mitwold.

=== Hay ===
“The golden fields of Hay” appear in many a Marcher song. Hay is quintessential Marches, a small rural town set amongst rolling fields. Following the invasion of the Mournwold, the folk of Hay were been deeply concerned about the threat of further orc aggression. Several locals have formed themselves into the Hay Irregulars, an unofficial force dedicated to helping turn back the barbarians should they attempt a concerted raid. The Irregulars served with some distinction fighting off small bands of raiding Jotun, before the Mournwold was finally liberated in Autumn 381YE.

Hay is rightly famous for its fields of wheat, and for its bakeries. Many of the farmers of the [[#Golden Downs|Golden Downs]] bring their grain to market here, where a significant portion of it is used to make flour and bread products including the famous "Hay Huffer" - a crusty triangular bread roll with a thick, doughy texture designed to fill the bellies of labourers across Mitwold and beyond.

=== Wayford ===
A large market town at the confluence of the upper tributaries of the Meade. A layer of gritstone in between the chalk of the wolds means the river is wide and shallow, allowing livestock from the hills to cross, or embark on riverboats to Meade itself. Built along the southern borders of [[#The Meadows|the Meadows]], it is a bustling settlement known for its travellers' inns and for its monthly cattle and sheep markets. Merchants visiting Meade pass through Wayford, as do Marcher traders exporting food and drink to the wider Empire. The town is quite cosmopolitan - there is a large transitory population of [[Wintermark|Winterfolk]], [[the League|League]] citizens, and [[Navarr]] coming to Wayford to travel.

All this prosperous trade attracts its fair share of trouble, and the [[Bailiff of the Grand Market]] is regularly called upon to deal with bandits and brigands preying on trade along the roads that pass through Wayford. At the river fork stand several gibbets with a long and bloody history, notable in recent years for playing host to Red Walder and his outlaws, a plague on the Mitwold for many years finally brought to justice in 359YE following a week-long standoff in the Shepford Brewery near the Wayford Bridge. The town is also notable due to legends of a monstrous creature known variously as [[Jack of Irons|Jack-in-chains]], Jack-of-Irons and Bloody Jack who is said to be buried somewhere nearby. Shortly before the Winter Solstice 381YE, a menhir of white granite called [[#The Pale Chain|the Pale Chain]] was [[Construct_Giant's_Well|raised]] over the site where the giant is apparently entombed.

=== The Maiden Stone ===
An ancient menhir that stands in a scorched area of land in a grove of ash trees. Every year before the Spring festival the farmers of the area weave the largest straw dolly known in the territories. The Straw Maiden, as the creation is known, is 12 feet tall adorned with wild flowers with intricate patterns of vines woven into her skirt. The Maiden’s skirt is hollow at the base and she is placed atop the stone. The [[Landskeeper|landskeepers]] of the [[#Maiden Downs|Maiden Downs]] then perform a night-long ritual designed to bring prosperity to the fields and flocks of the people of the Downs. The Maiden then stands in the grove until the end of Summer, visited by travellers who leave gifts of food, [[The_Marches_hearth_magic#Poppets|poppets]], minor trinkets, and other offerings at her foot in the hope that she may bring them some small favour. Although the Maiden is exposed to all weathers and temperaments, she does not rot, blow away or decay in any way, staying as fresh and brightly golden as the day she was placed upon the stone. Then, at the festival of Autumn Harvest there is another ceremony, the culmination of which sees the Maiden set alight, burning until there is nothing left.

Needless to say, the ceremonies of the Maiden Stone are roundly criticized by priests of the [[Imperial Synod]]. There have been efforts by priests from outside the Marches to ban the practice, denounced as the worst kind of [[Religious_crime#Idolatry|idolatry]]. The [[Sevenfold Path]] has occasionally attempted to get the [[Imperial Conclave]] to [[Declaration#Declaration of Interdiction|interdict]] the ceremonies without success. In 186YE and 247YE, the ceremonies were stopped for a short time but in both cases resumed less than a year later.

The landskeepers of Meadow Downs claim that they are simply performing the three powerful farm-blessing [[enchantment|enchantments]] ([[Blessing of New Spring]], [[Strong Ox, Golden Sun]], and [[Gathering the Harvest]]) and that the gifts left by visitors are simply a harmless tradition. There is some evidence that the landskeepers also perform a rite in the depths of Winter without any witnesses; lurid speculation surrounds this ceremony.

===The Pale Chain===
The Pale Chain is a hulking monolith of white granite from [[Upwold#Sutton_Stone_Quarries|Sutton Stone Quarries]] raised near the town of [[#Wayford|Wayford]] shortly after the Autumn Equinox 381YE. The looming rock is engraved with a spreading oak tree above a three-link chain, giving the menhir its common name. Some rumours suggest there is a second engraving on the bottom of the stone, allegedly in the form of a peculiarly proportioned lion. The construction was plagued with problems and vocal accusations from some of the workers that the project was cursed. One of the skilled masons responsible for shaping the stone lost her arm as the stone was lowered into place, and many of those working on the site muttered in hushed tones of similar unlikely "accidents".

The Pale Chain covers the well where the ravenous giant known as "Bloody Jack" apparently lies forever entombed. The site is watched over by a handful of yeomen from [[The Marches groups#House_Guildenstern|House Guildenstern]] in [[Upwold#Stock_March|Stock March]] - something that has raised some hackles in Maiden Downs. There are also reports of a peculiar pale figure, wrapped in chains and with unpleasantly inhuman features, lurking near the stone on moonless nights - many believe this is one of the heralds of [[The_Thrice-cursed_Court#Tharim|Tharim]] that came to the Marches via the winter [[regio]] known as the [[Hunters_and_wolves#In_the_Copse_of_the_Bone_Birch|Copse of the Bone Birch]] in [[Upwold#Birchland|Birchland]]. According to local stories, if one approaches the stone on such nights and presses one's ear to the ground, a low rumbling voice can be heard from deep in the earth ranting and raving about thieves and liars. Local children have already begun daring one another to approach the stone and test this story out.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Householder.jpg|width=250|align=left}}

==Regions==
===Golden Downs===
The rich farms of Golden Downs are home to the prosperous village of [[#Hay|Hay]], as well as a number of smaller farming villages. It is also the location of the [[Keeper of the Golden Fields#The Silent Giant|Silent Giant]] standing stone that watches over the surrounding fields, and is in turn watched over by the [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]]. Several other stones mark the old boundaries of one farm or another but the Silent Giant is the largest.

For the last three decades, the Golden Downs has been in a state of war-readiness, expecting an invasion from the Mournwold - indeed the Jotun raided north into the region many times over the duration of the occupation. Citizen militia such as the Hay Irregulars prided themselves on their readiness to fight off such raids, even in the absence of organised Marcher armies. Many [[military unit|independent Marcher captains]] cut their teeth taking [[Military_unit#Take_Independent_Action|paid work]] protecting the rich farms of Mitwold. The need for such special forces was reduced significantly in 377YE when the [[Imperial Master of Works]] approved the creation of [[#Forte Fidelis|Forte Fidelis]] in Golden Downs.

During the Jotun invasion of the Mournwold in 349YE, many of the citizens of [[Mournwold#Green March|Green March]] fled north to the Golden Downs; a long history of good relations and familial ties between the two regions helped to mitigate any negative effects of this influx of landless yeomen. Unlike many of the Mournwold refugees the majority of these former refugees show little interest in returning to reclaim the land they (or more often their parents) lost three decades ago.

===Maiden Downs===
The Downs are covered in a patchwork of wealthy and prosperous farms. Some outsiders attribute the success of the farms here to the magic of the [[#Maiden Stone|Maiden Stone]], but the yeomen who work the land here disparage such suggestions. Rather, they point out, their farms are prosperous because they work bloody hard to keep them that way. Still, the [[Landskeeper|Landskeepers]] of the Maiden Downs have a reputation for being a little peculiar, and to be significantly more secretive than those in the rest of the Marches - almost ''[[Bregasland|bregas]]'' in the words of some.

There are no large settlements in Maiden Downs - not even along the highway that links [[#Wayford|Wayford]] to [[Upwold#Stockland|Stockland]]. Farmers are as likely to sell their produce in either town, depending on which is paying the better price in any given season. This has led to a few feuds between households of Maiden Downs and those of Golden Downs and the Meadows over what is seen as "''a lack of loyalty to Mitwold''."

===Meade March===
*'''Quality:''' City, Coastal
Often called the heart of Mitwold, Meade March is the location of the small city of [[#Meade|Meade]], built at the mouth of the river that shares its name. Meade is prosperous, and its port bustling, and since the [[Dredge the Westmere|dredging of the Westmere]], the waters are now deep and wide enough to allow passage to an [[Imperial navy|navy]]. Before the Westmere was dredged the alders of the city occasionally discussed how dredging the river would allow the construction of a [[shipyard]], but there was never enough support for such a large-scale undertaking. With the river dredging complete there is now discussion on whether a shipyard will be built after all, or at least a [[fortification]] given that Meade is now potentially at risk of being sacked by a barbarian navy.

Outside of Meade, the Meade March is covered with farms and scattered villages, and even a few small towns. The yeomen here have a somewhat undeserved reputation in the rest of the Marches for considering themselves "''better''" than everyone else because of their proximity to Meade - of giving themselves "''airs and graces''". A common stereotype that appears occasionally in plays and stories is that of the Meade yeoman who farms their field wearing a rich outfit, more suited to a feast day than a work day. There is little factual foundation to this prejudice - although many yeomen of the Meade March visit the city at least once a season and thus have access to a significantly wider array of goods and cloth than residents of more isolated parts of the Marches.

===The Meadows===
While most of this region is rolling farmland, the northern Meadows abuts the [[Kallavesa#Wittal_Grove|Wittal Grove]] of [[Kallavesa]]. The woodlands are home to at least one group of [[Feni]], but for the most part the Meadows is a peaceful, pastoral place. Before the Empire, however, there were occasional clashes between Marchers and raiders from Wintermarker along the border, and the northern woodlands still have an unsavoury reputation as being haunted.

South of the border, the forests that once grew in the Meadows were cleared centuries ago. Here and there between the farms however, a lone tree stands as a boundary marker and a silent reminder of a time when much of the Meadows was covered in trees. These so-called ''Lone Oaks'' are reminiscent in some ways of the menhirs found in other parts of the Marches. According to tales told across the Meadows, in the first years of the Marches the northern woods were home to terrible monsters who regularly attacked people trying to settle north of the Meade river. Eventually, however, a wily blacksmith made a deal with the ruler of the monsters. The creatures would leave the settlers alone if in return the Marchers stopped cutting all the trees down. In the end the Marchers had the last laugh however - they cut down almost all the trees leaving only a scattering of Lone Oaks - but by the careful wording of the agreement the monsters were unable to harm the people of the Meadows as they had kept to the letter of their bargain.

In addition to its farms and eerie trees, the Meadows is also well known for its [[herb garden|herb gardens]], especially in the north. In particular, the quality of [[True Vervain]] grown in the Meadows is generally held to be unmatched in the Marches. The herbalists of the Meadows are known to make occasional pilgrimages north to Wittal, in Kallavesa, to share lore and trade herbs.

===Oddmire===
*'''Quality:''' Coastal, [[#Under Threat|Under Threat]] (Jotun)
When the Marchers first arrived in Mitwold, Oddmire was extremely marshy. Several decades of work reclaimed most of the region, despite the best efforts of angry [[marshwalkers]] to stop the draining of the swamps and marshes. There are still some treacherous bogs in Oddmire, especially along the southern and western borders with Bregasland, but the majority of the region is fertile farmland. As is traditional in the marches, there are large numbers of farms here, but there are also a few more isolated communities built on the small, rocky islands that lie along the southern shore of the Westmere.

The most prominent settlement here is assuredly '''Odd’s End''', a bustling fishing port. The fisherfolk of Odd's End are known to have something of a chip on their shoulder when it comes to the larger, more prosperous Meade. They fly their banner - a leaping salmon - proudly whenever they set sail and barely a year passes without a major row between fisherfolk from Odds End and boats out of Meade over fishing grounds. A well-respected monastery - Odd's House - stands near the port, dedicated to the virtue of [[Pride]], and the monks there regularly encourage the people of Odd's End to stand up for their rights against the larger Meade.

Beginning to rival Odd's End in prominence is '''Steward's Landing'''. In early 384YE, Imperial heroes [[By_fountains,_by_fishes#Steward.27s_Landing|stopped a Jotun raid]] from destroying this small coastal village. ''Jarvey "Strongoar" Oddsboy'', the steward of the small [[Marcher household]] who oversees Steward's Landing repaid that aid by throwing his full support [[By fountains, by fishes|behind the ambitious raids]] into [[Skallahn]]. By all accounts Jarvey and the rest of House Oddsboy did quite well out of [[Take it further|both raids]]. Part of his profits were put towards expanding Steward's Landing, and along with several fellow coastal stewards, they turned the village into a permanent staging post for Marcher [[fleet|ship captains]] - such as they are - to raid the coastline of Kalsea and [[Fleet#Raid_Kalsea's_coastline|take the wealth]] of the [[Jotun]]. The loot that passes through Steward's Landing has helped fund addition jetties, a boatyard, and expanded the prestige of House Oddsboy significantly.
<box>'''Odd of Odd's End'''<br>
Odd of Odd's End is a popular folk hero from the early days of the Empire, born around 45YE. She was an outspoken devotee of the virtue of [[Pride]], and in later life founded the [[monastery]] that still bears her name. Settling her folk on the shore when the Marchers first reached the Westmere, declaring that this would be the place where she would end her days, she was instrumental in the draining of Oddmire among other significant deeds. A series of stories, popular with Mitwold's mummers, recount the many deeds of this folk hero, especially her battles against marshwalkers, and her rivalry with the alders of Meade.<br><br>Despite her popularity, there has been no serious effort to have Odd recognised as an [[Paragons_and_Exemplars#Exemplars|exemplar]] by the [[Imperial Synod]]. When the matter has been raised, the abbot of Odd's End generally shrugs and responds with a variant of "We know she's an exemplar, why should we look to outsiders to confirm it?" Regardless, "Mother Odd" was recognised as an exemplar of Pride in 376YE, shortly before the requirements for [[recognition]] were made stricter. This appears to have had little effect on the people of Odd's End.</box>

==Special Qualities==
===Under threat===
* '''Oddmire'''
During the Winter Solstice 384YE, the Jotun worked with Marcher traitors to expand and reinforce the Otterway in Bregasland. Formerly a narrow raised track that could just about allow two ox carts to pass one another without falling into the fens, it is now a solid construction that would allow twenty soldiers to march abreast along it... into Mitwold.

'''Game Effect:''' While a region has the ''Under threat'' quality, the Jotun and their allies are considered to have a [[beachhead]] in that region. This means their armies will not suffer the usual penalty to take the first region in an enemy territory, as long as they are attacking a region with the ''under threat'' quality.

{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Mitwold|Territory=Mitwold|Season=Summer}}

==OOC Notes==
* All the regions of Mitwold are under Imperial control.
* [[#Forte Fidelis|Forte Fidelis]] in [[#Golden Downs|Golden Downs]] is a rank one [[fortification]].
* [[farm|Farms]] in the territory benefit from the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#Granaries and Storehouses - the Imperial Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] and the Black Canal and produce an extra 54 rings each season.
* [[Business|Businesses]] in the territory benefit from the Black Canal and produce an extra 18 rings each season
<ic>Ned shook his head, feeling the wounds under the brigantine. "The gambeson and the brig are holding everything closed Henry. Without the full services of the hospital in Anvil I won't be able to close them fast enough if we take it off. I'm so sorry my friend."

Henry Talbot sat with his back to the tumbled wall of the burnt out homestead, sweat plastering his dark hair to his forehead.

The flush of vigorous life had faded from his cheeks during the escape from the barbarians, but mischief still sparked defiantly in his eyes. Sun beat down and wisps of steam made thin halos about their heads. "Nothing you could have done Ned. Thank the boys for carrying me all this way... How long do you think?"

" It could be an hour, or as short as you..."

Ned paused as he reached into his pouch of herbs. A decade of hunts made him grab instinctively for his pike, the mating cry of a Bregesland Dove in the wrong season could only mean one thing.

"Cullach-A-Cullach!" Sounded to the right, accompanied by a gurgling squeal. A moment later two Orc scouts and a human slave burst from the bushes in front of them. Ned brought the pike to bear, but not fast enough.

The smaller of the two orcs, face split with a recent wound, shoved the slave into the pike and drove her body onto the shaft. Ned drew his dagger, but the orcs were on him before the sword was free. Not relishing the prospect of a standing fight they rushed forward and bore Ned to the earth.

In a flash decision Ned dropped the dagger, grasping the wrist holding a rusty knife and breaking the nose of the second Orc. Broken Nose rolled away from the melee, streaming blood and curses, while Split Face and Ned struggled over the knife.

Suddenly Henry was stood astride Split Face, Ned's dagger in hand. With a butcher's confidence he sliced Split Face's neck to the bone, drenching Ned in ichor.

Ned held fast to the rusty knife, taking it from unresisting hands. As he cleared his eyes Ned heard Henry grunt and the tip of a blade emerged from his stomach. Henry toppled and Broken Nose stooped over the to pull the notched sword free.

Roaring in fury, Ned kicked Split Face's body off and launched himself forward. The notched sword was trapped and useless between them, allowing Ned free reign with the rusty knife...

Ham came to check on them once the rest of the orc scouts were disposed of. Ned sat beside the ashen body of Henry Talbot, truely still now that he had begun his journey through the labyrinth. The remains of a human and two orcs lay in the remains of the herb garden. Not a word passed between the Cullach, just a look and a nod.

With great care they removed Henry's harness and hid it up the chimney of the homestead, suspended from the meat smoking hooks. Ham took the small antler handled knife from Ned's shaking hand and cut Henry's warm heart free from his chest. Ned knelt and filled Henry's mouth with Marcher soil, replaced in the oiled pouch by the heart. They closed his eyes and pushed the remaining wall of the homestead over him.

The fallen stones would conceal him from desecration and keep him from scavengers. Now they had to move on, their burden heavier than a dying friend.

"Rest well Henry Talbot, your march is done."</ic>

[[Category:The Marches]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]]
[[Category:Imperial Territory]]

On southern sands

2025-04-25T21:41:11Z

TomH: /* Battlefield opportunity: Capture the Jaws of Selachan */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:386YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Stormy Seas.png|caption=Magical storms break against the cliffs and stony beaches of Urizen; an echo of the violence to come.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
==Woven with Shimmering Threads==
{{PDFLink|align=right|link=File:On southern sands.pdf|caption=Click for pdf version}}{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geMam_g1IQs}}
As the Autumn Equinox fades, magic pools and settles over the mountainous territory of [[Redoubt]]. Even as the great and good of the Empire are beginning their long trek back from Anvil to their homes, clouds begin to a gather and angry winds thrash the waves along the coast to thundering foam. Heavy rain, then sleet, then vicious hail whips along the cliffs and beaches. Lightning marches across the horizon. Spring magic is unleashed, a violent expression of the destructive power of that realm. While it is without doubt worst along the coastline, the touch of the storms is felt as far north as [[Redoubt#Limus|Limus]] and [[Redoubt#Willstone|Willstone]], bedevilling merchant vessels visiting Elos and Visten, or travelling up the river Hedra to Cargo.

At night, the clouds remain thick along the coast but clear somewhat as one travels inland. They reveal more magic at work in Redoubt; the sky over the high peaks shimmers and shifts. A shroud of [[Night magic]] stirs the stars, reshaping and reforming them. And if that shroud is of no great strength, insufficient to stymie any save the most cursory of divinations, the fact that it seems the entire Empire rests beneath that same delicate blanket of glamour and misdirection is still cause for comment.

There is some consternation among [[astronomancy|astronomancers]], who must employ enchanted lenses to pierce the [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil|penumbral veil]] to see the [[constellations]] – all save [[the Mountain]] which remains clear in the heavens despite the fact that it ought to be slipping beneath the horizon as winter draws near. An omen, or the whimsy of the Night? Nobody seems to be sure. Predictions are tricky under the shroud of night.

A few nights later, under the shifted sky and battering hail, a citadel of pale stone and dark ice rises on the slopes of [[Redoubt#Siluri|Mount Siluri]], garrisoned by folk with the white fur and visage of great bears. In the foothills below the twisted ruin of Unmade – the font of the [[Unmade trove]] that transformed the [[Citadel Guard]] – three squat towers of rime and rock forge themselves from star and moonlight as the season begins to turn cold. These [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae|frozen citadels]] are only the first of the magical defences that will gird Redoubt in the coming weeks.

Overnight, burning brass sigils unfold across the [[Redoubt#The_Walls_of_Cargo|walls of Cargo]] and the [[Redoubt#The_Court_of_the_White_Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]] that hiss and sizzle as the rain pounds against them. All who see them know, instinctively, that they bind the strength of Shikal – the volcanic metropolis where the eternal [[Estavus]] has her forge – to the mortal [[fortification|fortifications]]. Barely a day later, two cohorts from the Autumn realm arrive to bolster the garrisons in [[Redoubt#Limus|Limus]] and [[Redoubt#Optarion|Optarion]]. Fifty massive metal-and-stone four-armed constructs support each fortification, lead by bull-headed minotaurs in bronze armour who set about reviewing the defences of the northern city and the southern [[Spire#Citadels|citadel]], liaising with the mortal garrisons and further bolstering the might of the two castles.

In Cargo these developments are welcomed with curiosity and excitement. Arcanists take every opportunity to examine the [[enchantment]] that surrounds the city – the [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Ramparts_of_Ashlar|Ramparts of Ashlar]] woven by Imperial magicians from a ritual scroll sold to them by the Forgemistress. The minotaurs find any number of fascinated scholars eager to interrogate them about life in the City of Fire and Stone; they are quickly disappointed to discover the heralds are significantly more interested in their work bolstering Cargo than in talking to academics.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=CitadelGuard Colour.png|align=right|width=300|caption=The Citadel Guard lead the defence of Redoubt, marshalling their forces wherever they can do the most good.}}</div>
The reception at the Court of the White Fountain is a little marred by the response of the small number of ''koboldi'' that live there. Remnants of the contingent that helped infuse the walls with Summer potence, to make them ''unbreakable'', the little scaled heralds are concerned by the transformation of the fortification, and the presence of the Autumn constructs. They express reservations, worried that the servants of Estavus do not appreciate the strength of stone as much as they do, that this temporary enchantment will not ''last'', has no ''durability''. They can be spotted watching the servants of the Forgemistress with worried eyes, wringing their hands.

Regardless, the power of these enchantments cannot be denied. Between the burning sigils – visible for miles once night falls – and the soldiers of the Autumn realm, the power of the two fortifications is greatly increased. Even as Winter gathers, the temperature within the Court of the White Fountain and on the streets of Cargo remains warm – sweltering at times – and the air is sharp with the tang of smoke and molten metal. No matter where one goes, the distant echo of hammer-on-metal can be heard, and the hiss of hot blades being quenched.

Then in the second week after the Equinox, after storms and shrouds, after magical castles and enchanted walls, another ripple of [[Spring magic]] begins to spread across Redoubt. The power rises in the high peaks, and flows across the land with the [[Rivers of Life|rivers and the streams]], infusing the pools and lakes, mixing with underground aquifers and the cisterns that supply several of the newer spires. It dances in the storm-water, soothes the stinging hail back to rain. The water tingles, almost effervescent, pure and clean and refreshing even as storms lash the coast. Wherever water flows, wounds close, and sickness passes quickly. All the aches and pains that flesh is heir to seem to weigh a little less on the people of Redoubt, as supernatural vitality spreads from the heights through the hills to the plains below. The [[Spring_magic#Healing_and_Vitality|healing power]] of Spring is unleashed, and in the battles to come all save the most grievous wounds will fade like morning mist, provided the ones who receive them survive.

And battles are coming to storm-tossed Redoubt, of that there is little doubt.
==The Arete of Sword and Spear==
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Andronikos of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros, General of the Citadel Guard">Sentinels, consider the Mountain. The servants of Siakha come to Redoubt bringing storm and fang and savagery. The mages of Urizen have met storm with storm. Fey knights will meet fang with Summer steel. You will meet savagery with discipline. You are the rock on which our foes shall break. You are the Mountain.</quote></div>
The [[Citadel Guard]] crosses the Hedra east of [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]], marching south out of Morrow. They are accompanied by a grand cohort of lion-faced warriors of the Summer Realm – the knights of [[Eleonaris]] conjured by Imperial magic and bound to fight alongside the sentinels and war-magicians. The scarlet and gold banners of the Lady of Pennants flutter in the wind alongside those of the phoenix, and the white tower. They sing as they come, providing a tumultuous counterpoint to the smooth calm at the heart of the sentinel army.

Pausing briefly beneath the sigil-woven walls of Cargo, they head south toward the coast through Siluri. With expert precision, the strategists of the Citadel dispatch sentinels to Naris and Tomari, using the stuttering lanterns of the [[heliopticon]] to coordinate the defence of the coast with the Court of the White Fountain and the other defenders of Redoubt.

As their network of messengers and watchers spreads, they are joined by two more Imperial armies. The journey of the [[Towerjacks]] and [[Northern Eagle]] has been longer than that of the Guard, leaving war-torn [[Therunin]] and come south through Morrow, past [[Morrow#Highwatch|Highwatch]], to help defend the people of Redoubt from the coming storm. The Northern Eagle have paid a heavy price to be here; marching through the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisoned]] vale of the Lower Tarn Valley has cost them nearly two hundred good soldiers who will not fight again, yet the spiteful apothecary of the [[Druj]] and [[Ashes#Objective:_Prevent_the_use_of_the_Sephals_Cauldron|Sephal's Cauldron]] left them with no other road if they wished to reach Redoubt in time.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="TBC, General of the Towerjacks">The Fall of general Barossa signals a loss not only for us, but for our Empire. Our enemies will take no more. Travel to Redoubt and build your defences high, that their waves will break on your walls. Show them the strength of your loyalty.</quote></div>
As soon as they arrive, the Towerjacks begin feverishly to [[Army_qualities#Engineer|fortify the coast]] with earthworks, palisades, beacons, defensive vantage points, and more. Working with all their [[Holberg|Holbergian]] ingenuity, backed by the designs of some of the most cunning siege engineers of the League, they reinforce the Elos Harbour in particular, adding significantly to the garrison there while they build their makeshift fortifications. If there is any ill-feeling here about the matter of Spiral, it takes second place to an appreciation of the Leaguish willingness to work night and day to protect the people of Urizen.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka, General of the Northern Eagle">Redoubt's beacons are alight and so we shall raise our banners in its defence. Hold the mountains and the valleys, the cliffs and the coast, the Spires and the cities. We shall be the hunting bird that haunts the heights, diving upon unwary prey. Vigilant as Sentinels, swift as Wardens, the Imperial Eagle shields all homes.</quote></div>
While the Citadel Guard prepare to respond to an attack wherever it may come from, and the Towerjacks reinforce the coast, the Varushkan soldiers of the Northern Eagle move quickly and effectively through the hills and low peaks, ever watchful for the first signs of an attack. They take nothing for granted – complacency is the enemy of victory. Their strategy complements that of the Urizen sentinels – the army fragments into half a dozen independent groups that maintain communication with messengers and trained birds. Responsible, ready to swiftly gather at the point of any incursion, their [[Army_qualities#Guerrilla|hit and run]] tactics seem particularly well suited to the rough terrain and foothills of Urizen. While some of the Urizen spires are at first reticent about Varushkan soldiers in Redoubt, they swiftly warm to their guests, the long shadow cast by the Iron Helms dispelled by the professional, albeit grim, demeanour of the Northern Eagle.

The warning of the Urizen assembly, shared with every priest of the nation, goes some way toward preparing the citizens of Redoubt for what is coming. Working together and with the Eagle and the 'Jacks, the citadels of Redoubt provide supplies and guides, supporting the armies as the armies prepare to defend them. It helps that Redoubt has so many citadels; while it has been some time since the territory was threatened militarily they are always prepared to face attack from the sea, or from Spiral.
{{SOP|statement=People of Redoubt, watch the coast and prepare for the malice of the Children of Wrecks and the Grendel. Turn your striving to the organisation of your defences. Build up your bonds with your fellow spires and make assurances to share this watch. Hone your courage and do not fear to act. Keep watch upon the Ribbon of Salt and Evenstar. They must not fall into wicked idolatrous hands. Let Urizen's virtue be a light against their darkness.|by=Halkyon of the Myriad Stream, Urizen Assembly|vote=Greater Majority 306-0|when=Autumn Equinox 386YE}}
==On Wings of Storm==
For a time it seems that these preparations might go untested. Days stretch into weeks, and a few of the more critical Urizen begin to question the wisdom of expending so much magical energy to defend against an attack that is ''clearly'' not coming. Then, just shy of a month after the Autumn Equinox, the Grendel arrive.

An armada of ships from the Broken Shore, carrying tens of thousands of Grendel warriors, brave the magical storms battering Redoubt to assail the shores of [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]]. If not for the [[vigilance]] of the Urizen watchers their attack might have taken the defenders by surprise – they approach not along the coast from the west but from the south – from the open sea. A ripple of concern runs through the strategists gathered in Redoubt. Have the Grendel navies crossed the trackless heart of the [[Bay of Catazar]]? The question is left unanswered as the chaos of war descends on the coast of Redoubt.

At first the assumption is that they have employed some unknown enchantment to travel unseen along the coast. It quickly becomes apparent, however, that while there is magic woven into the hulls, rigging, and sails of the Grendel warships it is a protective charm of [[Autumn magic]] which helps their ships endure the Spring spawned storms rather than anything to do with speed or concealment. This protection is not foolproof - watchers confirm that several ships are swamped or sunk by the enchanted tempest - but it serves to significantly reduce the damage done by Foam and Spittle to the Broken Shore armada.

It's obvious that this force is made up of many of the ships and soldiers that assaulted [[Madruga]] and [[A beacon of smoke|burned Siroc]] - or rather some of them. The Simoom, the Tempest, and the Golden Winds transport the piratical Black Eels, the mercenary army of the Bone Nautilus, the relentless veterans of the Iron Gulls, and the furious war-witches of the Naguerro. They launch a blistering series of raids and probing attacks across the southern coast of Redoubt, remaining mobile and seeking any weakness in the walls of iron and magic thrown up to defend Urizen from the sea.

There are sightings of [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] troops fighting alongside the Bone Nautilus, but no sign of the warships that hail from the eastern archipelago. It's possible that the [[Harvest of infamy|recent fiasco]] at [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]] has shaken their resolve – or that they are simply busy elsewhere. Even without them, the Grendel forces brought to bear in Redoubt represent a serious threat. On sheer numbers alone, it seems the Grendel outnumber the Imperial armies two-to-one. Unfortunately, that assessment of the defenders of Redoubt takes into account neither the garrisons of Cargo and the Court of the White Fountain, nor the power of Imperial magic. The Summer citadels, and the Autumn enchantments, both help swing the odds back in favour of the Empire.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NorthernEagle Colour.png|align=right|width=300|caption=The Northern Eagle are adept at fighting in the foothills of Redoubt.}}</div>
Raids on Elos and Visten are quickly repulsed by the Towerjacks and the Citadel Guard. The Northern Eagle are called to defend the Brilliant Star from a band of Black Eels who came ashore in Tomari under cover of dark; the orcs have counted without the sure movement and tactical prowess of the Varushkan guerrillas. The invading barbarians clash with Imperial defenders over and over, and while the Empire is not victorious in every engagement it is clear that the Grendel cannot sustain this pace for long. After some initial gains, the soldiers are forced back toward the coast.

One of the most vicious engagements takes place at the Lighthouse at Nikephoros. Once a respected naval citadel, its star swiftly declined after Urizen became part of the Empire. No longer considered strategically important, it was almost drowned by magical storms in the reign of [[Empress Brannan]]. It has weathered many a tempest since, but this season represents one violent tempest too many. The isolated sea-stack where it stands is targeted by the ships of the Tempest, and Bone Nautilus mercenaries. As the storms rage, the barbarians seek to overwhelm the defenders, but before they can claim the spire the defenders choose to collapse the rock tower supporting the ancient citadel and tumbling it down into the hungry, churning sea. While some of the defenders are able to escape the destruction, many more perish, but they take at least as many Grendel with them - including several of the attacking ships. The Grendel will be more much more cautious about assailing lone citadels in the weeks to come, and the secrets of Nikephoros are delivered to the briny deeps rather than the greedy hands of barbarian magicians.

==The Battle of Elos==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Crab-traced-2.png|align=left|width=300|caption=The Grendel forces seek to conquer Elos - but will settle for destroying its prosperous harbour if they cannot overwhelm the defenders.}}</div>
Any foothold the Grendel manage to establish is swiftly dislodged by Imperial forces, and as the Winter Solstice draws nearer the attacks become more widely spaced apart. Then, with minimal warning, the Grendel launch an almost overwhelming assault against the harbour of Elos. Once a base for what little navy Urizen had before they joined the Empire, the fortunes of the spire slowly declined. Major trade passed it entirely in favour of the larger ports of [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]] and [[Necropolis#Hedrossan|Hedra]] to the north, leaving it little more than a quiet fishing village. Yet even in sleepy obsolescence, the quayside remained extensive and the harbour wall fortified. A few years ago, though, the Imperial senate [[Construct_Great_Harbour_of_Elos|ordered]] an expansion of the docks, restoring them to and eventually surpassing their former glory. In the seasons since the Great Harbour of Elos has once again become a bustling port - and perhaps in time it could become [[To_see_what_you_sell#Additional_Benefits|something more]].

Perhaps it is simple opportunism, or perhaps it is something more, but the Grendel forces throw their full strength behind the capture of the port. It seems their strategy here has been one of misdirection - to scatter the Imperial defenders across the long coastline of southern Redoubt before revealing their real intention. They have counted, however, without the foresight of the Citadel Guard and the industry of the Towerjacks. While the defenders are indeed spread out, Elos is far from undefended. The first marines disgorged from the Grendel ships find themselves pressed up against the barricades and palisades positioned by the Holbergian engineers. Even though the work of creating durable fortifications is still underway, the League soldiers have used the existing defences of the harbour to channel the invaders where they want them. Even these skeletal preparations leave the attackers exposed to the smaller garrison defending the spire, and they are cut to ribbons by crossbow bolts and Urizeni spears.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=TowerJacks Colour.png|align=right|width=300|caption=the Towerjacks strive to build defences along the cliffs of Naris, and fight to protect the port of Elos.}}</div>
The Grendel respond quickly, adjusting their tactics and seeking to land more ground troops on the beaches outside the town. The delay costs them dearly however, and even as they begin to move against the walls of Elos, returning Varushkan patrols and scouts from the Court of the White Fountain fall on them from the east and west. The heliopticon tower above the town sends out a warning and a call to arms that is quickly repeated across Naris and beyond, and the Empire's fist begins to close around the Grendel attackers. This close to the shore, they must also contend with the worst effects of the Spring curse laid across the seas and winds, which dashes more than one invading ship to pieces drowning it and its cargo of soldiers. Those shipwrecked barbarians who make it to shore are little match for the Imperial defenders.

Yet the Grendel are nothing if not adaptable, and in the face of unexpected defenders they they change their tactics. The mightiest armoured warships form a tight spearpoint aimed at the heart of Elos, and pierce the defences. The fighting on the docks is fierce and bloody, as the Grendel focus on clearing the defences the Towerjacks have created. They are able to establish a beachhead and from there the battle spills over into the town. Urizen settlements are as often as not laid out with an eye for aesthetics and beauty, with spacious avenues between the buildings - a far cry from the tangled mazes that characterise a League city or a Varushkan town. Pitched battles take place between the Imperial soldiers and the Grendel invaders, with the crossbows and bows on both sides proving to be a powerful asset in the long, straight streets.

The attacking orcs have the upper hand, and so the Empire adjusts its own tactics. They play a delaying game, slowing the invasion and bogging the orcs down wherever they can. With each hour that passes, more defenders arrive - soldiers from the Imperial armies, scouts from the fortifications, and even a scattering of supernatural allies come down from the magic citadels, eager not to miss a fight after weeks of boredom in the foothills. In the end, as night begins to fall, it is clear that the Grendel will not be able to take Elos and they begin to fall back to their vessels. Yet they make one last attempt to achieve their goal; soldiers of the Iron Gulls, adept siege engineers in their own right, try to fire the harbour and especially the facilities for maintaining and building ships. Perhaps control - or the destruction - of this nascent shipyard has been their intention all along. They are able to inflict some damage, but a cadre of Urizeni sentinels breaks through the Grendel defensive line and falls on the would-be saboteurs, and covered by League and Varushkan troops they make short work of the attackers. The survivors are forced to retreat back to their ships.

As the darkness gathers, the Grendel abandon their attempt to secure Elos. Tail between their legs, they limp back to their ships and flee into deeper water, abandoning a few raiding parties who had not made it to the coast to the tender mercy of the Imperial defenders. A cautious cheer goes up from the Imperial defenders. It is, perhaps, a little premature...
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Dapper Carchacadon.jpg|align=right|caption=The carcharodon heralds of the Mother of Wrecks feast in the wake of the Children of Wrecks.|width=300}}</div>

==The ''Second'' Battle of Elos==
While the Empire and the Grendel tear at one another, while the maelstrom roars and the sun sinks, a ''second'' force sweeps in from the west to attack Elos. It's not clear whether they have been intentionally waiting for the Grendel to launch their failed attack, or whether it has simply taken this long for them to gather their strength and bring it to bear. Given the nature of these assailants, it seems more likely that the latter is the case. While the Empire mops up the last of the Broken Shore invaders, while the Grendel retreat deeper into the Bay, the [[Children of Wrecks]] launch their assault.

Through the teeth of the storm come perhaps a hundred and fifty swift-moving vessels, festooned with gruesome trophies and profane talismans. They surge through the spray to attack the harbour, a ragtag mess of pirates and privateers, murderers and thieves. The Grendel have cleared some of the fortifications raised by the Towerjacks, and these jackals prove much more manoeuvrable than the great warships of the Broken Shore, able to dodge the barricades and disgorge their cargo of savage raiders into the streets of Elos. Smaller in number, they still seek to overwhelm Elos with the sheer [[Spring magic#Savagery|savagery]] of the Spring realm.

There is little subtlety in their strategy, and even less cohesion to the raiders that assail Elos. They are here to burn, and loot, and slaughter with no thought for holding territory or establishing supply lines, or anything more complex than sating their greed and bloodlust. Many of these attackers are clearly former orcs of the Broken Shore, either zealots who revere the [[Siakha|Mother of Wrecks]] as a twisted deity, or villains driven by greed to abandon their people and embrace chaos. Many are clearly experienced at assailing Imperial ships, but seem perhaps a little less prepared for a battle on land. Their numbers are swollen by ships and raiders from further afield – it seems that the call of High Priestess Shivaarn has been heard in the far corners of the Known World and cutthroats, pirates, buccaneers, and violent criminals are answering.

To the sorrow of the defenders, there's also ample sign that there are former Imperial citizens among the attackers, mostly ex-Freeborn and League traitors who have thrown off the veneer of civilisation to embrace the chaos of the Children of Wrecks. More worryingly, there is a notable Marcher presence among the attackers - perhaps as many as half a dozen warbands who have removed their livery, but cannot quite conceal their allegiance. The fact they are looking to conceal their identities raises suspicions that they are opportunists; they intend to return to the Marches once the raid is over rather than to join the Children of Wrecks. They fight no less savagely that their compatriots, however, their [[Merciless Wrath of the Reaver|merciless wrath]] just as unforgiving as that of the other Children of Wrecks.

True barbarians, they give no quarter and expect no mercy. Every attacker shows signs of the potent Spring enchantments coursing through their veins that grant them savage strength to cut down defenders, while giving them unnatural vitality allowing them to shrug off powerful blows even lightly armoured as many of them are.

As with other engagements with the Children of Wrecks, there are numbers of [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]], [[Inhabitants of the realms#Guardians|monstrous beasts]], and [[Inhabitants of the realms#Drudges|bloodthirsty supernatural reavers]] bolstering their strength. Alongside humans and orcs throng savage carcharodons, thunderous tempest children, and great bone-armoured sharks ready to devour anyone who falls into the water.

While the majority of the attackers rely on steel to try and overwhelm the defenders of Elos, there are clearly a number of magicians among them well versed in the violent magics of Spring. In the teeth of the gale, they shout words of power to tear down the defences of the town, to sink its ships, to scatter the defenders. The Urizen meet the unconstrained fury of Spring with magic of their own, however, and strong as the Children of Wrecks sorcerers are the Urizeni are stronger. Urizen magic turns aside the more destructive incantations of the Children and their supernatural allies, bolstering and strengthening their allies, and helping them remain calm and focused in the face of the disordered aggression from the sea.

In stark contrast to both the Imperial and Grendel forces warring over the coast of Redoubt there is little organisation here. Some of the Children's vessels lose interest in the attack on Elos, peel off, and pursue the retreating Grendel armada. Where they catch stragglers they gleefully board their warships and slaughter their crews. A number of Grendel troops left behind in Elos, trapped between the bloodthirsty hammer of the Children of Wrecks and the anvil of the Empire choose to surrender to Imperial troops, or in one or two cases strike hasty alliances to fight the new threat.

The attack is chaotic, unpredictable, disorganised. Whatever strategy they may have had dissolves quickly in the face of Urizen's wealth and the chance to murder its people. That same disorder, that makes it hard for the sentinels to predict how the attack will unfold, largely dooms it even before it has started. Despite the smaller number of attackers, the Children of Wrecks are focused on mayhem and theft rather than trying to conquer the town. They kill more people than the Grendel did, because they are not here to conquer merely to slaughter and fill their pockets. Because there is no sense of unity or loyalty between the vicious raiding bands, it matters little to the individuals when their fellow attackers fall. Beyond the point where an attacking army would have sounded the retreat, the fighting continues through the night. Fires erupt across Elos, the cries of the wounded and the dying rise to challenge the thunder of the clouds in volume.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SiakhaArt.jpg|caption=Those who have the favour of Siakha are equally happy to despoil Imperial towns and sink Grendel ships - and their mistress welcomes both with equal delight.|align=left|width=300}}</div>
Yet as midnight approaches, the furious tumult of the Children of Wrecks begins to falter. They frenzy dims, their strength expended in a crazed flurry of attacks. The sentinels, the League soldiers, the Varushkan schlacta, systematically surround and butcher the straggling attackers. Those smarter raiders know the tide has shifted and fall back to their ships, peeling away from the Naris shore and heading westward, satisfied with their loot, and the slaking of their bloodlust.

There is still violence to come, however. As the ships of the Children of Wrecks flee back toward their [[Madruga#Free_Landing|lair in the west]] two-dozen swift Broken Shores ships attack ''their'' stragglers, cutting down their crews or sinking the pirate ships wherever they can. While the bulk of the Grendel armada is still in full retreat, it seems some of their independent captains are more interested in retribution against the traitors and murderers under the tattered flags of Siakha than they are in making it safely to deeper waters after the failure of their attack.

==Forewarned and Forearmed==
As the morning sun limps above the eastern mountains, the defenders of Elos count the cost. The spire has been damaged, there is still a pall of smoke hanging over the settlement. The Towerjacks immediately set to work repairing and replenishing the barricades on the docks, while the Northern Eagle dispatches details to gather up the corpses of Grendel troops and Siakhan raiders and burn them on great pyres outside the walls of Elos. These funeral furnaces burn low, spitting and snarling in the drizzle that still pours from the heavy Spring-infused clouds above.

The harbour has weathered the storms, and perhaps been made stronger. If there had been no defence, if it had just been the Grendel or the Children of Wrecks against Elos, the story would have been very different. Without forewarning, the Grendel would have taken Elos and established a beachhead in Redoubt, spreading quickly across Naris and threatening not only Redoubt but Necropolis as well. Even without the Grendel attack, the Children of Wrecks alone would have overwhelmed the defenders and Elos would have burned, its people slaughtered or captured by the Children of Wrecks who would easily have escaped any retribution from the defenders of Urizen.

With three armies, and a plethora of magical protections, however, both attackers have been repulsed. Even with the lifegiving rain, many have died. In the skirmishes along the coast, and the defence of Elos, death has claimed soldiers of three nations. For all their lack of numbers, the sheer savagery of the Children of Wrecks rivals the worst excesses of the Druj in its bloodthirstiness and the protectors of Elos have bourn the brunt of that wickedness. In the days that follow, the heliopticon flickers with the news that Elos has survived. At the same time, the fact that there were many identifiably Marcher soldiers among those attackers, who even with the savage power of Spring in their veins showed signs of the discipline common to a [[military unit|trained Imperial force]] leaves a sour taste in the mouths of those who had hoped the recent conflict with the Marches had been laid to rest. It seems there is indeed more than one way to bury a hatchet, as the western farmers have it.

Regardless, the vigilance of the Empire has paid dividends. The Grendel armada has been forced to retreat from Redoubt without establishing a foothold in the territory or succeeding in a single significant raid. The Children of Wrecks have been repulsed, and while the fighting at Elos was savage they were no match for the defenders. The storms that have rampaged up and down the coast blow themselves out three weeks before the Winter Solstice, and in the wake of the violence a sudden calm descends.

The Empire has protected Redoubt, bloodied the nose of the Grendel armada, and delivered a stinging defeat to the Children of Wrecks, but it has paid a steep price to do so.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofRedoubt.png|caption=Redoubt has been protected by Imperial forces.|align=left|width=300}}</div>

==Game Information==
===Redoubt===
* '''Redoubt remains fully under Imperial control'''
* '''The Towerjacks have established temporary fortifications in Naris'''
Imperial forces in Redoubt handily defeated attacks from both the Grendel and the Children of Wrecks aimed at the port of Elos. There has been cosmetic damage to the town, and some loss of life, but the harbour remains intact. In addition to the usual damage caused during the campaign by the Grendel navies and armies, the attack of the Children of Wrecks and their supporters has caused additional casualties to the three armies defending Redoubt. These extra casualties have also been reduced by Rivers of Life, however.

Grendel forces have retreated, having failed to establish any foothold in the territory. The Children of Wrecks raid has been held off, and the attackers have scattered into the deep waters of the Bay of Catazar.

The Towerjacks have completed their program of fortifications and bolstering of defences across Naris, and following the Winter Solstice the region will have a 1,000 point [[fortification]]. That strength drops to 500 after the Spring Equinox, and has faded completely by the end of the Summer Solstice 387YE.

Work on the [[Construct Roads of the Sky|roads of the sky]] has been slightly impacted by the terrible storms and magical rain, but given that the destructive curse is focused on the coast rather than the territory as a whole, the effects have been negligible. The presence of both the Towerjacks and the Northern Eagle have also helped to ensure that work has proceeded apace despite the dreadful winds and rains lashing Redoubt.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SpringRune.jpg|caption=Spring magic brings [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]] and [[Spring_magic#Fertility|growth]] with equal facility.|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Foam and Life===
* '''Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea has reduced production from fleets based in Redoubt, and damaged navies fighting in the territory'''
* '''It has also impacted ministries related to coastal trade along the shores of Redoubt'''
* '''In combination with Rivers of Life, the two curses have had additional unpredictable effects on farms, forests, and herb gardens in the territory'''
The territory has been under the effect of both [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Rivers of Life]]. Every [[fleet]] based in the target territory has had its production reduced by two ranks, providing reduced income for the character who owns them. The storms have also battered the coast - any Urizeni whose spire is located in southern Redoubt is encouraged to think about how a season of tempestuous magical weather might have affected them. The rain and hail are also infused with the healing power of [[Rivers of Life]], however. This means that while the damage to property might have been extensive, actual injuries are often healed by the very same bad weather that caused them.

The chaotic weather has had an unexpected effect on [[farm|farms]], [[herb garden|herb gardens]], and [[forest|forests]] across the territory. While the pounding Autumn and Winter hail has damaged warehouses and conservatories, the healing power that infuses it has caused actual plants to prosper, although in keeping with the [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]] of Spring magic it has done so in unpredictable ways. Every farm in Redoubt will provide 18 fewer rings this season, but produce two doses of [[true vervain]] instead. Every herb garden provides 2 fewer doses of [[true vervain]], and instead provides 18 rings of valuable or edible plants. Every forest provides 2 fewer measures than normal, but instead provides a single pawn of [[vis#Vital Honey|vital honey]].

Foam and Spittle is not great for international sea trade. As such the [[Custodian of the Concordium Dock]], the [[Quaymaster of the Elosian Docks]], and the [[Elosian Architect]] will all be unable to access the top levels of their respective [[ministry|ministries]] following the Winter Solstice. Fewer ships are visiting the ports, and the disruption caused by the curses coupled with the fighting along the coast have discouraged merchant vessels from visiting these ports.

This change comes from the interplay of the magic of Foam and Spittle and Rivers of Life, the influence of the constellation of [[the Mountain]], and perhaps also the presence of Siakha's chosen pirates and their many enchantments. There's no guarantee the same effect would occur if the two curses were performed together elsewhere.

===Participation: Elosian Raiders===
* '''Players whose fleet or military unit participated on the attack on Elos receive rewards based on their military strength'''
* '''Taking part in the raid alongside the Children of Wrecks is a serious crime; if uncovered and convicted the character likely faces the death penalty'''
Anyone who took part in the raid on Elos fought alongside the Children of Wrecks against Imperial citizens and soldiers. As detailed in the description of the action, any military unit that took this action has definitely killed Urizen citizens as part of the attack and may have killed Varushkan or League soldiers as well. If anyone is convicted of having joined the raid on Elos, they will likely face execution for murder and treachery.
===Participation: Nikephoros===
* '''The Lighthouse at Nikephoros has been destroyed'''
The destruction of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros ensured not only that the Grendel did not capture any of its magical secrets, but also made them more reticent to attack isolated spires along the coast for fear of the destructive power the magicians within might unleash. If you were an inhabitant of the spire, you are free to create a story about your involvement in the raid, and the subsequent decision to collapse the sea-stack rather than let the spire fall to Grendel raiders. If you were not a resident of the spire, you need the permission of the players who were before you can claim to have been involved in the defence. It is assumed that player characters are among those who manage to get to safety through storm-wracked seas before the tower came down, but you are free to begin the event [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]] if you wish.

==Conjunctions==
{{SOP|by=Halkyon of the Myriad Stream, Urizen Assembly|statement=People of Redoubt, watch the coast and prepare for the malice of the Children of Wrecks and the Grendel. Turn your striving to the organisation of your defences. Build up your bonds with your fellow spires and make assurances to share this watch. Hone your courage and do not fear to act. Keep watch upon the Ribbon of Salt and Evenstar. They must not fall into wicked idolatrous hands. Let Urizen's virtue be a light against their darkness. |vote= 306-0|when=Autumn Equinox 386YE}}
===An Oath (Redoubt)===
* '''Wreckers are withdrawing from Redoubt, having attacked Spire of the Wealdawn'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''''Halkyon of the Myriad Stream'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing the wreckers and recovering their loot'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Following the repulsed raid on Elos Harbour, a warband of wreckers remained in Redoubt. They were separated from those fleeing the harbour and managed to skirt the armies of the Empire and the Broken Shore. Instead, they launched an assault on the [[Sound_the_bells#Sodden_Plains|Spire of the Wealdawn]] and managed to escape with a wealth of mana crystals and sunfruit. Inspired by the words of '''Halkyon of the Myriad Stream''', upheld by the Urizen Assembly, the wreckers have been tracked by several sentinels as they make their way back to their ships. The wreckers appear to be made up of several former Freeborn and Grendel, and are accompanied by heralds of [[Siakha]].

If the ''wreckers'' escape, then they will no doubt be able to use the looted mana crystals, either in rituals or as funds to tempt more to their "''nation''". The words of '''Halkyon''' inspired the sentinels of Wealdawn to follow and keep track of the fleeing raiders, as such it is the responsibility of the questor to stop them. The sentinels are clear that they are happy for Halkyon to retain any of the treasure they can reclaim from the wreckers, asking only that they put it to good use.

===Hill of the Golden Dawn (Ayereed)===
* '''A Grendel maistir is travelling to pay mercenaries to reclaim the Empire's foothold in Ayereed'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Imperial Spymaster'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for killing Maistir Varden'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Six months ago, the Imperial Spymaster [[Construct Smugglers Cove in Ayereed|announced]] the construction of a [[smugglers cove]] in [[Ayereed]]. A few weeks after the summit, the [[Golden Axe]], the [[Seventh Wave]], and the [[Winter Sun]] [[Steel and salt|invaded]] the territory to the south of Mareave. Last season, the General of the Seventh Wave was able to prevent the [[Steel_and_salt#A_New_Arrival_(Ayereed)|prevent the funding of mercenaries for Stormlords Rise]], but the [[Fake_empire#The_Salt_Lords_Council|Salt Lords Council]] have deep pockets. The Lord of [[Bay_of_Catazar#Gainmeachdubh|Gainmeachdubh]] has sent a ''Maistir Varden'' with funds to pay mercenaries to reclaim the Empire's foothold in the Petrified Forest and destroy the newly-started smugglers cove.

''Maistir Varden'' is accompanied by a guard of Grendel and Asaveans, and reports from unconquered left behind in the territory suggest that they are accompanied by something between an esteemed guest and a prisoner. There is some uncertainty as to exactly who it is, but given the way they have been seen to be treated, it is likely they would appreciate being freed. It is the responsibility of the [[Imperial Spymaster]], '''Bernard Dugdale''', to kill Maistir Varden, the Grendel, and the Asaveans. The Imperial Spymaster might wish to rescue the unknown prisoner, but they would almost certainly need a performance of [[The Cuckoo's Egg]] to return them to Anvil.

==Salt Burned (Battle Opportunity)==
The twin battles of [[Redoubt#Naris|Elos]] have drawn the attention of Imperial forces in Redoubt this season. Through grit and determination, the defenders endured and drove both [[Grendel]] and the [[Children of Wrecks]] from the port. But with storms lashing the coasts of the territory, it is soon apparent that something was missing. The vigilant watch of the seas reveals it; a second raiding force of wreckers put ashore in southern Tomari, landing under the cover of heavy skies, and then quickly disappearing into the interior.

With brutal savagery, they descended on the ''Littilian Fast'', a clifftop defence founded soon after Urizen joined the Empire. With most of the [[sentinel|sentinels]] supporting military efforts to the north, the defenders were quickly overwhelmed, the halls and gardens burned, and the study rooms ransacked, with anything of value carried off. The raiders then turned south and headed into [[Redoubt#Optarion|Optarion]].

As news of the attack spread toward [[Redoubt#Optarion|Visten]], alarms were raised as raiders' ships were sighted off the coast, in the roiling waters near the [[Redoubt#Optarion|Ribbon of Salt]]. This potent spring regio lies off the shore and is only accessible by boat, making it an obvious target for the ''Turn of the Gyre'''; a Spring coven favoured by [[Siakha]]. The coven is planning to call on a boon of the ''Maelstrom'' to replicate their recent destructive castings at ''Siakha's Maw'' and upon the ''Freeborn Plain'' to inundate the town with an enhanced casting of [[Thunderous Deluge]].

There is an opportunity on the Saturday of the solstice to intercept the raiders approaching the coast and prevent them from uniting with the coven. If the opportunity is not taken, or the raiders are victorious at ''Visten Head'', then the port that lies at the feet of the town's three spires will be destroyed as the coven will unleash their destructive magic on the coast of [[Redoubt]].

===Objective: Protect the Ribbon of Salt===
* '''Recover at least three timbers from the ''Astral Phoenix'''''
* '''If the coven gains three or more timbers, they will destroy Visten and unleash a pair of powerful Spring rituals'''
* '''If the coven gains one or two timbers, they will cast their rituals but fail to destroy Visten'''
* '''If the Empire recovers all the timbers, their efforts will completely fail'''

The ''[[Redoubt#Optarion|Ribbon of Salt]]'' has long held the interest of scholars and mages from across Urizen. Over the centuries, many have theorised over the regio's origins, the nature of its connection to the Spring realm, and possible ways that the impressive waterspouts might be harnessed. ''Indagius of Visten'' studied the regio extensively during the reign of Emperor Frederick. Eventually, the stargazer acquired a ship, the ''Astral Phoenix'', to search for similar Spring phenomena in the Bay and across [[the seven seas]], but the day the ship set sail, it was swallowed in a magical storm, and all hands on board were lost. Only five timbers were ever recovered, washing ashore on the night the ship was lost.

Along with mana, tempest jade, and assorted ritual paraphernalia, the raiders have stolen the five timbers from the citadel. They are now taking all that remains of the ''Astral Phoenix'' out to sea to the waiting coven. The ''Gyre'' have proven themselves as powerful ritualists, but they lack the Grendel's logistical support, and have burned through most of their supplies. The raid is bringing them the necessary mana and tempest jade for the ritual, but importantly, the remains of the ''Astral Phoenix'' have sufficient significance to Siakha to replace the ilium required to draw on the eternal's dreadful boon. The more of the Astral Phoenix the Wreckers sacrifice to their insane god, the more power they will be granted.

If all five timbers are recovered, then the ritualists cannot perform any rituals and will be completely defeated. If they are able to take one or two timbers to the coven then they will sacrifice them to Siakha in return for the boons needed to cast powerful Spring curses on Redoubt, one for each timber. If they escape with three or more timbers, then they will be able to cast Thunderous Deluge, [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]], ''and'' call on Siakha's aid to destroy Visten.

===Objective: Eliminate the traitors===
* '''Several notable turncoats have been identified among the Children of Wrecks at Visten'''
* '''They will need to be located and then killed during the battle'''
* '''Each traitor slain will safeguard their former nation from the depredation of the wreckers'''
Observations by war scouts have identified five former Imperial citizens who have joined with the "''free nation''". These five do not currently hold positions of power among the raiders, instead, they have been drawn to the Children of Wrecks following acts of violence and chaos in their pasts. They will be found among the hosts of the wreckers and should be notable for their distinctive national dress. Each of the nation's egregores has made it clear that they have abandoned their oaths and are no longer considered Imperials. The magistrates have confirmed that the five individuals are considered barbarians, are no longer protected by Imperial law, and as there is absolutely nothing to suggest that they would consent to being targeted by [[Cuckoo's Egg]], they can be legally killed by citizens of the Empire in battle.

If a traitor escapes the battle, then they will be able to help the Children's plan raids against their former nations. Wreckers will find ways to loot and plunder the affected region in a territory of that nation, rendering it [[Region_qualities#Lawless|lawless]], swelling the wreckers' coffers, even as they drain the treasury.

The traitors have been identified as:
* ''Maurizia Spada di Sarvos''; an Uccelini merchant who murdered her business partner to ensure safe passage in a storm
* ''Ezhabbenar of Hedrossan''; a retired Highborn sailor who joined the cults for the thrill of piracy and riches
* ''Tuomas of Pirenea''; a stargazer that gained insights into Siakha's ritual boons in return for his coven's blood
* ''Zavetta Voglavnova''; a fallen Varushkan boyar who disappeared after abandoning her vale to wolves in return for personal power
* ''Ioan Bloodstride''; a refugee from a lost striding in Liathaven who joined Siakha's forces during the assault on Meade

===Battlefield opportunity: Capture the ''Jaws of Selachan''===
* '''A devotee of Siakha carries with them a relic of the ''Maelstrom'''''
* '''Locate and wrest the Spring-touched maw from the bearer'''
* '''The relic is powerful and could be destroyed or used against the Wreckers'''
A terrified trader freed from captivity has passed on rumour of the ''Jaws of Selachan'' borne by a group of cultists and understood to be of significance to the ''Mother of Wrecks''. Described as a golden skeletal maw, filled with sharp teeth, the item invokes a powerful, vicious fury for the person carrying it and is held in great respect by those who fight alongside it.

Evidently an item of some magical potency, the most prudent course of action is for it to be located by Imperial forces and for a skilled diviner to determine the nature of the power that created it. As the item is a creation of Siakha, who is under the [[Alignment|enmity]] of the Conclave, any Imperial citizen who recovers it should either destroy it with [[Words of Ending]] or pass it to the magistrates. It would be illegal to attempt to keep the item, regardless of whether the power was claimed or used against the wreckers.

===Battlefield Environment: Salt in the Air===
* '''Visten Head is under the effect of a powerful Spring magic'''
* '''All characters experience a feeling of rising bloodlust'''
* '''Any character who does not resist the aura has a single use of CLEAVE with an appropriate melee weapon whilst in the location'''

A powerful Spring aura will affect everyone who travels to the area of ''Visten Head''. Unless you have a way to resist the power you will experience the following roleplaying effect:

''A metallic taste fills your mouth and the air smells of salt; you feel a growing sense of destruction and bloodshed thumping around your body.''

Anyone who travels to this location will experience a strong roleplaying effect of rising violence and bloodlust, unless they:

* Expend a hero point upon entering the area
* Draw on the spiritual strength of an anointing
* Draw on their [[merrow]] lineage and assume a calm demeanour
* Are bonded to a magical item or have a ritual enchantment that mitigates effects like these

Whilst in the location, any character can make a '''single''' [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|CLEAVE]] call with any melee weapon, other than a pike, once during the battle. You do not need to expend a hero point or have the [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|Cleaving Strike]] skill to use this ability. This ability is lost if the character resists the roleplaying effect at any point, or upon their return to Anvil.

386YE Winter Solstice winds of war

2025-04-25T13:10:58Z

TomH: /* Battle opportunities */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Marchers Through the Woods.jpg|caption=''Marcher lasses, Marcher lads / Leave your homes and leave your farms / Beat your ploughshares into swords / The time has come to take up arms.''|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there has been more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==A Season of Stones==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Redoubt]]|| [[On southern sands]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]]|| [[Over western hills]]
|-
| [[The Barrens]]|| [[By northern shores]]
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[Under eastern skies]]
|-
|}
Autumn gives way to Winter, the nights lengthening and the days growing short. As the sky darkens, so does the weather. A season of rain and wind, hail and thunder, settles across the Empire from the southern sea to the northern peaks. War rarely pauses for the weather, however. From the western plains to the eastern forests, the embers of battle flare and hiss under the remorseless rain, as if the sky itself weeps for the folly of mortal folk.

There is a kind of peace on the Brass Coast for the first time in a long time. There is no fighting in [[Kahraman]], nor in [[Madruga]], nor in [[Feroz]]. There is an expectancy on the night air, a sense that this quiet time cannot last. With the ''kamkrag'' marching across Kahraman, there are few raiders and those who dare come down from the mountains are easily driven back. Imperial scouts pour into Madruga to explore the [[Where_the_river_rises#A_New_Territory|strange new land]]; for now the territory as a whole remains uncontrolled. The fearsome [[Grendel]] commander Gallum Fiersach still holds [[Feroz#Morajasse|Morajasse]], [[Glass_and_flame#Game_Information:_Mora's_Rock|still commands]] [[Feroz#Mora's_Rock|the rock]]. Shortly after the Equinox the battlements of the fortification crackle and burn with colourless fire, as Wind Lord Saoirse uses her [[Autumn magic|Sand lore]] in preparation for an Imperial assault that never comes.

Further north, the Empire's soldiers face the [[Jotun]] in battle, a three-fold strategy to hold Marcher land and cut the invaders off from their base in the forests of what was once [[Liathaven]]. A glorious and terrible war rages '''[[over western hills]]'''.

Across the [[Bay of Catazar]] from the Brass Coast, storms herald a war of a different kind. The [[Grendel]] armada retreating from Madruga seeks to take the shoreline of [[Redoubt]]. They find Imperial forces waiting for them, ready to repel boarders. The [[Children of Wrecks]] launch an attack of their own, a plague of ramshackle pirate fleets bent on looting the port of [[Quaymaster_of_the_Elosian_Docks#Elosian_Docks|Elos]]. Battle is joined '''[[on southern sands]]'''.

There is no movement in [[Bay_of_Catazar#Ayereed|Ayereed]] to the south, nor in [[Mareave]]. Even though Imperial armies have withdrawn, the gains they [[Steel and salt|made in the petrified forest]] are unchallenged for the moment. The Grendel are on the defensive, while their ships and soldiers fight to the north.

North from Redoubt along the borders with [[the Mallum]], there is fighting not only with the [[Druj]], but between Imperial citizens. The [[Gryphon's Pride]] march north out of [[Therunin]] to capture [[The_Barrens#The_Fangs|the Fangs]]. They seek to take the [[mithril]] mine held by the [[Not_to_conquer#Who_are_the_Rahvin?|Rahvin]] [[orc]] sept... a crime under Imperial law. A band of Imperial captains oppose them, and Imperial blood flows '''[[by northern shores]]'''.

Then, Therunin itself. Four Imperial armies, fighting in the [[Rivers Run Red|tainted rain]], facing the malice of the Druj and seeking to drive them back across the border. Poison at their back, hungry waters to the south, trackless wilderness to the north... and the armies of the Mallum before them. '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' they fight a desperate battle, one for which the ending perhaps has yet to be written.

===Festival of Birds (Sarvos)===
* '''The fishing village of Charoko is being threatened by creatures of the sea'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Mayor of Caricomare'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for protecting the inhabitants of Charoko'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
The fishing village of Charoko, southwest of Sarvos, is quiet and oftentimes peaceful. Its inhabitants are comfortable in their lives, happy to catch enough fish to sustain themselves and then trade the excess to the surrounding villages and towns. A warning from the village arrived in Trivento to avoid it, that there was some [[Dire Astacid|unruly beast]] that had wandered ashore and had apparently taken up in the woods nearby. There have also been rumoured sightings of roving gangs of brigands in the area, possibly serving to rile up the creature. The Mayor of Trivento has asked the Mayor of Caricomare to deal with the beast, as a favour from one "''equally important mayor to another''", and protect the village from its wrath.

It is the responsibility of the [[Mayor of Caricomare]], '''Aloysius di Sarvos''', to defeat the beast and protect the village's inhabitants. Given that this involves hunting down and disposing of a dangerous beast which threatens the inhabitants of the Empire, it is likely that the [[Imperial Huntsmarshall]], '''Maggie Potts''', will have an interest in the conjunction. If the beast is dealt with, then the Mayor of Trivento, ''Allesio van Trivento'', will provide a suitable reward to both the Mayor of Caricomare and the Imperial Huntsmarshall after the summit.

===Small Sacrifices (Kallavesa)===
* '''The farmers of Redshal are on their way to the Iron Grove'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Keeper of the Iron Grove'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for finding out whats wrong with the farmers'''
{{InnocentPeoplePresent}}
The village of Redshal is small and easily forgotten. Overshadowed by the towns and large settlements, Redshal doesn't specialise in anything; its crops are plentiful, but nothing to be in awe of; the cloth woven is nice, but is occasionally warped; and its sheep are perfectly adequate sheep. Which is why it is so concerning when the farmers of Redshal drive out the travelling peddler just a few days before the Winter Solstice.

The peddler, ''Leif Ironcoin'', manages to make it to Ishal with a warning that the farmers are on their way to Iron Grove, [[Kallavesa#Skymark|Skymark]]. ''Leif'' can't explain why the farmers have undergone such a drastic change of heart; they used to be some of his best customers. The peddler warns that something is wrong with the farmers and that hopefully the [[Keeper of the Iron Grove]], '''Wren Ironclaw''', can organise folks to uncover what is wrong with them. If the farmers are not stopped, they will likely trash the Iron Grove, halving its production of herbs for the coming season.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Redoubt]]</td><td>Save the port at Visten</td><td>''Visten Head'', Redoubt</td><td>Children of Wrecks</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[On_southern_sands#Salt_Burned_(Battle_Opportunity)|Salt Burned]]</td><td>[[:file:Salt Burned.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Therunin]]</td><td>Resolve the fate of Isaella's Dance</td><td>''Isaella's Fall'', Therunin<td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under_eastern_skies#Braided_Dreams_(Battle_Opportunity)|Braided Dreams]]</td><td>[[:file:Braided Dreams.pdf|PDF Link]] </td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Therunin]]</td><td>Resolve the fate of the Iron Helms</td><td>''Iron End'', Therunin</td><td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under_eastern_skies#Black_Miracles_(Battle_Opportunity)|Black Miracles]]</td><td>[[:file:Black Miracles.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Mournwold]]</td><td>Deal with Jarl Haakon</td><td>''Old Tam Shaffer's Farm'', Mournwold</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Over_western_hills#Not_One_More_Inch_(Battle_Opportunity)|Not One More Inch]]</td><td>[[:file:One More Inch.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
</table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 20
|-
| Dawn || 60
|-
| Highguard || 23
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 22
|-
| Marches || 34
|-
| Navarr || 60
|-
| Urizen || 13
|-
| Varushka || 17
|-
| Wintermark || 63
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''154''' and at most '''163''' force weight sent on it.

===Battle participation===
* '''The Children of Wrecks battle opportunity involves a motley mix of fighters from across the Bay of Catazar'''
If the Military Council takes the opportunity involving the Children of Wrecks, we will ask player volunteers to take on a range of roles, principally former Grendel soldiers, but also cultists from the nations of the Brass Coast, the League, Highguard, the Marches, and Urizen. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of former Grendel orcs. EMUs should monster as their orc Grendel units as normal.

In the '''Redoubt''' battle you can help by wearing any Grendel or Freeborn, League, Highborn, Marcher, or Urizen-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Grendel weaponry, particularly swords, spears and large shields. You can find out more about the iconic Grendel look [[Grendel_look_and_feel|here]] but the key element for portraying the Grendel is flowing layers and plate torso armour evocative of ancient Mediterranean cultures as their iconic look.

Any human monsters will be formed into units and led by members of the Skirmish Team.

* '''The Jotun battle opportunity involves the Jotun orcs along with limited numbers of human yegarra'''
If the Military Council takes the opportunity involving the Jotun, we will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Jotun orcs.

In the '''Mournwold''' battle you can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]] but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over maile as their iconic look. Any Marcher kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Marcher weaponry, particularly a bill, spear or other pole-arm, would contribute to the look of those fighting alongside the Jotun forces.

* '''The Druj battle opportunities involve forces composed primarily of Druj orcs'''
If the Military Council takes either opportunity involving the Druj, we will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Druj orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Druj orcs.

In the '''Therunin''' battles you can help by wearing any leather or plate armour you have, as well as any iconic Druj weaponry, particularly swords, spears and great weapons, as well as bows of all types. You can find out more about the iconic Druj look [[Druj_look_and_feel|here]] but the key element for portraying the Druj is a mantle and ragged material layers that echo natural greens, browns, greys, and black, with occasional bright accent colours as their iconic look.

We understand the difficulty of getting to an event with additional kit at the best of times, especially as it will not be possible to tell before Friday night whether the Military Council will elect to take a particular battle, but if you are able to bring such kit along it will improve your experience as well as that of the players you are fighting against.

If you are already part of an [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster unit]] that monsters as an orc warband, then please come to Battle Prep as you normally would for these battles. If you are part of an EMU but do not have your own orc mask then we will supply an orc mask for you, but cannot guarantee one. It is not possible to play a human combatant in an EMU.

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

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarvos, Bocche, Grove of Charoko || [[Mayor of Caricomare]] || [[#Festival_of_Birds_(Sarvos)|Protect the inhabitants of Charoko]]
|-
| 18:45 || 18 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, North Fens, Swollen Fens || [[Roost's Reeve]] || [[Rumblings_in_the_Gullet#Diamonds_(Bregasland)|Deal with the threat]]
|-
| 18:50 || 4 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Last Battle Wayhouse|| [[Hand of the Healers]] || [[Hard_to_find#Run_For_Your_Lives_%28The_Barrens%29|Give succour to the survivors of Therunin]]
|-
| 19:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Feroz, Oranseri, Rahab's Orchard || [[Strategos|Strategos of the Brass Coast]] || [[Send_for_me#Butcher's_Yard_(Feroz)|Protect the Celesti Lighthouse]]
|-
| 19:05 || 10 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Sermersuaq, Stark, Wreck of ''the Screaming Mammoth'' || [[Claviger of the Basilica of Cora Holdfast|Cora's Claviger]] || [[Rumblings_in_the_Gullet#To_Be_Alone_(Sermersuaq)|Help the injured]]
|-
| 19:15 || 18 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Forlorn Bogs || '''Kjellen Saltmire''' || [[Rumblings_in_the_Gullet#Stars_(Kallavesa)|Deal with the threat]]
|-
| 19:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Ventosi, Oathspawned Copse || '''Halkyon of the Myriad Stream''' || [[On_southern_sands#An_Oath_(Redoubt)|Kill the wreckers and recover their loot]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 20:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Volodmartz, Brez, Woods of the Quiet Road|| [[Gift of the Dwindling Star|Custodian of the Gift of the Dwindling Star]] || [[About_today#To_Be_Alone_(Miekarova)|Find and help the ''Chosen of Samkǒma'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Alderly, The Walters' Clearing || '''Bryce the Hare''' || [[Over_western_hills#Plow_Breaks_the_Earth_(Mournwold)|Rescue the herbalist and stop the Yegarra]]
|-
| 21:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, East Floes, Crow's Rest || [[Mediator of Wreck]] || [[About_today#To_Be_Alone_(Miekarova)|Soothe the Thule of Volham]]
|-
| 21:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Big Boar's Sty || '''Determination of Ice Kaisa''' || [[Over_western_hills#Crown_of_Swords_(Mournwold)|Answer the challenge of ''Halbera Strongarm'']]
|-
| 21:50 || 7 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Arbonne, Ruenda, ''The Singing Riqueza'' || [[Golden Fleet Salvagemaster]] || [[Bitter_and_absolute#A_Broken_Crown_(Arbonne)|Resolve the ship's issues]]
|-
| 00:05 || 98 || TBC mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Blackwood Copse || Those who defended the Rahvin || [[Start_a_war#Meeting_in_the_Dark|Meet with the Rahvin]]
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>

{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Dark Ranging, Broken Stand || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Into_the_Woods_(Brocéliande)|Recover the chests]]
|-
| 15:00 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hercynia, Deer's Folly, Shattered Pines || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Insects_(Hercynia)|Stop the horde]]
|-
| 16:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Crimson Boscage|| [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Under_eastern_skies#Unseen_Eyes_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Kill the Druj]]
|-
| 16:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Cinion, Valley of Loss || [[Spiral|Senator for Spiral]] || [[Obsidian_shards#Bowl_of_Winds|Protect the Block]]
|-
| 17:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Salt Flats of Sanath, Beladrarsh, The Drained Woods || '''Lady Laudine du Lac''' || [[Under_eastern_skies#Pitfalls_and_Tripwires_(Salt_Flats_of_Sanath)|Kill the Druj and claim their goods]]
|-
| 17:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Screed, Marco's Pass || [[Oblivion Sentinel ]]|| [[Obsidian_shards#Blades|Stop the Spire of Black Glass]]
|-
| 17:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, East Ashes, Splintering Jetty || '''Neala Blackhawk''' || [[Under_eastern_skies#Promises_to_Keep_(Therunin)|Rescue the treetender and kill the Druj]]
|-
| 20:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Icarion, Plains of the Courath || [[Minister of Historical Research]] || [[Lit_up#The_Figurehead|Kill the Grendel and claim their loot]]
|-
| 20:15 || 12 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Golden Thicket || [[Golden Sun|General of the Golden Sun]] || [[Hard_to_find#The_Earl_Reaches_Out_(The_Barrens)|Minimise the threat to the baggage train]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ayereed, The Petrified Forest, Saoirse's Fields || [[Imperial Spymaster]] || [[On_southern_sands#Hill_of_the_Golden_Dawn_(Ayereed)|Kill Maistir Varden]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 20:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Skymark, Redshal Grove || [[Keeper of the Iron Grove]] || [[#Small_Sacrifices_(Kallavesa)|Uncover what's wrong with the farmers of Redshal]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Crucible, Larroc Corral || '''Sakari Nightscale''' || [[Made_anew#Mindtrap_(Madruga)|Kill the mage-killers]]
|-
| 23:00 || 7 || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Mareave, Sinfoyard, ''The Salt Shaker'' || [[Mareave|Senator for Mareave]] || [[Lit_up#Note_from_the_Palace|Ensure the safety of the crew]]
|-
| 23:30 || TBC || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Reikos, Chalcis Mount, High Arboretum || '''Alessi of the Basilisks of the Labyrinth''', the [[High Exorcist]] || [[Figures_from_the_past_stand_tall#A_Dark_Door|Deal with the ghosts]]
|}

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Upwold]], or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

386YE Winter Solstice winds of war

2025-04-25T13:10:36Z

TomH: /* Battle opportunities */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Marchers Through the Woods.jpg|caption=''Marcher lasses, Marcher lads / Leave your homes and leave your farms / Beat your ploughshares into swords / The time has come to take up arms.''|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there has been more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==A Season of Stones==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Redoubt]]|| [[On southern sands]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]]|| [[Over western hills]]
|-
| [[The Barrens]]|| [[By northern shores]]
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[Under eastern skies]]
|-
|}
Autumn gives way to Winter, the nights lengthening and the days growing short. As the sky darkens, so does the weather. A season of rain and wind, hail and thunder, settles across the Empire from the southern sea to the northern peaks. War rarely pauses for the weather, however. From the western plains to the eastern forests, the embers of battle flare and hiss under the remorseless rain, as if the sky itself weeps for the folly of mortal folk.

There is a kind of peace on the Brass Coast for the first time in a long time. There is no fighting in [[Kahraman]], nor in [[Madruga]], nor in [[Feroz]]. There is an expectancy on the night air, a sense that this quiet time cannot last. With the ''kamkrag'' marching across Kahraman, there are few raiders and those who dare come down from the mountains are easily driven back. Imperial scouts pour into Madruga to explore the [[Where_the_river_rises#A_New_Territory|strange new land]]; for now the territory as a whole remains uncontrolled. The fearsome [[Grendel]] commander Gallum Fiersach still holds [[Feroz#Morajasse|Morajasse]], [[Glass_and_flame#Game_Information:_Mora's_Rock|still commands]] [[Feroz#Mora's_Rock|the rock]]. Shortly after the Equinox the battlements of the fortification crackle and burn with colourless fire, as Wind Lord Saoirse uses her [[Autumn magic|Sand lore]] in preparation for an Imperial assault that never comes.

Further north, the Empire's soldiers face the [[Jotun]] in battle, a three-fold strategy to hold Marcher land and cut the invaders off from their base in the forests of what was once [[Liathaven]]. A glorious and terrible war rages '''[[over western hills]]'''.

Across the [[Bay of Catazar]] from the Brass Coast, storms herald a war of a different kind. The [[Grendel]] armada retreating from Madruga seeks to take the shoreline of [[Redoubt]]. They find Imperial forces waiting for them, ready to repel boarders. The [[Children of Wrecks]] launch an attack of their own, a plague of ramshackle pirate fleets bent on looting the port of [[Quaymaster_of_the_Elosian_Docks#Elosian_Docks|Elos]]. Battle is joined '''[[on southern sands]]'''.

There is no movement in [[Bay_of_Catazar#Ayereed|Ayereed]] to the south, nor in [[Mareave]]. Even though Imperial armies have withdrawn, the gains they [[Steel and salt|made in the petrified forest]] are unchallenged for the moment. The Grendel are on the defensive, while their ships and soldiers fight to the north.

North from Redoubt along the borders with [[the Mallum]], there is fighting not only with the [[Druj]], but between Imperial citizens. The [[Gryphon's Pride]] march north out of [[Therunin]] to capture [[The_Barrens#The_Fangs|the Fangs]]. They seek to take the [[mithril]] mine held by the [[Not_to_conquer#Who_are_the_Rahvin?|Rahvin]] [[orc]] sept... a crime under Imperial law. A band of Imperial captains oppose them, and Imperial blood flows '''[[by northern shores]]'''.

Then, Therunin itself. Four Imperial armies, fighting in the [[Rivers Run Red|tainted rain]], facing the malice of the Druj and seeking to drive them back across the border. Poison at their back, hungry waters to the south, trackless wilderness to the north... and the armies of the Mallum before them. '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' they fight a desperate battle, one for which the ending perhaps has yet to be written.

===Festival of Birds (Sarvos)===
* '''The fishing village of Charoko is being threatened by creatures of the sea'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Mayor of Caricomare'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for protecting the inhabitants of Charoko'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
The fishing village of Charoko, southwest of Sarvos, is quiet and oftentimes peaceful. Its inhabitants are comfortable in their lives, happy to catch enough fish to sustain themselves and then trade the excess to the surrounding villages and towns. A warning from the village arrived in Trivento to avoid it, that there was some [[Dire Astacid|unruly beast]] that had wandered ashore and had apparently taken up in the woods nearby. There have also been rumoured sightings of roving gangs of brigands in the area, possibly serving to rile up the creature. The Mayor of Trivento has asked the Mayor of Caricomare to deal with the beast, as a favour from one "''equally important mayor to another''", and protect the village from its wrath.

It is the responsibility of the [[Mayor of Caricomare]], '''Aloysius di Sarvos''', to defeat the beast and protect the village's inhabitants. Given that this involves hunting down and disposing of a dangerous beast which threatens the inhabitants of the Empire, it is likely that the [[Imperial Huntsmarshall]], '''Maggie Potts''', will have an interest in the conjunction. If the beast is dealt with, then the Mayor of Trivento, ''Allesio van Trivento'', will provide a suitable reward to both the Mayor of Caricomare and the Imperial Huntsmarshall after the summit.

===Small Sacrifices (Kallavesa)===
* '''The farmers of Redshal are on their way to the Iron Grove'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Keeper of the Iron Grove'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for finding out whats wrong with the farmers'''
{{InnocentPeoplePresent}}
The village of Redshal is small and easily forgotten. Overshadowed by the towns and large settlements, Redshal doesn't specialise in anything; its crops are plentiful, but nothing to be in awe of; the cloth woven is nice, but is occasionally warped; and its sheep are perfectly adequate sheep. Which is why it is so concerning when the farmers of Redshal drive out the travelling peddler just a few days before the Winter Solstice.

The peddler, ''Leif Ironcoin'', manages to make it to Ishal with a warning that the farmers are on their way to Iron Grove, [[Kallavesa#Skymark|Skymark]]. ''Leif'' can't explain why the farmers have undergone such a drastic change of heart; they used to be some of his best customers. The peddler warns that something is wrong with the farmers and that hopefully the [[Keeper of the Iron Grove]], '''Wren Ironclaw''', can organise folks to uncover what is wrong with them. If the farmers are not stopped, they will likely trash the Iron Grove, halving its production of herbs for the coming season.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Redoubt]]</td><td>Save the port at Visten</td><td>''Visten Head'', Redoubt</td><td>Children of Wrecks</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[On_southern_sands#Salt_Burned_(Battle_Opportunity)|Salt Burned]]</td><td>[[:file:Salt Burned.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Therunin]]</td><td>Resolve the fate of Isaella's Dance</td><td>''Isaella's Fall'', Therunin<td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under_eastern_skies#Braided_Dreams_(Battle_Opportunity)|Braided Dreams]]</td><td>[[:file:Braided Dreams.pdf|PDF Link]] </td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Therunin]]</td><td>Resolve the fate of the Iron Helms</td><td>''Iron End'', Therunin</td><td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under_eastern_skies#Black_Miracles_(Battle_Opportunity)|Black Miracles]]</td><td>[[:file:Black Miracles.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Mournwold]]</td><td>Deal with Jarl Haakon</td><td>''Old Tam Shaffer's Farm'', Mournwold</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Over_western_hills#Not_One_More_Inch_(Battle_Opportunity)|Not One More Inch]]</td><td>[[:file:One More Inch.pdf|PDF Link]]</td></tr>
</table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 20
|-
| Dawn || 60
|-
| Highguard || 23
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 22
|-
| Marches || 34
|-
| Navarr || 60
|-
| Urizen || 13
|-
| Varushka || 17
|-
| Wintermark || 63
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''TBC''' and at most '''TBC''' force weight sent on it.

===Battle participation===
* '''The Children of Wrecks battle opportunity involves a motley mix of fighters from across the Bay of Catazar'''
If the Military Council takes the opportunity involving the Children of Wrecks, we will ask player volunteers to take on a range of roles, principally former Grendel soldiers, but also cultists from the nations of the Brass Coast, the League, Highguard, the Marches, and Urizen. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of former Grendel orcs. EMUs should monster as their orc Grendel units as normal.

In the '''Redoubt''' battle you can help by wearing any Grendel or Freeborn, League, Highborn, Marcher, or Urizen-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Grendel weaponry, particularly swords, spears and large shields. You can find out more about the iconic Grendel look [[Grendel_look_and_feel|here]] but the key element for portraying the Grendel is flowing layers and plate torso armour evocative of ancient Mediterranean cultures as their iconic look.

Any human monsters will be formed into units and led by members of the Skirmish Team.

* '''The Jotun battle opportunity involves the Jotun orcs along with limited numbers of human yegarra'''
If the Military Council takes the opportunity involving the Jotun, we will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Jotun orcs.

In the '''Mournwold''' battle you can help by wearing any Jotun, Marcher, or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]] but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun is leather and fur over maile as their iconic look. Any Marcher kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Marcher weaponry, particularly a bill, spear or other pole-arm, would contribute to the look of those fighting alongside the Jotun forces.

* '''The Druj battle opportunities involve forces composed primarily of Druj orcs'''
If the Military Council takes either opportunity involving the Druj, we will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Druj orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Druj orcs.

In the '''Therunin''' battles you can help by wearing any leather or plate armour you have, as well as any iconic Druj weaponry, particularly swords, spears and great weapons, as well as bows of all types. You can find out more about the iconic Druj look [[Druj_look_and_feel|here]] but the key element for portraying the Druj is a mantle and ragged material layers that echo natural greens, browns, greys, and black, with occasional bright accent colours as their iconic look.

We understand the difficulty of getting to an event with additional kit at the best of times, especially as it will not be possible to tell before Friday night whether the Military Council will elect to take a particular battle, but if you are able to bring such kit along it will improve your experience as well as that of the players you are fighting against.

If you are already part of an [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster unit]] that monsters as an orc warband, then please come to Battle Prep as you normally would for these battles. If you are part of an EMU but do not have your own orc mask then we will supply an orc mask for you, but cannot guarantee one. It is not possible to play a human combatant in an EMU.

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

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarvos, Bocche, Grove of Charoko || [[Mayor of Caricomare]] || [[#Festival_of_Birds_(Sarvos)|Protect the inhabitants of Charoko]]
|-
| 18:45 || 18 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, North Fens, Swollen Fens || [[Roost's Reeve]] || [[Rumblings_in_the_Gullet#Diamonds_(Bregasland)|Deal with the threat]]
|-
| 18:50 || 4 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Last Battle Wayhouse|| [[Hand of the Healers]] || [[Hard_to_find#Run_For_Your_Lives_%28The_Barrens%29|Give succour to the survivors of Therunin]]
|-
| 19:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Feroz, Oranseri, Rahab's Orchard || [[Strategos|Strategos of the Brass Coast]] || [[Send_for_me#Butcher's_Yard_(Feroz)|Protect the Celesti Lighthouse]]
|-
| 19:05 || 10 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Sermersuaq, Stark, Wreck of ''the Screaming Mammoth'' || [[Claviger of the Basilica of Cora Holdfast|Cora's Claviger]] || [[Rumblings_in_the_Gullet#To_Be_Alone_(Sermersuaq)|Help the injured]]
|-
| 19:15 || 18 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Forlorn Bogs || '''Kjellen Saltmire''' || [[Rumblings_in_the_Gullet#Stars_(Kallavesa)|Deal with the threat]]
|-
| 19:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Ventosi, Oathspawned Copse || '''Halkyon of the Myriad Stream''' || [[On_southern_sands#An_Oath_(Redoubt)|Kill the wreckers and recover their loot]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 20:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Volodmartz, Brez, Woods of the Quiet Road|| [[Gift of the Dwindling Star|Custodian of the Gift of the Dwindling Star]] || [[About_today#To_Be_Alone_(Miekarova)|Find and help the ''Chosen of Samkǒma'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Alderly, The Walters' Clearing || '''Bryce the Hare''' || [[Over_western_hills#Plow_Breaks_the_Earth_(Mournwold)|Rescue the herbalist and stop the Yegarra]]
|-
| 21:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, East Floes, Crow's Rest || [[Mediator of Wreck]] || [[About_today#To_Be_Alone_(Miekarova)|Soothe the Thule of Volham]]
|-
| 21:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Big Boar's Sty || '''Determination of Ice Kaisa''' || [[Over_western_hills#Crown_of_Swords_(Mournwold)|Answer the challenge of ''Halbera Strongarm'']]
|-
| 21:50 || 7 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Arbonne, Ruenda, ''The Singing Riqueza'' || [[Golden Fleet Salvagemaster]] || [[Bitter_and_absolute#A_Broken_Crown_(Arbonne)|Resolve the ship's issues]]
|-
| 00:05 || 98 || TBC mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Blackwood Copse || Those who defended the Rahvin || [[Start_a_war#Meeting_in_the_Dark|Meet with the Rahvin]]
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>

{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Dark Ranging, Broken Stand || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Into_the_Woods_(Brocéliande)|Recover the chests]]
|-
| 15:00 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hercynia, Deer's Folly, Shattered Pines || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Insects_(Hercynia)|Stop the horde]]
|-
| 16:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Crimson Boscage|| [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Under_eastern_skies#Unseen_Eyes_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Kill the Druj]]
|-
| 16:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Cinion, Valley of Loss || [[Spiral|Senator for Spiral]] || [[Obsidian_shards#Bowl_of_Winds|Protect the Block]]
|-
| 17:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Salt Flats of Sanath, Beladrarsh, The Drained Woods || '''Lady Laudine du Lac''' || [[Under_eastern_skies#Pitfalls_and_Tripwires_(Salt_Flats_of_Sanath)|Kill the Druj and claim their goods]]
|-
| 17:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Screed, Marco's Pass || [[Oblivion Sentinel ]]|| [[Obsidian_shards#Blades|Stop the Spire of Black Glass]]
|-
| 17:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, East Ashes, Splintering Jetty || '''Neala Blackhawk''' || [[Under_eastern_skies#Promises_to_Keep_(Therunin)|Rescue the treetender and kill the Druj]]
|-
| 20:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Icarion, Plains of the Courath || [[Minister of Historical Research]] || [[Lit_up#The_Figurehead|Kill the Grendel and claim their loot]]
|-
| 20:15 || 12 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Golden Thicket || [[Golden Sun|General of the Golden Sun]] || [[Hard_to_find#The_Earl_Reaches_Out_(The_Barrens)|Minimise the threat to the baggage train]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ayereed, The Petrified Forest, Saoirse's Fields || [[Imperial Spymaster]] || [[On_southern_sands#Hill_of_the_Golden_Dawn_(Ayereed)|Kill Maistir Varden]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 20:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Skymark, Redshal Grove || [[Keeper of the Iron Grove]] || [[#Small_Sacrifices_(Kallavesa)|Uncover what's wrong with the farmers of Redshal]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Crucible, Larroc Corral || '''Sakari Nightscale''' || [[Made_anew#Mindtrap_(Madruga)|Kill the mage-killers]]
|-
| 23:00 || 7 || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Mareave, Sinfoyard, ''The Salt Shaker'' || [[Mareave|Senator for Mareave]] || [[Lit_up#Note_from_the_Palace|Ensure the safety of the crew]]
|-
| 23:30 || TBC || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Reikos, Chalcis Mount, High Arboretum || '''Alessi of the Basilisks of the Labyrinth''', the [[High Exorcist]] || [[Figures_from_the_past_stand_tall#A_Dark_Door|Deal with the ghosts]]
|}

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Upwold]], or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

Weapon checking

2025-04-25T11:36:56Z

TomH: /* Bows and Crossbows */

==Overview==
All weapons, bows, arrows, shields and armour, must be checked by a member of the Profound Decisions weapon checking team before they are used at our events. They check every item to ensure that the design, construction and condition of it is suitable for use at our events. If they are not satisfied that an item is safe for use then you must secure the item in the OOC area and may not use it at the event. The team use the following guidelines when checking weapons.

Not all weapons that are sold online are suitable for use at Empire LRP events - even if they are sold for LRP. It is always advisable to buy your weapons from a trader on site where possible - to ensure the least possible chance of disappointment.

==Traders==
*'''You must get any item you buy at the event checked before you use it.
Items on sale at all Profound Decisions events have '''not''' been checked by a weapon checker. Please take any item that you purchase to a weapon checker and have it checked.

==All weapons==
Weapons designed for live roleplaying are commonly constructed from a solid core that is surrounded in high-density foam and then covered with latex. Weapons must meet the following guidelines:
*'''The rigidity of the foam must protect the core and must not have degraded and become too soft'''
*'''The layers of foam must be securely bonded to each other and not be delaminating'''
*'''The right kind of foam must be used. High-density foam is the basic material and low-density foam must be used appropriately in collapsible tip weapons or in large hammerheads. This stops weapons being too heavy and having too much momentum'''
*'''The whole length of the core must be held securely in place and must not be moving freely inside the weapon'''
*'''The tip reinforcement must not be protruding through the surface of the foam'''
*'''The core of the weapon must be made of an appropriate material such as fibreglass or carbon fibre - not of aluminium, wood or bamboo'''
*'''There must not be any protruding hard or sharp objects such as gems or studs'''
*'''There must be sufficient padding on the tip, guard, pommel and haft'''
*'''The handle must be securely attached to the rest of the weapon and must not be loose'''
*'''The choice of former must be appropriate to the length of the weapon and must not be too heavy and rigid (especially for thrown weapons) or too light making the weapon ‘whippy’ (long weapons)'''

==Bows and Crossbows==
These are bows and crossbows designed to fire a LRP safe arrow or bolt. There is no bow competency testing at Profound Decisions events. We require any player using a bow to adhere to the same standards of safety and control as players using melee weapons.
*'''The string must be in good condition and must not be fraying'''
*'''The body of the bow or crossbow, whether wood or fibreglass, must not show signs of cracking'''
*'''The string notches must not be worn and must be able to hold the string firmly'''
*'''The draw of a bow must be less than 30 lbs at 28” draw. Crossbows are also limited to 30lbs draw weight'''

==Arrows & Bolts==
As well as checking before the start of the event, we recommend that you check these before and after each combat, as they may have become damaged.

===Arrow Shaft===
*'''The shaft must be made of fibreglass or wood. Carbon fibre, aluminium and dowel are not allowed'''
*'''The shaft must not be cracked or damaged'''
*'''Flights must be adequate to keep the arrow stable in flight and must be properly attached to the shaft'''
*'''The shaft must have a proper nock which is securely attached'''
*'''Arrows must have a maximum draw position of 28” clearly marked if the possible draw length is greater than 28”'''
{{CaptionedImage|file=Arrow2.png|width=500|align=right|caption=Acceptable Arrow Head Design}}
===Arrowhead===
*'''The arrowhead must be securely attached and not move on the shaft'''
*'''The arrowhead must be at least 50mm across and have a circular cross-section'''
*'''The soft foam portion of the arrowhead must open cell foam (often called furniture or upholstery foam), be at least 25mm at the thickest point and must collapse fully under firm pressure (so there must be no latex within 5-10 mm of the face)'''
*'''The arrowhead must have some kind of blocker between the shaft and the foam of the arrowhead to stop the shaft pushing through'''
*'''Domed arrowheads are allowed as long as the width of the widest part of the soft foam dome, and the foam behind it are of the appropriate thickness'''

Empire arrowheads must be made using a three part construction, with a robust blocker between the shaft and the foam of the arrowhead, follow by dense solid foam and then a final layer of softer foam which must be at least 25mm at the thickest point. This foam must be soft enough to collapse under pressure, but firm that it provides some resistance to pressure. This means it must be open cell foam (often called furniture or upholstery foam) - anything less dense/softer risks being failed by our weapon checkers.
{{CaptionedImage|file=IDV.jpg|height=200|align=right|caption=IDV tear-drop arrows are not allowed}}

===Not Acceptable===
* '''IDV tear-drop arrows are not usable at our events'''
* '''Archery Tag screw-on arrowheads are not usable at our events'''

IDV tear-drop arrows and archery tag screw-on arrowheads are not acceptable at any Profound Decisions events.

==Shields==
Please take care when using shields in melee combat. You must not use the shield as a weapon.
For events currently you will able to use shields with a rigid former at Empire. We will be monitoring rigid shields on an ongoing basis and it is possible that they may be removed as an option in future years.
Therefore if you are making or buying new shields we strongly recommend you use a foam and latex shield.
*'''A rigid former may currently be used during Empire events, but shields should preferably be of full-foam construction'''
*'''If you use a rigid former then there must be at least 6mm of high-density foam on the face and no protruding bolts'''
*'''The rim must be padded all round. Note that pipe lagging will quickly degrade will likely be insufficient after a relatively short time'''
*'''Handles must be securely fixed so that they do not cause the shield to “flap” from the arm/ hand'''
*'''Wing nuts must not be used to secure straps and any protruding bolts must be cut short'''

==Armour==
Your armour must also be checked.

* '''The armour should not have any sharp burrs or edges or any sharp protrusions'''
* '''Mail should not include unclosed links that allow sharp edges to be felt'''
* '''The armour should not have any loose studs or rivets'''
* '''The armour must not have any solid steel tower studs'''

The armour must have no sharp edges that could damage other player's weapons. The edges do not have to be rolled, but if they are not then they do have to be filed smooth.

==Thrust safe polearms==
You may only thrust with a weapon that has been passed as ‘thrust-safe’ by a Profound Decisions weapons checker at that event.'''
*'''Construction must combine a low-density foam tip with a high-density spear head'''
*'''Specific construction guidelines will be forthcoming'''

==Props==
Battle props are items that are present in combat, but are not used as weapons. As they do not conform to the regulations that govern weapons and shields they must not be used for offence or active defence. As they are likely to be present in combat they must not have any extremely sharp protrusions. Otherwise they must be removed from the combat preferably in an out of the way area.

All weapons and implements taken onto a battlefield must have been passed by a weapon checker. You cannot use a wooden staff as a mage staff, or a wooden stick as a wand on a battlefield, even if you do not intend to hit anyone with it.

==Banned items==
The following items cannot be used at Empire events, either for reasons of safety or because they are unsuitable for the campaign. The traders are permitted to sell these items but only on the condition that they are collected at the end of the event. You must not carry these items on site in an IC area.
*'''Real weapons, including bayonets, re-enactment weapons and any sort of non-replica firearm'''
*'''Modern or futuristic items such as chainswords or power armour as well as novelty items such as inflatable hammers and bananas, rubber or plastic combat knives, nerf guns etc.'''
*'''No fireworks or pyrotechnics of any sort may be brought onto the site without the prior permission of Profound Decisions'''
*'''Injection-moulded weapons will be treated on a case-by- case basis, as although they tend to soften up with use, some may be too heavy or too hard'''
{{Safety Links}}

Over western hills

2025-04-21T08:48:28Z

TomH: /* Not One More Inch (Battle Opportunity) */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:386YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=On western hills.jpg|caption=The Marchers fight to defend the Mournwold against the return of the Jotun.|align=right|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/DOltN7mko9I}}
==Set It In Stone==
{{PDFLink|align=right|link=File:Over western hills.pdf|caption=Click for pdf version}}
Before the Autumn Equinox, the Empire fought desperately to hold the Mournwold. The [[Tusks]] were at the forefront, leading an alliance of [[Wintermark]] and [[Navarr]] armies. They were [[The wild wind rises|pushed back]], and the Mourn fell to the western orcs. Now the Jotun have dominion over the 'wold, controlling the rich regions of [[Mournwold#Greensward|Greensward]], [[Mournwold#Ore Hills|Ore Hills]], [[Mournwold#Chalkdowns|Chalkdowns]], and [[Mournwold#Southmoor|Southmoor]]. For thirty years Jarl Haakon ruled here, as representative of King Gudmundr and the southern Jotun. Now his banners fly once again over the [[market town]] of Sarcombe.

They have taken four regions, the south and the east, but the Jotun are not done. Barely resting to regroup, their assault continues. They are absolutely uncompromising; ten armies push the Empire on every front, seeking nothing less than to see the entire Mournwold under their control. Tens of thousands of Jotun united in an [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|overwhelming assault]]. By their side fight nearly ten thousand warriors [[Knights of Glory|drawn from the Summer Realm]], from the [[Eleonaris|Fields of Glory]], revelling in the fray and exulting in each clash of sword and shield. They seem almost to want to drive the Empire from the Mourn by force of will as much as by strength of arms. “''We are here'',” they seem to say. “''And we plan to stay''.”
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Stanley Of Chalkdown, General of the Tusks"><small>Jacks of the Tusks! The ground shakes with the tread of 60 thousand boots, yet is still between our braced feet. We stand stalwart with the Granite Pillar in our disciplined defence of our land, our hearts filled with the loyalty shown by the Imperial host that even now sweeps into Southmoor and traps the Jotun onto our bills. Jarl Hakkon claims dominion over our fields and hills, yet here we stand defiant! Twice he has failed and thrice he shall fail again! The peerless kinship of the Empire will be the blow that breaks the Jotun!</small></quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Sychar, General of the Granite Pillar"><small>Granite Pillar! The mourn calls for aid, and we shall answer. For generations, the Marchers have laboured with loyalty, feeding the Empire. Now we repay that debt with the steel of our virtue in a strategic defence. Let the words of our synod and the swords of our armies ring with one voice. As written in statement 117, the synod marches with us in spirit, let us be united! We march not just to reclaim land, but to defend the soul of the Empire. With courage and vigilance, we shall be an unconquerable fortress. Let us bring the warmth and light of the way to those who shiver in darkness. To the Jotun, I say: Jarl Haakon! The Mournwold is the Empire's and we will never forsake it. Yet the Jotun are a people of honour meet us openly on the field of battle with Courage and Pride as true warriors should. This war will end in our victory for we fight for the salvation of souls. we are inevitable. Crusade! Crusade!</small></quote></div>
Yet the Marchers – human and orc alike – do not quickly bow their heads to tyrants. They remember those long years of durance, of backbreaking labour, of the contemptuous ''noblesse oblige'' of their Jotun conquerors. They resist, and grimly pay the price for their rebellion. The miners of Ore Hills and Freemoor in particular continue to fight against the invaders, even though the orcs technically command the rich hills of central Mournwold [[The_wild_wind_rises#Objective:_Rescue_the_Miners|Thanks in part to Imperial heroes]] their rebellion spreads, continuing to vex the barbarians at every turn.

The Jotun armies of Kallsea and Narkyst seem united in their goal, but there are cracks in their wall of fire and steel provided one knows where to look. When Imperial heroes came to the aid of the Ore Hills miners, they also defeated three respected [[The_wild_wind_rises#Objective:_Defeat_the_Summerborn_Champions|Summerborn champions]] - Hrafnir Yrelson of the Fell Hammers, Froda Ulfsune of the Mandowlas Roar, and doughty Dagna Thundrasdottir of the Shield of the Mountain. This display of the Empire's strength has shaken the certainty of the Jotun a little, challenged the resolve of those that fought beneath their banners. Some of the warriors from those three armies seem more interested in proving themselves against Imperial troops at the cost of their overall strategy to conquer the Mournwold,

The knights of Eleonaris, the warriors of the Fields of Glory, fight on both sides in this conflict. There may be as many as twenty ''thousand'' heralds and [[Inhabitants of the realms#Drudges|soldiers]] of Summer in the Mournwold this season. Some have the aspect of humans, others of orcs, but the majority are clearly supernatural beings from another world - elfin knights in scarlet plate or crimson chain, fey goblinfolk with bandy legs and goldenwood spears, leonine beasts whose melodious voices sing hymns of battle and glory, and swift scouts mounted on black stags with spreading antlers. They show the same eagerness when fighting alongside the Empire against the Jotun as they do when fighting against Imperial troops alongside the barbarians. They show no sign of remorse when they cut their kinsfolk down, and everywhere they exult in the splendour and the chaos. Some worry that the presence of so many knights is having an adverse effect on the soldiers that fight here, on both sides, encouraging them to take foolish risks in the hope of inspiring songs and stories about their grandeur.

The Mandowla's Roar in particular throw themselves into the fray in [[Army_qualities#Glorious|pursuit of glory]], perhaps seeking to reassure the warriors of Eleonaris that fight at their side that they are still worthy of her favour despite the defeat of Froda Ulfsune. They are perhaps too quick to engage, too slow to retreat when they are outmatched, and they pay a price in blood for their boastful pride.

In the main, though, all the Jotun armies seem dedicated to crushing the Imperial defences, presenting an irresistible wave that sweeps into [[Mournwold#Freemoor|Freemoor]], and lays siege to [[Mournwold#Landskeeper's Bulwark|Landskeeper's Bulwark]]. Against this tide of blades, this storm of fury, the defenders of the Mourn are hard pressed to stand their ground. The [[Quiet Step]], [[Bloodcloaks]], and the [[Green Shield]] fall back, an orderly retreat eastward to resupply and regroup. The [[Tusks]] remain, however, and for a long three days they hold Landskeeper's Bulwark against the invaders by themselves, until the [[Granite Pillar]] arrive from [[Casinea]] to bolster their defences.

While the other hard-pressed armies that stood against Jotun conquest may have retreated, the Empire has not given up on the Mournwold. The Granite Pillar work alongside the Tusks to organise the defences, strengthening the garrison of Landskeeper's Bulwark and establishing a strong centre for Imperial resistance. Together the [[Army qualities#Discipline|disciplined]] Highborn and Marcher soldiers gather intelligence, studying the aggressive Jotun strategy for every chink and crack that their allies can exploit. They form a firm foundation for the fight in the Mournwold, refusing to cede any more of Freemoor, and forcing the Jotun to lay siege to Landskeeper's Bulwark if they wish to claim the region.

That combined foundation of defence and intelligence proves invaluable in the face of the Jotun tide. In the hills of Freemoor, the numerical advantage of the Jotun is blunted a little – there are only so many warriors that can attack Imperial defences at one time.

The Tusks' stubborn refusal to quit the Mourn helps fan the flames of rebellion, with people inspired by the example they set for the people of the 'Wold. If the people respected the Tusks, and their general, before now many of them nurture a fierce love for those who fight under the boar-head banner. ''“They are the army of the Mourn,”'' people say. ''“Let nobody doubt it.”''
==The King's Kind Offer==
The forces in Freemoor are brave, there is no doubt. But they cannot stand against the Jotun. They are outnumbered, and it is clear that they are going to be overwhelmed. Landskeeper's Bulwark will fall, the armies will be forced back into Miaren or Tassato. The battlefields will be scattered with Imperial dead, and there will be nothing to show for it save a slowing of the Jotun advance. Yet they still fight, still hang on, still grasp for every advantage they can. Their enemy cannot help but respect them for it, even as they press them back step by step through the hills of Freemoor, even as a third of the Jotun forces turn their attention to the conquest of [[Mournwold#Alderly|Alderly]] and [[Mournwold#Green March|Green March]]. History will remember this brave stand, and the terrible price the Empire paid to slow the Jotun.

One cold morning a month after the Autumn equinox, King Gudmundr, Jarl of Jarls, leader of the southern Jotun, sends a messenger under flag of truce to Landskeeper's Bulwark offering to discuss terms of surrender. The Imperial armies will be free to retreat, given a day to collect their dead and wounded and gather their forces for a retreat from the Mournwold. Unspoken, behind the words, is the Jotun assurance that if they do not accept this offer they will be utterly crushed. Landskeeper's Bulwark will be destroyed, and the outcome will be the same – save that thousands of Imperial soldiers will die who could otherwise have lived to fight another day.

The defenders of Freemoor ask for time to discuss the offer, and they are given a day. The Fist of Ulven, the Skjaldirborn, the Howling Night, and the Mandowla's Roar make camp in the hills below the fortress to await the Empire's response.
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Storms and Hammers.jpg|caption=The Imperial Orcs fight shoulder-to-shoulder with the Marchers once again.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
==The Other Shoe==
A keen-eyed [[beater]] on the walls of Landskeeper's Bulwark marks the arrival of a messenger at the King's camp, sees the chaos that erupts in their wake. Watches as the Howling Night break camp, near five thousand orcs and their fey allies marching south even as the sun is falling into the west. The news spreads quickly through the defenders of the keep, and a sense of grim satisfaction follows in its wake.

A second Imperial force has entered Mournwold, passing swiftly through western forest of [[Mournwold#Alderly|Alderly]], and attacked the Jotun in [[Mournwold#Southmoor|Southmoor]], laying siege to the town of [[Mournwold#Sarcombe|Sarcombe]], and threatening to cut the vital supply lines out of [[Liathaven]].

The [[Bounders]] and the [[Drakes]], with the [[Imperial Orcs]] of the [[Summer Storm]] and [[Autumn Hammers]] at their side, cut through the light woods on the borders with [[Mournwold#Green March|Green March]] and into the north-west hills of Southmoor. The [[Strong Reeds]] remain behind in [[Bregasland]] – maintaining their vigil over the orcs at [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Graven Rock]] and their Summer allies, ensuring that they cannot turn their attention to the Imperial forces moving into the Mournwold for fear of losing their ill-gotten fortress and control of [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Gravenmarch]]

The Marches and the Imperial Orcs have fought together in the southern Marches many times, and they make good time through Alderly. They find the orcs somewhat unprepared for an attack through the woods. The barbarians are expecting an attack from Kahraman, or Tassato, rather than Bregasland and Mitwold. Yet the western barbarians are born to war, and they respond quickly to this new threat. They adapt to the change of circumstance, rallying around to fight the newcomers bent on a daring strike at the root of the Jotun presence in the Mourn.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Mary Birchsmith, General of the Bounders"><small>Marchers, we steadily Advance into Southmoor area of the Mourn against the Jotun. We fight with Loyalty to our nation and our Empire. Our Imperial friends stand with us, we are not alone, we will work together, we will regain our land, together.</small></quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Tancred of Meade, General of the Drakes"><small>Drakes, you smashed the ships that come up the river Meade but the Marches still bleed. I know that you are tired but until Marcher land is safe, we cannot sleep. You've proven your loyalty to Mitwold, now, show the rest of the nation how loyal you are to them. Tancred will lead us to another victory into the Mourn, where we will crush the Jotun and give the Mournwolders back their land.</small></quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds"><small>Folks heroes of the Reeds! With Loyalty in our hearts we answered the call of our folk. Our actions have Inspired Loyalty in the hearts and souls of the marcher armies and for the first time ever our neighbours are bound together, oathbound in the defence of our land. But before we rise to the aid of our neighbours. We must lay low and root out in our own fields. So to ground Reeds! To ground in Loyalty! To ground and haunt their steps!</small></quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Irontide Skorr, General of the Summer Storm"><small>Legionnaires of the Summer Storm. We have been called to aid in the Mournwold. With the clarity of the Day Realm, we go on a Steady conquest to fight the Jotun once again. Be vigilant and Wise. Be Courageous and Loyal. Watch out for each other.</small></quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Vana, General of the Autumn Hammers"><small>Autumn Hammers, we march to Mournwold through Mitwold and avoid Graven Rock where the Jotun walls are high. Our eyes turn to the Jotun armies and the land they have taken in the Mourn. Form up and push the Jotun back in Steady Conquest. Reinforce the shields. Force them Back.</small></quote></div>
The Imperial armies pushing down through Alderly move steadily, cautiously, but with an unstoppable momentum. They are ready to give ground in one place to gain advantage in another; above all they [[Army_orders#Steady_Conquest|fight to preserve life]]. The Jotun may welcome a glorious death in battle, but Imperial soldiers do not have that luxury.

==Straight to the Heart==
The armies skirt the heart of Alderly - while the [[feni]] may [[382YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_war#The_Rattle_of_the_Bones|be gone]], the Marchers know better than to push their luck in the deeper forest - and push down into Southmoor. Their aim is Sarcombe; control the town and control of the region and even the territory follows swiftly after. They find the Jotun waiting for them; both the Lion of the North and the Shield of the North, under the command of Queen Yrsa Jansdottir, Jarl of Jarls, Monarch of Kalsea. The Queen is a clever strategist; keenly aware that she needs to meet the Imperial advance and turn it back into Greendown and Alderly, she leads her warriors in an all-out attack against the intruders.

War erupts across the hills of northern Southmoor; at first the Empire has the advantage but once news of their presence spreads the Queen's forces are reinforced by warbands and generals moving to protect the supply lines. The campaign balances on a knife edge, neither side able to claim a decisive victory. It may be that the two forces will fight each other to a standstill, neither able to gain the advantage.

While the Howling Night marches to reinforce Southmoor, the focus of King Gudmundr remains in the north, focused on Freemoor and the fortress there. Other Jotun armies seem more interested in pressing the rebels of the Mournwold, scouring Ore Hills and Chalkdowns to try and stamp out the guerrilla fighters who resist Jotun domination.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Zadok, General of the Valiant Pegasus"><small>From Feroz we march north to Southmoor in the Mournwold. We seek to liberate Southmoor from Jotun Domination, but you will not fight alone. The whole of Highguard marches with you. You will see the Granite Pillar marching in from Casinea, shining in the sun, and the Seventh Wave sped by great ritual magics from the distant front of Ayereed will join us in a unified highborn crusade against the tyrant Jotun! The Synod marches with us in Spirit: Judgement 117 calls for a united crusade of loyalty to aid the people of the Mourn. The people of the Mourn, Human and Orc, have laboured and toiled alone for too long. They are part of this Empire and our bond of Loyalty should be forged in the Iron of the Ore Hills. Bring the healing arts of the Valiant Pegasus, both body and spirit, to these worthy souls and trust they will respond in kind. Foster the bonds of loyalty wherever you go. "Let us bring the warmth and light of the Way to those who Shiver in Darkness" - Judgement 117</small></quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Melkior of Balthazar’s Vineyard, General of the Seventh Wave"><small>March now with the winds of Autumn at your back. March to the Mourn and attack into Southmoor with a Triumvirate of Highborn armies in a crusade of Loyalty through unity. Let us be united with the people of the Mourn and warm their hearths with virtues caring light. Show them that the Empire's arrival need not herald the death of family and friends, but the healing and anointing of a fractured Empire. Let us bring the warmth and light of the way to those who shiver in darkness. Follow statement 117 of the synod and let our words and swords speak with one voice. Crusade! Crusade and bring judgement to the mourn! Scouts of the Wave, endeavour to approach the Jotun command with a flag of parlay and present them with our poetic statement of intent: "Saga's Birth through virtues dawning light; Warming hearts and hearths, Fuelled through the dawning light of virtue. Birthing Sagas."</small></quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Determination of Ice Kaisa, General of the Narwhal's Spear"><small>Spears, the Mourn needs aid! Let us be a swift strike in the Jotun's advance. Icewalkers find our path through the enemy, mediators learn of your foe. Take forth the story of your General to tell as you find respite; how Determination of Ice defeated one of Cathan Canae's Jotun champions and forged a bond of Heroism and honour. Let them know we have come to fight and add to our heroic tale. Jarl Haakon, we are coming!</small></quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Dame Aurum De Castellan, General of the Eastern Sky"><small>Eastern Sky, I too long to return to the East to defend our homes, but our cousins in the Marchers need our aid. So with Loyalty in our hearts let us give the Jotun the flame of Virtue and wage a glorious battle that will be sung of long after we are gone.</small></quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Jean d'Apulian, General of the Wolves of War"><small>The Morn is Imperial, this Empire will reclaim it. I Invite Janon's Heralds to witness professionals at work. Captains let the chains that binds and the promised pay see you join us. Take to the streets of Sarcombe, clear our these "honourable" tyrants. Nothing Fancy, let's get to work.</small></quote></div>
Then another Imperial force crosses the borders of the Mournwold. Coming up into Southmoor from [[the Brass Coast]] are the [[Valiant Pegasus]], the [[Narwhal's Spear]], the [[Eastern Sky]], and the [[Wolves of War]]. The League army is heavily supported by [[military unit|independent captains]], [[Bound by Common Cause|united despite their differences]] by [[Autumn magic]], as well as a cadre of crimson-skinned battle dancers shrouded in black leather and crimson silk who bring the fiery passions of the [[Janon|Shadowed Flame]] to any who will fight alongside them.

They are joined at the last moment by the [[Seventh Wave]]. The third Highborn army has crossed the entire Empire to join the battle in the Mournwold, thanks to a [[Find the Best Path|powerful Autumn enchantment]]. They should be exhausted from their [[Army qualities#Fast|forced march]], but Loyalty and Courage give them the strength to fight despite their long march.

As the armies secure the southern border and strike north toward Sarcombe, the [[Suaq]] of the Narwhal's Spear launch foray after foray against their foes, striking deep into the hills and crossing the Greensward to harry the Jotun forces seeking to reinforce the Queen's position at Sarcombe. They also seek to learn as much about their foes as they can. With the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|supernatural clarity]] of the [[Realm#Day Realm|Day realm]] at their command, the [[Icewalker|Icewalkers]] and [[mediator|mediators]] of [[Wintermark]] work closely with the other Imperial armies, forming a vital liaison between the defenders at Landskeeper's Bulwark, and the Marcher and Imperial Orc armies coming down from the north, as well as spreading their network of eyes and spears across the front where they can do most good.

These new arrivals are enough to put a thumb on the balance, to turn the tide, and the Jotun know it. The King pulls his forces away from Landskeeper's Bulwark, marching south, but the hills are in the way and time is against him.
==Two Fronts==
The first major confrontation of the war takes place at the Miller's Crossing, a village in Southmoor on the edge of Alderly. Queen Yrsa's troops suffer a crushing defeat, forced to retreat and then retreat again. From that point the Jotun cede more and more ground as they fall back toward Sarcombe.

On the other border, the Jotun fight bitterly to prevent the southern Imperial strikeforce from establishing a beach head here. The Winterfolk, Highborn, League, and Dawnish forces are at a disadvantage, but their courage and commitment to victory means that they, too, force the Jotun forces back toward Sarcombe.

By the end of the second month, the fighting has reached as far as the market town, and the Jotun prepare to stand their ground. A great encampment spills out around the walls, as the Jotun armies prepare to defend their hold over Sarcombe whatever it takes.

The walls of the market town have been reinforced by Jotun engineers, clearly intending to transform them into a full-scale [[fortification]], but the work is far from finished. It is clear, though, that the Jotun hold on the town and the surrounding hills is iron-strong and will prove difficult to break before the Winter Solstice – and the worsening weather – force a lull in the hostilities.

The barbarians have not counted on the bravery of the Mournfolk, however.
==Battle of the Oakleaves==
One cold morning a group of folk the Jotun think of as thralls – humans and orcs working together – throw open the gates and let the Tusks and the Bounders into Sarcombe. The rebels aid the attack wherever they can, sowing confusion in the Jotun ranks by setting fires, attacking sentries, and raising a great hue and cry that echoes across the town. The resistance don leaves taken from the Old Oak, turned gold and copper by the Autumn. Some fight, with weapons they have hidden from the Jotun or supplied by the miners of Ore Hills. Others offer less martial support – healing, provisions, knowledge of the town. Even those who cannot fight join in, beating pots and pans giving voice to a powerful [[The_Marches_culture_and_customs#Rough_Music|rough music]] aimed at the Jotun. The orcs are taken aback, clearly believing they had broken the spirits of the thralls in Southmoor.

The fighting spreads through Sarcombe, spilling out into the neighbouring hills. By late afternoon the barbarians are again pushed back, abandoning the market town, regrouping near the ruins of the old fort of Hillstop above the town. As evening draws on, they retreat conceding Sarcombe to the Empire.

Control of the market town has become something of a symbol of power in the Mournwold, and neither side wishes to see it in ruins. Yet the best of intentions do little to shield a place when war comes to it. In the aftermath of the Battle of the Oakleaves, the Sarcombe Register, the Bounder's Hall, the metal market, the ancient tree that stands at the heart of the market town, all are marked by the fighting. They bear their new scars with pride.

There are too many dead – Imperial soldiers, Jotun warriors, and citizens of Southmoor lie scattered in the streets. The fury of the day gives way to sorrow, as the dead are mourned, the butcher's bill tallied. There is little time to weep, however. The war continues and even though they have lost Sarcombe, the Jotun show no sign that they consider themselves beaten.

==A Slow Walk To Morning==
After Sarcombe, the Empire has the upper hand in the Mournwold, but only just. As news spreads across the territory that the town has been liberated, it further strengthens the spirit of the Marchers. More of them turn out to support the rebels fighting in Ore Hills and Chalkdowns. Many wear oak leaves, in memory of the brave rebels of Southmoor. The Narwhal's Spear is able to make contact with several of these groups and offer a little support in their endeavours. The chaos spreads across the Mournwold.

The Jotun continue to fight, and twice the tide of war washes back toward the town, leaving the walls breached and battered. In the north, the Fell Hammers and the Mandowla's Roar make a spirited attempt to storm the walls at Landskeeper's Bulwark, but are turned back. The Night Howlers and the Southern Bear make a desperate strike into the woods of Alderly to try and sever the Imperial supply lines, but the Narwhal's Spear lead their forces astray in the dark woods, and the Drakes launch a counterattack that sees the Jotun eventually abandon their plan to press into the forest. The Jotun continue to press, but they fail to reclaim their momentum.

In the end, battered on two fronts, slowly losing their grip on the people of the Mourn, King Gudmundr and Queen Yrsa meet in the hills south-west of Sarcombe. The following day the Jotun armies start to pull back from the Mournwold, retreating west into Liathaven. This is no rout, but clearly a carefully considered strategy. Rather than risk being cut off in Mournwold by the loss of the supply lines passing through Southmoor, the armies draw back. There are still plenty of Jotun fighting the defence. The rearguard Mandowla's Roar in particular seem loath to quit the field while there are still Imperials to fight, and the warbands of the Jotun champions quickly turn to swell their ranks as they seek glory in battle against their Imperial peers. Yet in the end, even the Mandowla's Roar will not disobey the orders of the Jarl of Jarls and they quit Mournwold, defeated.

Not ''everyone'' follows the commands of the King and the Queen, however. Jarl Haakon refuses to leave the Mourn again. Once he ruled here, and it is clear that he has no intention of retreating despite the Imperial forces ranged against him. Nobody knows where the story starts – perhaps a Bounder overheard it, perhaps a thrall brought it with them into liberation – but the tale of Jarl Haakon's refusal quickly spreads in the Mourn. The old warrior faced the King and the Queen and simply refused to leave. “Here I stay,” they say he said. Queen Yrsa frowned, but King Gudmundr embraced his kinsman, and prayed that the faðir would watch over him while he kept the hearth fires burning in the Mournwold.

Then Haakon and his household withdrew from Southmoor to the stronghold at Farstrider's Watch in the Greensward, to prepare to hold the remaining Jotun lands in the Mournwold against the Empire. Many of the Jotun champions went with him, while the Jotun armies began their march out of the Mourn and into the western woods.

Imperial forces pressed close on their heels, harrying them as they went, and tearing out the last vestige of Jotun control of Southmoor. As the Winter Solstice dawns, an uneasy peace settles over the Mourn – for the moment at least. With the conquest of Southmoor, the Empire one again controls the territory but their hold is precarious. By threatening the Jotun supply lines, they left them with a choice between being surrounded in central Mournwold or retreating to reconsider their strategy. They chose the latter, but there is no indication they have abandoned their ambition to reclaim the Mourn.

Between the Imperial forces in Freemoor, and those assailing Southmoor, six thousand soldiers have fallen in battle along with an unknown number of resistance fighters. The Jotun have clearly paid a higher price, their strategy of overwhelming force and reticence to give ground leaving many dead or isolated in the dangerous hills.

While the armies have quit the field to regroup, the Jotun have not fully abandoned the Mourn. Farstrider's Watch serves as the new hall of Jarl Haakon and his allies. They will fight to keep the remaining regions of the Mournwold from the Empire, and they are supported by an unknown number of champions. Outnumbered and outclassed, they will surely need to be dealt with before the rest of the Jotun forces return to reclaim the liberated territory.

For now though, the Mournwold is Imperial again, even if the war is still far from over.
==Game Information==
===Mournwold===
* '''The Empire has conquered Southmoor, and with it gained control of the territory'''
* '''Jotun armies have retreated into Liathaven but there is still significant barbarian presence in the territory'''
* '''Jarl Haakon refuses to leave the Mourn and has raised his banners over Farstrider's Watch on the Greensward'''
The Empire has driven the Jotun out of Southmoor, and conquered the region. Mournwold is once again an Imperial territory – albeit in a precarious position. The [[Imperial Senate]] will be able to [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Assignment|assign]] the territory during the Winter Solstice. As with the recent assignment of [[Feroz]], the Civil Service will raise the matter as a procedural motion on Saturday afternoon. If the territory is assigned a new [[Senator]] will be appointed during the Spring Equinox. While it is likely the Mournwold will be assigned to the Marches, there is no legal requirement for the Senate to do so and any Imperial nation is eligible to control the western territory.

Challkdowns, Ore Hills, and Greensward remain under Jotun control, as does Farstrider's Watch. There is still a significant force of Jotun, including several warbands of champions, in the Mourn under the banner of Jarl Haakon. The Jarl still commands the orcs from the fortification in the Greensward, and there is still a significant military threat here that will need to be dealt with.
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Wolves at war.jpg|caption=The Wolves of War are supported by soldiers of many nations, bound together in a single cause by Autumn magic.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
===Participation: Oakleaves===
* '''Rebellion spreads in the Mournwold against the Jotun occupiers'''
Any character whose personal resource is in the Mournwold is encouraged to create a story about the rebellious actions taken there. While the impact of the rebellion is narrative rather than mechanical, the actions of Imperial heroes and the generals of the Marches have inspired the people to resist the Jotun occupation as best they can. Some may have taken up arms and fought alongside the miners of the Ore Hills, others might have taken more passive approaches to resistance, but it is clear that the Jotun are going to have their work cut out for them if they wish to exert their control over the Mournwold in future.

===Participation: Knights of Glory===
* '''Eleonaris' knights fought on both sides of the campaign in the Mournwold'''
* '''Anyone whose military unit supported an army fighting in the Mourn may choose to embrace the influence of the supernatural warriors'''
This season, there were twenty thousand or so [[Knights of Glory|knights of glory]] in Mournwold, fighting on both sides of the conflict. Any character whose [[military unit]] supported one of the armies that fought there this season may choose to begin the next event experiencing a roleplaying effect. ''You are filled with absolute confidence; nothing is beyond you if you put your mind to it. Now is the time to act, to pursue goals you have been neglecting. Anyone who questions your prowess must be taught a quick lesson about the foolishness of doubting you.''

Furthermore, if you are a [[changeling]] whose military unit supported one of the armies, you may choose to experience an additional roleplaying effect: ''You feel a yearning to see the Summer realm in all its glory, and the mortal realm seems dull and lifeless in comparison. The company of people who are not changelings or Summer heralds seems tedious and mundane, their concerns petty and limited.'' Such characters may also use their experience of fighting alongside the knights of glory to permanently increase the strength of their lineage.

While you experience either or both of these roleplaying effects, you gain an additional boon: you have one additional [[heroic skills#hero|hero point]]. Once that hero point is used, it cannot be recovered and the roleplaying effect begins to fade. The hero point is gone once you spend it, or at the end of the Winter Solstice. This benefit even applies to characters who do not have the [[heroic skills#hero|hero]] skill - they can use the hero point to overcome a roleplaying effect, or to use any items or enchantments that rely on spending hero points.
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Stalwart Stand.jpg|caption=The Battle of Oakleaves is won, but the war for the Mournwold continues.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
===Participation: Tusks and Reeds===
* '''While they remain in the Mournwold the Tusks gain the benefit of the ''Resourceful'' quality'''
* '''The Strong Reeds maintain the defence of Bregasland'''
* '''A Marcher character whose military unit supported the Tusks or Strong Reeds this season may receive a special benefit if they receive an appropriate anointing'''
Thanks to the [[The_wild_wind_rises#Objective:_Rescue_the_Miners|bold actions]] of Imperial heroes during the Autumn Equinox, the rebellious miners of Ore Hills and Freemoor have thrown their backing behind the army. The example set by the Tusks and their general, in remaining to fight for the Mourn though greatly weakened by the Jotun attackers, has inspired many others to fight against the invaders as well. As long as they remain in the Mournwold - keeping their oath to fight as long as there are enemies here - they gain the advantage of the resourceful quality which allows them to resupply even when there are enemies present.

While the Tusks are defending the Mournwold, the Strong Reeds are protecting Bregasland. The Jotun and their Summer allies continue to control Gravenmarch, occupying the peculiar fortification they have formed from Graven Rock. Several Jotun champions have sought to push out into the marshes proper, but every time the soldiers of the Strong Reeds have been there to neutralise them and ensure they are turned back or left to the tender mercies of the bogs and swamps. The fact the army is here, that it has prioritised the defence of Bregasland over the liberation of the Mourn, is not lost on the people here. While it has not mellowed the attitudes of those who remain critical of the Empire, even the most curmudgeonly cannot doubt the commitment of the army and its general to support and protect Bregasland.

Any [[the Marches|Marcher]] character whose [[military unit]] was assigned to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|support]] the [[Tusks]] or the [[Strong Reeds]] this downtime may choose to gain a special, personal benefit. If they receive an [[Anointing]] of [[Auras_of_Pride#Anointing|Pride]], [[Auras_of_Loyalty#Anointing|Loyalty]], or Hatred before time out on Friday during the Winter Solstice, then in addition to the [[Anointing#Effects|normal benefits]] they will gain one additional rank of [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]].

The effect is not magical - it does not register on either [[detect magic]] or [[insight]]. It is likely a result of the powerful hearth magic of the recent oath sworn by the generals of the Tusks and the Strong Reeds and the clear demonstration of their commitment to Mournwold and to Bregasland respectively.

This benefit lasts only as long as you continue to be committed to freeing the Mournwold and defeating the Jotun, or to protecting Bregasland and driving the invaders out of Gravenmarch as appropriate; if your will to do so falters then the bonus rank of endurance is lost and cannot be regained. It is also permanently lost if your anointing is removed or changed to one other than Pride, Loyalty, or Hatred. In any event the benefit will fade along with the anointing, by the start of the Spring Equinox.

This advantage is only available to Marcher characters who supported one of these two armies.

===Highguard===
{{SOP|by=Mael, Highborn Assembly|statement="Loyalty is not displayed by words or deeds alone but by the unity of both". The Great Cathleon is complete, the Barrens liberated and the Druj forced back - but! The great work continues. Across the continent souls wither, crushed beneath the barbarian boot - the citizens of the Mourn, the septs enslaved by the Druj, among others. Let us be united in a new crusade - a crusade of Loyalty! Let the words of our Synod priests and the swords of our armies ring with one voice - let us bring the warmth and light of the Way to those who shiver in darkness.|vote=432-32|when=Autumn Equinox, 386YE}}
* '''The Highborn Assembly has declared a crusade of Loyalty to bring the light of the Way to those enslaved by the Jotun'''
* '''Any Highborn fighting in Mournwold at the event anointed to one of the seven Virtues gets an additional hit point - this is lost first and cannot be regained'''
* '''The Highborn Assembly could enact a mandate to reinforce land claimed by the armies of Highguard from the Jotun'''
* '''If the mandate is enacted then any newly-conquered regions in Jotun territory would be harder for the enemy to retake whilst a Highborn army was present'''
* '''An alternate mandate has been proposed to encourage the Highborn to conquer new territory'''
* '''These mandates are considered to be competing'''
The virtuous spirit of the Highborn people remains undiminished. The extraordinary accomplishments of recent years has [[Full_of_sacred_sound#The_Sticking_Place|swelled the nation's Pride]] and their soldiers have carried that Virtue before them into battle inspiring all who fight with them with their fervour, creating opportunities wherever they fight. '''Mael''' raised a statement of principle in the Highborn Assembly, invoking Loyalty to call for a Highborn crusade to carry the warmth and light of the Way to those who have labour under the rule of the barbarians. This strong statement has been echoed by the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Military_Council_orders#Highguard|orders of Highguard's generals]]. With the Jotun finally on the backfoot, now is the time for the Empire to turn the tide and bring the Way to the West. The inspiring virtue of Highguard's armies fighting together has created an immediate effect and an opportunity.

Every Highborn under the influence of an [[anointing]] to one of the seven Virtues has one additional hit point while fighting in [[Mournwold]]. This benefit is only available to Highborn characters and only while fighting in Mournwold.

The Empire has claimed three previously unheld territories in the last ten years. Now the Highborn look west, to the Jotun kingdoms of Kalsea and Narkyst, to the wealth along the King's Road and the coast of the [[Sea of Snow]] and the thralls labouring under the tyrant jarls. The [[A stone for a stone|appraisal]] presented by ''Naomi of Virtue's Rest'' last season, especially the suggestion of [[A_stone_for_a_stone#Inflict_a_Major_Defeat|inflicting a major defeat]] on the Jotun has concentrated minds. If a territory is conquered by the Empire, and held against the wrath of the western orcs, then that would demonstrate the strength of the Empire. Further, with the war against the vallorn on the horizon, that would cover another of the steps towards a peace treaty with the Jotun.

With that in mind, ''Timothy, son of Amos'' - a former guardian of the Granite Pillar- has presented the civil service with the following mandate for the Highborn Assembly:

{{Mandate|mandate=The truly virtuous are loyal even through hardship. We send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to encourage the armies of Highguard to defend what we take. Let our loyalty be displayed by both word and deed.|assembly=Highborn Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, then any regions claimed by the Empire in a territory of the Jotun (including [[Ashvale]]) will be harder for the Jotun to reclaim whilst a Highborn army is in the territory. The armies would focus on keeping what they had taken by establishing supply lines, fortified camps, and working to bring the local populace onside. Each region would effectively need an additional two thousand strength to claim; twelve [[Campaign_outcome#Victory_Points|victory points]] for the first region in a single season, fourteen for the second region and so on. It would not increase the strength of the Highborn armies for the purposes of increasing casualties or the army disbanding.

'''Eli of the Cenotaph''' has presented the following alternative mandate for the Highborn Assembly:

{{Mandate|mandate=The Vigilant War teaches us to take the fight to our enemies' lands. We send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to inspire the armies of Highguard to be the tip of the spear that strikes the Jotun heartland.|assembly=Highborn Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, then Highborn armies will see an increase in strength when taking an attacking order in [[Hordalant]]. Each army would benefit from an additional one thousand strength, as if supported by ten level one [[military unit|military units]]. It would not increase the strength of Highborn armies for the purpose of that army disbanding. This benefit would be immediate, taking effect following the Winter Solstice 386YE, and last until no Highborn army was taken an attacking order in Hordalant.

Either benefit would function as an ongoing [[Army_qualities#Highborn|crusade]] of the Highborn. Rather than seeking new opportunities for Virtue, the Highborn armies would commit to this crusade until called on by their Assembly to turn again. If either mandate is passed, then Highborn armies won't create a new [[opportunity]] for Virtue to replace, until inspired to do so by an appropriately worded statement of principle upheld by the Highborn Assembly. (Armies on campaign in the campaign season immediately following the summit that a statement of principle is passed would inspire others with their virtue as normal).

==Conjunctions==
{{SOP|by=Bryce the Hare, Marcher Assembly|statement=When the Jotun last occupied the Mournwold, they never took thralls in Alderly - they pushed us up against the trees, but the darkest forest and the people within threw them out. No Marcher living in Alderly has ever been a thrall within it. House Leveret and Alderly offer or hospitality to all those who would reject a Jotun's boot on their neck. Any Imperial soldier that seeks to rest in our lands will find ready a bed and a bowl. The vigilant prepare for threats to come.|vote=90-0|when=Autumn Equinox 386YE}}
===Plow Breaks the Earth (Mournwold)===
* '''A warband of Yegarra are hunting down one of the herbalists of New Longstwick'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''''Bryce the Hare'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for rescuing the villager and stopping the yegarra'''
* '''If the Yegarra are not stopped then ''Einar the Cunning'' will begin to raise a new warband for the Jotun'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
During their generation-long rule of Mournwold, the Jotun never quite made inroads into Alderly. They controlled the grasslands beyond the forest and the edges of the woodlands, but they did not go too deep for the woods were dark and full of Feni. The Jotun had yegarra, though, brave or foolhardy enough to make their homes near the edge of the ancient forest. ''Einar the Cunning'' was one of those yegarra who chose to flee with their Jotun masters when the Empire reclaimed the territory in 381YE. Now, Einar has returned to their previous stomping grounds with supporters. Apparently inspired by the acts of Eisa Winterborn, the yegarra has come from the forests of [[Hordalant#Vallorberg|Vallorberg]] to make a name for themselves against the Empire and to reap some level of revenge against those who profited from their losses.

During the Autumn Equinox, the Marcher Assembly voted to uphold a [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_177|statement of principle]] by '''Bryce the Hare''', inviting Imperial soldiers who needed it the chance to rest and recuperate within Alderly. The judgement did not achieve a greater majority, but some soldiers still took the beater up on his offer. It was one of these soldiers, ''Tall Margaret'', who raised the alarm about the presence of ''Einar the Cunning'' and their warband in Alderly hunting down one of the herbalists from New Longstwick. Given that it was the judgement raised by Bryce the Hare that encouraged Tall Margaret to visit Alderly, it is his responsibility to rescue the herbalist and stop the yegarra. If the herbalist is rescued, then it will be once again possible for the [[Wildest_dreams#New_Longstwick_Market|Longstwick Market]] to be commissioned until the end of the Autumn Equinox 387YE. If ''Einar'' is not stopped, then their reputation will begin to spread, and the yegarra will begin to gather like-minded followers to their cause.

<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="excerpt of orders from Determination of Ice Kaisa, General of Narwhal's Spear">...Take forth the story of your General to tell as you find respite; how Determination of Ice defeated one of Cathan Canae's Jotun champions and forged a bond of Heroism and honour. Let them know we have come to fight and add to our heroic tale... </quote></div>
===Crown of Swords (Mournwold)===
* '''A Yegarra champion has called out Determination of Ice Kaisa'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''''Determination of Ice Kaisa'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for answering the challenge'''
* '''If ''Halbera Strongarm'' wins the challenge, then they will begin to raise a new warband for the Jotun'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Last season, the general of the [[Narwhal's Spear]], '''Determination of Ice Kaisa''', issued [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Military_Council_orders#Narwhal's_Spear|orders]] encouraging the soldiers of the army to take forth tales of the general's prowess. The [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Scops|scops]] of the army were welcomed with open arms in the reclaimed taverns of Sarcombe and there told their stories of the general who bested a champion of the [[Cathan Canae|Immovable One]]. Whether by dishonest or honest means, this tale has reached the ears of ''Halbera Strongarm''; a would-be champion of the Mistress of Blizzards who wishes to make a name for themselves against the general.

With the challenge laid down and delivered to the Narwhal's Spear by a herald of the Queen of Ice and Darkness, there is a chance now for Determination of Ice Kaisa to meet that challenge and further improve their standing with the Mistress of Blizzards. The terms of the challenge are simple: the general should bring whoever they wish, and the warbands will meet in good, honest combat. Whosoever's warband defeats the other's will be considered the better and will receive a reward in recognition of their victory. If Halbera gains the acclaim of the Breath of Winter, then their standing amongst the Jotun will increase, and like-minded followers will begin to flock to them.

==Not One More Inch (Battle Opportunity)==
A decisive strategic victory was achieved in [[Mournwold]] as autumn turned to winter. The armies of the Empire turned back a Jotun advance that would have seen the end of the [[Tusks]]. Instead it was the orcs of Narkyst and Kalsea that were forced to retreat. Faced with a potentially disastrous situation, the [[Jotun]] withdrew their armies back into the [[Liathaven|forests of Ashvale]].

But not every orc has departed. The garrison of [[Mournwold#Farstrider's_Watch|Farstrider's Watch]] holds firm, and warbands of veterans from the last decade of campaigning in the western Empire hold [[Mournwold#Greensward|Greensward]], eager to clash blades. These warriors are oathsworn to ''Jarl Haakon Gydasson'', the would-be Jarl of the Mourn. Whilst the Empire may have gained dominion over the territory, it is far from being under firm control.

The [[Archmage of Day]] used their power of plenipotentiary to call on the [[Zakalwe|Master Strategist]] to seek aid in bringing battle to Jarl Haakon. Phronesis, the Polemarch of Strategy, makes it clear that Zakalwe is unable to orchestrate such things, but they are able to pass important intelligence to help the prognosticators identify when and where Haakon can be confronted.

On the final day of the solstice, Haakon will be at Old Tam Shaffer's Farm, where '''Nedry Cullach''' went into the [[The_Marches_culture_and_customs#The_Wicker_Man|wicker man]] five years ago. Importantly, this places Haakon outside the garrison at Farstrider's Watch. He is not going anywhere, so if he is not slain there will be other opportunities to kill him in battle in the future.

===Objective: Kill Jarl Haakon Gydasson===
* '''Haakon and his closest warriors have been located in the Mourn'''
* '''Engage the Jotun and draw Haakon to battle, he can be identified by his personal battle standard'''
* '''Killing Haakon will bring a potential peace with the Jotun ''one step'' closer'''
* '''It doesn't matter how Haakon is killed, but he must die in battle'''
[[Appraisal#Naomi_of_Virtue's_Rest|Naomi of Virtue's Rest]] recently conducted an [[A_stone_for_a_stone|appraisal]] laying out how to end the war with the Jotun. The first requirement was the death of Haakon Gydasson. The jarl ruled Mournwold when the [[381YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Let_That_Be_Your_Last_Battlefield_(Mournwold)|twin curses]] were unleashed on the territory. The Jarl and his warriors hold themselves responsible for failing to ensure the safety of the thralls living there. Their failure has dishonoured them, and the stain can only be removed by death. For the Jotun to stop fighting the Empire while the Jarl and his warriors still carry this shame would condemn them to the Abyss. They won't do that, they will fight on until the Jarl and all his people have redeemed themselves by dying in battle.

Haakon is accompanied by his closest veteran warriors, patrolling away from his forces in Farstrider's Watch. He will not be in the immediate area of battle, but he is eager for any chance to fight the Empire and will arrive between thirty and fifty minutes after the Jotun are engaged. War scouts might be able to provide further information, but when and where he will arrive cannot be ascertained with absolute certainty. His presence will be signified by his battle standard when he does arrive, the war scouts will provide details of the standard to the Military Council.

All that matters, for a chance at peace, is that the jarl dies fighting the Empire. The Empire's allies do care how he dies however.

====Optional Approach: Heed the General====
* '''Zakalwe would prefer the Empire orchestrate a fitting demise for Jarl Haakon that respects Jotun honour'''
Phronesis asks that Haakon be slain in a manner befitting his status as a brave hero and a good general. To the Jotun, a good death is one where your warband faces off against another of equal size in a clash of honour and steel. Should an important figure, like the general of the Tusks or the Narwhal's Spear, be among those who face the jarl, should he be bested in battle by a great foe, then Haakon believes his spirit will be worthy of becoming an ancestor.

It won't affect the course of the Empire's negotiations with the Jotun, but Zakalwe favours Haakon and wants him to find the noble death in battle against his enemies. If the Empire succeeds in giving Haakon and the triumphant defeat he craves, they will win Zakalwe's favour, and the eternal will be more inclined to favour them with boons.

====Optional Approach: Regard the Crown====
* '''Basileia would prefer that the Empire kill Haakon's delusions of honour at the same time as they murder the Jarl'''

''Mistress Alabaster'', a herald of the [[Basileia#The_Five_Pillars|Guild of Accountants]] has been observing Haakon since last season, contracted by an unspecified party in the Empire. They point out that Haakon is an implacable enemy of the Empire, a jarl who enslaved hundreds of Marchers that he personally took as thralls. The Jotun's protestations of honour are nothing more than an attempt to force the Empire to fight battles in ways that favour the Jotun. The Empire should give the jarl the send-off he really deserves: an ambush on the battlefield when he is least expecting it, a poisoned knife to the belly, and his body rolled into a ditch.

It won't affect the course of the Empire's negotiations with the Jotun, but [[Basileia]] wants Haakon's delusions of honour stripped from him before he dies. If the Empire succeeds in using surprise, poison or treachery to kill Haakon, then they will win Basileia's favour and the eternal will be more inclined to favour them with boons.

===Battlefield opportunity: Protect Friar Rosemund===
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Friar Heggy Rosemund">Come gather! Come listen! I'm not leaving here while that Haakon still breathes! Grab your cudgels and when our folk march out of that Gate, we'll join them and give that damned Jarl a right champion thrashing!</quote></div>
* '''Friar Heggy Rosemund will join the battle'''
* '''Her ministrations have kept spirits up under the Jotun's rule'''
* '''Protect Rosemund and take up her offer of shriving'''
The Rosemunds have roots in the Greensward that date back centuries. Heggy's many connections across the region and her 'can-do' attitude made her a popular figure during the Jotun's long occupation of the rest of the Mourn. Following the fall of Greensward in late 380YE, the cursing of the Mourn, and Nedry's later journey to the wicker man, Rosemund consecrated the site of the general's demise.

Heggy keeps Cullach's Folly, the site of Nedry's death consecrated to Ambition all year round, even though it's now little more than a ring of old ashes. The site has a profound spiritual resonance for Marchers, especially those who feel the weight of their failures bearing them down. Heggy will be heading for the Folly as soon as the battle is joined and invites other Marcher priests of [[Ambition]] to join her there, so that they can boost the fighting spirit of the Marchers.

'''OOC Note:''' The first time a Marcher character spends thirty seconds or more being shrived by Heggy, or another Marcher priest, they will regain up to two expended hero points. A character can only benefit once, and it is not possible for a character to gain more hero points than their normal maximum in this way.

===Battlefield opportunity: Seek Counsel with the Myrmidons===
* '''At the request of the Archmage of Day, Zakalwe has sent his myrmidons to aid the Imperial commanders'''
The Polemarch of Strategy wishes to make clear that the Master Strategist has not been able to help the Empire take the battle to Jarl Haakon. He can provide information to the Empire's scouts and prognosticators, but he cannot control the Sentinel Gate. However, he can provide aid in the battle and is more than happy to do so.

The eternal will support the [[Imperial Military Council]] with a pair of his most capable myrmidons at Old Tam Shaffer's Farm. The myrmidons are capable warriors, but more important is their ability to provide counsel and information on the battlefield. They will be happy to give advice and suggestions to any commanders who ask for help. Most importantly of all, the minds of the myrmidons are linked by magic, allowing them to communicate quickly and effectively with each other. A wise commander may be able to find ways to take advantage of their abilities.

===Battlefield opportunity: Investigate an Appearance===
* '''A cloaked soldier has been reported in the area'''
* '''Discover who they are and why they are there'''
War scouts and beaters have noted the appearance of a cloaked soldier - presumably a Marcher - moving along the hedgerows and hilltops near Farstrider's Watch, keeping a vigil over the barbarians that dwell within the walls. None have been able to get close to the soldier and speak with them; a sudden distraction diverts attention, and the figure slips away. There is an opportunity to locate and learn who the individual might be.

===Battle outcome: Divide the Spoils===
* '''There is widespread interest in Haakon's personal effects should he be slain'''

Jarl Haakon is well-equipped when marching to war. He carries several notable magical items into battle, as well as his own personal battle standard. Several parties have made it known that they, or others they represent, have an interest in securing the jarl's effects. Some offer coin, others the promise of a replacement of equivalent value, or a future favour. There is no urgency in deciding what should happen to the objects, or who they should go to. Indeed, the Imperial citizens who claim the items from the dead jarl are well within their rights to simply keep them.

* Zakalwe would like to honour Haakon by displaying his armour in his great hall
* [[Ephisis]] offers payment in orichalcum for the orc's shield
* [[Jaheris]] desires the fallen banner of Haakon as tribute
* [[Callidus]]' greed would be satisfied by being gifted any item, the more valuable the better
* Basiliea Brazen seeks any items of worth she can use to gain influence over the Jotun
* A Sarvosian consortium offers to negotiate a considerable sum for the entire collection to be placed in a museum in the city

The miners of the Mourn have also proposed that some of Haakon's personal effects could be taken into the stewardship of the nation. He owns a talisman forged from green iron taken from beneath the Mourn by the orcs. Perhaps it, or another of Haakon's items, could become a fitting [[New_Imperial_titles#Regalia|regalia]] for the new Senator of the Mournwold so that they remember the importance of defending the land?

386YE Winter Solstice winds of war

2025-04-20T18:53:35Z

TomH: /* Battle opportunities */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Marchers Through the Woods.jpg|caption=''Marcher lasses, Marcher lads / Leave your homes and leave your farms / Beat your ploughshares into swords / The time has come to take up arms.''|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there has been more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==A Season of Stones==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Redoubt]]|| [[On southern sands]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]]|| [[Over western hills]]
|-
| [[The Barrens]]|| [[By northern shores]]
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[Under eastern skies]]
|-
|}
Autumn gives way to Winter, the nights lengthening and the days growing short. As the sky darkens, so does the weather. A season of rain and wind, hail and thunder, settles across the Empire from the southern sea to the northern peaks. War rarely pauses for the weather, however. From the western plains to the eastern forests, the embers of battle flare and hiss under the remorseless rain, as if the sky itself weeps for the folly of mortal folk.

There is a kind of peace on the Brass Coast for the first time in a long time. There is no fighting in [[Kahraman]], nor in [[Madruga]], nor in [[Feroz]]. There is an expectancy on the night air, a sense that this quiet time cannot last. With the ''kamkrag'' marching across Kahraman, there are few raiders and those who dare come down from the mountains are easily driven back. Imperial scouts pour into Madruga to explore the [[Where_the_river_rises#A_New_Territory|strange new land]]; for now the territory as a whole remains uncontrolled. The fearsome [[Grendel]] commander Gallum Fiersach still holds [[Feroz#Morajasse|Morajasse]], [[Glass_and_flame#Game_Information:_Mora's_Rock|still commands]] [[Feroz#Mora's_Rock|the rock]]. Shortly after the Equinox the battlements of the fortification crackle and burn with colourless fire, as Wind Lord Saoirse uses her [[Autumn magic|Sand lore]] in preparation for an Imperial assault that never comes.

Further north, the Empire's soldiers face the [[Jotun]] in battle, a three-fold strategy to hold Marcher land and cut the invaders off from their base in the forests of what was once [[Liathaven]]. A glorious and terrible war rages '''[[over western hills]]'''.

Across the [[Bay of Catazar]] from the Brass Coast, storms herald a war of a different kind. The [[Grendel]] armada retreating from Madruga seeks to take the shoreline of [[Redoubt]]. They find Imperial forces waiting for them, ready to repel boarders. The [[Children of Wrecks]] launch an attack of their own, a plague of ramshackle pirate fleets bent on looting the port of [[Quaymaster_of_the_Elosian_Docks#Elosian_Docks|Elos]]. Battle is joined '''[[on southern sands]]'''.

There is no movement in [[Bay_of_Catazar#Ayereed|Ayereed]] to the south, nor in [[Mareave]]. Even though Imperial armies have withdrawn, the gains they [[Steel and salt|made in the petrified forest]] are unchallenged for the moment. The Grendel are on the defensive, while their ships and soldiers fight to the north.

North from Redoubt along the borders with [[the Mallum]], there is fighting not only with the [[Druj]], but between Imperial citizens. The [[Gryphon's Pride]] march north out of [[Therunin]] to capture [[The_Barrens#The_Fangs|the Fangs]]. They seek to take the [[mithril]] mine held by the [[Not_to_conquer#Who_are_the_Rahvin?|Rahvin]] [[orc]] sept... a crime under Imperial law. A band of Imperial captains oppose them, and Imperial blood flows '''[[by northern shores]]'''.

Then, Therunin itself. Four Imperial armies, fighting in the [[Rivers Run Red|tainted rain]], facing the malice of the Druj and seeking to drive them back across the border. Poison at their back, hungry waters to the south, trackless wilderness to the north... and the armies of the Mallum before them. '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' they fight a desperate battle, one for which the ending perhaps has yet to be written.

===Festival of Birds (Sarvos)===
* '''The fishing village of Charoko is being threatened by creatures of the sea'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Mayor of Caricomare'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for protecting the inhabitants of Charoko'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
The fishing village of Charoko, southwest of Sarvos, is quiet and oftentimes peaceful. Its inhabitants are comfortable in their lives, happy to catch enough fish to sustain themselves and then trade the excess to the surrounding villages and towns. A warning from the village arrived in Trivento to avoid it, that there was some [[Dire Astacid|unruly beast]] that had wandered ashore and had apparently taken up in the woods nearby. There have also been rumoured sightings of roving gangs of brigands in the area, possibly serving to rile up the creature. The Mayor of Trivento has asked the Mayor of Caricomare to deal with the beast, as a favour from one "''equally important mayor to another''", and protect the village from its wrath.

It is the responsibility of the [[Mayor of Caricomare]], '''Aloysius di Sarvos''', to defeat the beast and protect the village's inhabitants. Given that this involves hunting down and disposing of a dangerous beast which threatens the inhabitants of the Empire, it is likely that the [[Imperial Huntsmarshall]], '''Maggie Potts''', will have an interest in the conjunction. If the beast is dealt with, then the Mayor of Trivento, ''Allesio van Trivento'', will provide a suitable reward to both the Mayor of Caricomare and the Imperial Huntsmarshall after the summit.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Redoubt]]</td><td>Save the port at Visten</td><td>''Visten Head''</td><td>Children of Wrecks</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[On_southern_sands#Salt_Burned_(Battle_Opportunity)|Salt Burned]]</td><td>PDF Link</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Therunin]]</td><td>Resolve the fate of Isaella's Dance</td><td>''Isaella's Fall''<td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under_eastern_skies#Black_Miracles_(Battle_Opportunity)|Black miracles]]</td><td>PDF Link</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Therunin]]</td><td>Resolve the fate of the Iron Helms</td><td>''Iron End''</td><td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under_eastern_skies#Black_Miracles_(Battle_Opportunity)|Black miracles]]</td><td>PDF Link</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Mournwold]]</td><td>Deal with Jarl Haakon</td><td>''Old Tam Shaffer's Farm</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Over_western_hills#Not_One_More_Inch_(Battle_Opportunity)|Not one more inch]]</td><td>PDF Link</td></tr>

</table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || TBC
|-
| Dawn || TBC
|-
| Highguard || TBC
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| TBC
|-
| League || TBC
|-
| Marches || TBC
|-
| Navarr || TBC
|-
| Urizen || TBC
|-
| Varushka || TBC
|-
| Wintermark || TBC
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''TBC''' and at most '''TBC''' force weight sent on it.

===Battle participation===
TBC


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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarvos, Bocche, Grove of Charoko || [[Mayor of Caricomare]] || [[#Festival_of_Birds_(Sarvos)|Protect the inhabitants of Charoko]]
|-
| 18:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, North Fens, Swollen Fens || [[Roost's Reeve]] || [[LINK|Deal with the threat]]
|-
| 18:50 || 4 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Last Battle Wayhouse|| [[Hand of the Healers]] || [[Hard_to_find#Run_For_Your_Lives_%28The_Barrens%29|Give succour to the survivors of Therunin]]
|-
| 19:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Feroz, Oranseri, Rahab's Orchard || [[Strategos|Strategos of the Brass Coast]] || [[Send_for_me#Butcher's_Yard_(Feroz)|Protect the Celesti Lighthouse]]
|-
| 19:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Forlorn Bogs || '''Kjellen Saltmire''' || [[LINK|Deal with the threat]]
|-
| 19:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Ventosi, Oathspawned Copse || '''Halkyon of the Myriad Stream''' || [[On_southern_sands#An_Oath_(Redoubt)|Kill the wreckers and recover their loot]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 20:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Volodmartz, Brez, Woods of the Quiet Road|| [[Gift of the Dwindling Star|Custodian of the Gift of the Dwindling Star]] || [[LINK|Find and help the ''Chosen of Samkǒma'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Alderly, The Walters' Clearing || '''Bryce the Hare''' || [[Over_western_hills#Plow_Breaks_the_Earth_(Mournwold)|Rescue the herbalist and stop the Yegarra]]
|-
| 21:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Silver Peaks, Crow's Path || [[Mediator of Wreck]] || [[LINK|Soothe the Thule of Volham]]
|-
| 21:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Big Boar's Sty || '''Determination of Ice Kaisa''' || [[Over_western_hills#Crown_of_Swords_(Mournwold)|Answer the challenge of ''Halbera Strongarm'']]
|-
| 21:50 || TBC || TBC mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Arbonne, Ruenda, ''The Singing Riqueza'' || [[Golden Fleet Salvagemaster]] || [[LINK|Resolve the ship's issues]]
|-
| 00:05 || 98 || TBC mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Blackwood Copse || Those who defended the Rahvin || [[Start_a_war#Meeting_in_the_Dark|Meet with the Rahvin]]
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>

{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Dark Ranging, Broken Stand || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Into_the_Woods_(Brocéliande)|Recover the chests]]
|-
| 15:00 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hercynia, Deer's Folly, Shattered Pines || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Insects_(Hercynia)|Stop the horde]]
|-
| 16:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Crimson Boscage|| [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Under_eastern_skies#Unseen_Eyes_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Kill the Druj]]
|-
| 16:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Cinion, Valley of Loss || [[Spiral|Senator for Spiral]] || [[LINK|Protect the Block]]
|-
| 17:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Salt Flats of Sanath, Beladrarsh, The Drained Woods || '''Lady Laudine du Lac''' || [[Under_eastern_skies#Pitfalls_and_Tripwires_(Salt_Flats_of_Sanath)|Kill the Druj and claim their goods]]
|-
| 17:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Screed, Marco's Pass || [[Oblivion Sentinel ]]|| [[LINK|Stop the Spire of Black Glass]]
|-
| 17:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, East Ashes, Splintering Jetty || '''Neala Blackhawk''' || [[Under_eastern_skies#Promises_to_Keep_(Therunin)|Rescue the treetender and kill the Druj]]
|-
| 20:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Icarion, Plains of the Courath || [[Minister of Historical Research]] || [[LINK|Kill the Grendel and claim their loot]]
|-
| 20:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Golden Thicket || [[Golden Sun|General of the Golden Sun]] || [[Hard_to_find#The_Earl_Reaches_Out_(The_Barrens)|Minimise the threat to the baggage train]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ayereed, The Petrified Forest, Saoirse's Fields || [[Imperial Spymaster]] || [[On_southern_sands#Hill_of_the_Golden_Dawn_(Ayereed)|Kill Maistir Varden]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 20:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Skymark, Redshal Grove || [[Keeper of the Iron Grove]] || [[LINK|Uncover what's wrong with the farmers of Redshal]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Crucible, Larroc Corral || '''Sakari Nightscale''' || [[Made_anew#Mindtrap_(Madruga)|Kill the mage-killers]]
|-
| 23:00 || TBC || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Mareave, Sinfoyard, ''The Salt Shaker'' || [[Mareave|Senator for Mareave]] || [[LINK|Ensure the safety of the crew]]
|-
| 23:30 || TBC || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Reikos, Chalcis Mount, High Arboretum || '''Alessi of the Basilisks of the Labyrinth''', the [[High Exorcist]] || [[Figures_from_the_past_stand_tall#A_Dark_Door|Deal with the ghosts]]
|}

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Upwold]], or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

386YE Winter Solstice winds of war

2025-04-20T18:52:53Z

TomH: /* Battle opportunities */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 550px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Marchers Through the Woods.jpg|caption=''Marcher lasses, Marcher lads / Leave your homes and leave your farms / Beat your ploughshares into swords / The time has come to take up arms.''|align=left|width=550}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there has been more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==A Season of Stones==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Redoubt]]|| [[On southern sands]]
|-
| [[Mournwold]]|| [[Over western hills]]
|-
| [[The Barrens]]|| [[By northern shores]]
|-
| [[Therunin]]|| [[Under eastern skies]]
|-
|}
Autumn gives way to Winter, the nights lengthening and the days growing short. As the sky darkens, so does the weather. A season of rain and wind, hail and thunder, settles across the Empire from the southern sea to the northern peaks. War rarely pauses for the weather, however. From the western plains to the eastern forests, the embers of battle flare and hiss under the remorseless rain, as if the sky itself weeps for the folly of mortal folk.

There is a kind of peace on the Brass Coast for the first time in a long time. There is no fighting in [[Kahraman]], nor in [[Madruga]], nor in [[Feroz]]. There is an expectancy on the night air, a sense that this quiet time cannot last. With the ''kamkrag'' marching across Kahraman, there are few raiders and those who dare come down from the mountains are easily driven back. Imperial scouts pour into Madruga to explore the [[Where_the_river_rises#A_New_Territory|strange new land]]; for now the territory as a whole remains uncontrolled. The fearsome [[Grendel]] commander Gallum Fiersach still holds [[Feroz#Morajasse|Morajasse]], [[Glass_and_flame#Game_Information:_Mora's_Rock|still commands]] [[Feroz#Mora's_Rock|the rock]]. Shortly after the Equinox the battlements of the fortification crackle and burn with colourless fire, as Wind Lord Saoirse uses her [[Autumn magic|Sand lore]] in preparation for an Imperial assault that never comes.

Further north, the Empire's soldiers face the [[Jotun]] in battle, a three-fold strategy to hold Marcher land and cut the invaders off from their base in the forests of what was once [[Liathaven]]. A glorious and terrible war rages '''[[over western hills]]'''.

Across the [[Bay of Catazar]] from the Brass Coast, storms herald a war of a different kind. The [[Grendel]] armada retreating from Madruga seeks to take the shoreline of [[Redoubt]]. They find Imperial forces waiting for them, ready to repel boarders. The [[Children of Wrecks]] launch an attack of their own, a plague of ramshackle pirate fleets bent on looting the port of [[Quaymaster_of_the_Elosian_Docks#Elosian_Docks|Elos]]. Battle is joined '''[[on southern sands]]'''.

There is no movement in [[Bay_of_Catazar#Ayereed|Ayereed]] to the south, nor in [[Mareave]]. Even though Imperial armies have withdrawn, the gains they [[Steel and salt|made in the petrified forest]] are unchallenged for the moment. The Grendel are on the defensive, while their ships and soldiers fight to the north.

North from Redoubt along the borders with [[the Mallum]], there is fighting not only with the [[Druj]], but between Imperial citizens. The [[Gryphon's Pride]] march north out of [[Therunin]] to capture [[The_Barrens#The_Fangs|the Fangs]]. They seek to take the [[mithril]] mine held by the [[Not_to_conquer#Who_are_the_Rahvin?|Rahvin]] [[orc]] sept... a crime under Imperial law. A band of Imperial captains oppose them, and Imperial blood flows '''[[by northern shores]]'''.

Then, Therunin itself. Four Imperial armies, fighting in the [[Rivers Run Red|tainted rain]], facing the malice of the Druj and seeking to drive them back across the border. Poison at their back, hungry waters to the south, trackless wilderness to the north... and the armies of the Mallum before them. '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' they fight a desperate battle, one for which the ending perhaps has yet to be written.

===Festival of Birds (Sarvos)===
* '''The fishing village of Charoko is being threatened by creatures of the sea'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Mayor of Caricomare'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for protecting the inhabitants of Charoko'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
The fishing village of Charoko, southwest of Sarvos, is quiet and oftentimes peaceful. Its inhabitants are comfortable in their lives, happy to catch enough fish to sustain themselves and then trade the excess to the surrounding villages and towns. A warning from the village arrived in Trivento to avoid it, that there was some [[Dire Astacid|unruly beast]] that had wandered ashore and had apparently taken up in the woods nearby. There have also been rumoured sightings of roving gangs of brigands in the area, possibly serving to rile up the creature. The Mayor of Trivento has asked the Mayor of Caricomare to deal with the beast, as a favour from one "''equally important mayor to another''", and protect the village from its wrath.

It is the responsibility of the [[Mayor of Caricomare]], '''Aloysius di Sarvos''', to defeat the beast and protect the village's inhabitants. Given that this involves hunting down and disposing of a dangerous beast which threatens the inhabitants of the Empire, it is likely that the [[Imperial Huntsmarshall]], '''Maggie Potts''', will have an interest in the conjunction. If the beast is dealt with, then the Mayor of Trivento, ''Allesio van Trivento'', will provide a suitable reward to both the Mayor of Caricomare and the Imperial Huntsmarshall after the summit.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Redoubt]]</td><td>Prevent a raid on the spires of Visten</td><td>''Visten Head''</td><td>Children of Wrecks</td><td>Saturday</td><td>[[On_southern_sands#Salt_Burned_(Battle_Opportunity)|Salt Burned]]</td><td>PDF Link</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Therunin]]</td><td>Resolve the fate of Isaella's Dance</td><td>''Isaella's Fall''<td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under_eastern_skies#Black_Miracles_(Battle_Opportunity)|Black miracles]]</td><td>PDF Link</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Therunin]]</td><td>Resolve the fate of the Iron Helms</td><td>''Iron End''</td><td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under_eastern_skies#Black_Miracles_(Battle_Opportunity)|Black miracles]]</td><td>PDF Link</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Mournwold]]</td><td>Deal with Jarl Haakon</td><td>''Old Tam Shaffer's Farm</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Over_western_hills#Not_One_More_Inch_(Battle_Opportunity)|Not one more inch]]</td><td>PDF Link</td></tr>

</table>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || TBC
|-
| Dawn || TBC
|-
| Highguard || TBC
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| TBC
|-
| League || TBC
|-
| Marches || TBC
|-
| Navarr || TBC
|-
| Urizen || TBC
|-
| Varushka || TBC
|-
| Wintermark || TBC
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least '''TBC''' and at most '''TBC''' force weight sent on it.

===Battle participation===
TBC


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

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

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

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

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarvos, Bocche, Grove of Charoko || [[Mayor of Caricomare]] || [[#Festival_of_Birds_(Sarvos)|Protect the inhabitants of Charoko]]
|-
| 18:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bregasland, North Fens, Swollen Fens || [[Roost's Reeve]] || [[LINK|Deal with the threat]]
|-
| 18:50 || 4 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Last Battle Wayhouse|| [[Hand of the Healers]] || [[Hard_to_find#Run_For_Your_Lives_%28The_Barrens%29|Give succour to the survivors of Therunin]]
|-
| 19:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Feroz, Oranseri, Rahab's Orchard || [[Strategos|Strategos of the Brass Coast]] || [[Send_for_me#Butcher's_Yard_(Feroz)|Protect the Celesti Lighthouse]]
|-
| 19:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Forlorn Bogs || '''Kjellen Saltmire''' || [[LINK|Deal with the threat]]
|-
| 19:30 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Ventosi, Oathspawned Copse || '''Halkyon of the Myriad Stream''' || [[On_southern_sands#An_Oath_(Redoubt)|Kill the wreckers and recover their loot]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 20:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Volodmartz, Brez, Woods of the Quiet Road|| [[Gift of the Dwindling Star|Custodian of the Gift of the Dwindling Star]] || [[LINK|Find and help the ''Chosen of Samkǒma'']]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Alderly, The Walters' Clearing || '''Bryce the Hare''' || [[Over_western_hills#Plow_Breaks_the_Earth_(Mournwold)|Rescue the herbalist and stop the Yegarra]]
|-
| 21:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Silver Peaks, Crow's Path || [[Mediator of Wreck]] || [[LINK|Soothe the Thule of Volham]]
|-
| 21:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Greensward, Big Boar's Sty || '''Determination of Ice Kaisa''' || [[Over_western_hills#Crown_of_Swords_(Mournwold)|Answer the challenge of ''Halbera Strongarm'']]
|-
| 21:50 || TBC || TBC mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Arbonne, Ruenda, ''The Singing Riqueza'' || [[Golden Fleet Salvagemaster]] || [[LINK|Resolve the ship's issues]]
|-
| 00:05 || 98 || TBC mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Blackwood Copse || Those who defended the Rahvin || [[Start_a_war#Meeting_in_the_Dark|Meet with the Rahvin]]
|}

===Saturday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 10:00 on Saturday</div>

{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Dark Ranging, Broken Stand || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Into_the_Woods_(Brocéliande)|Recover the chests]]
|-
| 15:00 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hercynia, Deer's Folly, Shattered Pines || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Insects_(Hercynia)|Stop the horde]]
|-
| 16:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Crimson Boscage|| [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Under_eastern_skies#Unseen_Eyes_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Kill the Druj]]
|-
| 16:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Cinion, Valley of Loss || [[Spiral|Senator for Spiral]] || [[LINK|Protect the Block]]
|-
| 17:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Salt Flats of Sanath, Beladrarsh, The Drained Woods || '''Lady Laudine du Lac''' || [[Under_eastern_skies#Pitfalls_and_Tripwires_(Salt_Flats_of_Sanath)|Kill the Druj and claim their goods]]
|-
| 17:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Screed, Marco's Pass || [[Oblivion Sentinel ]]|| [[LINK|Stop the Spire of Black Glass]]
|-
| 17:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, East Ashes, Splintering Jetty || '''Neala Blackhawk''' || [[Under_eastern_skies#Promises_to_Keep_(Therunin)|Rescue the treetender and kill the Druj]]
|-
| 20:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Icarion, Plains of the Courath || [[Minister of Historical Research]] || [[LINK|Kill the Grendel and claim their loot]]
|-
| 20:15 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, Golden Thicket || [[Golden Sun|General of the Golden Sun]] || [[Hard_to_find#The_Earl_Reaches_Out_(The_Barrens)|Minimise the threat to the baggage train]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ayereed, The Petrified Forest, Saoirse's Fields || [[Imperial Spymaster]] || [[On_southern_sands#Hill_of_the_Golden_Dawn_(Ayereed)|Kill Maistir Varden]]
|-
|colspan="7" |No bows or crossbows after this time
|-
| 20:45 || TBC || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Skymark, Redshal Grove || [[Keeper of the Iron Grove]] || [[LINK|Uncover what's wrong with the farmers of Redshal]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Crucible, Larroc Corral || '''Sakari Nightscale''' || [[Made_anew#Mindtrap_(Madruga)|Kill the mage-killers]]
|-
| 23:00 || TBC || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Mareave, Sinfoyard, ''The Salt Shaker'' || [[Mareave|Senator for Mareave]] || [[LINK|Ensure the safety of the crew]]
|-
| 23:30 || TBC || 45 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely or Contained]] || Reikos, Chalcis Mount, High Arboretum || '''Alessi of the Basilisks of the Labyrinth''', the [[High Exorcist]] || [[Figures_from_the_past_stand_tall#A_Dark_Door|Deal with the ghosts]]
|}

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Upwold]], or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]

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

Elite Jotun troops

2025-04-20T07:35:55Z

TomH: /* Raðljóst */

==Overview==
The page covers what little is known by Imperial citizens about the elite Jotun troops - most of this information is not widely known across the Empire - but soldiers and commanders who have fought the Jotun before could be familiar with it.

Players who are interested in getting more involved in monstering at Empire can create their own elite Jotun monster group from one of the known forces listed below. The list is deliberately limited - the Jotun have weaknesses in their fighting strengths as well as strengths - so it is '''not''' possible for players to create a new kirkja or similar.

==The Kirkja==
Veneration of their oldest and most powerful ancestors is central to the Jotun culture. Most orcs venerate their ancestors - but the Jotun go far beyond this. The lands they have conquered are dotted with temples - called Kirkja - each raised for the worship of one of the faðir - the oldest and most powerful of the Jotun ancestors. The Jotun view the faðir as gods - as powerful living beings that dispense favours to those who win their favour. Their Kirkja are commanded by the godhi, Jotun priests who claim that they can intercede with their faðir, beseeching them for aid to use against the Jotun's enemies.

Each Kirkja is dedicated to the worship of a single faðir, a member of the pantheon of Jotun gods. In the eyes of the Jotun, worship means practice and training as a warrior reflecting the profound emphasis on martial strength made by each of the Jotun ancestors. The godhi instruct the faithful, teaching them how to fight in ways that will please the ancestor they have dedicated their life to emulating. Devotees drill together, an act that serves as communal worship of their ancestor whilst also preparing them to fight side-by-side in battle.

Marching to war under banners and regalia marked with the symbol of their god, these holy warriors form the elite core at the heart of every Jotun army. The warriors of the Kirkja usually have the best weapons and armour of any Jotun troops with the wealthiest sporting helms fashioned to resemble the head of a totem animal.
{{CaptionedImage|file=bird.jpg|width=250|align=right|caption=Symbol of the Raðljóst}}
===Raðljóst===
Raðljóst is considered the wisest of the faðir by the Jotun and his godhi often serve as advisers to the Jotun rulers. Their legends claim he stole the magic of the runes from the trolls outwitting them in contests of drinking, sprinting and wrestling. The Raðljóst seek to impress their ancestor through their boldness and ingenuity. On the battlefield the unit's primary focus is to disrupt enemy formations by closing with them and attempting to force a break in the line. For this task most Raðljóst favour the flail but axes are also commonly used to hook the enemies shield down.
<ic>Raoljost! Smash our enemy apart</ic>
The Raðljóst make extensive use of runes in their armour and shields and include many more magicians in their number than other Jotun units - using them both offensively and defensively where they can - again with the goal of disrupting defensive positions. The godhi claim that Raðljóst had command of every creature that flew by wing and so his symbol is the bird skull, depicted either in profile or looking directly forward.
{{CaptionedImage|file=aurochs.jpg|width=250|align=left|caption=Symbol of the Skjaldir}}

===Skjaldir===
Skaldi is a popular faðir who epitomizes the tenacity of the Jotun people. Warriors who follow Skaldi pride themselves on their stoic determination to stand their ground no matter the odds. On the battlefield they are among the most disciplined of all the elite Jotun units, fighting in formation, each warrior striving to protect those who stand on either side of him or her. The Skaldi fight with a shield in one hand and a weapon in the other - usually an axe, sword or rarely a one-handed spear. They rarely form a tight shield wall - their preferred deployment is a loose formation that allows each warrior to move to attack and defend. On the battlefield they seek to pin down enemy units, seeking to hold them in place so that other Jotun groups can maneuver to deliver the killing blow.
<ic>Skjaldir! Hold our line together</ic>
The godhi claim that Cathan Canae took Skaldi as a shield bearer and lover, so impressed was she by his tenacity and resolve. Whatever the truth of the claim, it is clear that the Eternal favours the Skaldir and often honours them with boons that aid them in battle. Skaldi's symbol is the skull of an aurochs - a great horned wild cattle rare in the Empire, but still common in some parts of the Jotun lands.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Jotunarmy.jpg|width=250|align=right|caption=Symbol of the Ulvenwar}}

===Ulvenwar===
Ulven is acknowledged as the oldest and most powerful of the faðir in effect the ruler of the Jotun pantheon. Legends claim she stood nearly seven feet tall and was strong enough to fell trees with a single strike of her axe. She was famed for her savage direct assaults in battle, attacking without fear and relying on the ferocity of her attacks to carry her through. The Ulverwar strive to emulate their patron throwing themselves into battle with little concern for their own safety.
<ic>Ulvenwar! Drive our foe before us</ic>
Many Ulvenwar wear the head and pelt of a large bear, wolf or dire beast over their armour, a trophy they are only permitted to wear if they have slain the creature with their bare hands. In battle they carry great weapons, usually axes, but swords and maces are not unknown, and disdain a shield. Ulven's symbol is a roaring animal skull, commonly a bear or wolf, it is usually depicted in white on a deep red background on banners and similar.

{{CaptionedImage|file=wolves.jpg|width=250|align=left|caption=Symbol of the Ulfur}}
===Ulfur===
* '''The Ulfur are played by our Skirmish Team and are not a player monster option'''
In Jotun legends, Ulfur is the patient hunter, seeking out quarry and striking only at the perfect moment. Her followers pride themselves on their patience and dedication to their orders, seeking to control their instincts to revel in the violence of battle and remain above the fray to only commit at the right moment. On the battlefield a commander will call on this discipline when they need to implement a complex strategy - otherwise they will be given orders to hunt down enemy wizards, ritual teams and similar high-value targets such as battlefield commanders. Ulfur usually wear heavy furs, thick leather or mithril armour - disavowing the weight of steel armour in favour of the potential for rapid movement. In battle they like to commit with sudden swiftness, preferring to soften up their opponents with thrown axes and similar in the moments before they strike.
<ic>Ulfur! Drive the dagger in their hearts</ic>
The Ulfur make extensive use of magical weapons and equipment, believing that the mark of a true warrior is one who is prepared for the hunt. [[Thresher%27s_Cudgel|Thresher's Cudgel]] are common when hunting wizards, or a weapon the Jotun call Winter's Breath which weakens the enemy when they strike. The godhi claim that Ulfur learned to hunt by running with a pack of wolves, and her symbol is a wolf skull facing forwards flanked by skulls facing left and right on either side.

<box>The Ulfur hunters are played by our Skirmish Team in battles and are not available for player monsters to portray</box>
{{Jotun Links}}

Ashes

2025-04-18T14:43:24Z

TomH: /* Poison and Ashes (Battle Opportunity) */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:386YE Summer]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ashen Campfire.jpg|caption=When the fire has passed, all that is left is ash.|align=right|width=400}}</div>{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-y4K4Zqi9E}}
==From Darkness to Darkness==
The [[Eastern Sky]] have left, but the [[Golden Sun]] remain to watch over the people of [[the Barrens]], and shortly after the Spring Equinox they are joined by the [[Gryphon's Pride]]. On the far side of the wild territory are the army of the Black Wind, barbarian warriors from the sept of the same name. [[Little_mercy#Rahvin_and_the_Black_Wind|Last season]] they were drawn here by the Empire's threat to exterminate their people. They are out of position, out of supply, exposed, in enemy territory. Yet they do not attack; they set up an encampment in sodden [[The Barrens#Saltmarsh|Saltmarsh]], and they wait.
__TOC__
During the Spring Equinox a delegation of [[the Mallum|Mallum]] [[orc|orcs]] [[Little_mercy#Poisoned_Words|came to Anvil]] to negotiate the release of the Black Wind sept. A [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Ratify_Treaty_with_Druj|treaty]] was presented to the [[Imperial Senate]], but rejected. A [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Ratify_Treaty_with_the_Rahvin|second treaty]], in which the orcs of the Rahvin sept, offered to reach out to their former sept-mates in the Black Wind and persuade them to turn against the Druj, was [[The Throne#Power of Veto|vetoed]] by [[the Throne]] at the urging of [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[Senator|senators]].
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Zoran De Orzel, General of the Golden Sun">Soldiers of the Sun, we stay in the Barrens. We will provide a Solid Defence of our lands against any invading Druj force. The Black Wind are not to be classed as Druj. But should they attack we stand ready to defeat them.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Archavion Wolfborne, General of the Gryphon's Pride">Nobles and Yeofolk of the Gryphon's Pride, we are going home. Joining with the Golden Sun, we will resupply in Hope's Rest in the Barrens, and provide a solid defence against any incursion from the Druj </quote></div>
As the sun set on the Spring Equinox, the situation in the Barrens remained uncertain. An army of barbarians in the Barrens, who hate the Empire and the people of Dawn in particular, along with two Imperial armies. A sept of people leaving their homes in [[The Barrens#Murderdale|Murderdale]] and the [[The Barrens#Carmine Fields|Carmine Fields]] to go to their warriors and escape the threat of destruction.
The Golden Sun stand guard, but they do not engage the Black Wind. The Gryphon's Pride follow their example. The Black Wind remain where they are. A few small bands issue forth to meet their people as they arrive from the west, to usher them to the relative safety of the fens and bogs, and then north into the [[Forest of Ulnak]], into the [[Forest_of_Ulnak#Ghul'thak_Forest|Gult'thak Forest]].
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EasternSky_Colour.png|align=left|width=300}}</div>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=QuietStep_Colour.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
It takes almost the entire season for the sept of the Black Wind to cross the Barrens. Their leaders – their elders, their chiefs, their wise counsellors – were executed by the Iron Helms, and now they must feel their way east as best they can. A mass of frightened people moving slowly, terrified that at any moment the Dawnish knights might fall on them. Knowing that what awaits them is little better than what they leave behind, that they exchange the murderous rule of Imperial hegemony for the miasmic oppression of the Mallum.

There are no incidents. The Black Wind hate the Empire only a little more than they hate the Druj; but they love their people more. A week before the Summer Solstice, the last of the refugees reach Saltmarsh, and the Black Wind decamp, following their sept across the Nameless River into the Mallum.

The fragile peace of the Barrens persists. The Rahvin are still encamped around the Teeth, still in control of the [[mithril]]. While a small number of Black Wind chose to join them rather than risk the dubious sanctuary of the Mallum, the sept as a whole has fled their homes in the eastern Barrens. The Karass remain in the [[The Barrens#Untrod Groves|Untrod Groves]] and [[The Barrens#The Bleaks|the Bleaks]], perhaps chastened by the Imperial response to their slaughter of the Vendarri. The Great Forest Orcs continue to rebuild their homes in the [[The Barrens#Eaves of Peytaht|Eaves of Peytaht]], repairing their fractured relationship with their friends in Navarr...

… and then the first refugees begin to arrive from the south...

==Ring of Ashes==
While the Dawnish armies are keeping a careful watch on the army of the Black Wind, the [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] in [[Therunin]] notice something unsettling. Boats dredging [[Therunin#The_Docks_at_Feverwater|the Feverwater]] are going missing. Only a handful, and paragons know that the lake is dangerous at the best of times. By the time people realise that it is not only boats trawling the northern banks that are vanishing, it is too late.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Thorns in the Wood.jpg|caption=The Thorns of Navarr swear to always be ready to fight in defence of their people.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
A massive host of the Druj cross into Therunin from the Sarangrave. Seven entire armies of Mallum orcs, pour out of the [[Sarangrave#Nesustak_Forest|Nesustak Forest]] into [[Therunin#Eastring|Eastring]]. Hidden Snake and Poison Crane. Hunting Scorpion and Jagged Claws. Flame Beetle and Red Lizard. And bringing up the rear, the corrupt magicians and sorcerers of the Tainted Basilisk. Their strategy is straightforward, for the Druj; to [[Army orders# Overwhelming Assault|smash the defence]] of Therunin as quickly and as thoroughly as they possibly can.

It's been a very long time since any Druj attacked the lands of the Navarr. There's been a rumour for a while, scandalous scuttlebutt, of some sort of agreement to protect Therunin and [[Brocéliande]]. If there is any truth to those tales, that arrangement is very clearly no longer in place.

It is always difficult to assess Druj numbers but a conservative estimate suggests at least thirty-five thousand warriors, perhaps as many as fifty. They are moving quickly, recklessly, striking fast and decisively at key objectives. They face immediate resistance – Eastring has some of the best-defended [[steading|steadings]] in the territory, and the Thorns maintain a vigilant watch against the marshes of the east knowing an attack may come at any time. They fight valiantly, courageously, desperately, but they cannot stand against the force the Druj have brought to bear. Steading after steading falls, and only the sacrifice of the people of the easternmost settlements allows news of the attack to reach those in the west of the region, giving some of them chance to escape into the Tarn Valley.

The Druj do not take many prisoners in this attack. They kill as many people as they can, and while the stories coming from Eastring are confused and garbled, there is a common thread. They are not wasting time torturing the Navarr warriors; they just execute them quickly and horribly, and move on. Very few Navarr are being taken as slaves; a horrible suspicion begins to spread that this is the Druj showing their ''respect'' for the Navarr.

While the bulk of the Druj invading forces wash over the steadings, seeking to overwhelm the defenders before they can properly respond to the onslaught, the forces of the Hidden Snake and the Red Lizard seize the [[Thimble]]. The vast weirwood forest falls quickly despite the best efforts of the defenders. Once they are slain, the Hidden Snake defile the corpse glades where generations of Navarr and Imperial heroes have been laid to rest, nailing the most intact cadavers to the weirwood trees alongside the bodies of thorns and lumberjacks alike. Only the Great Forest Orcs who work the Thimble are spared; in a gruesome ceremony those taken alive – and there are few enough of those as many of the orcs choose to fight alongside the Thorns and share their fate – are wickedly branded on the chest and belly. Kept alive by Druj “medicine” each one is sent east in chains, their facility with weirwood trees a valuable commodity for the Druj attackers.

As the Thimble is defiled, and most of the steadings overwhelmed, the Druj forces turn their attention to East Ashes. Stretching along the shores of the Feverwater, East Ashes is a twisted maze of great mangrove trees and murky water. The Druj run afoul of some of the [[Legendary_beasts#Hydra|awful beasts]] that lurk along the shores of the Feverwater, but they do not pause as they press south. Word has reached the steadings here that the invasion is underway, and the Druj face further stiff resistance. Again, though, the Navarr cannot stand for long against the hammerblow of the orc forces arrayed against them.

Their target is the [[Therunin#The_Docks_at_Feverwater|Docks at Feverwater]], from which so many little boats set sail in recent years. Stealthily gathering the bounty of the lake, and ferrying scouts across the dark waters to the Sarangrave. The fortified steading holds against the orcs for four days before succumbing.

A hundred or so refugees flee with [[striding|stridings]] from southern East Ashes, making it across the border into northern [[Zenith]] and then... no more. An eerie silence settles over the region. There is real fear in Urizen that the Druj will continue to press south into [[Zenith#Lustri|Lustri]]; the [[Fortify_Lustri|fortification there]] is nowhere near completion. Yet such fears prove ungrounded. For now.

==Blinded Eye==
As the Druj are moving in Therunin, they are also moving in Sarangrave. The last few scouts who make it across the Feverwater before the Druj seize the port bring harrowing tales of a last minute escape. The Druj have become aware of the [[spy network]] operating in the marshes of the Mallum, and they have moved decisively to destroy it. The Arrow Vipers, the cunning army of [[Army qualities#Scouting|scouts and spies]] has unexpectedly come down from the north, and with the support of the Druj garrison at the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]] launched an all-out offensive against those keeping an eye on the dismal territory.

Those Navarr engaged in [[Military_unit#Explore_the_Sarangrave|exploring the Mallum]] bring horror stories of their own. Ambushes, traps, vicious fighting knee-deep in the waters of the Sarangrave and beyond. The Druj have turned their eyes inward, as well as outward, it seems. They have become aware of Imperial heroes making incursions into their lands and moved decisively to bring an end to them.

One by one the shelters and caches in Sarangrave are identified and destroyed. One by one, the nodes in the Spy Network fall silent, contact with the remaining scouts lost. A few weeks before the Summer Solstice, the last stragglers emerge from the marshes into Lustri, and then nothing. It is assumed those left behind have been killed - or worse, taken alive by the Druj.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Geraint Bronwen's Rest</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Therunin</td><td>Open Skies</td></tr>
</table></div>

==The Shelter of the Oak==
The momentum of the Druj attack is beginning to ebb a little, but they are by no means done with Therunin. A month before the Summer Solstice, the Flame Beetle lead the bulk of the Hunting Scorpion and the Jagged Claws into the [[Therunin#Lower Tarn Valley|Lower Tarn Valley]]. To the [[Therunin#Holt_of_the_Oak|Holt of the Oak]]. Built and garrisoned by the [[Great Forest Orcs]], the warriors here have not been idle. They gathered their spears as soon as word reached them that the Druj were coming and they marched out to Eastring to bolster the steadings there. They fought along the borders of East Ashes, doing their best to slow the Druj advance. As the Mallum invaders crush steading after steading, more and more folk fleeing the slaughter pass beneath the shadow of the Holt, and the orc spear-fighters and the Navarr thorns do their best to help them get to safety.

Then the army comes. The garrison is already exhausted, depleted, but it fights. Sheltered by a great wall topped with living thorns, from the ramparts of the majestic weirwood towers within, the orcs prepare to stop the Druj advance. They do not fight alone – as well as handfuls of battered thorns driven out of the eastern regions, a lone Navarr warband joins the orcs of the Great Forest on the walls.

As those who were there when [[Delirium#Banner_of_the_Burning_Beetle|the Tower of the Scorpion Fell]] well know, the Flame Beetle are among the most destructive forces the Druj wield. They revel in ruin, exulting in the devastation of anything that seeks to stand against their tyranny and hate. The warriors that fight beneath the banner of the flame-wreathed beetle bear burning brands even during the day, bringing agonising burning death to any who fall into their hands. Many of these cruel orcs bear the lick of fire themselves, their skin scarred by awful burns. A corrupt badge of honour that, perhaps, serves as a twisted mirror to the graceful tattoos and brands the Navarr themselves favour.

There is nothing graceful about the Flame Beetle. Their blind slaves, yoked like beasts, drag ramshackle siege engines and makeshift wagons through the mud, beaten and whipped when the catapults and ballistae inevitably founder in the waters of the marsh.

They reach the towers of the Holt of the Oak as the sun is setting, through the night, the wet woodlands are alight with torches and bonfires – the Flame Beetle do not let a little thing like damp wood stop them. There is the sound of awful hammering and sawing and the shouts of slaves, and the thunderous drumming of the Druj warriors. As the sun rises, the Flame Beetle drag out two dozen captured Navarr thorns and brands, and a handful of surviving orc warriors. Their bodies are wracked with signs of torture as they are lashed to crude stakes before the siege engines. Then they douse them in oil, and set them alight, and their agonised screams signal the first barrage of burning missiles and barbed iron balls launched towards the fortification walls.

Behind the barrage come the ladders. The Druj have not bothered with the siege towers and the fortified rams they have used in the past. The terrain here does not favour them. Instead, even as the assault against the tower continues, the Druj pour up the walls and through the living thorns that top them. The first wave are made up of lightly-armoured orcs with axes and even a few saws, who help clear areas of the thorns to make it easier for the rest of the warriors to overwhelm the walls. These warriors die by the dozen, but seem able to withstand incredible punishment before they die. A [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|potion master]] could no doubt mark the symptoms of [[Double-sided_Blade#Warming Armour|Warming Armour]] or [[Double-sided_Blade#Weakening Sun|Weakening Sun]] on these poor fools who throw their lives away to preserve those of the Druj vanguard.

The fighting on the walls spreads into the courtyard between the towers. The desperate defenders of the eastern gate are overwhelmed, the doors thrown open, and the Druj under the scorpion banners join the fray. Still the defenders do not give in. Every minute they can hold the Druj here is another minute that their families and friends have to find safety, to put another minute of distance between them and the orcs who will do worse than kill them.

The end begins when the western tower finally collapses, burning rubble and debris raining down on the defenders. Then the other towers one by one begin to crumble. The wall, battered and broken by the relentless pounding of rocks and stones, cracks and breaks and it is all over. The Holt of the Oak – a symbol of the cooperation between the orcs of the southern Barrens and their Navarr allies – burns. The garrison is shattered – almost two thousand Great Forest Orcs and Navarr die in the fighting, their bodies consumed by the resultant conflagration.

==Tread Carefully==
The Battle of the Oak, the sacrifice of the defenders, is not in vain. Months of fighting have blunted the Druj advance, at least for the moment. The great host of Mallum orcs regroups and regathers. Warbands fan out over Eastring and East Ashes, seeking to capture or kill, to locate the remaining steadings and lay siege to them. Others move up to join the Flame Beetle camped near the ruins of the Holt of the Oak, preparing no doubt to sweep up the Tarn Valley toward Peakedge Song – to secure the whole of the territory.

Refugees are fleeing east, and north into the Barrens where the Great Forest Orcs offer sanctuary to their sept and their friends. The advance of the Druj into the Lower Tarn Valley has left several of the communities – Navarr and Great Forest Orc alike – cut off. Most are making preparations to try and leave, but it is uncertain if they will manage it before the Druj warbands reach them.

As the Summer Solstice draws close, the gentle touch of Spring Magic begins to fall across Therunin. The Tainted Basilisk have been silent until now – their warriors busy supporting the armies of the Mallum on conquering the east, but their ghulai barely glimpsed. The waters of the marshes begin to [[Rivers of Life|tingle with life]], with a kind of wholesomeness. At first, the folk of the western regions take the healing waters as a blessing – and in a way they are. But those who have studied the recent [[Into Béantal Dol|reports out of the Sarangrave]], from the scouts who explored [[Sarangrave#Béantal_Dol|Beantal Dol]], do not share their relief. And as the potent curse floods the territory with vitality and fertility, as the magic begins to take hold, the vallorn of Therunin begins to stir in its fitful slumber...

==Game Information==
The Druj have conquered Eastring and East Ashes, and are two fifths of the way toward conquering the Lower Tarn Valley. As a consequence, with Navarr only controlling Peakedge Song, Upper Tarn Valley and Lower Tarn Valley, they have lost control of the territory. The Druj have not, however, taken control of the territory; they only control two of the seven regions. The vallorn controls Sweetglade and Greenheart. The territory is thus considered contested – although the [[Senator]] for Therunin loses their seat in the Senate regardless. It is no longer possible to target Therunin from Anvil using the Imperial regio. The [[Imperial_army#Maximum_numbers_of_Imperial_Forces|supply]] of Navarr has not been affected by the loss of Eastring and East Ashes.

The Holt of the Oak has been destroyed. The Thimble and the Feverwater Docks have been captured but are (currently) believed to be intact. The Sarangrave [[spy network]] has been destroyed by the Druj; it will provide its final report at the Summer Solstice.

The Druj have laid [[Rivers of Life]] over Therunin. The curse brings healing, but it also brings a burst of vitality and fertility that risks rousing the attention of the vallorn in [[Therunin#Sweetglades|Sweetglades]] and [[Therunin#Greenheart|Greenheart]]. Removing the curse requires the casting of [[Rivers Run Red]] – and doing so would be a serious crime as the ritual is [[interdiction|interdicted]] by the [[Imperial Conclave]].

The [[Dredgemaster of Feverwater]] has lost access to both their [[Dredgemaster of Feverwater#Ministry|ministry]] and their [[Dredgemaster of Feverwater#Wreckage of the past|income of ingots]]. Likewise, the Thimble will not provide [[weirwood]] after the Summer Solstice unless it is recovered. The associated titles still exist, and still have responsibilities to protect and deal with threats to the commissions they oversee.

The lone [[military unit]] supporting the Holt of the Oak did not [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_interlude#Imperial_Guerdon|receive a share]] of the [[Military_unit#Imperial_Guerdon|Imperial Guerdon]].

==Participation: Therunin and the Mallum==
If your military unit undertook the [[Military_unit#Explore_the_Sarangrave|Explore the Sarangrave]] adventure, or supported the Sarangrave spy network, you are encouraged to create stories of desperate fighting against the Arrow Viper and last-minute escapes back into Imperial territory. You will receive the normal production for the adventure as appropriate, but the ''Explore the Sarangrave'' adventure is no longer available, as the Docks at Feverwater and Mudlark's Haven are both in the hands of the Druj. Any Navarr character whose personal resource is in Therunin is welcome to create their own story of resistance against the Druj, within the parameters above.

Any character whose military unit took the ''Explore the Sarangrave'' adventure, garrisoned the Holt of the Oak, or supported the spy network in the territory can email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] before the 19<sup>th</sup> of July with their CID to request a lingering [[Combat#Traumatic_Wounds|traumatic wound]] in their character pack at the event representing damage sustained escaping the Mallum. The [[Thimble|Custodian of the Thimble]] and the [[Dredgemaster of Feverwater]] can also choose to email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk if they wish to receive a lingering wound in their character pack.

==Poison and Ashes (Battle Opportunity)==
The Druj have stormed into Therunin and slaughtered all who opposed them. Their savage onslaught has left the Holt of the Oak a charred ruin, and key steadings across the east of the territory similarly burn or are strewn with the corpses of the Navarr who tried to stop the Druj advance. Currently, there is no apparent safe haven among the deep forests and trackless swamps that blanket East Ashes, Eastring, and the Lower Tarn Valley. A stream of refugees has begun making their way north, out of the barbarians' path and away from the perhaps greater danger of the vallorn in Greenheart. Those fleeing are making their way to the Barrens and the safety of the Great Forest of Peytaht.

A conjunction of the Sentinel Gate will allow the heroes of Anvil to reach the forests around ''Tarn Bend''. Here a great loop of the murky river is forcing the Druj through an expanse of near impassable swampland, and into an area that will slow their progress over the days of the Summer Solstice. A chance to intervene can be made on either day as the orcs move through the area.

===Objective: Slow the Druj advance===
* '''Engage the Druj in two strategic locations and hold ground for sixty minutes'''
* '''Force the barbarians to battle and distract them from the fleeing Navarr and Great Forest Orcs'''
* '''Not taking the battle, or failing to stop the Druj will see a massive slaughter of innocents'''
The Great Forest Orcs who have escaped the destruction of their homes and the groves of the Thimble, along with many Navarr citizens are fleeing north. The fast-footed arkad fighters of the Druj are several miles behind them. It is certain that the pursuit will be over by the end of the solstice, one way or another. Thankfully, the barbarians have yet to ascertain how close they are to their quarry, so a strike against them will divert their attention from the pursuit and onto the more present threat of the Empire's heroes appearing in their midst.

The war scouts have identified several key areas across Tarn Bend that provide excellent locations to attract and tie up the Druj. On either opportunity, two civil servant scouts will direct the Empire towards two strategic locations and advise the Field Marshall in bringing the barbarians to battle. Once the orcs are engaged, Imperial forces will need to hold ground, rotate troops, and resist Druj assaults until a full hour has passed. By this point, the Druj forces on the field will either have claimed victory or exhausted their troops to the point they abandon the wider chance and retreat to their armies to lick their wounds.

Success will see the fleeing citizens of Navarr and the streaming columns of the Great Forest Orcs reach the protection of the Heart of Peytaht in the Barrens, safe from the Druj's pursuit, at least for now.

===Objective: Prevent the use of the Sephals Cauldron===
* '''Locate and then investigate the contents of the tepel's cauldron'''
* '''Apothecaries will need to examine the nature of the poisons in the container to determine an effective counter'''
* '''If the battle is not taken, or the cauldron remains in Druj hands, then it will be used to poison the swamps of the Lower Tarn Valley and Hopes Rest'''

In the wake of the barbarian assault has come the Druj tepel, ''Thyla Handsplitter'', understood to be a learned apothecary from the citadel of Sephals in the Sarangrave. With them they bring a giant iron cauldron that brims with a noxious mix of toxins, venoms, poisons, and brews. Known as the Sephals Cauldron, it is rumoured to be a relic from the time of the original Druj ancestors, when the Buruk Tepel first mastered the arts of brewing and distilling to create the first potions and poisons.

The concoctions within the container pose a serious threat to the wider Tarn Valley basin from the steading of Return to the lake below the ruins of Dourfell Keep in the Barrens. This area has a maze of connected aquifers and springs that the Druj now aim to taint with the cauldron, contaminating the very land beneath the Empire's feet. The tepel have already begun to poison the land they control with similar foul brews, steeping the waters of the swamps with poison, but the work is not yet complete. To get the maximum effect they need to pour the waters of the cauldron into the Tarn to unleash the poison. If this happens it will cause the regions of the Lower Tarn Valley and Hope's Rest to gain the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|Poisoned]] quality as the ground waters are tainted.

Should the cauldron be spilt during the battle then it will still poison the Tarn Valley, but Hope's Rest will be saved. To save both the Empire must find a way to neutralise the liquids within the Sephals Cauldron. The civil service propose the following course of action to render the cauldron's contents inactive:

* Apothecaries will need to gain access to the cauldron
* A volunteer will need to test the liquid by sampling it
* The apothecaries will need to identify the poison from the volunteer's symptoms
* Identify the antidote, then prepare it and pour it into the cauldron
* Repeat the process until all the poisons are dealt with

===Battlefield threat: The Beasts of Eastring===
* '''The Druj have taken control of some of the monstrous insects found in Therunin'''

Therunin is famed for the plethora of insects that inhabit the forests and swamps of the territory. Crucially they grow ''big'' here, some of the dire insects can end up bigger than an adult human.

During their assault into East Ashes the warriors of the Druj were able to capture a number of monstrous creatures that they are now driving alongside their forces. Among them are numerous scuttling purple beetles known as Dire Elytra that can [[Calls#SHATTER|shatter shields and weapons]] with their great claws, and at least one hulking Dire Canthon bug twice the size of a human and capable of flinging ranks of soldiers with sweeping blows of its forelimbs.

The creatures are a monstrous threat that the Druj will employ against any Imperial force they encounter.

===Battlefield assistance: Zakalwe's Heralds===
* '''Zakalwe will provide two of his myrmidons to help the Empire coordinate their forces on the battlefield if they wish'''
Heralds of the ''[[Zakalwe|Master Strategist]]'' have informed the civil service of Zakalwe's desire to assist the Empire in combating the orcs of the Mallum, and he is offering the assistance of two of his Myrmidons during this venture to Tarn Bend. These warriors are able to commune with one another over distance, greatly enhancing the ability of forces alongside them to coordinate and tactically respond to happenings on the battlefield. One will remain with the Field Marshal, whilst the other Myrmidon will shadow another citizen chosen by the Field Marshal.

==Conjunctions==
===Fanning the Sparks (The Barrens)===
* '''A group of Druj are moving to the ''Hollow Tree'' to grant dominion to Surut'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Knight-protector of Winter'' is responsible for stopping the Druj and the heralds of Surut'''
The ''Hollow Tree'' is a relatively weak, though persistent, Winter regio in [[The_Barrens#The_Bleaks|the Bleaks]] that resonates with [[Winter_magic#Cruelty|cruelty]]. Its longstanding connection to the territory allows a coven to use it to target the Barrens using Winter rituals, but doesn't allow a Winter ritualist to contribute more to rituals. It was a curio, a strange oddity that has mostly been ignored since the Empire took control of the Barrens. It could have easily continued being ignored for the next decade had it not been for the warning delivered by Chainwright; a herald of [[Tharim|the Bound King]].

A group of Druj have entered the Barrens from [[Sarangrave]] and are making their way through the Bleaks towards the Hollow Tree. Accompanying the Druj are a number of heralds of [[Surut|the Burnt Steward]] who - if not stopped - will claim the Hollow Tree for the Charred Prince. Chainwright asks that the Knight-protector of Winter demonstrate their prowess by defeating the Druj and the heralds of Surut and stopping dominion of the regio being given away. Given that this is a direct request it is the responsibility of the [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]], '''Lady Nymeria Mortére''', to stop the Druj and the heralds of Surut. To assist with this task, and as a preemptive reward for completing the task set out, Tharim has sent Lady Nymeria Mortére a weapon "suitable for the knight of the finest realm". ('''OOC Note:''' The Knight-protector of Winter will find a ribbon for a [[:Category:One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]] in their pack.)

===Twilight (Morrow)===
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"> <box>'''<big>Content Warning</big>'''<br>This encounter will contain depictions of torture and could potentially involve depictions of assisted suicide. These themes are integral to the encounter and we would recommend players exercise caution if they are not comfortable experiencing them.</box></div>
* '''A group of Druj have captured ''Megaris''; a stargazer of Sunspire'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Advisor on the Vallorn'' is responsible for killing the Druj and rescuing the stargazer if they can'''
The [[Morrow#Sunspire_%28ruined%29|Sunspire]] is well known for its keen interest in the vallorn; it is a common stop for Navarri ritualists and brokers who often trade knowledge and news here. It also lies perilously close to the border with the recently lost East Ashes. Most of the Druj remain focused on Therunin, with most of them concentrated on hunting the Great Forest Orcs and the Navarr who fled north with them. Some Druj looked elsewhere for prey instead and managed to capture several [[stargazer]] on their way to loot the spire. All but one of them have passed away, either by the depredations of the Druj or by accepting the [[Kaela#The_Gift_of_Kaela|Gift of Kaela]], leaving just ''Megaris''.

If the Druj are not stopped then Sunspire will be looted for anything worthwhile to the Druj and left a wreck. The fate of ''Megaris'' will likely be death, or some other [[Druj_lore#Tortured_souls|worse fate]]. If the Druj manage to loot Sunspire then they will no doubt uncover more information on the vallorn, as such the [[Advisor on the Vallorn]], '''Nathair Autumngale''', is responsible for killing the Druj and rescuing Megaris if they can.

Standards

2025-02-12T20:04:50Z

TomH: /* The Lion and the Tower */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:386YE Summer]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Orc Drummers.jpg|caption=The Mournwold still bears the scars of a generation of occupation by the Jotun; can they turn back the clock to forty years ago and conquer the territory for a second time?|align=left|width=500}}</div>{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N1EeuH0j5M}}
==The Lion and the Tower==
Barely two weeks after the Spring Equinox, as Jotun armies [[Another verse|march into Braydon's Jasse]] and [[Only forward|into Bregasand]], two more armies leave Liathaven and begin the conquest of [[Mournwold#Southmoor|Southmoor]]. The Lion of the North are the most versatile of the Jotun armies. When the Queen of Kallsea, Yrsa Jansdottir, sends out the call, the warbands and champions across the Jotun jarldoms answer, bringing their unique capabilities to bear. This season Queen Yrsa's army is bolstered by siege engineers from distant Tromsa, sent by Jarl Olgafsdottir to aid her monarch in the far south. The barbarians know there are castles in [[Mournwold]], and that if they wish to claim the territory they will need to deal with them.

The Lion is supported by warriors who fight beneath the banner of Jarl Haakon, the former ruler of the Mournwold. They make good use of the [[Shallows_and_miseries#Choices_.28Conjunction.29|hidden caches]] he and his warband established in the region a year ago, allowing them to speedily capture farms and households without needing to worry about supply lines. The traitor yegarra are also here; those who follow the lead of Stephen of Sarcombe. His hatred for the Empire has only grown since the death of his partner at the hands of Imperial heroes. Many of those who fight with him grew up in the Mourn under Jotun occupation, but the keen eyed spot a few blue banners with silver eels on them. With their ambitions in [[Bregasland]] shattered, it seems at least some of the Fisher household have found a new leader to fight for.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Queen Yrsa Jansdottir, Jarl of Jarls, Monarch of Kalsea, General of the Lion of the North">We march south to repay our debt, to offer aid to the people of the south as they bring war to the Marches. Let cunning Raðljóst guide the war-builders of Tromsa as they prepare to bring down the walls of the Marcher castles, and let Ulfur's horn sound the moment of the sure strike that ushers in victory. To war! To battle! To the ruin of our foes!</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Derun Stonetower, General of the Tower of the North">We march south to test our hammers against the shields of the Marches. We march south to aid our cousin Haakon in their conquest. We march south, to the hills of the Mourn and the Singing Caves.</quote></div>
The Kalsean Jarl of Jarls does not come alone; the Tower of the North marches with her. In stark contrast to the usually loud and boisterous armies of the Jotun, the Tower are grim-faced, quiet warriors, veterans of a dozen campaigns or more. Among their number are some of the finest siege engineers in a nation famed for its prowess with stone and iron.

The western half of Southmoor falls quickly. Those who refuse to flee their farms face the Choice, one the older folk know well. The Jotun make no distinction between human and orc – they seem indifferent to the fact that a number of Mournwold orcs are now Marchers. They are treated just like their human neighbours – given the Choice and when they refuse to be Jotun, they become thralls once again. The anger at being so casually reduced in status once more ignites fury in some of the orcs, who make a Choice of their own and take up weapons and fight alongside their yeomen countryfolk. Most of them die, but a few escape east to Sarcombe with their fellow Marchers.

While the orcs offer the Choice, there are rumours that some of the yegarra of Stephen's warband are less keen to do so, choosing to keep fighting even when their foes have laid down their weapons. There is a rumour that Jarl Haakon and Stephen clash over this, with the orc leader condemning the dishonourable actions of the yegarra. The Queen herself is forced to intercede, according to a few straggling beaters who reach Sarcombe ahead of the Jotun forces. They say that Yrsa makes Stephen choose between swearing an oath to uphold the honour of the Jotun and being cast out of her army and forced to return to Liathaven. The idea that there is conflict among their enemies gives some scant comfort to the Marcher defenders.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Marcher Archer.jpg|caption=The folk of the Marches will fight to protect their land, and they will not fight alone.|align=left|width=500}}</div>

==Sarcombe==
Inevitably, as they push west the Jotun come to Sarcombe. It seems there is some surprise that they do not face steeper resistance, that there is no fortification here. When the Jotun ruled the Mourn, they built the castle of Hillstop above [[Mournwold#Sarcombe|Sarcombe ]] to keep an eye both on the rolling downs and on the forests of [[Liathaven]]. The invaders apparently assumed the Empire would have rebuilt it – and seem almost taken aback when they discover the only fortification standing between them and conquest of Southmoor are the walls of a [[market town]].

Even in the absence of armies, the Mourn is not without its defenders, however, and they rally to Sarcombe as soon as [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Beaters|beaters]] bring word of an orc force moving east out of [[Liathaven#Liaven's_Glen|Liaven's Glen]]. As they march west into Southmoor, the ranks of those soldiers stationed at [[Mournwold#Landskeeper's_Bulwark|Landskeeper's Bulwark]] and [[Mournwold#Farstrider's_Watch|Farstrider's Watch]] are further swollen by the yeomen of the Wold, by [[orc]] healers and scouts, and by a handful of [[Highguard|Highborn]] priests, [[magisters]], and soldiers here in the spirit of [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_110|peerless kinship]].

While the orcs quickly capture households and farms in the west of the region, they meet stiff resistance at Sarcombe itself. Nearly ten thousand orcs against a garrison of little more than six thousand Marchers and Highborn allies.

As the two Jotun armies gather, a Jotun warrior arrogantly strides out to stand before the walls of Sarcombe, sounding his warhorn three times to make sure all eyes are on him. This is Jarl Haakon, who once ruled over the entire Mourn. He offers the garrison the chance to withdraw, or to take the Choice and join the Jotun. He is met with jeers and whistles, and a barrage of rotten vegetables (not that any of them strike home; he stands well out of range of any missile).

Jarl Haakon doesn't respond to the Marchers' defiance, turns on his heel and strides back to the battle-lines, swallowed up by the sea of orcs as he rejoins his warband. Minutes later the horns sound again, and the Jotun attack.

The siege engines the Jotun have brought with them, intended to take down the walls of the 'Bulwark or the 'Watch make short work of the Sarcombe gates. A flood of warriors spills through, eager to engage the defenders hand-to-hand. Siege ladders slap against the low walls of the market town, eager orcs pouring up to bring battle to the yeomen garrisoning the ramparts. The warhorns sound again and again, brazen thunder as the Jotun armies push the defenders back.

Desperate fighting ensues in the streets of Sarcombe, but it is Imperial soldiers that are forced to withdraw. Some of the folk of Southmoor go with them, a fighting retreat back toward the [[Mournwold#Greensward|Greensward]] and the [[Mournwold#Ore Hills|Ore Hills]]. Others remain behind, refusing to admit defeat before the Jotun. A few die fighting, the rest are faced with the Choice again.

As the Imperial garrisons retreat, a beacon blossoms on the hill above Southmoor where Hillstop once stood. The standard of Jarl Haakon and that of the Queen of Kalsea flutters over the [[Mournwold_spoils_of_war#The_Old_Oak,_Sarcombe|Old Oak Inn]].

The Jotun have returned to the Mourn.

==Game Information==
The Jotun have conquered three-fifths of Southmoor, including the market town of Sarcombe. This means that following the Summer Solstice the [[Master of Sarcombe Metal Market]] will be unable to use [[Master_of_Sarcombe_Metal_Market#Mournful_Hills|their ministry]]. Likewise, the [[Bailiff of the Downs]], '''Thomas Oak''', has been forced to abandon their offices, meaning that in the coming season they will be unable to claim their [[Bailiff_of_the_Downs#Regular_Income|regular income]]. The [[Town Clerk of Sarcombe]] will not be able to draw on their [[Town_Clerk_of_Sarcombe#Market_Fees|market fees]] until the Empire reclaims the market-town. There'll also be nowhere to organise the protection of the Marcher orcs and less-well-protected farms from bandits, but that seems like the least of anyone's problems right now. The Empire has also lost access to the [[Think_of_the_children#The_Sarcombe_Register|Sarcombe Register]], but it's doubtful the Jotun will make an effort to harm the records – they are not the [[Druj]] after all.

With enemies in the Mourn, the people anticipate the imminent return of the Tusks to protect the territory, following the oath sworn by their general last season. If the army is not in the Mournwold by the start of the Autumn Equinox, leading a counter-attack or defending the people, the newly-established trust between the folk of the Mourn and the army [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|will be broken]].

Finally, following the Summer Solstice, '''Hob Cullach''' will be unable to operate the Old Oak Inn, and their income will be reduced by 72 rings until Sarcombe is recovered (assuming their Inn survives any fighting in Sarcombe).

==Tribute (Conjunction)==
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=John5803.jpg||caption='''Friar John''', Friar of Honour's Rest|align=right|width=250}}</div>
* '''A haunt of Jotun ghosts have been sighted on the border between Mournwold and Liathaven'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Friar of Honour's Rest'' is responsible for tracking down the source of the ghosts'''
As the Summer Solstice approaches, farmers in northern [[Mournwold#Southmoor|Southmoor]], close to the border of [[Liathaven]], bring news of spectral figures out in the woods. A scout ventures out one night, drawing close enough to realise that they are the ghosts of [[Jotun]] orcs, perhaps warriors who died on some old raid into the Mourn years ago. They appear to be moving towards The ''Glen of Red Shadow'' in [[Liathaven#Liaven's Glen|Liaven's Glen]], but no one has been willing to get close enough to determine why. There are enough ''living'' Jotun in Southmoor without looking for problems with ''dead'' ones.

Still, there is concern that this haunt, this spectral force of Jotun ghosts, might pose a threat to the people of Southmoor. If they are about to re-enact a raid into the Mournwold, it's doubtful that armies will be able to do much about them. A few of the farmers in free Southmoor have asked the [[Friar of Honour's Rest]], '''Friar John''', to organise a group of scouts, fighters and [[exorcism|exorcists]] to investigate, and ensure the ghosts are dealt with. Possibly, given the orcs are in Liathaven at the moment, with the aid of the Navarr?

How to be dead

2024-09-13T12:31:55Z

TomH: /* In the Depths */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Autumn]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>"Can we be certain that it is the same beast?" Alexa's voice was barely a whisper; she found the ossuary deeply intimidating, the presence of the dead, so many bones. Knowing that most of those interred here had been violent killers, infused with the power of a sovereign, sent cold shivers down her spine. Fighting unliving horrors in the woods and hills was one thing; being reminded of the skeleton inside her quite so immediately was a different matter.

"The Grandmaster is," said Maya. "It's there for all to see. The ''Braying Lord''. The same beast that subverted those fools at Isember, back again. In Temeschwar this time."

"Not just Temeschwar," muttered Alexa darkly. "Might as well say it is in Wintermark, or Navarr, or... or the Marches. What does it want with those places? Why would it be there?"

"I don't know," said Maya candidly. She ran her fingers over the bones embedded in the walls. Human thighbones. Dozens of them. In stark contrast to Alexa, she took comfort in knowing they were all accounted for, that the dead were at rest. And, she mused darkly, even if one of them were to rise again, it would struggle to put itself back together. As with many traditional Varushkan ossuaries, the bones of everyone lying here were separated by type. "Does it matter?"

They paused at the entrance to the final chamber.

"But what would SHE want with those places? They are so far away from Miekarova. From the Razors. Surely she has no interest in those people? I mean the Schlacta of Rot I can understand I suppose, but ''Marchers''?"

"Who knows what SHE has an interest in," said Maya shortly. "The other day Mikkael and Timori said that a bone centipede attacked them on the road. On the road, Alexa. I think it is far past time for us to stop trusting in things we have taken for granted."

She swung the lightstone around the little chamber. Dozens and dozens of empty eye sockets stared back at her, unseeing. The walls were covered in niches, each containing a single skull from one of those who died at Isember. It was the sworn duty of the Fellowship of the Black Goose to keep watch over them, just as they kept watch over the ruins of the old town itself.

Alexa found it first, the mark indicating the niche they were looking for. Shorn of flesh and skin, the skull was indistinguishable from those around it, but the younger warden fancied she could feel a grim malevolence radiating from it. Maya took it down carefully, reverently almost. Alexa frowned to see this relic of a very bad man handled so respectfully. The older warden marked her look and raised a finger in admonishment.

"Never forget that every single one of these people was a person, once, before they let weakness turn them into a monster. They're lost to us now, but once upon a time they listened to stories at their grandmother's knee just as you did. Played in the sun, sang by the fire. Remember that what happened to them, could happen to us. Me. You. Any of our fellows above waiting for us to come back with this bleak treasure. And if it can happen to ''us'' who learn the dangers when we are too small to reach a door handle, imagine how it is with people from softer lands? Hmm?"

The younger warden hung her head, chastened.

"You were a feckless fool in life, Alexi Iskandrova Isembrioch." Maya addressed the skull sternly. "A waster, and a thief who sacrificed everything on the alter of their own selfish ambition. You became a monster, and were dealt with as a monster should be dealt with. But maybe, just maybe, you can do some good at last."

She dropped the skull into the sack, and the two wardens turned to leave.

"Maybe some of us should go to Temeschwar. Deal with the problem?" Alexa suggested after a few moments of silent walking.

"We have duties here," said Maya, not unkindly. "Given everything that is going on, now is worst possible time for us to leave Isember. We'll just have to trust that the Grandmaster knows what they are about, and trust to others to deal with this particular evil. Maybe they'll even learn something from it."

But her expression, hidden from her companion by the shadow of her hood, was nowhere near as confident as her words.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Caves.jpg|caption=The depths beneath the north-western Empire attract bold adventurers looking to make a name for themselves like a magnet attracts tiny, breakable iron filings.|align=left|width=500}}</div>{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbf9EWhxTxA}}
{{PDFLink|align=right|link=File:How to be dead.pdf|caption=Click for pdf version}}
==Overview==
Last season the grandmaster of the Shuttered Lantern received a report from members of their order on the nature of the threat within [[Delver_of_the_Depths#Lorenzo's_Deep_Pockets|Lorenzo's Deep Pockets]]. Though the full report has not been made available to all citizens of the Empire - as befits the [[Shuttered_Lantern#The_Manifesto|manifesto]] of the order - other members of the Conclave were informed, leading to the grandmaster of the Rod and Shield taking action. The grandmaster directed the Rod and Shield to march to the sinkhole and deal with the threat posed by the ''Braying Lord'', an [[Plaguewulf#Elder_Plaguewulfs|elder plaguewulf]].

==In the Depths==
<div style="float:right; width: 500px;"><quote by="Grandmaster Sakari Nightscale, Rod and Shield. 386YE Summer Solstice">A Greater Plaguewulf Terrorizes Lorenzo's Deep Pockets: Poisoning the mine, raising wights, killing Imperial Citizens. The Shuttered Lantern has called for support to deal with this threat to Hahnmark, Temeschwar, Miaren and Upwold. I call the Rod and Shield to Arms! We march to Lorenzo's Deep Pockets. Find the Braying Lord and End this Threat!</quote></div>
* '''Members of the Rod and Shield have explored Lorenzo's Deep Pockets and uncovered the terrible extent of the corruption there'''
* '''The Braying Lord is a Greater Plaguewulf, a terrible servant of the sovereign known as the Howling Queen'''
* '''The creature is dug in and shows every sign of becoming even more powerful with potentially disastrous ramifications for the north-west Empire'''
Magicians from across the Empire accept the call from their grandmaster. Hundreds of veteran battlemages journeying to [[Temeschwar#Vardstein_Vale|Polseg]], the secluded mining settlement that was tormented by the [[Schools_and_sawmills#Temeschwar_:_City_by_Night_(Conjunction)|Company of the Torch]] a year ago. At the same time, supplies are delivered from the other territories that border the sinkhole; [[Hahnmark]], [[Miaren]], and [[Upwold]]. Here too are some of the [[military unit|mercenaries]] readying to [[Military_unit#Explore_the_Depths|explore the depths]] to claim precious ingots and mana crystals from Lorenzo's Deep Pockets. A few weeks after the Summer Solstice the force moves in strength to establish a base camp and start to investigate what is happening.
__TOC__
The sinkhole has become incredibly dangerous; whereas before the natural caves and tunnels were safe to walk they have become slick with rotten effluence. The damp air hangs heavy with sickness, an occasional draft from below brings the smell of decay, a stench of something ''wrong''. Over the first day, every member of the expedition falls ill; a feeling of [[Calls#VENOM|wrongness]], of bone tiredness interspersed with periods of feverish intensity. If it was ''just'' that it would be fine, if costly, but the first to receive treatment don't appear to get better. [[Marrowort]] helps at least stave off the worst of the fatigue and the fever, at least for a time, but it always returns.

The creatures slinking in the darkness are the other complication. This is a completely different threat to that of the trogoni when the Runic Hearth of [[Adamant]] was [[Brightness_long_ago|escorted down]] to the darkest depths. These monsters in the dark possess a cunning; striking then withdrawing just long enough for the physicks to reach the downed before striking once again. It is during one of these attacks that the other danger of the sickness comes to light as the first casualty - a veteran [[warden]] - falls beyond the reach of the healers, the rest of the party forced to watch as the seconds to reach her run out. And then with a judder, she gets back up and begins striking mercilessly at her former friends and allies who put her down a final time with tears in their eyes. This has been seen before, in [[Karsk#The_Ruins_of_Isember|Isember]], more than two years ago when Boyar Alexi Iskandrova Isembrioch was [[Delirium#Boyar_of_Steel_(Conjunction)|defeated]] and the [[Delirium#Dark_Spirits_(Conjunction)|dark horror]] that made its lair under Isember confronted.

This revelation propels the expedition into a push downward, to try to roust the beast before more fall to its sickening miasma. Warcasters and war-witches ready themselves alongside knights from Dawn and heroes from Wintermark. It starts with the momentum that comes when thousands of soldiers and powerful magicians are forced to wait whilst sick. When unleashed they force themselves downwards like an unstoppable wave, devastating the groups of husks they come across. As the expedition reaches the largest cavern yet, the fate of the lost miners and guards - long since thought dead - is finally revealed. Huddled in the centre of the vast cave are scores of malnourished and desperate people. The force quickly establishes guards at the dozen entrances to the cavern and the leaders and healers reach out to help the sick and lost. But not all of the guards and miners were lost, some of them had struck some hard bargain with the Braying Lord and now they strike. Hidden weapons, often daggers but sometimes just sharpened splinters of rock, are embedded quickly in stomachs and throats. Those they manage to take down quickly bolster their own numbers - all of them are eventually subdued but the fighting is rough with more than a hundred lost in those frantic minutes.
{{SOP|by=Vasilimir Radovanovich Esskiviz, Varushkan Assembly|statement=We are familiar with the beast that builds its nest in Lorenzo's Deep Pockets. We know it. We know its kind. With vigilance we ask citizens of Varushka to lend our steel and our wisdom to the Rod and Shield, to help fight the malice of this greater plaguewulf|when=Summer Solstice 386YE|vote=Greater Majority (216-0)}}
Some of the people rescued are able to tell more about the situation; about how some of those taken have fallen to worshipping the Braying Lord, about the mercenary company - the Crimson Band - that has accepted the bargain offered by the Braying Lord. This information - though it came at a heavy cost - is incredibly vital and allows a plan to form. The company and the band of followers are elsewhere - encamped in Hahnmark and Miaren respectively. A flurry of [[Call Winged Messenger|letters]] are sent to the prognosticators in Anvil and, with knowledge of conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate, a plan beings to form. The lair of the plaguewulf itself is far deeper than the expedition has managed so far with thousands of husks between them and the Braying Lord. But a couple of the battlemages are part of the Fellowship of the Black Goose, the warden fellowship who watch over Isember and were inspired to action by the statement of '''Vasilimir Radovanovich Esskiviz''' in the Varushkan Assembly, and they have sent a letter of their own to those who have remained behind in Karsk.

The mercenaries and the cultists will need to be defeated first. One of the Varushkan battlemages who spoke to the rescued miners reports that they will have taken a similar role as the Boyar of Isember; as a conduit for the decay of the elder plaguewulf. Once they have been killed then the Braying Lord can be drawn out and killed.

It is risky, and elder plaguewulfs are notoriously difficult to kill. But this is the best chance anyone has had in the last century to kill one.

==Conjunctions==
* '''Three opportunities exist to try and stem the flow of corruption from the sinkhole'''
* '''Anyone venturing to the area will be exposed to the manifest corruption of the greater plaguewulf and automatically suffer a lethal traumatic wound'''
* '''Defeating enemies on these skirmishes offers no guarantee they will stay down'''
All three of these skirmishes will take place in areas where the foul taint of the Braying Lord has sunk into the ground itself. Every character who passes through the gate will suffer the effects of [[Calls#VENOM|venom]] which cannot be cured until back in Anvil. They will also receive a [[Combat#Traumatic_Wounds|traumatic wound]] detailing the effects of exposure and should take a moment to familiarise themselves with it.

During these skirmishes, some of the dead will reanimate after a short time. There are many steps that you can take to protect yourself from this peril, but please don't disarm the dead. The unliving minions of the elder plaguewulf are perfectly capable of inflicting serious injuries with their bare hands but bare handed combat is not part of Empire's rules. It is fine to SHATTER weapons with the appropriate call, but don't take the weapons away from downed monsters because in-character that would achieve little.

Likewise, there are no rules for chopping corpses up in Empire. [[Calls#EXECUTE|Execution]] is one thing, but removing limbs completely is laborious and ineffective against the living dead. You will be wasting time pretending to chop arms and legs or heads off the fallen as this isn't going to stop them standing back up again. By all means use calls like CLEAVE and IMPALE to disable monsters in the fight, but please embrace the conventions of the scene and don't waste your time roleplaying chopping up bodies.

===A Sudden Chill===
* '''The followers of the Braying Lord can be removed as a threat through the Sentinel Gate'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Grandmaster of the Rod and Shield'' is responsible for killing the followers of the plaguewulf'''
The followers of the Braying Lord are a threat that spreads beyond the sinkhole itself. Miners, guards, and adventurers who were taken by the plaguewulf and chose to worship it in return for being allowed to live. They will spread the foul nature of the Braying Lord elsewhere, even if the creature itself is destroyed. They seek to disappear into the great mass of Imperial citizenry, to bide their time before emerging again as a new threat. It is entirely possible that if enough of them escape they will inflict a festering wound on the Empire, potentially laying the seeds for a threat like that posed by the bandits of [[Delerium#Isember|Isember]]. They left the sinkhole before the Rod and Shield moved in; going south into [[Miaren#Goldglades|Goldglades]], but where they might go from there is impossible to resist - if they reach the [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#Blood_Red_Roads|Blood Red Roads]] they could end up almost anywhere, ready to spread the unholy taint of the plaguewulfs or their terrible mistress, the [[Varushkan_Monster#Sovereigns|sovereign]] known as the ''Howling Queen''.

The magicians of the order have asked that the [[Grandmaster]] of the [[Rod and Shield]], '''Sakari Nightscale''', be responsible for bringing justice to the followers of the Braying Lord to kill them before they have a chance to reach the roads of [[Miaren]] and spread the sickness of the elder plaguewulf.

===A Bitter Thought===
* '''The Crimson Band are vulnerable to a strike through the Sentinel Gate'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Imperial Huntsmarshall'' is responsible for slaying the Crimson Band'''
The Crimson Band are a company of dangerously skilled mercenaries. They have made made camp in [[Hahnmark#Wood Heath|Wood Heath]] and are clearly planning to expand the Braying Lord's influence. If they are left free they will head further north and east, and disappear into the wilds of Hahnmark. In their path is the village of Stormshall, and once word of their presence reaches them, they send word to '''Maggie Potts''', the [[Imperial Huntsmarshall]], asking them to deal with these servants of a foul monstrous beast. Given the mercenaries are almost certainly infused with aberrant power by their master, it seems only appropriate that they be responsible for the task.

If the Crimson Band survive, regardless of whether the Braying Lord is destroyed or not they will be able to find sanctuary in Hahnmark and spread the foul taint of the plaguewulfs into Wintermark. As experienced fighters, they could do a lot of damage if they are given time to gather their strength - and some of the [[mystic|mystics]] have had unsettling dreams that leave some worried that the Crimson Band might give rise to a horror like the [[Tales_of_mystery#The_Deadwood_Knight|Deadwood Knight]] if they are not dealt with quickly.

===Under the Dust===
* '''The Braying Lord can be lured out and killed'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Delver of the Depths'' is responsible for defeating the Braying Lord'''
Then there is the elder plaguewulf itself, the Braying Lord. This creature has nested within the sinkhole since it fled the ruins of Isember, and the awful sickness hanging over the great quarry is its doing. The ''Fellowship of the Black Goose'', the [[warden]] fellowship who are the self appointed [[Delirium#Illusion_and_Doubt|guardians of Isember]], have sent a treasure - the skull of ''Alexi Iskandrova Isembrioch'' - to the current [[Delver of the Depths]].

The warden fellowship ask that '''Piera di Sarvos''' be responsible for taking the skull to the place where the Braying Lord first entered the sinkhole, in [[Temeschwar#Vardstein Vale|Vardstein Vale]], and there use it to lure out the elder plagewulf and destroy it. When it issues forth from its lair it will be killable, though it will be joined by dozens of its followers. If it is not destroyed or driven off, then it will be free to sink even further into the depths. It's doubtful ''anyone'' will be able to dislodge it from the Depths after that, and as its power grows it will become an even greater threat perhaps even rising to the power of a sovereign itself. The impact on Lorenzo's Deep Pockets should not be underestimated.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Heroes who Explored the Depths'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Nation'''</td><td>'''Character'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Archavion Wolfborne</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Met Demeter</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Matthias</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Alys de Vere</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Wulfram Tanner</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Torwynn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Goblet Grassman de Cordraco</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Dirk</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dawn</td><td>Kharn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Navarr</td><td>Asher</td></tr>
<tr><td>Navarr</td><td>Veradin</td></tr>
<tr><td>Navarr</td><td>Alwin</td></tr>
<tr><td>Navarr</td><td>Rhyffyllann Kraken's Crawl</td></tr>
<tr><td>The League</td><td>Diendre de Tassato</td></tr>
<tr><td>The League</td><td>Enriko Pescatore</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Marches</td><td>Edgar Guildenstern</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Marches</td><td>Finn</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Marches</td><td>Crofley Crowson</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Marches</td><td>Tod Grouse</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Marches</td><td>Mason Mourn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Olstan</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Revice Halivor</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Ivar Dunning</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Erlend Gunnulfsson</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kara</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Aegil</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Blaze</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>"sword hind" Leofric Dunning</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Orva Pirittasdottir</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Arnor</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wintermark</td><td>Dagfinn</td></tr>
</table></div>

==Participation==
* '''Every member of the Rod and Shield and every character whose military unit explored the depths this season starts play with a lethal traumatic wound'''
Anyone who is a member of the Order of the Rod and Shield or whose military unit was sent on the [[Military_unit#Explore_the_Depths|Explore the Depths]] adventure is welcome to roleplay having been part of the expedition. Appropriate stories would involve some or all of the above: an order united by its desire to remove something ''wrong'' from the world, the first people falling sick and the sense of fear when the nature of the sickness was realised, the dread when the warden fell only to rise again, the sick betrayal by the followers of the Braying Lord, the hope when the plan was finalised.

Every member of the Rod and Shield and every owner of a military unit who was sent to Explore the Depths will receive a potentially fatal traumatic wound in their packs. If, as a member of the Rod and Shield, you would not have taken part in the expedition then you can choose to return the traumatic wound to GOD team. It is not possible for the owners of military unit to return traumatic wounds in this way. If you are both a member of the Rod and Shield ''and'' you have a military unit that took the action then you will only receive one traumatic wound but you will not be able to return it.

==Further Reading==
* [[Delver_of_the_Depths#Lorenzo's_Deep_Pockets|Lorenzo's Deep Pockets]]
* [[Plaguewulf]]
* [[Pitter_patter#Lorenzo's_Deep_Pockets|Pitter patter]] - 386YE Autumn Equinox wind of fortune addressing the growing threat
* [[They_bit_the_cats#Dweller_in_the_Depths|They bit the cats]] - 386YE Spring Solstice wind of fortune detailing the signs of the Braying Lord's rise to power
* [[Battle_cries#Ravens_(Conjunction)|Battle cries]] - 385YE Summer Solstice wind of fortune with the first hint that something was wrong in the sinkhole
* [[Delirium#Canker|Delerium]] - 384YE Summer Solstice wind of war describing the fall of Isember and the rousing of the Braying Lord

Monstering a battle

2024-08-19T13:40:03Z

TomH: /* After the battle */

==Overview==
[[Battles]] are a massive logistical undertaking involving well over 300 player monsters and crew, not including those players preparing to play the battle. This page should help guide players preparing to monster battles at an event. It provides basic hints and tips, gives you an idea of what to expect, and how to speed you through the process as quickly as possible.
===Quick guide===
* Find out when you will be monstering
** Ask your generals - they should be aware of the battle sides
** Look for signage we put on the toilet doors
** Ask your egregore
* Bring any kit, armour and weapons you can
* Hydrate and bring water with you
* Arrive between 09:30 and 10:30 at Battle Prep in the OOC area
* Pass Weapon Check and Nation Count
* Be assigned a battlefield role
** Ask for a low-combat role
* Equip yourself with armour and orc mask

==How will I know I am monstering?==
The first time that you might get an idea of when you might be monstering a battle is when the [[Recent_history|Winds of War]] are released and we notify the players of the major conjunctions at the event. It is likely that the Marcher generals will want to fight in the Mournwold, and the Varushkans in Karsk, or Highguard in Reikos; this means that these nations will monster the other battle. But don’t count on it, it is all down to player decisions...

Once the [[Military Council]] have met at the [[Muster]] on Friday and decided upon the two major conjunctions the heroes will take, word will start to spread (in character) about the battles being fought and who will be fighting them. Knowing when you will fight as your character will make it obvious when you will need to monster. Ask your national generals, your group leaders, and military-minded folk which battle your nation will be fighting and then you will know which battle to monster in.

Your nation's egregores will be informed of the battle choices by 22:00 on Friday night, once the Muster has concluded.

As well as the in-character dissemination of battle sides, the Battle Team will also put up notices in GOD, the Food Court tent, and the toilet doors around the site detailing the nations fighting the next day. These will provide basic information for the monstering nations, including:
* The barbarian force you are monstering as - Jotun/Grendel/Druj
* The main orc forces you will be monstering as - Heavy/Skirmish/Magic
* The equipment and costume useful for these roles - Armour/Weapons/Costume
* The available low-combat roles in the battle

==Elite Monster Units==
We also have a number of Elite Monster Units (EMU) formed from players in several nations. Commanders from these groups will attend a briefing the night before a battle on the role their units will play the next day. Otherwise, these groups will already know their briefs, have costume and know what they need to do when they monster. Please ask in your nation group if you are not already part of an EMU.
==What do I need to bring to monster?==
When you come to monster there are a number of things that you should bring if possible:
===Clothing===
You should wear a neutral base layer - a long-sleeved shirt and trousers (greys, blacks, and browns are ideal) - under any other costume or armour you have. This base layer should keep you warm, provide coverage from the sun, and help protect against any armour you might wear. A pair of thin gloves are also recommended. Ideally, you want to cover as much of your own skin as possible. We strongly advise wearing a decent pair of boots to avoid accidental toe stomping and provide ankle support on uneven ground.

===Armour===
Please wear any armour you have when you come along to monster. Using [[Weapons_%26_armour#Armour|appropriate armour]] will provide your orc monster with additional hits and protection from some [[Heroic Calls|heroic calls]] as it does with your player character. Wearing padding is also advised to ensure the armour is as comfortable as possible and doesn't hurt you more than protecting you.

===Weapons===
Please bring along a weapon to use in the battle. For the basic orc troops most weapon combinations are fine to use - sword and buckler, axe & shield, spears, great weapons or paired weapons.

'''NOTE''' - the Jotun orcs disdain the use of bows or crossbows, please do not bring them to Monster when you are monstering as a Jotun orc. In some battles the Jotun yegarra might deploy with bow units and we will make this clear in the battle briefings in the Winds of War.

===Water===
You should bring water with you when you come to monster. A 500ml of water should be sufficient, but you might need more, especially if it is hot. A simple way to carry - and hide - a plastic water bottle is to wrap it in a sock and tie it onto a belt.

It is advisable to ensure you are hydrated before heading to Battle Prep and monstering; sports drinks or other soft drinks are ideal, especially if you were drinking the night before.

==What will Profound Decisions provide?==
Profound Decisions may provide additional items for you to borrow during a battle as your barbarian orc. Please ensure you return these when you leave the battlefield and let us know if they are broken or damaged. Unfortunately, we may run out of kit to provide players; our Battle Team have contingencies in place should this happen during Battle Prep.

===Armour===
Profound Decisions can provide additional items of armour to wear on the battlefield. The polyurethane breastplates, vambraces, greaves, and spaulders count as heavy armour if struck - protecting against the CLEAVE and IMPALE calls - and with sufficient coverage, they will provide additional armour hits. Wearing your own armour makes it easier for us to ensure we can equip as many monsters as possible with armour.

===Orc mask===
Profound Decisions will provide a basic orc mask for you to wear on the battlefield. These are cotton/lycra balaclavas with a natural rubber latex face that should fit most head shapes and sizes. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we only use masks once an event, and we encourage players to take a mask and wear it rather than trying several on to find the perfect fit.

If you can bring your own orc mask to wear then that will help us equip other players with a mask. Owning a personal mask means you can customise it for comfort and fit - accommodating hair or a beard - and using it as the basis of your own orc monster costume.

==What do I do when I arrive at Battle Prep?==
Battle Prep will be open between 09:30 and 10:30. You '''must''' arrive between these times, and as early as possible. During this time you will have your weapons checked, be briefed, collect kit, and then deploy to the battlefield. If you arrive after 10:30 '''we will turn you away'''.

We want to ensure this process is quick and as hassle-free as possible for everyone, both players and crew. The main thing we want to do is to ensure the monsters are ready to begin the battle at 11:00. This is done to avoid everyone waiting around before a battle - both players and monsters. Importantly, we can not handle the hundreds of player monsters coming to Battle Prep all at once. Ideally we want a steady stream of people arriving over the course of the hour. Please choose a time that is suitable for you and your friends, make sure you have everything you need and get to Battle Prep as early as you can.

The process for monster preparation is as follows:
* Weapon check
* Roleplay nation brief and unit brief
* Nation number count
* Collect armour
* Collect orc mask
* Meet unit commanders
* Briefed by IC orc commander
* Deploy onto the battlefield
===Low-combat roles===
Not every orc needs to be a warrior. We also recognise that OOC not everyone wants a frontline combat role - just the same as when you battle as a player - and we need to offer an alternative. We offer 'low-com' roles for players to portray during the battle. Whilst there is every expectation that you might end up in combat and being struck, the chances of it happening are vastly reduced. These roles include:
* Orc priests, healers, mages and artisan support characters
* Human subjects and thralls fulfilling similar roles

Sometimes we might require additional players to take on NPC characters as part of a battle objective. These will be advertised as part of the Winds of War, and dealt with on the day by our Battle Team.

===Non-combatants on the battlefield===
You should not enter the battlefield - either as a player or a monster - if you consider yourself a [[Event_safety#Non-contact|non-combatant]]. We cannot guarantee you will not be hit on the battlefield, and the combat rules expect everyone to be able to fall over safely. If you are a non-combatant it isn't possible to volunteer to assist with the battles.

==The battle==
Our battles start at 11:00 and can last 60-90 minutes, depending on the scenario, how well the players fight, or how much resistance they face from the orc barbarians! Have fun!
===Respawns===
When your orc character is killed on the battlefield, you will need to head to a respawn point. We suggest keeping your hand in the air until you reach a respawn point to indicate to other players that you are '''out of character'''. Respawn points are located in several places around the field, but change between battles due to many reasons. Most monsters will know where to go, so do ask other orcs if you don’t know where you are. Referees will also be able to help send you in the right direction (Find one with a radio). If you get lost, head back towards Monster and the location that you entered the field from.

==After the battle==
After the battle it will take a short time to get off the battlefield, remove your orc mask and makeup, take off your armour and get back into character. Hopefully you will be able to go back in character from 13:00. We ask that you help our crew when leaving the battlefield and do the following:
* Turn your mask inside out and place in the storage boxes
* Return any unused herbs, mana and potions to the relevant box
* Return your armour to the correct sized pile
* Return any costume or props you have been provided
{{Monstering Further Reading}}

Monstering a battle

2024-08-19T13:37:33Z

TomH: /* Weapons */

==Overview==
[[Battles]] are a massive logistical undertaking involving well over 300 player monsters and crew, not including those players preparing to play the battle. This page should help guide players preparing to monster battles at an event. It provides basic hints and tips, gives you an idea of what to expect, and how to speed you through the process as quickly as possible.
===Quick guide===
* Find out when you will be monstering
** Ask your generals - they should be aware of the battle sides
** Look for signage we put on the toilet doors
** Ask your egregore
* Bring any kit, armour and weapons you can
* Hydrate and bring water with you
* Arrive between 09:30 and 10:30 at Battle Prep in the OOC area
* Pass Weapon Check and Nation Count
* Be assigned a battlefield role
** Ask for a low-combat role
* Equip yourself with armour and orc mask

==How will I know I am monstering?==
The first time that you might get an idea of when you might be monstering a battle is when the [[Recent_history|Winds of War]] are released and we notify the players of the major conjunctions at the event. It is likely that the Marcher generals will want to fight in the Mournwold, and the Varushkans in Karsk, or Highguard in Reikos; this means that these nations will monster the other battle. But don’t count on it, it is all down to player decisions...

Once the [[Military Council]] have met at the [[Muster]] on Friday and decided upon the two major conjunctions the heroes will take, word will start to spread (in character) about the battles being fought and who will be fighting them. Knowing when you will fight as your character will make it obvious when you will need to monster. Ask your national generals, your group leaders, and military-minded folk which battle your nation will be fighting and then you will know which battle to monster in.

Your nation's egregores will be informed of the battle choices by 22:00 on Friday night, once the Muster has concluded.

As well as the in-character dissemination of battle sides, the Battle Team will also put up notices in GOD, the Food Court tent, and the toilet doors around the site detailing the nations fighting the next day. These will provide basic information for the monstering nations, including:
* The barbarian force you are monstering as - Jotun/Grendel/Druj
* The main orc forces you will be monstering as - Heavy/Skirmish/Magic
* The equipment and costume useful for these roles - Armour/Weapons/Costume
* The available low-combat roles in the battle

==Elite Monster Units==
We also have a number of Elite Monster Units (EMU) formed from players in several nations. Commanders from these groups will attend a briefing the night before a battle on the role their units will play the next day. Otherwise, these groups will already know their briefs, have costume and know what they need to do when they monster. Please ask in your nation group if you are not already part of an EMU.
==What do I need to bring to monster?==
When you come to monster there are a number of things that you should bring if possible:
===Clothing===
You should wear a neutral base layer - a long-sleeved shirt and trousers (greys, blacks, and browns are ideal) - under any other costume or armour you have. This base layer should keep you warm, provide coverage from the sun, and help protect against any armour you might wear. A pair of thin gloves are also recommended. Ideally, you want to cover as much of your own skin as possible. We strongly advise wearing a decent pair of boots to avoid accidental toe stomping and provide ankle support on uneven ground.

===Armour===
Please wear any armour you have when you come along to monster. Using [[Weapons_%26_armour#Armour|appropriate armour]] will provide your orc monster with additional hits and protection from some [[Heroic Calls|heroic calls]] as it does with your player character. Wearing padding is also advised to ensure the armour is as comfortable as possible and doesn't hurt you more than protecting you.

===Weapons===
Please bring along a weapon to use in the battle. For the basic orc troops most weapon combinations are fine to use - sword and buckler, axe & shield, spears, great weapons or paired weapons.

'''NOTE''' - the Jotun orcs disdain the use of bows or crossbows, please do not bring them to Monster when you are monstering as a Jotun orc. In some battles the Jotun yegarra might deploy with bow units and we will make this clear in the battle briefings in the Winds of War.

===Water===
You should bring water with you when you come to monster. A 500ml of water should be sufficient, but you might need more, especially if it is hot. A simple way to carry - and hide - a plastic water bottle is to wrap it in a sock and tie it onto a belt.

It is advisable to ensure you are hydrated before heading to Battle Prep and monstering; sports drinks or other soft drinks are ideal, especially if you were drinking the night before.

==What will Profound Decisions provide?==
Profound Decisions may provide additional items for you to borrow during a battle as your barbarian orc. Please ensure you return these when you leave the battlefield and let us know if they are broken or damaged. Unfortunately, we may run out of kit to provide players; our Battle Team have contingencies in place should this happen during Battle Prep.

===Armour===
Profound Decisions can provide additional items of armour to wear on the battlefield. The polyurethane breastplates, vambraces, greaves, and spaulders count as heavy armour if struck - protecting against the CLEAVE and IMPALE calls - and with sufficient coverage, they will provide additional armour hits. Wearing your own armour makes it easier for us to ensure we can equip as many monsters as possible with armour.

===Orc mask===
Profound Decisions will provide a basic orc mask for you to wear on the battlefield. These are cotton/lycra balaclavas with a natural rubber latex face that should fit most head shapes and sizes. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we only use masks once an event, and we encourage players to take a mask and wear it rather than trying several on to find the perfect fit.

If you can bring your own orc mask to wear then that will help us equip other players with a mask. Owning a personal mask means you can customise it for comfort and fit - accommodating hair or a beard - and using it as the basis of your own orc monster costume.

==What do I do when I arrive at Battle Prep?==
Battle Prep will be open between 09:30 and 10:30. You '''must''' arrive between these times, and as early as possible. During this time you will have your weapons checked, be briefed, collect kit, and then deploy to the battlefield. If you arrive after 10:30 '''we will turn you away'''.

We want to ensure this process is quick and as hassle-free as possible for everyone, both players and crew. The main thing we want to do is to ensure the monsters are ready to begin the battle at 11:00. This is done to avoid everyone waiting around before a battle - both players and monsters. Importantly, we can not handle the hundreds of player monsters coming to Battle Prep all at once. Ideally we want a steady stream of people arriving over the course of the hour. Please choose a time that is suitable for you and your friends, make sure you have everything you need and get to Battle Prep as early as you can.

The process for monster preparation is as follows:
* Weapon check
* Roleplay nation brief and unit brief
* Nation number count
* Collect armour
* Collect orc mask
* Meet unit commanders
* Briefed by IC orc commander
* Deploy onto the battlefield
===Low-combat roles===
Not every orc needs to be a warrior. We also recognise that OOC not everyone wants a frontline combat role - just the same as when you battle as a player - and we need to offer an alternative. We offer 'low-com' roles for players to portray during the battle. Whilst there is every expectation that you might end up in combat and being struck, the chances of it happening are vastly reduced. These roles include:
* Orc priests, healers, mages and artisan support characters
* Human subjects and thralls fulfilling similar roles

Sometimes we might require additional players to take on NPC characters as part of a battle objective. These will be advertised as part of the Winds of War, and dealt with on the day by our Battle Team.

===Non-combatants on the battlefield===
You should not enter the battlefield - either as a player or a monster - if you consider yourself a [[Event_safety#Non-contact|non-combatant]]. We cannot guarantee you will not be hit on the battlefield, and the combat rules expect everyone to be able to fall over safely. If you are a non-combatant it isn't possible to volunteer to assist with the battles.

==The battle==
Our battles start at 11:00 and can last 60-90 minutes, depending on the scenario, how well the players fight, or how much resistance they face from the orc barbarians! Have fun!
===Respawns===
When your orc character is killed on the battlefield, you will need to head to a respawn point. We suggest keeping your hand in the air until you reach a respawn point to indicate to other players that you are '''out of character'''. Respawn points are located in several places around the field, but change between battles due to many reasons. Most monsters will know where to go, so do ask other orcs if you don’t know where you are. Referees will also be able to help send you in the right direction (Find one with a radio). If you get lost, head back towards Monster and the location that you entered the field from.

==After the battle==
After the battle it will take a short time to get off the battlefield, remove your orc mask and makeup, take off your armour and get back into character. Hopefully you will be able to go back in character from 13:00. We ask that you help our crew when leaving the battlefield and do the following:
* Turn your mask inside out and spray it with disinfectant
* Return any unused herbs, mana and potions you haven’t used
* Return your armour to the correct size pile
* Return any costume or weapons to the correct rail or pile
{{Monstering Further Reading}}

Children of Wrecks

2024-07-25T15:53:01Z

TomH: /* To Teach and Learn (Ayereed) */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>
"Why do they do it?" she asked, frustrated. "What in the Empire's name appeals to them about it?"

They were staring at the body of the murdered man. Stabbed three times, it looked like it was the final cut that had killed him. The knife had gone in under the rib cage, buried to the hilt. An inch less it might have missed his heart. Instead he was lying in a pool of his own blood.

"They were arguing. They fought. One of them gets killed. Where's the murderer to run to? Nobody will take her in now. She's a marked woman. Nobody except the Mother of Wrecks. And Howl-in-the-Night obviously, but Sermersuaq is both hundreds of miles away and stupidly cold. It makes perfect sense to flee to Free Landing. We should just write this one up and move on."

"No, that's not it," Emilia responded, shaking her head. "The neighbours said they were arguing ''before'' this. But they were lovers apparently, tempestuous and prone to arguments all the time. Nobody thought anything of it before they heard the screams. Point is, she was trying to get him to come away with her. That's what they were arguing about. She was all set to leave before the fight!"

"You sure about that?" Miguel asked.

"Definitely." Emilia stooped to find the notes she'd made when interviewing the young neighbour. "Here we go. They were arguing. She was shouting about going away from here. Somewhere without any rules - about doing whatever they please." She looked up at her partner triumphantly. "The boy says the fight started when her lover said he wouldn't let her go. He threatened to go to the magistrate. And ''that's'' when she killed him."

Emilia bent down to get a closer look at the body. "Too late to give him a voice. We should see if the magistrate will pay for the hakima to whisper him."

"Pfft - like they'll spring for that," said Miguel disdainfully. "If you're right - and I'm not saying you are - but if you are right... That means she was planning this all long, by now she's far away swimming with the sharks. We won't catch her."

Emilia rubbed her neck in frustration, her gills were itching again. "You're right... I just want to get to the bottom of this. Maybe his family will pay for it?"

"You doing this for them... or for you?"

Emilia ground her teeth, but it was a fair question. "Both," she said quietly. "It's for both of us."
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Dapper Carchacadon.jpg|caption=The servants of Siakha are many and varied but among the more terrible are the murderous shark heralds who shed blood in the name of the ''Mother of Monsters''|align=left|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/gSEpl_OvyrM?si=NTDZcksCw7z2UK1z}}
==Overview==
* '''A loose coalition of Siakha worshippers has formed in the Bay of Catazar under the leadership of High Priestess Shivaarn'''
* '''The ''Children of Wrecks'' have claimed Free Landing and have decisively split from the Grendel'''

The followers of [[Siakha]] are varied and numerous. Some of the [[Grendel]] and the inhabitants of the [[Bay_of_Catazar#The_Broken_Shore_and_Attar|Broken Shore]] have long worshiped her. Indeed it was one of her followers from the Broken Shore who [[Three_and_three#Siakha_(Conjunction)|met]] with the [[Archmage of Spring]], '''Ibiss Briarheart''', last year as a representative of the [[eternal]] herself.

Reverence of Siakha is widespread. Beyond the [[Bay of Catazar]], some want nothing more in life than to rob and take, to slaughter and raze, and the ''Mother of Monsters'' will gladly provide boons to those who revel in such a life. Even in the Empire there have long been [[Siakha#Concerns|rumours]] of [[corsair]] families of [[the Brass Coast]] with hidden shrines dedicated to [[Religious_Crimes#Idolatry|idolatrous]] worship of the ''Empress of Sharks''. Then there are her heralds: vicious ''carcharadons'' who revel in butchery; disruptive ''tempests'' who channel the power of the storm to break battle-lines and cause chaos; great sea serpents who coil around ships and drag sailors to their deaths; and hulking beasts of scales and razor sharp fangs that can smash a wall to splinters in a matter of moments.

Now they have come together in a loose coalition under the direction of ''High Priestess Shivaarn''. She who praises the Mother of Wrecks enacted some [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|grand plan]] during the Winter Solstice 385YE that saw the [[Madruga#The_Shining_Pillar_(Destroyed)|Shining Pillar]] destroyed, and the creation of a swirling maelstrom in its place. This desecration necessitated a [[The_cry_of_gulls#The_Darkened_Beacon|betrayal]] of the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asaveans]] who were there to support the Grendel - someone had to be sacrificed to the carcharadons after all.

In the diplomatic fallout that followed, the Salt Lords were forced to denounce the Siakha followers. As a result [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]] has denied the rule of the Salt Lords; instead, the region is held by the Children of Wrecks. Just ten days before the Spring Equinox 386YE this was confirmed with a message relayed by [[The_cry_of_gulls#Spring_is_Coming|an orc captain]] to the Freeborn and Marchers on the docks at [[Madruga#Lightsea|Quzar]]. Since then the "''wreckers''" have established themselves in Atalaya, opening the port as a haven to anyone who worships the Salt-born Devourer.
<quote by="High Priestess Shivaarn">The Bay of Catazar belongs to us. It has been sanctified with blood and the High Priestess claims it as her domain. Not for the Salt Lords, or for the people of Attar or the Broken Shore, but for our mistress. For the Queen of Reefs, the Devouring Maelstrom, the Thunder-that-Roars, the Blade of Seas. For the goddess of storm and slaughter. It is hers - it is ours as it always should have been. From shore to shore it is ours, and whether you are Empire or Grendel, you cling to its borders only as our prey.</quote>
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Oran_by_the_Sea.jpg|caption=The coasts and cliffs of the Jewelled Isles are often overlooked by grand lighthouses.|align=right|width=400}}</div>
==Jewelled Isles==
* '''The Children of Wrecks have claimed Cazar Straits from the Grendel'''
The Children of Wrecks have not only been active where Imperials can see them; they have also struck a blow against the Grendel in [[Feroz]]. They have claimed the grand lighthouse overlooking the cliffs of Cazar as a shrine to the Mother of Monsters - along with the rest of [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]] - for Siakha. The wreckers here are led by ''Azzura di Cazarri'', merchant-prince of the Nested Crow Carta, a wild [[changeling]] whose keen eye for opportunity led them away from the whims of [[Rhianos]] and into the many arms of [[Siakha]].

As the majority of Freeborn were evacuated from the territory following the [[The_power_behind_our_moves#A_Resounding_Triumph|Spring Equinox 384YE]] there are few remaining who can give a report on the situation. It is possible that more information could be uncovered if the Empire were to construct either a [[spy network]] or a [[smugglers cove]] in the territory. For now, the only certain thing is that the southern Jewelled Isles are under the control of the Children of Wrecks, just as the northern Jewelled Isles are in Madruga.

==Jailbreak==
* '''The Children of Wrecks have attacked Axiom Prison in the Iron Confederacy and freed hundreds of rogue magicians'''
It is not only land that High Priestess Shivaarn has directed the followers of Siakha to claim on behalf of her mistress. In the week or so before the Summer Solstice, news begins to filter into the Empire of an attack on the [[Iron Confederacy]]. [[Bay_of_Catazar#Axiom_Prison|Axiom Prison]], the imposing fortified gaol first spotted when ships [[Map the Bay of Catazar|mapped the Bay of Catazar]], has fallen. Those kept within have been freed, either to join the worshippers of the Unrelenting Storm or to accept her embrace in the waters below the prison. Some of the worst of the Iron Confederacy were kept in the prison along with a few innocent magicians. The cult leaders of the ''Hand of Dumon'' - considered too profane to sully the presence of [[Suranni_pantheon#Evra_the_Smith,_Maiden_of_the_Forge|Evra the Smith]] - were left to rot... and plot.

Those dangerous ritualists and murderers who have accepted Siakha have been welcomed into the Children of Wrecks, significantly boosting the magical might of the followers of the mother of wreck and bringing their own brand of unhinged worship to the waters of the Bay.

==The Status Quo==
* '''The Children of Wrecks will continue to launch raids on both Imperial and Grendel territories'''
{{WingedMessenger|address=It is possible to send a [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] to ''High Priestess Shivaarn, the Temple of Thunder, Cazar Straits, Feroz''.}}
As the current situation stands, the Children of Wrecks present a potential threat to all nations on the Bay of Catazar. They have already struck at the Suranni, the Empire, and the Grendel and their ships stalk the bay for any worthy prey. Even those nations such as the Asaveans and the [[Sarcophan Delves]] who had treaties with the Grendel are no longer safe from attacks by pirates.

Within the Empire, the legal status is clear - as members of the Grendel, they were barbarians, they haven't automatically lost that status just because they have renounced those ties. As far as the law is concerned, they can't change their status in that way. But it does mean that the Empire could attempt to treat them differently to the Grendel if they wished. They could make diplomatic overtures to the Children of Wrecks and the Senate could declare them foreigners if it benefitted the Empire to do so.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SiakhaArt.jpg|caption=Siakha is the harbinger of the storm, the inspiration of violent, bloody destruction, and the mother of terrible monsters.|align=left|width=350}}</div>

It doesn't seem like this would be a fruitful route. By all accounts the High Priestess of Siakha is a vicious demagogue; she decried the Salt Lords over their acceptance of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|peace treaty]] back in 383YE almost as soon as it was signed and she has repeatedly called on her followers to slaughter Imperial citizens.

But the Children of Wrecks are not just Grendel anymore. It seems that the Mother of Wrecks has found followers even in the Empire. Her disdain for society and embrace of the lawless appeals to brigands, pirates, smugglers and the disaffected who find any restrictions too onerous to bear. Across the southern coast of the Empire some spires, chapters, cartas, and families have seen loved ones abandon their oaths to throw their lot in with the followers of Siakha and embrace the Maw of Stone. Some have remained on Imperial soil to help the wreckers in their raids, though these have all lost their connection to their egregore and are no longer Imperial citizens.

The Children of Wrecks are a fundamentally dangerous alliance that represents the worst of the Empire and the Grendel. They are supported by Siakha's heralds and have been joined by scoundrels and wretches from across the known world. They have an unknown number of havens - Atalaya being just one of them - where they welcome anyone who bears the ''[[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|mark of storms]]'' as an ally.

However they are also now ''at war with the Grendel''. Maybe, in spite of the risks, there is a way to wield them as a weapon against the orcs of the Broken Shore? Or maybe it would be best to deal with them quickly and decisively before matters get too out of hand?

==Strategic Conjunctions==
* '''There are several conjunctions that involve the children of wrecks or Free Landing, or both'''
* '''The eternal Rhianos offers their boon to bold Imperial heroes undertaking one of these quests'''
During the Summer Solstice the [[Sentinel Gate]] holds conjunctions to places threatened by the children of wrecks, or involving lands claimed by them, or both. The civil service have examined these conjunctions and offer their best advice to the heroes of Anvil who might take advantage of them. Anyone participating in one of these skirmishes can also choose to gain a magical boon - the eternal [[Rhianos]] is taking advantage of their [[Alignment#amity|amity]], and the request of the Summer Archmage, to offer their power for use by heroes fighting the servants of Siakha.
<box>'''The Boons of Rhianos'''<br>[[Famine and feast#Rhianos|As promised]] to the [[Archmage of Summer]], the ''Regent of the Eternal Sea'' - the [[eternal]] [[Rhianos]] - offers their boons to those who fight the servants of Siakha this season. Any Imperial citizen who passes through the Sentinel Gate to undertake one of these conjunctions may accept that boon as they arrive on the far side - but they must make the choice as soon as they pass through the gate.<br><br>The boon takes the form of a personal [[enchantment]] - and if they choose to accept it they immediately lose any existing enchantment they may already be under. The enchantment has one of three effects - it either grants a rank of endurance, grants an additional hero point (if they have the [[Heroic skills#Hero|hero]] skill), or grants two additional personal mana (if they have the [[Magical skills#Magician|Magician]] skill. In each case this increases their current and maximum, just as if they were benefitting from an enchantment or tonic. The effect ends when they return through the Sentinel Gate to Anvil, or the end of the skirmish whichever comes first. Note that if the boon of Rhianos removes an existing enchantment it does ''not'' come back again.</box>
The boons only apply to [[#Glowing Embers (Madruga)|Glowing embers]], [[#After the Storm (Sarvos)|After the storm]], and [[#Uncharted Waters (Madruga)|Uncharted waters]], and to the [[Guide_the_spirit#Ripped_Away_(Necropolis)|Ripped away]] conjunction already described in the '''[[Guide the spirit]]''' wind of fortune.

===Glowing Embers (Madruga)===
* '''A mob of wreckers are threatening an isolated family of corsairs'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Strategos of the Brass Coast'' is responsible for finding out what is going on'''
It was one of the scouts of the newly raised [[Narwhal's Spear]] who first identified the mob of orcs and heralds; travelling through the pomegranate orchards in Calvos Sound and stealing as they went. ''Kaija Headstrong'' managed to tail them for three days before being spotted and having to flee back to the main force, but they watched the mob meet with at least one group of corsairs in that time. The icewalker describes it as akin to seeing two aurochs smash into each other - utterly brutal. The Children of Wrecks didn't stop for longer than was necessary to loot the corpses and allow the carcharadons that accompany them to [[Calls#EXECUTE|feast]]. The mob is clearly on their way to something, but ''Kaija'' wasn't able to work out their target.

A call for help came in the form of a [[Call Winged Messenger|letter]] from the Tabhorios; a family of reclusive corsairs who apparently fled the coming of the Children of Wrecks but were pursued. ''Mazirua i Erigo'', one of the hosts of the Freeborn [[Brass Coast egregore|egregore spirit]], received the letter just a few days before the summit with a plea for the newly elected Strategos of the Brass Coast to come and help them. Given that this is a direct request it is the responsibility of the [[Strategos|Strategos of the Brass Coast]], '''Gael i Guerra''', to find out what is going on and protect the Freeborn if necessary.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Kraken.JPG|align=right|width=600|caption=Creatures associated with Siakha come in all shapes and sizes, and some of them are ''very large indeed''}}</div>
===After the Storm (Sarvos)===
* '''A mob of wreckers are attempting to curse Sarvos with terrible storms'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Jade Custodian'' is responsible for stopping the wreckers'''
Last season the Children of Wrecks were able to use [[Hurricane_party#Unleash_the_Maelstrom|potent boons]] to unleash terrible storms on [[Madruga]]. This season followers of ''Thunder-that-Speaks'' have used the knowledge and connections of ''Azzura di Cazarri'' to slip into [[Sarvos#Bocche|Bocche]]. Their target is "''Ferocity's Stand''"; a small but potent Spring regio that resonates with [[Spring_magic#Savagery|savagery]]. If the Children of Wrecks are allowed to perform either [[Thunderous Deluge]] or [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]], or worse both, then people across the territory will die. There is no sure way of telling how widespread the damage will be - though with the completion of the [[Construct Flood Defences in Caricomare|flood defences]] the inhabitants of [[Caricomare]] will suffer the least.

One guarantee is that it would spell disaster for the hamlet of Aversa and, given its proximity to the sea, to the [[Jade_Custodian#The_Wellspring_of_Jade|Wellspring of Jade]]. Given that this is a direct threat to the Wellspring it is the responsibility of the [[Jade Custodian]], '''Giacomo Corvinoscuro''', to stop the Children of Wrecks.

===Uncharted Waters (Madruga)===
* '''A small conjunction to Free Landing has been identified on the Friday of the upcoming summit'''
* '''The prognosticators warn they are able to determine very little about this conjunction and urge caution'''
* '''This is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|combat possible]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Vigilance'' is responsible for being alert to potential dangers present in Baleen Cove'''
Amidst the chaos of recent events on the Madruga coast, the Imperial prognosticators have identified a small conjunction, only large enough to allow a handful of people through the gate, to Free Landing on the Friday of the upcoming summer solstice. Much to their surprise the prognosticators of the civil service are able to find out barely any more information than this - the presence of [[The_Key_and_The_Lock|the Lock]] hangs unusually powerfully over this conjunction, blocking almost any attempt to divine further information despite their best efforts. What little can be gleaned is that five people will be able to travel to '''Baleen Cove in Free Landing, Madruga''' at 22:05 on Friday of the summit. They can tell there will not be a major military force waiting, a handful of people there at most, but neither can they rule out the possibility of combat - travellers should probably prepare for a fight, but violence may not be necessary. Beyond that, given that this will involve practicing [[vigilance]] it is the responsibility of the incumbent [[Champion of Vigilance]], '''Jared''', to find out what is going on and to be alert to potential dangers present.

==Profitable Conjunctions==
* '''Last season Siakha offered boons of savagery to Imperial citizens, and to guide those who took them into bloody raids against their enemies'''
* '''Enough warbands were clandestinely enchanted in this way to produce opportunities for Imperial heroes to confront their barbarian foes'''
These conjunctions are a result of successful [[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|savage raids]] against [[Druj]], [[Grendel]], and [[Jotun]] lands following the Spring Equinox. The [[military unit|military units]] who performed these raids - who used the blessing of Siakha to engage in savage yet profitable bloodshed - would be wise to keep that matter quiet. If they do not, they will likely place prosecution and execution for accepting power offered by an [[Alignment#enmity|enemy of the Empire]]. They may have used that power to attack barbarians, but they are still criminals.

While these opportunities may have arisen as a result of Imperial citizens taking on unlawful enchantments, they are not themselves illegal in any way. The civil service can only guess at their provenance, after all. In each case, responsibility for these conjunctions has been assigned in the usual way - by selecting the Imperial title most suited to oversee them. There's no suggestion any of these people, or anyone who accompanies them, have accepted illicit boons.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ChampionAmbition.png|caption='''Eldrid Vestardottir''', Champion of Ambition|align=left|width=250}}</div>
===Heading West (Skallahn)===
* '''The outpost of Augaard's Bluff in Iron Stand is relatively undefended'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Ambition'' is responsible for killing the Jotun'''
The outpost of Augaard's Bluff stands not far from the border with Sermersuaq; close enough for a small group from ''Vertering Hall'' to travel across the border and claim the wains of [[weirwood]] that are stored there for resupply. Normally the Bluff would have a larger garrison, hundreds of battle-hardened Jotun in and around the area, but the majority has been called away in response to [[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|raids along the coast]] of Skallahn.

''Finn Vertering'', has made an offer to '''Eldrid Vestardottir''', the [[Champion of Ambition]]. If the champion can get enough people together to kill the guards, then the icewalker and their allies can slip over the border and bring the weirwood stored there back. If that happens, they will split the wains with the champion. They will give Eldrid the lions share, 14 wains of weirwood before the start of the Autumn Equinox 386YE, and keep the rest for themselves and their fellows.

Not only that but the guards who remain at Augaard's Bluff will be equipped with fine weapons and armour and have access to a large supply of [[herb|herbs]]; something that the icewalker encourages the Champion of Ambition and those who accompany them through the Sentinel Gate to claim for themselves as reward.
===To Teach and Learn (Ayereed)===
* '''The Isle of Dunreagh in Gainmeachdubh is relatively undefended'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''General of the Red Wind Corsairs'' is responsible for killing the Grendel'''
The isle of Dunreagh serves as a resupply point for a number of the armies of the Broken Shore; a secure place for artisans and maistirs to visit to receive [[herb|herbs]], [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|mana crystals]], and [[mithril]] that has been sent to the isle for their use. Usually, the garrison would be well-defended and strong enough to see off anything short of a [[Imperial navy|navy]]. But [[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|raids across the territory]] has left them strung out and under-prepared for such an attack. ''Juan i Macabeo i Erigo'', a corsair who was visiting the new foreigners of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]], has discovered from traders that the isle is vulnerable and ripe for looting. The corsair has proposed a deal with the General of the [[Red Wind Corsairs]]; if they can kill enough of the Grendel then ''Juan'' will be able to sail in and plunder the isle of its store of mithril, sending 12 wains to the general after the summit.

The only potential complication, beyond the risk of using the Sentinel Gate to journey into dangerous situations, is that a group of Asaveans are expected on Dunreagh with more resources for the cache. The general therefore has a choice on whether to allow the Grendel and the Asaveans to meet or to try to attack both at the same time. It is highly likely that if either group sees the other be defeated without being engaged they will withdraw to safety. Given that this is a direct request, to whoever is elected as General of the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] it is down to them to decide whom to send to assault the guards of Dunreagh.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Hugh8337.jpg|caption='''Hugh Farrier''', Champion of Prosperity|align=left|width=250}}</div>

===The Thread Burns (Forest of Ulnak)===
* '''A group of Druj are travelling through Grimfen Mire with a stockpile of goods'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Prosperity'' is responsible for claiming the stockpile of goods'''
The Varnalis are one of the many extended families of Druj that live in the homesteads of [[Forest_of_Ulnak#Grimfen_Mire|Grimfen Mire]]. Reports from the [[Varushka_military_concerns#Wagon_Raiders_and_Sell_Swords|wagon raiders]] who trade and sell at the [[Merchant-Boyar_of_the_Stinking_Market#Stinking_Market|stinking market]] in Ossium is that some big disturbance - apparently a [[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|series of raids]] in the east of the [[Forest of Ulnak]] - has encouraged the Varnalis to go and recover some of their stores to bring them closer to their homestead. The wagon raiders ask the [[Champion of Prosperity]] to take inspiration from [[Good Walder]] and demonstrate what [[Prosperity]] means to the Druj. The Varnalis will have a chest with them containing a lot of [[herb|herbs]] and likely a smattering of [[potion|potions]]. If the chest can be reclaimed excellent - the wagon raiders are happy for the Champion to keep anything they find - but if the Druj can be defeated then the wagon raiders will move in and loot the reported stockpile of [[white granite]] the Varnalis have elsewhere and then retreat back across the border.

If the Varnalis are defeated then the wagon raiders will claim the white granite and send 16 wains of it to the Champion of Prosperity after the summit. Given that this is a direct request it is the responsibility of the [[Champion of Prosperity]], '''Hugh Farrier''', to claim the stockpile of goods and defeat the Varnalis.

==Further Reading==
* [[Siakha]]
* [[Below the thunders]] - 386YE Summer Wind of War detailing the aftermath of the kraken and storm summoning
* [[The_cry_of_gulls#Siakha's_Maw_(Battle)|Siakha's Maw]] - 386YE Spring battle opportunity to stop the release of the baby kraken and the raising for storms
* [[The_cry_of_gulls#The_Darkened_Beacon|The Cry of Gulls]] - 386YE Spring wind of war detailing the aftermath of the lighthouse's destruction
* [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|Save the Shining Pillar]] - 386YE Winter battle opportunity to save the Shining Pillar

Children of Wrecks

2024-07-25T15:52:20Z

TomH: /* To Teach and Learn (Ayereed) */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>
"Why do they do it?" she asked, frustrated. "What in the Empire's name appeals to them about it?"

They were staring at the body of the murdered man. Stabbed three times, it looked like it was the final cut that had killed him. The knife had gone in under the rib cage, buried to the hilt. An inch less it might have missed his heart. Instead he was lying in a pool of his own blood.

"They were arguing. They fought. One of them gets killed. Where's the murderer to run to? Nobody will take her in now. She's a marked woman. Nobody except the Mother of Wrecks. And Howl-in-the-Night obviously, but Sermersuaq is both hundreds of miles away and stupidly cold. It makes perfect sense to flee to Free Landing. We should just write this one up and move on."

"No, that's not it," Emilia responded, shaking her head. "The neighbours said they were arguing ''before'' this. But they were lovers apparently, tempestuous and prone to arguments all the time. Nobody thought anything of it before they heard the screams. Point is, she was trying to get him to come away with her. That's what they were arguing about. She was all set to leave before the fight!"

"You sure about that?" Miguel asked.

"Definitely." Emilia stooped to find the notes she'd made when interviewing the young neighbour. "Here we go. They were arguing. She was shouting about going away from here. Somewhere without any rules - about doing whatever they please." She looked up at her partner triumphantly. "The boy says the fight started when her lover said he wouldn't let her go. He threatened to go to the magistrate. And ''that's'' when she killed him."

Emilia bent down to get a closer look at the body. "Too late to give him a voice. We should see if the magistrate will pay for the hakima to whisper him."

"Pfft - like they'll spring for that," said Miguel disdainfully. "If you're right - and I'm not saying you are - but if you are right... That means she was planning this all long, by now she's far away swimming with the sharks. We won't catch her."

Emilia rubbed her neck in frustration, her gills were itching again. "You're right... I just want to get to the bottom of this. Maybe his family will pay for it?"

"You doing this for them... or for you?"

Emilia ground her teeth, but it was a fair question. "Both," she said quietly. "It's for both of us."
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Dapper Carchacadon.jpg|caption=The servants of Siakha are many and varied but among the more terrible are the murderous shark heralds who shed blood in the name of the ''Mother of Monsters''|align=left|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/gSEpl_OvyrM?si=NTDZcksCw7z2UK1z}}
==Overview==
* '''A loose coalition of Siakha worshippers has formed in the Bay of Catazar under the leadership of High Priestess Shivaarn'''
* '''The ''Children of Wrecks'' have claimed Free Landing and have decisively split from the Grendel'''

The followers of [[Siakha]] are varied and numerous. Some of the [[Grendel]] and the inhabitants of the [[Bay_of_Catazar#The_Broken_Shore_and_Attar|Broken Shore]] have long worshiped her. Indeed it was one of her followers from the Broken Shore who [[Three_and_three#Siakha_(Conjunction)|met]] with the [[Archmage of Spring]], '''Ibiss Briarheart''', last year as a representative of the [[eternal]] herself.

Reverence of Siakha is widespread. Beyond the [[Bay of Catazar]], some want nothing more in life than to rob and take, to slaughter and raze, and the ''Mother of Monsters'' will gladly provide boons to those who revel in such a life. Even in the Empire there have long been [[Siakha#Concerns|rumours]] of [[corsair]] families of [[the Brass Coast]] with hidden shrines dedicated to [[Religious_Crimes#Idolatry|idolatrous]] worship of the ''Empress of Sharks''. Then there are her heralds: vicious ''carcharadons'' who revel in butchery; disruptive ''tempests'' who channel the power of the storm to break battle-lines and cause chaos; great sea serpents who coil around ships and drag sailors to their deaths; and hulking beasts of scales and razor sharp fangs that can smash a wall to splinters in a matter of moments.

Now they have come together in a loose coalition under the direction of ''High Priestess Shivaarn''. She who praises the Mother of Wrecks enacted some [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|grand plan]] during the Winter Solstice 385YE that saw the [[Madruga#The_Shining_Pillar_(Destroyed)|Shining Pillar]] destroyed, and the creation of a swirling maelstrom in its place. This desecration necessitated a [[The_cry_of_gulls#The_Darkened_Beacon|betrayal]] of the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asaveans]] who were there to support the Grendel - someone had to be sacrificed to the carcharadons after all.

In the diplomatic fallout that followed, the Salt Lords were forced to denounce the Siakha followers. As a result [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]] has denied the rule of the Salt Lords; instead, the region is held by the Children of Wrecks. Just ten days before the Spring Equinox 386YE this was confirmed with a message relayed by [[The_cry_of_gulls#Spring_is_Coming|an orc captain]] to the Freeborn and Marchers on the docks at [[Madruga#Lightsea|Quzar]]. Since then the "''wreckers''" have established themselves in Atalaya, opening the port as a haven to anyone who worships the Salt-born Devourer.
<quote by="High Priestess Shivaarn">The Bay of Catazar belongs to us. It has been sanctified with blood and the High Priestess claims it as her domain. Not for the Salt Lords, or for the people of Attar or the Broken Shore, but for our mistress. For the Queen of Reefs, the Devouring Maelstrom, the Thunder-that-Roars, the Blade of Seas. For the goddess of storm and slaughter. It is hers - it is ours as it always should have been. From shore to shore it is ours, and whether you are Empire or Grendel, you cling to its borders only as our prey.</quote>
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Oran_by_the_Sea.jpg|caption=The coasts and cliffs of the Jewelled Isles are often overlooked by grand lighthouses.|align=right|width=400}}</div>
==Jewelled Isles==
* '''The Children of Wrecks have claimed Cazar Straits from the Grendel'''
The Children of Wrecks have not only been active where Imperials can see them; they have also struck a blow against the Grendel in [[Feroz]]. They have claimed the grand lighthouse overlooking the cliffs of Cazar as a shrine to the Mother of Monsters - along with the rest of [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]] - for Siakha. The wreckers here are led by ''Azzura di Cazarri'', merchant-prince of the Nested Crow Carta, a wild [[changeling]] whose keen eye for opportunity led them away from the whims of [[Rhianos]] and into the many arms of [[Siakha]].

As the majority of Freeborn were evacuated from the territory following the [[The_power_behind_our_moves#A_Resounding_Triumph|Spring Equinox 384YE]] there are few remaining who can give a report on the situation. It is possible that more information could be uncovered if the Empire were to construct either a [[spy network]] or a [[smugglers cove]] in the territory. For now, the only certain thing is that the southern Jewelled Isles are under the control of the Children of Wrecks, just as the northern Jewelled Isles are in Madruga.

==Jailbreak==
* '''The Children of Wrecks have attacked Axiom Prison in the Iron Confederacy and freed hundreds of rogue magicians'''
It is not only land that High Priestess Shivaarn has directed the followers of Siakha to claim on behalf of her mistress. In the week or so before the Summer Solstice, news begins to filter into the Empire of an attack on the [[Iron Confederacy]]. [[Bay_of_Catazar#Axiom_Prison|Axiom Prison]], the imposing fortified gaol first spotted when ships [[Map the Bay of Catazar|mapped the Bay of Catazar]], has fallen. Those kept within have been freed, either to join the worshippers of the Unrelenting Storm or to accept her embrace in the waters below the prison. Some of the worst of the Iron Confederacy were kept in the prison along with a few innocent magicians. The cult leaders of the ''Hand of Dumon'' - considered too profane to sully the presence of [[Suranni_pantheon#Evra_the_Smith,_Maiden_of_the_Forge|Evra the Smith]] - were left to rot... and plot.

Those dangerous ritualists and murderers who have accepted Siakha have been welcomed into the Children of Wrecks, significantly boosting the magical might of the followers of the mother of wreck and bringing their own brand of unhinged worship to the waters of the Bay.

==The Status Quo==
* '''The Children of Wrecks will continue to launch raids on both Imperial and Grendel territories'''
{{WingedMessenger|address=It is possible to send a [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] to ''High Priestess Shivaarn, the Temple of Thunder, Cazar Straits, Feroz''.}}
As the current situation stands, the Children of Wrecks present a potential threat to all nations on the Bay of Catazar. They have already struck at the Suranni, the Empire, and the Grendel and their ships stalk the bay for any worthy prey. Even those nations such as the Asaveans and the [[Sarcophan Delves]] who had treaties with the Grendel are no longer safe from attacks by pirates.

Within the Empire, the legal status is clear - as members of the Grendel, they were barbarians, they haven't automatically lost that status just because they have renounced those ties. As far as the law is concerned, they can't change their status in that way. But it does mean that the Empire could attempt to treat them differently to the Grendel if they wished. They could make diplomatic overtures to the Children of Wrecks and the Senate could declare them foreigners if it benefitted the Empire to do so.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SiakhaArt.jpg|caption=Siakha is the harbinger of the storm, the inspiration of violent, bloody destruction, and the mother of terrible monsters.|align=left|width=350}}</div>

It doesn't seem like this would be a fruitful route. By all accounts the High Priestess of Siakha is a vicious demagogue; she decried the Salt Lords over their acceptance of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|peace treaty]] back in 383YE almost as soon as it was signed and she has repeatedly called on her followers to slaughter Imperial citizens.

But the Children of Wrecks are not just Grendel anymore. It seems that the Mother of Wrecks has found followers even in the Empire. Her disdain for society and embrace of the lawless appeals to brigands, pirates, smugglers and the disaffected who find any restrictions too onerous to bear. Across the southern coast of the Empire some spires, chapters, cartas, and families have seen loved ones abandon their oaths to throw their lot in with the followers of Siakha and embrace the Maw of Stone. Some have remained on Imperial soil to help the wreckers in their raids, though these have all lost their connection to their egregore and are no longer Imperial citizens.

The Children of Wrecks are a fundamentally dangerous alliance that represents the worst of the Empire and the Grendel. They are supported by Siakha's heralds and have been joined by scoundrels and wretches from across the known world. They have an unknown number of havens - Atalaya being just one of them - where they welcome anyone who bears the ''[[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|mark of storms]]'' as an ally.

However they are also now ''at war with the Grendel''. Maybe, in spite of the risks, there is a way to wield them as a weapon against the orcs of the Broken Shore? Or maybe it would be best to deal with them quickly and decisively before matters get too out of hand?

==Strategic Conjunctions==
* '''There are several conjunctions that involve the children of wrecks or Free Landing, or both'''
* '''The eternal Rhianos offers their boon to bold Imperial heroes undertaking one of these quests'''
During the Summer Solstice the [[Sentinel Gate]] holds conjunctions to places threatened by the children of wrecks, or involving lands claimed by them, or both. The civil service have examined these conjunctions and offer their best advice to the heroes of Anvil who might take advantage of them. Anyone participating in one of these skirmishes can also choose to gain a magical boon - the eternal [[Rhianos]] is taking advantage of their [[Alignment#amity|amity]], and the request of the Summer Archmage, to offer their power for use by heroes fighting the servants of Siakha.
<box>'''The Boons of Rhianos'''<br>[[Famine and feast#Rhianos|As promised]] to the [[Archmage of Summer]], the ''Regent of the Eternal Sea'' - the [[eternal]] [[Rhianos]] - offers their boons to those who fight the servants of Siakha this season. Any Imperial citizen who passes through the Sentinel Gate to undertake one of these conjunctions may accept that boon as they arrive on the far side - but they must make the choice as soon as they pass through the gate.<br><br>The boon takes the form of a personal [[enchantment]] - and if they choose to accept it they immediately lose any existing enchantment they may already be under. The enchantment has one of three effects - it either grants a rank of endurance, grants an additional hero point (if they have the [[Heroic skills#Hero|hero]] skill), or grants two additional personal mana (if they have the [[Magical skills#Magician|Magician]] skill. In each case this increases their current and maximum, just as if they were benefitting from an enchantment or tonic. The effect ends when they return through the Sentinel Gate to Anvil, or the end of the skirmish whichever comes first. Note that if the boon of Rhianos removes an existing enchantment it does ''not'' come back again.</box>
The boons only apply to [[#Glowing Embers (Madruga)|Glowing embers]], [[#After the Storm (Sarvos)|After the storm]], and [[#Uncharted Waters (Madruga)|Uncharted waters]], and to the [[Guide_the_spirit#Ripped_Away_(Necropolis)|Ripped away]] conjunction already described in the '''[[Guide the spirit]]''' wind of fortune.

===Glowing Embers (Madruga)===
* '''A mob of wreckers are threatening an isolated family of corsairs'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Strategos of the Brass Coast'' is responsible for finding out what is going on'''
It was one of the scouts of the newly raised [[Narwhal's Spear]] who first identified the mob of orcs and heralds; travelling through the pomegranate orchards in Calvos Sound and stealing as they went. ''Kaija Headstrong'' managed to tail them for three days before being spotted and having to flee back to the main force, but they watched the mob meet with at least one group of corsairs in that time. The icewalker describes it as akin to seeing two aurochs smash into each other - utterly brutal. The Children of Wrecks didn't stop for longer than was necessary to loot the corpses and allow the carcharadons that accompany them to [[Calls#EXECUTE|feast]]. The mob is clearly on their way to something, but ''Kaija'' wasn't able to work out their target.

A call for help came in the form of a [[Call Winged Messenger|letter]] from the Tabhorios; a family of reclusive corsairs who apparently fled the coming of the Children of Wrecks but were pursued. ''Mazirua i Erigo'', one of the hosts of the Freeborn [[Brass Coast egregore|egregore spirit]], received the letter just a few days before the summit with a plea for the newly elected Strategos of the Brass Coast to come and help them. Given that this is a direct request it is the responsibility of the [[Strategos|Strategos of the Brass Coast]], '''Gael i Guerra''', to find out what is going on and protect the Freeborn if necessary.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Kraken.JPG|align=right|width=600|caption=Creatures associated with Siakha come in all shapes and sizes, and some of them are ''very large indeed''}}</div>
===After the Storm (Sarvos)===
* '''A mob of wreckers are attempting to curse Sarvos with terrible storms'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Jade Custodian'' is responsible for stopping the wreckers'''
Last season the Children of Wrecks were able to use [[Hurricane_party#Unleash_the_Maelstrom|potent boons]] to unleash terrible storms on [[Madruga]]. This season followers of ''Thunder-that-Speaks'' have used the knowledge and connections of ''Azzura di Cazarri'' to slip into [[Sarvos#Bocche|Bocche]]. Their target is "''Ferocity's Stand''"; a small but potent Spring regio that resonates with [[Spring_magic#Savagery|savagery]]. If the Children of Wrecks are allowed to perform either [[Thunderous Deluge]] or [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]], or worse both, then people across the territory will die. There is no sure way of telling how widespread the damage will be - though with the completion of the [[Construct Flood Defences in Caricomare|flood defences]] the inhabitants of [[Caricomare]] will suffer the least.

One guarantee is that it would spell disaster for the hamlet of Aversa and, given its proximity to the sea, to the [[Jade_Custodian#The_Wellspring_of_Jade|Wellspring of Jade]]. Given that this is a direct threat to the Wellspring it is the responsibility of the [[Jade Custodian]], '''Giacomo Corvinoscuro''', to stop the Children of Wrecks.

===Uncharted Waters (Madruga)===
* '''A small conjunction to Free Landing has been identified on the Friday of the upcoming summit'''
* '''The prognosticators warn they are able to determine very little about this conjunction and urge caution'''
* '''This is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|combat possible]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Vigilance'' is responsible for being alert to potential dangers present in Baleen Cove'''
Amidst the chaos of recent events on the Madruga coast, the Imperial prognosticators have identified a small conjunction, only large enough to allow a handful of people through the gate, to Free Landing on the Friday of the upcoming summer solstice. Much to their surprise the prognosticators of the civil service are able to find out barely any more information than this - the presence of [[The_Key_and_The_Lock|the Lock]] hangs unusually powerfully over this conjunction, blocking almost any attempt to divine further information despite their best efforts. What little can be gleaned is that five people will be able to travel to '''Baleen Cove in Free Landing, Madruga''' at 22:05 on Friday of the summit. They can tell there will not be a major military force waiting, a handful of people there at most, but neither can they rule out the possibility of combat - travellers should probably prepare for a fight, but violence may not be necessary. Beyond that, given that this will involve practicing [[vigilance]] it is the responsibility of the incumbent [[Champion of Vigilance]], '''Jared''', to find out what is going on and to be alert to potential dangers present.

==Profitable Conjunctions==
* '''Last season Siakha offered boons of savagery to Imperial citizens, and to guide those who took them into bloody raids against their enemies'''
* '''Enough warbands were clandestinely enchanted in this way to produce opportunities for Imperial heroes to confront their barbarian foes'''
These conjunctions are a result of successful [[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|savage raids]] against [[Druj]], [[Grendel]], and [[Jotun]] lands following the Spring Equinox. The [[military unit|military units]] who performed these raids - who used the blessing of Siakha to engage in savage yet profitable bloodshed - would be wise to keep that matter quiet. If they do not, they will likely place prosecution and execution for accepting power offered by an [[Alignment#enmity|enemy of the Empire]]. They may have used that power to attack barbarians, but they are still criminals.

While these opportunities may have arisen as a result of Imperial citizens taking on unlawful enchantments, they are not themselves illegal in any way. The civil service can only guess at their provenance, after all. In each case, responsibility for these conjunctions has been assigned in the usual way - by selecting the Imperial title most suited to oversee them. There's no suggestion any of these people, or anyone who accompanies them, have accepted illicit boons.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ChampionAmbition.png|caption='''Eldrid Vestardottir''', Champion of Ambition|align=left|width=250}}</div>
===Heading West (Skallahn)===
* '''The outpost of Augaard's Bluff in Iron Stand is relatively undefended'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Ambition'' is responsible for killing the Jotun'''
The outpost of Augaard's Bluff stands not far from the border with Sermersuaq; close enough for a small group from ''Vertering Hall'' to travel across the border and claim the wains of [[weirwood]] that are stored there for resupply. Normally the Bluff would have a larger garrison, hundreds of battle-hardened Jotun in and around the area, but the majority has been called away in response to [[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|raids along the coast]] of Skallahn.

''Finn Vertering'', has made an offer to '''Eldrid Vestardottir''', the [[Champion of Ambition]]. If the champion can get enough people together to kill the guards, then the icewalker and their allies can slip over the border and bring the weirwood stored there back. If that happens, they will split the wains with the champion. They will give Eldrid the lions share, 14 wains of weirwood before the start of the Autumn Equinox 386YE, and keep the rest for themselves and their fellows.

Not only that but the guards who remain at Augaard's Bluff will be equipped with fine weapons and armour and have access to a large supply of [[herb|herbs]]; something that the icewalker encourages the Champion of Ambition and those who accompany them through the Sentinel Gate to claim for themselves as reward.
===To Teach and Learn (Ayereed)===
* '''The isle of Dunreagh in Gainmeachdubh is relatively undefended'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''General of the Red Wind Corsairs'' is responsible for killing the Grendel'''
The isle of Dunreagh serves as a resupply point for a number of the armies of the Broken Shore; a secure place for artisans and maistirs to visit to receive [[herb|herbs]], [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|mana crystals]], and [[mithril]] that has been sent to the isle for their use. Usually, the garrison would be well-defended and strong enough to see off anything short of a [[Imperial navy|navy]]. But [[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|raids across the territory]] has left them strung out and under-prepared for such an attack. ''Juan i Macabeo i Erigo'', a corsair who was visiting the new foreigners of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]], has discovered from traders that the isle is vulnerable and ripe for looting. The corsair has proposed a deal with the General of the [[Red Wind Corsairs]]; if they can kill enough of the Grendel then ''Juan'' will be able to sail in and plunder the isle of its store of mithril, sending 12 wains to the general after the summit.

The only potential complication, beyond the risk of using the Sentinel Gate to journey into dangerous situations, is that a group of Asaveans are expected on Dunreagh with more resources for the cache. The general therefore has a choice on whether to allow the Grendel and the Asaveans to meet or to try to attack both at the same time. It is highly likely that if either group sees the other be defeated without being engaged they will withdraw to safety. Given that this is a direct request, to whoever is elected as General of the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] it is down to them to decide whom to send to assault the guards of Dunreagh.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Hugh8337.jpg|caption='''Hugh Farrier''', Champion of Prosperity|align=left|width=250}}</div>

===The Thread Burns (Forest of Ulnak)===
* '''A group of Druj are travelling through Grimfen Mire with a stockpile of goods'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Prosperity'' is responsible for claiming the stockpile of goods'''
The Varnalis are one of the many extended families of Druj that live in the homesteads of [[Forest_of_Ulnak#Grimfen_Mire|Grimfen Mire]]. Reports from the [[Varushka_military_concerns#Wagon_Raiders_and_Sell_Swords|wagon raiders]] who trade and sell at the [[Merchant-Boyar_of_the_Stinking_Market#Stinking_Market|stinking market]] in Ossium is that some big disturbance - apparently a [[Hurricane_party#Blood_and_Salt|series of raids]] in the east of the [[Forest of Ulnak]] - has encouraged the Varnalis to go and recover some of their stores to bring them closer to their homestead. The wagon raiders ask the [[Champion of Prosperity]] to take inspiration from [[Good Walder]] and demonstrate what [[Prosperity]] means to the Druj. The Varnalis will have a chest with them containing a lot of [[herb|herbs]] and likely a smattering of [[potion|potions]]. If the chest can be reclaimed excellent - the wagon raiders are happy for the Champion to keep anything they find - but if the Druj can be defeated then the wagon raiders will move in and loot the reported stockpile of [[white granite]] the Varnalis have elsewhere and then retreat back across the border.

If the Varnalis are defeated then the wagon raiders will claim the white granite and send 16 wains of it to the Champion of Prosperity after the summit. Given that this is a direct request it is the responsibility of the [[Champion of Prosperity]], '''Hugh Farrier''', to claim the stockpile of goods and defeat the Varnalis.

==Further Reading==
* [[Siakha]]
* [[Below the thunders]] - 386YE Summer Wind of War detailing the aftermath of the kraken and storm summoning
* [[The_cry_of_gulls#Siakha's_Maw_(Battle)|Siakha's Maw]] - 386YE Spring battle opportunity to stop the release of the baby kraken and the raising for storms
* [[The_cry_of_gulls#The_Darkened_Beacon|The Cry of Gulls]] - 386YE Spring wind of war detailing the aftermath of the lighthouse's destruction
* [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|Save the Shining Pillar]] - 386YE Winter battle opportunity to save the Shining Pillar

386YE Summer Solstice winds of war

2024-07-25T14:52:48Z

TomH: /* Friday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=To War and Glory.jpg|caption=The horns blow, and glory beckons.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there has been more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Drums of War.jpg|caption=The drums beat, irresistible, as armies march, marking out the heartbeats and the boot-treads of those who might die today.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
==The Drums Beat On==
The Summer sun hangs high in cerulean skies, but only over some of the Empire. It has been a season of storms, of harsh weather, of war. From unseasonable blizzards in [[Skarsind]] to a cataclysmic hurricane in [[Madruga]], it seems to many that the world has slipped from Spring to Autumn without as much as a year of nice weather in between. Across the Empire, the season echoes with the thunder of steel on steel, a downpour of blood rain, the last sighs of the dying a sorrowful gale of lives lost and ambitions ending.

The ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]] [[Ruin#Battle_and_Sorrow|first appeared]] barely a year ago, launching scattered raids in pursuit of their master's dire plan for creation. Their warbands gave way to full armies, thousands of heralds of the Day realm rising from [[regio]] across the Empire. One by one, Imperial soldiers have defeated them, Imperial heroes thwarted their schemes. After the Spring Equinox, two armies remained. The Empty Hands in [[Miaren]], the Silence Arc in [[Hahnmark]]. Now, the Empire moves to bring this unnatural invasion to an end. Raise eyes to the sky, and look for the '''[[Last rays of the sun]]'''.

In the west, the Empire and the barbarians clash. In [[Kahraman]] the Lasambrian [[Jotun]] continue their efforts to conquer the cinnabar hills, but they have counted without the reinforcements that are coming to end their ambition. Yet they are not without reinforcements of their own. The drums beat, the armies clash, and the symphony of war among the red rocks spins out '''[[Another verse]]'''.

The Jotun are not only interested in Kahraman of course. Even as two armies march south from [[Liathaven#Liath's Glen|Liath's Glen]] into [[Kahraman#Braydon's Jasse|Braydon's Jasse]], two more armies march north from [[Liathaven#Liath's_Ring|Liath's Ring]] into [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Gravenmarch]] - which many jokes suggest is the only dry land in the whole of [[Bregasland]]. The details of their conquest - embodied by the motto of the Southern Bear - is told in '''[[Only forward]]'''.

Next season sees the sixty-year anniversary of the [[The Ore Hills Rebellion|Ore Hills rebellion]] that took place a handful of years before the [[Jotun]] conquered [[Mournwold]]. This season, armies of the western orcs march again, into [[Mournwold#Southmoor|Southmoor]], keen to return Jarl Haakon to his seat of power, and perhaps as a foresentiment of a full invasion to come. The tale of the siege of [[Mournwold#Sarcombe|Sarcombe]] is told in greater detail in the wind of war we have called '''[[Standards]]'''.

South, then, to where the Empire and the [[Grendel]] and the children of wrecks fight for control of battered [[Madruga]]. As the fighting rages, the worst storm in a century strikes the coast, evoked and empowered by the followers of [[Siakha]] who now possess [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]]. Rivers burst their banks, cliffs crumble, fire and air and water carve the land into new shapes, and all of this as the backdrop between a deadly clash of armies. Orc and human alike will write songs and poems about the battles that took place here, '''[[Below the thunders]]'''.

Across the [[Bay of Catazar]], by contrast, there are no storms. No hurricanes, no terrible rains. In dry '''[[Mareave]]''', the sun beats down mercilessly from the cerulean blue sky. There is no tempest here... and neither is there any fighting. The Senate has [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Ratify_Treaty_with_Beoraidh|reached a compromise]] with the city-dwelling orcs of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]]. Rather than fight four Imperial armies, rather than risk destruction at the hands of the [[Citadel Guard]], the [[Golden Axe]], the [[Seventh Wave]], and the [[Winter Sun]], the Brine Turtles have retreated south taking many of their sept along with them. The Imperial armies claim [[Mareave#Fleisardh|Fleisardh]], the orcs of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] establish their neutrality, and the [[Imperial Orcs]] control of the territory becomes uncontested.

And then lastly, north. We come to [[the Mallum]], and the malice of the [[Druj]]. To [[the Barrens]] where two armies of [[Dawn]] watch the Black Wind as their sept seeks to flee the territory. And to [[Therunin]], as a great host of the Druj pour out of the Sarangrave, burning, and killing, and leaving behind only '''[[Ashes]]'''.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Therunin|Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Tarn Bend]]</td><td>Prevent the Slaughter</td><td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Ashes#Poison_and_Ashes_(Battle_Opportunity)|Poison and Ashes]]</td><td>[[Media:Therunin Battle Brief-E3-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Madruga|Madruga, Siroc Plains, Sabadellano]]</td><td>Assassinate Rahab</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Below_the_thunders#Diamonds_are_Forever_(Battle_Opportunity)|Diamonds are Forever]]</td><td>[[Media:Madruga Battle Brief-E3-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Bregasland|Bregasland, Gravenmarch, Rock Foot Wood]]</td><td>Stop the Burhfæst</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Only_forward#Shadow_of_the_Rock_(Battle_Opportunity)|Shadow of the Rock]]</td><td>[[Media:Bregasland Battle Brief-E3-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>

</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 17
|-
| Dawn || 54
|-
| Highguard || 18
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 6
|-
| League || 20
|-
| Marches || 27
|-
| Navarr || 50
|-
| Urizen || 13
|-
| Varushka || 12
|-
| Wintermark || 53
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least 132 and at most 138 force weight sent on it.

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
{{stub}}
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skallahn, Iron Stand, Auguaard's Bluff || [[Champion of Ambition]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#Heading_West_(Skallahn)|Kill the Jotun]]
|-
| 18:45<br>18:50 || 8<br>8 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Great Grasses, Broken Plain || [[Burning Falcon|General of the Burning Falcon]] || [[Tread_of_dust_and_darkness#Dry_Falcons,_Dry_Drakes_(Conjunctions)|Defeat the Dry Patricians]]
|-
| 19:00 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mitwold, Meade March, Jenny's Copse || [[Bailiff of the Grand Market]] || [[Only_forward#Choices_(Mitwold)|Slay Urse Longarm]]
|-
| 19:05 || 8 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Temeschwar, Hanuri, Terrier's Roar || [[Temeschwar|Senator for Temeschwar]] || [[Pitter_patter#The_Terrier's_Roar_(Conjunction)|Meet with the Rat Kings guild]]
|-
| 19:15<br>19:20 || 8<br>8 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Great Grasses, The Arid Pass || '''Tancred of Meade''' || [[Tread_of_dust_and_darkness#Dry_Falcons,_Dry_Drakes_(Conjunctions)|Defeat the Dry Patricians]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hahnmark, Wood Heath, Dun's Reach || '''Tobrytan Dunning''' || [[Last_rays_of_the_sun#Fading_Words_(Hahnmark)|Stop the ''scions'']]
|-
| 20:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Spiral, Screed, South-East of Harrier's Nest || '''Estella Lucati''' || [[The_city_below#A_Marvelous_View_(Conjunctions)|Rescue the citizens]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Naris, Tilphussian Pass || [[Penumbral Watcher]] || [[Last_rays_of_the_sun#A_Message_Sent_(Redoubt)|Stop the ''scions'']]
|-
| 21:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Spiral, Screed, South-West Harrier's Nest || [[Mistress of Medicine]] || [[The_city_below#A_Marvelous_View_(Conjunctions)|Rescue the citizens]]
|-
| 21:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Miekarova, Srodkoja, Biljana's Sward || [[Master of Ice and Darkness]] || [[Last_rays_of_the_sun#Pale_Shadows_(Miekarova)|Stop the ''scions'']]
|-
| 22:05 || 5 || 40 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Madruga, Free Landing, The Baleen Cave || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#Uncharted_Waters_(Madruga)|Find out what is going on]]
|-
| 22:30 || 50 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Brocéliande, Boar's Dell, Starstrand Steading || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Tales_of_mystery#Starstrand_(Conjunction)|Resolve the mystery of Starstrand steading]]
|-
| 23:30 || 5 || 25 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Madruga, The Great Grasses, Villa of Aldea di Tutamen || [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] || [[Tread_of_dust_and_darkness|Deal with ''Aldea di Tutamen'']]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
{{stub}}
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Calvos Sound, Orchard of Tabhorios || [[Strategos|Strategos of the Brass Coast]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#Glowing_Embers_(Madruga)|Find out what is going on]]
|-
| 14:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mitwold, Oddmire, Halebale Farm || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Kith_and_kin#Raiders_Returning_(Conjunction)|Ensure the ghosts are exorcised]]
|-
| 15:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarvos, Bocche, Ferocity's Stand || [[ Jade Custodian]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#After_the_Storm_(Sarvos)|Stop the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Southmoor, Glen of Red Shadow || [[Friar of Honour's Rest]] || [[Standards#Tribute_(Conjunction)|Track down the source of the ghosts]]
|-
| 15:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Longbeach, Grove of Silence || [[Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic]] || [[Guide_the_spirit#Ripped_Away_(Necropolis)|Stop the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:45 || 5 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Temeschwar, Hanuri, The Old Priory || [[Unfettered Mind|Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind]] || [[Pitter_patter#King_of_Rats_(Conjunction)|Speak with ''Brinton von Temeschwar'']]
|-
| 17:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Suaq Wastes, The Howling Steppe || '''Liv Tidgaring''' || [[Farm,_fur,_and_fish#Out_of_the_Storm_%28Conjunctions%29|Kill the Jotun and deal with ''Big Icebarn'']]
|-
| 17:30 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Siluri, Lucia's Holt || [[Prelate of Adelmar's Shrine]] || [[Drumbeat_of_war#Other_Weapons_(Conjunction)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 18:00 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Siroc Plains, Road to Sabadellano || '''Nicassia Avicia of Phoenix Reach''' || [[Below_the_thunders#Gift_of_a_Blade_(Madruga)|Assassinate Questioner Polh]]
|-
| 18:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Suaq Wastes, Desolate Tarn || [[Keeper of the Runegrott]] || [[Farm,_fur,_and_fish#Out_of_the_Storm_%28Conjunctions%29|Kill the Jotun and deal with ''Little Icebarn'']]
|-
| 18:30 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ayereed, Gainmeachdubh, Dunreagh's Brush || [[Red Wind Corsairs|General of the Red Wind Corsairs]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#To_Teach_and_Learn_(Ayereed)|Kill the Grendel]]
|-
| 20:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Silver Peaks, Aino's Rest || [[Ambassador to Otkodov]] || [[The_price_of_peace#A_Hound_of_Darkness_(Sermersuaq)|Kill Maarik the Golden Tongue]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, The Hollow Tree || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[Ashes#Fanning_the_Sparks_(The_Barrens)|Stop the Druj and the heralds of Surut]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Varnalis' Cache || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#The_Thread_Burns_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Claim the stockpile]]
|-
| 21:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Karsk, Moresvah, Gorek's Hollow || [[Custodian of the Lost]] || [[Tales_of_mystery#The_Lesser_Sadness_(Conjunction)|Find out what is going on in the vale of Gorek's Reach]]
|-
| 21:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Morrow, Peregro, The Still Glade || [[Advisor on the Vallorn]] || [[Ashes#Twilight_(Morrow)|Kill the Druj and rescue ''Megaris'' if possible]]
|-
| 23:00 || 100 || 65 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Sarvos, Foracci, Solare Estate || '''Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra''' and '''Marta i Guerra''' || [[Tales_of_mystery#Best_in_the_World_(Jaheris_and_Eleonaris)|Engage in and observe a debate between the self-professed best in the world]]
|}
'''OOC Note:''' The 21:30 Saturday conjunction comes with a content warning for depictions of torture and could potentially involve depictions of assisted suicide.

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Summer Solstice.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Upwold]], or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Varushka:'''
** Varushkan armies involved in the same campaign as an army from the Brass Coast or Wintermark generate 10% fewer victory points. If armies from both nations are present, the reduction is increased to 20%. [[Our_choice#Prepare_for_Difficult_Choices|Link]].
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]
Click ''Expand'' to see military considerations that are less relevant at the current time but are still active.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
*'''Zenith:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
*'''Morrow:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]</div>

386YE Summer Solstice winds of war

2024-07-25T14:52:29Z

TomH: /* Friday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=To War and Glory.jpg|caption=The horns blow, and glory beckons.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there has been more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Drums of War.jpg|caption=The drums beat, irresistible, as armies march, marking out the heartbeats and the boot-treads of those who might die today.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
==The Drums Beat On==
The Summer sun hangs high in cerulean skies, but only over some of the Empire. It has been a season of storms, of harsh weather, of war. From unseasonable blizzards in [[Skarsind]] to a cataclysmic hurricane in [[Madruga]], it seems to many that the world has slipped from Spring to Autumn without as much as a year of nice weather in between. Across the Empire, the season echoes with the thunder of steel on steel, a downpour of blood rain, the last sighs of the dying a sorrowful gale of lives lost and ambitions ending.

The ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]] [[Ruin#Battle_and_Sorrow|first appeared]] barely a year ago, launching scattered raids in pursuit of their master's dire plan for creation. Their warbands gave way to full armies, thousands of heralds of the Day realm rising from [[regio]] across the Empire. One by one, Imperial soldiers have defeated them, Imperial heroes thwarted their schemes. After the Spring Equinox, two armies remained. The Empty Hands in [[Miaren]], the Silence Arc in [[Hahnmark]]. Now, the Empire moves to bring this unnatural invasion to an end. Raise eyes to the sky, and look for the '''[[Last rays of the sun]]'''.

In the west, the Empire and the barbarians clash. In [[Kahraman]] the Lasambrian [[Jotun]] continue their efforts to conquer the cinnabar hills, but they have counted without the reinforcements that are coming to end their ambition. Yet they are not without reinforcements of their own. The drums beat, the armies clash, and the symphony of war among the red rocks spins out '''[[Another verse]]'''.

The Jotun are not only interested in Kahraman of course. Even as two armies march south from [[Liathaven#Liath's Glen|Liath's Glen]] into [[Kahraman#Braydon's Jasse|Braydon's Jasse]], two more armies march north from [[Liathaven#Liath's_Ring|Liath's Ring]] into [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Gravenmarch]] - which many jokes suggest is the only dry land in the whole of [[Bregasland]]. The details of their conquest - embodied by the motto of the Southern Bear - is told in '''[[Only forward]]'''.

Next season sees the sixty-year anniversary of the [[The Ore Hills Rebellion|Ore Hills rebellion]] that took place a handful of years before the [[Jotun]] conquered [[Mournwold]]. This season, armies of the western orcs march again, into [[Mournwold#Southmoor|Southmoor]], keen to return Jarl Haakon to his seat of power, and perhaps as a foresentiment of a full invasion to come. The tale of the siege of [[Mournwold#Sarcombe|Sarcombe]] is told in greater detail in the wind of war we have called '''[[Standards]]'''.

South, then, to where the Empire and the [[Grendel]] and the children of wrecks fight for control of battered [[Madruga]]. As the fighting rages, the worst storm in a century strikes the coast, evoked and empowered by the followers of [[Siakha]] who now possess [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]]. Rivers burst their banks, cliffs crumble, fire and air and water carve the land into new shapes, and all of this as the backdrop between a deadly clash of armies. Orc and human alike will write songs and poems about the battles that took place here, '''[[Below the thunders]]'''.

Across the [[Bay of Catazar]], by contrast, there are no storms. No hurricanes, no terrible rains. In dry '''[[Mareave]]''', the sun beats down mercilessly from the cerulean blue sky. There is no tempest here... and neither is there any fighting. The Senate has [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Ratify_Treaty_with_Beoraidh|reached a compromise]] with the city-dwelling orcs of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]]. Rather than fight four Imperial armies, rather than risk destruction at the hands of the [[Citadel Guard]], the [[Golden Axe]], the [[Seventh Wave]], and the [[Winter Sun]], the Brine Turtles have retreated south taking many of their sept along with them. The Imperial armies claim [[Mareave#Fleisardh|Fleisardh]], the orcs of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] establish their neutrality, and the [[Imperial Orcs]] control of the territory becomes uncontested.

And then lastly, north. We come to [[the Mallum]], and the malice of the [[Druj]]. To [[the Barrens]] where two armies of [[Dawn]] watch the Black Wind as their sept seeks to flee the territory. And to [[Therunin]], as a great host of the Druj pour out of the Sarangrave, burning, and killing, and leaving behind only '''[[Ashes]]'''.

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''CS Briefing'''</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Therunin|Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Tarn Bend]]</td><td>Prevent the Slaughter</td><td>Druj</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Ashes#Poison_and_Ashes_(Battle_Opportunity)|Poison and Ashes]]</td><td>[[Media:Therunin Battle Brief-E3-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Madruga|Madruga, Siroc Plains, Sabadellano]]</td><td>Assassinate Rahab</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[Below_the_thunders#Diamonds_are_Forever_(Battle_Opportunity)|Diamonds are Forever]]</td><td>[[Media:Madruga Battle Brief-E3-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Bregasland|Bregasland, Gravenmarch, Rock Foot Wood]]</td><td>Stop the Burhfæst</td><td>Jotun</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Only_forward#Shadow_of_the_Rock_(Battle_Opportunity)|Shadow of the Rock]]</td><td>[[Media:Bregasland Battle Brief-E3-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>

</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 17
|-
| Dawn || 54
|-
| Highguard || 18
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 6
|-
| League || 20
|-
| Marches || 27
|-
| Navarr || 50
|-
| Urizen || 13
|-
| Varushka || 12
|-
| Wintermark || 53
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least 132 and at most 138 force weight sent on it.

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
{{stub}}
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skallahn, Iron Stand, Auguaard's Bluff || [[Champion of Ambition]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#Heading_West_(Skallahn)|Kill the Jotun]]
|-
| 18:45<br>18:50 || 8 - 8 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Great Grasses, Broken Plain || [[Burning Falcon|General of the Burning Falcon]] || [[Tread_of_dust_and_darkness#Dry_Falcons,_Dry_Drakes_(Conjunctions)|Defeat the Dry Patricians]]
|-
| 19:00 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mitwold, Meade March, Jenny's Copse || [[Bailiff of the Grand Market]] || [[Only_forward#Choices_(Mitwold)|Slay Urse Longarm]]
|-
| 19:05 || 8 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Temeschwar, Hanuri, Terrier's Roar || [[Temeschwar|Senator for Temeschwar]] || [[Pitter_patter#The_Terrier's_Roar_(Conjunction)|Meet with the Rat Kings guild]]
|-
| 19:15<br>19:20 || 8 - 8 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Great Grasses, The Arid Pass || '''Tancred of Meade''' || [[Tread_of_dust_and_darkness#Dry_Falcons,_Dry_Drakes_(Conjunctions)|Defeat the Dry Patricians]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hahnmark, Wood Heath, Dun's Reach || '''Tobrytan Dunning''' || [[Last_rays_of_the_sun#Fading_Words_(Hahnmark)|Stop the ''scions'']]
|-
| 20:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Spiral, Screed, South-East of Harrier's Nest || '''Estella Lucati''' || [[The_city_below#A_Marvelous_View_(Conjunctions)|Rescue the citizens]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Naris, Tilphussian Pass || [[Penumbral Watcher]] || [[Last_rays_of_the_sun#A_Message_Sent_(Redoubt)|Stop the ''scions'']]
|-
| 21:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Spiral, Screed, South-West Harrier's Nest || [[Mistress of Medicine]] || [[The_city_below#A_Marvelous_View_(Conjunctions)|Rescue the citizens]]
|-
| 21:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Miekarova, Srodkoja, Biljana's Sward || [[Master of Ice and Darkness]] || [[Last_rays_of_the_sun#Pale_Shadows_(Miekarova)|Stop the ''scions'']]
|-
| 22:05 || 5 || 40 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Madruga, Free Landing, The Baleen Cave || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#Uncharted_Waters_(Madruga)|Find out what is going on]]
|-
| 22:30 || 50 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Brocéliande, Boar's Dell, Starstrand Steading || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Tales_of_mystery#Starstrand_(Conjunction)|Resolve the mystery of Starstrand steading]]
|-
| 23:30 || 5 || 25 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Madruga, The Great Grasses, Villa of Aldea di Tutamen || [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] || [[Tread_of_dust_and_darkness|Deal with ''Aldea di Tutamen'']]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
{{stub}}
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Calvos Sound, Orchard of Tabhorios || [[Strategos|Strategos of the Brass Coast]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#Glowing_Embers_(Madruga)|Find out what is going on]]
|-
| 14:45 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mitwold, Oddmire, Halebale Farm || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Kith_and_kin#Raiders_Returning_(Conjunction)|Ensure the ghosts are exorcised]]
|-
| 15:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarvos, Bocche, Ferocity's Stand || [[ Jade Custodian]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#After_the_Storm_(Sarvos)|Stop the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mournwold, Southmoor, Glen of Red Shadow || [[Friar of Honour's Rest]] || [[Standards#Tribute_(Conjunction)|Track down the source of the ghosts]]
|-
| 15:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Longbeach, Grove of Silence || [[Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic]] || [[Guide_the_spirit#Ripped_Away_(Necropolis)|Stop the wreckers]]
|-
| 15:45 || 5 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Temeschwar, Hanuri, The Old Priory || [[Unfettered Mind|Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind]] || [[Pitter_patter#King_of_Rats_(Conjunction)|Speak with ''Brinton von Temeschwar'']]
|-
| 17:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Suaq Wastes, The Howling Steppe || '''Liv Tidgaring''' || [[Farm,_fur,_and_fish#Out_of_the_Storm_%28Conjunctions%29|Kill the Jotun and deal with ''Big Icebarn'']]
|-
| 17:30 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Siluri, Lucia's Holt || [[Prelate of Adelmar's Shrine]] || [[Drumbeat_of_war#Other_Weapons_(Conjunction)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 18:00 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Siroc Plains, Road to Sabadellano || '''Nicassia Avicia of Phoenix Reach''' || [[Below_the_thunders#Gift_of_a_Blade_(Madruga)|Assassinate Questioner Polh]]
|-
| 18:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Suaq Wastes, Desolate Tarn || [[Keeper of the Runegrott]] || [[Farm,_fur,_and_fish#Out_of_the_Storm_%28Conjunctions%29|Kill the Jotun and deal with ''Little Icebarn'']]
|-
| 18:30 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Ayereed, Gainmeachdubh, Dunreagh's Brush || [[Red Wind Corsairs|General of the Red Wind Corsairs]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#To_Teach_and_Learn_(Ayereed)|Kill the Grendel]]
|-
| 20:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Silver Peaks, Aino's Rest || [[Ambassador to Otkodov]] || [[The_price_of_peace#A_Hound_of_Darkness_(Sermersuaq)|Kill Maarik the Golden Tongue]]
|-
| 20:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || The Barrens, The Bleaks, The Hollow Tree || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[Ashes#Fanning_the_Sparks_(The_Barrens)|Stop the Druj and the heralds of Surut]]
|-
| 21:00 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Varnalis' Cache || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Children_of_Wrecks#The_Thread_Burns_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Claim the stockpile]]
|-
| 21:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Karsk, Moresvah, Gorek's Hollow || [[Custodian of the Lost]] || [[Tales_of_mystery#The_Lesser_Sadness_(Conjunction)|Find out what is going on in the vale of Gorek's Reach]]
|-
| 21:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Morrow, Peregro, The Still Glade || [[Advisor on the Vallorn]] || [[Ashes#Twilight_(Morrow)|Kill the Druj and rescue ''Megaris'' if possible]]
|-
| 23:00 || 100 || 65 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Sarvos, Foracci, Solare Estate || '''Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra''' and '''Marta i Guerra''' || [[Tales_of_mystery#Best_in_the_World_(Jaheris_and_Eleonaris)|Engage in and observe a debate between the self-professed best in the world]]
|}
'''OOC Note:''' The 21:30 Saturday conjunction comes with a content warning for depictions of torture and could potentially involve depictions of assisted suicide.

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Summer Solstice.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Bregasland]], [[Upwold]], or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Varushka:'''
** Varushkan armies involved in the same campaign as an army from the Brass Coast or Wintermark generate 10% fewer victory points. If armies from both nations are present, the reduction is increased to 20%. [[Our_choice#Prepare_for_Difficult_Choices|Link]].
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]
Click ''Expand'' to see military considerations that are less relevant at the current time but are still active.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
*'''Zenith:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
*'''Morrow:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]</div>

Only forward

2024-07-16T14:13:27Z

TomH: /* Shadow of the Rock (Battle Opportunity) */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:386YE Summer]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Marcher Drums.jpg|caption=The Jotun have returned to the Dour Fens, but the Bregas will not bend their knees to the orcs again.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Business Unusual==
Bregasland rests fitfully. The Greywaters, and those who felt they had been hard done by, may have been mollified but there's still a dangerous undercurrent. Every time news comes from Anvil of this or that happening, there's a few who mutter “What would Shel do?” into their pints. Those who feel the hand of Imperial law was a little too quick to fall on them and their neighbours grumble in half-sentences, thick with allusion, about the injustices they clutch close to their breasts. To an outsider, it looks like business as usual in the Dour Fens, but to those who live there... they can see the ripples of Mathilda Fisher, what she set in motion, swirling and tugging and teasing just beneath the surface.

Business as usual... and then the Jotun invade. Not into the Fens, not into the shadow of Fisher's Rock nor into the lands claimed by the Greywaters. This time the armies march across the border from the south. From Liathaven, which the Jotun first named the Dead Forest but now, as they [[Under_the_firelight#Wyndyn_Path_(Liathaven)|beat the wild forests back,]] they have taken to calling ''Ashvale''. Two armies, the Fist of Ulven and the Southern Bear, crossing into the only area of solid ground in the whole territory, into Graven March.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Gjeirfund Haggarsdottir, General of the Fist of Ulven">Under the gaze of the king we come to the dour fens, to take back the lands of our ancestors. As the oldest tore open the mountain to find her answers in spite of the blizzard that sought to stop her, so we will tear open the Marches whatever force tries to deny us our prize.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Bjorgthorn Hammerhand, General of the Southern Bear">Only forwards.</quote></div>
==The Only Dry Ground==
Uncharacteristically, especially for an army that is usually a barely-contained whirlwind of joyful violence, the Fist of Ulven come with caution as their shield rather than with overwhelming force. There's an edge of uncertainty to their advance. All too often in the past, the Bregas marshes have been wound round with the [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen|warding echoes]] of [[Night magic]], twisting and turning the paths and sowing confusion in their ranks.

The Southern Bear know no such reticence, moving with the confident surety that marks most of their maneuvers in Imperial territory. Sometimes they follow the lead of the Fist of Ulven, consolidating the gains they have made; other times they forge ahead eager to be first to the fray.

Not that there is much fighting, as the Jotun measure such things. There are no magical wards to slow their advance, and there are few defenders capable of putting up any serious resistance. A handful of levies, raised by the households of Graven March. Another handful of [[Strong Reeds]] soldiers, absent without leave from their [[Mitwold]] [[Army_orders#Billet|billet]], snuck across the border to visit family or pursue an unwise assignation.

This is no reprise of the last invasion, when the Jotun sought to install Mathilda Fisher as steward of Bregasland. There are few yegarra among their ranks, and none march under the banner of the eels-on-the-water. Yanya Uranduln brings the Howling Bears to fight alongside the Fist, although there is no sign of the walrus banner of their habitual friend-and-rival Eisa Winterborn. Their place is taken by the Ice Fishers of Ldansk, that loose gathering of champions from minor clans across Kalsea who fight for the honour of Keirheim, and Tromsa, and other more distant lands.

A few wonder if the decision not to bring yegarra to Bregasland is intentional. Perhaps King Gudmunder Arasonn, under whose banners the Fist of Ulven fight, wishes to avoid comparison with the recent failed venture into Bregasland? To make it clear that this is about Jotun conquest and not the ambitions of a dead women and her clan. There's no easy way to know, but there is a rumour that for the first time in quite a while the Jarl of Jarls, the leader of the southern Jotun, does not lead the Fist of Ulven himself, entrusting their role in the conquest of Bregasland to his neice Gjeirfund Haggarsdottir.
==Graven Fall==
They may strike carefully, but [[Bregasland#Graven_Rock|Graven Rock]] falls to the Jotun almost immediately. The great grey-stone “pebble” quickly becomes a base of operations for the Jotun. Their caution about its twisting depths soon melts away, and the Howling Bears waste little time before beginning to explore its tunnels and passages, eager to prove their bravery. More practical Jotun among the Ice Fishers of Ldansk set the thralls they have brought with them the task of finding ways to fortify the four-mile-wide plateau. Perhaps Bjorgthorn Hammerhand, general of the Southern Bear, dreams of creating the largest fortification the Jotun have ever known using this ancient rock as a foundation. Such dreams will offer scant consolation to the [[Keeper of the Dour Fens]], denied the bounty of that magical [[sinecure]] that lies beneath the rock for the second time in the space of a year.

From the rock, the armies advance on the town of [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Graven]]. In happier times, [[Navarr]] merchants and [[striding|stridings]] would pass through here in their peregrinations north from Liathaven, or when returning to their home in the south. As well as trade goods, they would deliver and take people from Graven. Those who wanted to see the Empire would join an outward-bound striding, those who had nowhere else to welcome them would arrive with the inward-bound Navarr and perhaps choose to stay, seduced by the bleak beauty of Bregasland. Since the final fall of Liathaven, these stridings have become much rarer and it is perhaps only bad luck that sees two of them visiting Graven when the Jotun come.

They fight alongside their Marcher hosts, of course they do. But they pay a different price to the Bregas yeomen when the town falls. The orcs have not forgiven the Navarr for the indignities and the dishonour they have visited on them. Where they offer the Marchers the familiar Choice, they simply execute any Navarr that survives the initial fighting. Nothing cruel, nothing drawn out. A swift blow from axe or sword or spear and it is done. Each execution is accompanied by a few words, reminding the Navarr that this is what they reap for the dishonour, the indignity, the cruelty, that their people have visited on the Jotun. No mercy for the Imperial Druj.

If the Jotun had been more forceful, they would have pressed further into the unguarded marshes. As it is, their caution and their concern for obfuscating wards or hidden armies has slowed their invasion just enough. Gravenmarch is conquered, but the rest of Bregasland has time to react and to prepare. Time to realise what is happening and begin to make plans. The yeomen ready their bills and their bows, grimly eager for the moment when the Strong Reeds will come marching home and put the Jotun to flight again.
==Game Information==
The region of [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|Gravenmarch]] has been captured by the Jotun. They have not made any inroads into the rest of the territory, and were mostly able to seize the land they have conquered thanks to the implacable advance of the Southern Bear. They are busy establishing defensive encampments around Graven Rock.

This means that the [[Keeper of the Dour Fens]] has again lost access to their [[Keeper_of_the_Dour_Fens#Bounty_of_Mana|bounty of mana]], and cannot take advantage of the [[Keeper_of_the_Dour_Fens#The_Weeping_Menhirs|weeping menhirs]] until the region is back in Imperial hands.

==Conjunction==
===Choices (Mitwold)===
* '''A Jotun warband are returning from raiding Mitwold'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Bailiff of the Grand Market'' is responsible for slaying Urse Longarm'''
Even as the Fist of the Ulven and the Southern Bear advance on Graven a small warband moves ahead of the armies and strikes into the rich farmland of [[Mitwold]]. ''Urse Longarm'', fresh from their [[Against_the_Jotun#Threads_in_the_Pattern_(Liathaven)|victory against the Feni enclave]] in [[Liathaven|Ashvale]], has looked to cement their position amongst the southern Jotun with a raid into the rich heartland of the Marches. The warband has managed to keep a step ahead of the scattered [[Strong Reeds]] - billeted as they are across the territory - and have amassed enough of a fortune and gained enough reputation for their actions that ''Longarm'' is returning back to Jotun held Gravenmarch and security.

Given that this represents dealing with those who have threatened the major roads between the settlements of Mitwold it is the responsibility of the [[Bailiff of the Grand Market]], '''Sebastian Shaw''', to kill Urse Longarm and the rest of the Jotun. If ''Urse Longarm'' isn't killed, their reputation will spread, drawing ambitious Jotun from across Narkyst with a desire for wealth and renown.

==Shadow of the Rock (Battle Opportunity)==
* '''The Jotun are working to raise makeshift defences around Graven Rock and transform it into a ramshackle fortification'''
There is an opportunity for Imperial heroes to face the Jotun in Gravenmarch, and prevent them raising effective defences around Graven Rock. Further details will be made available closer to the event.

A beacon of smoke

2024-07-08T19:15:25Z

TomH: /* Objective: Ransom Sky Mage Faireoir */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=A beacon of salt.png|caption=The Freeborn philosophy is that society is best served when every individual is responsible for themselves and to themselves.|align=left|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/stKMG93Jdgw?si=6EiBbnrWTo18Wf6B}}
<div class="captioned-image captioned-image-{{{align|right}}}" style="clear: {{{align|right}}}">[[File:UrizenMagician.jpg|124x110px|link= https://youtu.be/vjwH_Nqs1Aw]]<div class="caption">Alternate audio version</div></div>
==City of Sails==
The [[Madruga#Siroc|City of a Thousand Sails]] is always enumerated alongside [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]], [[Hahnmark#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]], and the cities of the League. Billowing Siroc, the Sapphire. The hakima say that it was founded by [[Tribe#Embracing_Guerra|Guerra]], that passionate opponent of slavery, driven to build a better world.

Brightly coloured tents extend Siroc out far beyond the small cluster of stone buildings that make up the heart of the city. Sails of all shapes and sizes fill the sheltered bay, guarded by twin towered keeps on either side of the bay along the approach to the harbour. The Salt Guard, [[The_same_bed#The_Salt_Guard|designed]] by Menno van Ritsjhof, and part of the legacy of [[Empress Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta's]] plan to armour the [[Bay of Catazar]] against the Grendel.
Each of the two halves of the Salt Guard is equipped with powerful engines of war, and garrisoned by skilled mariners and corsairs who ensure the towers are always ready to respond to any threat. Between the towers, the iron chains and nets that have guarded the harbour for centuries, since they were first imported at great expense from the forges of [[Wintermark]]. Menno van Ritsjhof believed the Salt Guard would make it impossible to assault the City of Rainbow Canvas by sea.

But he was wrong.
__TOC__
==Vengeance As A Burning Flame==
The first watchers to spy the Grendel Armada approaching assume they must be seeing things. Mistaking a great wave, or a bank of fog, for the wall of masts and sails. Red, green, yellow, and blue, the sails and the mast-banners announce what must surely be the entire Grendel navy speeding from the south-east toward the Madrugan coast. They are low in the water; their holds are packed but presumably with warriors rather than trade goods.

Some of those ships have been seen recently, in other ports across the Bay. Through spyglasses, increasingly panicked watchers make out ships from the yellow-sailed Golden Winds and the green-sailed Tempest. Both navies have [[Shallow_days#Visiting_Armadas|anchored off Imperial cities]] in the last year, escorting merchants, their crew coming ashore to eat and drink in the paradors of Siroc, laughing and joked with the Freeborn, frequenting the markets of the Sapphire, all under the aegis of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|two-year peace treaty]]. The treaty that has just run its course.

There are not only Grendel ships among the armada. As they get closer, as the warning bells echo across the city, the glasses pick out the Asavean warships flanking the main force. Balo's Grace, Leaping Bull and Wind Tamer. The warships that destroyed the Isle of the Justicars, that slaughtered the people of Shantarim. With them a scattering of other war-vessels, far from their home in the distant west.

It's clear why they are here, and were it the Grendel alone it would be bad enough. But the presence of the Asaveans fills those who have an inkling of what is to come with a terrible forboding.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Iñez i Azul-Mar i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Kahraman</td><td>Bloodgold Jackals</td></tr>
</table></div>

==Salt Stone, Iron Net==
Massive as the armada is, it must contend with the Salt Guard. Trebuchet and catapult are armed and ready, launching great chunks of stone toward the attacking ships. A cheer goes up as one of the lead Grendel ships, a green-sailed vessel of the Tempest, is smashed to flotsam by the first stone.

Bronze sigils shimmer and flicker across the walls of the twin towers. Imperial magicians have used the potent [[Autumn magic]] to [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Ramparts_of_Ashlar|magically reinforce]] the Salt Guard, with power acquired from the realm of the [[Estavus|Forge Mistress]]. The siege engines are loaded by towering bronze constructs drawn from the City of Fire and Stone, the volcano-smithy of Shikal. The magical sigils of fire, stone, strength ripple across the chains and nets as they are raised across the harbour mouth. The marines themselves wait nervously, the sweat that beads their skin not only due to the supernatural warmth the [[enchantment]] has brought with it.

A single warband of Freeborn soldiers has come to Siroc to protect the city, taking up places on the walls. They are not the only unexpected defenders. When runners are sent into the city proper, to warn the people, the Commonwealth Embassy responds by sending it's entire garrison to support the Salt Guard. It is hard it imagine that fifty grim-faced warriors dedicated to the common good will make much of a difference in the face of an entire Grendel armada – but they come anyway. They march through the streets as the bells ring and people hurry to gather their families, and maybe a few people take heart from their willingness to defend the Billowing City.

While the people are afraid, they are Freeborn. They do not bow their heads to tyrants, be they human or orc. Those with battle-experience grab weapons kept in cupboards, and strap on old pieces of battered armour. Corsairs and sailors take to their own ships, ready to try and engage any invading vessel that might somehow breach the defences. The doors of the Parador of the Kindled Flame are thrown wide, to any who want to take refuge beside the children behind their walls of white granite.

The Grendel don't know any of this of course – or perhaps they do. There has been [[Rings_and_crowns#Be_Alert_to_Dangers|talk for some time]] of an espionage ring in Madruga, sponsored by some spymaster of the Broken Shore. Surely no Freeborn would sell their loyalty to the Brass Coast to the Grendel, no matter how much they were offered. Surely.

It's clear the Armada is prepared, though, for the Salt Guard and the harbour defences. Several of the leading ships of the Tempest have great serrated metal rams attached to the prow, just on the waterline, designed to tangle and rip at the port defences. There are ballistae and catapults on the invading ships that counter the hail of stone and javelins with missiles of their own.

The Asaveans in particular hold back, maintaining a barrage against the two Salt Guard towers, chipping away at even the magically reinforced stone. The Balo's Grace, the Leaping Bull, the Wind Tamer. Named in honour of the blasphemous gods of the [[Asavean Archipelago|Archipelago]], they are massive compared to the Grendel vessels that surround them, but still surprisingly manoeuvrable, with triple banks of oars that let them evade all save the luckiest hit.

Then, without any warning, fighting erupts across the harbour itself. Confused reports begin to spread of both humans and orcs making pinpoint strikes at the winches and pulleys that control the web of steel keeping the invading ships from the harbour. Treachery, from within Siroc itself.

Out at sea, perfectly timed to coincide with the attacks against the nets and chains, dozens of smaller boats – rowboats – are launched. They strive for the harbour, hard to target directly, maneuverable, swift. Some are sunk; many more manage to reach the harbour walls and join the attack on the defences. The fighting spills across the docks themselves.

Many of the warriors attacking the harbour are Naguerro, a former sept of the Lasambrian Orcs with a particular hatred for the Empire. Others raise the unfamiliar banner of a shark, ringed by lightning. Both forces seem almost unhinged in their zeal to slaughter the Freeborn defenders and capture the docks, break the defences, leave the city vulnerable.

Step by step the defenders are forced to retreat back toward the fortress-keeps of the Salt Guard. The nets and chains fall. There are Grendel vessels in the harbour itself, more Naguerro and Storm Sharks spilling out across the quayside, spilling out into the city, spilling Freeborn blood with mad abandon.

==Canvas Makes a Poor Shield==
Not all the Grendel ships storm the harbour. While the green-sailed Tempest and the blue-sailed Simoon take the forefront in the attack, the Golden Wind are busy on the coast outside the city, unloading orc soldiers, covered by the vessels of the red-sailed Shamal.

The banners of the Iron Gulls are raised. The Empire knows the 'Gulls, veterans of dozens of engagements. They survived the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_.28Spiral.29|Battle of Solen's Doubt]]. They were at the forefront of the [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war#Bronze|invasion of Feroz]]. They are known to be masters of [[Army_qualities#Siege|seige warfare]], and the warships of the Golden Wind unload rams and catapults alongside the soldiers themselves.

Beside them, the Black Eels raise their own standards. They, too, were at Solen's Doubt. They, too, are veterans of the war against the Empire. They enter the city from the south, but where the Iron Gulls are more interested in probing the defenders of the Salt Guard, the Black Eels seem to be here for [[Army qualities#Foraging|plunder]] and mayhem.

In the midst of the two armies a few hundred Grendel soldiers raise the slightly tattered banner of Governor Rahab, who rules over the conquered territories of Feroz to the south. There is a particular grimness to these orcs (and a handful of human mercenaries with them). Some of the Gulls and Eels mock them behind their backs, as they make haste toward the city ahead of the two armies. They seem especially eager to engage the Freeborn defenders.

While the rest of the armada is busy invading the harbour, the Shamal and the Tempest switch positions. Judging by the number of crimson sails the Shamal is smaller than the Tempest, their ships are newer, showing fewer of the marks of war. So too are the army they disgorge from their holds and decks. The standard of the Bone Nautilus, a white-and-gold tentacled spiral beast, are raised. This army is made up primarily of orcs, but there are a significant number of humans in their midst. Some are clearly hard bitten veteran mercenaries, some are keen-eyed youths, but there are also a number of Asavean footsoldiers, in distinctive helms, with spears and shields. They follow the other land troops in an assault against the south side of the city.

Menno van Ritsjhof was reportedly incensed when he discovered that Siroc has little in the way of defence against an attack from the shore. Perhaps the Freeborn felt that their position made it inconceivable that there would be a threat from the ground, rather than the sea. There are walls, but they are nearly as old as the city itself, and they surround the heart of the Sapphire not its borders. Siroc is a city of traders and merchants, that welcomes visitors. There are defences of course, but the Salt Guard is at the heart of them. There are defenders, but again they are focused around the Salt Guard. The three armies approaching by land are quickly in among the tents and pallanquins, and canvas offers little protection against the rapacious invaders.

==Falling Salt==
The Salt Guard falls. Great metal-bound catapult stones chip away at the walls, and smash the towers. Under the cover of a seemingly random assault, a squad of Naguerro battle-magicians unleash [[Spring magic]] against the gates of first one keep, and then barely ten minutes later the other. Rending vines erupting across the wood and stone, ripping it to pieces. The attackers pour inside. Commonwealth and Freeborn soldiers back-to-back, using every trick that the League architects could think of to make it harder for them to seize the fort. One by one the engines of destruction on both sides of the Salt Guard fall silent. The garrison is too busy fighting to survive to focus on the Grendel armada.

Those ships of the Broken Shore who are equipped to do so launch barrage after barrage of missiles against the two towers of the Salt Guard. Those without siege engines on their decks either turn the captured harbour defences against the fortress, or disembark, joining the fighting in the docks and inside the Guard.

At this point, the Asavean vessels move closer. They join the bombardment but their target is not the Salt Guard but the city of Siroc itself. They are seemingly unconcerned about crushing Grendel troops beneath their iron shot. It's not clear what happens but suddenly after a half hour of smashing tents and buildings and fleeing Freeborn and small groups of Grendel, the Asavean weapons still for a few minutes, then open fire against the Salt Guard along with the others. But the damage is done – swathes of the markets and paradors clustered around the quayside, flattened, burning. Dozens of ships, of quays, shattered to splinters. Columns of smoke begin to rise. Fire flickers in some of the windows of the Salt Guard.

With an almighty groan, one of the two Salt Guard keeps begins to collapse in on itself, transformed suddenly into a chimney that sends roaring flames up through the interior. Barrels of oil join the rocks being hurled toward Menno von Rijshof's masterpiece. Those defenders still trapped inside are no longer battling the invading orcs, but fighting to breathe as the smoke rises, fighting to escape as the fire spreads.

As the sun drops towards the eastern horizon, the second tower catches. Those defenders who manage to make it out of the collapsing fortification, coughing, gasping, wheezing, are swiftly dealt with by the invaders.

==Fire Spreads==
With the Salt Guard shattered, the city is easy prey for the immense force ranged against it. The Grendel have not had it all their own way; the courage of the Salt Guard has purchased vital hours for those who can see what is coming to flee the city, north toward [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]] or west to one of the bridges across the Scorrero, toward [[Segura]].

The Grendel follow. Over the next few months, the invaders spread north along the coast into Lightsea. Quzar falls before the Iron Gulls, despite the best efforts of the [[hakima]] and masters of [[Autumn magic]] supporting the defenders. The [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] is torn apart by the Naguerro, who loot many of the treasures within, treasures carried out of Feroz by fleeing magicians.

At the same time, the Black Eels loot and raid the port towns freely, killing any who try to resist, but seemingly unconcerned about those who wish to flee – unless they try to take their wealth with them.

Three of the Grendel navies, supported by the Bone Nautilus and the Asavean warships, assail [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]], assaulting the port towns of the corsairs. These islands were the first proper home for the Freeborn – and for the second time the Grendel seize Atalaya, the fount from which the entire Brass Coast flowed. Midport falls to the Shamal and the Golden Sails. The Tempest seizes the Shining Pillar – that great white-and-gold tower familiar to every sailor along the [[Bay of Catazar]], sometimes used as a symbol for the Brass Coast itself. When a sailor can see the beacon of the Shining Pillar, they know they are home. After the Grendel take the island on which it stands, the beacon falters, and goes out, for the first time in centuries the Shining Pillar does not shine.

Meanwhile the Simoom concerns itself with besieging the [[Madruga#The Lyceum|Isle of the Lyceum]]. The magicians there fight back, supported by their Commonwealth allies at the Lyceum Schloss. Contact with the island has been sporadic at best; it is not clear if the entire island has been conquered or what the state of the grand libraries, arcane academics, or students is. There is little hope that they may be able to hold out against the Grendel and their allies. There is a great deal of worry about what the Grendel might do with the vast stores of lore contained within the Lyceum.

As the Winter Solstice approaches... but wait. That's in the future. We aren't done with Siroc yet.

==The Last Sight==
Before the Grendel sweep across the rest of Madruga, on land and sea, they finish the conquest of Siroc. The offices of the [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] are looted, by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz. Perhaps the wealth they manage to steal here will make up for the fortune Rahab lost when the Scorrero Nets collapsed?

The Bone Nautilus surround the Parador of the Kindled Flame, eager to capture those who have sought sanctuary within, eager to carry away the children whose home it is to a life of slavery. When they finally breach the heavy oak doors, they find the place deserted. No sign of anyone hiding.

They have no way of knowing, but the children, their guardians, and those who accepted the offer of safety within the walls, are long gone. As the flames consumed the Salt Guard, two dozen friends of the [[Irra Harah|Prince of a Thousand Foes]] revealed themselves, and the sewer entrance, and lead those who would otherwise have been trapped in the orphanage to safety. They are already well on their way to Segura.

The same story unfolds across Siroc. Guardian angels – most mortal, some decidedly not – reveal themselves and help people escape what is to come. Without their unexected – and mostly invisibile - aid, a great many more people would have died when the city fell. If anyone bothers to ask – and most people are simply grateful for the aid – they say that they are discharging a service for the Archmage of Spring. They run when they can, they fight when they must, but they never try to hide. They discourage hiding, for some reason.

While many escape, many more do not. The Grendel take a few slaves but once the city falls they seem more interested in bearing away its loot rather than its people. The same cannot be said for the Asaveans. Now that the Salt Guard has fallen, the warships and mercenaries of the far west join in the conquest of the city. They are absolutely without mercy, killing anyone who comes within spear-reach or sword-reach.

It is they who lead the attack against the House of the Way, one of the oldest congregations in the Brass Coast. They smash the doors, shatter beautiful windows that have blazed in the setting sun for two hundred years, slaughter the priests and sutannir. Even the Naguerro seem a little taken aback by their zeal for slaughter, these human warriors from far away across the sea.

The Asaveans are also the ones who set the fires. Despite the chaos, the Grendel are careful to make sure that the city of tents does not burn. For a day and a night, they rampage through Siroc, taking everything they can find, everything they can carry. Then as the sun sets on the second day after the fall, as the armies regroup on the plains outside the city for the march north and west, as the navies withdraw to anchorages along the coast, the Asavean warships launch barrels of burning oil into the city. Another, and another, and another. The sky turns red, the glow growing like a baleful promise.

Asavean captains, more than a dozen cold-eyed scions of the patrician families - and it seems all the major families are represented – watch from the shoreline. They are not alone. Their soldiers have taken carefully selected prisoners. Where possible they are [[sutannir]], or priests of the Way, or [[dhomiro]] of one family or other. Two dozen, no more, dragged in manacles to the waterline south of the city.

As the barrels of oil fly, as burning brands are touched to the kindling piled all across the city, as Siroc burns, these prisoners are forced to watch. And then, as the fire stretches across the horizon, the final cruelty.

The last priests of the God of Chains are with the Asaveans and at a nod form the captains, they murder each of the prisoners. The last thing they see as they are hurled untimely into the Labyrinth is the jewel of Madruga, the Sapphire, their Billowing City, burning as the first stars of evening glitter in the uncaring sky.

All save three. These last three - one Erigo, one Riqueza, one Guerra - are released once the fires start to die down. Pushed into the surf, discarded like refuse, like jetsam on the coast of Brass, the last words of their captors echoing in their ears.

“We were an Empire before any of your petty kingdoms existed; we have no more lessons to learn about vengeance. But we can teach.”

==Game Information: Madruga==
The Grendel armada has seized three regions of Madruga: Siroc Plains, Lightsea, and Free Landing. As detailed in the [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#Not_A_Drop_To_Drink|Not a drop to drink]] Wind of Fortune, the blight of the [[Madruga#Great Grasses|Great Grasses]] remains contained thanks to the enchantment that has been diligently cast each prior season. As predicted however it has also stabilized in a way that means the region is no longer under Imperial control. As a consequence, with the Freeborn only controlling Calvos Sound and Torres, they have lost control of the territory. The Grendel have not, however, taken control of the territory; they only control three of the six regions. The territory is thus considerd contested – although the [[Senator]] for Madruga loses their seat in the Senate regardless.

The Salt Guard was overwhelmed and destroyed, but it provided sufficient defence to slow the Grendel invasion. Without it, and its enchantment, the armada may have had sufficient strength to launch a significant attack on Calvos Sound as well as the three regions it captured.

==Losses: Imperial Titles==
A number of Imperial titles have lost powers and sources of income.

Madruga no longer has a Senator.

The [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] and the [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] no longer have ministries. The titles still exist, however, and still have any appropriate responsibilities.

The [[Madruga#The_Commonwealth_Embassy|Commonwealth Embassy]] has been destroyed. The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] has lost their [[Ambassador_to_the_Commonwealth#Commonwealth_Merchants|ministry]] but maintains their other powers. The [[Commonwealth]] is likely to have a strong opinion about the destruction of its embassy in the Empire.

[[Madruga#Freeborn_Flame_Marina|Freeborn Flame Marina]] is in Grendel hands. The benefits it provided, allowing [[fleet|fleets]] of the Brass Coast to be [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Atalaya|upgraded more easily]] have been lost to the Freeborn, although it might be possible to regain the benefit if it were liberated.

The Empire no longer controls the [[Madruga#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]]. This means the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] has lost their ability to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Guiding_the_magicians_of_the_Lyceum|codify ritual texts]], the benefits of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Boon_of_the_Black_Sloth|Quiet Annexe]], and access to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Apartments_at_the_Lyceum|their apartments]]. They remain [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Arbiter_of_Imperial_Lore|Arbiter of Imperial Lore]] however. Unfortunately, one of the things they have also lost is the work on the ritual text they were codifying; it is still on the island itself.

The Parador of the Kindled Flame has been ruined, along with the city of Siroc itself. The devastation is sufficient to give Siroc Plains the ''ruins'' quality.

==Losses: Military==
The loss of Siroc has struck a devastating blow to the Brass Coast. The wealth of the Sapphire has been taken by the Grendel and the city itself comprehensively burnt. Furthermore, the Grendel have captured the wealthy ports of Lightsea and Free Landing. Coupled with the loss of the entire territory of Feroz, this means that The Brass Coast [[Commission#Maximum_numbers_of_Imperial_Forces|can no longer support their three armies]]. If not for the Iron Qanat, they would only be able to support a single army. Regardless the outcome is the same; following the Winter Solstice, they will begin to decline due to [[Imperial_army#Insufficient_Supply|insufficient supply]].

Assuming nothing else significant changes, the Freeborn will reclaim their ability to support armies once they are again in control of two of the prosperous coastal regions of the Brass Coast - Free Landing, Lightsea, [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]], [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]], or [[Feroz#Fontargenta|Fortargenta]]. This presumes they remain in control of Calvos Sound and the port-town of Calvos; if they lose that they will need to reconquer three regions.

The only silver lining is that the situation will not get worse - a nation is either "out of supply" or it is not. So even if the Brass Coast loses further territory their armies will not decline any faster - but it might mean that they have further to go before they can reclaim their ability to supply their armies.

==Intercede at the Lyceum (Battle)==
The Grendel's assault into Madruga has been a hammer blow to the Brass Coast. The Broken Shore's navies and armies have secured a solid foothold in the territory - almost claiming dominion in a single season of campaigning. Siroc has been razed and large swathes of the coast up through Free Landing are under the heel of the Salt Lords. Now the Grendel moridun troops and mercenary forces are securing the many islands offshore.

Principle among these is the isle on which the Lyceum has stood for nearly 300 years. This is an incredible prize for the Grendel, an asset of extraordinary value, however it is not so easily taken. Over the centuries, the magicians of the isle have spent considerable resources erecting potent magical wards that can protect the [[college of magic|college]] if is attacked. However those wards need powerful magical rituals to be performed to invoke them - no easy task.

The heroes of the Empire have an opportunity to strike against Grendel forces at the '''Field of Aenea'''. There, they can attempt to recover a ritual text of strategic importance; kill the "''Seeker of the Sky''" who is seeking the very same ritual; and take up the eternal Sadogua's offer to "[[Begins_where_it_ends#Sadogua|keep the Lyceum safe]]". There is also an unexpected and unusual opportunity to deploy powerful magic to aid the protection, defence and obfuscation of the entire island.

Prognosticator Atraxes notes that a conjunction of [[the Web]] and [[the Great Wyrm]] offers the Empire the unique window during the solstice to intercede in Madruga and potentially protect the Lyceum from the Grendel. The alignment of stars above the contested territory will enable rituals cast at two linked regio to behave in strange and more powerful ways than normal.

===Objective: Raise the Lyceum's wards===
* '''Cast rituals at the two regio to raise the islands powerful wards'''
* '''Each regio requires three potent rituals to invoke and power the ancient wards'''
* '''Failure will allow the Grendel to loot the Lyceum'''

The reason the Lyceum was located in Free Landing was the presence of twin regio that had an unusual property; they shifted the realm to which they were aligned after each ritual that was cast. They provided an excellent opportunity to research how ritual magic would interact with regio without risking accidentally cursing an entire territory. The regio shift according to a set pattern - something Imperial magicians have built the Lyceum's wards to exploit. The wards are difficult to raise, partly because of the magical energy need to power the wards and partly because they make using the Lyceum well nigh impossible, so it requires a major effort by Imperial magicians to trigger them.

The defensive wards of the Lyceum are tuned to the ''Shadow regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need to perform an Autumn ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then Winter ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]] at magnitude 40. That is no easy feat, but if they are successful, the Lyceum will be plunged into impenetrable darkness for a year, making it utterly impossible for the Grendel to loot it, its books, or to carry away the researchers as slaves.

The offensive wards of the Lyceum are turned to the ''Storm regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need a Day ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then a Summer ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]]. If the final ritual is completed then the area around the Lyceum will be ravaged by storms for a year, hammering the Empire's enemies. The wards would serve as a strength 3000 fortification in the region that could not be conquered or removed. The magical storms would target the [[Grendel]] forces any time they undertook military action in the territory.

None of the rituals used in this way have their usual effect; their power is directed entirely toward the wards. Likewise, the Shadow regio and the Storm regio do not fulfill the requirement of a "strong regio" for purposes of ritual casting.

===Alternative: Respond to Sadogua's offer===
* '''Cast Align the Celestial Net in the presence of the ''Glutton's'' herald'''
* '''Casting the ritual will see the college spirited to the Night realm'''
* '''Rejecting the offer will leave the Lyceum in the Grendel's hands'''
Sadogua has made it abundantly clear that he is ''very angry indeed'' with the Empire. If the wards cannot be raised, one alternative might be to try and win round the ''Wyrm-King'' by travelling to the Lyceum and giving the college to the eternal. ''Jubbjibbaglob'', an apprentice of Sadogua's, has been sent to the isle to make sure the Grendel don't run off with the statue of Simargl, the Empty One, in the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Quiet_Annexe|Quiet Annex]], and will be around should the Empire wish to placate the eternal in this matter.

To cede the Lyceum a night coven will need to take ''Jubbjibbaglob'' to either the ''Shadow regio'' or the ''Storm regio'' and perform [[Align the Celestial Net]] on it. Once completed the herald will confirm that the necessary steps have been taken to allow the ''Globbersnotch'' to swallow the Lyceum, putting it beyond the reach of the Grendel, and anyone else. It is understood that there will be ample time for anyone in the locale to escape, as Sadogua knows the importance of not rushing a big meal.

Of course if the Black Sloth devours the Lyceum, there's no going back from that, but at least it prevents it falling into the hands of the Grendel. However even the Glutton can't eat a whole library at once, so he'll save some of the tastiest books for later. Assuming the Empire wanted to build a replacement, then it can ask the Globberslotch to return whatever texts are still left to help with that. Once he's calmed down, of course.

===Objective: Find the ''Final Dance of the Immobile''===
* '''Recover the ritual text of the Winter ritual that was codified this season'''
* '''Success will return the ritual text to the Empire and allow it to be mastered or added to Imperial lore'''
* '''Failure will result in the Grendel being able to utilise the enchantment'''
Since their election at the last Summer Solstice, '''Palaphon Ankarien''', the Dean of the Lyceum had the college work upon the codification of ''Final Dance of the Immobile''. The ritual seems to hold out some promise of weakening or warding against the Dry Patricians. The researchers of the Lyceum had all but completed the codification of the ritual and were finishing the presentation of the text when the armada of the Grendel swept into sight. In the ensuing panic, the text was taken by a Navarri vate in an attempt to get it off the island. However, the vate never reached safety and is presumably still on the island.

The scholar is believed to have been injured or possibly captured by the Grendel. Imperial heroes should aim to find and rescue the mage, who should still have the text. If the ritual has been taken from them, the Navarri will be able to indicate who took it. Should the ritual text be recovered then it could either be kept, added to Imperial lore through an appropriate [[Declaration]], or added to Urizen lore through [[Gift of Knowledge]].

===Objective: Ransom Sky Mage Faireoir===
* '''Ransom the powerful ritualist of the Sky realm who has an unknown connection with the magicians of the Schloss'''
* '''Success would give the Empire opportunity to claim a powerful strategic ritual text from the Grendel'''
''Faireoir, Seer of the Sky and Diviner of Ophis'', is a well-connected and influential Sky ritualist among the bickering courts and mercantile chambers of the Broken Shore. The Sky Mage was instrumental in directing the Grendel's attack against the Lyceum, planning to use the wealth of magical lore to gain further favour and influence for themselves. While clearly there for the opportunity to enrich themselves and their coven, Faireoir is also looking for something specific. It's not clear what it is, but there's little likelihood that it's anything ''good''.

Strangely, this figure appears to be known to the magicians of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum_Schloss|Lyceum Schloss]] - the fortified annexe where the [[Commonwealth]] magicians studying at the Lyceum. They have taken refuge along with a number of students and several Imperial citiens, but they recognised Sky Mage Faireoir and have pointed him out to Imperial scouts.

How they know Sky Mage Faireoir is a fascinating question, one the normal candied Commonwealth have declined to answer at this time. However they have said his coven is powerful and have access to potent war rituals, some of which the Empire does not possess. If the Empire could capture the powerful Sky Mage, they are bound to agree to a ransom in return for this life. His captors could demand a ritual text from him, in return for letting him leave the field alive.

It would best if any contract were enforced with a [[Scrivener's Bloodmark]] but if they've captured him the Empire could invoke the [[Lictors]] for any ransom. Provided they take reasonable means to enforce the contract, the Sky Mage would be bound to send a copy of the ritual text to the Empire once they returns to Dubhtraig.

==Save the Shining Pillar (Battle)==
In the wake of the Grendel's invasion of Madruga there are others who wish to make the most of the opportunity; using it as a way to make their personal fortunes, strengthen their grip on the mortal realm, or strike against the Empire in their own way. Just before the Winter Solstice a force of Grendel moridun soldiers arrives at Atalaya Heights in Free Landing. With them come a small party of Asavean soldiers and a dignitary of some import.

The Plenum has dispatched ''The Priest of Wrecks'' accompanied by several "''Guardians of the Black Bull''" to assist and observe the Grendel's first strike against the Empire. Soon after landing on the shores of Atalaya, ''Barquentius Iyandeus'' the Asavean ecclesiast began preparations for a large supplication that is expected to be completed shortly after the Winter Solstice. This act is intended to serve as a symbolic blow against the Freeborn and the wider Empire and to ensure good fortune for the Grendel's ongoing campaign. It will involve the ritual killing of a number of Imperial citizens and the destruction of the Shining Pillar.

The ten attendants of the Shining Pillar known as '''The Beacon's Watch''' refused to abandon the tower, claiming that they must ensure the flame remains lit and the lighthouse is still seen out in the Bay. They have all been captured and are in the custody of the Grendel. This conjunction offers a chance to rescue them from potential sacrifice and to ensure that the skills and knowledge required to maintain and operate the Shining Pillar are preserved.

In the days before the Winter Solstice ''High Priestess Shivaarn'', she who praises the [[Siakha|Mother of Monsters]], arrived at one of the islands of Free Landing. Shivaarn performed some form of rite - calling on the Salt-born Devourer and the Mother of Wrecks and the Maelstrom. From dawn until dusk she chanted and gave offerings of trinkets claimed from corsairs, of the [[The_Brass_Coast_hearth_magic#Coins|lucky coins]] of a score of dhomiro, and finally mithril. Chest after chest filled with mithril ore was thrown into the shores and swiftly swept out to sea. And then the sea boiled and foamed as heralds of Siakkha emerged. Not just the carcharadons that so many Imperials are familiar with, but something new. Tempests in human form drawn to join with the Grendel forces massing at the Shining Pillar to overwhelm it. And if they are able to claim enough lives to create some monstrosity of surf and squall in service of Siakha.

===Objective: Kill the Priest of Wrecks===
* '''Eliminate the Priest of Wrecks and the Guardians of the Black Bull'''
* '''Failure would result in the desecration and ultimate destruction of the Shining Pillar'''
Iyandeus is a loud and passionate orator, not a fighter, and the Plenum has dispatched a guard of warriors who have received blessings of their idolatrous god to ensure the priest is kept safe, or doesn't inadvertently wander into harms way. Marching in heavy chain and tall helms these soldiers are devotees of The Black Bull, the protector soldier spirit-god. These grizzled veterans are sworn into servitude to fight and die to protect Iyandeus, and can be expected to be well-prepared for battle.

Killing the Guardians and Iyandeus will ensure that the Asavean supplication cannot go ahead. Besides being an opportunity to take revenge on the Asaveans for Siroc, it will also put a stop to his plans to desecrate and destroy the Shining Pillar.

===Objective: Rescue the Beacon Watch===
* '''Free at least five members of the Beacon Watch from the Grendel'''
* '''Success will ensure a future legacy for the Shining Pillar'''
* '''Failure will see the attendants sacrificed to an Asavean god'''

The heroes of Anvil will need to track down and locate the members of the Beacon Watch in the area. They are under heavy guard by Grendel forces, rather than in the custody of the small Asavean delegation. The barbarians have split them to avoid any escape attempts and once it is clear that the Sentinel Gate has opened then they will move the lighthouse attendants during the battle to prevent potential rescue attempts.

If at least five members of the Beacon Watch are returned safely to Anvil, then the Asavean's rite to their Red God will not be possible. These attendants will return to the Brass Coast to pass on their knowledge and train others to operate the beacon once Madruga is liberated. This will mean that even if the Grendel destroys the edifice, it could be rebuilt to shine out again across the Bay once more.

===Objective: Deny the Carcharodons===
* '''Prevent the shoals of Siakha from murdering twenty or more Imperial heroes'''
* '''Success will diminish the influence of the eternal in the area'''
* '''Failure would see a fortified fane to Siakha form off the coast'''

The bloodlust rising from Atalaya's cove has drawn the fearsome carcharadon heralds of Siahka ashore to the Shining Pillar. When battle commences they will come ashore in greater numbers, drawn to bloodshed like wolves on the trail of their quarry. Heedless of their survival, the heralds will patrol the lines of contact seeking out those misfortunate enough to have been laid low. Anyone set upon by one of their number can expect a [[Calls#EXECUTE|swift and brutal death]].

If the heralds are able to murder twenty or more Imperial citizens, then Siakha's thirst for death and destruction will be fixed on the locale of the Shining Pillar. This would manifest as a raging Spring regio just off the Atalayan coast, forming a roiling gyre of tempest waves, fuming spray, and a sucking maelstrom of magic that would draw nearby ships down to certain death. Merchant shipping would be forced to give the area a wide berth until it could be dealt with, but the immediate threat would the monstrous heralds of Spring that would sprew forth. The presence of the fane would be a dangerous new threat for the Military Council to contend with, serving as a two thousand strength [[fortification]].

===Battlefield Environment: Blood in the Air===
* '''The land near the Shining Pillar is under the effect of a powerful Spring miasma'''
* '''All characters experience a feeling of rising bloodlust'''
* '''Any character who does not resist the effect has a single use of CLEAVE with an apprporiate melee weapon whilst in the location'''

''A coppery tang fills the nose and the mouth fills slick with thick saliva; the magic of savagery, blood, and destruction pulses through the veins.''

Anyone who travels to this location will experience a strong roleplaying effect of rising violence and bloodlust, unless they:

* Expend a hero point upon entering the area
* Draw on the spiritual strength of an anointing
* Draw on their Merrow lineage and assume a calm demeanour
* Are bonded to a magical item or have a ritual enchantment that mitigates effects like these

Whilst in the location any character can make a '''single''' [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|CLEAVE]] call with any melee weapon other than a pike without the need to expend a hero point or the need to have the [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|Cleaving Strike]] skill. This ability is lost if the character resists the roleplaying effect at any point, or upon their return to Anvil.

==Opportunities and Dangers (Conjunctions)==
There are smaller attacks from the Grendel across the Bay of Catazar. Probing attacks, with individual Grendel captains leading their fleets against specific targets in an attempt to recover what they can. Each of these fleets can potentially be claimed - if the Grendel who own them are defeated - but they will likely require extensive repair to get them to the high standard of the Empire. The civil service has agreed to an arrangement with the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate that where possible the League guild will salvage the ships of the Grendel and, in return, offer deeds to fleets to those recognised as responsible for the conjunction.

===News From the Plain (Necropolis)===
* '''A force of Grendel are seeking information on the bridge that spans the Couros'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:45 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Courage'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Ranald'', an influential Sky Mage of the Grendel, remained hidden in Necropolis as the peace treaty ran its course and the Imperial Senate [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Declare_war_on_the_Grendel|declared war]] on the Grendel. Barely escaping ahead of the purge once the espionage ring there was [[Rings_and_crowns#Eyes_of_the_Basilisk|uncovered]], they've been hiding out with a much reduced force along the banks of the river. Now, with the focus of the Highborn and the garrison of [[Necropolis#Reumah's_Rest|Reumah's Rest]] on the coast awaiting an attack from the sea, the company under ''Ranald'' are making their way through Coursmouth towards Ada's Plain.

On Ada's Plain not far from the river, and the Courspan Bridge that crosses it, stands the [[chapter]] of Ethan's Respite. The [[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Stewards_of_the_dead|stewards of the dead]] there repeatedly refused to allow the Grendel permission to visit the area over the last two years. The chapter cited tales about a secret, or a historical incident, that would allow the orcs to threaten the Courspan if they uncovered it. It's not clear if this is an item or a piece of information, but it's obvious that curiosity has gotten the better of Sky Mage Ranald.

The chapter of Ethnan's Respite have called for aid, asking that the [[Champion of Courage]], '''Thomir, Son of Astion''', take responsibility for preventing the Grendel from finding out... whatever it is they are trying to find out. Dispatching the Sky Mage and their guards before they can become a problem will likely head off future threats from the magician. There's also a chance the Champion might potentially uncover the secrets the Grendel are seeking themselves, of course. Especially if they chose to take magicians capable of using [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic divinations]] or [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic visions]] to explore the area.

===The First Ship (Redoubt)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening the Great Harbour of Elos'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 14:30 on Saturday to The Elosian Grove, Naris'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Elosian Architect'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Maistir Dorcas'' has landed their ships on the gentle coast of [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]]. The Grendel were observed by a small patrol of sentinels from the [[Redoubt#Court of the White Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]], and they are accompanied by creatures that bear all the hallmarks of being servants of the ''[[Siakha|Mother of Wrecks]]''. The Grendel left a small guard at their ships and made all haste toward Elos. It's unknown what exactly Maistir Dorcas thinks they might achieve if they are left, unchallenged, to reach the harbour. They might plan to fire the shipyard, loot the warehouses and their stockpiles of ingots and herbs, or even simply slaughter the workers on behalf of Siakha. The presence of the heralds makes those aware of them nervous, however. It's unfortunately doubtful the Court of the White Fountain can reach Elos in time to stop Dorcas doing... whatever they are planning to do.

The [[Elosian Architect]], '''Talia Seaboar''', is responsible for threats to the harbour there, and may want to gather a band of heroes to intercept the Grendel. There is another incentive, perhaps. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate - who are arguably more salvagers than they are shipwrights these days - would relish the opportunity to claim the Grendel ships refurbish them and sell them on, or rip them apart for parts. They have agreed to give the Elosian Architect the deed to ''The Impulse'', an impressive [[fleet|ship]], its fine structure [[Fleet#Upgrade|upgraded]] with five wains of [[weirwood]], to do with as they see fit. Should Maistir Dorcas be dealt with, of course.

===Behind A Lock (Sarvos)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening Glass Point Cove'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:00 on Saturday to Isle of Quiet, Uccelini'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of Glass Point Cove'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Quartermaster Ewan'' has landed their ships on one of the heavily wooded islands of [[Sarvos#Uccelini|Uccelini]]. A passing fishing boat, by chance, brought news of their presence along with a warning that they are accompanied by servants of the ''[[Siakha|Salt-born Devourer]]''. Now the quartermaster has sent a small force ahead - under the guise of a fishing boat - to the secretive [[Custodian_of_Glass_Point_Cove#Glass_Point_Cove|Glass Point Cove]]. They clearly plan to establish a presence there, perhaps as an advance guard of the Grendel forces. There is a chance to strike at the Grendel on the wooded island before they move to reinforce the vanguard - claiming the precious mana and likely doing extensive damage to the mithril netting.

There is an opportunity to benefit from the cunning of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then not only will the delicate netting be protected, but the ships they arrived on will be left abandoned. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate will waste little time in confiscating the vessels and either selling them on, or breaking them down for parts. They have offered the deed to ''Dance of Victory'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Custodian of Glass Point Cove]], '''Dalibor Marek van Temeschwar''' to do with as they will - if they deal with the threat posed by Quartermaster Ewan.

===Following the Craft (Madruga)===
* '''A force of Grendel are fleeing with an heirloom stolen from the Parador of Salt and Sand'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:30 on Saturday to Ezmara's Thicket, Lightsea'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Hakima of Salt and Sand'' is responsible for reclaiming the heirloom'''
''Nechtan'', a wealthy Sand Mage of the Grendel, has withdrawn north of Quzar in [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. The Grendel are accompanied by several heralds of ''[[Siakha|the Mother of Monsters]]'' and are waiting on their fleet to collect them with their ill-gotten gains. One of these is a valuable heirloom stolen from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]]. The item was used in teaching those who came to learn from the [[hakima]], and has come to symbolise the hope of regaining the parador and re-establishing such classes. Several of the surviving hakima, forced to flee when the parador fell, have pledged to pool their resources and support the Hakima of Salt and Sand with four mana crystals each season until the parador is regained... provided the heirloom is returned and shown to one of the Freeborn egregores.

There is an additional opportunity to benefit from the retribution of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then the fleet will be easy to overcome; something that the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate are more than willing to attempt. The Syndicate have offered the deed to ''The Blade of Freedom'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]], '''Bakar i Riqueza''' to do with as they see fit - provided the Sand Mage and their entourage is dealt with.

The power behind our moves

2024-07-08T18:58:41Z

TomH: /* Captain's Price (Conjunction) */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:384YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>"... and then Aunt Mira and your Uncle Ira realised they were trapped! They'd helped so many people escape, but now it looked like the Grendel would capture them and they would never be able to come home again!"

Leonor and Marco gasped. Sat up in their beds, their eyes were wide and mouths open. Little Marco looked as if he might cry, so Tamara quickly continued the tale.

"They were very worried - the orcs had come down from Mora's Rock -"

"Which they had stolen from the Freeborn." interrupted Leonor, nodding wisely despite her years.

"Which they had stolen from the Freeborn yes. They'd come down in force, knowing that Aunt Mira and Uncle Ira were in the area. The governor had put a rich price on their heads - dead or alive! Even if they could avoid the patrols until dawn they'd never be able to get across the border and once the sun rose it would be too late. So they hid in the trees and tried to come up with a plan that would let them get to safety."

"Are they going to be alright mama?" Asked Marco in a tiny voice. He was actually sniffling a little now, even though he already knew that his beloved Aunt and her husband had not in fact been captured by the Grendel. Tamara patted him on the hand as she continued.

"And then there was an incredible noise, of shouting and drums. Aunt Mira and Uncle Ira crept forward and they saw a great crowd of Freeborn just on the other side of the border, arguing with the Grendel guards and creating the most outrageous hullaballoo. I think some of them had fire pots, and drums, and they swirled them about and danced and made the wicked Grendel orcs even more angry and confused."

Tamara leant forward conspiratorially, and dropped her voice almost to a whisper.

"And at that exact moment who would appear out of the shadows next to your Aunt and Uncle but a lone Navarr! Wearing the darkness like it was a cloak, his tattoos crimson as blood and his eyes twinkling with cleverness and determination, and he was wearing a scarf that had been given to his ancestors by Emperor Ahraz himself. He put his finger to his lips -"

She put her own finger to her lips, and the two children fell silent themselves, still as statues.

" - and he said "''I will get you out, even if I have to die to do it.''" Then he beckoned them to follow him, and follow him they did. He led your Aunt and Uncle through the darkness and I heard that at one point they passed so close to a Grendel patrol that they could have reached out and tweaked their ears if they'd wanted to. But the orcs didn't see them! Not one of them! They were so distracted by the Freeborn crowd that they didn't spot a thing. And so your Aunt and Uncle crossed into Segura, and followed the Navarr and all the Freeborn back through the Sentinel Gate, and by the time the foolish Grendel realised what had happened it was too late. They were safe!"

Marco and Leonor cheered, and hugged each other, beaming with relief.

"And of course there is a lesson here," Tamara continued once their ebullience had died down a little.

"Mama!" said Leonor in the long-suffering voice of a twelve-year-old girl who thought herself too old for stories with lessons. Tamara ignored her.

"This Navarr did not have to come to Feroz and risk his life to save your Aunt and Uncle. He could have stayed in the northern woods glaring at the vallorn. But he didn't. He accompanied the Freeborn into danger, and he snuck through the woods while his friends created an incredible distraction, and he saved Aunt Mira and Uncle Ira. Working together, the Grendel were no match for Freeborn and Navarr. And the lesson is that the Empire will always defeat its enemies as long as the bonds of friendship are strong. As long as we remember that what happens in the Brass Coast matters to the Navarr, and what happens to the Navarr matters to the Freeborn. As long as we remember that our differences don't separate us, they make us stronger."

She hugged the two children, settling them down, kissed them each on the forehead, and snuffed the candle. As the door shut, she heard them whispering excitedly, retelling the tale, and embroidering it with their own details as they did so, and she smiled.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Grendel Countdown Crab 3.png|caption=The Grendel [[Ratify treaty with the Grendel Autumn 383YE|treaty]] ends after the Autumn Equinox 385YE, but is due to be renegotiated in Spring of that year.|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==Overview==
{{Audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HurSfVSMOM4}}
In Winter 383YE, the [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] [[Assembly#The_National_Assemblies|National Assembly]] called for the people of [[Feroz]] to [[To_curb_those_raging_appetites#A_Sweet_Sorrow|flee the territory]]. While they still hold out hope of returning eventually, that day could be years away, depending on what happens with the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|peace treaty]]. Thus, with a heavy heart, they called on the people of Feroz to accept the inevitable, to gather their belongings and to flee the territory. The Grendel treaty allowed citizens in the two ceded regions to leave if they wished - provided they did so before the start of the Spring Equinox. With the encouragement of the Assembly a steady stream of people leaving the area soon turned into a flood.

Not everyone made it out in time however. Worse, those Freeborn in the [[Feroz#Cazar Straits|Cazar Straits]], [[Feroz#Fontargenta|Fontargenta]], and [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]] were not so fortunate. Having already been conquered by the Grendel they were not permitted to leave at all. As a result [[Struggle with the sea|a plan was formed]] for the Empire's fleets and military units to cooperate to evacuate the territory. Imperial ships could use the relatively open coastline of eastern Feroz, while military units would to slip in under cover of darkness across the long land border with [[Segura]] and [[Madruga]]. Together, they would smuggle the Freeborn out from under the nose of the oppressive Grendel Governor Rahab.

==A Resounding Triumph==
* '''Nearly 200 fleets and almost half that number of military units assisted in the evacuation of Feroz'''
*'''The evacuation was a complete success'''
*'''Only a handful of Freeborn families remain in Feroz'''
Nobody knows the waters of Feroz like the Freeborn and their swift corsair ships were able to lead the Grendel a merry dance as they navigated their way through the territorial waters. As might be expected, more than half of the vast armada of assembled fleets were from the Brass Coast, and there is huge Pride across the Coast as it becomes clear that the number of Freeborn fleets and their dedication means they could have pulled this off by themselves. Every nation sends ships however, with [[Navarr]], [[Wintermark]] and [[the League]] providing nearly sixty fleets between them. The Freeborn also [[Struggle_with_the_sea#Diplomacy|called in their allies]], with the [[Commonwealth]] sending ships and soldiers to join the expedition to help the Freeborn flee the despotic rule of Lord Rahab. Likewise, a [[Struggle_with_the_sea#Afar_Hills_Rescue|daring quest into the Afar Hills]] saw two key [[Zemress islander|Zemress islanders]] rescued from the orc garrison at Mora's Rock, allowing them to rally their relatives to the cause. Several of the Zemress islanders had already spent months helping Freeborn get out of Feroz and their expertise proved very valuable.

The captains of the fleets worked tirelessly to ferry families and their belongings north to Madruga. It was a coordinated effort with captains passing on information to each other when they had no more room to take on passengers and many ships making the journey several times before everyone dwelling on the coast was freed. Even the [[corsair|corsairs]] abandoned their normal rivalry; everyone understood that this expedition needed all hands on deck. It is an impressive show of force and unity - and more than one Corsair is quick to point something out... if the Empire had this many fleets in support of [[The_Brass_Coast_military_concerns#The_Freeborn_Storm_.28Destroyed.29|the Freeborn Storm]] then they might still be contesting the Bay of Catazar.

While the coast of Feroz was wealthy and populous, with people concentrated in the coastal towns and ports, the hinterland regions of Morajasse and Afarjasse are a much more challenging prospect. There were far fewer people to be rescued here, but they were much harder to reach, requiring scores of military units to slip past Grendel patrols to locate families wishing to leave. This time it was the [[Imperial Orcs]] and [[Dawn]] that provided the bulk of the forces needed to ensure success. In fact a quarter of all the military units here are Imperial Orc; one Freeborn observer wondered if the entire nation was here helping people escape.

Even so, this is a close thing. The Brass Coast may have a vast armada of small fleets, they have only a fraction of that number of military units. Thus, the support of the Empire's allies is absolutely crucial - the additional strength provided by the Commonwealth soldiers was enough to tip the land operations from success into a major victory. Without their help far fewer would have made it out.

There were a few run-ins with orcs of the Broken Shore during the action. They never came to blows however, the Grendel were easily dealt with by those leaving the territory paying tolls, fees and other "''necessary payments''". The instinctive corruption of the Grendel, with every orc out for themselves, has served them poorly in Feroz, allowing Imperial bribes to cover what was going on for weeks. By the time Rahab realized the scale of what was occurring and understood how it was happening, it was too late for him to order any effective resistance.
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;"><box><big>'''Payment'''</big><br>The income received from taking the '''Evacuate Feroz''' action was, aside from a share in the Guerdon, entirely payment from the Freeborn rescued. There were no opportunities for fleets or military units to engage in raiding or looting during this downtime action as everyone was focussed on evacuating Feroz.</box></div>

==Rahab's Response==
* '''Governor Rahab is furious and regards the action as a betrayal'''
* '''Oran has been closed to Imperial shipping'''
* '''Imperial military units and fleets based in Feroz will experience the conquered territory penalty going forwards'''
* '''He is having to ship in large numbers of slaves to replace the lost workers and is facing ruinous costs as a result'''
*'''Any missives to Rahab are burned immediately'''
When the realisation of what is happening finally dawns on him, Governor Rahab is by all accounts apoplectic with fury. Those engaged in the rescue pass on constantly growing rumours of the governor's rage, with lurid tales of him executing underlings in explosions of rage at everyone around him. It's impossible to be sure quite what the truth of those stories is, but what is not in doubt is that he is seething.

His first response is to shut the [[Everything_has_a_price#A_New_Destination|port at Oran]], giving orders that no Imperial ship is to be permitted to dock there. It's questionable what impact that will have - not many fleet captains were all that keen to trade with the Grendel anyway. Arguably the act is mostly symbolic, but whatever the case, the port is now closed to Imperial vessels. What follows is more serious, with orders to close the borders with the Brass Coast followed by instructions for Grendel patrols to hunt for and harass any Imperial military units or fleets active in the area.

As a result of their efforts, life has become immeasurably harder for any Freeborn fleet or military unit that is based in Feroz. From this point on all Imperial resources in Feroz will suffer the 50% penalty to their production for [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|being in a conquered territory]], ''including'' military units and fleets; Rahab's forces are actively hunting Freeborn soldiers and ships in Feroz and harassing them right up to the very edge of what the peace treaty allows when they find them.

To try to salvage the situation, Rahab has given instruction for large numbers of slaves to be purchased from the markets in [[Bay_of_Catazar#Dubhtraig|Dubhtraig]] and shipped to Feroz. The costs involved are ruinous. Where Rahab once hoped to tax the people of Feroz for every ring he could squeeze from them, now he is forced to buy slaves to replace the owners and workers in farms, herb gardens, paradors and businesses across the territory. The governor and his backers are frantically trying to salvage the situation and do what they can to turn a profit from Feroz, but it remains to be seen if he will survive this debacle. The Grendel are not kind to those who fall to the Empire's wiles, as Salt Lord Suriad can attest.

Due to the sudden deterioration of relations, any opportunities involving trade with the Grendel in Feroz that have not already been completed are immediately ended. The borders have been largely closed, with only a few independent merchants, such as the Faraden, allowed to cross them. The majority of the inhabitants of Feroz have fled, it is very unlikely that there will be new opportunities for further interactions with Rahab in the short term - either clandestine or open.
==The Grendel's Response==
* '''The Grendel High Council does not yet believe that the Empire has repudiated their treaty'''
* '''To save face they have stated that the rescue of people from Feroz represents all the slaves the Grendel promised to release to the Empire under the terms of the treaty'''
* '''They have also demanded that the Imperial Fleet Master provide the six wains of [[weirwood]] per the agreement at the Spring Equinox 384YE'''
Word soon reaches the Empire that Rahab has pleaded with the Grendel High Council to send their armies north to punish the Empire for breaking the peace treaty. Although he is forced to accept that the Freeborn were permitted to leave the ceded regions, he argues that the extraction of citizens from the regions the Grendel had conquered is a violation of the spirit of the treaty.

By all accounts, his claims are largely rebuffed. The treaty doesn't say the Empire can't remove their people from the conquered regions, and even the Grendel don't view the people they conquer as slaves, so ''technically'' nothing has been stolen. While the Grendel could indeed have made a case that the Empire have broken the spirit of the treaty, it seems they are not yet ready to renounce it.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Contract between the Grendel and the Imperial Fleet Master">Between Imperial Fleetmaster Ezro i Alvera i Erigo and Speaker Morna agree on six wains of weirwood as compensation for the four individuals assaulted during the Winter Summit: YE383.

This payment settles this matter and it can not be raised again by either part. The weirwood is to be paid by the Summer Solstice YE384.

Ezro i Alvera i Erigo and Speaker Morna signed</quote></div>
However, the High Council do issue two announcements. The first is that they will provide [[Everything_has_a_price#Liberation_of_the_Lost|no more slaves to the Empire]] to be freed - the people taken from Feroz represent the one slave a day they were obliged to provide to the Empire. In the opinion of the High Council, that requirement has been discharged in full, there will be no more slaves being released. Given that they were due to provide another five hundred or so slaves, whereas the evacuation of Feroz has saved tens of thousands from Grendel rule, this seems like little more than a face-saving gesture on their part. Whether the Empire wants to push the issue with them or not is a matter for the official ambassador.

On that matter, the second announcement points out that the Council are still waiting to receive the six wains of [[weirwood]] that were agreed at the Spring Equinox 384YE. These were due to be supplied by the Imperial Fleet Master under the terms of the agreement, and they have not yet been forthcoming. The High Council make clear that the Empire will not be in breach of the agreement until the end of the Summer Solstice, but if the wains are not forthcoming by then... That ''will'' be considered a violation of the peace treaty. They are at pains to point out that any nation that deals with the Grendel, even one as infamously duplicitous as the Empire, will be held to the terms of their agreements, or else face the consequences. Fidelity, the ideal of keeping your word and keeping faith with those around you, is one of the most important of all the Seven Virtues. At least it is in the eyes of the Grendel.

The High Council intend to send representatives to the forthcoming summit at Anvil to ensure that the fines they are due to receive are forthcoming and to discuss other business with the Empire. '''Indech''' is expecting to arrive on Saturday at '''TBC''', and will be accompanied by Speaker Morna. They have indicated they wish discuss matters with the [[Imperial Fleet Master]] as well as others.

==The Brass Coast's Response==
* '''The majority of those who have been successfully evacuated from Feroz have chosen to settle in Madruga closely followed by Segura'''
* '''Taxation from Madruga will increase by 30 thrones and Segura by 20 thrones after the Autumn Equinox 384YE'''
* '''Any character with a personal resource in Feroz can take a new resource without paying 2 crowns to change resource up to Spring Equinox 385YE'''
The people of Feroz have brought everything they can carry with them. They arrive in Segura and Madruga with not inconsiderable wealth in tow, ready to start a new life over. Most are sad to leave Feroz, but the Freeborn are not Marchers, what matters is liberty not land. The Brass Coast is an ideal that will survive the loss of a territory, provided the people can live prosperous and free.

While the Freeborn often disapprove of charity, they take the opposite approach with family and those evacuees who have kin in Madruga or Segura are welcomed with open arms. A concerted effort is made to provide resources to support those people who are striving to make a new life outside Feroz, to help them reestablish themselves as quickly as possible. For the next year, any character who is abandoning a personal resource in Feroz can take a new resource of their choice in Madruga or Segura without [[Resource#Changing_Resources|having to pay the normal 2 crown cost]]. This benefit ends just before the Spring Equinox 385YE.

In addition, the influx of prosperous new inhabitants to the two territories provides a significant boost to the taxation following into the Imperial treasury. The tax returns from the territories of Segura and Madruga, increase by 20 and 30 thrones each season respectively.

==Segura==
* '''Every herb garden in Segura that engages with the newcomers will be upgraded by one rank at the start of the Autumn Equinox 384YE.'''
* '''Tariq i Cotarez i Guerra proposes the construction of the Viridian Glasshouse, a conservatory designed to boost the production of herbs in Segura'''
* '''The Glasshouse would require 20 wains of weirwood, 20 thrones and take three months to construct'''
* '''It would provide 60 herbs split between the herb gardens and farms in the territory and re-establish the Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel'''
* '''This opportunity will last until the end of the Summer Solstice 385YE'''

Those families who choose to settle in Segura are quick to make a new life for themselves. The bustling towns of Anduz, Sobral, and Cerevado are expanding quickly, aided by the [[Zemress_islander|Zemress Islanders]]. The empty spaces around the towns, especially given the [[Segura#Recent_History|recent invasion]], has meant that any who wish to live in and around the towns of Segura are soon able to find a ready home.

One of the groups evacuated from Morajasse is made up of workers from the [[Keeper of the Spice Gardens|Spice Gardens]] and the offices of the [[Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel]]. These workers have considerable expertise in cultivating herbs and they have brought with them various cuttings they have recovered from the captured Spice Gardens that they are keen to put to good use in their new home. As a result of this bounty every herb garden in Segura will be upgraded by one rank at the start of the Autumn Equinox 384YE. To receive this benefit, herb garden owners will need to [mailto:matt@profounddecisions.co.uk email us] before the start of the next event to indicate which herb production they wish to boost. Characters who don't have a herb garden in Segura at present may still benefit from this opportunity if they [[Resource#Changing_Resources|change their resource]] before the start of the next summit.

In addition, Tariq i Cotarez i Guerra, formerly one of the head gardeners at the Spice Gardens, has a proposal to construct a new conservatory in the Iron Plains, named the Viridian Glasshouse. The conservatory would be ideal for growing herbs from seeds, with a view to transplanting the budding plants to herb gardens and farms across the territory. Tariq's plan is an [[opportunity]] to take advantage of the considerable number of experts settling in Segura and his plans require "only" 20 wains of weirwood. Unfortunately, the designs need a lot of very expensive green glass, so the commission would need 20 thrones to complete.

The Glasshouse would need a commission slot, but could be built by the Imperial Senate or by any title able to commission a [[great work]]. Once complete it would provide 60 random herbs each season, with 30 split between the herb gardens in the territory and 30 split between the farms. In addition, with the support of the School of the Sanguine Bloom in Atalya, the Glasshouse could serve as new offices for the [[Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel]], re-establishing that Imperial title and allowing the holder to resume purchasing herbs from across the region.

==Madruga==
* '''The vintners of Feroz are seeking to establish new vineyards in Madruga'''
* '''The Freeborn Assembly can use a single judgement to name 6 Freeborn characters who own businesses in Madruga to receive a free upgrade to their resource'''

A consortium of vintners have fled from Fortargenta to Madruga where they are looking to establish new vineyards on the Siroc Plains and the Great Grasses. They don't need any additional help to establish their new wine estates, but they are aware that their presence will provide a significant boost to the paradors and other businesses which are spread through the territory. Mindful of the significant help they have just received and keen to repay this generosity they have asked the Freeborn Assembly to pass a judgement naming 6 representatives of the families that did the most to help with the evacuation efforts.

The vintners plan to direct purchases of essential materials and sales of their new wines to those named in the judgement. As a result, the first six Freeborn characters singled out by the Freeborn Assembly who have a business in Madruga will receive a free upgrade to their resource. Characters who don't have a business in Madruga at present may still benefit from this opportunity if they [[Resource#Changing_Resources|change their resource]] before the start of the next summit.

The remainder who have arrived in Madruga from Feroz have dispersed throughout the territory. Siroc is always heaving with people, and the newcomers have largely been absorbed into this great city of sails without great impact, but three largest towns in Madruga, Calvos, Quzar, and Atalaya are now bursting at the seams as the newcomers look for places to put down new roots. As a result, there is an opportunity to capitalize on the arrival of the newcomers in these three towns.

===Atalaya===
* '''An opportunity exists to rebuild the Atalaya Shipyards to support fleets based in Madruga'''
* '''Rebuilding the shipyards would cost 10 wains of weirwood, 20 wains of white granite, and 60 crowns and take 3 months to construct and have an upkeep of 5 thrones'''
* '''Once complete it would reduce the cost to upgrade fleets based out of Madruga by 1 weirwood'''
* '''The Grendel could not legitimately claim that the docks breached the treaty, but they would be aware of the threat the shipyards pose'''
* '''The benefits of the shipyards would be lost once the Brass Coast reclaim Feroz'''
* '''This opportunity will last until the end of the Spring Equinox 385YE'''

Atalaya is the oldest settlement on the Brass Coast and it remains a place of pilgrimage for many Freeborn followers of [[the Way]], but its significance took a heavy blow when the Grendel sacked the port and destroyed the nearby shipyards. Now, with so many skilled shipwrights from Feroz settling here, there is a chance to begin restoring the pride and prosperity of the settlement.

Under the terms of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|recent treaty with the Grendel]], the Empire are not permitted to build any new shipyards or raise any navies on the Bay of Catazar. However nothing would prohibit them from expanding the existing dock facilities provided they were only used to benefit fleets...

The massive seawall constructed by Miroslav, Senator for Sarvos remains, but it would still require 10 wains of weirwood, 20 wains of white granite and 60 crowns to rebuild the destroyed shipyards. It would need a commission slot but could be authorized by the Imperial Senate or by any title with the authority to build a shipyard. Once complete the facilities would be perfect for building and upgrading Imperial fleets, allowing any Freeborn fleet based out of Madruga to be upgraded each season for one less weirwood than is usually required.

In addition, like the proposed expansion of the docks at Elos, the docks could be quickly and cheaply expanded later to include a fully functional [[shipyard]]. Such an expansion would only require 10 wains of white granite, 10 wains of weirwood and 20 crowns. While it would take 3 months to complete, the existing facilities would be good enough to '''start''' work on a [[Imperial navy|navy]] at the same time as the shipyard was being built, saving precious time.

These benefits would last for as long as the new arrivals continue to live in Madruga. Once the Brass Coast reclaims Feroz, many of the new arrivals will look to return home. If that happens, then the shipyards would no longer have enough shipwrights to reduce the upgrade costs for Madruga fleets. At that point the only benefit would be to convert them into a regular shipyard as described above.

===Calvos===
* '''An opportunity exists to build a School of Naval Warfare at Calvos'''
* '''Creating this folly would cost 10 wains of white granite, 15 wains of weirwood, 10 wains of mithril and 70 crowns, take 6 months to construct and have an upkeep of 5 thrones'''
* '''The school would allow the Empire to study and research techniques of naval warfare allowing them to develop improved navies, better able to face the Grendel'''
* '''This opportunity will last until the end of the Spring Equinox 385YE'''

Calvos is the final resting place of the Kraken's Bane, the legendary vessel captained by the exemplar [[Zemress]] and home to the Seminary of Zemress, a school where students come to study Prosperity. Pilgrims travel from all over the Empire to visit the site, to look upon the Bane and to study the texts stored at the Seminary. The Sumaah consider Zemress to be a paragon not an exemplar, and they provided white granite to build the seminary on the condition that it would be open to any visitors who came to study the Way.

Zemress life is an inspiration to any who follow the path of Prosperity, but she is also an inspiration to any who want to follow in her footsteps and face the Grendel at sea. The seminary is filled with books about Zemress' life, including several texts describing naval battles where the Kraken's Bane defeated Grendel pirate vessels in vivid detail. When people fled Feroz, many of those who looked to Zemress have chosen to settle here, swelling the ranks of the faithful and creating a unique opportunity to build a School of Naval Warfare.

The School would require 10 wains of white granite, 15 wains of weirwood, 10 wains of mithril and 70 crowns, take 6 months to construct and have an upkeep to the Imperial treasury 5 thrones. It would require a commission slot and could only be authorized by the Imperial Senate or by any title with the authority to commission a folly. The school is similar to the [[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]] but is more limited in its scope and focussed purely on teaching and research, at least for now. The opportunity to create the school will be available until the end of the Spring Equinox 385YE.

The school would provide no direct economic benefits, but it would allow the Freeborn to begin studying naval warfare, allowing them to disseminate techniques across the Brass Coast and the Empire. Once complete, the researchers at the school would present three possible qualities that new Imperial navies might be built with. They would invite the fleet owners of the Brass Coast to vote on which quality they felt was most important - whichever quality won would become the focus on their research. The civil service prognosticators believe it would take a year to develop the new quality - at which point the Freeborn could vote on what project to being next (researchers would present a new quality to consider alongside the two previously rejected options).

The Sumaah are not currently prepared to provide funding or support for the School, but several of their visiting präster have pointed out that if the Empire were prepared to share any new naval techniques they learned with the Sumaah, then that would be very well received by their fellow adherents of the Way. The Sumaah have two navies, 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.

===Quzar===
* '''An opportunity exists to build the Parador of Sand and Salt at Quzar'''
* '''Creating this ministry would cost 15 wains of mithril and 5 wains of weirwood, 5 wains of white granite, 50 crowns and take 3 months to construct'''
* '''The Parador would need to be a national Bourse position appointed by Tally of the Votes, it would act as a ministry allowing the Hakima of Sand and Salt to purchase mana crystals'''
* '''The Parador of Sand and Salt could be expanded into a College of Magic at any point, with a significantly reduced upkeep cost'''
* '''This opportunity will last until the end of the Spring Equinox 385YE'''

The Towers of Quzar are known as a gathering place for hakima from all across the Brass Coast. There is a yearly council that meets here every midsummer to share knowledge and gossip. As a result, most of the hakima who have fled Feroz have come here, along with many families who have an interest in Autumn magic. Now the streets are permanently filled with magicians discussing their affairs.
<table style="width:400px; float: right; margin-left: 1em; clear: right; margin-left:10px;"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Total Money Spent</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Production</td></tr>
<tr><td>7 crowns</td><td>8 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>17 crowns</td><td>16 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>32 crowns</td><td>25 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>50 crowns</td><td>33 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>70 crowns</td><td>42 mana crystals</td></tr>
</table>
Thus Ishala i Erigo proposes to construct the Parador of Sand and Salt, a vast meeting house where hakima could discuss their business together and where visitors could find lodgings. Constructing the Parador would create a new Imperial title, the Hakima of Sand and Salt who would be able to purchase mana crystals while overseeing the day-to-day running of the Parador.

Creating this ministry would cost 15 wains of mithril and 5 wains of weirwood, 5 wains of white granite, 50 crowns and take 3 months to construct. It would require a commission slot and could be authorized by the Imperial Senate or by any Imperial title able to commission a ministry.

Once complete it would create a new Imperial title, the Hakima of Sand and Salt. This would have to be a national Bourse position appointed by Tally of the Votes to gain the support of the inhabitants of Quzar. Whoever claimed the title would be able to purchase mana crystals from the visiting Hakima. Imperial law prohibits a title being legally restricted to a specific group of people, but Ishala is crystal clear that the Freeborn who attend Anvil would be expected to ensure that they only ever elected a Hakima to the position.

In addition to these benefits, the Parador would further solidify the central important of Quzar in Madruga and create a community of supportive hakima who could help with magical research if given the right facilities. While the Parador stands, it could be upgraded into a full [[College of Magic]] at any time at a cost of 55 wains of mithril and 55 wains of weirwood, 55 wains of white granite, and 330 crowns. The upgrade would require a commission slot and could be authorized by anyone with the power to commission a college of magic. The Hakima would ''retain'' the ability to purchase mana crystals from the Parador but gain the additional abilities provided by a college of magic.

If the Parador were upgraded then the presence of so many hakima in Quzar would provide a crucial additional benefit. As long as the Hakima of Sand and Salt was seen to be a hakima in good standing, then the total seasonal upkeep of the Empire's colleges of magic would be reduced by 20 thrones a season.
{{Conjunction Link|384YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_war#Large_Conjunctions}}

==Captain's Price (Conjunction)==
* '''A column of Wave Riders have crossed the border into Segura intent on murdering Freeborn evacuees of the Cereva family'''
* '''The Cereva have asked for help stopping the Grendel from killing them and their friends'''
* '''The civil service suggest that this sensitive mission might best be overseen by the Imperial Fleet Master'''
Captain Dubha "the Benevolent" is a favoured lieutenant to Governor Rahab. They were given control of a sizable area of [[Feroz#Oranserai|Oranserai]] near [[Segura#Lucksprings|Lucksprings]], to rule on Rahab's behalf. Taking it as a given that they should have the most prestigious dwelling in the area, they claimed the ''Casa Cereva'' and pressed the Freeborn of the ''Cereva'' family into service as household slaves. Unimpressed with this state of affairs, the Cereva took the opportunity presented by the evacuation of Feroz to escape across the border to Segura with the aid of Imperial soldiers. Before leaving however, they helped themselves to the better part of a year's wages from Captain Dubha's treasury - including apparently a golden statue of one of Dubha's ancestors who the eccentric Grendel soldier apparently claims speaks to him personally. All of this has come to light in the wake of the evacuation - the Cereva have sought sanctuary with distant cousins at a parador near Cerevado in [[Segura#Lucksprings|Lucksprings]] and have been telling raucous tales of Dubha's many shortcomings.

Unfortunately, Dubha is apparently very unwise for a Grendel orc. While Rahab is fuming impotently, and importuning the Salt Lords for aid, Dubha is instead over-reacting. They have sent a column of Wave Riders along the banks of the Scorrero and across the border into Segura with instructions to recover the golden statue of Dubha's ancestor. By all accounts the column is closing in on the Cereva parador, and if it reaches it there is little hope the Freeborn there will be able to stand against the warriors. There will be a bloodbath, and the Grendel will recover the statue along with any other wealth that is not nailed down, and return it to Captain Dubha.

Fortunately a conjunction exists that will allow a small band of Imperial heroes to intercept the column of Wave Riders... They will most likely want to avoid direct conflict - their mission is to recover Captain Dubha's ancestral statue not tussle with Imperial heroes. If at least half of them are killed or turned back, the remainder will abandon the raid and take whatever punishment Captain Dubha hands out. If at least half of them are able to bypass the Imperial defenders, however, they will be able to raid the parador, kill several Cereva, and return to Feroz with Captain Dubha's treasure.

Obviously all of this is in direct violation of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|383YE peace treaty]] with the Grendel, which is one reason the civil service have suggested the [[Imperial Fleet Master]] oversee the mission. Right now their presence in Segura doesn't necessarily "break" the treaty as such - as long as the Wave Riders turn back without harming any Imperial citizens it could probably be passed off as a "misunderstanding". If they kill the Cereva and rob the parador, that is a different matter - it is definitely raiding - but one that would still be dealt with diplomatically under the treaty. The Wave Riders are not meant to be in Segura - they are clearly in the wrong under the provisions of the treaty - so if they are killed or assaulted the Salt Lords could not credibly demand recompense (although it would very likely annoy Governor Rahab ''even more'' to have one of his captains humiliated and in turn humiliate him in this way).

'''Success and failure:''' The Cereva have been in communication with the Brass Coast egregore, who they've empowered to hand over a bag of treasure on their behalf, on the understanding that they'll repay the egregore out of the treasures they've stolen from Dubha, The egregore trusts their honesty and has put together a bag of ingots and money on behalf of the Cereba which will be handed over to the Imperial Fleet Master to divvy up among the people who help them deal with the problem - assuming they ''do'' deal with the problem.

If the Wave Riders are not turned back they will kill most of the Cereva, recover Captain Dubha's treasure, and return to Feroz. It would be up to the Empire to pursue reparations with the Grendel in that case.

==Further Reading==
* [[Struggle with the sea]] - Spring 384YE wind of fortune presenting the evacuation opportunity
* [[To curb those raging appetites]] - Winter 383YE wind of fortune laying out the options for Feroz that led to the evacuation
* [[Everything has a price]] - Winter 383YE wind of fortune detailing potential agreements between the Empire and the Grendel
* [[Imperial_Roll_of_Honour#384YE Spring Equinox|Roll of Honour]] - details the characters who sent military units and fleets to help evacuate Feroz

Civil Service

2024-06-14T16:43:26Z

TomH: /* War Scouts & Prognosticators */

<quote by="The Imperial Constitution">The Civil Service shall serve The Throne and the people, and be bound in oaths of loyalty to the Empire. They will be civil in their dealings and treat each citizen by their virtues, without prejudice or favour regardless of wealth, nationality or title. They will choose amongst them those who will serve as magistrates, to ensure the law is a friend to no-one but instead the servant and the master of all.</quote>
__TOC__
==Overview==
The Imperial Civil Service was established at the birth of the Empire but the roles and responsibilities were not codified until later, during the reign of [[Imperial_history#.2822_YE_-_34_YE.29_Reign_of_Emperor_Giovanni_the_Peacemaker|Emperor Giovanni]]. Every member of the Service [[Varushka_hearth_magic#Oaths|swears an oath]] to carry out their duties honestly and without favour to any party. As such, they do not vote in any elections, allowing citizens to trust the information and advice they provide is as fair and accurate as possible.

The civil servants who attend Anvil are generally based at the Civil Service Hub, located roughly at the centre of Anvil. However, their work takes them across various parts of Anvil, as is outlined [[Event schedule|here]].

'''All civil servants are NPC only positions. Their role is to enable the game to run effectively - providing dependable sources of information and preventing players from being bogged down in administration or bureaucracy. The roles are intended to be incorruptible, so that players can trust what the information implicitly. Profound Decisions will ''never'' run plot in Empire involving the corruption of magistrates or other civil servants.'''

==Institutional Civil Servants==
These civil servants are responsible for the smooth operation of a specific Imperial Institution. In all cases a single specific title exists, linked to each of the five great houses of the Empire, e.g. the Speaker for the Senate. Though such offices are always referred to in the singular, in practice there are usually multiple civil servants assigned specific to each role.<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px; clear: right;"><div>
===Speaker for the Senate===
The [[Speaker for the Senate]] comprises those civil servants appointed to oversee the business of the [[Imperial Senate]]. The Speaker chairs all sessions of the Senate to ensure they are orderly, timely and effective. They are responsible for accepting [[Senate motion|motions]] from [[senator|senators]] and creating the agenda for each [[Senate session|session]], including any [[Senate address|addresses]] that are to be made.

The Speaker is the best in-character point of contact for queries about Senate motions, [[Commission|commissions]], creation of [[New Imperial titles|new Imperial titles]], and advice on how the Senate is run.

The office of Speaker is expected to maintain the following records:

* A list of all motions brought before Senate, the wording, their proposers, and the seconders.
* Whether or not each motion was passed, failed or withdrawn.
* Any disbursement from the Imperial treasury that was approved for the motion.
* A list of all announcements made before Senate.
* The location of suitable pro-formas for Senate [[:File:Senate_Motion_Sheet.pdf|motions]], [[:File:Senate_Address_Sheet.pdf|addresses]] and [[:File:Senate_Announcement_Sheet.pdf|announcements]].
</div><div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Speaker_John_of_Meade.jpg|title=John of Meade, Speaker for the Senate.|caption=John of Meade, Speaker for the Senate|width=500}}
{|
| '''Character''' || '''Crew Member'''
|-
| Bill Runner || David Proctor
|-
| Dyer Alys || Amy Mason
|-
| John of Meade || Harry Harrold
|-
| Rialta di Regario || Amy Woodhead
|-
|}</div></div><div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px;"><div>

===Tribune of the Synod===
The [[Tribune of the Synod]] comprises those civil servants appointed to oversee the business of the [[Imperial Synod]]. The Tribune is responsible for accepting and registering [[Judgement|Judgements]] raised by priests, and recording and announcing the votes of members of the Synod. It is also the Tribune who disburses the [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]] to the Throne, the winner of the lot in the Public auction, any doses [[Rewarding|awarded]] from the Virtue Fund, and the doses awarded by the Gatekeepers.

As the Synod holds no formal sessions, the Tribune is based solely within the Hub. They are able to answer queries relating to appointment to Synod titles, the raising of and voting for Judgements, as well the opportunities and powers available to the Synod.

The Tribune is expected to maintain the following records:

* The set of all judgements raised by the Synod at the summit.
* Votes made by Synod priests on judgements.
* Appointments by assemblies of the Synod.
* Definitive wordings for any mandates that have been assessed by the Civil Service.
* Rewardings made from the Virtue fund to the priests who raised the corresponding Judgements
* The names of those who are to receive visions of past lives
* The location of a suitable pro-forma for [[:File:Judgement_Sheet.pdf|Synod Judgements]]
</div><div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Tribune_Leonardo_i_DelToro_i_Riqueza.jpg|title=Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza, Tribune of the Synod.|caption=Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza, Tribune of the Synod|width=500}}
{|
| '''Character''' || '''Crew Member'''
|-
| Grimmr Reinholz || Martin Verran
|-
| Kiersten Grimmrsdottir || Harriette King
|-
| Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza || Jonathan Kidger
|-
| Masha Sigeling || Sonja Hammes
|-
| Orva Pirittasdottir || Kirsty Horne
|-
| Rupert of Aldely || Martin Wheeler
|-
| Varran || Valentine Verrijken
|}</div></div><div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px;"><div>

===Herald of the Council===
The [[Herald of the Council]] comprises those civil servants appointed to oversee the business of the [[Military Council]]. The Herald chairs all official meetings, the [[Muster]] and all regular [[Council session|sessions]] of the Military Council to ensure they are orderly, timely and effective. They are responsible for creating the agenda for each session, accepting any [[Council address|addresses]] that are to be made.

The Herald is well-placed to answer any queries relating to the operation of the Military Council and how best to bring matters before it. They provide information on the disposition of the Empire's military forces to the Imperial generals at the start of the muster.

The Herald is expected to maintain the following records:

* The disposition and strength of the Empire's armies and fortifications.
* The battle opportunities chosen by the military council
* Which nations are taking the field for each battle.
* The field marshal commanding each battle.
* The orders given by generals to their armies.
* Any pardons issued by the Military Council.
* Any distribution of [[spoils of war]] made by the Military Council.
</div>
<div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Herald_Ekaterijna_Nadyovna_Gremani_cropped.jpg|title=Ekaterijna Nadyovna Gremani, Herald of the Council.|caption=Ekaterijna Nadyovna Gremani, Herald of the Council|width=500}}
{|
| '''Character''' || '''Crew Member'''
|-
| Ekaterijna Nadyovna Gremani || Sam Sulkin
|-
| Verus Gorolfson || Ben Woodhead
|}</div></div><div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px;"><div>
===Agent of the Bourse===
The [[Agent of the Bourse]] comprises those civil servants appointed to oversee the business of the [[Imperial Bourse]]. They organise the [[Tally of the Votes|election of all National Bourse Titles]] recording the votes cast and identifying each winner. They also arrange and oversee the [[Auction of the Seats]] and the auction of a dose of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]]. The Agent is responsible for issuing [[Currency#Bourse_Certificates|Bourse certificates]] for [[Weirwood|weirwood]], [[Mithril|mithril]] and [[White granite|white granite]] to new seat holders when they win an auction or election.

The Agent is best-placed to answer questions relating to any Bourse titles, either auctioned or elected, as well as questions about the current state of Bourse seats.

The Agent is expected to maintain the following records:

* Appointments by the Auction of Seats including who is appointed and how much was paid.
* Appointments by the Tally of Votes including who is appointed, the total winning votes and the winning margin.
* Values of any small quantities of Bourse resources auctioned at each summit.
* The winning bid for the dose of True Liao auctioned via the Bourse.
</div><div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Marta_Kovar_cropped.jpg|title=Marta Kovar, Agent of the Bourse.|caption=Marta Kovar, Agent of the Bourse|width=500}}
{|
| '''Character''' || '''Crew Member''' || '''Role'''
|-
| Marta Kovar || Elinor Kershaw || Agent of the Bourse
|-
| Rialta di Regario || Amy Woodhead || Auctioneer
|}</div></div><div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px;"><div>

===Prefect of the Conclave===
The civil servants who serve the [[Imperial Conclave]] oversee its sessions in the Hall of Worlds. They accept Declarations made in advance of each session, create the agenda, and ensure each session is run in a timely, efficient and orderly fashion. They are also responsible for taking the crystal mana required to speak in Conclave, which is then added to the [[Conclave vault|Conclave vaults]] and disbursed to [[Grandmaster|Grandmasters]] of each [[Conclave order|Order]].

The Prefect is available in the Hub in advance of each session to receive Declarations for the Agenda, as well as to answer procedural questions on how things might be brought before Conclave.

The Prefect is expected to maintain the following records:

* Appointments to Imperial titles.
* Addresses made on each day, and who made each one
* Declarations made on each day, who made each one, and whether or not it passed
* The Strengths of each order at each Conclave session
* The contents of each Order's Vault at the beginning and end of the Summit
</div><div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Khaytanus_Conclave.jpg|title=Khaytanus Everwatch, Prefect of the Conclave.|caption=Khaytanus Everwatch (right), Prefect of the Conclave, next to Merlot, the Overseer of Imperial Elections (left).|width=500}}
{|
| '''Character''' || '''Crew Member'''
|-
| Aitana i Riqueza || Laura Knighton
|-
| Khaytanus Everwatch || James Littlewood
|-
| Merlot || Paul Wilder
|}</div></div>

==Non-Institutional Civil Servants==
A number of key Civil Service roles are not tied to a single official body of state. These positions are responsible for providing advice and service across multiple different houses or directly to individual citizens.<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px;"><div>
===Constitutional Court===
The [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] is a body of civil servants whose job is to ensure that the [[Senate motion|motions]] passed by the [[Imperial Senate]] can be implemented in accordance with the Imperial Constitution. The Court provides [[scrutiny]] of every motion after it passes the Imperial Senate, checking that it is in accordance with the Imperial Constitution and that it can be effectively implemented by the Civil Service. It exists to allow Profound Decisions to check that any motion that changes the way Empire plays will not adversely affect the enjoyment of the game in the years to come.

Members of the Court will attempt to provide constitutional advice to any citizen who requests it, to give citizens the best chance of ensuring that anys motion presented to the Senate are legitimate. However, advice given by any individual member is not considered binding by the Court, and all Senate motions are subject to further scrutiny once they have been passed on the floor of the Senate.

Some members of the Court have a number of their own responsibilities. The Auditor of the Imperial Treasury is responsible for providing funds disbursed from the Imperial treasury by the Senate and producing the accounts for the [[Master of the Imperial Mint]] each summit. The Imperial Archivist is responsible for historial research and for all Civil Service publications, while the Chief Magistrate is the senior magistrate for the Empire. These Civil Servants sometimes attend sessions of the Senate to provide important further context on the opportunities and powers available to it.
</div><div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Abraham_Leontes_Gerard_cropped.jpg|title=Three members of the Constitutional Court.|caption=Magistrate Abraham (left) considers his position whilst Leontes the Scribe (centre) and Gerard La Salle (right) discuss matters of state.|width=500}}
{|
| '''Character''' || '''Title''' || '''Crew Member'''
|-
| Abraham || Magistrate || Matt Pennington
|-
| Gerard La Salle || Auditor of the Imperial Treasury || Graeme Jamieson
|-
| Leontes the Scribe || Imperial Archivist || Andy Rafferty
|-
| Stanislav Karkovich || Chief Magistrate || Jon Creek
|}</div></div><div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px;"><div>
===Secretariat of the Civil Service===
The Secretariat are responsible for recruitment and appointment of new civil servants, as well as the day-to-day operation of the Service. Citizens who have an issue with the behaviour of a civil servant are best advised to raise the matter with a member of the Secretariat who will try to assist. At Anvil, when not facilitating the needs of the Civil Service as a whole, they usually fill other roles in line with their specialisms.

At present the two members of the Secretariat are the Secretary General who directly oversees all civil service operations and the Cultural Liaison, who works directly with the egregores of each nation whole to ensure that all Imperial citizens, especially those new to Anvil, have access to the support they need.
</div><div style="margin-top: 15px;>
{{CaptionedImage|file=CulturalLiaison.jpg|title=Kaya, Cultural Liaison.|caption=Kaya, Cultural Liaison|width=200}}
{|
| '''Character''' || '''Title''' || '''Crew Member'''
|-
| Kaya || Cultural Liaison || Clare Evans
|-
| Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza || Secretary General || Jonathan Kidger
|}</div></div><div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px;"><div>

===Overseer of Imperial Elections===
The Overseer of [[Imperial elections|Imperial Elections]] is responsible for administering the appointment for all Imperial titles not managed by another office of the Civil Service, and ensuring all elections adhere to the strictures of Imperial Law. This includes, but is not limited to, elections for senators and generals each summit.

The Overseer can be approached with any query regarding elections to the Senate, Military Council or Bourse. Appointments by the Imperial Synod are best directed to the Tribute of the Synod. Appointments by the Conclave are the remit of the Prefect of the Conclave, (Merlot, the current Overseer of Elections is also a Prefect of the Conclave).

The Overseer is expected to keep the following records:

* The list of current Imperial title holders
* The list of titles awaiting election
* All elections ''to'' the Senate or appointments ''by'' the Senate
* Results of appointments ''to'' or ''by'' the Military Council
* All elections and appointments ''to'' the Bourse
</div><div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merlot_Book.jpg|title=Merlot, Overseer of Imperial Elections.|caption=Merlot, Overseer of Imperial Elections|align=left|width=500}}
{|
| '''Character''' || '''Crew Member'''
|-
| Merlot || Paul Wilder
|}</div></div><div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px; "><div>

===Imperial Magistracy===
Magistrates are responsible for enforcing [[Imperial Law]]. They appoint members of the militia and coordinate their activities, directing them to investigate potential crimes that have been reported. They administer trials, overseeing the proceedings and determining the verdict and setting the punishment. They oversee executions, as well as the collection and redistribution of fines.

Magistrates can be be approached to provide advice on any aspect of Imperial Law, as well as to offer advice on how to bring a [[Civil Claims|civil claim]]. They are currently based at the magistrate's office, near the Hub.

The Chief Magistrate oversees the magistrate and is responsible for appointing and promoting new magistrates. The Constitutional Court always includes the Chief Magistrate and the longest serving magistrate, so the Chief Magistrate can also provide constitutional advice.

The Magistracy, especially the Chief Magistrate, are also responsible for assisting in the creation of [[The Throne#Imperial Favour|Imperial Favours]].

The Magistracy publishes the [[Court Reports|Court Report]] following each summit that details all trials and their outcome.
</div><div style="margin-top: 15px;">
{|
| '''Magistrate''' || '''Specialism''' || '''Crew Member'''
|-
| Stanislav Karkovich || Chief Magistrate, Criminal & Religious law || Jon Creek
|-
| Avedon de Remourics || Criminal & Religious Law || Oliver Facey
|-
| John Cooper || General || Richard Squires
|-
| Kuura Tuomisbarn || General || Nat Saunders
|-
| Nihm Farkas || General || Sophie Earnshaw
|}</div></div><div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px; "><div>

===Attendants of the Gateway===
These civil servants take instruction from those individuals awarded or in possession of [[Liao#True_Liao|True Liao]]. Where individuals seek to use the True Liao to have [[Past life vision|visions of their past lives]], it is the responsibility of these civil servants to interview them, to explain the process, and then to administer to the ceremony after the True Liao has been suitably prepared.

They aim to make themselves available to all potential visionaries for interviews and discussions at the Hub - both on the Saturday night of each summit as well as at 1:30pm on the Sunday.

These civil servants are also responsible for keeping records of which citizens are due to receive visions of their past lives, which are published in the Hub. The Civil Service does not record the details of previous Visions - the responsibility for this lies with the [[Seer of the Gateway]].
</div><div style="margin-top: 15px;">
{|
| '''Character''' || '''Crew Member'''
|-
| Anushka Djeskova || Jessica Simpson
|-
| Barak of Haros || David Sheridan
|-
| Walt Scriber || Ian Horne
|}
</div></div><div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 30%; grid-column-gap: 10px; "><div>

===War Scouts & Prognosticators===
Imperial war scouts provide vital intelligence to the Military Council on the disposition and movement of enemy forces. This information is combined with divinations performed by the Imperial prognosticators to identify conjunctions of the [[Sentinel Gate]]. Each summit, the department produces a set of briefings for the Council, detailing all major conjunctions that have been identified, along with objectives and potential outcomes.

The prognosticators and war scouts also work together to produce briefings for the smaller military conjunctions that are published before each summit. In consultation with the Constitutional Court, they decide which Imperial title should be given dominion over the conjunction. The war scouts are the best people to talk to if you have any questions about a military conjunction. At Anvil, the war scouts maintain a post near the [[Sentinel Gate]] in order to advise on known [[conjunctions]].

The Imperial Archives also employ numerous prognosticators to help create the Winds of Fortune, the accurate forecasts and reports which are published before each summit.
</div><div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=War Scout Tirsa_cropped.jpg|title=Tirsa i Duran i Guerra, War Scout.|caption=Tirsa i Duran i Guerra, War Scout|width=500}}
{|
| '''Name''' || '''Role''' || '''Crew Name'''
|-
| Alexandrina Ivanova || War Scout || Kim St Clair
|-
| Harald Fareye || Prognosticator || Tom Hancocks
|-
| Tirsa i Duran i Guerra || War Scout || Katherine Catchpole-Simmons
|-
|}</div></div>

===The Academy===
The Imperial Academy at Anvil runs various activities for the younger heroes of the Empire. A list of dedicated Academy staff can be found [[The_Academy#Academy_Staff|here]].

[[Category:Civil Service]]

386YE Spring Equinox winds of war

2024-06-13T12:52:17Z

TomH: /* Friday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Spring]][[Category:Recent History]]
<div style="float:left; width: 700px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=A Year Turns.jpg|caption=The year turns, the seasons change, but some thing stay the same.|align=left|width=700}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there has been more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Seasons Turn==
Spring bursts, an explosion of rain and flowers. The sun rouses from its Winter slumber, spreading green and gold and ivory white across dark earth, kindling sticky buds from dead branches. It is three-hundred-and-eighty-six years since the Empire began. A new year; a new start, a chance for renewal and respite... but some things do not change. Listen, do you hear it? The echo of hammer on shield, of sword through flesh, of blood pattering on the thirsty soil? So Winter fades into Spring and the year turns and everything changes... everything except for war.

The ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]] seek the destruction of everything that lives, everything capable of change. They will bring ruin to everything that sparks joy, that speaks of a future better than the present or the past. The Empire's heroes raise sword and shield, raise their voices in song, raise their fists in defiance against them, but will it be enough? We take each army that marches in the name of oblivion in turn, and mark their progress in '''[[Eclipse]]'''.

In the south-east of the Empire, the Lasambrian [[Jotun]] continue their invasion of [[Kahraman]]. Last season their advance was barely slowed; this time however there are [[Imperial army|Imperial armies]] there to face their challenge. Battle is joined, in the name of Virtue, in the shadow of the cinnabar hills. Whose virtue will prove the stronger? The answer may be found '''[[Below the red rock]]'''.

Further to the north, in [[Skallahn]] those armies that had [[Against_the_Jotun#Fire|beset the Jotun]] withdraw back across the snow-swept taiga into [[Sermersuaq]]. Let the Jotun rail against the storm winds; no garrisons left behind to face their wrath they must content themselves with reclaiming what land the Empire took from them. The steel tide ebbs; it will rise again in time. It always does.

Leap across the Empire then, arrowing across marsh and city, hill and road, fallow farmland and snow-dusted forests. Across the sea, giving a wide berth to the cursed land where the black spiral endlessly turns. To [[Mareave]], and the conquest of the [[Bay_of_Catazar#The_Broken_Shore_and_Attar|Broken Shore]]. Gliding over the ramshackle towers and cracked roofs and chained palaces of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]], to where five armies fight. Listen to the wind, and the winding tale of '''[[Sea-wood fed with copper]]'''.

And then back across, over the swelling sea, over the Bay of Catazar to the Brass Coast - what there is left of it. To [[Madruga]], where the eyes of sorrow have been fixed, where once the City of Sails billowed in the sea-winds. The Empire takes to task the forces that burned Siroc, and fight to reclaim the shores, and over them wheel the raucous chorus of the sea birds. Listen, do you hear? What secrets can be untangled from '''[[the cry of gulls]]'''?

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Day'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Learn More'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">CS Briefing</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Liathaven|Liathaven, Liath's Glen, Wyndyn Path]]</td><td>Thwart Beater Royse</td><td>Jotun & Yegarra</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under the firelight#Wyndyn_Path_(Liathaven)|Under the firelight]]</td><td>[[Media:Liathaven Battle Brief-E2-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Kallavesa|Kallavesa, West March, Hvalgrunn]]</td><td>Defeat Jarl Idunn</td><td>Jotun & Yegarra</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Under the firelight#Hvalgrunn_(Kallavesa)|Under the firelight]]</td><td>[[Media:Kallavesa Battle Brief-E2-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Fleisardh, Brine Blood Bay]]</td><td>Capture the Brine Turtles</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Sea-wood_fed_with_copper#Pots_and_Shells_%28Battle%29|Sea-wood fed with copper]]</td><td>[[Media:Mereve Battle Brief-E2-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Madruga|Madruga, Free Landing, Siakha's Maw]]</td><td>Stop Siakha's Cults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Sunday</td><td>[[The_cry_of_gulls#Siakha's_Maw_(Battle)|The cry of gulls]]</td><td>[[Media:Madruga Battle Brief-E2-2024.pdf|Briefing]]</td></tr>
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 19
|-
| Dawn || 48
|-
| Highguard || 21
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 20
|-
| Marches || 25
|-
| Navarr || 51
|-
| Urizen || 15
|-
| Varushka || 14
|-
| Wintermark || 57
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least 134 and at most 141 force weight sent on it.

===Battle participation===
<big>'''The Jotun battle opportunities involve limited numbers of human yegarra alongside the Jotun orcs'''</big><br>
If the Military Council take opportunities involving the Jotun, we will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Jotun orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Jotun orcs.

In the '''Kallavesa''' and '''Liathaven''' battles you can help by wearing any Jotun or Wintermark-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Jotun weaponry, particularly axes, maces, and circular shields. You can find out more about the iconic Jotun look [[Jotun_look_and_feel|here]] but the key element for portraying the northern Jotun and yegarra is plenty of leather and fur over maile as their iconic look. Any Marcher kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Marcher weaponry particularly a bill, spear or other pole-arm; would contribute to the look of the traitors fighting alongside Dalton Royse in '''Liathaven'''.

<big>'''The Grendel battle opportunities involve limited numbers of human mercenaries alongside the Grendel orcs'''</big><br>
If the Military Council take opportunities involving the Grendel, we will ask the majority of player volunteers to take on the roles of Grendel orcs as normal. If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field a force predominantly comprised of Grendel orcs.

In the '''Mareave''' and '''Madruga''' battles you can help by wearing any Grendel or Brass Coast or League-style kit or armour you have, as well as any iconic Grendel weaponry, particularly swords, spears and large shields. You can find out more about the iconic Grendel look [[Grendel_look_and_feel|here]] but the key element for portraying the Grendel and human mercenaries is flowing layers and plate torso armour evocative of ancient Mediterranean cultures as their iconic look.

Any human yegarra and human mercenary roles will be formed into units and led by members of the Skirmish Team.

We understand the difficulty of getting to an event with additional kit at the best of times, especially as it will not be possible to tell before Friday night whether the Military Council will elect to take a particular battle, but if you are able to bring such kit along it will improve your experience as well as that of the players you are fighting against.

If you are already part of an [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster unit]] that monsters as an orc warband, then please come to battle prep as you normally would for these battles. If you are part of such a unit but do not have your own orc mask then we hope that we will be able to supply an orc mask for you, but cannot guarantee one. It is not possible to play a human yegarra or human mercenary combatant in an EMU.

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

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Karov, Duzekani, The Broken Copse || [[Overseer of the Westward Road]] || [[Momento_mori#Rumours_(Karov)|Defeat the Festering Warden]]
|-
| 18:35 || 8 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Miaren, Goldglades, The Old Green Fort || '''Aniera Exiles End''' || [[It%27s_only_me#The_Guided_Path_(Conjunction)|Meet with the Burning Vine]]
|-
| 18:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Screed, Sabina's Sward || [[Oblivion Sentinel]] || [[The_three_pillars#Homecoming_(Conjunction)|Kill the Grendel]]
|-
| 19:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Weirwater, Weirmoor, Roland's Stand || [[Castellan of Spiral Castle]] || [[Momento_mori#With_the_Dawn_(Weirwater)|Defeat the Broken Errant]]
|-
| 19:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Spiral, Ossuary, Lucia's Grove || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] || [[The_three_pillars#Misdirections_(Conjunction)|Stop the Grendel]]
|-
| 19:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Karov, Malimorzi, The Granite Path || [[Boyar of the Iron Roads]] || [[Momento_mori#Sharp_Lessons_(Karov)|Defeat the Iron Boyar]]
|-
| 20:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Mareave, Eoradal, Old Skouran Orchard || '''Vitore Van Temeschwar''' || [[Sea-wood_fed_with_copper#What_Lies_Hidden_(Conjunction)|Prevent the Grendel from escaping]]
|-
| 21:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kahraman, Gambit, Path of Sofia || [[Dhomiro of the Cinnabar Hills]] || [[Below_the_red_rock#Playing_With_Fire_(Conjunction)|Stop the Jotun]]
|-
| 21:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Feroz, Morajasse, Taziolar's Woods || [[Champion of Wisdom]] || [[The_cry_of_gulls#Coursing_%28Feroz%29|Intercept the suspicious Faraden agent]]
|-
| 21:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sermersuaq, Suaq Fount, Hanleth's Wastes || [[Pride of Ikka's Tears|Custodian of the Pride of Ikka's Tears]] || [[Under_the_firelight#Hard_Heads_(Sermersuaq)|Defeat ''Freydis'' and the rest of the Jotun]]
|-
| 23:00 || 50 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Segura, Burnish, Ring of Dust and Glass || [[High Bard of the Empire]] || [[Dream_to_me#Lashonar_(Conjunction)|Perform Align the Celestial Net to neutralise the Fire Beacon]]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
{{stub}}
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Black Boughs, Trove of Gral'athet || [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]] || [[#Beyond the Oak (Brocéliande)|Slay the vallornspawn]]
|-
| 14:45 || 25 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Segura, Sobral Grasses, Parched Grasses || [[Unfettered Mind|Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind]] || [[Parched_earth#Sobral_Grasses|Rescue the magician and destroy the Yoorn-marked Patrician]]
|-
| 15:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Vale's Lament, Cara's Thicket || [[ Champion of Loyalty]] || [[#Seeds_of_Shadow_(Brocéliande)|Slay the vallornspawn]]
|-
| 15:15 || 30 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kahraman, Jade Range, Parched Range || [[Mistress of the Dust Parador]] || [[Parched_earth#Jade_Range|Deal with the Lasambrian champion and destroy the Irremais-marked Patrician]]
|-
| 15:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hercynia, Deer's Folly, Toxic Dell || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[#Road_to_the_Spear_(Hercynia)|Distract the vallornspawn]]
|-
| 15:35 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Hercynia, Deer's Folly, Toxic Dell || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[#A_Missing_Leaf|Perform the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]
|-
| 15:45 || 35 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Segura, Lucksprings, Parched Springs || '''Bakar i Riqueza''' || [[Parched_earth#Lucksprings|Destroy the Naeve-marked Patrician and recover dust]]
|-
| 17:30 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Sanctuary Sands, Orchard of the Third Step || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Sound_the_bells#Breaking_Storm_(Necropolis)|Reclaim the heirloom]]
|-
| 18:00 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Longbeach, Ada's Woods || [[Imperial Spymaster]] || [[Sound_the_bells#Deceptions_(Necropolis)|Prevent the Grendel from escaping with intelligence]]
|-
| 18:30 || 60 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Highrod, Coppice of Athaliah || [[High Exorcist]] || [[Sound_the_bells#Traps_(Necropolis)|Defeat the Grendel and put the ghosts to rest]]
|-
| 20:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Weirwater, Wickmoor, Regan's Glade || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Spring]] || [[Skeleton_key#Ripples_in_the_Pond_(Ossegrahn)_(Conjunctions)|Guide the creatures home]]
|-
| 20:30 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Bitter Hollow || [[Storm Shaman]] || [[Eclipse#Doorways_(Skarsind)|Defeat the ''scions'']]
|-
| 20:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Upwold, Birchland, James' Orchard || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Skeleton_key#Ripples_in_the_Pond_(Ossegrahn)_(Conjunctions)|Guide the creatures home]]
|-
| 21:00 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bastion, Sybella Cross, Disordered Expanse || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Spring]] || [[Eclipse#Winds_Rising_(Bastion)|Perform Regrow the Lands Heart and defeat the ''scions'']]
|-
| 21:15 || 15 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hercynia, Summersend, Merel's Glade || [[Granger of the Golden Orchard]] || [[Skeleton_key#Ripples_in_the_Pond_(Ossegrahn)_(Conjunctions)|Guide the creatures home]]
|-
| 21:30 || 55 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Karov, Wieliczka, Glade of Haamrikoht || [[Champion of Courage]] || [[Eclipse#Hammer_Blows_(Karov)|Defeat the ''scions'']]
|-
| 22:30 || 20 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Arbonne, Laufette, Anduz Watch || [[Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy]] || [[Burying_the_lede#A_Fleeting_Offer|Auction rights of salvage]]
|
|}

===Beyond the Oak (Brocéliande)===
* '''A horde of vallornspawn have gathered around a trove of herbs in Black Boughs'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Reeve of Greenforest Fair'' is responsible for slaying the vallornspawn'''
''Tancred of the Order of the Emerald Dogs'' has once again ventured into Brocéliande following their rescue by the [[Knight of the Greenwood]] [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_war#The_Hunt_Begins_(Brocéliande)|last season]]. Tancred and their new recruits were able to make it out again after their adventure into the [[Brocéliande#Black_Boughs|Black Boughs]] but whilst there they discovered a previously unknown cache of [[herb|herbs]] deep in the forest. The Emerald Dogs decided against attempting to clear out the horde themselves, instead calling on the Reeve of Greenforest Fair to lead a force of Dawnish into the territory and slay the vallornspawn to allow access to the uncovered trove and the riches within.

According to one of the yeofolk, ''Billimund Skinner'', this will allow any [[military unit]] who is led on a [[Military_unit#Quest_against_the_Vallorn|quest against the vallorn]] this season easier access to the wealth hidden within the territory; the adventure will provide an additional three random herbs for the next two seasons. Given that this is a direct request it is the responsibility of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]], '''Arlen Foreman-Smith''', to slay the horde of vallornspawn.

===Seeds of Shadow (Brocéliande)===
* '''A horde of vallornspawn are moving towards the border between Vale's Lament and Tamarbode'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Loyalty'' is responsible for slaying the vallornspawn'''
A horde of vallornspawn has been spotted moving towards the border between Vale's Lament and [[Reikos#Tamarbode|Tamarbode]]; ready to spill over into Reikos and slaughter the [[thorn|thorns]] recovering in an isolated wayhouse on the Reikos side of the border. ''Marija'', a grey pilgrim dedicated to [[Loyalty]], was the one who saw the shambling movements of the vallornspawn and attempted to warn the thorns but they are too injured to risk moving at this stage. Instead, ''Marija'' calls on the [[Champion of Loyalty]] to take charge of slaying the horde of vallornspawn and in doing so save the injured thorns.

Given that this represents a direct request to the Champion of Loyalty the responsibility rests with '''Dagon''' to slay the vallornspawn. If the vallornspawn are defeated and the thorns saved that will motivate the Highborn to venture into the wild places - the ruins - of Terunael. All Highborn [[military unit]] captains will be able to take the [[Military_unit#Explore_the_ruins_of_Terunael|Explore the ruins of Terunael]] action in the downtime after the Spring Equinox 386YE.

===Road to the Spear (Hercynia)===
* '''A horde of vallornspawn are massing around the Toxic Dell in Deer's Folly'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Spear of the Seven'' is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn'''
During the Autumn Equinox 385YE the trods of [[Hercynia]] were [[To_the_last_syllable#Shadow_in_the_Night|severely damaged]] by the ''scions'' of Cold Sun. The stridings that have passed through the territory have stayed vigilant for any opportunity, any Spring regio that could allow a performance of [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]. A regio has been found in the forests of [[Hercynia#Deer's_Folly|Deer's Folly]], the ''Toxic Dell'', a potent regio tied to the realm of Spring that resonates with [[Spring_magic#Venom|venom]]. While it's strong enough to meet the requirements of [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn]], it doesn't enhance the ability of Spring ritualists to actually perform the ritual. Making things more difficult there is a horde of vallornspawn massed around the regio; it would be suicide if the coven went alone.

But, as with [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_war#Nightmares_Walking_(Therunin)|last season]], if a more martial force goes in first and forces the vallornspawn to pay attention - distracting them long enough that a coven can move in after them and perform the ritual in "relative" safety.

The [[Spear of the Seven]], '''Corwyn Heartsbane''', is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn long enough for the ritualists to perform the ritual. This is likely to be incredibly dangerous; the area is deep within the miasma and the vallornspawn are relatively untouched.

====A Missing Leaf====
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open again after five minutes'''
* '''This part of the skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|combat possible]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Archmage of Spring'' is responsible for arranging a coven to cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn'''
Given that this is clearly an example of employing the power of the Spring realm to the advantage of Imperial citizens it is the responsibility of the [[Archmage of Spring]], '''Ibiss Briarheart''', to organise the coven who will go through the Sentinel Gate to perform the ritual while the other heroes keep the vallornspawn occupied.

<box><big>'''[[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|Vallorn miasma]]'''</big><br>
* '''''Beyond the Oak'', ''Seeds of Shadow'', ''Road to the Spear'', and ''A Missing Leaf'' all take place within vallorn miasma'''
* '''Anyone in vallorn miasma is affected by [[Calls#VENOM|VENOM]] unless they are bonded to an [[Abraxus Stone]] or are under the effect of [[Vitality of Rushing Water]]
* '''Anyone affected by the VENOM from the vallorn miasma will eventually begin to suffer from symptoms of nausea or mild feverishness
The short length of these conjunctions means that in this instance there is no chance of anyone developing [[Vallornspawn_husk#Green_Lung|green lung]]</box>

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Spring Equinox.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Upwold]] or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:''' Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
* '''The Marches:''' Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:''' The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
* '''Varushka:''' Varushkan armies involved in the same campaign as an army from the Brass Coast or Wintermark generate 10% fewer victory points. If armies from both nations are present, the reduction is increased to 20%. [[Our_choice#Prepare_for_Difficult_Choices|Link]].
* '''Varushka:''' Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]
Click ''Expand'' to see military considerations that are less relevant at the current time but are still active.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
*'''Zenith:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
*'''Morrow:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]</div>

The current when it serves

2024-06-08T20:15:56Z

TomH: /* Battlefield Environment: Forge Breath */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Summer]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Orc and Stick.jpg|caption=The Summer Storm cannot help but hear the whispers of their long forgotten Jotun ancestors as they march across the fields of Skallahn.|align=left|width=350}}</div>
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gk_GIOVMm4}}
==From the Gathering Place==
In the weeks following the Spring Equinox more than fifteen thousand Imperial soldiers gather at the [[Sermersuaq#Fortress_of_Kalant|Fortress of Kalant]] in [[Sermersuaq#Stark|Stark]]. The [[Bloodcloaks]] and [[Green Shield]] of [[Wintermark]] are joined by the [[Army qualities#Relentless|relentless]] [[Imperial Orcs|Imperial Orc]] warriors of the [[Summer Storm]]. The fort was raised for the Jarl of [[Skallahn#Kierheim|Kierheim]], which makes it perhaps appropriate that the armies gather here. Under the watchful eyes of statues representing [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ra.C3.B0lj.C3.B3st|Raðljóst]] and [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|Skjaldir]], plans are finalized for the coming offensive. The Imperial strategy is founded on maps created by Imperial scouts, tempered by the powerful [[enchantment|enchantments]] laid on all three armies that help them plan with [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|supernatural clarity]], and finalised with first-hand experience of Imperial captains who took part in the [[Under_heaven|triumphant Autumn raid]] last year.

Once the plan is finalised, the three armies cross the western border into the wealthy [[territory]] of [[Skallahn]], marching in the footsteps of [[Emperor Guntherm]], ready to face the [[Jotun]] on their home ground for the first time in a generation.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Styx, General of the Summer Storm">Heroes of the Summer Storm! We have fought Marsh Bregasland pushing back the Jotun, now we go a step further! We will push into Skallahn on a Steady Conquest, taking their ground like they attempted to take ours. We will free the thralls, showing the Jotun exactly who we are and what the Imperial Orcs stand for ! Fight with courage and Pride! Fight Loyalty and with Vigilance!</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Lofyn Blood-cloak, General of the Bloodcloaks">Bloodcloaks, the Season of the sword is upon us. Call up the banners, raise up your fellows, We march for Skallahn to take the western war into the lands of our worthy foe. Every step we take draws our foe from imperial lands like poison from a wound. Let us show every Jotun that the west is ours, that they have no place in it unless it is as willing part of our Empire.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Iron Osric, General of the Green Shield">Heroes of the Green Shield, hail to thee! The West has beset battle across bloody fields, war and ruin, wrath running wild. In this fight our skeins are forged, from mud and blood to shining steel, a spear to strike our greatest foe. Following the footsteps of Guntherm we will walk the road to Kierheim as heroes. Fire of Virtue, walk with me.</quote></div>
==Into Greenwall==
The wide plains of [[Skallahn#Greenwall|Greenwall]] stretch across the southern coasts of Kalsea, home to great herds of lowland cattle and upland sheep. Farms are common here, with handfuls of small crofts scattered hither and yon, and there are a few scattered settlements along the coast dedicated to harvesting the bounty of the Gullet.

The majority of the population here are thralls. They are almost exclusively [[orc|orcs]] but with small numbers of human families here and there, mostly descended from Winterfolk or [[the Marches|Marcher]] ancestors. When then encounter Imperial soldiers, they react in one of two ways. Those who can flee north or west, taking whatever they can carry with them. Those unable for whatever reason to get away, immediately surrender. Human and orc alike are almost exclusively terrified of the Imperials; only those thralls taken from Sermersuaq during the recent occupation show any enthusiasm for being liberated.

Within hours of crossing the border, the Empire encounters the first Jotun however, and they react in a very different way. The first garrisons to spot the armies light wooden beacons – tall towers of seasoned pinewood that send pillars of black smoke up into the sky. They then immediately retreat, avoiding direct confrontation with the invading force as much as possible.

It's very unlikely that fifteen thousand soldiers could have invaded Skallahn without notice, even without the presence of another ten thousand or more warriors fighting beneath the banners of [[military unit|freelance captains]]. Yet there was a little hope that it might take a day or two before the Jotun were aware of their presence and direction. This hope is dashed; it is clear that in the wake of the Autumn raid and the retreat from Sermersuaq the western orcs have been preparing for an invasion and part of that preparation involves a reliable early-warning system.

Two days after the invasion begins, the armies begin to encounter some resistance. The first to respond are Jotun warriors under the banners of Jarl Asbjørn Dalgaard, the ruler of Greenwall. They are joined by orcs from the garrisons of the [[Skallahn#Walls_of_Kierheim|fortress at Kierheim]] and the [[Skallahn#Ulfrsborg|Ulfsborg]], but they are barely prepared to deal with an invasion of such scale.

The Green Shield are at the forefront of every engagement, never passing up a chance to engage the defenders, and in each fight they emerge [[Army qualities#Glorious|triumphant]]. They continue the Wintermark tradition of facing the Jotun on their own terms, fighting as [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Army_Orders|heroes rather than killers]]. They are here to conquer, but they fight as equals, with honour, and the Jotun cannot fail to recognise and respect that. While the fighting is occasionally fierce, both sides offer and accept quarter, meaning fewer deaths... and more land conquered.

The Bloodcloaks, too, fight as heroes, but they take it even further. Their soldiers and heroes make an active effort to [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Army_Orders|fight honourably]] and are at pains to make sure the other Imperials who fight alongside them do the same. There is no [[Army_qualities#Relentless|slaughter]] of enemy troops, no [[Army_qualities#Foraging|wanton plundering]], no strategies intended to [[Army_qualities#Cruel|psychologically torment]] the enemy. They ensure everyone stays on the same path – the path of honour.

They need not worry about the Imperial Orcs. The Summer Storm is here to liberate the thralls, and to fight with [[Courage]] and [[Pride]]. They maintain a [[Army_orders#Steady_Conquest|steady pace]], securing the lands the Winterfolk move across, ensuring their healers and [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] are on hand to preserve Imperial lives and even occasionally offer succour to thralls caught in the fighting. Many among their number can hear the voice of Sjöfn of the Bittenblade, the Jarl ancestor to whom they possess a peculiar link. By all accounts she does not seem to care that they are fighting her own descendants, her fellow Jotun, still urging the orcs to fight heroically, gloriously, and without regret as they clash time and again with the western orcs. As with the Winterfolk, the Jotun must be aware that they are intentionally fighting in a way that reduces wanton slaughter.

For their part, the Jotun are outmatched and overwhelmed, and most of the time they fight only to cover the retreat of the thralls fleeing before the advancing Imperial armies. When they retreat, they leave wounded Imperials behind them, either in response to the heroism of the invaders, or because they need to be able to move quickly to outpace the Imperial advance.

In a little over a month, Greenwall has fallen. Jarl Dalgaard and their warriors are forced to flee their northern hall, retreating toward [[Skallahn#Bjarkey|Bjarkey]] to regroup.
<div style="float:right; width: 700px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Stoic Halberdier.jpg|caption=In the invasion of Sakallahn, it is warrior against warrior, steel against steel, storm against storm.|align=right|width=700}}</div>

==To Iron Stand==
Securing the Jarl's hall, the Imperial advance does not pause. They press straight into the [[Skallahn#Iron Stand|Iron Stand]], into the lands overseen by Jarl Ebbe of Overgaard. Now they are truly walking in the footsteps of Emperor Guntherm. The Jarl's hall stands in a small town surrounding the ruins of the Iron Banner, the [[fortification]] built a century and a half ago and lost to the Jotun when the Empire was forced to withdraw from Skallahn.

Here again, the majority of the population are thralls, eager to flee from their would-be liberators just as the grand herds of muskox and caribou do. Jarl Ebbe fights with the same ferocious zeal that their cousin to the south showed, but with equal lack of success. Even backed by the garrisons from the western forts, the Jotun are unable to hold the Imperial assault, merely slow it.

Now the Jotun have had more time to prepare, the going becomes more difficult. The orcs know the plains better than the Imperials, and while the terrain is mostly open and flat there are still places that can be defended. As the Summer Solstice draws near, with half the region still in the hands of the orcs, rumours begin to spread among the Imperial troops. Scouts report scattered aid being sent south by the Jarls of [[Sea_of_Snow#Tromsa|Tromsa]], and of orc forces crossing [[Skallahn#The_Kongeg.C5.91r|Kongegőr]] from [[Hordalant]]. The Empire has taken the Jotun by surprise, but now they know that this is no simple raid they are no doubt coming to protect Skallahn – and to face the Empire's armies in glorious battle.

==As the Colossus Rouses==
There is one other matter. It's well known that the orcs of Skallahn have some sort of favourable relationship with the [[Estavus|Forgemistress of the Fire Mountain]]. Her heralds have fought in the defence of the territory, and she is believed to serve as patron of the mighty [[Skallahn#Steelweaver.27s_Crucible|Steelweaver's Crucible]] far to the north-west. Jotun warriors have always made great use of [[magic items|runebound weapons and armour]], but even for the western orcs the defenders of Skallahn seem especially well equipped.

So far, none of the actual servants of the Forgemistress have been seen on the battlefield... but it looks very much as if that might be about to change, and change potentially catastrophically. Last Winter, news reached the [[Imperial Military Council|Military Council]] of efforts to [[In_each_line_lies_another_line#The_Freezing_North_.28Battle.29|establish some kind of structure]] in eastern Skallahn with the aid of Estavus. Protected by the warband of Eisa Winterborn, and under the auspices of the powerful herald known as [[In_each_line_lies_another_line#Objective:_Destroy_Blade_Quencher|Blade Quencher]], their building efforts were completed without incident. At first there was some concern about what the presence of a place given over to the ''Price of Shikal'' but in the months since, nothing seems to have happened.

Imperial Orc scouts visited the area and found a metal structure similar to a cross between a forge and a great hall, protected by bronze warriors and heralds. The supernatural creatures did not attack, and since no orders were given regarding the forge, a decision was ultimately taken not to risk the unknown quantity by attacking the emissaries of the Autumn realm.

A little less than a week before the Summer Solstice, with the bulk of the Empire's armies engaged in Iron Stand, the observers left behind to keep an eye on Blade Quencher's Hall sent out a desperate message to the Imperial commanders. The Hall was ''moving'' and it looked like things might be about to go very wrong indeed.

According to the witnesses, the hall itself seemed to expand, doubling in size over the course of a few hours, then again, until it resembled a small castle rather than a simple forge. Worse, warriors began to emerge from inside: heavily armoured creatures of the realm with metal skin and burning eyes wielding great hammers; minotaur myrmidons wrapped in bloodgold armour with two-handed axes; smaller creatures with metal and stoneworking tools and heavy packs laden down with weapons; and more. Many more than could possibly have been contained within the hall before it began to expand.

They moved with clockwork precision to attack Imperial forces remaining behind, quickly overwhelming them and forcing them to retreat. The last few scouts suggest the speed with which they are emerging from Blade Quencher's Hall has slowed but there will soon be several thousand of them and it is clear they are no friends of the Empire. Indeed, some of the Jotun warbands routed by Imperial forces are rallying at the hall, welcomed by the Autumn warriors.

The armies in Iron Stand are in no immediate danger – the northern region borders Sermersuaq and there are clear lines of reinforcement, support, and retreat as needed. But if Blade Quencher's Hall is allowed to complete its transformation there is every chance that some of the gains made in Skallahn will be lost, costing the Empire the beach-head they have established there, and offering who-knows-what level of support to the Jotun armies that are certainly on their way.
<div style="float:right; width: 700px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Imperial Visage.jpg|caption=The first true invasion of Jotun lands since before the death of [[Empress Britta|Britta]] has begun.|align=right|width=700}}</div>
==Game Information==
The Empire has claimed the region of Greenwall, and is halfway toward conquering Iron Stand.

==The Golden Fane (Battle)==
The autumn regio and tunnels of the Well of Whispers were one of the first areas secured during the advance into Skallahn, with Imperial forces meeting limited resistance and no sign of heralds of the Autumn realm in the area. The emergence of the mechanical construct of Blade Quencher's Hall in the area has caused much alarm among civil servant logicians and prognosticators as it has continued its slow and methodical expansion. As it has grown, the magic of the Autumn Realm has begun to flow more strongly from a regio close to the Hall, enabling warriors from Estavus' legions to join the Jotun in battle.

If not stopped, the Hall will grow in size in the coming days, and the numbers of heralds issuing forth from the regio will become a major concern. The new enemy presence in Greenswall would complicate the supply of Imperial forces across Skallahn, slowing communication with the armies in Iron Stand, and threatening supply routes back into Sermersuaq. This would effectively undermine Imperial control of the area. and hampering the ability of the three armies of Wintermark and the Imperial Orcs to gain additional ground.
====Objective: Sever the Hall from the Autumn Realm====
* '''Locate and realign the Autumn mechanisms protecting the regio'''
* '''Success will allow the regio empowering the Hall to be disrupted'''
* '''Break the connection between Estavus' forges with Align the Celestial Net to destroy the hall'''
* '''Failure will see the Hall grow and counteract the Imperial beachhead in Greenwall'''

The building, if it can really be called such, is drawing strength from the Autumn regio located at the Well of Whispers. Magical energies are being drawn from Estavus' dominions and funnelled into our realm to power the edifice. If the regio itself can be disrupted, then the fane will cease to function; it will either shrink in size, or experience a rapid unplanned deconstruction, collapsing in on itself in a magical implosion.

However, the simplest means of disruption - casting [[Align the Celestial Net]] at the regio - is not possible until the network of arcane devices that protect it have been disrupted. Only once that task has been undertaken, could a coven then move the regio's power to the Day or Summer realm. If that happened the hall would be lose the power required to sustain it. Even when the regio inevitably realigns to Autumn, the damage would have already been done and the Hall would be destroyed.

To prevent this, Blade Quencher's artisans have erected five arcane mechanisms from Estavus' forges at key nexus points in the area. These serve to direct and tie the magic of Autumn emanating from the regio, and use it to protect the workings of the colossal mechanism of the Hall itself. Each mechanism consists of a metallic device that can be combined with a magical disc, with both devices etched with semblances of the runes and representations of the constellations. These discs are the key to controlling, and ultimately disrupting, the magic that sustains Blade Quencher's defences. Prognosticators have calculated there are some 120 possible combinations for the placement of the discs, making it unlikely to brute force a way to stop their operation.

However, a possible combination believed to deactivate the mechanisms has been provided to the Civil Service by a herald of Basileus Flint. They claim to be engaged in a complex double-cross against the armories and workshops of Estavus and are seizing this opportunity to betray the Bronze Artisan and his forces. This combination has apparently been hidden inside a riddle "Seal a Plot with the Great Wyrm; Place Wealth behind the Door; Seek Dominion upon the Mountain; Offer a Bargain to the Spider; Bind the Unnamed in the Chain". Any force travelling to the Well of Whispers will need to decipher this message and the information it contains to successfully break the flow of Autumn magic from the regio before the Hall can be severed from its connection to Autumn.

If the Empire fail to destroy the Hall, then their control of the region will be crucially undermined. The Empire will no longer be considered to control a beachhead in Skallahn and will need two more VPs to take the region of Greenwall from the Jotun (doubled to 4 because of the beachhead penalty).

====Alternative: Destroy the Regio====
* '''Rather than unlock the regio, the Empire could use brute magical force to destroy it'''
* '''Wind of Mundane Silence, a magnitude 150 ritual would destroy the regio - and the hall'''

Whilst the prognosticators have outlined the easiest means of disabling the Hall, provided the arcane devices protecting it can be depowered, another option exists. Blade Quencher has protected the regio against being realigned, but those defences won't prevent someone casting a much more powerful ritual to simply destroy the regio. Wiind of Mundane Silence, a magnitude 150 winter ritual could be used to destroy the regio without any need to bother with the keys.

Casting Wind of Mundane Silence on the regio, would destroy it utterly. That would deny the magic of the realm to the hall and ensure its destruction.

====Objective: Kill Blade Quencher====
* '''Slay Estavus' herald Blade Quencher'''
* '''Killing the master smith will deny the Jotun a powerful ally'''
At the Winter Solstice, the Military Council decided against taking an opportunity to defeat Blade Quencher as the herald marched against the Well of Whispers and the hiding place of the Imperial spies. Free from impedance the master artificer was able to complete the construction of a fane in the area. This location, right on the border with Stark and wider Sermersuaq, offers a place for the Jotun and Estavus' envoys to meet, negotiate, and agree upon exchanges of mutual assistance. It is clear that Blade Quencher has thrown his support fully behind the Joutn.

Blade Quencher is a skilled artisan; clad in the strongest armour and wielding potent weapons, the herald commands a force of well-provisioned warriors and mages. A towering guardian of the forges known as a Bronze Titan acts as a metal-wrought protector of the artificer's entourage, along with a number of minotaur myrmidons who have emerged from the regio. Already the Jotun at the Hall are well-equipped with magical provisions, enchanted weapons, and ensorceled armour. Not only are the heralds of Estavus clad for war, but the elite kirkja who march alongside them have been gifted with powerful boons and materiel that will enhance the Jotun's abilities upon the field of battle.

If Blade Quencher is killed, it will stem the flower of magical weapons and armour to the Jotun forces in the area. If that doesn't happen, then any Jotun armies fighting in Skallahn will gain an additional five hundred effective strength for as long as Blade Quencher is alive and the Hall is still intact.

====Battlefield Environment: Forge Breath====
* '''The Well of Whispers is under the effect of a powerful Autumn magic'''
* '''All characters experience a feeling of stubborn independence'''
* '''Any artisan who does not resist the aura can spend 30 seconds to mend a shattered magical item'''

''The smell of burning coals and a metallic tang fills the air; the magic of design, artifice, and craft vibrates through the ground.''

Anyone who travels to this location will experience a strong roleplaying effect of stubborn independence, with cambions feeling this to an even greater extent than normal, unless they:

* Expend a hero point upon entering the area
* Are subject to an anointing
* By drawing on their Merrow lineage and assuming a calm demeanour
* Are bonded to a magical item or have a ritual enchantment that mitigates effects like these

Any artisan who is affected by the aura will find their powers are enhanced while in the area. They will be able to mend a shattered item with 30 seconds of appropriate roleplaying without expending any resources or mana. Any character who successfully counters the effect of the aura using hero points or any other mechanism, ''cannot'' draw on the power of the forge in this way.

===Non-orc Participants===
* '''The Skallahn battle opportunity will involve a number of heralds from the Autumn realm, alongside the Jotun forces'''
* '''There are no Jotun Yegarra forces present on either of these battles'''

If the Military Council chose this battle, then there is the chance for player volunteers to take on the role of denizens of the Autumn realm, fighting alongside the orc warriors. These heralds will be given a separate brief and be led by a member of the Skirmish Team during the battle. This role is suitable for any player who already plays as a high-lineaged cambion, or who has access to suitable phys-reps for such a role. We cannot provide these trapping phys-reps, but if you have the iconic curved horns trapping, and can also display the Metallic Skin or Labyrinth Marks then we encourage you to come dressed to play this part in the battle.

We will be supportive of anyone who can come to monster the battle as an Autumn herald and will find a role for you. We are particularly keen for participant who can potrary:

* Armoured troops wearing as much chain or metal/polyurea plate as you can, equipped with shield and hand weapon, or great weapons
* Skirmish troops wearing the PD orc breastplates, equipped with polearms or paired weapons
* Battle Mages with rod and shield, or staffs
* Ritualists, equipped with staves

We understand the difficulty of getting to an event with additional kit at the best of times, but any kit you can bring with you on the day will make the battle cooler for everyone.

There are no Yegarra planned for the battle. If you already have an orc mask of your own, or fight as part of an elite monster unit, then please come to battle prep as you normally would for these battles. If you are part of an elite monster unit but do not have your own orc mask then we will aim to provide you with one. If you volunteer in a low-combat role - by playing a healer, mage, artisan, or other support archetypes - then the option to not wear an orc mask will still be available.

==Conjunctions==
===Watchers and hunters (Conjunction)===
* '''Blerunning Hall have asked for help in recovering the shield of Blerung the Bright Lantern'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:00 on Saturday to Kevan's Holt, Iron Stand, Skallahn'''
* '''The ''Watcher of Britta's Pool'' is responsible for recovering the shield and passing it to a host of Sulkavaris'''
As the Imperial armies push into Skallahn there is an opportunity to claim items of worth lost during the failed invasion of Emperor Guntherm. The shield used by Blerung the Bright Lantern, was lost during the Jotun's final push to conquer the Iron Banner [[fortification]] in Iron Stand. Though the rest of her personal effects were recovered and placed in the marshes of Kallavesa the shield was never recovered. Since then it has been in the hands of one of the [[Elite_Jotun_characters#Ghodi|ghodi]], used in the training of aspiring [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|skajldir]]; and Blerunning Hall have asked for the help of the Watcher of Britta's Pool in returning it.

If the shield is recovered and passed to one of the hosts of [[Wintermark Egregore|Sulkavaris]] then it can be delivered to the marshes to rest alongside the body of Blerung. Blerunning Hall are not asking for this to be done for free, if the Watcher of Britta's Pool is able to accomplish this task then they will commit to providing the Watcher with a gift of a [[:Category:Jewellery|jewellery]] every season - a [[Dragonbone Symbol]] each Spring Equinox, a pair of [[Greensteel Bracelets]] every Summer Solstice, a [[Bondring]] every Autumn Equinox, and an [[Alder's Edge]] every Winter Solstice - with the expectation that the Watcher of Britta's Pool would gift them to whoever they deemed worthy.

The band accompanying the ghodi is made up of a combined force of [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ra.C3.B0lj.C3.B3st|Raoljost]], [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ulvenwar|Ulvenwar]], and [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|Skjaldir]]. Given that this is a direct request to the [[Watcher of Britta's Pool]] it is the responsibility of the incumbent, '''Rafe''', to recover the shield and pass it on to one of the hosts of Sulkavaris.

===The last village (Conjunction)===
* '''Jarl Asbjørn Dalgaard has called on the fyrd of Greenwall'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:30 on Saturday to Paegga's Rest, Bjarkey, Skallahn'''
* '''The ''General of the Summer Storm'' is responsible for stopping the Jarl of Greenwall'''
''Asbjørn Dalgaard'', Jarl of Greenwall, though forced to retreat west to Bjarkey still has loyal Jotun in Greenwall; organising their warriors and maintaining a presence that will continue to cause problems for the Imperial armies that stay in the territory. Jarl Asbjørn has sent forth the call of the fyrd to the Jotun remaining in Greenwall and is waiting to meet with them at Paegga's Rest. Steelborn Kappak, a soldier of the [[Summer Storm]], was able to intercept the call of the fyrd whilst in one of the scattered fishing hamlets along the coast of the Gullet.

If Jarl Asbjørn Dalgaard and their warriors are not killed then the fyrd of Greenwall will form; providing an additional five hundred strength to the Jotun in the territory.

Asbjørn Dalgaard's band is made up of a combined force of [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ra.C3.B0lj.C3.B3st|Raoljost]], [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ulvenwar|Ulvenwar]], and [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|Skjaldir]]. Given that the information came from a soldier of the [[Summer Storm]] it is the responsibility of whoever is elected to be the [[General]] to stop Jarl Asbjørn Dalgaard and interrupt the calling of the fyrd.

<box><big>'''Fyrds'''</big><br>
Each region in a Jotun territory generates a fyrd when it is conquered by the Empire. As the Jarl and their warriors are forced to retreat from their lands, they form up into a fyrd, a warband with a military strength of five hundred. A fyrd is unable to act independently of fortifications or armies in the territory; it will only act to support a Jotun army in the territory or a fortification if there are no armies present..

A region's fyrd can be dismantled by killing the jarl or through other opportunities.</box>

The current when it serves

2024-06-08T20:15:10Z

TomH: /* Battlefield Environment: Forge Breath Miasma */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Summer]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Orc and Stick.jpg|caption=The Summer Storm cannot help but hear the whispers of their long forgotten Jotun ancestors as they march across the fields of Skallahn.|align=left|width=350}}</div>
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gk_GIOVMm4}}
==From the Gathering Place==
In the weeks following the Spring Equinox more than fifteen thousand Imperial soldiers gather at the [[Sermersuaq#Fortress_of_Kalant|Fortress of Kalant]] in [[Sermersuaq#Stark|Stark]]. The [[Bloodcloaks]] and [[Green Shield]] of [[Wintermark]] are joined by the [[Army qualities#Relentless|relentless]] [[Imperial Orcs|Imperial Orc]] warriors of the [[Summer Storm]]. The fort was raised for the Jarl of [[Skallahn#Kierheim|Kierheim]], which makes it perhaps appropriate that the armies gather here. Under the watchful eyes of statues representing [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ra.C3.B0lj.C3.B3st|Raðljóst]] and [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|Skjaldir]], plans are finalized for the coming offensive. The Imperial strategy is founded on maps created by Imperial scouts, tempered by the powerful [[enchantment|enchantments]] laid on all three armies that help them plan with [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|supernatural clarity]], and finalised with first-hand experience of Imperial captains who took part in the [[Under_heaven|triumphant Autumn raid]] last year.

Once the plan is finalised, the three armies cross the western border into the wealthy [[territory]] of [[Skallahn]], marching in the footsteps of [[Emperor Guntherm]], ready to face the [[Jotun]] on their home ground for the first time in a generation.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Styx, General of the Summer Storm">Heroes of the Summer Storm! We have fought Marsh Bregasland pushing back the Jotun, now we go a step further! We will push into Skallahn on a Steady Conquest, taking their ground like they attempted to take ours. We will free the thralls, showing the Jotun exactly who we are and what the Imperial Orcs stand for ! Fight with courage and Pride! Fight Loyalty and with Vigilance!</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Lofyn Blood-cloak, General of the Bloodcloaks">Bloodcloaks, the Season of the sword is upon us. Call up the banners, raise up your fellows, We march for Skallahn to take the western war into the lands of our worthy foe. Every step we take draws our foe from imperial lands like poison from a wound. Let us show every Jotun that the west is ours, that they have no place in it unless it is as willing part of our Empire.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Iron Osric, General of the Green Shield">Heroes of the Green Shield, hail to thee! The West has beset battle across bloody fields, war and ruin, wrath running wild. In this fight our skeins are forged, from mud and blood to shining steel, a spear to strike our greatest foe. Following the footsteps of Guntherm we will walk the road to Kierheim as heroes. Fire of Virtue, walk with me.</quote></div>
==Into Greenwall==
The wide plains of [[Skallahn#Greenwall|Greenwall]] stretch across the southern coasts of Kalsea, home to great herds of lowland cattle and upland sheep. Farms are common here, with handfuls of small crofts scattered hither and yon, and there are a few scattered settlements along the coast dedicated to harvesting the bounty of the Gullet.

The majority of the population here are thralls. They are almost exclusively [[orc|orcs]] but with small numbers of human families here and there, mostly descended from Winterfolk or [[the Marches|Marcher]] ancestors. When then encounter Imperial soldiers, they react in one of two ways. Those who can flee north or west, taking whatever they can carry with them. Those unable for whatever reason to get away, immediately surrender. Human and orc alike are almost exclusively terrified of the Imperials; only those thralls taken from Sermersuaq during the recent occupation show any enthusiasm for being liberated.

Within hours of crossing the border, the Empire encounters the first Jotun however, and they react in a very different way. The first garrisons to spot the armies light wooden beacons – tall towers of seasoned pinewood that send pillars of black smoke up into the sky. They then immediately retreat, avoiding direct confrontation with the invading force as much as possible.

It's very unlikely that fifteen thousand soldiers could have invaded Skallahn without notice, even without the presence of another ten thousand or more warriors fighting beneath the banners of [[military unit|freelance captains]]. Yet there was a little hope that it might take a day or two before the Jotun were aware of their presence and direction. This hope is dashed; it is clear that in the wake of the Autumn raid and the retreat from Sermersuaq the western orcs have been preparing for an invasion and part of that preparation involves a reliable early-warning system.

Two days after the invasion begins, the armies begin to encounter some resistance. The first to respond are Jotun warriors under the banners of Jarl Asbjørn Dalgaard, the ruler of Greenwall. They are joined by orcs from the garrisons of the [[Skallahn#Walls_of_Kierheim|fortress at Kierheim]] and the [[Skallahn#Ulfrsborg|Ulfsborg]], but they are barely prepared to deal with an invasion of such scale.

The Green Shield are at the forefront of every engagement, never passing up a chance to engage the defenders, and in each fight they emerge [[Army qualities#Glorious|triumphant]]. They continue the Wintermark tradition of facing the Jotun on their own terms, fighting as [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Army_Orders|heroes rather than killers]]. They are here to conquer, but they fight as equals, with honour, and the Jotun cannot fail to recognise and respect that. While the fighting is occasionally fierce, both sides offer and accept quarter, meaning fewer deaths... and more land conquered.

The Bloodcloaks, too, fight as heroes, but they take it even further. Their soldiers and heroes make an active effort to [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Army_Orders|fight honourably]] and are at pains to make sure the other Imperials who fight alongside them do the same. There is no [[Army_qualities#Relentless|slaughter]] of enemy troops, no [[Army_qualities#Foraging|wanton plundering]], no strategies intended to [[Army_qualities#Cruel|psychologically torment]] the enemy. They ensure everyone stays on the same path – the path of honour.

They need not worry about the Imperial Orcs. The Summer Storm is here to liberate the thralls, and to fight with [[Courage]] and [[Pride]]. They maintain a [[Army_orders#Steady_Conquest|steady pace]], securing the lands the Winterfolk move across, ensuring their healers and [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] are on hand to preserve Imperial lives and even occasionally offer succour to thralls caught in the fighting. Many among their number can hear the voice of Sjöfn of the Bittenblade, the Jarl ancestor to whom they possess a peculiar link. By all accounts she does not seem to care that they are fighting her own descendants, her fellow Jotun, still urging the orcs to fight heroically, gloriously, and without regret as they clash time and again with the western orcs. As with the Winterfolk, the Jotun must be aware that they are intentionally fighting in a way that reduces wanton slaughter.

For their part, the Jotun are outmatched and overwhelmed, and most of the time they fight only to cover the retreat of the thralls fleeing before the advancing Imperial armies. When they retreat, they leave wounded Imperials behind them, either in response to the heroism of the invaders, or because they need to be able to move quickly to outpace the Imperial advance.

In a little over a month, Greenwall has fallen. Jarl Dalgaard and their warriors are forced to flee their northern hall, retreating toward [[Skallahn#Bjarkey|Bjarkey]] to regroup.
<div style="float:right; width: 700px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Stoic Halberdier.jpg|caption=In the invasion of Sakallahn, it is warrior against warrior, steel against steel, storm against storm.|align=right|width=700}}</div>

==To Iron Stand==
Securing the Jarl's hall, the Imperial advance does not pause. They press straight into the [[Skallahn#Iron Stand|Iron Stand]], into the lands overseen by Jarl Ebbe of Overgaard. Now they are truly walking in the footsteps of Emperor Guntherm. The Jarl's hall stands in a small town surrounding the ruins of the Iron Banner, the [[fortification]] built a century and a half ago and lost to the Jotun when the Empire was forced to withdraw from Skallahn.

Here again, the majority of the population are thralls, eager to flee from their would-be liberators just as the grand herds of muskox and caribou do. Jarl Ebbe fights with the same ferocious zeal that their cousin to the south showed, but with equal lack of success. Even backed by the garrisons from the western forts, the Jotun are unable to hold the Imperial assault, merely slow it.

Now the Jotun have had more time to prepare, the going becomes more difficult. The orcs know the plains better than the Imperials, and while the terrain is mostly open and flat there are still places that can be defended. As the Summer Solstice draws near, with half the region still in the hands of the orcs, rumours begin to spread among the Imperial troops. Scouts report scattered aid being sent south by the Jarls of [[Sea_of_Snow#Tromsa|Tromsa]], and of orc forces crossing [[Skallahn#The_Kongeg.C5.91r|Kongegőr]] from [[Hordalant]]. The Empire has taken the Jotun by surprise, but now they know that this is no simple raid they are no doubt coming to protect Skallahn – and to face the Empire's armies in glorious battle.

==As the Colossus Rouses==
There is one other matter. It's well known that the orcs of Skallahn have some sort of favourable relationship with the [[Estavus|Forgemistress of the Fire Mountain]]. Her heralds have fought in the defence of the territory, and she is believed to serve as patron of the mighty [[Skallahn#Steelweaver.27s_Crucible|Steelweaver's Crucible]] far to the north-west. Jotun warriors have always made great use of [[magic items|runebound weapons and armour]], but even for the western orcs the defenders of Skallahn seem especially well equipped.

So far, none of the actual servants of the Forgemistress have been seen on the battlefield... but it looks very much as if that might be about to change, and change potentially catastrophically. Last Winter, news reached the [[Imperial Military Council|Military Council]] of efforts to [[In_each_line_lies_another_line#The_Freezing_North_.28Battle.29|establish some kind of structure]] in eastern Skallahn with the aid of Estavus. Protected by the warband of Eisa Winterborn, and under the auspices of the powerful herald known as [[In_each_line_lies_another_line#Objective:_Destroy_Blade_Quencher|Blade Quencher]], their building efforts were completed without incident. At first there was some concern about what the presence of a place given over to the ''Price of Shikal'' but in the months since, nothing seems to have happened.

Imperial Orc scouts visited the area and found a metal structure similar to a cross between a forge and a great hall, protected by bronze warriors and heralds. The supernatural creatures did not attack, and since no orders were given regarding the forge, a decision was ultimately taken not to risk the unknown quantity by attacking the emissaries of the Autumn realm.

A little less than a week before the Summer Solstice, with the bulk of the Empire's armies engaged in Iron Stand, the observers left behind to keep an eye on Blade Quencher's Hall sent out a desperate message to the Imperial commanders. The Hall was ''moving'' and it looked like things might be about to go very wrong indeed.

According to the witnesses, the hall itself seemed to expand, doubling in size over the course of a few hours, then again, until it resembled a small castle rather than a simple forge. Worse, warriors began to emerge from inside: heavily armoured creatures of the realm with metal skin and burning eyes wielding great hammers; minotaur myrmidons wrapped in bloodgold armour with two-handed axes; smaller creatures with metal and stoneworking tools and heavy packs laden down with weapons; and more. Many more than could possibly have been contained within the hall before it began to expand.

They moved with clockwork precision to attack Imperial forces remaining behind, quickly overwhelming them and forcing them to retreat. The last few scouts suggest the speed with which they are emerging from Blade Quencher's Hall has slowed but there will soon be several thousand of them and it is clear they are no friends of the Empire. Indeed, some of the Jotun warbands routed by Imperial forces are rallying at the hall, welcomed by the Autumn warriors.

The armies in Iron Stand are in no immediate danger – the northern region borders Sermersuaq and there are clear lines of reinforcement, support, and retreat as needed. But if Blade Quencher's Hall is allowed to complete its transformation there is every chance that some of the gains made in Skallahn will be lost, costing the Empire the beach-head they have established there, and offering who-knows-what level of support to the Jotun armies that are certainly on their way.
<div style="float:right; width: 700px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Imperial Visage.jpg|caption=The first true invasion of Jotun lands since before the death of [[Empress Britta|Britta]] has begun.|align=right|width=700}}</div>
==Game Information==
The Empire has claimed the region of Greenwall, and is halfway toward conquering Iron Stand.

==The Golden Fane (Battle)==
The autumn regio and tunnels of the Well of Whispers were one of the first areas secured during the advance into Skallahn, with Imperial forces meeting limited resistance and no sign of heralds of the Autumn realm in the area. The emergence of the mechanical construct of Blade Quencher's Hall in the area has caused much alarm among civil servant logicians and prognosticators as it has continued its slow and methodical expansion. As it has grown, the magic of the Autumn Realm has begun to flow more strongly from a regio close to the Hall, enabling warriors from Estavus' legions to join the Jotun in battle.

If not stopped, the Hall will grow in size in the coming days, and the numbers of heralds issuing forth from the regio will become a major concern. The new enemy presence in Greenswall would complicate the supply of Imperial forces across Skallahn, slowing communication with the armies in Iron Stand, and threatening supply routes back into Sermersuaq. This would effectively undermine Imperial control of the area. and hampering the ability of the three armies of Wintermark and the Imperial Orcs to gain additional ground.
====Objective: Sever the Hall from the Autumn Realm====
* '''Locate and realign the Autumn mechanisms protecting the regio'''
* '''Success will allow the regio empowering the Hall to be disrupted'''
* '''Break the connection between Estavus' forges with Align the Celestial Net to destroy the hall'''
* '''Failure will see the Hall grow and counteract the Imperial beachhead in Greenwall'''

The building, if it can really be called such, is drawing strength from the Autumn regio located at the Well of Whispers. Magical energies are being drawn from Estavus' dominions and funnelled into our realm to power the edifice. If the regio itself can be disrupted, then the fane will cease to function; it will either shrink in size, or experience a rapid unplanned deconstruction, collapsing in on itself in a magical implosion.

However, the simplest means of disruption - casting [[Align the Celestial Net]] at the regio - is not possible until the network of arcane devices that protect it have been disrupted. Only once that task has been undertaken, could a coven then move the regio's power to the Day or Summer realm. If that happened the hall would be lose the power required to sustain it. Even when the regio inevitably realigns to Autumn, the damage would have already been done and the Hall would be destroyed.

To prevent this, Blade Quencher's artisans have erected five arcane mechanisms from Estavus' forges at key nexus points in the area. These serve to direct and tie the magic of Autumn emanating from the regio, and use it to protect the workings of the colossal mechanism of the Hall itself. Each mechanism consists of a metallic device that can be combined with a magical disc, with both devices etched with semblances of the runes and representations of the constellations. These discs are the key to controlling, and ultimately disrupting, the magic that sustains Blade Quencher's defences. Prognosticators have calculated there are some 120 possible combinations for the placement of the discs, making it unlikely to brute force a way to stop their operation.

However, a possible combination believed to deactivate the mechanisms has been provided to the Civil Service by a herald of Basileus Flint. They claim to be engaged in a complex double-cross against the armories and workshops of Estavus and are seizing this opportunity to betray the Bronze Artisan and his forces. This combination has apparently been hidden inside a riddle "Seal a Plot with the Great Wyrm; Place Wealth behind the Door; Seek Dominion upon the Mountain; Offer a Bargain to the Spider; Bind the Unnamed in the Chain". Any force travelling to the Well of Whispers will need to decipher this message and the information it contains to successfully break the flow of Autumn magic from the regio before the Hall can be severed from its connection to Autumn.

If the Empire fail to destroy the Hall, then their control of the region will be crucially undermined. The Empire will no longer be considered to control a beachhead in Skallahn and will need two more VPs to take the region of Greenwall from the Jotun (doubled to 4 because of the beachhead penalty).

====Alternative: Destroy the Regio====
* '''Rather than unlock the regio, the Empire could use brute magical force to destroy it'''
* '''Wind of Mundane Silence, a magnitude 150 ritual would destroy the regio - and the hall'''

Whilst the prognosticators have outlined the easiest means of disabling the Hall, provided the arcane devices protecting it can be depowered, another option exists. Blade Quencher has protected the regio against being realigned, but those defences won't prevent someone casting a much more powerful ritual to simply destroy the regio. Wiind of Mundane Silence, a magnitude 150 winter ritual could be used to destroy the regio without any need to bother with the keys.

Casting Wind of Mundane Silence on the regio, would destroy it utterly. That would deny the magic of the realm to the hall and ensure its destruction.

====Objective: Kill Blade Quencher====
* '''Slay Estavus' herald Blade Quencher'''
* '''Killing the master smith will deny the Jotun a powerful ally'''
At the Winter Solstice, the Military Council decided against taking an opportunity to defeat Blade Quencher as the herald marched against the Well of Whispers and the hiding place of the Imperial spies. Free from impedance the master artificer was able to complete the construction of a fane in the area. This location, right on the border with Stark and wider Sermersuaq, offers a place for the Jotun and Estavus' envoys to meet, negotiate, and agree upon exchanges of mutual assistance. It is clear that Blade Quencher has thrown his support fully behind the Joutn.

Blade Quencher is a skilled artisan; clad in the strongest armour and wielding potent weapons, the herald commands a force of well-provisioned warriors and mages. A towering guardian of the forges known as a Bronze Titan acts as a metal-wrought protector of the artificer's entourage, along with a number of minotaur myrmidons who have emerged from the regio. Already the Jotun at the Hall are well-equipped with magical provisions, enchanted weapons, and ensorceled armour. Not only are the heralds of Estavus clad for war, but the elite kirkja who march alongside them have been gifted with powerful boons and materiel that will enhance the Jotun's abilities upon the field of battle.

If Blade Quencher is killed, it will stem the flower of magical weapons and armour to the Jotun forces in the area. If that doesn't happen, then any Jotun armies fighting in Skallahn will gain an additional five hundred effective strength for as long as Blade Quencher is alive and the Hall is still intact.

====Battlefield Environment: Forge Breath====
* '''The Well of Whispers is under the effect of a powerful Autumn effect'''
* '''All characters experience a feeling of stubborn independence'''
* '''Any artisan who does not resist the aura can spend 30 seconds to mend a shattered magical item'''

''The smell of burning coals and a metallic tang fills the air; the magic of design, artifice, and craft vibrates through the ground.''

Anyone who travels to this location will experience a strong roleplaying effect of stubborn independence, with cambions feeling this to an even greater extent than normal, unless they:

* Expend a hero point upon entering the area
* Are subject to an anointing
* By drawing on their Merrow lineage and assuming a calm demeanour
* Are bonded to a magical item or have a ritual enchantment that mitigates effects like these

Any artisan who is affected by the aura will find their powers are enhanced while in the area. They will be able to mend a shattered item with 30 seconds of appropriate roleplaying without expending any resources or mana. Any character who successfully counters the effect of the aura using hero points or any other mechanism, ''cannot'' draw on the power of the forge in this way.

===Non-orc Participants===
* '''The Skallahn battle opportunity will involve a number of heralds from the Autumn realm, alongside the Jotun forces'''
* '''There are no Jotun Yegarra forces present on either of these battles'''

If the Military Council chose this battle, then there is the chance for player volunteers to take on the role of denizens of the Autumn realm, fighting alongside the orc warriors. These heralds will be given a separate brief and be led by a member of the Skirmish Team during the battle. This role is suitable for any player who already plays as a high-lineaged cambion, or who has access to suitable phys-reps for such a role. We cannot provide these trapping phys-reps, but if you have the iconic curved horns trapping, and can also display the Metallic Skin or Labyrinth Marks then we encourage you to come dressed to play this part in the battle.

We will be supportive of anyone who can come to monster the battle as an Autumn herald and will find a role for you. We are particularly keen for participant who can potrary:

* Armoured troops wearing as much chain or metal/polyurea plate as you can, equipped with shield and hand weapon, or great weapons
* Skirmish troops wearing the PD orc breastplates, equipped with polearms or paired weapons
* Battle Mages with rod and shield, or staffs
* Ritualists, equipped with staves

We understand the difficulty of getting to an event with additional kit at the best of times, but any kit you can bring with you on the day will make the battle cooler for everyone.

There are no Yegarra planned for the battle. If you already have an orc mask of your own, or fight as part of an elite monster unit, then please come to battle prep as you normally would for these battles. If you are part of an elite monster unit but do not have your own orc mask then we will aim to provide you with one. If you volunteer in a low-combat role - by playing a healer, mage, artisan, or other support archetypes - then the option to not wear an orc mask will still be available.

==Conjunctions==
===Watchers and hunters (Conjunction)===
* '''Blerunning Hall have asked for help in recovering the shield of Blerung the Bright Lantern'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:00 on Saturday to Kevan's Holt, Iron Stand, Skallahn'''
* '''The ''Watcher of Britta's Pool'' is responsible for recovering the shield and passing it to a host of Sulkavaris'''
As the Imperial armies push into Skallahn there is an opportunity to claim items of worth lost during the failed invasion of Emperor Guntherm. The shield used by Blerung the Bright Lantern, was lost during the Jotun's final push to conquer the Iron Banner [[fortification]] in Iron Stand. Though the rest of her personal effects were recovered and placed in the marshes of Kallavesa the shield was never recovered. Since then it has been in the hands of one of the [[Elite_Jotun_characters#Ghodi|ghodi]], used in the training of aspiring [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|skajldir]]; and Blerunning Hall have asked for the help of the Watcher of Britta's Pool in returning it.

If the shield is recovered and passed to one of the hosts of [[Wintermark Egregore|Sulkavaris]] then it can be delivered to the marshes to rest alongside the body of Blerung. Blerunning Hall are not asking for this to be done for free, if the Watcher of Britta's Pool is able to accomplish this task then they will commit to providing the Watcher with a gift of a [[:Category:Jewellery|jewellery]] every season - a [[Dragonbone Symbol]] each Spring Equinox, a pair of [[Greensteel Bracelets]] every Summer Solstice, a [[Bondring]] every Autumn Equinox, and an [[Alder's Edge]] every Winter Solstice - with the expectation that the Watcher of Britta's Pool would gift them to whoever they deemed worthy.

The band accompanying the ghodi is made up of a combined force of [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ra.C3.B0lj.C3.B3st|Raoljost]], [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ulvenwar|Ulvenwar]], and [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|Skjaldir]]. Given that this is a direct request to the [[Watcher of Britta's Pool]] it is the responsibility of the incumbent, '''Rafe''', to recover the shield and pass it on to one of the hosts of Sulkavaris.

===The last village (Conjunction)===
* '''Jarl Asbjørn Dalgaard has called on the fyrd of Greenwall'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:30 on Saturday to Paegga's Rest, Bjarkey, Skallahn'''
* '''The ''General of the Summer Storm'' is responsible for stopping the Jarl of Greenwall'''
''Asbjørn Dalgaard'', Jarl of Greenwall, though forced to retreat west to Bjarkey still has loyal Jotun in Greenwall; organising their warriors and maintaining a presence that will continue to cause problems for the Imperial armies that stay in the territory. Jarl Asbjørn has sent forth the call of the fyrd to the Jotun remaining in Greenwall and is waiting to meet with them at Paegga's Rest. Steelborn Kappak, a soldier of the [[Summer Storm]], was able to intercept the call of the fyrd whilst in one of the scattered fishing hamlets along the coast of the Gullet.

If Jarl Asbjørn Dalgaard and their warriors are not killed then the fyrd of Greenwall will form; providing an additional five hundred strength to the Jotun in the territory.

Asbjørn Dalgaard's band is made up of a combined force of [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ra.C3.B0lj.C3.B3st|Raoljost]], [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ulvenwar|Ulvenwar]], and [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|Skjaldir]]. Given that the information came from a soldier of the [[Summer Storm]] it is the responsibility of whoever is elected to be the [[General]] to stop Jarl Asbjørn Dalgaard and interrupt the calling of the fyrd.

<box><big>'''Fyrds'''</big><br>
Each region in a Jotun territory generates a fyrd when it is conquered by the Empire. As the Jarl and their warriors are forced to retreat from their lands, they form up into a fyrd, a warband with a military strength of five hundred. A fyrd is unable to act independently of fortifications or armies in the territory; it will only act to support a Jotun army in the territory or a fortification if there are no armies present..

A region's fyrd can be dismantled by killing the jarl or through other opportunities.</box>

A beacon of smoke

2024-06-02T09:53:13Z

TomH: /* Battlefield Environment: Blood in the Air */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=A beacon of salt.png|caption=The Freeborn philosophy is that society is best served when every individual is responsible for themselves and to themselves.|align=left|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/stKMG93Jdgw?si=6EiBbnrWTo18Wf6B}}
<div class="captioned-image captioned-image-{{{align|right}}}" style="clear: {{{align|right}}}">[[File:UrizenMagician.jpg|124x110px|link= https://youtu.be/vjwH_Nqs1Aw]]<div class="caption">Alternate audio version</div></div>
==City of Sails==
The [[Madruga#Siroc|City of a Thousand Sails]] is always enumerated alongside [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]], [[Hahnmark#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]], and the cities of the League. Billowing Siroc, the Sapphire. The hakima say that it was founded by [[Tribe#Embracing_Guerra|Guerra]], that passionate opponent of slavery, driven to build a better world.

Brightly coloured tents extend Siroc out far beyond the small cluster of stone buildings that make up the heart of the city. Sails of all shapes and sizes fill the sheltered bay, guarded by twin towered keeps on either side of the bay along the approach to the harbour. The Salt Guard, [[The_same_bed#The_Salt_Guard|designed]] by Menno van Ritsjhof, and part of the legacy of [[Empress Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta's]] plan to armour the [[Bay of Catazar]] against the Grendel.
Each of the two halves of the Salt Guard is equipped with powerful engines of war, and garrisoned by skilled mariners and corsairs who ensure the towers are always ready to respond to any threat. Between the towers, the iron chains and nets that have guarded the harbour for centuries, since they were first imported at great expense from the forges of [[Wintermark]]. Menno van Ritsjhof believed the Salt Guard would make it impossible to assault the City of Rainbow Canvas by sea.

But he was wrong.
__TOC__
==Vengeance As A Burning Flame==
The first watchers to spy the Grendel Armada approaching assume they must be seeing things. Mistaking a great wave, or a bank of fog, for the wall of masts and sails. Red, green, yellow, and blue, the sails and the mast-banners announce what must surely be the entire Grendel navy speeding from the south-east toward the Madrugan coast. They are low in the water; their holds are packed but presumably with warriors rather than trade goods.

Some of those ships have been seen recently, in other ports across the Bay. Through spyglasses, increasingly panicked watchers make out ships from the yellow-sailed Golden Winds and the green-sailed Tempest. Both navies have [[Shallow_days#Visiting_Armadas|anchored off Imperial cities]] in the last year, escorting merchants, their crew coming ashore to eat and drink in the paradors of Siroc, laughing and joked with the Freeborn, frequenting the markets of the Sapphire, all under the aegis of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|two-year peace treaty]]. The treaty that has just run its course.

There are not only Grendel ships among the armada. As they get closer, as the warning bells echo across the city, the glasses pick out the Asavean warships flanking the main force. Balo's Grace, Leaping Bull and Wind Tamer. The warships that destroyed the Isle of the Justicars, that slaughtered the people of Shantarim. With them a scattering of other war-vessels, far from their home in the distant west.

It's clear why they are here, and were it the Grendel alone it would be bad enough. But the presence of the Asaveans fills those who have an inkling of what is to come with a terrible forboding.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Iñez i Azul-Mar i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Kahraman</td><td>Bloodgold Jackals</td></tr>
</table></div>

==Salt Stone, Iron Net==
Massive as the armada is, it must contend with the Salt Guard. Trebuchet and catapult are armed and ready, launching great chunks of stone toward the attacking ships. A cheer goes up as one of the lead Grendel ships, a green-sailed vessel of the Tempest, is smashed to flotsam by the first stone.

Bronze sigils shimmer and flicker across the walls of the twin towers. Imperial magicians have used the potent [[Autumn magic]] to [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Ramparts_of_Ashlar|magically reinforce]] the Salt Guard, with power acquired from the realm of the [[Estavus|Forge Mistress]]. The siege engines are loaded by towering bronze constructs drawn from the City of Fire and Stone, the volcano-smithy of Shikal. The magical sigils of fire, stone, strength ripple across the chains and nets as they are raised across the harbour mouth. The marines themselves wait nervously, the sweat that beads their skin not only due to the supernatural warmth the [[enchantment]] has brought with it.

A single warband of Freeborn soldiers has come to Siroc to protect the city, taking up places on the walls. They are not the only unexpected defenders. When runners are sent into the city proper, to warn the people, the Commonwealth Embassy responds by sending it's entire garrison to support the Salt Guard. It is hard it imagine that fifty grim-faced warriors dedicated to the common good will make much of a difference in the face of an entire Grendel armada – but they come anyway. They march through the streets as the bells ring and people hurry to gather their families, and maybe a few people take heart from their willingness to defend the Billowing City.

While the people are afraid, they are Freeborn. They do not bow their heads to tyrants, be they human or orc. Those with battle-experience grab weapons kept in cupboards, and strap on old pieces of battered armour. Corsairs and sailors take to their own ships, ready to try and engage any invading vessel that might somehow breach the defences. The doors of the Parador of the Kindled Flame are thrown wide, to any who want to take refuge beside the children behind their walls of white granite.

The Grendel don't know any of this of course – or perhaps they do. There has been [[Rings_and_crowns#Be_Alert_to_Dangers|talk for some time]] of an espionage ring in Madruga, sponsored by some spymaster of the Broken Shore. Surely no Freeborn would sell their loyalty to the Brass Coast to the Grendel, no matter how much they were offered. Surely.

It's clear the Armada is prepared, though, for the Salt Guard and the harbour defences. Several of the leading ships of the Tempest have great serrated metal rams attached to the prow, just on the waterline, designed to tangle and rip at the port defences. There are ballistae and catapults on the invading ships that counter the hail of stone and javelins with missiles of their own.

The Asaveans in particular hold back, maintaining a barrage against the two Salt Guard towers, chipping away at even the magically reinforced stone. The Balo's Grace, the Leaping Bull, the Wind Tamer. Named in honour of the blasphemous gods of the [[Asavean Archipelago|Archipelago]], they are massive compared to the Grendel vessels that surround them, but still surprisingly manoeuvrable, with triple banks of oars that let them evade all save the luckiest hit.

Then, without any warning, fighting erupts across the harbour itself. Confused reports begin to spread of both humans and orcs making pinpoint strikes at the winches and pulleys that control the web of steel keeping the invading ships from the harbour. Treachery, from within Siroc itself.

Out at sea, perfectly timed to coincide with the attacks against the nets and chains, dozens of smaller boats – rowboats – are launched. They strive for the harbour, hard to target directly, maneuverable, swift. Some are sunk; many more manage to reach the harbour walls and join the attack on the defences. The fighting spills across the docks themselves.

Many of the warriors attacking the harbour are Naguerro, a former sept of the Lasambrian Orcs with a particular hatred for the Empire. Others raise the unfamiliar banner of a shark, ringed by lightning. Both forces seem almost unhinged in their zeal to slaughter the Freeborn defenders and capture the docks, break the defences, leave the city vulnerable.

Step by step the defenders are forced to retreat back toward the fortress-keeps of the Salt Guard. The nets and chains fall. There are Grendel vessels in the harbour itself, more Naguerro and Storm Sharks spilling out across the quayside, spilling out into the city, spilling Freeborn blood with mad abandon.

==Canvas Makes a Poor Shield==
Not all the Grendel ships storm the harbour. While the green-sailed Tempest and the blue-sailed Simoon take the forefront in the attack, the Golden Wind are busy on the coast outside the city, unloading orc soldiers, covered by the vessels of the red-sailed Shamal.

The banners of the Iron Gulls are raised. The Empire knows the 'Gulls, veterans of dozens of engagements. They survived the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_.28Spiral.29|Battle of Solen's Doubt]]. They were at the forefront of the [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war#Bronze|invasion of Feroz]]. They are known to be masters of [[Army_qualities#Siege|seige warfare]], and the warships of the Golden Wind unload rams and catapults alongside the soldiers themselves.

Beside them, the Black Eels raise their own standards. They, too, were at Solen's Doubt. They, too, are veterans of the war against the Empire. They enter the city from the south, but where the Iron Gulls are more interested in probing the defenders of the Salt Guard, the Black Eels seem to be here for [[Army qualities#Foraging|plunder]] and mayhem.

In the midst of the two armies a few hundred Grendel soldiers raise the slightly tattered banner of Governor Rahab, who rules over the conquered territories of Feroz to the south. There is a particular grimness to these orcs (and a handful of human mercenaries with them). Some of the Gulls and Eels mock them behind their backs, as they make haste toward the city ahead of the two armies. They seem especially eager to engage the Freeborn defenders.

While the rest of the armada is busy invading the harbour, the Shamal and the Tempest switch positions. Judging by the number of crimson sails the Shamal is smaller than the Tempest, their ships are newer, showing fewer of the marks of war. So too are the army they disgorge from their holds and decks. The standard of the Bone Nautilus, a white-and-gold tentacled spiral beast, are raised. This army is made up primarily of orcs, but there are a significant number of humans in their midst. Some are clearly hard bitten veteran mercenaries, some are keen-eyed youths, but there are also a number of Asavean footsoldiers, in distinctive helms, with spears and shields. They follow the other land troops in an assault against the south side of the city.

Menno van Ritsjhof was reportedly incensed when he discovered that Siroc has little in the way of defence against an attack from the shore. Perhaps the Freeborn felt that their position made it inconceivable that there would be a threat from the ground, rather than the sea. There are walls, but they are nearly as old as the city itself, and they surround the heart of the Sapphire not its borders. Siroc is a city of traders and merchants, that welcomes visitors. There are defences of course, but the Salt Guard is at the heart of them. There are defenders, but again they are focused around the Salt Guard. The three armies approaching by land are quickly in among the tents and pallanquins, and canvas offers little protection against the rapacious invaders.

==Falling Salt==
The Salt Guard falls. Great metal-bound catapult stones chip away at the walls, and smash the towers. Under the cover of a seemingly random assault, a squad of Naguerro battle-magicians unleash [[Spring magic]] against the gates of first one keep, and then barely ten minutes later the other. Rending vines erupting across the wood and stone, ripping it to pieces. The attackers pour inside. Commonwealth and Freeborn soldiers back-to-back, using every trick that the League architects could think of to make it harder for them to seize the fort. One by one the engines of destruction on both sides of the Salt Guard fall silent. The garrison is too busy fighting to survive to focus on the Grendel armada.

Those ships of the Broken Shore who are equipped to do so launch barrage after barrage of missiles against the two towers of the Salt Guard. Those without siege engines on their decks either turn the captured harbour defences against the fortress, or disembark, joining the fighting in the docks and inside the Guard.

At this point, the Asavean vessels move closer. They join the bombardment but their target is not the Salt Guard but the city of Siroc itself. They are seemingly unconcerned about crushing Grendel troops beneath their iron shot. It's not clear what happens but suddenly after a half hour of smashing tents and buildings and fleeing Freeborn and small groups of Grendel, the Asavean weapons still for a few minutes, then open fire against the Salt Guard along with the others. But the damage is done – swathes of the markets and paradors clustered around the quayside, flattened, burning. Dozens of ships, of quays, shattered to splinters. Columns of smoke begin to rise. Fire flickers in some of the windows of the Salt Guard.

With an almighty groan, one of the two Salt Guard keeps begins to collapse in on itself, transformed suddenly into a chimney that sends roaring flames up through the interior. Barrels of oil join the rocks being hurled toward Menno von Rijshof's masterpiece. Those defenders still trapped inside are no longer battling the invading orcs, but fighting to breathe as the smoke rises, fighting to escape as the fire spreads.

As the sun drops towards the eastern horizon, the second tower catches. Those defenders who manage to make it out of the collapsing fortification, coughing, gasping, wheezing, are swiftly dealt with by the invaders.

==Fire Spreads==
With the Salt Guard shattered, the city is easy prey for the immense force ranged against it. The Grendel have not had it all their own way; the courage of the Salt Guard has purchased vital hours for those who can see what is coming to flee the city, north toward [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]] or west to one of the bridges across the Scorrero, toward [[Segura]].

The Grendel follow. Over the next few months, the invaders spread north along the coast into Lightsea. Quzar falls before the Iron Gulls, despite the best efforts of the [[hakima]] and masters of [[Autumn magic]] supporting the defenders. The [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] is torn apart by the Naguerro, who loot many of the treasures within, treasures carried out of Feroz by fleeing magicians.

At the same time, the Black Eels loot and raid the port towns freely, killing any who try to resist, but seemingly unconcerned about those who wish to flee – unless they try to take their wealth with them.

Three of the Grendel navies, supported by the Bone Nautilus and the Asavean warships, assail [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]], assaulting the port towns of the corsairs. These islands were the first proper home for the Freeborn – and for the second time the Grendel seize Atalaya, the fount from which the entire Brass Coast flowed. Midport falls to the Shamal and the Golden Sails. The Tempest seizes the Shining Pillar – that great white-and-gold tower familiar to every sailor along the [[Bay of Catazar]], sometimes used as a symbol for the Brass Coast itself. When a sailor can see the beacon of the Shining Pillar, they know they are home. After the Grendel take the island on which it stands, the beacon falters, and goes out, for the first time in centuries the Shining Pillar does not shine.

Meanwhile the Simoom concerns itself with besieging the [[Madruga#The Lyceum|Isle of the Lyceum]]. The magicians there fight back, supported by their Commonwealth allies at the Lyceum Schloss. Contact with the island has been sporadic at best; it is not clear if the entire island has been conquered or what the state of the grand libraries, arcane academics, or students is. There is little hope that they may be able to hold out against the Grendel and their allies. There is a great deal of worry about what the Grendel might do with the vast stores of lore contained within the Lyceum.

As the Winter Solstice approaches... but wait. That's in the future. We aren't done with Siroc yet.

==The Last Sight==
Before the Grendel sweep across the rest of Madruga, on land and sea, they finish the conquest of Siroc. The offices of the [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] are looted, by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz. Perhaps the wealth they manage to steal here will make up for the fortune Rahab lost when the Scorrero Nets collapsed?

The Bone Nautilus surround the Parador of the Kindled Flame, eager to capture those who have sought sanctuary within, eager to carry away the children whose home it is to a life of slavery. When they finally breach the heavy oak doors, they find the place deserted. No sign of anyone hiding.

They have no way of knowing, but the children, their guardians, and those who accepted the offer of safety within the walls, are long gone. As the flames consumed the Salt Guard, two dozen friends of the [[Irra Harah|Prince of a Thousand Foes]] revealed themselves, and the sewer entrance, and lead those who would otherwise have been trapped in the orphanage to safety. They are already well on their way to Segura.

The same story unfolds across Siroc. Guardian angels – most mortal, some decidedly not – reveal themselves and help people escape what is to come. Without their unexected – and mostly invisibile - aid, a great many more people would have died when the city fell. If anyone bothers to ask – and most people are simply grateful for the aid – they say that they are discharging a service for the Archmage of Spring. They run when they can, they fight when they must, but they never try to hide. They discourage hiding, for some reason.

While many escape, many more do not. The Grendel take a few slaves but once the city falls they seem more interested in bearing away its loot rather than its people. The same cannot be said for the Asaveans. Now that the Salt Guard has fallen, the warships and mercenaries of the far west join in the conquest of the city. They are absolutely without mercy, killing anyone who comes within spear-reach or sword-reach.

It is they who lead the attack against the House of the Way, one of the oldest congregations in the Brass Coast. They smash the doors, shatter beautiful windows that have blazed in the setting sun for two hundred years, slaughter the priests and sutannir. Even the Naguerro seem a little taken aback by their zeal for slaughter, these human warriors from far away across the sea.

The Asaveans are also the ones who set the fires. Despite the chaos, the Grendel are careful to make sure that the city of tents does not burn. For a day and a night, they rampage through Siroc, taking everything they can find, everything they can carry. Then as the sun sets on the second day after the fall, as the armies regroup on the plains outside the city for the march north and west, as the navies withdraw to anchorages along the coast, the Asavean warships launch barrels of burning oil into the city. Another, and another, and another. The sky turns red, the glow growing like a baleful promise.

Asavean captains, more than a dozen cold-eyed scions of the patrician families - and it seems all the major families are represented – watch from the shoreline. They are not alone. Their soldiers have taken carefully selected prisoners. Where possible they are [[sutannir]], or priests of the Way, or [[dhomiro]] of one family or other. Two dozen, no more, dragged in manacles to the waterline south of the city.

As the barrels of oil fly, as burning brands are touched to the kindling piled all across the city, as Siroc burns, these prisoners are forced to watch. And then, as the fire stretches across the horizon, the final cruelty.

The last priests of the God of Chains are with the Asaveans and at a nod form the captains, they murder each of the prisoners. The last thing they see as they are hurled untimely into the Labyrinth is the jewel of Madruga, the Sapphire, their Billowing City, burning as the first stars of evening glitter in the uncaring sky.

All save three. These last three - one Erigo, one Riqueza, one Guerra - are released once the fires start to die down. Pushed into the surf, discarded like refuse, like jetsam on the coast of Brass, the last words of their captors echoing in their ears.

“We were an Empire before any of your petty kingdoms existed; we have no more lessons to learn about vengeance. But we can teach.”

==Game Information: Madruga==
The Grendel armada has seized three regions of Madruga: Siroc Plains, Lightsea, and Free Landing. As detailed in the [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#Not_A_Drop_To_Drink|Not a drop to drink]] Wind of Fortune, the blight of the [[Madruga#Great Grasses|Great Grasses]] remains contained thanks to the enchantment that has been diligently cast each prior season. As predicted however it has also stabilized in a way that means the region is no longer under Imperial control. As a consequence, with the Freeborn only controlling Calvos Sound and Torres, they have lost control of the territory. The Grendel have not, however, taken control of the territory; they only control three of the six regions. The territory is thus considerd contested – although the [[Senator]] for Madruga loses their seat in the Senate regardless.

The Salt Guard was overwhelmed and destroyed, but it provided sufficient defence to slow the Grendel invasion. Without it, and its enchantment, the armada may have had sufficient strength to launch a significant attack on Calvos Sound as well as the three regions it captured.

==Losses: Imperial Titles==
A number of Imperial titles have lost powers and sources of income.

Madruga no longer has a Senator.

The [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] and the [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] no longer have ministries. The titles still exist, however, and still have any appropriate responsibilities.

The [[Madruga#The_Commonwealth_Embassy|Commonwealth Embassy]] has been destroyed. The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] has lost their [[Ambassador_to_the_Commonwealth#Commonwealth_Merchants|ministry]] but maintains their other powers. The [[Commonwealth]] is likely to have a strong opinion about the destruction of its embassy in the Empire.

[[Madruga#Freeborn_Flame_Marina|Freeborn Flame Marina]] is in Grendel hands. The benefits it provided, allowing [[fleet|fleets]] of the Brass Coast to be [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Atalaya|upgraded more easily]] have been lost to the Freeborn, although it might be possible to regain the benefit if it were liberated.

The Empire no longer controls the [[Madruga#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]]. This means the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] has lost their ability to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Guiding_the_magicians_of_the_Lyceum|codify ritual texts]], the benefits of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Boon_of_the_Black_Sloth|Quiet Annexe]], and access to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Apartments_at_the_Lyceum|their apartments]]. They remain [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Arbiter_of_Imperial_Lore|Arbiter of Imperial Lore]] however. Unfortunately, one of the things they have also lost is the work on the ritual text they were codifying; it is still on the island itself.

The Parador of the Kindled Flame has been ruined, along with the city of Siroc itself. The devastation is sufficient to give Siroc Plains the ''ruins'' quality.

==Losses: Military==
The loss of Siroc has struck a devastating blow to the Brass Coast. The wealth of the Sapphire has been taken by the Grendel and the city itself comprehensively burnt. Furthermore, the Grendel have captured the wealthy ports of Lightsea and Free Landing. Coupled with the loss of the entire territory of Feroz, this means that The Brass Coast [[Commission#Maximum_numbers_of_Imperial_Forces|can no longer support their three armies]]. If not for the Iron Qanat, they would only be able to support a single army. Regardless the outcome is the same; following the Winter Solstice, they will begin to decline due to [[Imperial_army#Insufficient_Supply|insufficient supply]].

Assuming nothing else significant changes, the Freeborn will reclaim their ability to support armies once they are again in control of two of the prosperous coastal regions of the Brass Coast - Free Landing, Lightsea, [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]], [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]], or [[Feroz#Fontargenta|Fortargenta]]. This presumes they remain in control of Calvos Sound and the port-town of Calvos; if they lose that they will need to reconquer three regions.

The only silver lining is that the situation will not get worse - a nation is either "out of supply" or it is not. So even if the Brass Coast loses further territory their armies will not decline any faster - but it might mean that they have further to go before they can reclaim their ability to supply their armies.

==Intercede at the Lyceum (Battle)==
The Grendel's assault into Madruga has been a hammer blow to the Brass Coast. The Broken Shore's navies and armies have secured a solid foothold in the territory - almost claiming dominion in a single season of campaigning. Siroc has been razed and large swathes of the coast up through Free Landing are under the heel of the Salt Lords. Now the Grendel moridun troops and mercenary forces are securing the many islands offshore.

Principle among these is the isle on which the Lyceum has stood for nearly 300 years. This is an incredible prize for the Grendel, an asset of extraordinary value, however it is not so easily taken. Over the centuries, the magicians of the isle have spent considerable resources erecting potent magical wards that can protect the [[college of magic|college]] if is attacked. However those wards need powerful magical rituals to be performed to invoke them - no easy task.

The heroes of the Empire have an opportunity to strike against Grendel forces at the '''Field of Aenea'''. There, they can attempt to recover a ritual text of strategic importance; kill the "''Seeker of the Sky''" who is seeking the very same ritual; and take up the eternal Sadogua's offer to "[[Begins_where_it_ends#Sadogua|keep the Lyceum safe]]". There is also an unexpected and unusual opportunity to deploy powerful magic to aid the protection, defence and obfuscation of the entire island.

Prognosticator Atraxes notes that a conjunction of [[the Web]] and [[the Great Wyrm]] offers the Empire the unique window during the solstice to intercede in Madruga and potentially protect the Lyceum from the Grendel. The alignment of stars above the contested territory will enable rituals cast at two linked regio to behave in strange and more powerful ways than normal.

===Objective: Raise the Lyceum's wards===
* '''Cast rituals at the two regio to raise the islands powerful wards'''
* '''Each regio requires three potent rituals to invoke and power the ancient wards'''
* '''Failure will allow the Grendel to loot the Lyceum'''

The reason the Lyceum was located in Free Landing was the presence of twin regio that had an unusual property; they shifted the realm to which they were aligned after each ritual that was cast. They provided an excellent opportunity to research how ritual magic would interact with regio without risking accidentally cursing an entire territory. The regio shift according to a set pattern - something Imperial magicians have built the Lyceum's wards to exploit. The wards are difficult to raise, partly because of the magical energy need to power the wards and partly because they make using the Lyceum well nigh impossible, so it requires a major effort by Imperial magicians to trigger them.

The defensive wards of the Lyceum are tuned to the ''Shadow regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need to perform an Autumn ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then Winter ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]] at magnitude 40. That is no easy feat, but if they are successful, the Lyceum will be plunged into impenetrable darkness for a year, making it utterly impossible for the Grendel to loot it, its books, or to carry away the researchers as slaves.

The offensive wards of the Lyceum are turned to the ''Storm regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need a Day ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then a Summer ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]]. If the final ritual is completed then the area around the Lyceum will be ravaged by storms for a year, hammering the Empire's enemies. The wards would serve as a strength 3000 fortification in the region that could not be conquered or removed. The magical storms would target the [[Grendel]] forces any time they undertook military action in the territory.

None of the rituals used in this way have their usual effect; their power is directed entirely toward the wards. Likewise, the Shadow regio and the Storm regio do not fulfill the requirement of a "strong regio" for purposes of ritual casting.

===Alternative: Respond to Sadogua's offer===
* '''Cast Align the Celestial Net in the presence of the ''Glutton's'' herald'''
* '''Casting the ritual will see the college spirited to the Night realm'''
* '''Rejecting the offer will leave the Lyceum in the Grendel's hands'''
Sadogua has made it abundantly clear that he is ''very angry indeed'' with the Empire. If the wards cannot be raised, one alternative might be to try and win round the ''Wyrm-King'' by travelling to the Lyceum and giving the college to the eternal. ''Jubbjibbaglob'', an apprentice of Sadogua's, has been sent to the isle to make sure the Grendel don't run off with the statue of Simargl, the Empty One, in the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Quiet_Annexe|Quiet Annex]], and will be around should the Empire wish to placate the eternal in this matter.

To cede the Lyceum a night coven will need to take ''Jubbjibbaglob'' to either the ''Shadow regio'' or the ''Storm regio'' and perform [[Align the Celestial Net]] on it. Once completed the herald will confirm that the necessary steps have been taken to allow the ''Globbersnotch'' to swallow the Lyceum, putting it beyond the reach of the Grendel, and anyone else. It is understood that there will be ample time for anyone in the locale to escape, as Sadogua knows the importance of not rushing a big meal.

Of course if the Black Sloth devours the Lyceum, there's no going back from that, but at least it prevents it falling into the hands of the Grendel. However even the Glutton can't eat a whole library at once, so he'll save some of the tastiest books for later. Assuming the Empire wanted to build a replacement, then it can ask the Globberslotch to return whatever texts are still left to help with that. Once he's calmed down, of course.

===Objective: Find the ''Final Dance of the Immobile''===
* '''Recover the ritual text of the Winter ritual that was codified this season'''
* '''Success will return the ritual text to the Empire and allow it to be mastered or added to Imperial lore'''
* '''Failure will result in the Grendel being able to utilise the enchantment'''
Since their election at the last Summer Solstice, '''Palaphon Ankarien''', the Dean of the Lyceum had the college work upon the codification of ''Final Dance of the Immobile''. The ritual seems to hold out some promise of weakening or warding against the Dry Patricians. The researchers of the Lyceum had all but completed the codification of the ritual and were finishing the presentation of the text when the armada of the Grendel swept into sight. In the ensuing panic, the text was taken by a Navarri vate in an attempt to get it off the island. However, the vate never reached safety and is presumably still on the island.

The scholar is believed to have been injured or possibly captured by the Grendel. Imperial heroes should aim to find and rescue the mage, who should still have the text. If the ritual has been taken from them, the Navarri will be able to indicate who took it. Should the ritual text be recovered then it could either be kept, added to Imperial lore through an appropriate [[Declaration]], or added to Urizen lore through [[Gift of Knowledge]].

===Objective: Ransom Sky Mage Faireoir===
* '''Ransom the powerful ritualist of the Sky realm who has an unknown connection with the magicians of the Schloss'''
* '''Success would give the Empire opportunity to claim a powerful strategic ritual text from the Grendel'''
''Faireoir, Seer of the Sky and Diviner of Ophis'', is a well-connected and influential Sky ritualist among the bickering courts and mercantile chambers of the Broken Shore. The Sky Mage was instrumental in directing the Grendel's attack against the Lyceum, planning to use the wealth of magical lore to gain further favour and influence for themselves. While clearly there for the opportunity to enrich themselves and their coven, Faireoir is also looking for something specific. It's not clear what it is, but there's little likelihood that it's anything ''good''.

Strangely, this figure appears to be known to the magicians of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum_Schloss|Lyceum Schloss]] - the fortified annexe where the [[Commonwealth]] magicians studying at the Lyceum. They have taken refuge along with a number of students and several Imperial citiens, but they recognised Sky Mage Faireoir and have pointed him out to Imperial scouts.

How they know Sky Mage Faireoir is a fascinating question, one the normal candied Commonwealth have declined to answer at this time. However they have said his coven is powerful and have access to potent war rituals, some of which the Empire does not possess. If the Empire could capture the powerful Sky Mage, he is bound to agree to a ransom in return for this life. His captors could demand a ritual text from him, in return for letting him leave the field alive.

It would best if any contract were enforced with a [[Scrivener's Bloodmark]] but if they've captured him the Empire could invoke the [[Lictors]] for any ransom. Provided they take reasonable means to enforce the contract, the Sky Mage would be bound to send a copy of the ritual text to the Empire once he returns to Dubhtraig.

==Save the Shining Pillar (Battle)==
In the wake of the Grendel's invasion of Madruga there are others who wish to make the most of the opportunity; using it as a way to make their personal fortunes, strengthen their grip on the mortal realm, or strike against the Empire in their own way. Just before the Winter Solstice a force of Grendel moridun soldiers arrives at Atalaya Heights in Free Landing. With them come a small party of Asavean soldiers and a dignitary of some import.

The Plenum has dispatched ''The Priest of Wrecks'' accompanied by several "''Guardians of the Black Bull''" to assist and observe the Grendel's first strike against the Empire. Soon after landing on the shores of Atalaya, ''Barquentius Iyandeus'' the Asavean ecclesiast began preparations for a large supplication that is expected to be completed shortly after the Winter Solstice. This act is intended to serve as a symbolic blow against the Freeborn and the wider Empire and to ensure good fortune for the Grendel's ongoing campaign. It will involve the ritual killing of a number of Imperial citizens and the destruction of the Shining Pillar.

The ten attendants of the Shining Pillar known as '''The Beacon's Watch''' refused to abandon the tower, claiming that they must ensure the flame remains lit and the lighthouse is still seen out in the Bay. They have all been captured and are in the custody of the Grendel. This conjunction offers a chance to rescue them from potential sacrifice and to ensure that the skills and knowledge required to maintain and operate the Shining Pillar are preserved.

In the days before the Winter Solstice ''High Priestess Shivaarn'', she who praises the [[Siakha|Mother of Monsters]], arrived at one of the islands of Free Landing. Shivaarn performed some form of rite - calling on the Salt-born Devourer and the Mother of Wrecks and the Maelstrom. From dawn until dusk she chanted and gave offerings of trinkets claimed from corsairs, of the [[The_Brass_Coast_hearth_magic#Coins|lucky coins]] of a score of dhomiro, and finally mithril. Chest after chest filled with mithril ore was thrown into the shores and swiftly swept out to sea. And then the sea boiled and foamed as heralds of Siakkha emerged. Not just the carcharadons that so many Imperials are familiar with, but something new. Tempests in human form drawn to join with the Grendel forces massing at the Shining Pillar to overwhelm it. And if they are able to claim enough lives to create some monstrosity of surf and squall in service of Siakha.

===Objective: Kill the Priest of Wrecks===
* '''Eliminate the Priest of Wrecks and the Guardians of the Black Bull'''
* '''Failure would result in the desecration and ultimate destruction of the Shining Pillar'''
Iyandeus is a loud and passionate orator, not a fighter, and the Plenum has dispatched a guard of warriors who have received blessings of their idolatrous god to ensure the priest is kept safe, or doesn't inadvertently wander into harms way. Marching in heavy chain and tall helms these soldiers are devotees of The Black Bull, the protector soldier spirit-god. These grizzled veterans are sworn into servitude to fight and die to protect Iyandeus, and can be expected to be well-prepared for battle.

Killing the Guardians and Iyandeus will ensure that the Asavean supplication cannot go ahead. Besides being an opportunity to take revenge on the Asaveans for Siroc, it will also put a stop to his plans to desecrate and destroy the Shining Pillar.

===Objective: Rescue the Beacon Watch===
* '''Free at least five members of the Beacon Watch from the Grendel'''
* '''Success will ensure a future legacy for the Shining Pillar'''
* '''Failure will see the attendants sacrificed to an Asavean god'''

The heroes of Anvil will need to track down and locate the members of the Beacon Watch in the area. They are under heavy guard by Grendel forces, rather than in the custody of the small Asavean delegation. The barbarians have split them to avoid any escape attempts and once it is clear that the Sentinel Gate has opened then they will move the lighthouse attendants during the battle to prevent potential rescue attempts.

If at least five members of the Beacon Watch are returned safely to Anvil, then the Asavean's rite to their Red God will not be possible. These attendants will return to the Brass Coast to pass on their knowledge and train others to operate the beacon once Madruga is liberated. This will mean that even if the Grendel destroys the edifice, it could be rebuilt to shine out again across the Bay once more.

===Objective: Deny the Carcharodons===
* '''Prevent the shoals of Siakha from murdering twenty or more Imperial heroes'''
* '''Success will diminish the influence of the eternal in the area'''
* '''Failure would see a fortified fane to Siakha form off the coast'''

The bloodlust rising from Atalaya's cove has drawn the fearsome carcharadon heralds of Siahka ashore to the Shining Pillar. When battle commences they will come ashore in greater numbers, drawn to bloodshed like wolves on the trail of their quarry. Heedless of their survival, the heralds will patrol the lines of contact seeking out those misfortunate enough to have been laid low. Anyone set upon by one of their number can expect a [[Calls#EXECUTE|swift and brutal death]].

If the heralds are able to murder twenty or more Imperial citizens, then Siakha's thirst for death and destruction will be fixed on the locale of the Shining Pillar. This would manifest as a raging Spring regio just off the Atalayan coast, forming a roiling gyre of tempest waves, fuming spray, and a sucking maelstrom of magic that would draw nearby ships down to certain death. Merchant shipping would be forced to give the area a wide berth until it could be dealt with, but the immediate threat would the monstrous heralds of Spring that would sprew forth. The presence of the fane would be a dangerous new threat for the Military Council to contend with, serving as a two thousand strength [[fortification]].

===Battlefield Environment: Blood in the Air===
* '''The land near the Shining Pillar is under the effect of a powerful Spring miasma'''
* '''All characters experience a feeling of rising bloodlust'''
* '''Any character who does not resist the effect has a single use of CLEAVE with an apprporiate melee weapon whilst in the location'''

''A coppery tang fills the nose and the mouth fills slick with thick saliva; the magic of savagery, blood, and destruction pulses through the veins.''

Anyone who travels to this location will experience a strong roleplaying effect of rising violence and bloodlust, unless they:

* Expend a hero point upon entering the area
* Draw on the spiritual strength of an anointing
* Draw on their Merrow lineage and assume a calm demeanour
* Are bonded to a magical item or have a ritual enchantment that mitigates effects like these

Whilst in the location any character can make a '''single''' [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|CLEAVE]] call with any melee weapon other than a pike without the need to expend a hero point or the need to have the [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|Cleaving Strike]] skill. This ability is lost if the character resists the roleplaying effect at any point, or upon their return to Anvil.

==Opportunities and Dangers (Conjunctions)==
There are smaller attacks from the Grendel across the Bay of Catazar. Probing attacks, with individual Grendel captains leading their fleets against specific targets in an attempt to recover what they can. Each of these fleets can potentially be claimed - if the Grendel who own them are defeated - but they will likely require extensive repair to get them to the high standard of the Empire. The civil service has agreed to an arrangement with the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate that where possible the League guild will salvage the ships of the Grendel and, in return, offer deeds to fleets to those recognised as responsible for the conjunction.

===News From the Plain (Necropolis)===
* '''A force of Grendel are seeking information on the bridge that spans the Couros'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:45 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Courage'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Ranald'', an influential Sky Mage of the Grendel, remained hidden in Necropolis as the peace treaty ran its course and the Imperial Senate [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Declare_war_on_the_Grendel|declared war]] on the Grendel. Barely escaping ahead of the purge once the espionage ring there was [[Rings_and_crowns#Eyes_of_the_Basilisk|uncovered]], they've been hiding out with a much reduced force along the banks of the river. Now, with the focus of the Highborn and the garrison of [[Necropolis#Reumah's_Rest|Reumah's Rest]] on the coast awaiting an attack from the sea, the company under ''Ranald'' are making their way through Coursmouth towards Ada's Plain.

On Ada's Plain not far from the river, and the Courspan Bridge that crosses it, stands the [[chapter]] of Ethan's Respite. The [[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Stewards_of_the_dead|stewards of the dead]] there repeatedly refused to allow the Grendel permission to visit the area over the last two years. The chapter cited tales about a secret, or a historical incident, that would allow the orcs to threaten the Courspan if they uncovered it. It's not clear if this is an item or a piece of information, but it's obvious that curiosity has gotten the better of Sky Mage Ranald.

The chapter of Ethnan's Respite have called for aid, asking that the [[Champion of Courage]], '''Thomir, Son of Astion''', take responsibility for preventing the Grendel from finding out... whatever it is they are trying to find out. Dispatching the Sky Mage and their guards before they can become a problem will likely head off future threats from the magician. There's also a chance the Champion might potentially uncover the secrets the Grendel are seeking themselves, of course. Especially if they chose to take magicians capable of using [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic divinations]] or [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic visions]] to explore the area.

===The First Ship (Redoubt)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening the Great Harbour of Elos'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 14:30 on Saturday to The Elosian Grove, Naris'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Elosian Architect'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Maistir Dorcas'' has landed their ships on the gentle coast of [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]]. The Grendel were observed by a small patrol of sentinels from the [[Redoubt#Court of the White Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]], and they are accompanied by creatures that bear all the hallmarks of being servants of the ''[[Siakha|Mother of Wrecks]]''. The Grendel left a small guard at their ships and made all haste toward Elos. It's unknown what exactly Maistir Dorcas thinks they might achieve if they are left, unchallenged, to reach the harbour. They might plan to fire the shipyard, loot the warehouses and their stockpiles of ingots and herbs, or even simply slaughter the workers on behalf of Siakha. The presence of the heralds makes those aware of them nervous, however. It's unfortunately doubtful the Court of the White Fountain can reach Elos in time to stop Dorcas doing... whatever they are planning to do.

The [[Elosian Architect]], '''Talia Seaboar''', is responsible for threats to the harbour there, and may want to gather a band of heroes to intercept the Grendel. There is another incentive, perhaps. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate - who are arguably more salvagers than they are shipwrights these days - would relish the opportunity to claim the Grendel ships refurbish them and sell them on, or rip them apart for parts. They have agreed to give the Elosian Architect the deed to ''The Impulse'', an impressive [[fleet|ship]], its fine structure [[Fleet#Upgrade|upgraded]] with five wains of [[weirwood]], to do with as they see fit. Should Maistir Dorcas be dealt with, of course.

===Behind A Lock (Sarvos)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening Glass Point Cove'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:00 on Saturday to Isle of Quiet, Uccelini'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of Glass Point Cove'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Quartermaster Ewan'' has landed their ships on one of the heavily wooded islands of [[Sarvos#Uccelini|Uccelini]]. A passing fishing boat, by chance, brought news of their presence along with a warning that they are accompanied by servants of the ''[[Siakha|Salt-born Devourer]]''. Now the quartermaster has sent a small force ahead - under the guise of a fishing boat - to the secretive [[Custodian_of_Glass_Point_Cove#Glass_Point_Cove|Glass Point Cove]]. They clearly plan to establish a presence there, perhaps as an advance guard of the Grendel forces. There is a chance to strike at the Grendel on the wooded island before they move to reinforce the vanguard - claiming the precious mana and likely doing extensive damage to the mithril netting.

There is an opportunity to benefit from the cunning of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then not only will the delicate netting be protected, but the ships they arrived on will be left abandoned. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate will waste little time in confiscating the vessels and either selling them on, or breaking them down for parts. They have offered the deed to ''Dance of Victory'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Custodian of Glass Point Cove]], '''Dalibor Marek van Temeschwar''' to do with as they will - if they deal with the threat posed by Quartermaster Ewan.

===Following the Craft (Madruga)===
* '''A force of Grendel are fleeing with an heirloom stolen from the Parador of Salt and Sand'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:30 on Saturday to Ezmara's Thicket, Lightsea'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Hakima of Salt and Sand'' is responsible for reclaiming the heirloom'''
''Nechtan'', a wealthy Sand Mage of the Grendel, has withdrawn north of Quzar in [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. The Grendel are accompanied by several heralds of ''[[Siakha|the Mother of Monsters]]'' and are waiting on their fleet to collect them with their ill-gotten gains. One of these is a valuable heirloom stolen from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]]. The item was used in teaching those who came to learn from the [[hakima]], and has come to symbolise the hope of regaining the parador and re-establishing such classes. Several of the surviving hakima, forced to flee when the parador fell, have pledged to pool their resources and support the Hakima of Salt and Sand with four mana crystals each season until the parador is regained... provided the heirloom is returned and shown to one of the Freeborn egregores.

There is an additional opportunity to benefit from the retribution of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then the fleet will be easy to overcome; something that the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate are more than willing to attempt. The Syndicate have offered the deed to ''The Blade of Freedom'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]], '''Bakar i Riqueza''' to do with as they see fit - provided the Sand Mage and their entourage is dealt with.

A beacon of smoke

2024-05-23T19:41:50Z

TomH: /* Battlefield Environment: Blood in the Air */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=A beacon of salt.png|caption=The Freeborn philosophy is that society is best served when every individual is responsible for themselves and to themselves.|align=left|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/stKMG93Jdgw?si=6EiBbnrWTo18Wf6B}}
<div class="captioned-image captioned-image-{{{align|right}}}" style="clear: {{{align|right}}}">[[File:UrizenMagician.jpg|124x110px|link= https://youtu.be/vjwH_Nqs1Aw]]<div class="caption">Alternate audio version</div></div>
==City of Sails==
The [[Madruga#Siroc|City of a Thousand Sails]] is always enumerated alongside [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]], [[Hahnmark#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]], and the cities of the League. Billowing Siroc, the Sapphire. The hakima say that it was founded by [[Tribe#Embracing_Guerra|Guerra]], that passionate opponent of slavery, driven to build a better world.

Brightly coloured tents extend Siroc out far beyond the small cluster of stone buildings that make up the heart of the city. Sails of all shapes and sizes fill the sheltered bay, guarded by twin towered keeps on either side of the bay along the approach to the harbour. The Salt Guard, [[The_same_bed#The_Salt_Guard|designed]] by Menno van Ritsjhof, and part of the legacy of [[Empress Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta's]] plan to armour the [[Bay of Catazar]] against the Grendel.
Each of the two halves of the Salt Guard is equipped with powerful engines of war, and garrisoned by skilled mariners and corsairs who ensure the towers are always ready to respond to any threat. Between the towers, the iron chains and nets that have guarded the harbour for centuries, since they were first imported at great expense from the forges of [[Wintermark]]. Menno van Ritsjhof believed the Salt Guard would make it impossible to assault the City of Rainbow Canvas by sea.

But he was wrong.
__TOC__
==Vengeance As A Burning Flame==
The first watchers to spy the Grendel Armada approaching assume they must be seeing things. Mistaking a great wave, or a bank of fog, for the wall of masts and sails. Red, green, yellow, and blue, the sails and the mast-banners announce what must surely be the entire Grendel navy speeding from the south-east toward the Madrugan coast. They are low in the water; their holds are packed but presumably with warriors rather than trade goods.

Some of those ships have been seen recently, in other ports across the Bay. Through spyglasses, increasingly panicked watchers make out ships from the yellow-sailed Golden Winds and the green-sailed Tempest. Both navies have [[Shallow_days#Visiting_Armadas|anchored off Imperial cities]] in the last year, escorting merchants, their crew coming ashore to eat and drink in the paradors of Siroc, laughing and joked with the Freeborn, frequenting the markets of the Sapphire, all under the aegis of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|two-year peace treaty]]. The treaty that has just run its course.

There are not only Grendel ships among the armada. As they get closer, as the warning bells echo across the city, the glasses pick out the Asavean warships flanking the main force. Balo's Grace, Leaping Bull and Wind Tamer. The warships that destroyed the Isle of the Justicars, that slaughtered the people of Shantarim. With them a scattering of other war-vessels, far from their home in the distant west.

It's clear why they are here, and were it the Grendel alone it would be bad enough. But the presence of the Asaveans fills those who have an inkling of what is to come with a terrible forboding.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Iñez i Azul-Mar i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Kahraman</td><td>Bloodgold Jackals</td></tr>
</table></div>

==Salt Stone, Iron Net==
Massive as the armada is, it must contend with the Salt Guard. Trebuchet and catapult are armed and ready, launching great chunks of stone toward the attacking ships. A cheer goes up as one of the lead Grendel ships, a green-sailed vessel of the Tempest, is smashed to flotsam by the first stone.

Bronze sigils shimmer and flicker across the walls of the twin towers. Imperial magicians have used the potent [[Autumn magic]] to [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Ramparts_of_Ashlar|magically reinforce]] the Salt Guard, with power acquired from the realm of the [[Estavus|Forge Mistress]]. The siege engines are loaded by towering bronze constructs drawn from the City of Fire and Stone, the volcano-smithy of Shikal. The magical sigils of fire, stone, strength ripple across the chains and nets as they are raised across the harbour mouth. The marines themselves wait nervously, the sweat that beads their skin not only due to the supernatural warmth the [[enchantment]] has brought with it.

A single warband of Freeborn soldiers has come to Siroc to protect the city, taking up places on the walls. They are not the only unexpected defenders. When runners are sent into the city proper, to warn the people, the Commonwealth Embassy responds by sending it's entire garrison to support the Salt Guard. It is hard it imagine that fifty grim-faced warriors dedicated to the common good will make much of a difference in the face of an entire Grendel armada – but they come anyway. They march through the streets as the bells ring and people hurry to gather their families, and maybe a few people take heart from their willingness to defend the Billowing City.

While the people are afraid, they are Freeborn. They do not bow their heads to tyrants, be they human or orc. Those with battle-experience grab weapons kept in cupboards, and strap on old pieces of battered armour. Corsairs and sailors take to their own ships, ready to try and engage any invading vessel that might somehow breach the defences. The doors of the Parador of the Kindled Flame are thrown wide, to any who want to take refuge beside the children behind their walls of white granite.

The Grendel don't know any of this of course – or perhaps they do. There has been [[Rings_and_crowns#Be_Alert_to_Dangers|talk for some time]] of an espionage ring in Madruga, sponsored by some spymaster of the Broken Shore. Surely no Freeborn would sell their loyalty to the Brass Coast to the Grendel, no matter how much they were offered. Surely.

It's clear the Armada is prepared, though, for the Salt Guard and the harbour defences. Several of the leading ships of the Tempest have great serrated metal rams attached to the prow, just on the waterline, designed to tangle and rip at the port defences. There are ballistae and catapults on the invading ships that counter the hail of stone and javelins with missiles of their own.

The Asaveans in particular hold back, maintaining a barrage against the two Salt Guard towers, chipping away at even the magically reinforced stone. The Balo's Grace, the Leaping Bull, the Wind Tamer. Named in honour of the blasphemous gods of the [[Asavean Archipelago|Archipelago]], they are massive compared to the Grendel vessels that surround them, but still surprisingly manoeuvrable, with triple banks of oars that let them evade all save the luckiest hit.

Then, without any warning, fighting erupts across the harbour itself. Confused reports begin to spread of both humans and orcs making pinpoint strikes at the winches and pulleys that control the web of steel keeping the invading ships from the harbour. Treachery, from within Siroc itself.

Out at sea, perfectly timed to coincide with the attacks against the nets and chains, dozens of smaller boats – rowboats – are launched. They strive for the harbour, hard to target directly, maneuverable, swift. Some are sunk; many more manage to reach the harbour walls and join the attack on the defences. The fighting spills across the docks themselves.

Many of the warriors attacking the harbour are Naguerro, a former sept of the Lasambrian Orcs with a particular hatred for the Empire. Others raise the unfamiliar banner of a shark, ringed by lightning. Both forces seem almost unhinged in their zeal to slaughter the Freeborn defenders and capture the docks, break the defences, leave the city vulnerable.

Step by step the defenders are forced to retreat back toward the fortress-keeps of the Salt Guard. The nets and chains fall. There are Grendel vessels in the harbour itself, more Naguerro and Storm Sharks spilling out across the quayside, spilling out into the city, spilling Freeborn blood with mad abandon.

==Canvas Makes a Poor Shield==
Not all the Grendel ships storm the harbour. While the green-sailed Tempest and the blue-sailed Simoon take the forefront in the attack, the Golden Wind are busy on the coast outside the city, unloading orc soldiers, covered by the vessels of the red-sailed Shamal.

The banners of the Iron Gulls are raised. The Empire knows the 'Gulls, veterans of dozens of engagements. They survived the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_.28Spiral.29|Battle of Solen's Doubt]]. They were at the forefront of the [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war#Bronze|invasion of Feroz]]. They are known to be masters of [[Army_qualities#Siege|seige warfare]], and the warships of the Golden Wind unload rams and catapults alongside the soldiers themselves.

Beside them, the Black Eels raise their own standards. They, too, were at Solen's Doubt. They, too, are veterans of the war against the Empire. They enter the city from the south, but where the Iron Gulls are more interested in probing the defenders of the Salt Guard, the Black Eels seem to be here for [[Army qualities#Foraging|plunder]] and mayhem.

In the midst of the two armies a few hundred Grendel soldiers raise the slightly tattered banner of Governor Rahab, who rules over the conquered territories of Feroz to the south. There is a particular grimness to these orcs (and a handful of human mercenaries with them). Some of the Gulls and Eels mock them behind their backs, as they make haste toward the city ahead of the two armies. They seem especially eager to engage the Freeborn defenders.

While the rest of the armada is busy invading the harbour, the Shamal and the Tempest switch positions. Judging by the number of crimson sails the Shamal is smaller than the Tempest, their ships are newer, showing fewer of the marks of war. So too are the army they disgorge from their holds and decks. The standard of the Bone Nautilus, a white-and-gold tentacled spiral beast, are raised. This army is made up primarily of orcs, but there are a significant number of humans in their midst. Some are clearly hard bitten veteran mercenaries, some are keen-eyed youths, but there are also a number of Asavean footsoldiers, in distinctive helms, with spears and shields. They follow the other land troops in an assault against the south side of the city.

Menno van Ritsjhof was reportedly incensed when he discovered that Siroc has little in the way of defence against an attack from the shore. Perhaps the Freeborn felt that their position made it inconceivable that there would be a threat from the ground, rather than the sea. There are walls, but they are nearly as old as the city itself, and they surround the heart of the Sapphire not its borders. Siroc is a city of traders and merchants, that welcomes visitors. There are defences of course, but the Salt Guard is at the heart of them. There are defenders, but again they are focused around the Salt Guard. The three armies approaching by land are quickly in among the tents and pallanquins, and canvas offers little protection against the rapacious invaders.

==Falling Salt==
The Salt Guard falls. Great metal-bound catapult stones chip away at the walls, and smash the towers. Under the cover of a seemingly random assault, a squad of Naguerro battle-magicians unleash [[Spring magic]] against the gates of first one keep, and then barely ten minutes later the other. Rending vines erupting across the wood and stone, ripping it to pieces. The attackers pour inside. Commonwealth and Freeborn soldiers back-to-back, using every trick that the League architects could think of to make it harder for them to seize the fort. One by one the engines of destruction on both sides of the Salt Guard fall silent. The garrison is too busy fighting to survive to focus on the Grendel armada.

Those ships of the Broken Shore who are equipped to do so launch barrage after barrage of missiles against the two towers of the Salt Guard. Those without siege engines on their decks either turn the captured harbour defences against the fortress, or disembark, joining the fighting in the docks and inside the Guard.

At this point, the Asavean vessels move closer. They join the bombardment but their target is not the Salt Guard but the city of Siroc itself. They are seemingly unconcerned about crushing Grendel troops beneath their iron shot. It's not clear what happens but suddenly after a half hour of smashing tents and buildings and fleeing Freeborn and small groups of Grendel, the Asavean weapons still for a few minutes, then open fire against the Salt Guard along with the others. But the damage is done – swathes of the markets and paradors clustered around the quayside, flattened, burning. Dozens of ships, of quays, shattered to splinters. Columns of smoke begin to rise. Fire flickers in some of the windows of the Salt Guard.

With an almighty groan, one of the two Salt Guard keeps begins to collapse in on itself, transformed suddenly into a chimney that sends roaring flames up through the interior. Barrels of oil join the rocks being hurled toward Menno von Rijshof's masterpiece. Those defenders still trapped inside are no longer battling the invading orcs, but fighting to breathe as the smoke rises, fighting to escape as the fire spreads.

As the sun drops towards the eastern horizon, the second tower catches. Those defenders who manage to make it out of the collapsing fortification, coughing, gasping, wheezing, are swiftly dealt with by the invaders.

==Fire Spreads==
With the Salt Guard shattered, the city is easy prey for the immense force ranged against it. The Grendel have not had it all their own way; the courage of the Salt Guard has purchased vital hours for those who can see what is coming to flee the city, north toward [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]] or west to one of the bridges across the Scorrero, toward [[Segura]].

The Grendel follow. Over the next few months, the invaders spread north along the coast into Lightsea. Quzar falls before the Iron Gulls, despite the best efforts of the [[hakima]] and masters of [[Autumn magic]] supporting the defenders. The [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] is torn apart by the Naguerro, who loot many of the treasures within, treasures carried out of Feroz by fleeing magicians.

At the same time, the Black Eels loot and raid the port towns freely, killing any who try to resist, but seemingly unconcerned about those who wish to flee – unless they try to take their wealth with them.

Three of the Grendel navies, supported by the Bone Nautilus and the Asavean warships, assail [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]], assaulting the port towns of the corsairs. These islands were the first proper home for the Freeborn – and for the second time the Grendel seize Atalaya, the fount from which the entire Brass Coast flowed. Midport falls to the Shamal and the Golden Sails. The Tempest seizes the Shining Pillar – that great white-and-gold tower familiar to every sailor along the [[Bay of Catazar]], sometimes used as a symbol for the Brass Coast itself. When a sailor can see the beacon of the Shining Pillar, they know they are home. After the Grendel take the island on which it stands, the beacon falters, and goes out, for the first time in centuries the Shining Pillar does not shine.

Meanwhile the Simoom concerns itself with besieging the [[Madruga#The Lyceum|Isle of the Lyceum]]. The magicians there fight back, supported by their Commonwealth allies at the Lyceum Schloss. Contact with the island has been sporadic at best; it is not clear if the entire island has been conquered or what the state of the grand libraries, arcane academics, or students is. There is little hope that they may be able to hold out against the Grendel and their allies. There is a great deal of worry about what the Grendel might do with the vast stores of lore contained within the Lyceum.

As the Winter Solstice approaches... but wait. That's in the future. We aren't done with Siroc yet.

==The Last Sight==
Before the Grendel sweep across the rest of Madruga, on land and sea, they finish the conquest of Siroc. The offices of the [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] are looted, by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz. Perhaps the wealth they manage to steal here will make up for the fortune Rahab lost when the Scorrero Nets collapsed?

The Bone Nautilus surround the Parador of the Kindled Flame, eager to capture those who have sought sanctuary within, eager to carry away the children whose home it is to a life of slavery. When they finally breach the heavy oak doors, they find the place deserted. No sign of anyone hiding.

They have no way of knowing, but the children, their guardians, and those who accepted the offer of safety within the walls, are long gone. As the flames consumed the Salt Guard, two dozen friends of the [[Irra Harah|Prince of a Thousand Foes]] revealed themselves, and the sewer entrance, and lead those who would otherwise have been trapped in the orphanage to safety. They are already well on their way to Segura.

The same story unfolds across Siroc. Guardian angels – most mortal, some decidedly not – reveal themselves and help people escape what is to come. Without their unexected – and mostly invisibile - aid, a great many more people would have died when the city fell. If anyone bothers to ask – and most people are simply grateful for the aid – they say that they are discharging a service for the Archmage of Spring. They run when they can, they fight when they must, but they never try to hide. They discourage hiding, for some reason.

While many escape, many more do not. The Grendel take a few slaves but once the city falls they seem more interested in bearing away its loot rather than its people. The same cannot be said for the Asaveans. Now that the Salt Guard has fallen, the warships and mercenaries of the far west join in the conquest of the city. They are absolutely without mercy, killing anyone who comes within spear-reach or sword-reach.

It is they who lead the attack against the House of the Way, one of the oldest congregations in the Brass Coast. They smash the doors, shatter beautiful windows that have blazed in the setting sun for two hundred years, slaughter the priests and sutannir. Even the Naguerro seem a little taken aback by their zeal for slaughter, these human warriors from far away across the sea.

The Asaveans are also the ones who set the fires. Despite the chaos, the Grendel are careful to make sure that the city of tents does not burn. For a day and a night, they rampage through Siroc, taking everything they can find, everything they can carry. Then as the sun sets on the second day after the fall, as the armies regroup on the plains outside the city for the march north and west, as the navies withdraw to anchorages along the coast, the Asavean warships launch barrels of burning oil into the city. Another, and another, and another. The sky turns red, the glow growing like a baleful promise.

Asavean captains, more than a dozen cold-eyed scions of the patrician families - and it seems all the major families are represented – watch from the shoreline. They are not alone. Their soldiers have taken carefully selected prisoners. Where possible they are [[sutannir]], or priests of the Way, or [[dhomiro]] of one family or other. Two dozen, no more, dragged in manacles to the waterline south of the city.

As the barrels of oil fly, as burning brands are touched to the kindling piled all across the city, as Siroc burns, these prisoners are forced to watch. And then, as the fire stretches across the horizon, the final cruelty.

The last priests of the God of Chains are with the Asaveans and at a nod form the captains, they murder each of the prisoners. The last thing they see as they are hurled untimely into the Labyrinth is the jewel of Madruga, the Sapphire, their Billowing City, burning as the first stars of evening glitter in the uncaring sky.

All save three. These last three - one Erigo, one Riqueza, one Guerra - are released once the fires start to die down. Pushed into the surf, discarded like refuse, like jetsam on the coast of Brass, the last words of their captors echoing in their ears.

“We were an Empire before any of your petty kingdoms existed; we have no more lessons to learn about vengeance. But we can teach.”

==Game Information: Madruga==
The Grendel armada has seized three regions of Madruga: Siroc Plains, Lightsea, and Free Landing. As detailed in the [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#Not_A_Drop_To_Drink|Not a drop to drink]] Wind of Fortune, the blight of the [[Madruga#Great Grasses|Great Grasses]] remains contained thanks to the enchantment that has been diligently cast each prior season. As predicted however it has also stabilized in a way that means the region is no longer under Imperial control. As a consequence, with the Freeborn only controlling Calvos Sound and Torres, they have lost control of the territory. The Grendel have not, however, taken control of the territory; they only control three of the six regions. The territory is thus considerd contested – although the [[Senator]] for Madruga loses their seat in the Senate regardless.

The Salt Guard was overwhelmed and destroyed, but it provided sufficient defence to slow the Grendel invasion. Without it, and its enchantment, the armada may have had sufficient strength to launch a significant attack on Calvos Sound as well as the three regions it captured.

==Losses: Imperial Titles==
A number of Imperial titles have lost powers and sources of income.

Madruga no longer has a Senator.

The [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] and the [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] no longer have ministries. The titles still exist, however, and still have any appropriate responsibilities.

The [[Madruga#The_Commonwealth_Embassy|Commonwealth Embassy]] has been destroyed. The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] has lost their [[Ambassador_to_the_Commonwealth#Commonwealth_Merchants|ministry]] but maintains their other powers. The [[Commonwealth]] is likely to have a strong opinion about the destruction of its embassy in the Empire.

[[Madruga#Freeborn_Flame_Marina|Freeborn Flame Marina]] is in Grendel hands. The benefits it provided, allowing [[fleet|fleets]] of the Brass Coast to be [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Atalaya|upgraded more easily]] have been lost to the Freeborn, although it might be possible to regain the benefit if it were liberated.

The Empire no longer controls the [[Madruga#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]]. This means the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] has lost their ability to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Guiding_the_magicians_of_the_Lyceum|codify ritual texts]], the benefits of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Boon_of_the_Black_Sloth|Quiet Annexe]], and access to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Apartments_at_the_Lyceum|their apartments]]. They remain [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Arbiter_of_Imperial_Lore|Arbiter of Imperial Lore]] however. Unfortunately, one of the things they have also lost is the work on the ritual text they were codifying; it is still on the island itself.

The Parador of the Kindled Flame has been ruined, along with the city of Siroc itself. The devastation is sufficient to give Siroc Plains the ''ruins'' quality.

==Losses: Military==
The loss of Siroc has struck a devastating blow to the Brass Coast. The wealth of the Sapphire has been taken by the Grendel and the city itself comprehensively burnt. Furthermore, the Grendel have captured the wealthy ports of Lightsea and Free Landing. Coupled with the loss of the entire territory of Feroz, this means that The Brass Coast [[Commission#Maximum_numbers_of_Imperial_Forces|can no longer support their three armies]]. If not for the Iron Qanat, they would only be able to support a single army. Regardless the outcome is the same; following the Winter Solstice, they will begin to decline due to [[Imperial_army#Insufficient_Supply|insufficient supply]].

Assuming nothing else significant changes, the Freeborn will reclaim their ability to support armies once they are again in control of two of the prosperous coastal regions of the Brass Coast - Free Landing, Lightsea, [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]], [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]], or [[Feroz#Fontargenta|Fortargenta]]. This presumes they remain in control of Calvos Sound and the port-town of Calvos; if they lose that they will need to reconquer three regions.

The only silver lining is that the situation will not get worse - a nation is either "out of supply" or it is not. So even if the Brass Coast loses further territory their armies will not decline any faster - but it might mean that they have further to go before they can reclaim their ability to supply their armies.

==Intercede at the Lyceum (Battle)==
The Grendel's assault into Madruga has been a hammer blow to the Brass Coast. The Broken Shore's navies and armies have secured a solid foothold in the territory - almost claiming dominion in a single season of campaigning. Siroc has been razed and large swathes of the coast up through Free Landing are under the heel of the Salt Lords. Now the Grendel moridun troops and mercenary forces are securing the many islands offshore.

Principle among these is the isle on which the Lyceum has stood for nearly 300 years. This is an incredible prize for the Grendel, an asset of extraordinary value, however it is not so easily taken. Over the centuries, the magicians of the isle have spent considerable resources erecting potent magical wards that can protect the [[college of magic|college]] if is attacked. However those wards need powerful magical rituals to be performed to invoke them - no easy task.

The heroes of the Empire have an opportunity to strike against Grendel forces at the '''Field of Aenea'''. There, they can attempt to recover a ritual text of strategic importance; kill the "''Seeker of the Sky''" who is seeking the very same ritual; and take up the eternal Sadogua's offer to "[[Begins_where_it_ends#Sadogua|keep the Lyceum safe]]". There is also an unexpected and unusual opportunity to deploy powerful magic to aid the protection, defence and obfuscation of the entire island.

Prognosticator Atraxes notes that a conjunction of [[the Web]] and [[the Great Wyrm]] offers the Empire the unique window during the solstice to intercede in Madruga and potentially protect the Lyceum from the Grendel. The alignment of stars above the contested territory will enable rituals cast at two linked regio to behave in strange and more powerful ways than normal.

===Objective: Raise the Lyceum's wards===
* '''Cast rituals at the two regio to raise the islands powerful wards'''
* '''Each regio requires three potent rituals to invoke and power the ancient wards'''
* '''Failure will allow the Grendel to loot the Lyceum'''

The reason the Lyceum was located in Free Landing was the presence of twin regio that had an unusual property; they shifted the realm to which they were aligned after each ritual that was cast. They provided an excellent opportunity to research how ritual magic would interact with regio without risking accidentally cursing an entire territory. The regio shift according to a set pattern - something Imperial magicians have built the Lyceum's wards to exploit. The wards are difficult to raise, partly because of the magical energy need to power the wards and partly because they make using the Lyceum well nigh impossible, so it requires a major effort by Imperial magicians to trigger them.

The defensive wards of the Lyceum are tuned to the ''Shadow regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need to perform an Autumn ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then Winter ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]] at magnitude 40. That is no easy feat, but if they are successful, the Lyceum will be plunged into impenetrable darkness for a year, making it utterly impossible for the Grendel to loot it, its books, or to carry away the researchers as slaves.

The offensive wards of the Lyceum are turned to the ''Storm regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need a Day ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then a Summer ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]]. If the final ritual is completed then the area around the Lyceum will be ravaged by storms for a year, hammering the Empire's enemies. The wards would serve as a strength 3000 fortification in the region that could not be conquered or removed. The magical storms would target the [[Grendel]] forces any time they undertook military action in the territory.

None of the rituals used in this way have their usual effect; their power is directed entirely toward the wards. Likewise, the Shadow regio and the Storm regio do not fulfill the requirement of a "strong regio" for purposes of ritual casting.

===Alternative: Respond to Sadogua's offer===
* '''Cast Align the Celestial Net in the presence of the ''Glutton's'' herald'''
* '''Casting the ritual will see the college spirited to the Night realm'''
* '''Rejecting the offer will leave the Lyceum in the Grendel's hands'''
Sadogua has made it abundantly clear that he is ''very angry indeed'' with the Empire. If the wards cannot be raised, one alternative might be to try and win round the ''Wyrm-King'' by travelling to the Lyceum and giving the college to the eternal. ''Jubbjibbaglob'', an apprentice of Sadogua's, has been sent to the isle to make sure the Grendel don't run off with the statue of Simargl, the Empty One, in the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Quiet_Annexe|Quiet Annex]], and will be around should the Empire wish to placate the eternal in this matter.

To cede the Lyceum a night coven will need to take ''Jubbjibbaglob'' to either the ''Shadow regio'' or the ''Storm regio'' and perform [[Align the Celestial Net]] on it. Once completed the herald will confirm that the necessary steps have been taken to allow the ''Globbersnotch'' to swallow the Lyceum, putting it beyond the reach of the Grendel, and anyone else. It is understood that there will be ample time for anyone in the locale to escape, as Sadogua knows the importance of not rushing a big meal.

Of course if the Black Sloth devours the Lyceum, there's no going back from that, but at least it prevents it falling into the hands of the Grendel. However even the Glutton can't eat a whole library at once, so he'll save some of the tastiest books for later. Assuming the Empire wanted to build a replacement, then it can ask the Globberslotch to return whatever texts are still left to help with that. Once he's calmed down, of course.

===Objective: Find the ''Final Dance of the Immobile''===
* '''Recover the ritual text of the Winter ritual that was codified this season'''
* '''Success will return the ritual text to the Empire and allow it to be mastered or added to Imperial lore'''
* '''Failure will result in the Grendel being able to utilise the enchantment'''
Since their election at the last Summer Solstice, '''Palaphon Ankarien''', the Dean of the Lyceum had the college work upon the codification of ''Final Dance of the Immobile''. The ritual seems to hold out some promise of weakening or warding against the Dry Patricians. The researchers of the Lyceum had all but completed the codification of the ritual and were finishing the presentation of the text when the armada of the Grendel swept into sight. In the ensuing panic, the text was taken by a Navarri vate in an attempt to get it off the island. However, the vate never reached safety and is presumably still on the island.

The scholar is believed to have been injured or possibly captured by the Grendel. Imperial heroes should aim to find and rescue the mage, who should still have the text. If the ritual has been taken from them, the Navarri will be able to indicate who took it. Should the ritual text be recovered then it could either be kept, added to Imperial lore through an appropriate [[Declaration]], or added to Urizen lore through [[Gift of Knowledge]].

===Objective: Ransom Sky Mage Faireoir===
* '''Ransom the powerful ritualist of the Sky realm who has an unknown connection with the magicians of the Schloss'''
* '''Success would give the Empire opportunity to claim a powerful strategic ritual text from the Grendel'''
''Faireoir, Seer of the Sky and Diviner of Ophis'', is a well-connected and influential Sky ritualist among the bickering courts and mercantile chambers of the Broken Shore. The Sky Mage was instrumental in directing the Grendel's attack against the Lyceum, planning to use the wealth of magical lore to gain further favour and influence for themselves. While clearly there for the opportunity to enrich themselves and their coven, Faireoir is also looking for something specific. It's not clear what it is, but there's little likelihood that it's anything ''good''.

Strangely, this figure appears to be known to the magicians of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum_Schloss|Lyceum Schloss]] - the fortified annexe where the [[Commonwealth]] magicians studying at the Lyceum. They have taken refuge along with a number of students and several Imperial citiens, but they recognised Sky Mage Faireoir and have pointed him out to Imperial scouts.

How they know Sky Mage Faireoir is a fascinating question, one the normal candied Commonwealth have declined to answer at this time. However they have said his coven is powerful and have access to potent war rituals, some of which the Empire does not possess. If the Empire could capture the powerful Sky Mage, he is bound to agree to a ransom in return for this life. His captors could demand a ritual text from him, in return for letting him leave the field alive.

It would best if any contract were enforced with a [[Scrivener's Bloodmark]] but if they've captured him the Empire could invoke the [[Lictors]] for any ransom. Provided they take reasonable means to enforce the contract, the Sky Mage would be bound to send a copy of the ritual text to the Empire once he returns to Dubhtraig.

==Save the Shining Pillar (Battle)==
In the wake of the Grendel's invasion of Madruga there are others who wish to make the most of the opportunity; using it as a way to make their personal fortunes, strengthen their grip on the mortal realm, or strike against the Empire in their own way. Just before the Winter Solstice a force of Grendel moridun soldiers arrives at Atalaya Heights in Free Landing. With them come a small party of Asavean soldiers and a dignitary of some import.

The Plenum has dispatched ''The Priest of Wrecks'' accompanied by several "''Guardians of the Black Bull''" to assist and observe the Grendel's first strike against the Empire. Soon after landing on the shores of Atalaya, ''Barquentius Iyandeus'' the Asavean ecclesiast began preparations for a large supplication that is expected to be completed shortly after the Winter Solstice. This act is intended to serve as a symbolic blow against the Freeborn and the wider Empire and to ensure good fortune for the Grendel's ongoing campaign. It will involve the ritual killing of a number of Imperial citizens and the destruction of the Shining Pillar.

The ten attendants of the Shining Pillar known as '''The Beacon's Watch''' refused to abandon the tower, claiming that they must ensure the flame remains lit and the lighthouse is still seen out in the Bay. They have all been captured and are in the custody of the Grendel. This conjunction offers a chance to rescue them from potential sacrifice and to ensure that the skills and knowledge required to maintain and operate the Shining Pillar are preserved.

In the days before the Winter Solstice ''High Priestess Shivaarn'', she who praises the [[Siakha|Mother of Monsters]], arrived at one of the islands of Free Landing. Shivaarn performed some form of rite - calling on the Salt-born Devourer and the Mother of Wrecks and the Maelstrom. From dawn until dusk she chanted and gave offerings of trinkets claimed from corsairs, of the [[The_Brass_Coast_hearth_magic#Coins|lucky coins]] of a score of dhomiro, and finally mithril. Chest after chest filled with mithril ore was thrown into the shores and swiftly swept out to sea. And then the sea boiled and foamed as heralds of Siakkha emerged. Not just the carcharadons that so many Imperials are familiar with, but something new. Tempests in human form drawn to join with the Grendel forces massing at the Shining Pillar to overwhelm it. And if they are able to claim enough lives to create some monstrosity of surf and squall in service of Siakha.

===Objective: Kill the Priest of Wrecks===
* '''Eliminate the Priest of Wrecks and the Guardians of the Black Bull'''
* '''Failure would result in the desecration and ultimate destruction of the Shining Pillar'''
Iyandeus is a loud and passionate orator, not a fighter, and the Plenum has dispatched a guard of warriors who have received blessings of their idolatrous god to ensure the priest is kept safe, or doesn't inadvertently wander into harms way. Marching in heavy chain and tall helms these soldiers are devotees of The Black Bull, the protector soldier spirit-god. These grizzled veterans are sworn into servitude to fight and die to protect Iyandeus, and can be expected to be well-prepared for battle.

Killing the Guardians and Iyandeus will ensure that the Asavean supplication cannot go ahead. Besides being an opportunity to take revenge on the Asaveans for Siroc, it will also put a stop to his plans to desecrate and destroy the Shining Pillar.

===Objective: Rescue the Beacon Watch===
* '''Free at least five members of the Beacon Watch from the Grendel'''
* '''Success will ensure a future legacy for the Shining Pillar'''
* '''Failure will see the attendants sacrificed to an Asavean god'''

The heroes of Anvil will need to track down and locate the members of the Beacon Watch in the area. They are under heavy guard by Grendel forces, rather than in the custody of the small Asavean delegation. The barbarians have split them to avoid any escape attempts and once it is clear that the Sentinel Gate has opened then they will move the lighthouse attendants during the battle to prevent potential rescue attempts.

If at least five members of the Beacon Watch are returned safely to Anvil, then the Asavean's rite to their Red God will not be possible. These attendants will return to the Brass Coast to pass on their knowledge and train others to operate the beacon once Madruga is liberated. This will mean that even if the Grendel destroys the edifice, it could be rebuilt to shine out again across the Bay once more.

===Objective: Deny the Carcharodons===
* '''Prevent the shoals of Siakha from murdering twenty or more Imperial heroes'''
* '''Success will diminish the influence of the eternal in the area'''
* '''Failure would see a fortified fane to Siakha form off the coast'''

The bloodlust rising from Atalaya's cove has drawn the fearsome carcharadon heralds of Siahka ashore to the Shining Pillar. When battle commences they will come ashore in greater numbers, drawn to bloodshed like wolves on the trail of their quarry. Heedless of their survival, the heralds will patrol the lines of contact seeking out those misfortunate enough to have been laid low. Anyone set upon by one of their number can expect a [[Calls#EXECUTE|swift and brutal death]].

If the heralds are able to murder twenty or more Imperial citizens, then Siakha's thirst for death and destruction will be fixed on the locale of the Shining Pillar. This would manifest as a raging Spring regio just off the Atalayan coast, forming a roiling gyre of tempest waves, fuming spray, and a sucking maelstrom of magic that would draw nearby ships down to certain death. Merchant shipping would be forced to give the area a wide berth until it could be dealt with, but the immediate threat would the monstrous heralds of Spring that would sprew forth. The presence of the fane would be a dangerous new threat for the Military Council to contend with, serving as a two thousand strength [[fortification]].

===Battlefield Environment: Blood in the Air===
* '''The land near the Shining Pillar is under the effect of a powerful Spring miasma'''
* '''All characters experience a feeling of rising bloodlust'''
* '''Any character who does not resist the aura has a single use of CLEAVE with an apprporiate melee weapon whilst in the location'''

''A coppery tang fills the nose and the mouth fills slick with thick saliva; the magic of savagery, blood, and destruction pulses through the veins.''

Anyone who travels to this location will experience a strong roleplaying effect of rising violence and bloodlust, unless they:

* Expend a hero point upon entering the area
* Draw on the spiritual strength of an anointing
* Draw on their Merrow lineage and assume a calm demeanour
* Are bonded to a magical item or have a ritual enchantment that mitigates effects like these

Whilst in the location any character can make a '''single''' [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|CLEAVE]] call with any melee weapon other than a pike without the need to expend a hero point or the need to have the [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|Cleaving Strike]] skill. This ability is lost if the character resists the roleplaying effect at any point, or upon their return to Anvil.

==Opportunities and Dangers (Conjunctions)==
There are smaller attacks from the Grendel across the Bay of Catazar. Probing attacks, with individual Grendel captains leading their fleets against specific targets in an attempt to recover what they can. Each of these fleets can potentially be claimed - if the Grendel who own them are defeated - but they will likely require extensive repair to get them to the high standard of the Empire. The civil service has agreed to an arrangement with the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate that where possible the League guild will salvage the ships of the Grendel and, in return, offer deeds to fleets to those recognised as responsible for the conjunction.

===News From the Plain (Necropolis)===
* '''A force of Grendel are seeking information on the bridge that spans the Couros'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:45 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Courage'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Ranald'', an influential Sky Mage of the Grendel, remained hidden in Necropolis as the peace treaty ran its course and the Imperial Senate [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Declare_war_on_the_Grendel|declared war]] on the Grendel. Barely escaping ahead of the purge once the espionage ring there was [[Rings_and_crowns#Eyes_of_the_Basilisk|uncovered]], they've been hiding out with a much reduced force along the banks of the river. Now, with the focus of the Highborn and the garrison of [[Necropolis#Reumah's_Rest|Reumah's Rest]] on the coast awaiting an attack from the sea, the company under ''Ranald'' are making their way through Coursmouth towards Ada's Plain.

On Ada's Plain not far from the river, and the Courspan Bridge that crosses it, stands the [[chapter]] of Ethan's Respite. The [[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Stewards_of_the_dead|stewards of the dead]] there repeatedly refused to allow the Grendel permission to visit the area over the last two years. The chapter cited tales about a secret, or a historical incident, that would allow the orcs to threaten the Courspan if they uncovered it. It's not clear if this is an item or a piece of information, but it's obvious that curiosity has gotten the better of Sky Mage Ranald.

The chapter of Ethnan's Respite have called for aid, asking that the [[Champion of Courage]], '''Thomir, Son of Astion''', take responsibility for preventing the Grendel from finding out... whatever it is they are trying to find out. Dispatching the Sky Mage and their guards before they can become a problem will likely head off future threats from the magician. There's also a chance the Champion might potentially uncover the secrets the Grendel are seeking themselves, of course. Especially if they chose to take magicians capable of using [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic divinations]] or [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic visions]] to explore the area.

===The First Ship (Redoubt)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening the Great Harbour of Elos'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 14:30 on Saturday to The Elosian Grove, Naris'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Elosian Architect'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Maistir Dorcas'' has landed their ships on the gentle coast of [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]]. The Grendel were observed by a small patrol of sentinels from the [[Redoubt#Court of the White Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]], and they are accompanied by creatures that bear all the hallmarks of being servants of the ''[[Siakha|Mother of Wrecks]]''. The Grendel left a small guard at their ships and made all haste toward Elos. It's unknown what exactly Maistir Dorcas thinks they might achieve if they are left, unchallenged, to reach the harbour. They might plan to fire the shipyard, loot the warehouses and their stockpiles of ingots and herbs, or even simply slaughter the workers on behalf of Siakha. The presence of the heralds makes those aware of them nervous, however. It's unfortunately doubtful the Court of the White Fountain can reach Elos in time to stop Dorcas doing... whatever they are planning to do.

The [[Elosian Architect]], '''Talia Seaboar''', is responsible for threats to the harbour there, and may want to gather a band of heroes to intercept the Grendel. There is another incentive, perhaps. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate - who are arguably more salvagers than they are shipwrights these days - would relish the opportunity to claim the Grendel ships refurbish them and sell them on, or rip them apart for parts. They have agreed to give the Elosian Architect the deed to ''The Impulse'', an impressive [[fleet|ship]], its fine structure [[Fleet#Upgrade|upgraded]] with five wains of [[weirwood]], to do with as they see fit. Should Maistir Dorcas be dealt with, of course.

===Behind A Lock (Sarvos)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening Glass Point Cove'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:00 on Saturday to Isle of Quiet, Uccelini'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of Glass Point Cove'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Quartermaster Ewan'' has landed their ships on one of the heavily wooded islands of [[Sarvos#Uccelini|Uccelini]]. A passing fishing boat, by chance, brought news of their presence along with a warning that they are accompanied by servants of the ''[[Siakha|Salt-born Devourer]]''. Now the quartermaster has sent a small force ahead - under the guise of a fishing boat - to the secretive [[Custodian_of_Glass_Point_Cove#Glass_Point_Cove|Glass Point Cove]]. They clearly plan to establish a presence there, perhaps as an advance guard of the Grendel forces. There is a chance to strike at the Grendel on the wooded island before they move to reinforce the vanguard - claiming the precious mana and likely doing extensive damage to the mithril netting.

There is an opportunity to benefit from the cunning of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then not only will the delicate netting be protected, but the ships they arrived on will be left abandoned. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate will waste little time in confiscating the vessels and either selling them on, or breaking them down for parts. They have offered the deed to ''Dance of Victory'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Custodian of Glass Point Cove]], '''Dalibor Marek van Temeschwar''' to do with as they will - if they deal with the threat posed by Quartermaster Ewan.

===Following the Craft (Madruga)===
* '''A force of Grendel are fleeing with an heirloom stolen from the Parador of Salt and Sand'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:30 on Saturday to Ezmara's Thicket, Lightsea'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Hakima of Salt and Sand'' is responsible for reclaiming the heirloom'''
''Nechtan'', a wealthy Sand Mage of the Grendel, has withdrawn north of Quzar in [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. The Grendel are accompanied by several heralds of ''[[Siakha|the Mother of Monsters]]'' and are waiting on their fleet to collect them with their ill-gotten gains. One of these is a valuable heirloom stolen from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]]. The item was used in teaching those who came to learn from the [[hakima]], and has come to symbolise the hope of regaining the parador and re-establishing such classes. Several of the surviving hakima, forced to flee when the parador fell, have pledged to pool their resources and support the Hakima of Salt and Sand with four mana crystals each season until the parador is regained... provided the heirloom is returned and shown to one of the Freeborn egregores.

There is an additional opportunity to benefit from the retribution of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then the fleet will be easy to overcome; something that the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate are more than willing to attempt. The Syndicate have offered the deed to ''The Blade of Freedom'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]], '''Bakar i Riqueza''' to do with as they see fit - provided the Sand Mage and their entourage is dealt with.

Template:Safety Links

2024-04-26T10:11:49Z

TomH: /* Further Reading */

==Further Reading==
*[[Characters]]
*[[Playing the game|Playing the Game]]
*[[Referee|Referees & GOD]]
*Safety
**[[Event safety]]
**[[Bow safety]]
**[[Weapon_checking#Arrows_&_Bolts|Weapon checking - arrows and bolts]]
**[[Fire performance]]
**[[Fire safety]]
*[[Conduct]]
*[[Downtime]]
[[Category:Rules]]
[[Category:Safety]]

385YE Winter Solstice winds of war

2024-04-25T16:51:09Z

TomH: /* Friday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:385YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
{{stub}}
<div style="float:left; width: 700px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Season of Fire and Salt.jpg|caption=War changes, and the warrior must change with it.|align=left|width=700}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces are engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there's more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a wind of war its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Season of Fire and Salt==
It is the season of fire, when the wind howls and the snow falls and we huddle together for warmth. It is the season of salt, when fresh food is a luxury and we discover perhaps too late whether we have set enough of the year's bounty aside to see us through to the next year. And it is the season of war. But when is it not, given the times in which we live? But for the first time in a long time, war rages not only on the borderlands, but in the heart of the Empire itself, and this Winter the fire may rage and swallow all we hold dear, and the salt flow in our tears and our rage.

The armies of [[Cold Sun]], the ''scions'' of the Day realm, continue their assault against the heart of the Empire. From Varushka to the Brass Coast, from Hahnmark to Bastion, they bring only destruction and death. Some stand against them, others are forced to flee, or fall. We record the annals of triumph and despair as a list of '''[[Things that burn|Things That Burn]]'''.

In the west Imperial soldiers and Jotun warriors dance. A complex game of strategy and positioning, manoeuvring, feint and counter-feint. Where armies clash, blood flows in a river, but until they do the tension builds and builds until – as we know, as we've seen before – it is released in a tempest of violence and sorrow. In '''[[Against the Jotun]]''' we hear stories from the lands where the sun sets, in [[Against the Jotun#Frost|frost]], in [[Against the Jotun#Fire|fire]], and in the [[Against the Jotun#Hill|shadow of the cinnabar hills]].

In the east, toward [[the Mallum]], the four armies of the Empire are in [[the Barrens]], each pursuing a different course. Where their paths weave and cross, they create ripples. They leave echoes of their passage. They buffet the people they come near, change them, sometimes profoundly. They cast a long shadow, the armies of the Empire, and sometimes it is easy to lose perspective, to lose sight of the fact that there are always at least two sides to any story. The latest chapter of the story of the Barrens is told here, in '''[[Ripples and shadows|Ripples and Shadows]]'''. ('''OOC NOTE:''' This Wind of Fortune is written from a different perspective than normal. We've also added a '''''content warning'''''. The text includes depictions of brutal violence and feelings of helplessness. The campaign summary is out-of-character and matter-of-fact and sums up the events without going into detail. It can be found [[Ripples and shadows#Game Information|here]].)

South, then, to the shores of the [[Bay of Catazar]]. What begins in a court of white granite, passes through darkness, and onto the land between the mountain and the sea. Follow the trail of the Imperial armies, down the Apulian Way, and into the [[Bay_of_Catazar#The_Broken_Shore_and_Attar|Broken Shore]]. Here we learn a little of what lies '''[[Between stone and salt|Between Stone and Salt]]'''.

And in the [[Spiral#Apulian|City of Nets]], once the armies have passed down the Apulian Way, they wait. Peace with the Grendel is ended; they know the Salt Lords will seek Retribution for the treachery of Kaliact. Will exact a price for the hubris of the League in accepting them. The garrison of Ballagruh to the north make the long trip across the wasted plains and hills, under the shadow that lies over Spiral, to reinforce the city. Their fear is fed by that thing which squats in Screed, and for many night is tossed with dark dreams of a terrible flame and an awful price extracted for their Audacity. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

Once the gates of the [[Redoubt#The_Court_of_the_White_Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]] close, and the armies are on their way to Mareave, the [[sentinel|sentinels]] resume their watch on the unceasing sea. The [[Quaymaster_of_the_Elosian_Docks#Elosian_Docks|new port]] at [[Redoubt#Naris|Elos]] has the potential to threaten the Grendel mastery of the [[Bay of Catazar]], and they must surely know of it. Though the [[Brilliant Star]] has been warped by [[Cold Sun]], the [[mithril]] can still be mined, and the rulers of the Broken Shore love mithril even more than they love salt, or coin. Sentinels from [[Redoubt#The_Walls_of_Cargo|Cargo]] have come down the river to [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]], ready to fight alongside their siblings. Together with the citadels and spires of Redoubt, they watch the horizon for signs of ships. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

There are spies in the [[Sarvos|City of Masks]], but the [[Wolves of War]] are there to root them out. A few weeks after the Autumn Equinox, the Fire of the South arrives, tired from their long march, but ready to fight to defend the city. The Grendel have never conquered the City of Masks. They may have held that old city, the Jewelled City, for a few months, but that was long ago and the past is another country. Yet everyone knows they covet it, covet its wealth, its people, its place on the Bay. Some fear a reckoning. As the League has taken a city from the Grendel, so they might take a city from the Salt Lords, so they might choose to balance their scales by taking a different city. Some point to the Asavean embassy as a sign the Grendel will not come for fear of angering their allies. Others point to the Sumaah embassy, and the recent destruction of the [[Overseer_of_the_Cavabianca_Dock#Cavabianca_Dock|Cavabianca Docks]] and are much less sure. As the Wolves hunt, and the Fire carouses, both keep one eye on the sea. The [[Sarvos#Colossus of Sarvos|Colossus]] watches with them, and so do the soldiers of [[Sarvos#Our_Lady_of_Pride|Our Lady of Pride]]. A few merchant vessels report attacks by orc pirates, a few fail to arrive at port entirely. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

[[Necropolis#Reumah's_Rest|Reumah's Rest]] watches from the cliffs, [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] against any threat to [[Necropolis]] or the [[Necropolis#The_Necropolis|Black City]]. [[Necropolis#Hedrossan|Crown's Quay]] may not match the three cities of the Bay in grandeur but it is still a major port. And the Grendel interest in the Necropolis is well known. There have been too many visitors during the uneasy peace, and while their espionage ring may have been rooted out, the fact the orcs of the Broken Shore cared enough to establish it in the first place speaks volume. They will not let the Grendel take the beaches of Necropolis, though. The chapters stand ready, and the news from [[Bastion]] where the faithful of the Empire protect the White City from the monstrous attackers fills their hearts with Pride and Courage. "How can we fail against flesh and blood, when we have such an example to inspire us?" Some secretly hope an attack ''does'' come, that they may have the chance to test their virtue against heretics and blasphemers. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

And finally the Salt Guard, and the Billowing City, the Sapphire of Madruga. [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]]. The entire Grendel armada assails [[Madruga]]. Their armies take the City of Thousand Sails, and then their [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] allies burn it to the ground. A wave of orcs sweeps across the territory, conquering and looting. As the Winter Solstice nears, the territory is lost to the Empire - although it has not been claimed by the orcs either. A sea of tears shed by the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]]. One of the greatest Imperial cities turned to ashes, little more than '''[[A beacon of smoke|A Beacon of Smoke]]'''.

===The Hunt Begins (Brocéliande)===
* '''An unknown number of knights-errant are trapped by vallornspawn in Greenweald'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:30 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Knight of the Greenwood'' is responsible for rescuing the knights-errant'''
An order of knights-errant journeyed into [[Brocéliande]] a few weeks ago. The "Emerald Dogs" had each been set a test of mettle by ''Earl Phillip Borpusip'' to recover a relic from Greenweald, and tell the tale of their journey on their return. The Emerald Dogs set off into the lush forests south of Semmerholm. A dozen knights-errant accompanied by several other yeofolk, all of them seemed certain they would return having committed numerous glorious deeds worthy of being memorialized by the troubadours. They had studied and prepared as much as they could, and were sure they would achieve their task - spending no more than a week in the ancestral homeland of the Navarr.

Just two days before the summit one of the yeofolk, ''Billimund Skinner'', was found by a number of foresters. Billimund Skinner was covered in blood and days-old injuries; [[Vallornspawn_husk#Green_Lung|green lung]] had clearly taken its toll. The yeofolk explained how they had overreached in their haste to claim relics; how they had been cut off and forced to abandon their supplies, and everything had gone downhill from there. Billimund had been lucky - given the circumstances - and managed to slip away north. But the others might still be out there, and they will need rescuing.

According to the [[Dawn_egregore|Knight of Roses]] at least one of the Emerald Dogs is still alive and fighting in Greenweald. Given that this involves supporting the action of a knightly order against the vallorn it falls to the [[Knight of the Greenwood]], '''Percival Summerstrong''' to gather a group able to rescue as many of the knights-errant as possible.

===Nightmares Walking (Therunin)===
* '''A horde of vallornspawn are massing around the Circle of Rot in Sweetglades'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 19:00 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This part of the skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Spear of the Seven'' is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn'''
Last season the trods of [[Therunin]] were [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Therunin|severely damaged]] by the ''scions'' of Cold Sun. The stridings that have passed through the territory have stayed vigilant for any opportunity, any Spring regio that could allow a performance of [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]. A regio has been found deep in the forests of [[Therunin#Sweetglades|Sweetglades]], a potent regio tied to the realm of Spring that is aligned to the [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]] resonance: the ''Circle of Rot''. While it's potent enough to meet the requirements of [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn]], it doesn't enhance the ability of Spring ritualists to actually perform the ritual. More pressingly, there is an unfortunate horde of vallornspawn massed around the regio. Any attempt to send a coven there alone would surely be tantamount to sending some of the finest Spring ritualists of the [[Imperial_history#Resurgence|resurgence]] on a suicide mission.

But if a more martial force could go in first and force the vallornspawn to pay attention - to distract them long enough that the ritualists could move in after them and perform the ritual in "relative" safety, that would be a stroke of luck. The [[Sentinel Gate]] does not function on luck, but it is governed by fate. And fate is sometimes kind.

The [[Spear of the Seven]], '''Corwyn Heartsbane''', is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn long enough for the ritualists to perform the ritual. This is likely to be incredibly dangerous: the area is deep within the miasma and the vallornspawn are relatively untouched.

====Healing====
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 19:05 on Friday to TBC
* '''This part of the skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|combat possible]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Archmage of Spring'' is responsible for arranging a coven to cast The Dance of Navarr and Thorn'''
Given that this is clearly an example of employing the power of the Spring realm to the advantage of Imperial citizens it is the responsibility of the [[Archmage of Spring]], '''Ibiss Briarheart''', to organise the coven who will go through the Sentinel Gate to perform the ritual while the other heroes keep the vallornspawn occupied.

<box><big>'''[[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|Vallorn miasma]]'''</big><br>
* '''''The Hunt Begins'', ''Nightmares Walking'', and ''Healing'' all take place within vallorn miasma'''
* '''Anyone in vallorn miasma is affected by [[Calls#VENOM|VENOM]] unless they are bonded to an [[Abraxus Stone]] or are under the effect of [[Vitality of Rushing Water]]
* '''Anyone affected by the VENOM from the vallorn miasma will eventually begin to suffer from symptoms of nausea or mild feverishness
The short length of these conjunctions means that in this instance there is no chance of anyone developing [[Vallornspawn_husk#Green_Lung|green lung]]</box>

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Location</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Opportunity</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Opposition</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Day</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Learn More</td>
<tr><td>[[Madruga]]</td><td>Intercede at the Lyceum</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[A_beacon_of_smoke#Intercede_at_the_Lyceum_(Battle)|A beacon of smoke]]</td>
<tr><td>[[Madruga]]</td><td>Prevent the destruction of the Shining Pillar</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|A beacon of smoke]]</td>
<tr><td>[[Mareave]]</td><td>Influence the complex politics in Mareave</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Between_stone_and_salt#Politics_of_Mareave_(Battle)|Between stone and salt]]</td>
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 19
|-
| Dawn || 48
|-
| Highguard || 21
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 20
|-
| Marches || 25
|-
| Navarr || 51
|-
| Urizen || 15
|-
| Varushka || 14
|-
| Wintermark || 57
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least 134 and at most 141 force weight sent on it.

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Greenweald, Crangton Copse || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[#The Hunt Begins (Brocéliande)|Rescue the knights-errant]]
|-
| 18:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Coursmouth, Hedra's Meadow || [[Champion of Courage]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#News_From_the_Plain_(Necropolis)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 19:00 || 65 || 25 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Circle of Rot || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[#Nightmares Walking (Therunin)|Distract the vallornspawn]]
|-
| 19:05 || 25 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Circle of Rot || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[#Healing|Perform the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]
|-
| 19:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Siroc Plains, Plains of the Tavin || [[Ambassador to Otkodov]] || [[Fading_like_a_Flower#Eyes_of_the_Dragon_(Conjunction)|Rescue the captives]]
|-
| 20:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kahraman, Gambit, Path of Idina || [[Azure Sutannir]] || [[Against_the_Jotun#The_Falcon_(Kahraman)|Rescue Erdene Bataguin]]
|-
| 21:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skallahn, Iron Stand, Hralfstor's Orchard || [[Imperial Seer]] || [[Against_the_Jotun#Wolf Dreams (Skallahn)|Stop the Jarl of Greenwall]]
|-
| 21:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, Liaven's Glen, Bawn of Daffyd || [[Imperial Advisor for the Feni]] || [[Against_the_Jotun#Threads in the Pattern (Liathaven)|Stop the Jotun]]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Naris, The Elosian Grove || [[Elosian Architect]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#The First Ship (Redoubt)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 15:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarvos, Uccelini, Isle of Quiet || [[Custodian of Glass Point Cove]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Behind A Lock (Sarvos)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 15:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Lightsea, Ezmara's Thicket || [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Following the Craft (Madruga)|Reclaim the heirloom]]
|-
| 17:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hahnmark, Kronemark, Dun's Hurst || [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]] || [[Things_that_burn#The_Hammer_(Hahnmark)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 17:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Upwold, The Heath, Sammy's Paling || [[Sutton Stone Quarries|Custodian of Sutton Stone Quarries]] || [[Things_that_burn#Into the Stone (Upwold)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 18:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Astolat, Groveyard, Coppice of Roses || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Autumn]] || [[Things_that_burn#Visitations (Astolat)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 20:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Road to Masi || [[Woundbinder of the Mark]] || [[Things_that_burn#A Hero in the Night (Kallavesa)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 20:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Miaren, Goldglades, Golden Meadow || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Things_that_burn#The Bite of the Thorns (Miaren)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 21:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bastion, Sybella Cross, Tamar's Stand || [[Champion of Loyalty]] || [[Things_that_burn#Scouting and Discoveries (Bastion)|Reclaim (or destroy) Oath-heart]]
|-
| 23:00 || 50 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Miekarova, Perumaki, Wilkza|| Senator for [[Miekarova]] || [[All_my_magic_friends#Accursed_Coronation_Celebration|Return the villagers to their barrow]]
|}

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Winter Solstice.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Upwold]] or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:''' Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
* '''The Marches:''' Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:''' Marcher armies fighting in Upwold, Mitwold, or Mournwold each receive an additional 1000 strength. The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in Bregasland. This lasts until the start of the Winter Solstice 385YE, or until they leave Bregasland in the case of the Strong Reeds. [[At_the_dog_and_eel_show#Beat_the_Bounds|link]].
* '''Varushka:''' Varushkan armies involved in the same campaign as an army from the Brass Coast or Wintermark generate 10% fewer victory points. If armies from both nations are present, the reduction is increased to 20%. [[Our_choice#Prepare_for_Difficult_Choices|Link]].
* '''Varushka:''' Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]
*'''Zenith:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
*'''Morrow:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]

385YE Winter Solstice winds of war

2024-04-25T16:50:22Z

TomH: /* Saturday */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:385YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
{{stub}}
<div style="float:left; width: 700px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Season of Fire and Salt.jpg|caption=War changes, and the warrior must change with it.|align=left|width=700}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces are engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there's more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a wind of war its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

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

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==Season of Fire and Salt==
It is the season of fire, when the wind howls and the snow falls and we huddle together for warmth. It is the season of salt, when fresh food is a luxury and we discover perhaps too late whether we have set enough of the year's bounty aside to see us through to the next year. And it is the season of war. But when is it not, given the times in which we live? But for the first time in a long time, war rages not only on the borderlands, but in the heart of the Empire itself, and this Winter the fire may rage and swallow all we hold dear, and the salt flow in our tears and our rage.

The armies of [[Cold Sun]], the ''scions'' of the Day realm, continue their assault against the heart of the Empire. From Varushka to the Brass Coast, from Hahnmark to Bastion, they bring only destruction and death. Some stand against them, others are forced to flee, or fall. We record the annals of triumph and despair as a list of '''[[Things that burn|Things That Burn]]'''.

In the west Imperial soldiers and Jotun warriors dance. A complex game of strategy and positioning, manoeuvring, feint and counter-feint. Where armies clash, blood flows in a river, but until they do the tension builds and builds until – as we know, as we've seen before – it is released in a tempest of violence and sorrow. In '''[[Against the Jotun]]''' we hear stories from the lands where the sun sets, in [[Against the Jotun#Frost|frost]], in [[Against the Jotun#Fire|fire]], and in the [[Against the Jotun#Hill|shadow of the cinnabar hills]].

In the east, toward [[the Mallum]], the four armies of the Empire are in [[the Barrens]], each pursuing a different course. Where their paths weave and cross, they create ripples. They leave echoes of their passage. They buffet the people they come near, change them, sometimes profoundly. They cast a long shadow, the armies of the Empire, and sometimes it is easy to lose perspective, to lose sight of the fact that there are always at least two sides to any story. The latest chapter of the story of the Barrens is told here, in '''[[Ripples and shadows|Ripples and Shadows]]'''. ('''OOC NOTE:''' This Wind of Fortune is written from a different perspective than normal. We've also added a '''''content warning'''''. The text includes depictions of brutal violence and feelings of helplessness. The campaign summary is out-of-character and matter-of-fact and sums up the events without going into detail. It can be found [[Ripples and shadows#Game Information|here]].)

South, then, to the shores of the [[Bay of Catazar]]. What begins in a court of white granite, passes through darkness, and onto the land between the mountain and the sea. Follow the trail of the Imperial armies, down the Apulian Way, and into the [[Bay_of_Catazar#The_Broken_Shore_and_Attar|Broken Shore]]. Here we learn a little of what lies '''[[Between stone and salt|Between Stone and Salt]]'''.

And in the [[Spiral#Apulian|City of Nets]], once the armies have passed down the Apulian Way, they wait. Peace with the Grendel is ended; they know the Salt Lords will seek Retribution for the treachery of Kaliact. Will exact a price for the hubris of the League in accepting them. The garrison of Ballagruh to the north make the long trip across the wasted plains and hills, under the shadow that lies over Spiral, to reinforce the city. Their fear is fed by that thing which squats in Screed, and for many night is tossed with dark dreams of a terrible flame and an awful price extracted for their Audacity. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

Once the gates of the [[Redoubt#The_Court_of_the_White_Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]] close, and the armies are on their way to Mareave, the [[sentinel|sentinels]] resume their watch on the unceasing sea. The [[Quaymaster_of_the_Elosian_Docks#Elosian_Docks|new port]] at [[Redoubt#Naris|Elos]] has the potential to threaten the Grendel mastery of the [[Bay of Catazar]], and they must surely know of it. Though the [[Brilliant Star]] has been warped by [[Cold Sun]], the [[mithril]] can still be mined, and the rulers of the Broken Shore love mithril even more than they love salt, or coin. Sentinels from [[Redoubt#The_Walls_of_Cargo|Cargo]] have come down the river to [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]], ready to fight alongside their siblings. Together with the citadels and spires of Redoubt, they watch the horizon for signs of ships. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

There are spies in the [[Sarvos|City of Masks]], but the [[Wolves of War]] are there to root them out. A few weeks after the Autumn Equinox, the Fire of the South arrives, tired from their long march, but ready to fight to defend the city. The Grendel have never conquered the City of Masks. They may have held that old city, the Jewelled City, for a few months, but that was long ago and the past is another country. Yet everyone knows they covet it, covet its wealth, its people, its place on the Bay. Some fear a reckoning. As the League has taken a city from the Grendel, so they might take a city from the Salt Lords, so they might choose to balance their scales by taking a different city. Some point to the Asavean embassy as a sign the Grendel will not come for fear of angering their allies. Others point to the Sumaah embassy, and the recent destruction of the [[Overseer_of_the_Cavabianca_Dock#Cavabianca_Dock|Cavabianca Docks]] and are much less sure. As the Wolves hunt, and the Fire carouses, both keep one eye on the sea. The [[Sarvos#Colossus of Sarvos|Colossus]] watches with them, and so do the soldiers of [[Sarvos#Our_Lady_of_Pride|Our Lady of Pride]]. A few merchant vessels report attacks by orc pirates, a few fail to arrive at port entirely. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

[[Necropolis#Reumah's_Rest|Reumah's Rest]] watches from the cliffs, [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] against any threat to [[Necropolis]] or the [[Necropolis#The_Necropolis|Black City]]. [[Necropolis#Hedrossan|Crown's Quay]] may not match the three cities of the Bay in grandeur but it is still a major port. And the Grendel interest in the Necropolis is well known. There have been too many visitors during the uneasy peace, and while their espionage ring may have been rooted out, the fact the orcs of the Broken Shore cared enough to establish it in the first place speaks volume. They will not let the Grendel take the beaches of Necropolis, though. The chapters stand ready, and the news from [[Bastion]] where the faithful of the Empire protect the White City from the monstrous attackers fills their hearts with Pride and Courage. "How can we fail against flesh and blood, when we have such an example to inspire us?" Some secretly hope an attack ''does'' come, that they may have the chance to test their virtue against heretics and blasphemers. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

And finally the Salt Guard, and the Billowing City, the Sapphire of Madruga. [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]]. The entire Grendel armada assails [[Madruga]]. Their armies take the City of Thousand Sails, and then their [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] allies burn it to the ground. A wave of orcs sweeps across the territory, conquering and looting. As the Winter Solstice nears, the territory is lost to the Empire - although it has not been claimed by the orcs either. A sea of tears shed by the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]]. One of the greatest Imperial cities turned to ashes, little more than '''[[A beacon of smoke|A Beacon of Smoke]]'''.

===The Hunt Begins (Brocéliande)===
* '''An unknown number of knights-errant are trapped by vallornspawn in Greenweald'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:30 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Knight of the Greenwood'' is responsible for rescuing the knights-errant'''
An order of knights-errant journeyed into [[Brocéliande]] a few weeks ago. The "Emerald Dogs" had each been set a test of mettle by ''Earl Phillip Borpusip'' to recover a relic from Greenweald, and tell the tale of their journey on their return. The Emerald Dogs set off into the lush forests south of Semmerholm. A dozen knights-errant accompanied by several other yeofolk, all of them seemed certain they would return having committed numerous glorious deeds worthy of being memorialized by the troubadours. They had studied and prepared as much as they could, and were sure they would achieve their task - spending no more than a week in the ancestral homeland of the Navarr.

Just two days before the summit one of the yeofolk, ''Billimund Skinner'', was found by a number of foresters. Billimund Skinner was covered in blood and days-old injuries; [[Vallornspawn_husk#Green_Lung|green lung]] had clearly taken its toll. The yeofolk explained how they had overreached in their haste to claim relics; how they had been cut off and forced to abandon their supplies, and everything had gone downhill from there. Billimund had been lucky - given the circumstances - and managed to slip away north. But the others might still be out there, and they will need rescuing.

According to the [[Dawn_egregore|Knight of Roses]] at least one of the Emerald Dogs is still alive and fighting in Greenweald. Given that this involves supporting the action of a knightly order against the vallorn it falls to the [[Knight of the Greenwood]], '''Percival Summerstrong''' to gather a group able to rescue as many of the knights-errant as possible.

===Nightmares Walking (Therunin)===
* '''A horde of vallornspawn are massing around the Circle of Rot in Sweetglades'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 19:00 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This part of the skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Spear of the Seven'' is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn'''
Last season the trods of [[Therunin]] were [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Therunin|severely damaged]] by the ''scions'' of Cold Sun. The stridings that have passed through the territory have stayed vigilant for any opportunity, any Spring regio that could allow a performance of [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]. A regio has been found deep in the forests of [[Therunin#Sweetglades|Sweetglades]], a potent regio tied to the realm of Spring that is aligned to the [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]] resonance: the ''Circle of Rot''. While it's potent enough to meet the requirements of [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn]], it doesn't enhance the ability of Spring ritualists to actually perform the ritual. More pressingly, there is an unfortunate horde of vallornspawn massed around the regio. Any attempt to send a coven there alone would surely be tantamount to sending some of the finest Spring ritualists of the [[Imperial_history#Resurgence|resurgence]] on a suicide mission.

But if a more martial force could go in first and force the vallornspawn to pay attention - to distract them long enough that the ritualists could move in after them and perform the ritual in "relative" safety, that would be a stroke of luck. The [[Sentinel Gate]] does not function on luck, but it is governed by fate. And fate is sometimes kind.

The [[Spear of the Seven]], '''Corwyn Heartsbane''', is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn long enough for the ritualists to perform the ritual. This is likely to be incredibly dangerous: the area is deep within the miasma and the vallornspawn are relatively untouched.

====Healing====
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 19:05 on Friday to TBC
* '''This part of the skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|combat possible]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Archmage of Spring'' is responsible for arranging a coven to cast The Dance of Navarr and Thorn'''
Given that this is clearly an example of employing the power of the Spring realm to the advantage of Imperial citizens it is the responsibility of the [[Archmage of Spring]], '''Ibiss Briarheart''', to organise the coven who will go through the Sentinel Gate to perform the ritual while the other heroes keep the vallornspawn occupied.

<box><big>'''[[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|Vallorn miasma]]'''</big><br>
* '''''The Hunt Begins'', ''Nightmares Walking'', and ''Healing'' all take place within vallorn miasma'''
* '''Anyone in vallorn miasma is affected by [[Calls#VENOM|VENOM]] unless they are bonded to an [[Abraxus Stone]] or are under the effect of [[Vitality of Rushing Water]]
* '''Anyone affected by the VENOM from the vallorn miasma will eventually begin to suffer from symptoms of nausea or mild feverishness
The short length of these conjunctions means that in this instance there is no chance of anyone developing [[Vallornspawn_husk#Green_Lung|green lung]]</box>

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

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Location</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Opportunity</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Opposition</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Day</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Learn More</td>
<tr><td>[[Madruga]]</td><td>Intercede at the Lyceum</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[A_beacon_of_smoke#Intercede_at_the_Lyceum_(Battle)|A beacon of smoke]]</td>
<tr><td>[[Madruga]]</td><td>Prevent the destruction of the Shining Pillar</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|A beacon of smoke]]</td>
<tr><td>[[Mareave]]</td><td>Influence the complex politics in Mareave</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Between_stone_and_salt#Politics_of_Mareave_(Battle)|Between stone and salt]]</td>
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 19
|-
| Dawn || 48
|-
| Highguard || 21
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 20
|-
| Marches || 25
|-
| Navarr || 51
|-
| Urizen || 15
|-
| Varushka || 14
|-
| Wintermark || 57
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least 134 and at most 141 force weight sent on it.

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

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

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

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

===Friday===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Greenweald, Crangton Copse || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[#The Hunt Begins (Brocéliande)|Rescue the knights-errant]]
|-
| 18:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Coursmouth, Hedra's Meadow || [[Champion of Courage]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#News_From_the_Plain_(Necropolis)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 19:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Circle of Rot || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[#Nightmares Walking (Therunin)|Distract the vallornspawn]]
|-
| 19:05 || 25 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Circle of Rot || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[#Healing|Perform the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]
|-
| 19:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Siroc Plains, Plains of the Tavin || [[Ambassador to Otkodov]] || [[Fading_like_a_Flower#Eyes_of_the_Dragon_(Conjunction)|Rescue the captives]]
|-
| 20:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kahraman, Gambit, Path of Idina || [[Azure Sutannir]] || [[Against_the_Jotun#The_Falcon_(Kahraman)|Rescue Erdene Bataguin]]
|-
| 21:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skallahn, Iron Stand, Hralfstor's Orchard || [[Imperial Seer]] || [[Against_the_Jotun#Wolf Dreams (Skallahn)|Stop the Jarl of Greenwall]]
|-
| 21:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, Liaven's Glen, Bawn of Daffyd || [[Imperial Advisor for the Feni]] || [[Against_the_Jotun#Threads in the Pattern (Liathaven)|Stop the Jotun]]
|-
|}

===Saturday===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Naris, The Elosian Grove || [[Elosian Architect]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#The First Ship (Redoubt)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 15:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarvos, Uccelini, Isle of Quiet || [[Custodian of Glass Point Cove]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Behind A Lock (Sarvos)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 15:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Lightsea, Ezmara's Thicket || [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Following the Craft (Madruga)|Reclaim the heirloom]]
|-
| 17:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hahnmark, Kronemark, Dun's Hurst || [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]] || [[Things_that_burn#The_Hammer_(Hahnmark)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 17:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Upwold, The Heath, Sammy's Paling || [[Sutton Stone Quarries|Custodian of Sutton Stone Quarries]] || [[Things_that_burn#Into the Stone (Upwold)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 18:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Astolat, Groveyard, Coppice of Roses || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Autumn]] || [[Things_that_burn#Visitations (Astolat)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 20:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Road to Masi || [[Woundbinder of the Mark]] || [[Things_that_burn#A Hero in the Night (Kallavesa)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 20:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Miaren, Goldglades, Golden Meadow || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Things_that_burn#The Bite of the Thorns (Miaren)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 21:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bastion, Sybella Cross, Tamar's Stand || [[Champion of Loyalty]] || [[Things_that_burn#Scouting and Discoveries (Bastion)|Reclaim (or destroy) Oath-heart]]
|-
| 23:00 || 50 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]] || Miekarova, Perumaki, Wilkza|| Senator for [[Miekarova]] || [[All_my_magic_friends#Accursed_Coronation_Celebration|Return the villagers to their barrow]]
|}

==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Winter Solstice.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Upwold]] or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Dawn:''' Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
* '''The Marches:''' Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:''' Marcher armies fighting in Upwold, Mitwold, or Mournwold each receive an additional 1000 strength. The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in Bregasland. This lasts until the start of the Winter Solstice 385YE, or until they leave Bregasland in the case of the Strong Reeds. [[At_the_dog_and_eel_show#Beat_the_Bounds|link]].
* '''Varushka:''' Varushkan armies involved in the same campaign as an army from the Brass Coast or Wintermark generate 10% fewer victory points. If armies from both nations are present, the reduction is increased to 20%. [[Our_choice#Prepare_for_Difficult_Choices|Link]].
* '''Varushka:''' Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]
*'''Zenith:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
*'''Morrow:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]

Fading like a Flower

2024-04-25T16:28:53Z

TomH: /* Eyes of the Dragon (Conjunction) */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:385YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>Lucia's brow was furrowed in deep concentration. She stood on the rise of the bridge's arc, carefully aiming a stone in a sling. At the other end of the bridge, a cloud overhead drew a veil of mist across the old timbers. Beyond it, a few hundred strides away, she could see the figures clad in darkness. The child stuck out her tongue, tensed, and let fly her sling. The stone arced through the air, far and true, and struck one of them clear on the shoulder. It shuffled backwards, but even as it moved another took its place. At their head, the silent figure in bleach bone robes turned its head towards the child. It wasn't clear if, through the mist, they could make her out.

"Whatcha doing?" Her sibling had come up behind her while she was concentrating on her shot. Azul was a summer or two her elder and they never let her forget it. "I told you, Lucia, slings ain't good for nothing against any foe worth a damn. But that were a good shot though. You oughta take up the bow when you're old enough. Good eye."

This meant a lot coming from Azul, who despite their young years was already highly proficient in such matters. They looked out, following her gaze at the figures beyond. "You scared?"

She shook her head. "I ain't. Mum says they can't walk through the rain, anyways. And they're just..." She made a motion with her hands, scowling with her face. Azul understood her gesture: Hand-Sign - their uncle's first language, which they both had a little of - for dust. "They look like people, but they ain't, so why should I be scared of 'em?"

They both knew why. Uncle Martí hadn't made it out of Madruga when they'd fled their farm. But she had defiance in her voice: defiance of all the misfortunes that had come to them, to their family, to their people.

"I'm scared of them." Azul said this in almost a whisper. "I don't wanna go like that, all..." They shook their head. "They say the rains'll stop, Lucia. Then what? You gonna stand on this bridge and pagga 'em with stones?" She shook her head.

"No. But we'll do summat, no? This ain't - this ain't the end, sib. They keep sayin' it, don't they, the drunks and the - the soldiers who came back from the west, I hear 'em talking when they're travelling through. But it ''ain't''. Don't matter what gets burned or whatever, or gets -" They both thought of what had happened to Uncle Martí. They didn't say it. "I ain't stopping burning, Azul. Flame says I can take my test soon, and swear to the Coast. Says I'm nearly old enough. So..." Her voice was a mess of emotions, grief and anger shot through with that streak of fierce defiance once again.

Azul touched their sister's shoulder. "Just... be careful. An' be ready to move, fast, if the rains stop. I'm going to see about feeding the oxen. Your turn to clean 'em out tonight, yeah?" She nodded. Her sibling left, glancing behind them. They saw their sister bend down, and pick up another stone. Her hands, slightly shaking, fell still as she took her aim.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Blightheart.jpg|align=left|caption=Inside Blightheart, nothing lives. Beyond its borders, there is still water - for now.|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
Madruga is no longer Imperial, the cruel flames of the [[Grendel]] raiders and their [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] allies [[A beacon of smoke|licking the southern coast]]. The invasion alone would have been enough to cause this - but as the Winter Solstice closes in, the [[Colourblind|terrible blight]] completes its consumption of the [[Madruga#Great Grasses|Great Grasses]] causing the region to finally slip from [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] control.

This is only the latest development in a threat that has been brewing for a year now, and it seems that a bad situation can always be worse. Early assessments believed the blight could expand to consume the whole of Madruga, but since Summer the situation has changed. And not necessarily for the better...

==The Dead Zone==
* '''The Great Grasses are no longer under Imperial control'''
* '''No campaign army can conquer the Great Grasses while they are blighted'''
* '''Many are now referring to the region as ''Blightheart'''''
In happier times, the Great Grasses were a seemingly endless sea of green. The nomads of the emerald expanse would bring their herds down the winding tracks, down to the canvas sea of [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]] and its surrounds, to the sapphire surf of the [[Bay of Catazar]] beyond. No more. The nomads fled months ago, from the blight at the heart of their lands. Even Siroc is gone, burned by the Grendel and their vengeful allies.

As Winter draws in the last blades of green grass die, and the emerald sea is no more. Folks have taken to calling the Great Grasses ''Blightheart''. What is in Blightheart is not a desert - for a desert is a natural thing of the world, with a life of its own. This blight is different. Nothing lives here. The dust of dead plant matter blows across salt hills that once shone like jade. The bodies of sheep, and oxen, left behind months ago as their owners fled, lie where they fell, drained of all moisture and so unable to decay. The region once known as the Great Grasses has gained the ''blighted'' quality and it is not yet clear how it can ever truly be restored.

For the past year the rest of Madruga has enjoyed the [[Regrow the Land's Heart|soft rains of Spring]], nurturing new life and healing hearts. Yet the enchantment that brings that blessed relief begins to fade as the Winter Solstice nears. What protection it offered is failing and with Madruga severed from the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio|Imperial regio]] it's uncertain whether it can be restored.

Blightheart itself saw limited benefits from the [[Spring magic]]. The repeated rituals slowed the spread of the curse and kept it contained within the borders of the Blightheart. But now, whatever change it has wrought is complete. The Empire no longer controls the region - indeed, it is not clear that ''anyone'' could control it. An [[Imperial army|army]] could move through the region, if it had to albeit at the cost of many lives - but it is impossible to hold in any meaningful way while it remains ''blighted''.

==The Waste Lands==
* '''There have been sightings of Dry Patricians on the border of neighbouring territories'''
* '''Dry Patricians and Parched are gathering in Blightheart along the borders with Segura and Kahraman'''
* '''Each cadre centres around a figure in white robes with a rune on their forehead'''
That is not to say that the blight is truly abandoned. The lords of the blight - the so-called "Dry Patricians" - remain. Evidence suggest that a number of those that died within the blighted lands have [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#Not_A_Drop_To_Drink|completed their transformation]]. They rose first as ''Parched Ones'' and now possess the aspect of the Patricians. This is only one element that suggests a possible connection to [[Highguard]] and its history. The di Tutamen, the Freeborn family who seem to have been at the root of the problem have a historical connection with the Highborn in Casinea that has yet to be properly untangled.

There is worse news. At the Summer Solstice, four Dry Patricians made their way to the heart of the blighted land, where a powerful Winter [[regio]] has formed. What happened there is unknown. While Imperial heroes got the closest anyone has come to slaying one of the beings, they had to make their retreat before they completed their task. Now, as Winter nears, something new is revealed.

It is on the border with [[Segura]] along the edges of the [[Segura#Sobral Grasses| Sobral Grasses]] that they are first seen, at sunset, by a nomad's daughter who quickly recognises the foe she fled half a year before. An array of Dry Patricians and Parched, several dozen in number, gathering along the border with the blighted grasses. At their head, something not seen before.

The Dry Patricians, in general, get their name from the fact that the first of their number were dressed in clothes reminiscent more of the Highborn than the Freeborn, but bleached of all hue, a mess of monochrome black and ashen grey. Those that have transformed since have also lost any trace of their Freeborn origins, their clothes gaining the same mess of tattered greys. The one that leads the crowd who now wait at Segura's edge is different. Its robes are heavy and bleached-bone-white alone, and on its forehead is inscribed the rune [[Yoorn]]. A rune that glitters slightly, with a light of its own.

It is not long before word spreads that a similar crowd has been spotted across the bridge west of [[Segura#Lucksprings|Cerevado]] near. This gathering is not quite identical. The bleached-robed figure that leads this crowd has the [[Naeve|Rune of Hunger]], not the Rune of Ending, inscribed upon its brow.

That's two: a third congregation of the blightbound is seen south of [[Kahraman#Jade Range|Nestor's Bounty]] in [[Kahraman]]. The same arrangement - a cadre of Patricians and Parched, and at their head a third figure in heavy, bone-pale robes. On its forehead, the [[Irremais|Rune of Wisdom]].

These three forces of terrible dry terror are still in Madruga, still in the Grasses. The last rains of Spring magic fall like a mist along the Scorrero: a soft wall they seem unable – or unwilling - to pierce.

It does not escape the attention of observers of the blight that ''four'' patricians were seen in Summer moving to the heart of the blight - now three have emerged, transformed, transcending their previous state. Which raises questions: where is the fourth? But perhaps more pressingly, what is the nature of these beings, these harbingers?

==Bag of Bones==
* '''The blight seems near-certain to spread in some form; if not immediately then soon'''
* '''The impact of the Harbingers walking forth is not clear.'''
Time seems to be running short. With Madruga out of the [[Ritual_theory#The_Law_of_Dominion|dominion]] of the Empire, Imperial forces would need to find a way to visit a strong Spring regio during the Solstice and cast the ritual once more. No suitable conjunctions have been identified on the [[Sentinel Gate]], and the Freeborn in Madruga have too many problems of their own to be able to find a suitable regio, protect it, and work the ritual themselves.

It was previously thought that, when the rains stopped, the blight would burst forth like a flood. Following the Summer Solstice, the situation seems to have changed. There's no indication the blight is going to spread by itself; rather this gathering of forces along the border seems to strongly suggest that when the gentle rains stop, the Harbingers of the Blight will walk forth - and it seems likely the blight will follow.

While it seems clear that the doom that fell on western Madruga will almost certainly not remain there, it's not clear how to stop it. Prior efforts to [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#A_Scorched_Field_(Conjunction)|send magicians learned in diverse magical traditions into the grasses]] to gain insight came to nothing. It took time for what began as a minor drought to consume the whole of the Great Grasses - will the same happen if the process begins anew elsewhere? Nobody seems to know.

==Authority==
* '''There may be ways for the Conclave, Senate, Synod, and Military Council to intervene here.'''
While there are no immediate solutions to the threat in the south-west, each body of state certainly has options at its disposal.
===The Conclave===
* '''There are Declarations of Concord that the Conclave could choose to perform in order to intervene.'''
* '''In particular, the Grandmasters of the Rod and Shield, Celestial Arch, or Unfettered Mind have particular opportunities to request the intercession of their orders.'''
The [[Imperial Conclave|Conclave]] sent the [[Silver Chalice]] to observe and assist at the start of the year, and that certainly gave important information how the Dry Patricians might be fought, and the effects of the blight be mitigated. Sadly, this information has proven difficult to put into practice. [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]] provided some aid, but since then neither he nor any other eternal has offered any assistance. Fortunately, there are a number of things the Conclave and those appointed by it could still try.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderCelestialArch.jpg|title=Order of the Celestial Arch|align=right|width=200}}</div>
====Arch of Hands====
One option might be for the [[Celestial Arch]] to intervene. That particular order is known to have contacts in many diverse places, and if the [[Grandmaster]] raised a Declaration committing their order to seeking allies, and the Conclave concurred, it might be able to find help outside the Empire's borders. The question however is ''where'' to seek aid. Some of the Celestial Arch have allies among the eternals who might be approached to offer their aid (and name their price for that aid). Alternatively, they might explicitly seek aid from foreign powers. They would need to be specific about this as well, naming the realms or nations that the Conclave feels it can trust not to take advantage of the situation. One of the [[Thule]] Dragons has already unofficially offered aid (apparently) but there may be others in Otkodov who might have advice or assistance. The magicians of the Conclave, Sumaah, Axos, or Faraden might have insights of their own given their different approaches to magic. The magician-princes of Jarm would certainly have something to offer, but they are by no means friendly to the Empire. And again runs the risk of making the Empire look weak.

The Grandmaster can only effectively urge their order to undertake one task at a time; they could specify which eternals they might entreat or which foreign nations they might approach but if they wanted aid from both eternals and foreign magicians they would need to raise the declarations at different summits, should they even be inclined to do so. Such a move might be seen as a blow to the [[Pride]] of the Conclave, to admit that they ''need'' the assistance of the Realms in this manner. Others say it is a pragmatic application of [[Wisdom]]: the Conclave is simply admitting it does not know the answer to the problem before it. To press ahead, lacking this, would be folly. A particularly cynical Autumn master from the Marches suggests that the Grandmaster would need to word its declaration very carefully because "''a rumbling stomach pays double for a leg of mutton.''"

Obviously, the [[Archmage|Archmages]] could be encouraged to seek aid from specific eternals via [[Archmage#plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]]. Some eternals are likely to be more helpful on the matter of the blight than others, especially those of Spring or Winter perhaps, but without knowing more about its nature its tricky to be sure ''which'' eternals might help. This would have the advantage that a request for aid would avoid the risk of the Conclave looking desperate. Likewise there is nothing to stop the Empire's [[Ambassador|Ambassadors]] inquiring discreetly of foreign powers, but this goes through official channels, rather than the informal links of professional friendship that the Celestial Arch can leverage.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderUnfetteredMind.jpg|title=Order of the Unfettered Mind|align=right|width=200}}</div>
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderRodAndShield.jpg|title=Order of the Rod and Shield|align=right|width=200}}</div>

====Scrolls and Shields====
Much of the nature of the blight - its origins, its nature, and so forth - are still unknown. Following the death of [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#A_Scorched_Field_(Conjunction)|Frostbiter Grik]] during a [[Sentinel Gate#Conjunction|conjunction]] visiting the blight, the Empire's magicians have given it a wide berth. There has been some discussion and some theorising, but with the Harbingers on the borders, the time for idle speculation may have passed.

The [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#A_Scorched_Field_(Conjunction)|arcane researchers]] ''Barti Dourfen'' and ''Merry Songbirds Passing'' are still keen to learn more about the blight, but with the fate of their orc colleague they are much less enthused about a short, dangerous visit via the [[Sentinel Gate]]. But it can't be denied that of all the Conclave orders the [[Unfettered Mind]] contains many of the people best positioned to work out what is going on and perhaps present magical solutions. The [[Grandmaster]] could make a suitably worded declaration in Conclave, and urge any willing and able to do so to travel to the Brass Coast to explore the borders and perhaps even attempt some careful penetration of the blight.

Unfortunately, the Coast is currently in dire straits. Between the Grendel, the Jotun, and Cold Sun there are threats in every territory. The Unfettered Mind are excellent arcane theorists but their strengths are not in fighting. It may well be dangerous for unworldly scholars to descend on a chaotic warzone, even before the threat of the Dry Patricians themselves are taken into account.

If the Unfettered Minds are theorists, the [[Rod and Shield]] are eminently practical in the application of magical power. The Grandmaster of ''their'' order could call on their members to help protect and support the Unfettered Mind in an investigation of the blight. They're also, incidentally, the order best placed to explore various ways of combating the Parched and the Dry Patricians directly.

Either - or ideally both - may be urged to visit the Brass Coast. Provided the Conclave agreed, this would lead to opportunities and information at the Spring Equinox (assuming it was done during the Winter Solstice). If only the Unfettered Mind are sent, they're likely to uncover some of the secrets of the blight but risk being killed or overwhelmed by one or more of the threats in the area - potentially meaning their discoveries will be lost. If only the Rod and Shield are sent they'll focus on testing the borders of the blight and seeing if they can find ways to fight the denizens, but are unlikely to find out anything useful about the blight itself. If ''both'' orders are asked to intercede, they would enhance each others' strengths and cover each others' weaknesses, leading to wider understanding and more impactful [[opportunity|opportunities]] than if only one is rallied.

===The Senate===
* '''An appraisal by the Imperial Senate would present opportunities related to the Blight'''.
* '''Historial Research would put on the public record the details of the history of this situation.'''
The Imperial Senate has the power to [[appraisal|appraise problems]] and threats to the Empire. The [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|Prognosticator's Office]] has a number of agents that could be instructed to look into the Blight. Which civil servant was sent would determine what kind of results the appraisal might have.
* '''Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra''' is Freeborn, known for her unusual techniques and novel approaches to any problem. She is also a skilled night mage who values imagination over industry in those who work for her. Unfortunately, she will be working in the dark – there's just not enough known about the blight. It's likely any plan she comes up with will focus on containment, and unlikely to be very cheap even by her standards.
* '''Naomi of Virtue's Rest''' – Several groups outside the Brass Coast seem to have interest in or connection to the Blight. The Highborn have some connection to these events, and the Thule have certainly indicated an interest. There might also be merit to communication with the Sarcophan Delves, whose magicians are said to be skilled at dealing with curses of all sorts. Finally Naomi might be in a position to speak to the mortal friends of [[eternal|eternals]] who might be able to provide insight into the problem. She is likely to focus on a solution to the threat of the spreading blight, first and foremost, rather than addressing the area already blighted. If the Conclave chooses to seek assistance from eternals or foreign powers, she will attempt to to synergise with the efforts of Imperial magicians to act on its instructions: the response to the appraisal and the Conclave's call will be combined.
* '''Lutomysla Niegoslava''' is an experienced [[cabalists|cabalist]] from [[Karov]] who sees magic as the most effective tool to address complex situations. If the Senate instructs Lutomysla to carry out the appraisal she will focus on finding a magical solution to the threat of the blight, and is likely to present these solutions without consideration for costs the Senate might find palatable, or ethical. She has already made some mutterings about the untapped potential of nearby Ghita's Veils to this end.
* '''Eilian Sweetwater of Storm's Run Striding''' is a [[384YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Retrain_Researchers|former]] member of the [[Historical research#Department of Historical Research|Department of Historical Research]]. He heads up a small cadre of other former researchers and maintains excellent relations with the remaining researchers at the Department, and with the Imperial Archivist. If he is assigned, his appraisal will focus on exploring the historical roots of the problem, with particular reference to who the Aldea di Tutamen actually were. His efforts are most likely to uncover any historical secrets relating to the issue, but if this turns out this is a truly novel problem then it is possible the answers he provides could be the least useful in practical terms here and now. Still, because it will be an appraisal and not a research affair first and foremost, practical routes of some kind will certainly arise from his investigation.

It's impossible to predict what an appraisal might provide, but it will surely deliver ''something''.

Another option, as highlighted by Elian Sweetwater, is that the Senate or the [[Minister of Historical Research]] could investigate the history of the Tutamen, and their links to Highguard, and to Syrene's Wisdom which rumour suggests has something to do with the whole affair. This is unlikely to present any proposals to ''solve'' the problem but might help to provide information about what is causing it.

{{SOP|statement=A patrician walks Casinea, and the "Endless Thirst" lives within him. The danger without has come to the heart of the Empire to sink its teeth in and drain us of our life. This will not happen. Our vigilant citizens will offer the patrician no shelter, no food, no water. Out vigilant citizens will watch over their siblings for signs of the endless thirst. I do not urge our citizens to do this. I inform the Synod that with the guidance of our Vigilant priests, that <u>they will</u> because <u>they must</u> remember Ravadi Founders' Dance!|by=Ira, Assembly of Vigilance,|vote=Greater Majority 170-0|when=Autumn Equinox 385YE}}

===The Synod===
* '''The Synod could increase the volume of its pronouncements on the matter.'''
During the Summer Solstice a band of Imperial heroes [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#An_Emerald_Tomb_(Conjunction)|brought a survivor back]] from the blight. At the Autumn Equinox the Vigilance Assembly warned that this survivor represented a Dry Patrician loose in [[Casinea]]. The good news is that this does not actually appear to be the case. While there is an individual in Casinea around which unsavoury rumours have spread, everyone agrees that he appears to be wholly human - albeit afflicted with some manner of [[curse]]. However, everyone who has died outside the Blight, even if afflicted with the Thirst of the Patricians, has remained dead. Whatever threat this individual might pose, they do not seem to be bringing the curse of the Blight with them. Indeed, the presence of the survivor appears to have galvanized interest in Highguard - more of that [[#Four Past Midnight|in a moment]].

If the Synod is concerned with the Blight there is a clear option available to it through the Assembly of Nine. The [[Silent Bell (Sodality)|Silent Bell]] could be dispatched to investigate the situation. They would obviously investigate the Blightheart itself, but have the resources to look further afield as well, perhaps learning more about the connection between the Tutamen family of the Brass Coast and the history of Highguard.

Another possibility might be to warn people to stay away from the Blightheart, and flee the area should it be clear the threat is beginning to spread. Some have observed that the problem in the Great Grasses got worse because people remained in the area even after it was clear there was a serious problem - leaving more living souls to be claimed by the horror. A suitably worded [[Statement of Principle]] by the Freeborn Assembly, the Assembly of Vigilance, or the General Assembly, making clear that citizens should not, in their view, remain in areas affected by the blight under any circumstances, could save lives and maybe slow any advance - but at the risk of causing further disruption in Madruga, Kahraman, and Segura.

===The Military Council===
* '''The Military Council could send an army to keep a harbinger at bay.'''
Of course, there is another body of state who has an option. The Dry Patricians and the Parched do not exist in the numbers required to provide serious opposition to a military force. While it is unlikely that they would be stopped for good - after all, killing them is still a wholly theoretical prospect - they can certainly be cut down. An army spending a season performing a defensive action in a territory under the attention of the Harbingers, where they specifically name the region they are protecting in their orders, could prevent the Dry Patricians expanding into that area. The army would be unable to resupply, and would take some casualties - to say nothing of the fact that they are likely to have to split their attention between the region they guard and the other hostile forces in the territory. It would keep the Harbingers at bay, however, and, hopefully, with them, the blight.

Realistically, the Military Council already faces a dire situation, with enemies across the Empire, and this is not - yet - a situation that demands strategic-level forces. However, the armies of the Empire have the power to act with speed in a way few other parts of the Empire's state capacity do.

==Hearts in Madruga==
It is, of course, not just the bodies of state who are taking an interest in these matters. There are others coming to Anvil this summit who may have light to shed on the situation.

===Wizard and Glass===
* '''Some hakima are arriving to discuss matters at midday Saturday.'''
The [[hakima]] of the Coast are talking to each other more than ever before. Those who previously met at [[Madruga#Quzar|Quzar]], under the auspices and hospitality of the [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]], have been forced to flee - or been captured - by the Grendel invasion. But was it not for such times, when the Coast must hold together, tight to the strength of its traditions and passions, that the hakima were founded? Neither Grendel nor Patrician can keep the burning hearts of the Three Sisters down! ''Ishala i Erigo'', the hakima who proposed the building of the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] in the first place, is leading a delegation to Anvil.

There she hopes to meet with the inheritor of her dream, '''Bakar i Riqueza''', the Hakima of Salt and Sand himself, and, she hopes, with his assistance hold council at Anvil. She has asked Bakar to provide a suitable venue and to facilitate and chair the discussions; she will pay for both these services. She would ''prefer'' to avoid the involvement of family magicians, she makes this plain, but at such times, all help is ultimately welcome (though what better time for them to embrace their loyalties to their tribe, first and foremost, and join the hakima proper!) She will be arriving at TBC.

Of course, the Brass Coast is beset by much hardship - Rahab still squatting in [[Feroz]], the otherworldly forces of the [[Cold Sun]] contending in [[Segura]], and the [[Against the Jotun#Hill|Lasambrian Jotun invading Kahraman]]. She also expects the discussion to turn to that. That is fine - welcome, even. While the blight will be the starting point of her discussions, because it is obviously a magical threat, she welcomes wider discussions of the ways that the hakima can help the rest of the Coast at this time. She has also made a request to the Civil Service that they send along one of their number trained in flexible matters of state problem-solving - possibly one of the Speakers of the Senate - as they might be able to judge in principle what ideas could have merit.

===Four Past Midnight===
* '''Some magisters are arriving to discuss matters at midnight Friday.'''
The hakima are not the only Imperial magical tradition taking an interest in the situation. The [[magister|magisters]] of the [[Casinea|Wintergard chapter]] sent some of their number to Anvil previously, investigating suspicious events that had occurred in the wake of the flood at [[Syrene's Wisdom]]. They intend to send some of their number to visit Anvil during the Winter Solstice.

They would like to meet in the Highguard chapel in Anvil, at midnight on the Friday evening, to discuss the blight with responsible magisters of Highguard. They are interested to learn what their peers have uncovered regarding the connection of the blight to Syrene's Wisdom - particularly what they might have learnt from the individual saved from the blight in the summer - and to share with them what they know in turn. It is time to unveil, and share what secrets of Syrene they have; but only to people who can be trusted to do the right thing. As such they ask that ''only'' magisters attend this meeting. It is a matter of magic and spirit, not just spirit alone.

They have asked Escon to sort things out so that those that attend are suitably responsible and discreet; this will be a time for hoods to be very firmly up.
===The Outsider===
* '''A certain individual is returning to Anvil at 11:00 on Saturday.'''
On the subject of that individual the magisters refer to obliquely... exactly who they were is not well common knowledge. What ''is'' known is that a figure wearing tattered robes fled from Anvil last Summer, into the darkness. This was, it seems, the source of some rumours that one of the Dry Patricians had escaped - but of course, they cannot survive outside the blight.

Whoever this person is, rumours of them have spread across Casinea in the last six months, of an increasingly desperate figure begging for water, food, and mana crystals, in equal measure. Thanks to the warnings of the Assembly of Vigilance, they have received little assistance, though it seems some compassionate souls have aided them here and there all the same. There are dark rumours that this individual may have attacked people on the road, thirsting for their blood, but magistrates have turned up no evidence that such a crime has occurred.

It is said of late this figure has been making their way back to Anvil - well, if they do truly seek people who would freely give mana crystals as easily as water, where better? Scuttlebutt has it that they ought to arrive around 11am on Saturday. What their intent is then is not clear - though... there is ''one'' rumour that suggests that they may intend to sell their story to one of the Empire's papers. If so, perhaps one of Anvil's budding journalists can get the scoop! The magistrates don't yet have a reason to take action against the individual, but if anyone brings them evidence of an actual crime he has committed, then they will quickly change their position.
===Eyes of the Dragon (Conjunction)===
* '''A force of Grendel are moving an unknown number of captives, including Thule observers, towards the ruins of Siroc'''
* '''The Cuckoo's Egg ritual will be needed to return the Thule to Anvil'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 19:15 on Friday to Plains of the Tavin, Siroc Plains'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Ambassador to Otkodov'' is responsible for coordinating the rescue'''
During the Autumn Equinox, a pair of warlocks from [[Otkodov]] spoke to the magicians of the Brass Coast about the blight; one of the Dragons had apparently expressed an interest. On the understanding that they would share whatever they discovered, their visit to Madruga to explore the edges of the Blight was endorsed. Unfortunately, the Grendel invaded Madruga and the matter of a handful of orc magicians exploring Blightheart became the least of anyone's concerns.

It seems that the fortunes of the investigative party have been poor. ''Ishala i Erigo'' says that [[kohan]] loyal to her coven accompanied the Thule investigators, but while returning from their observation they fell afoul of a band of [[Grendel]] raiders. Most of the kohan were killed, as were a number of the Thule but she believes some of them have been captured by the invaders and are being transported to the coast, likely to be thrown onto slave ships. A conjunction of the [[Sentinel Gate]] has been identified that offers an opportunity to intercede.

Beyond concern for these "guests" and whatever information they have gathered, the Thule diplomats visiting Anvil for [[A Crown in Winter|the Imperial coronation]] have expressed grave concerns. They are confident two of the observers - one of the warlocks who visited Anvil and a quiet-voiced companion - are still alive. The orcs of Otkodov would ''dearly'' like to see their two fellows rescued, as a matter of some urgency.

Ishala cautions that if the two Thule are to be recovered, ''[[The Cuckoo's Egg]]'' ritual will prove essential since they cannot be brought back through the Sentinel Gate without it. They will almost certainly want to rejoin their colleagues immediately, if they can be brought back to Anvil, but Ishala vows that if they are recovered then she will bring them or their knowledge to the hakima's meeting on Saturday.

==Desperation==
There is one force in Madruga that is definitely in a position to access both a Spring regio powerful enough to lay an enchantment on the territory. They also happen to have access to sufficient magicians versed in Spring lore to carry it out. The [[Grendel]]. They are presumably unaware of the danger posed by the Blight, at least at the moment. While the threat of it expanding to cover the territory no longer seems certain, if it does run riot it would permanently damage Madruga, which could be a major problem once the Empire liberate it.

The Grendel have some precedent for cooperation, even during times of war. During the fighting in Spiral, some of the Grendel magicians tried to make contact with their "peers" in the Empire to arrange a way to contain the horror there, or at least to pause the fighting long enough for it to settle down. They were soundly rebuffed, but the situation here is eerily similar in many respects.

This is a wild plan, and would require the cooperation of both the [[Ambassador to the Grendel]] and the [[Imperial Conclave]]. A [[Declaration]] of [[Dissemination]] could be used to give a copy of [[Regrow the Land's Heart]] to a named Grendel - perhaps ''Saltbinder Grekodh'' whose coven operates from the Isle of Osseini in Feroz. There is the small problem that this ''could'' be considered treason, so advice from a magistrate might be a good idea.

Then the Ambassador (or someone of similar influence) could make clear the importance of performing the ritual, and hope that a Grendel who could see the need for it would take the initiative.

It's a long shot. But it ''might'' work. For a little bit longer at any rate...

==Further Reading==
* [[Not a drop to drink]] - 385YE Summer Wind of Fortune expanding on the danger
* [[Colourblind]] - 385YE Spring Wind of Fortune assessing the threat
* [[Enchanted#The_Thirsty_Grasses|Enchanted]] - 384YE Winter Wind of Fortune introducing the blight

Things that burn

2024-04-25T16:26:08Z

TomH: /* Heroes (Conjunctions) */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Forges.jpg|caption=The Empire is become a crucible.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Forges==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd2WyHlW1EY}}
Earlier in the year, the first bouncing pebbles that presaged the coming avalanche were seen. A handful of unfamiliar heralds [[Ruin#Battle_and_Sorrow|attacking disparate targets]] in far-flung parts of the Empire. Then, the casting of [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]] opened the floodgates. Hundreds of ''scions'' of the new [[eternal]] known as the [[Cold Sun]] launched [[To_the_last_syllable#In_the_Tumult|vicious, destructive assaults]] in every nation of the Empire. Thanks mostly to some timely warnings from the [[Dawn|Dawnish]] and [[Navarr]] [[national Assembly|assemblies]], and the priests of [[Vigilance]], there was much less loss of life than there might have been. Some nations weathered them better than others. The people of Dawn in particular were [[To_the_last_syllable#Summer.27s_Glory|almost untouched]] - not a single life lost - in part thanks to an [[enchantment]] empowering the eternals of Summer to fight alongside the knights and the war-witches. By contrast several irreplaceable symbols of Imperial art and culture were destroyed before the ''scions'' could be driven back.

As the magic of the [[:Category:Imperial_Enchantment|Imperial enchantment]] began to wane, many breathed a sigh of relief. The Empire had been tested, but had endured. Unfortunately it soon became clear that relief was premature. Shortly before the Autumn Equinox ''tens of thousands'' of ''scions'' emerged from [[regio]] across the Empire. Disciplined, united in the zealous pursuit of Oblivion, driven to end all life, to stamp out all beauty, they began to spread out destroying everything in their paths.

During the Equinox Imperial heroes had half a dozen opportunities to intervene via the [[Sentinel Gate]], to help deal with some of the attacking ''scions''. Some were able to prevail; the ''scions'' moving to [[To_the_last_syllable#What_Might_Be|unleash the devastating destructive power]] of the hot springs of [[Morrow#Peregro|Peregro]] were intercepted, the vale of Veresk in [[Karsk]] was [[To_the_last_syllable#Dangerous_Words|defended]]; the [[Weigher_of_Worth#The_Halls_of_Worth|Halls of Worth]] in [[Skarsind]] were [[To_the_last_syllable#From_Stone_to_Stone|preserved]]; the Augurs of the Opalescent Gloaming were [[To_the_last_syllable#Watchers|saved]]. Others, unfortunately, were ultimately unsuccessful. The ''scions'' [[To_the_last_syllable#The_Welcome|captured a potent regio in Bregasland]], [[To_the_last_syllable#To_the_White_Tower|seized the White Tower in Bastion]], and [[To_the_last_syllable#Shadow_in_the_Night|ravaged the Hercynian trods]], cutting the [[vallorn]] in [[Hercynia#Deer's Folly|Deer's Folly]] off from the network of magical paths.

They also [[To_the_last_syllable#The_Hunt_Begins|raided the Cerevado Nets]], the [[To_the_last_syllable#First_Claiming|slaughtered the workers at the Eternal Shafts of Time]], and worst of all did [[To_the_last_syllable#Choices|irreparable damage to the Brilliant Star]] - and in each case claimed large amounts of [[ilium]] and [[mithril]]. These attacks stand out, even among the general destruction inflicted by the ''scions''. None of the three sites are particularly associated with art or culture, or with human or orc lives. Some strategists are deeply concerned about why the ''scions'' were so keen to claim these valuable materials - and what they plan to do with them.

Following the Autumn Equinox the armies of Cold Sun begin in earnest to attempt to destroy the Empire; but the Empire will not go down easily.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Beacons.jpg|caption=The beacons of Wintermark light the night sky, calling heroes home to answer the fire of Day.|align=right|width=500}}</div>

==Beacons==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtMmMcAEuyk}}
The ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]] are at large in [[Wintermark]]. During the Summer Solstice they tried to [[Ruin#What_follows_in_shadow_.28Conjunction.29|burn the raven aviaries of Ishal]] but were turned back. In the months following, under the power of [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths|ascendant Day magic]] they [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Wintermark|burned Freya's Garden]] and would have destroyed even more without the [[Vigilance]] of the people of the 'Mark. Then, two weeks before the Autumn equinox, thousands of heralds [[To_the_last_syllable#Ascension|emerged]] from [[regio]] in [[Hahnmark]] and [[Kallavesa]], bent on bringing ruin to [[Hahnmark#Valasmark|Valasmark]] and [[Kallavesa#Rundahl Marsh|Rundahl Marsh]]. The heroes of Anvil managed to stop them from [[To_the_last_syllable#Watchers|annihilating]] the [[Darkest_night#The_Augurs_of_the_Opalescent_Gloaming|Augurs of the Opalescent Gloaming]], the allies of the [[Imperial Seer]], but the forces of Cold Sun spreading across Wintermark still remained an immediate and potentially existential threat.
===The Silence Arc===
Long before there was an Empire, someone carved the image of a door into the exposed rock face of a winding gulley, deep in the hills of [[Hahnmark#Valasmark|Valasmark]]. Shaped in the image of the [[Ophis|Rune of Revelation]], the ''Lantern Gate'' marked the heart of an unremarkable [[regio]], attuned to the Day realm. There was little there to attract those hungry for power or enlightenment. Over the centuries a handful of [[mystics]] and truth-seekers made the arduous journey up into the hills, seeking clarity and meditating on the nature of truth.

A fortnight before the Autumn Equinox, the door opened. The [[Steinr]] mystic camped there watched in horror as a legion of heavily-armed soldiers [[To_the_last_syllable#Ascension|marched through]] the portal. Three thousand ''scions'' of the [[Cold Sun]]. They fled, stumbling into ''Valashal'' raving and ranting, half their body already crumbling to white ashes. That nameless mystic survived barely long enough to warn of the legion's coming before the terrible [[curse]] consumed them. Their warning lit the [[Hahnmark#The_Beacons_of_Wintermark|beacons]], and heroes gathered across [[Hahnmark]].

The ''scions'' of Cold Sun moved cautiously at first, but with dire purpose. They fortified the ''Lantern Gate'', scouting and raiding parties radiating outwards in all directions. They slew everyone they encountered, no quarter, no mercy, no remorse. Those in their path faced a hard choice; flee or fight. Any hall that could not repel them burned. A twisted mirror of the beacons of Wintermark blossomed on hillsides across Valasmark and the downs of southern [[Hahnmark#Kronemark|Kronemark]].

The heroes of Valashal centred the defence. The champions seeking a name, fought fiercely, aiding their neighbours, securing opportunities for flight at the cost of their own lives. It was inevitable that the ''scions'' would eventually turn their alien eyes towards the hall built by [[Emperor_Guntherm#Death_and_Legacy|Brigid daughter of Guntherm]]. A place dedicated to training the greatest warriors of the nation in memory of a beloved father. A place where [[scop|scops]] gather, to celebrate the deeds of heroes. A place anathema to the principles of Oblivion.

The seemingly unstoppable ''scions'' assembled in their thousands in the hills around Valashal. Yet the true beacons had done their job and done it well. Thirteen heroes of Wintermark, bringing nearly one and a half thousand warriors between them, answered the call and gathered at the beacon towers before making their way to the southern border. They too came to Valashal, gathering like storm clouds ahead of the inevitable battle. Outnumbered more than two to one, they made preparations to resist Cold Sun. To defend Valashal, to protect the halls of the scops where the names of countless generations were preserved and celebrated. It seemed the battle could only end one way, but not one champion baulked at the price to be paid. As the sun set on the last day, the scops sang the sagas of heroes great and small.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Andwyn Dunwolf</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Benny</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bitwulf Dunwolf</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bronn Dunwolf</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Horst Dunning</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Tobrytan Dunning</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Jorma Steelhail</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Vesalligr</td></tr>
<tr><td>Morcar Sigvardssson</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Vesalligr</td></tr>
<tr><td>Raknar</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Vesalligr</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sigarr Verinen</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Vesalligr</td></tr>
<tr><td>Skaed Faulksdottir</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kallavesa</td><td>Vesalligr</td></tr>
<tr><td>Urvakki Taivasbarn</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>Sigehold Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lumi, Harmonist of the Dawn</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>Vesalligr</td></tr>
</table></div>
In the first hour of twilight, a cold mist descended and swirled around Valasheim. The first snows of Winter billowed down from the hills, touching everything with frost. The voices of the scops crystallised into clouds as they sang. Heroes clustered close around the campfires before the halls of Brigid Gunthermsdottir. And when the first rays of the morning sun touched the snow and the mist, it solidified with a creaking roar into a [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae|girdle of glacial ice]], thirty feet high, ringing Valasheim with towers and ramparts, with a single gate of crimson wood hung with banners of ice bear and frost wolf. As the walls shimmered into being, the defenders of Valashal were bolstered by a thousand warriors from the court of [[Cathan Canae]].

Great bipedal bears in heavy crimson robes with hooked polearms stand beside Steinr in heavy armour. Rangy wolfborn warriors with fur of snow-white and ice-blue, armoured in chain and scale, and bearing wicked ashwood longbows join the Suaq. Three ice giants tower above the doors of the Galenhall, furious sentinels standing beside the Kallavesi, ready to protect the scrolls of saga and song stored within.

A cheer, ragged at first, and then growing like thunder, rises from two thousand throats, echoing across the hills as the sun rises.

If the ''scions'' are surprised by this development, they do not show it. They launch their assault against the frozen citadel with preternatural precision. The first probing strikes to test the defences culminate in a vicious, focused assault on the redwood gate. As ''scions'' fall left and right around them, the ''grand archon'' of the Silence Arc touches the gate with their blue iron rod and the scarlet iron-bound planks explode into splinters. No portal can stand against the archons of the Silence Arc.

The attackers pour through, to slaughter and burn. There is something profoundly unnerving about them. Most warriors cry out when they are hurt, threaten and jeer at their foes, chant war songs, pound drums, cheer their victories, groan when they are driven back. Not the Silence Arc. They give voice to no hymns of battle, do not waste time goading their foes, do not cheer or groan. They simply fight, to kill and to break, to reduce to ashes.
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Defender.jpg|caption=A hero has a name.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
By contrast the heroes who stand against them, bolstered by the heralds of Cathan Canae, roar with the fury of the blizzard and the storm. Those scops who have not joined the ice giants to protect Galenhall roar the heroes song, calling the names of those past and present. The walls of ice ring with the rage of the Winterfolk, unleashed against these unnatural invaders. A cry is taken up "''For Freya and Brigid!'' building their anger at the destruction of the herbmaster's garden, invoking the memory of the founder of Valashal.

Battle rages back and forth for the better part of a day, but as the sun starts to drop towards the horizon, the ''scions'' of Cold Sun are forced back through the broken gates of the circling citadel. Valashal is damaged, but still stands. The doors of Galenhall have been broken, two of the ice giants slain, but not a single scroll has been destroyed and not one of those given refuge within has been harmed. Drums and falcon-horns cry out in victory.

The ''scions'' have been driven back, but their army is not defeated. It is impossible to say with certainty how many of them have fallen before the fury of Wintermark; when life flees their bodies fall to ash. What is certain is that two hundred warriors of Valashal have found their names in death, and each one will be celebrated by the scops for their sacrifice.

For now though, there is still work to be done. The heroes regroup, count the fallen, and give chase. Childer of Wintermark and chosen of the Blizzard Queen together give chase to the servants of Cold Sun, who have dared to invade Wintermark from their bitter realm. Normally when a ''Frozen Citadel'' is raised in a place, the heralds that accompany it remain behind the walls of ice and granite. Not this time; the wolf-folk and bear-folk, roam across southern Hahnmark alongside the Winterfolk. When they gather at a beacon the flames leap high and fierce and burn pale blue in honour of their mistress.

Wherever there is Cold Sun, they are there, mortal and unmortal alike. As the Winter Solstice draws near, the Silence Arc are driven out of the hills of Valasmark. Their camp at the ''Lantern Gate'' is abandoned, and the ''scions'' are forced back to the north-west, into Kronemark.

The Battle of Valashal is won, but the war is by no means over. The invaders from the Day realm are battered, their numbers clearly reduced, but they are not defeated. Unlike the halls of Valasmark, those of the downs are less fortified, less ready to face the threat of an army of ''scions''. There are no hills here to support a Frozen Citadel, and while the beacons still burn, those in the path of the Silence Arc are forced to flee their homes, heading north as the weather worsens and the Winter snow begins to fall in earnest.
====Game Information: Hahnmark====
The warbands who answered the call to oppose Cold Sun, coupled with the Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae, mean that the Silence Arc has been defeated. Unlike a mortal army, however, the ''scion''s are not forced to retreat out of the territory. They have been damaged, and driven out of the hills of Valasmark, but they have not left Hahnmark and remain a threat.

Thanks to the [[military unit|military units]], the death toll has been comparatively light but the Winterfolk have not escaped unscathed. Several halls in Valashal were overcome before the fateful attack on Valasmark. Several hundred defenders and non-combatant Winterfolk have lost their lives.

The situation could have been significantly worse. Thanks to the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|blessing of Cold Sun]] enjoyed by the ''scions'' it required a combination of a magical fortress in just the right location ''and'' warbands of Wintermark heroes to turn Cold Sun back. If they hadn't been forced to deal with the [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] in the region they were attacking, or if the military units had not been there, they would have begun to take control of Valasmark in the name of their terrible sovereign.

====Participation: Hahnmark====
Any of the Wintermark characters who sent their military unit to support the Beacons of Hahnmark is assumed to have taken part in the Battle of Valashal, and fought alongside the heralds of Cathan Canae.

As well as the gratitude of Valashal, each defender has received a gift in recognition of their heroism from the red-robed bear-folk warriors of the Summer realm. Each character receives a [[Vis#Golden Apple|Golden apple]] with the injunction that they use it to seek out a [[enchantment|boon]] from Imperial magicians, one that will help them continue to fight the invaders of the Day realm.

There is also an opportunity for some heroes of Anvil to pass through the [[Sentinel Gate]] and face ''scions'' of the Silence Arc: [[#The Hammer (Hahnmark)|The Hammer]].
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=It is forseen.jpg|caption=By salt, by dice, by meal, by mice, |by dough of cakes, by sacrificial fire, by fountains, by fishes, writings in ashes, birds, herbs, smoke from the altar.|align=right|width=500}}</div>

===The Exigent Span===
The ''Swanmere'' in [[Kallavesa#Rundhal Marsh|Rundhal Marsh]] is a place of quiet contemplation. A stand of ancient willow trees dragging their long green hair in a mirror-smooth lake frequented by swans that sometimes speak with human voices. Before things went bad with [[Ylenwe|Ylenrith-Who-Was]], an occasional [[Icewalker]] would visit to seek counsel from the swans. After the [[ 381YE_Winter_Solstice_Conclave_sessions|extent of the corruption]] consuming the [[eternal]] was recognised by the [[Imperial Conclave]], the place was shunned.

Unfortunately, this made it easy for the ''scions'' of Cold Sun, the soldiers of the Exigent Span, to pass through the [[regio]] in force. Before anyone knew what was happening, they had slaughtered the swans, burned the trees, and were practically at the gates of [[Kallavesa#Rundhal|Rundahl]].

While the bulk of their force advanced toward the capital of Kallavesa, raiding parties fanned out in all directions, bringing ruin to anything they could find. Normal fire does not burn on the water, but the radiance of Cold Sun is something else. It sears the life from the land, and it purges the lakes leaving them pure and still and dead, empty of anything save water. Where previously a warband of heralds had failed to [[Ruin#What_follows_in_shadow_.28Conjunction.29|burn the aviaries of Ishal]] during the Summer Solstice, an army of three thousand ''scions'' bound in perfect harmony sought the destruction of the heart of Kallavesa, perhaps even of Wintermark itself.

Fortunately, the marshes are not undefended. The foresight of Imperial magicians has seen three [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen|enchanted wards]] raised across Kallavesa. Shortly after the Autumn equinox, mists rise in West Marsh, Kallavesa Marsh, and the Rundhal Marsh itself. The Winterfolk are familiar with these wards; barely a season has passed in recent years where there has not been at least one region of the marshes shrouded in protective fog drawn from the Night realm.

Travellers have become familiar with the odd creatures that sometimes issue from them; the long-legged lantern-folk, the sable herons, the great eight-legged lizards that surge from the waters to devour foolish invaders. This time, there is something different. The mists seem to be... empty. When night falls, the beacons of Rundahl Marsh, Kallavesa Marsh, and West Marsh burn with a dancing, unnatural emerald hue... but beyond that nothing. Some pilgrims passing through the shrouded regions swear they can hear the distant echoes of a thunderstorm, or perhaps a great voice roaring with anger, in the creaking of the willows and the gulping drone of the frogs.

For all that they are uninhabited, though, they still work to confuse and misdirect the ''scions'' of Cold Sun. To buy time for the defenders of Kallavesa to gather, to come to Rundahl to protect the heart. Ten heroes and their warbands come to the flaring beacon-call. Over a thousand warriors answer the threat of Cold Sun.

Scarcely in time, they arrive to support the defenders of the place some say is the oldest continuous settlement in the whole of the nation. They are barely enough, a third the size of the forces gathering against the approaching storm.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Mort</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Aelthrik Dunning</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kingu</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>The Winter Wolfborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Iorveth</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Vesalligr</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ovis</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kallavesa</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Skjal Shadowbreaker</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kallavesa</td><td>Corvenhal</td></tr>
<tr><td>Hadvar</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kallavesa</td><td>Hraefnhall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Luddvig MarshWalker</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kallavesa</td><td>Hraefnhall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Blaidd Sinan</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>Corvenhal</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ansel the nameless</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>The Winter Wolfborn</td></tr>
</table></div>
When they come, the Exigent Span drive like a spear toward the very heart of the marshes. Their entire force united to strike a single devastating stroke not against the walls of Rundahl, but against the [[Kallavesa#The_Sovevann|Sovevann]] itself.

The grand archon of the Exigent Span bears a beacon of its own; an eye of blue crystal the size of an ogre's skull. Standing on the very edge of the lake, on the humble wooden quay from which so many heroes of the 'Mark have made their journey to their final sleep, the leader of the ''scions'' unveils the crystal, invoking the power of its grim master. As the sun begins to set, a terrible liquid light starts to flow from the beacon, blue-white as mithril under moonlight, forming a beam of radiance that sears through the mist and fog, burning it away. Where it touches the waters of the Sovevann, in the gaps between the fog, the waters begin to boil, purified by the terrible illumination.

The Exigent Span means to burn the heart from the people of Wintermark. Once the last strands of fog conjured from the Forests of the Night have been seared away, the light of Cold Sun will blaze across the waters of the lake and end the slumber of the heroes who rest beneath the Sovevann.

A desperate band of heroes break from the walls of Rundahl and attack the flanks of the Exigent Span but they are massively outnumbered. There is no hope that they will be able to reach the quay in time.

But the heart of Wintermark is protected; the [[mystics]] have kept watch over the marshes of Kallavesa longer than anyone can remember. Before the [[Steinr]] fell from the heavens they were there, before the desperate union with the Suaq to resist the trolls, before the ancestors of the Ushka came down from the north, before the Urizen raised their spires, before the Terunael built their cities, they watched over the marshes. Watched the birds. Read the omens.

The force from Rundahl is a feint, falling back almost immediately. The ''scions'' give chase, brutally cutting down anyone who falls behind. While their attention is focused to the north, a second group of Winterfolk attack from the south. Forewarned by the mystics arts, they have spent the last three days hidden from the sight of Cold Sun by the dripping echoes of the fens. Hiding amongst the willows, waiting for the sign, ready to strike the Exigent Span at the moment of their triumph.

A thousand champions of the 'Mark, supported by bear- and hawk-masked Kallavesi warriors, strike the ''scions''' weaker flank, the one turned away from Rundahl. They push through, taking the heralds by surprise despite the blessings of Cold Sun. Hard and fast, against the grand archon and its guard. A small number of Kallavesi with skiffs, defended by shield-proud champions, launch an attack across the waters themselves, hitting the invaders from the one direction they could not have expected.

(And if those who fight on the shores of the Sovevann are to be believed, there are stranger beings fighting alongside them. In the silence before dawn, after the battle, they might speak of the shapes they saw, the barely-there sentinels that guided their hands, that struck where they struck, that whispered warnings, that stirred the anger in their blood, that turned aside the enemy blade at the crucial moment. Perhaps they were just figments of the fog, the hopes and fears of the defenders of Rundahl given shape by the Night magic glamour of the wards. Perhaps they were something more, here on the edge of the Sovevann, where the heroes sleep.)

Nobody knows who strikes the fateful blow, cuts down the grand archon of the Exigent Span, and shatters their blue-white beacon. But they are slain, and the eye is broken. The light snaps away instantly, the warding fog comes pouring back in. A cry goes up from the walls of Rundahl – the ravens of Ishal are in flight. A contingent of mystics and masked warriors, and a war party of hylje from out of the Rikkivesi have come to aid in the defence. From across the lake, from Westerhal, a small fleet of fishing vessels emerge from the fog, carrying the warriors of the West Marsh halls.

They might have arrived too late, but the mists speed them on their way, and together with the exhausted defenders of Rundahl they fall on the Exigent Span and they drive them before them, back from the weed-choked shores of the Sovevann.

Over the succeeding months battle rages back and forth across Rundahl Marsh, and in the end the Exigent Span is put to flight. They retreat northward, into Skymark, with the heroes of Wintermark close on their heels.

The loss of the grand archon seems to have had little effect on the ''scions''. Immediately after the battle on the quay below Rundahl, a new grand archon is seen at the heart of the Exigent Span. The blue-eye beacon however does not seem as easily replaced; while the ''scions'' continue to fight viciously and kill anyone who comes within their reach they no longer seem to wield the power to purge the marsh waters of life. Hopefully, Cold Sun will not be able to provide them with another beacon. Hopefully.

If the visions of the mystics are to be believed – and why would they not be – had the light of Cold Sun been allowed to penetrate the Sovevann it would have spread through the marshes, purifying the waters, destroying the bones that rest there, and burning the heart from the nation. Such an unthinkable outcome has been avoided, for now, thanks to the forethought of the magicians and the courage of the warbands.

But nobody in Kallavesa should rest easy while ''scions'' remain in Skymark. If the dead in the marshes had been defiled, such an act would have echoed back and forth across the nation changing it forever, and had dire implications for the [[Imperial army|armies]] in particular. What can be tried once might be attempted again. Cold Sun's forces may have been driven back, but they are not defeated. As any mystic knows, even after the darkest night, the sun still rises.

====Game Information: Kallavesa====
As with Hahnmark, the combination of [[military unit|military units]] and [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen|conjured wards]] helped to thwart Cold Sun's forces. They have been beaten for the moment, but unlike mortal armies they have not been driven from the territory. They are regrouping in Skymarch.

The wards and warriors, and the singular focus of the Exigent Span on the Sovevann, have meant that the death toll here is lower than it was in Hahnmark. Still, at least a hundred Winterfolk, both warriors and non-combatants, have been slain by the ''scions'' in Rundahl Marsh and at the battle of the Sovevann.

====Participation: Kallavesa====
Each character who sent a military unit to Kallavesa to fight alongside the beacons is assumed to have been at the battle of the Sovevann. It is up to you what role you played – as part of the desperate feint to distract the ''scions'', as part of the ambush from the quays, or as part of the skiff-riders who attacked across the lake itself. You may choose to roleplay an encounter in the fog – a brief glimpse of what might have been the spirit of a dead hero, or might have been part of the magical glamour that accompanied the Night wards.

Likewise, any [[mystics|mystic]] character is free to roleplay that they were one of those who saw the visions of the coming threat, and helped warn the defenders of Rundahl. Details vary, but the meaning is the same: a terrible blue fire spreading across the Sovevann and burning the heart out of the people of Kallavesa and Wintermark.

There is also a conjunction during the Winter Solstice that will allow some Imperial heroes to travel to Kallavesa and face ''scions'' of the Exigent Span: [[Things_that_burn#A_Hero_in_the_Night_.28Kallavesa.29|A Hero in the Night]].
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Trees Burn.png|caption=To some, the trees of the forest are naught more than a great pile of kindling, waiting for a single spark to turn the world to fire.|align=right|width=500}}</div>

==Forests==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFxBrpYxwFc&t=4s}}
Varushka has endured [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Varushka|the attacks of Cold Sun]] with a certain degree of pragmatism. The ''scions'' avoid the dark woods and the haunted hills, sticking close to the [[Varushkan_Road#The_Iron_Roads|Iron Roads]]. There have been victories (the [[To_the_last_syllable#Dangerous Words|defence of Veresk]]) and losses (like the [[To_the_last_syllable#First Claiming|raid]] against the [[Eternal Shafts of Time]]). Some Varushkans saw the heralds of Cold Sun as being of no greater threat than the [[Varushkan_Monster#Wolves|wolves]] that have always haunted their nation. With the [[To_the_last_syllable#Ascension|unexpected arrival]] of several thousand well-organised ''scions'' in Volodmartz and Karov, however, that complacency has been seriously shaken.
===The Shepherds of Ash===
In the depths of [[Volodmartz]], in the woodlands of [[Volodmartz#Livards|Livardz]], stands a peculiar grove of trees. Black-barked, their trunks mottled with peculiar crystal outgrowths, the ''Sumisev Peegel'' and the weak [[regio]] that lies at its heart, are named for the two-centuries-dead [[volhov]] who discovered it and first tapped its weak magic to perform simple divinations for the folk of the surrounding vales. Few people bother to visit. The crystals are nice but not worth the effort to gather them; their glow fades quickly when removed from the grove.

When the [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths|power of Day]] washed over the Empire, at the Summer Solstice, however, the spark of light in the ''Sumisev Peegel'' roared up like a bonfire, and the invisible door at its centre gaped wide.

Wide enough to allow three thousand ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]] to come through to the mortal realm. They quickly set about refashioning the area to their liking. The trees were blasted to ash, but they wove the crystals into a protective ring of razor-sharp spines. From the regio they began to spread out across Livardz, zealously pursuing the goal of their terrible master: consigning everyone and everything in Varushka to oblivion.

Imperial magicians have done what they can; a [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae|black granite fortress]] sprawls across the hilltops of [[Volodmartz#Opascari|Opasacari]]. The forests of [[Volodmartz#Murup|Murup]] and [[Volodmartz#Suvretz|Suvretz]] are wound around with [[Spring magic]], creating [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|impassable barriers]] and inspiring the natural beasts who live there to savage violence rather than flight before the unnatural heralds of the Day realm. These potent magical defences provide protection to the [[warden]], and allow those [[boyar]] so inclined to risk their [[schlacta]] in the protection of their southern neighbours.

The invaders try to avoid the Spring wards and the Summer citadel alike, protecting the rest of Volodmartz from their depredations. This is a good thing for the people outside Livardz; not so good for those who must endure the full strength of the Shepherds of Ash. There are a great many Varushkans in prosperous Livardz; many vales and villages. The ''scions'' move methodically out from the ''Sumisev Peegel'' slaughtering anyone who crosses their path, razing every building that comes within their reach, leaving behind only pale ash and silence.

While the Shepherds of Ash do not venture north into the rest of Volodmartz, the wealthy region is itself something of a crossroads. While the bulk of the invading force is focused on devastating Livardz, probing strikes are sent into northern [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]], western [[Karsk#Nitrost|Nitrost]], and eastern [[Miekarova#Dupadealuri|Dupadealuri]]. The ''scions'' that compose these scouting parties are no more merciful than the rest of their kind, but they have not come in strength sufficient to do more than slaughter a few dozen merchants and pilgrims and burn a few farms.

There is resistance to the Shepherds of Ash but it is sporadic and disorganised. Individual boyars look to the protection of their own vales before they worry about their neighbours. There are those prepared to fight the ''scions'' on the roads, or to defend the vales and settlements they seek to burn, but they are few in number. Without the sell-swords and wardens committed to [[Military_unit#Adventure_in_Varushka|defend Varushka]], without the [[Dawn|Dawnish]] knights drawn to adventure across the dark land, there would have been little to actually stand in the way of the Shepherds at all.

(And on the other side of the Sungold Pass, an army of [[Thule]] warriors waits. Blue-clad [[orc|orcs]] under the command of a warlock-general. They make no secret of their presence, right there on the liminal line where Varushka becomes Otkodov. They seem to be waiting for some signal; a signal that never comes. As the Winter Solstice draws near, they break their camp and move away back into the lands of the northern orcs.)

The Shepherds of Ash have been contained, but within their confines they have run riot. Nearly a dozen vales and settlements across Livardz have been shattered or razed. Several hundred people have been slain, many more forced to flee, abandoning their homes. When the wind blows from the south, it brings with it the ashes of those the heralds have obliterated, a grim reminder to the rest of Varushka of the fate that awaits them should Cold Sun not be stopped.

====Game Information: Volodmartz====
The Shepherds of Ash have not conquered any territory in Volodmartz, but neither have they suffered any casualties. The wealthy region of Livardz has gained the ''ruins'' quality, and the taxation of the territory as a whole has been reduced due to the loss of so many prosperous vales.

===The Blade of Skies===
[[Karov#Duzekani|Duzekani]] is the civilised, tamed heart of [[Karov]], and one of the richest places in Varushka thanks to the prosperous trading town of [[Karov#Delev|Delev]]. Merchants from [[Temeschwar]] and [[Dawn]] are regular visitors, coming to deal with their counterparts from the northern nation. The first sign that something is amiss comes when the bees across Duzekani suddenly vanish; hives from one end of the region to the other are suddenly found empty to the consternation of their keepers. The second sign comes to a sleepy little southern vale along the road into [[Weirwater]].

Bulgakov was a quiet and shaded vale, mostly a stopping off point for merchants travelling to and from Dawn. It is gone now. Shortly before the Autumn Equinox, the weak Day regio that lay on its outskirts tore open and an army of ''scions'' of the [[Cold Sun]] emerged.

The valesfolk of Bulgakov were taken completely by surprise. If not for the intervention of a band of [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[knight-errant|knights-errant]] resting at the village on their way north, the Blade of Skies would have killed every single person in the vale. Even with the unlooked-for aid of the Glory-seeking yeofolk, a third of Bulgakov's inhabitants were turned to ash in the course of a single night. The rest fled north to Delev or east to Hawthorn, escaping with little but their own lives.

None of the young knights survived. All that remains of Bulgakov now is a scar, a circle of ash and glass and splintered, burnt wood.

Imperial magicians have done what they can to stop the rest of Karov sharing Bulgakov's fate. The [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|wooden fastness]] has been forged in [[Karov#Skoremujac|Skoremujac]]; a [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae|squat keep of dark blue ice and stone]] extrudes from a hillside in [[Karov#Wieliczka|Wieliczka]]. Just as in [[Volodmartz]], these protections provide support to the defenders while the Blade of Skies themselves give them a wide berth. The bulk of the defence of Duzekani falls to the [[schlacta]] of the individual vales, however, bolstered by warden fellowships, and by a handful of sell-swords and Dawnish knights attracted by the opportunity to adventure in Varushka.

They are nowhere near enough to stop the Blade of Skies, however. The army moves methodically across Duzekani and [[Karov#Kamienczka|Kamienczka]], destroying everyone and everything they encounter. It becomes clear fairly quickly that the force moves with almost supernatural speed and surety. Even without the Iron Roads, they seem capable of covering great distances with surprising alacrity. Also, unlike the other armies of ''scions'' seen across the Empire, they remain together. They send out no raiding parties, make no probing attacks. Rather they focus their entire force on whatever is in front of them, annihilate it, and move on.

They use this capacity to strike seemingly at random across both Kamienczka and Duzekani; yet there is clearly some wider strategy guiding the targets they choose. Almost every vale or village they turn their attention to meets a terrible fate. Wherever they are victorious, after they have killed everyone they unmake the settlement, destroying every building and leaving a circle of glass and ash similar to that at Bulgakov. These circles are also seen wherever the army has stopped for any period of time, and those who come too close to these blasted zones report a strange dizziness, a feeling of dread. Some of those foolish enough to explore these areas become subject to an awful, lingering curse that burns them alive from the inside out, leaving naught but ash and dust behind.

Not every vale chosen by the Blade of Skies is destroyed. A handful are able to flee to safety before the army is in position to attack. A very small number are able to hold their own, although they suffer punishing losses in the process. A rumour spreads that any settlements that manage to endure an entire day of attacks are spared – at least for now – with the Blade of Skies turning their attention elsewhere.

A month before the Winter Solstice, the Blade of Skies attacks the largest settlement so far. Olvanshka, in Kamienczka, known for the three warden fellowships that call it home. Despite the best efforts of the defenders there, the vale falls. A column of black smoke hangs in the sky above the ruins for three days.

(And from western Kamienczka, an odd tale emerges, carried by a certain ragged-cloaked [[Varushka_religious_beliefs#Storytellers|storyteller]] who seems unafraid of the ''scions'' rampaging across southern Karov. To hear them tell it, they saw a band of ''scions'' approach the weird [[Karov#The_Weeping_Stone|Weeping Stone]] that lies near the border with Skarsind. When they come within sight of the stone, however, they immediately retreat, and do not return. Perhaps even the heralds of Day are not immune to the touch of fear?)

They do not fear the people of Varushka however, that much is certain. After Olvanshka, the Blade of Skies returns to Duzekani. As the Winter Solstice approaches, as the first snows of a late Winter begin to fall across Karov, the ''scions'' finally move against Delev. They march towards the vale many consider the richest in western Varushka, one that could some day rival Temeschwar itself.

A great many of those who have fled their vales have taken shelter behind the walls of Delev. The town is swollen with desperate refugees, most with little more than the clothes on their backs. Delev is the best-defended vale in the south, after all, thanks to the [[Fortify_multiple_towns|work of Henry Ward]]. Yet those defences were built to deal with bandits and the occasional pack of wolves, not to turn back an army of ''scions'' bent on destruction. If the Blade of Skies can breach those defences, if they can bring upon it the same destruction that razed Bulgakov, and Olvanshka, and a dozen other vales between, then the accompanying slaughter will rival anything that has happened in Varushka in fifty years or more.

Time is running out for Delev.
====Game Information: Karov====
Cold Sun is around a tenth of the way towards conquering Duzekani. Several hundred people have been slain by the Blade of Skies across southern Karov. The prosperity of the entire territory has been impacted by the loss of prosperous vales, reducing the money to the Imperial treasury going forward.

Unlike Livardz, the region has ''not'' gained the ''ruins'' quality; the Blade of Skies does not leave enough behind to make this the case. Instead Duzekani has gained the ''Sun Burned'' quality. The areas of black glass scattered around the region are dangerous to approach, potentially inflicting a slow death on anyone who approaches them. The damage is potentially reversible if Cold Sun is driven out of the territory, but it will become harder to do so if the Blade of Skies conquers more of the region. In the event the Blade of Skies captures an entire region it will become permanent and not reversible with ritual magic.

Finally, the contested nature of the region and the threat to Delev has impacted the entire [[Northern trade network]]. Following the Winter Solstice, the [[Overseer of the Westward Road]] will be unable to use their [[Overseer_of_the_Westward_Road#Ministry|ministry]]. The other four titles - the [[Bonesetter of Torfast Trading Post]], the [[Broker of Treji Wayhouse]], the [[Northbound Trademaster]], and the [[Kalpaheim Tradeholder]] are unable to use the ''Eastern Route (Karov)'' ministry. This is likely to continue to be the case as long as the Blade of Skies is in Duzekani; in the event Delev is destroyed then it is likely to be permanent.

The [[Bargainer of the Iron Tower]] is likewise unable to use their ministry; the Iron Roundtower is directly threatened by the Blade of Skies, and in the event that Delev is destroyed then the Tower will likely meet the same fate.

There is no sign of the bees returning to Duzekani while the ''scions'' are present, or any indication of where they might have gone.

===The Devastation of the Trods===
Three weeks before the Winter Solstice, an unseen pulse of magical energies surges through Volodmartz and Karov. Most Varushkans are entirely unaware of it, at least to begin with. The first people to realise what has happened are those [[Navarr]] [[striding|stridings]] travelling through western Varushka, who experience the effects first-hand as the trods are burned out from underneath them. Every [[trod]], in both territories, is ripped to pieces over the space of a dozen heartbeats. It seems that the [[To_the_last_syllable#Shadow_in_the_Night|destruction of the trods in Hercynia]] last season might have been as much about testing their magic, and understanding their power, as actually ruining them.

There are reports that a few magicians, those responsible for drawing out the power of the [[vallorn]] as they move across the Empire, suffer serious burns. The Spring magic that empowers the trods is overwhelmed for an instant by purifying thaumaturgic radiance, pouring through them like flood waters down a narrow streambed. Crafted to slowly draw out the maleficent magic of the Great Mistake, the trods are not made to survive contact with the raw power of the Day realm. They are blasted asunder, with small amounts of that power flowing briefly through those closest to the trod.

Some vates consider this destruction to be a ''good'' thing, given the alternatives they envision. The trods can be replaced. If they had channelled the might of Cold Sun then they may have spread a devastating fire across both territories, irrespective of any magical protections, with potentially catastrophic results for a land so richly forested. It doesn't bear thinking about, given how many settlements lie near the trods.
====Participation: Navarr====
The [[trods]] of Volodmartz and Karov have been severed, and will prove difficult to restore. As long as an army of Cold Sun remains in the territory, any attempt to perform [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] targeting the territory will fail. Even before the trods are fully formed, the ''scions'' will rip them apart again. Indeed, it might be dangerous to restore any of the trods until the armies of Cold Sun are expelled from the Empire. The nature of the Day realm is to study and learn, and the more chance they have to interact with active trods, or if they are able to observe them forming, the more likely it is that they might find some way to spread their destruction more widely.

Any [[Navarr]] [[Magical skills#Magician|magician]] who possesses at least one rank of Spring lore, and whose striding has been in Volodmartz or Karov in the period since the Autumn Equinox may have been harmed by the destruction of the [[trods]]. You may wish to apply scar-effect burns, which are slow to heal even with healing magic. If you are such a player and wish your character to have been more intimately affected by the sudden rush of energy that obliterated the trods, you can e-mail [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] with your CID before the 18<small>th</small> of April and we will provide you with a traumatic wound. This will represent the lingering effects of exposure to the power of the Day realm, manifesting as serious burns, and as parts of your body turning to ash. Be warned however that if the wound is not dealt with it will prove fatal.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Fallen Foxden.jpg|caption=Tread carefully in wild places, say the Navarr.|align=right|width=500}}</div>

==Leaves==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA5mYDzwF70}}
The [[Navarr]] were ready for the coming of [[Cold Sun]]. Among the first targets of the ''scions'' was the [[Ruin#Neither_beginning_nor_end_.28Conjunction.29|Pool of Silver Clouds]], and following that attack the [[Vigilance]] of the nation saw them and their allies among the [[Great Forest Orcs]] not only drive off an [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Therunin|attack on Therunin]] but offer aid to beleaguered settlements across the Empire. Then, the armies appeared. In [[Hercynia]] and [[Miaren]], two forces bent on destruction. The [[trods]] of Hercynia were [[To_the_last_syllable#Shadow_in_the_Night|torn asunder]], a prelude of what was to come. Now the Still Walkers and the Empty Hands seek to visit further ruin on the mountains and the forests and the gentle plains.
===The Still Walkers===
In a quiet cavern, reached only by a desperate scramble up a barely-scalable cliff in [[Hercynia#Northpines|Northpines]], burns an eternal flame. It has been there since Hercynia was Hacynian, enduring the reign of Terunael and the ravages of the [[vallorn]]. It's almost a secret, its presence of interest only to a small handful of [[vate|vates]] with an interest in using [[Day magic]] to [[purify]] [[Calls#Venom|venom]]. In happier times, one of the vates might clamber up here to commune with the ''Flamewarden'', a herald of [[Ylenwe|Zie-Who-Was-Ylenrith]], and perhaps gain some of the flame-purified water that would aid them in their healing magic. The ''Flamewarden'' is gone now, having disappeared when the Imperial Conclave declared Zie-Who-Was-Ylenrith to be a [[Alignment#Enmity|threat to the Empire]], they have not been seen since.

At some point shortly before the Autumn Equinox, the hills near the quiet cavern are rocked with a thunderous detonation. Curious [[Navarr]] scouts who came to investigate discovered a perfectly circular hole burned into (or more properly, out of) the cliffside where the cave of the eternal flame once was. They also found several thousand ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]], just beginning to fan out through the mountains. Only one of those curious scouts made it to the nearest steading, to bring a terrible warning of what was coming. The ''Still Walkers'' had arrived in Hercynia.

It was distressingly easy to track the progress of these ''scions'' as they began to spread out. The mountains of northern Hercynia are covered in a thick blanket of pines and firs, and where the heralds went, the trees began to burn. A pall of smoke rose over the Northpines.

In those first few days, the news leapt from one end of Hercynia to the other on the swift-feet of messengers and [[striding|stridings]]. The [[steading|steadings]] looked to their defences, but those that could spare the [[thorn|thorns]] sent them north to aid their cousins in the peaks to contain the threat. The first skirmishes with the Still Walkers resulted in painful losses to the Northpines Navarr. The situation looked grim. Grimmer still when a wave of magical energy ripped through the territory, shattering the trods. Normally it would be a simple matter to [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn|replace them]]... but the horror that holds [[Hercynia#Deer's Folly|Deer's Folly]] means the ritual can only be performed from a regio there. A serious undertaking.

Then, just after the Autumn Equinox, accompanied by the first flurries of snow, a potent ward of [[Spring magic]] settled over the mountains. That blanket of trees that the ''scions'' saw only as kindling began to grow and weave together, fires extinguishing as dark bark took on the strength of the peaks themselves. The bears and wolves turned savagely against the unnatural invaders, in some cases actually fighting alongside the Navarr defenders. A handful of heralds, youths in simple garb but possessed with wisdom beyond their apparent years, began to appear among the trees helping those trapped by fire or ''scion'' to get to safety – and where they could not flee fighting as savagely as any beast of the deep woods alongside the Navarr. Imperial magicians had [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|forged the Wooden Fastness]] over Northpines, calling the power of [[Irra Harah]] to directly oppose Cold Sun.

The various bands of Still Walkers immediately ceased their attacks, and withdrew back toward that cliffside from which they had first emerged. Taking advantage of the protection of the living forest, the Navarr defenders cautiously closed in. At sunrise, three days after the magic settled over Northpines, the entire army of the Still Walkers vanished.

Those keen-eyed, stealthy Navarr in a position to observe quickly spread word of what happened. In the early dawn, the ''scions'' gathered into groups around their ''archons'', who in turn surrounded the grand archon There was a clear design, a geometric arrangement of three thousand heralds, filling the valley below the blasted cliff. The grand archon began to glow, then the other archons followed suit, then every one of the thousands of ''scions'' present burned with an aura of steady blue light that became brighter and brighter as the sun began to rise. With a catastrophic ''crack'', and a sudden inrushing of wind that swept some of the scouts off their feet, the Still Walkers were gone, as was a significant portion of the now-collapsing cliffside. A few keen-eyed Navarr swore that something very like a colossal bolt of lighting leapt up from the grand archon the moment before the heralds vanished.

They did not stay vanished for long. Before the sun had set, the news broke that the Still Walkers were now in [[Hercynia#Summersend|Summersend]], not far from the [[Heartwood of the Great Vale]]. Somehow, the Still Walkers were able to replicate the power of the [[Sentinel Gate]], at least on a small scale, travelling from one place to another as a bolt of force.

Fortunately, the [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] Navarr steadings of the south were ready to defend themselves. Several settlements in Summersend are built on a foundation of old Terunael structures; their eyes are turned toward the vallorn of [[Hercynia#Deer's Folly|Deer's Folly]] but their defences are just as efficacious against the ''scions''. The thorns gather at the newly established [[Great Forest Orcs]] steading of [[You_belong_with_me#A_Home_in_the_Empire|High Pines]], and at Mourning Hollow to protect the [[Advisor on the Vallorn#The Great Library of Hacynian|Great Library of Hacynian]]. It takes more than one clever trick to frighten the Navarr.

[[Courage]] is not enough, however. The ''scions'' of Cold Sun begin once again to spread out, firing the trees, readying to crush any steading in their path, threatening both the [[weirwood]] grove and the centre of learning at Mourning Hollow.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Rhisiart Dancewalker, General of the Black Thorns">Thorns, we now face a new threat in our homelands. We now desperately reinforce Hercynia to halt the advance of Cold Sun where they stand. The Expansion of the Great Library of Hacynian is complete and is now researching how to best end our ancestral foe. DEFEND IT AT ALL COSTS!</quote></div>
Then, thankfully, the [[Black Thorns]] arrive. They have marched all the way from [[Madruga]] in the south, and along the way they have gathered more than thirty Navarr captains and their warbands, from across the Empire. Messengers have already warned the army that the ''scions'' have moved, and there is no pause. They smash straight into the Still Walkers from the south, drawing the other defenders together under their banner.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Pew</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Brocéliande</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Rhian Rootround</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Brocéliande</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Cara Brackensong</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Brocéliande</td><td>Brackensong Steading (Banner)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Balor</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Dewi Cross i Riqueza</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Neasa</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Shay'nah Springwake</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Caedria</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td>Deadfall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vur Torndal</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td>East Riders</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lindir</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td>Edgestalkers</td></tr>
<tr><td>Willow Silverfletch</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td>The Silver Fletchings</td></tr>
<tr><td>Farenthar Shattersong</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td>The Thornborn of Black Scar</td></tr>
<tr><td>Maddoc</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td>The Thornborn of Black Scar</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fynn</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td>The Waystone Path</td></tr>
<tr><td>Khestra</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td>The Waystone Path</td></tr>
<tr><td>Eclipse</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Liathaven</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Alwin</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Liathaven</td><td>Deadfall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bramble Amaanson</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gwynn</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Kragan Hammerfist</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Llassar</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Llinos Dawn's Song</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Aelis Broken Bough</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>Deadfall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ambroos Antoon Broken-Bough</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>Deadfall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Gaeorg Brokenbough</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>Deadfall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Levin Broken Bough</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>Deadfall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Torin Swift Hart</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>Deadfall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Edirn</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>Splintered Oaks</td></tr>
<tr><td>Oak Silverfletch</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>The Silver Fletchings</td></tr>
<tr><td>Flavius Emerald Grove</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Therunin</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gwynedd</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Therunin</td><td>Sunken Hearth</td></tr>
<tr><td>Torna</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Therunin</td><td>The Thornborn of Black Scar</td></tr>
</table></div>
Savage battle is joined; for all their courage the Black Thorns are tired from the long journey from the entire breadth of the Empire. Yet they are no more minded to give ground than the ''scions'' are – especially when the heralds threaten the Library where the brightest minds in the Empire are gathered to find a solution to the Great Mistake.

The tide turns almost immediately; the Still Walkers have gone from facing desperate resistance to being outnumbered three to one. The Black Thorns do not have everything their own way – the ''scions'' still demonstrate a [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|supernatural clarity]] and are able to coordinate their forces over great distances more effectively than the Navarr are. Yet at the end of the day, for all the boons of their terrible patron, they can still be slain. Their lines can still be broken, they still fall before a perfectly-placed arrow, still stumble when the [[Legacy of Thorns]] pierces their skin, still fall before spear, axe, or sword. The Black Thorns have no shortage of these things.

They are forced to give ground, pushed back not only from the Great Library, but away from the Heartwood of the Great Vale. They retreat west toward [[Hercynia#Old Ranging|Old Ranging]], but it becomes clear that while they may be able to travel great distances when the conditions are right, they are no match for the manoeuvrability of the Black Thorns.

Two weeks before the Winter Solstice, caught in a rapidly closing trap, the Still Walkers again pulls its forces together in one place. Smoke hangs in a black thundercloud over Summersend, as the ''scions'' clear a great circle of trees with their terrible blue light. As night falls, it becomes clear that the surviving ''scions'' intend to try and escape the noose.

This time, though, the Navarr know what is happening. The Black Thorns do not wait for the morning, but take advantage of the light provided by the burning trees and the bright moon. They launch a night assault against the Still Walkers, seeking to defeat them before they can make good their escape.

The ''scions'' fight like cornered rats. Or, rather, the ''scions'' around the perimeter fight with desperate zeal, and when one falls another steps into the gap immediately. Hundreds of Still Walkers fall to the Navarr, nearly a third of their number, but then as night begins to turn to day... ''crack''.

Gone. Fled, leaving behind a shallow crater of bare earth among the burning trees and the clouds of ash that are all that remains of the fallen heralds.

This time, there's no indication ''where'' they have fled. The more optimistic among the Navarr celebrate, believing they have been driven back to the Endless Ocean of the Day realm. Wiser heads are not so sure. The Still Walkers may have been outmatched, may have a lost nearly a thousand ''scions'', but even a reduced force could still inflict unsustainable damage on the Empire, depending on where they had travelled to. How far can they travel?

The Navarr have been fortunate. Between the ''Wooden Fastness'' in Northpines, and the Black Thorns, the Still Walkers were kept constantly on the back foot. Forced to focus their attention on the defenders, they had little opportunity to slaughter. They have still scarred the land. Trees that had stood for two centuries or more burned to ashes. Steadings, built hundreds of years before the Empire was even a dream, turned to ash. Yet the people, for the most part, have survived. The death toll is in the tens of human and orc souls, rather than the hundreds or thousands who might have fallen.

The Black Thorns have sacrificed to protect their people. Nearly three hundred thorns fell to the ''scions''. The greatest sorrow is that, for many of them, there will be no funeral, and no chance to rest in the glades beneath the shadows of the trees; the spite of Cold Sun has robbed them of that final honour.
====Game Information: Hercynia====
The defenders of Hercynia have been bloodied, but the Still Walkers were roundly beaten. They have, however, escaped the territory. They may have returned to the realms, or they may have arrived somewhere else in the Empire. Only time will tell.

The trods in Hercynia remain severed, as does the vallorn of Deer's Folly. They cannot be replaced from Anvil due to the limitations of [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]. Rather, a quest through the [[Sentinel Gate]] is likely to be required to reach one of the Spring regio within the vallorn itself. No such conjunction of the gate has been noted as yet.

===The Empty Hands===
The [[steading|steadings]] of gentle [[Miaren#Oakways|Oakways]] are nestled among farms and pastureland, and scattered stands of the old oak trees that give the [[Territory#Regions|region]] its name. There is a quietness here that is rare in the Navarr territories.

Or rather, there was, until ruin came to ''Tomma's Well''. A gentle spring of cool, sweet water, the Well was a minor [[regio]] tied to the Day realm. Shepherds would gather there to share songs and stories and to sleep beneath the stars. Now, all that remains is a patched bowl of cracked clay. As the regio waxed under the power of the [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths|recent Imperial enchantment]], it became a portal for the Empty Hands, who rose from the depths in the last weeks before the Autumn equinox.

The steadings are barely prepared to face the threat of Cold Sun. While Miaren is one of the safest places in the Empire. There are warriors here, of course, thorns and brands who have fought vallorn and barbarian alike in their time. Many of them, though, have not seen battle for years and are ill-prepared. They are little match for the army arrayed against them, and the first steadings in Oakways fall to the ''scions'' within days of the Equinox.

Imperial magicians have done what they can to protect Miaren. A ward of [[Spring magic]] has been [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|forging]] over the [[Miaren#Goldglades|Goldglades]]. When the ''scions'' came to [[Miaren]] during the Summer, they were focused on the [[Ruin#Neither_beginning_nor_end_.28Conjunction.29|destruction]] of the [[Miaren#Goldglades|Pool of Silver Stars]], and perhaps there was an assumption this would be their aim again. This time, their attacks seem indiscriminate. The presence of the ward helps a little, freeing the steadings there to send their warriors to help the rest of the territory. It slows the ''scions'' attacks, but in the end it cannot prevent widespread destruction across the heartland of the Navarr nation.

Like the other armies assailing the Empire, the Empty Hands demonstrate [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|supernatural coordination]], and a terrible insight into the exploitable weaknesses of their opponents. Yet this is not the most grievous thing about these ''scions''. Their channellers and archons are able to evoke a dreadful blue-green radiance that, in stark contrast to the natural light of the sun, has a terrible effect on living plants. Where the light touches, trees and plants begin to calcify. They become hard and grey, each branch, root, leaf, and stem rendered into a substance part-way between bone and soft stone. The soil around the dying plant is poisoned, becoming chalk-like sand that will not sustain wholesome life. This mark of Cold Sun's malign presence is most concentrated in Oakways; whole swathes of woodland killed and remade. The longer the ''scions'' spend in a place, the more complete the transformation.

A further indignity: as the Winter Solstice draws closer, the Empty Hands regroup to consolidate their control of Oakways. Shortly before the Solstice, a sudden pulse of magic rips across the entire territory. As in [[#Forests|Varushka]], the [[trods]] in Miaren are rent asunder over the course of a dozen heartbeats. Magical paths that have resisted the passage of centuries, unmade in a moment. The energy goes further than in the north, perhaps because the trods are that much older and that much more stable. It grounds itself through a number of Spring regio. Only the weakest are destroyed, but all touched by the cold fire are damaged. Even Goldglades is not spared, and as in Volodmartz and Karov, several vates are badly burned as the energy surges along the trods.

While the core of the invading army remains in Oakways, they launch assaults into [[Miaren#Holtford|Holtford]], [[Miaren#Greenfalls|Greenfalls]] and even [[Miaren#Serenael|Serenael]]. The ''scions'' do not attack [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] itself, but all across Miaren steadings are assailed, stridings intercepted, wayhouses burned.

Those who cannot fight seek sanctuary in Goldglades and behind the walls of Seren. Most manage to find a measure of safety, but some are less fortunate, intercepted by the Empty Hand and slain without mercy. Hundreds of humans and orcs are slain, their bodies seared to ashes. There will be no rest in the funeral glades for the victims of Cold Sun.

As well as the cost in lives, there is a more symbolic loss in Miaren. The Empty Hands, like all the armies of Cold Sun, are drawn to places of beauty, art, and culture. Peaceful monuments, colleges, and places of natural beauty across the territory are targeted for destruction. Perhaps the most cruellest loss is the destruction of [[Dean_of_the_First_Voice_Glade#First_Voice_Glade|First Voice Glade]], raised in memory of [[Known_exemplars#Gerallt_Brackensong|Gerallt Brackensong]]. The grand archon of the Empty Hand itself leads the force that burns the school there. Most of the staff and students make it to safety, but the structure itself is torn apart and the beautiful trees transformed into cursed stone effigies A painful symbol of the damage being done to the heart of the Navarr nation.

====Game Information: Miaren====
The Empty Hands are almost a third of the way toward conquering Oakways. The region has gained the ''Petrified'' quality, representing the damage done to the settlements and the land itself. It may be possible to reverse the destruction if the Empty Hands are driven out of the territory, but the more of the region they conquer the harder it will be. Should they conquer the entire region, the transformation will be permanent.

The trods of Miaren have been destroyed, just as those in Hercynia and Varushka have been. While [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] could replace them the outcome is likely to be the same as in the north. Cold Sun's ''scions'' will simply rip them apart again as soon as they begin to form, and may gain further insight into their operation in the process.

The ''scions'' have destroyed [[Dean_of_the_First_Voice_Glade#First_Voice_Glade|First Voice Glade]]. The title of [[Dean of the First Voice Glade]] still exists, but with the loss of the [[sinecure]], they no longer receive their [[Dean_of_the_First_Voice_Glade#Bounty_of_Herbs|bounty of herbs]].

====Participation: Miaren====
As with Karov and Volodmartz, if your character is a [[Magical skills#Magician|magician]] with at least one rank of Spring lore, you may choose to have been burned by the energy that destroyed the trods. See [[#Participation: Navarr|that earlier section]] for details.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Fires by Night.jpg|caption=Life is a fire; vibrant, warm, beautiful, but gone quickly leaving only ashes.|align=right|width=500}}</div>

==Grass==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAsDjIwE6E}}
When Cold Sun [[To_the_last_syllable#On_the_Coast|sent its servants to the Brass Coast]], they were met with all the passionate fury the [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] could muster. Defeated and scattered, the descendants of [[Erigo]], [[Riqueza]], and [[Guerra]] breathed a sigh of relief. One that was proved a little premature when, mere weeks before the Autumn Equinox, an army of ''scions'' [[To_the_last_syllable#Ascension|emerged in Segura]]. The heralds struck fast and with a fury of their own, [[To_the_last_syllable#The_Hunt_Begins|overwhelming the defenders]] of the barely established [[Cerevado Nets]] and stealing a bounty of [[ilium]] for their own inscrutable reasons. As the Equinox came to an end, the folk of the dry grasslands of Segura could only wonder at what the presence of that ominously named army might mean.

===The Fire Beacon===
The Fire Beacon is in [[Segura#Burnish|Burnish]]. An army of Cold Sun ''scions'', issued from an unnamed regio somewhere in the northern hills. They burn with an unquenchable flame, and where they march they leave only ruin and ash. Their progress puts them on a direct line with the [[Segura_spoils_of_war#Sunsong_Ranch|Sunsong Ranch]], the largest settlement on the plains. It stubbornly resisted the Lasambrians, but it seems defenceless against the forces of oblivion.

Each ''archon'' of the Fire Beacon seems to bear an ember of oblivion at their heart. Where they march, flames leap and flicker, a cold blue aura burns around them. Where it touches the grass, the sparse trees, the terrified beasts of the plains, the abandoned homes, it begins to burn them away. Life itself is an affront to the Fire Beacon, it seems. At night the frigid ice-blue flames shimmer across the hilltops, stark against the dark skies, overwhelming starlight and moonlight alike. Pillars of smoke rise from burning settlements and the wind that blows down from the hills is gritted with ash. It whispers of inevitable destruction, of a growing certainty that it is futile to resist. It chills the soul, and makes even the bravest heart skip a beat.

As news of the coming doom spreads across Segura, carried on the ashen wind and the terrible aurora over the hills, it kindles a numb inevitability in the Freeborn. This army of heralds might be the one final thing, the one dreadful thing, that breaks the spirit of these unbreakable people. It would be easy to give into despair, to fear that this is just another intimation of the end of the Freeborn. How can passion, how can joy, how can hope, endure against this unrelenting tide of oblivion?

But hope still lives. As the Fire Beacon begins its inevitable approach to the Sunsong Ranch, to that place that has become for many a symbol of Seguran defiance, two Imperial armies come to stop them.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Aracelis i Erigo, General of the Burning Falcon">An Enemy rises before us that must set. Segura is Freeborn. It will remain freeborn. The Power of Summer graces us with its splendour. I invite Janon to stand with me again to inspire us against an enemy that sees us as nothing. I will bring the night to this Cold Sun. It shall understand the flame.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Kindra Surefoot, General of the Fist of the Mountains">The ancient cultures of the far north share a long history and many stories of Courage, Ambition and Heroism. New threats, new alliances, new stories. We stand proudly together with our Thule guests, to beat back the forces of oblivion. We have read the omens. Cold Sun cannot be reasoned with or bargained with. Destroy these heralds.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Army</th><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>William Fletcher</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Astolat</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Torag Meliora</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Astolat</td><td>House Meliora</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Roberte i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Feroz</td><td>DelToro</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Razek i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Feroz</td><td>Flames of the Coast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Kindra Surefoot</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Kaisa Denmother</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Fellowship of the Broken Willow</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Trencher</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Fellowship of the Broken Willow</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Mattias i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Kahraman</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Salim i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Kahraman</td><td>Flames of the Coast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Talshir</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Kahraman</td><td>Flames of the Coast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Witold Stefanovic Petrov</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Karov</td><td>Wulfen Reavers</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Danza Pathfinder</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Liathaven</td><td>Pathfinders</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Líovani í Vella í Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Madruga</td><td>Flames of the Coast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Juan-Diego i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Madruga</td><td>The Blue Flames</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Fortun i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Madruga</td><td>The Burning Sails</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Aagni</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>The Thornborn of Entwined Paths</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Uzbek Perune Kostka</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Miekarova</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Byzantum</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Morrow</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Edd</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Happiston Volunteers</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Leoric Hudson</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Happiston Volunteers</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Reaghan i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Segura</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Velasco i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Segura</td><td>Bloodgold Jackals</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Aracelis I Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Segura</td><td>Flames of the Coast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Ehmrys i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Segura</td><td>Flames of the Coast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>Torwynn</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Semmerholm</td><td>House Wolfborne</td></tr>
<tr><td>Burning Falcon</td><td>De'Kere Maison</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Weirwater</td><td>Amber Lance</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fist of the Mountains</td><td>Reidarr Blood-Letter</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Byrchenhal</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fist of the Mountains</td><td>"Axehind" Aedric Dunning</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fist of the Mountains</td><td>Emil Speaker-for-the-Quiet-Voiced</td><td>Otkodov</td><td>Skuld</td><td></td></tr>
</table></div>

From distant [[Wintermark]], the [[Fist of the Mountains]] approaches the unknown threat of Cold Sun cautiously, but alongside them blazes a fire to answer anything an eternal might spark. The Burning Falcon ''roar'' into Segura, barely pausing to catch their breath before charging into the ''scions''' eastern flank.

Alongside the Fist of the Mountains, a battalion of Thule war-wizards, far from their northern home. Allies secured by diplomacy, the blue-clad orcs are accompanied by packs of lean, savage bear-wolves drawn from some eternal realm. There is an uneasy peace between them and the other warbands of Wintermark that accompany the Fist. They keep themselves apart – until battle is joined when they unleash their beasts and their magic as furiously as any Steinr, or Suaq, or Kallavesi.

The Burning Falcon have with them a host of elfin knights, in red and gold, armoured emissaries of the [[Eleonaris|Sovereign of the Pennants]], [[Knights of Glory|called forth]] by the echoing horns of Imperial magicians. There are also two dozen heralds of [[Janon|the Shadowed Fire]], accompanying the passionate Freeborn warriors and rousing them to face the twisted zeal of the Fire Beacon with the flame that burns in their own hearts. The servants of Night, with midnight-blue skin and raging crimson eyes and hair, avoid the knights of Eleonaris, who are more than happy to return the favour. They are always found where the fighting is thickest, battling beside the [[kohan]], urging them every onwards. A few warriors have adopted their garb - scarlet robes over iron scales. with a sword in either hand. Mortal and unmortal alike, all revel in the opportunity to test themselves against the cold-hearted, blue flamed ''scions'' of Day.

The Falcon and their Summer allies meet the Fire Beacon in the foothills; the speed and ferocity of their initial assault overwhelms the heralds.

Yet Cold Sun's chosen soldiers are not foolish. They possess a supernatural clarity that allows them to react to circumstances with uncanny speed and effectiveness. Battle is joined – the smaller force compensating for the overwhelming numbers arrayed against them with cunning strategy and a unity of purpose the Freeborn and their fey allies cannot quite match. It seems that they might hold their own, and battered but unbowed, reach the fences of the Sunsong Ranch and shatter what the Lasambrians could never breach.

The delay, though, buys time for the Fist of the Mountain to arrive, and while they may have resisted the Freeborn alone... they cannot stand against them when Wintermark fights by their side. Three hours of vicious fighting, and the heralds are pushed back into the low, rolling hills, back towards the [[Kahraman]] borders.

The peripatetic nature of the Freeborn of the plains ensures that in the weeks before they reach Sunsong Ranch, the damage the ''scions'' are able to cause is minimized. People flee rather than stand and burn – buildings can be replaced much more easily than family.

It's not possible to guess how many ''scions'' fall to Freeborn bhuj, to golden greataxe, to the swords of Wintermark, to the wicked spells of Otkodov. The air becomes thick with ash and flickering embers as the Fire Beacon retreats. ''Scion'' and human and orc alike burned to nothing, to coarse ash on the winter winds.

====Game Information: Segura====
Exact numbers are difficult to calculcate, but it seems the Fire Beacon has lost roughly half its strength to the combined might of the Burning Falcon and the Fist of the Mountains. The army remains in the territory for now, regrouping in Burnish, although it remains to be seen whether they remain here in the face of such passionate resistance.

The destructive nature of the Fire Beacon means that any opposing campaign army or fortification that takes casualties from the army will break if their military strength falls below 1,500 (or 2,250 if they are large). This represents the devastating effects of the cold blue flames that accompany the ''scions'' of Cold Sun; an army that disbands will see many of its remaining soldiers eaten alive by cursed flame, while a fortification that collapses under their onslaught will leave nothing behind save an area of glass (there will be no [[opportunity]] to rebuild the fortification).
====Participation: Segura====
Just as when the Burning Falcon fought the [[Jotun]] in [[Kahraman]] [[Shallows and miseries|after the Spring Equinox]], any character whose [[military unit]] was assigned to fight alongside the army this downtime may choose to have been impacted by the experience of battling in close proximity to heralds of both [[Eleonaris]] and [[Janon]]. If you possess [[heroic skills#hero|hero points]], you may choose to gain an additional temporary hero point which, once spent, is permanently gone. It will have faded entirely by the end of the Winter Solstice regardless.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Shoulder to shoulder.jpg|caption=We have deep roots, and long memories.|align=right|width=500}}</div>

==Rushes==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gIf_q1Pt9U}}
[[The Marches]] saw off the first wave of invaders after the Summer Solstice, and while there were deaths it was nowhere near as bad as it might have been. Then, shortly before the Autumn Equinox, a large group of ''scions'' in [[Bregasland#Graven March|Gravenmarch]] were able to [[To_the_last_syllable#The_Welcome|seize control of a powerful regio]] despite the best efforts of the heroes of Anvil. Using some combination of dark sorcery, they began to force that regio open, creating a way for thousands more of their kind to boil into [[Bregasland]].
===The Ending Tide===
During the Autumn Equinox, a band of brave Imperial heroes used the [[Sentinel Gate]] to try and intercept a company of ''scions'' in [[Bregasland]]. The heralds attempted to [[To_the_last_syllable#The_Welcome|claim the ''Still Rock'']], a potent Day [[regio]] not aligned to any known [[eternal]]. Despite their best efforts, the heroes were forced to retreat, and the ''scions'' claimed their objective.

The Still Rock is a stone pillar, shot through with veins of quartz. Positioned like the gnomon of a sundial, it is somehow connected to the [[Keeper_of_the_Dour_Fens#Beneath_Graven_Rock|working beneath Graven Rock]]. More importantly, perhaps, it represents the single most powerful regio under the control of Cold Sun's forces. Under normal circumstances, the [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] of the [[Imperial Conclave]] would prevent more heralds entering the Empire, but it soon becomes apparent that the ''scions'' have the capacity to force the portal at the heart of the potent regio wide and allow more soldiers of Oblivion to enter Bregasland. Many more. An entire new army; the Ending Tide begins to gather in Gravenmarch.

Again, Imperial magicians have taken precautions. The [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] settle over [[Bregasland#Grey Fens|Grey Fens]], creating a powerful protective ward of cunning mist and confusing fog. As in the north, however, there is something ''off'' about the ward. No creatures of the Night Forest accompany the invocation, but rather the tendrils of seething mist extend in pockets across the entirety of Bregasland, slowing the spread of the Ending Tide. This is something of a mixed blessing however, as the mists appear to be almost as tricky for [[the Marches|Marchers]] to navigate as they are for the invaders. They don't impede those fighting the ''scions'', and indeed they help the [[beater|beaters]] and [[Yeoman_of_the_Marches|yeomen]] move quickly and secretly into position to harry the ranks of the Day heralds. Rather, they cause mild trouble for good folk going about their business, turning them around and occasionally causing them to wander lost for hours on end. They present particular difficulties to the magistrates and militia dispatched by the [[Imperial Senate]] to investigate the [[When_Spring_comes#Send_In_the_Magistrates|recent troubles in the western marshes]]. It's not clear if this is intentional, or just the magic responding to the resentment of the Bregas.

Peculiar [[Night magic]] aside, the threat the Ending Tide represents is very clear. There are no [[fortification|fortifications]] whose garrison might oppose the invaders. For a fortnight or so it begins to look as if the Bregas might be in real trouble. The ''scions'' of the Ending Tide seem broadly unconcerned about the mud and the marsh; they are supernaturally adept at exploiting paths and shallows mostly known only to the locals. The unnatural clarity of their terrible lord, perhaps.

In another world, the Ending Tide achieve their full strength – a great host of ''scions'' larger than any currently in the Empire. They sweep through Graven March slaughtering as they go. They burn Graven and spill west into [[Bregasland#The Rushes|the Rushes]]. Sallow falls. They transform Graven Rock into a terrible fortress and from there continue to despoil not only the southern Dour Fens, but assault southern [[Mitwold]] and northern [[Mournwold]] as well.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Bobert Thatcher, General of the Bounders">Bounders! We stand in Loyalty with our siblings in the Strong Reeds with a Solid Defence of Gravenmarch in Bregasland. To Stop the Cold Sun & in support of the magistrates who are rooting out the traitors left behind by Fisher & the Jotun, who intend to murder our friends and families.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Tancred of Meade, General of the Drakes">Drakes! We fought off the Predations of Siakha, and their heralds are now composting the winter crops. But our fellow Marches are under threat. We will enact a Solid Defence of Gravenmarch in Bregasland against the forces of the Cold Sun.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Amberlaine Black, General of the Strong Reeds"> Queen Fisher is defeated! Years of War have now ended and Bregas will forever remain marcher. But Loyalty calls. The Cold Sun seek to murder our families, we folk heroes will never let that happen. Now and forever we answer the call of Bregasland. Loyalty calls. Lets Go!</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Ioan Longshadow, General of Isaella's Dance">Isaella's Dance we move to Bregasland into Gravenmarch. We will mount a Solid Defence against the newest threat to the Empire, the Cold Sun. We have rested, we have trained, we will stand. We do this so that Navarr can defend Hercynia and liberate the great forest orcs. Strength to the Empire, Strength to Navarr. Your Generals will do what is needed.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>'green' jack woodruff</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Upwold</td><td>The Applewood Levy</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aelfric Woodson</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Upwold</td><td>The Applewood Levy</td></tr>
<tr><td>Trevor Woodsman</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Upwold</td><td>The Applewood Levy</td></tr>
<tr><td>John of Meade</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mitwold</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Arthur Payne</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>The Company We Keep</td></tr>
<tr><td>Edmund Hook</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Bregasland</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Cedric of Greywater</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Bregasland</td><td>The Black Vigil</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ulrich Tyrelias</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Bregasland</td><td>The Black Vigil</td></tr>
<tr><td>Willem Tarne</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Bregasland</td><td>The Black Vigil</td></tr>
<tr><td>Tod Grouse</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mitwold</td><td>House Mudd</td></tr>
<tr><td>Amberlain P. Black</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Upwold</td><td>The Unbound Union</td></tr>
<tr><td>William Guildenstern</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Upwold</td><td>The Unbound Union</td></tr>
</table></div>
In ''this'' world, however, things go very differently. Two weeks after the Autumn Equinox, the armies of the Empire arrive in Bregasland. Three Marcher armies – the [[Bounders]], the [[Drakes]], and the [[Strong Reeds]] – supported by [[Isaella's Dance]]. More than fifteen hundred yeomen, the entourage of a dozen Marcher captains, join the fray. They throw a ring of steel and yew around the Ending Tide, and they refuse to take so much as a single step back.

The Marchers know this territory intimately and they take every advantage the marshes have to offer. They choose where to engage carefully, ensuring that they fight with defensive advantage wherever possible. For the first month they let the Ending Tide crash against them, an irresistible sea of heralds against an immovable rock. And then, step by step, they start to move forward, closing in toward the Still Rock.

As the Ending Tide are compressed, they fight all the more fiercely. The Marchers and their Navarr allies, however, take no chances. They make use of the enchanted mists emanating from Grey Fens wherever possible, so that even when they are forced to pull back they make certain to leave nobody behind to be destroyed in Cold Sun's cruel funereal fire. The [[landskeeper|landskeepers]] and [[vate|vates]], the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] and [[Surgical skills#chirurgeon|chirurgeons]] ensure that anyone who can be saved, is saved.

Given time, the Ending Tide would have risen to a torrent, a sweeping ocean of ''scions'' that might have overrun the Marches. But thanks to the swift actions of the Marcher generals and their armies, they do not get that time. Three weeks before the Winter Solstice, the steel ring closes around the heart of the army. A vicious fight in the shadow of the Still Rock, ends with the grand archon pierced by arrows, their forces broken and shattered. With an almighty ''crack'', so loud it felt to some as if the sky itself were breaking, the pillar of stone-and-quartz imploded. A rush of force swept out, hurling everyone within a hundred paces to the ground, accompanied by a burst of blue-white radiance. When it cleared, there was no sign of the unnatural army; every remaining ''scion'' still fighting was gone, dragged back to the realm of the Oblivion that spawned them.

In the still moment after that thunderous detonation, it began to rain. A cold, lazy rain that quickly soaked through every Marcher and every Navarr. The kind of rain that made the Bregas smile, a promise that things might finally, finally get back to normal perhaps.

The [[regio]] around the Still Rock, and the Rock itself, was gone, but so was every single ''scion'' of the Ending Tide. All that remained were the signs of their passage; the bodies of the fallen, the wounds they inflicted on those who courageously stood against them, the spilt blood and the burnt willows and the baked ground.

The rain of the fens is already washing even these mementos away.
====Game Information: Bregasland====
The Ending Tide has been decisively dealt with. It quickly becomes apparent during the campaign that control of the Still Rock was sufficient to have allowed the army to continue bringing new heralds to the Empire – and it is possible that had they been able to dig in their initial 3,000 strength force might have swollen to rival the Drakes in size with potentially catastrophic implications for the Marches. They won't get that chance, however.

The presence of the army has prevented the [[Keeper of the Dour Fens]] from claiming their usual bounty of crystal mana this season, and the destruction of the Still Rock has had a peculiar destabilising effect on the magical flows in the area. The [[weltsilver]] that runs through the rock has taken on a particular blue-white sheen, and the echoes of the past seem much louder than normal. The three menhirs that anchor the mana flows of Gravenmarch now weep a faintly glowing rainbow-coloured liquid. All this means that the [[Keeper_of_the_Dour_Fens#Bounty_of_Mana|production]] of the [[sinecure]] has also been affected; rather than 10 crystal mana each season it now produces only 5 crystal mana but also three measures of [[Vis#Prismatic Ink|prismatic ink]].
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Burning Zeal.jpg|caption=We are bound by spirit.|align=right|width=500}}</div>

==Zeal==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWqjqNS7478}}
[[Highguard]] has suffered at the hands of Cold Sun's ''scions''. First the [[Reikos#The_Unbound_Steel_Hall_%28Ruined%29|Unbound Hall of Lost Chapters]] was [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Bastion_and_Reikos|destroyed]], then the heralds of Day slaughtered their way to [[To_the_last_syllable#To_the_White_Tower|capturing the White Tower]] in [[Bastion]]. Now aided by a newbuilt fortress, the ''scions'' threaten the heart not only of the Highborn, but of the Way itself.
===The Winnowers===
In eastern [[Bastion#Woodbury|Woodbury]] is a ring of seven white granite statues, each depicting a [[magister]] who demonstrated the power of the human spirit over that of one of the [[eternal|eternals]] of the Day realm. The ring is two centuries old, or more, and their names and deeds have mostly been forgotten. Perhaps it once served a greater purpose, but that too has faded into history. It marks the perimeter of a small [[regio]] of the Day realm. No paths approach it through the rough woods; the nearest chapter is half a day's hard hike away.

The first heralds to arrive in [[Bastion]] [[To_the_last_syllable#Purity|assault Sybella Cross]] but are handily defeated. In retrospect, however, their attack may have been as much a distraction or a violent scouting mission as a serious attempt to destroy the [[High_Herbalist_of_Sybella#Sybella_Cross_Physician.27s_Hall|Physician's Hall]]. A fortnight before the Autumn Equinox, with the nameless regio still empowered by the powerful magics laid over the entire Empire, the ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]] erupt into the heart of [[Highguard]]. The statues of nameless magisters are shattered, and the purification of Bastion begins.

The Winnowers have learned from their earlier attack; even as the army gathers strength they send an assault force east into [[Bastion#Sybella Cross|Sybella Cross]]. They do not head for the prosperous town in the south, but rather to the ruins of the White Tower in the north. Destroyed by the [[Druj]] fifteen years or more ago, the tower kept an uneasy vigil over the [[trods]] running into [[Reikos]]. Despite the best efforts of a group of Imperial heroes during the Equinox, the ''scions'' [[To_the_last_syllable#To_the_White_Tower|assault the ruins]] and quickly overwhelm the lone watchtower there. Worse, for some, during the attack the shield [[Pilgrim's Shield|Oath-heart]], the [[Champion of Loyalty|Shield of Loyalty]]|, was lost during the attempt and is now in the possession of Cold Sun.

The rest of the army arrives less than a day later. With supernatural speed they set to work reinforcing the hill. Their ''channellers'' draw on the power of [[Cold Sun]] to support the building effort, fusing broken stones together and raising hard rock from beneath the nearby hills, but most of the work is done by groups of ''scions''. A new fortification rises, a keep whose harsh angles and strange proportions grate on mortal eyes, topped by a dome of blue-white metal that glows with a dim azure light.

The [[chapters]] of Sybella Cross are ready for more attacks from Cold Sun, but not for the scale of the forces arrayed against them. They fight as best they can, but the defenders closest to the White Tower are soon overwhelmed, forced to retreat or be slaughtered. The ''scions'' move methodically, spreading out in a widening ring with the new White Tower at its heart. They possess the same supernatural ability to work together over distance shown by other armies, and the same inhuman zeal for destruction and death.

Worse than their [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|supernatural clarity]] though is the effect the Winnowers have on the land around them, or rather, on the air. Wherever a hundred or more ''scions'' are gathered together, they are surrounded by a strange localised weather effect. A warm dry wind that always blows outward, and kills wholesome plants and vegetation that it touches. It seems specifically virulent against those that help preserve life, and turns them to a vile ash-like substance that poisons the soil and spreads the withering taint wherever the wind blows it. At night, gardens wrecked by the famine-wind glow with a faint, baleful bluish glow until purified with fire or clean water. [[Herb garden|Herb gardens]] in Sybella Cross begin to suffer the touch of the foul wind, and as the army begins to launch attacks into Woodbury, Stoneside, and the Elms, the touch of the famine-wind begins to spread across all of Bastion.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Mirella Warden</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Amber Lance</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mal` Lassal Scethos of House Cordraco</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Astolat</td><td>House Cordraco</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ector Meliora</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Astolat</td><td>House Meliora</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mordrain Sepulchre</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Astolat</td><td>House Sepulchre Banner</td></tr>
<tr><td>Melkior of Balthazar’s Vineyard</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Abathar</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>Cohort of the Winter Bear</td></tr>
<tr><td>Atara</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>Cohort of the Winter Bear</td></tr>
<tr><td>Brother Isaiah</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>Cohort of the Winter Bear</td></tr>
<tr><td>Eve</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>Cohort of the Winter Bear</td></tr>
<tr><td>Miguel</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>Cohort of the Winter Bear</td></tr>
<tr><td>Nathaniel</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>Cohort of the Winter Bear</td></tr>
<tr><td>Titus</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>Cohort of the Winter Bear</td></tr>
<tr><td>Solomon</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>Shattered Tower Banner</td></tr>
<tr><td>Deacon</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>The Sepulchre of the Red Sun</td></tr>
<tr><td>Icarus of the Sepulchre of the Red Sun</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Bastion</td><td>The Sepulchre of the Red Sun</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ardeniel</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Casinea</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Balaam</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Casinea</td><td>Cantiarch's Hold</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ezekial of Adina's Charge</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Casinea</td><td>Daintree Survivors</td></tr>
<tr><td>Zephaniah</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Casinea</td><td>Felix's Watch Banner</td></tr>
<tr><td>Silus</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Casinea</td><td>The Sentinels Tower</td></tr>
<tr><td>Towlen</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Hercynia</td><td>Nighthaven</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vincente i Zayden i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Madruga</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Ioan Longshadow</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>Long Shadow</td></tr>
<tr><td>Adamah</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Dubidai</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>George</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Thomir, Son of Astion</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td>Banner of the Cenotaph</td></tr>
<tr><td>Jericho</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td>Drusilla’s Resolve</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cilicia</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td>The Riven Blade</td></tr>
<tr><td>Decimus</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td>The Steel Tide</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mathayus</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td>The Steel Tide</td></tr>
<tr><td>Solomon of the Silent Tide</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td>The Steel Tide</td></tr>
<tr><td>Enoch</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td>Wayfaring Order of Suriyel’s Tome</td></tr>
<tr><td>Saul</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Necropolis</td><td>Wayfaring Order of Suriyel’s Tome</td></tr>
<tr><td>Alexios</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Redoubt</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Aletheia, Daughter of Carmen</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Reikos</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Tselem</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Zadok</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baraos</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Drusilla’s Resolve</td></tr>
<tr><td>Asarok</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Ebon's Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cyrus, of Ebon's Hall</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Ebon's Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Levi</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Ebon's Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Leximus</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Ebon's Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Pippin</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Ebon's Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Abraham</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Order of the Basilisk</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ivanbrok</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Order of the Basilisk</td></tr>
<tr><td>asche</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Order of the Basilisk</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aenea</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Shattered Tower Banner</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vashti</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Shattered Tower Banner</td></tr>
<tr><td>Tristan Longstone Castellan</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Semmerholm</td><td>House Castellan</td></tr>
<tr><td>Richard de Carsenere</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Semmerholm</td><td>House de Carsenere</td></tr>
<tr><td>Samantha Barossa De Tassato Regario</td><td>The League</td><td>Tassato</td><td>Company of The Red Fox</td></tr>
<tr><td>Caius Aurelius</td><td>Dawn</td><td>The Barrens</td><td>House Aurelius</td></tr>
<tr><td>Archavion Wolfborne</td><td>Dawn</td><td>The Barrens</td><td>House Wolfborne</td></tr>
<tr><td>Casey Lonestrider</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Therunin</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lady Eve Orzel</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Weirwater</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Ser Claudia Lovelorn</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Weirwater</td><td>The Whelps of Sorin</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Asenath, General of the Granite Pillar">Sisters, Brothers, Siblings, I call upon every citizen of Highguard to join us in a Heroic Stand to defend the Religious Centre of the Empire against the depredations of the Day realm. Look to the words of the National Assembly for Inspiration. Look to Solomon of the Shattered Tower who brings the banner of the Thundering Tide, legacy of our lost army, hallowed with True Liao to Loyalty. Look to the courage of Asher, Miracle that shines on your general's soul. Look to the skull of Susa, relic of the horse ridden by Perseus son of Permion. Look to the virtue within yourselves. The Cold Sun believes that all sentient life is a disease to be eradicated. They have seen NOTHING yet. Virtue is contagious. Our Hearth magic is built to confound them. The Red Eye of the Basilisk is open and sees all. Be the Example the Empire needs you to be and the lesson the impudent realms will never forget. My Heart swells with Pride for tomorrow, together we ride.</quote></div>

Had the invaders been left unchallenged, it is likely that the herbalists, [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]], and [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecaries]] would have paid a terrible price. It's fortunate then that barely a fortnight after the Autumn Equinox, the [[Granite Pillar]] marches into Sybella Cross from neighbouring [[Casinea]].

The first Highborn army does not march alone. They provide vital support to seven and a half thousand independent soldiers, many led by captains who had only recently been attending the autumn summit at [[Anvil]]. Mostly drawn from Highguard and Dawn, several bear major [[enchantment|enchantments]] that further enhance their power. As soon as they see the first signs of the Winnowers, they [[Army_orders#Heroic_Stand|make a stand]], drawing up a battle-line between the invading ''scions'' and the people of Bastion, telling them “''enough!''” and “''no more!''”.

Following the banner of the fallen Thundering Tide, the soldiers of the Empire seek every opportunity to engage the enemy. They meet the zealous madness of oblivion blow for blow, inspired by Courage and Loyalty. The Winnowers are forced to pull back to their fortifications at White Tower, or see them entirely overwhelmed. Forced to deal with the Imperial champions and the soldiers of the Granite Pillar, they are unable to ravage Bastion in the way their compatriots have devastated other parts of the Empire. Their famine-wind is contained, and while it wreaks a terrible ruin in Sybella Cross, it doesn't extend to the hospitals and herb gardens elsewhere.

The Granite Pillar pay a steep price for this virtuous act. Despite the best efforts of the healers that accompany the army, by the time the Winter Solstice draws close, three hundred soldiers have fallen to the ''scions''. They sell their lives dearly; three heralds are destroyed for every Imperial slain. The battlefields of Sybella's Cross are dusted with grey; both dead humans and the broken heralds reduced to fine ash, whipped up by the winds that blow out from the Winnowers.

Two-thirds of the army remains, however, camped around the White Tower. The tethered winds that surround them seem undiminished; some [[magister|magisters]] speculate that the tower itself somehow enhances or empowers the turbulence in the air. For now, though, it's contained, and the soldiers of Cold Sun along with it.

The Winnowers' assault has faltered before it has truly begun. A handful of chapters have been assaulted and only a small numbers of Highborn citizens have lost their lives. Any threat to the [[Blood_will_thicken|Grand Project]] at [[Bastion#Bastion.2C_the_White_City|the White City]] has been minimized; labourers from across the Empire inspired by the words of the Granite Pillar's [[general]], throw themselves into the task of transforming Bastion into the new Sacred City. Some tell themselves that if Cold Sun opposes it, it is just a sign of the fear that the [[eternal|eternals]] have for the spiritual Truth of [[the Way]].
====Game Information: Bastion====
The White Tower still stands; a unique structure similar to a [[fortification]] that supports the Winnowers, providing them with an additional 1,000 strength. The army of ''scions'' is battered, but does not appear to be in a hurry to depart the territory.

While the foul wind that emanates from the army has ravaged a number of [[herb garden|gardens]] in Sybella, it has done nothing to diminish the need for healing herbs. Quite the contrary; Highborn herbalists are more keen than ever to send their bounty to the war-zone, to support the heroic soldiers fighting the invading heralds. As such the [[High Herbalist of Sybella]] sees no reduction in the [[High_Herbalist_of_Sybella#Purchase_of_Herbs|bounty of herbs]] they can acquire.

The same cannot unfortunately be said for the ''Kruidenkenner''. The herb-traders of the [[Sarcophan Delves]] are loathe to visit an active battlefield, especially one involving unnatural horrors from beyond the mortal world. As such, until the Winnowers are driven from Bastion, the High Herbalist will not be able to [[High_Herbalist_of_Sybella#The_Kruidenkenner|purchase herbs]] imported from the Delves.

==Participation: Cold Sun==
Any character whose military unit supported an army or fortification (including the beacons of Wintermark) that fought against the ''scions'', or is the general of one of the armies, is welcome to use scar-effect burns to depict the aftermath of that fight in a similar manner to the Navarr in the [[Things_that_burn#Participation:_Navarr|Participation: Navarr]] section. It is not possible to request a traumatic wound from taking part in this action; that is still only available to Navarri magicians with at least one rank of Spring lore. This is in no way a requirement - you should use however much phys-repping of injuries as you are comfortable with - nor is it expected that characters who are generals or own military units fight in a campaign.

==Heroes (Conjunctions)==
Half a dozen opportunities for the heroes of Anvil to use the [[Sentinel Gate]] to face the ''scions'' of Cold Sun have been identified as the Winter Solstice draws closer. For the moment they are little more than teasers, but more information will be provided before the summit.
===The Hammer (Hahnmark)===
* '''A force of ''scions'' from the Silence Arc have broken away to threaten New Dunhall'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 17:00 on Saturday to Dun's Hurst, Kronemark'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Caretaker of New Dunhall'' is responsible for stopping the heralds'''
As the ''Silence Arc'' is driven out of the hills of Valasmark north into Kronemark a small force moves instead eastwards into Wood Heath. The walls of New Dunhall serve well against bandits or the [[trogoni|fell creatures]] of the deep earth, but they will not stand against the ''scions'' of Cold Sun if they make it that far. The town, under the care of the [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]], also serves as the home of the keystone of the [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#The_Legacy_of_Vigilance|Legacy of Vigilance]].

===Into the Stone (Upwold)===
* '''A breakaway force of the ''Empty Hands'' have launched a raid into Upwold, to attack Sutton Stone Quarries'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 17:30 on Saturday to Sammy's Paling, The Heath'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The holder of the ''Sutton Stone Quarries'' is responsible for stopping the heralds'''
Even as the ''Empty Hands'' are busy methodically claiming Oakways a small force is dispatched west into Upwold, to the Heath and the [[white granite]] drawn from the [[Sutton Stone Quarries]]. It is uncertain what use the ''scions'' could have for the precious stone, but what is certain is that if they make it to the quarry then they will not only slaughter the workers but also claim the bounty of white granite for some nefarious purpose.

===Visitations (Astolat)===
* '''A band of ''scions'' from the ''Empty Hands'' have crossed the border into Astolat'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:00 on Saturday to Coppice of Roses, Groveyard'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Knight-protector of Autumn'' is responsible for liaising with a herald of that realm to stop the ''scions'''''
The peaceful settlement of Brightway is quiet; a place of recovery and rest that rarely sees excitement. Just a week before the Winter Solstice a peculiar looking herald of the [[Lictors]] arrives at the town. The herald is polite when explaining that they are here with a request for the [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Autumn]] and a warning from an undisclosed resident of the Autumn realm. A force of ''scions'' of the Empty Hands is making their way to the Castle of Thorns. The herald, an odd looking fellow with a greenish hue about them, makes clear that the ''scions'' clearly have no chance of destroying the fortification but warns that if even a single channeller or archon manages to get to the garden they will be able to replicate what they have done in Miaren: leaving nothing of the renowned rose garden but a grim reminder.

===A Hero in the Night (Kallavesa)===
* '''Scions from the ''Exigent Span'' threaten the healers of Hufi's Glen'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 20:00 on Saturday to Road to Masi, Kallavesa Marsh'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Woundbinder of the Mark'' is responsible for stopping the heralds'''
The ''Exigent Span'' moves northwards into Skymark, and as it does a small force advances ahead of the main body towards Hufi's Garden. This place of inspiration for the grimnir and healers of Wintermark is a tempting target for the ''scions'' and it will be down to the [[Woundbinder of the Mark]] to stop them from destroying the garden and slaughtering the herbalists and apothecaries that reside there.

===The Bite of the Thorns (Miaren)===
* '''A force of ''Empty Hands'' are converging on a certain point at the heart of Miaren, their intention unknown'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 20:30 on Saturday to Golden Meadow, Goldglades'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Spear of the Seven'' is responsible stopping whatever it is the heralds are planning'''
A small force of ''scions'' has been seen separate from the rest of the Empty Hands in Oakways. This group is making its way towards the centre of the region in a slow, methodical manner and - according to a small group of thorns that were able to escape - channelling the radiance of Cold Sun into seemingly random trees along their path. It is uncertain what the ''scions'' might accomplish if they reach the end of their path, but it is the responsibility of the [[Spear of the Seven]] to stop them.

===Scouting and Discoveries (Bastion)===
* '''The ''Winnowers'' have Oath-heart, the Shield of Loyalty, and the ''scions'' plan to turn it somehow to their terrible purpose'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 21:00 on Saturday to Tamar's Stand, Sybella Cross'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Loyalty'' is responsible for recovering the shield (or perhaps destroying it)'''
Last summit the heroes of Highguard journeyed through the Sentinel Gate in an attempt to [[To_the_last_syllable#To_the_White_Tower|stop the ''scions'']] from claiming the ruined White Tower. Sadly they were not successful and the ''Winnowers'' were supported in their campaign this season. But Oath-heart, regalia of the [[Champion of Loyalty]], was lost during the attempt and an unconquered has reported seeing the shield being borne towards the ''grand archon'' where it will be reforged into some terrible weapon of Cold Sun.

==Further Reading==
* [[Cold Sun]]
* [[To the last syllable]] - Autumn 385YE Wind of Fortune
* [[Ruin#What_follows_in_shadow_.28Conjunction.29|Ruin]] - Summer 385YE Wind of Fortune

A beacon of smoke

2024-04-25T16:21:06Z

TomH: /* Following the Craft (Madruga) */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=A beacon of salt.png|caption=The Freeborn philosophy is that society is best served when every individual is responsible for themselves and to themselves.|align=left|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/stKMG93Jdgw?si=6EiBbnrWTo18Wf6B}}
<div class="captioned-image captioned-image-{{{align|right}}}" style="clear: {{{align|right}}}">[[File:UrizenMagician.jpg|124x110px|link= https://youtu.be/vjwH_Nqs1Aw]]<div class="caption">Alternate audio version</div></div>
==City of Sails==
The [[Madruga#Siroc|City of a Thousand Sails]] is always enumerated alongside [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]], [[Hahnmark#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]], and the cities of the League. Billowing Siroc, the Sapphire. The hakima say that it was founded by [[Tribe#Embracing_Guerra|Guerra]], that passionate opponent of slavery, driven to build a better world.

Brightly coloured tents extend Siroc out far beyond the small cluster of stone buildings that make up the heart of the city. Sails of all shapes and sizes fill the sheltered bay, guarded by twin towered keeps on either side of the bay along the approach to the harbour. The Salt Guard, [[The_same_bed#The_Salt_Guard|designed]] by Menno van Ritsjhof, and part of the legacy of [[Empress Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta's]] plan to armour the [[Bay of Catazar]] against the Grendel.
Each of the two halves of the Salt Guard is equipped with powerful engines of war, and garrisoned by skilled mariners and corsairs who ensure the towers are always ready to respond to any threat. Between the towers, the iron chains and nets that have guarded the harbour for centuries, since they were first imported at great expense from the forges of [[Wintermark]]. Menno van Ritsjhof believed the Salt Guard would make it impossible to assault the City of Rainbow Canvas by sea.

But he was wrong.
__TOC__
==Vengeance As A Burning Flame==
The first watchers to spy the Grendel Armada approaching assume they must be seeing things. Mistaking a great wave, or a bank of fog, for the wall of masts and sails. Red, green, yellow, and blue, the sails and the mast-banners announce what must surely be the entire Grendel navy speeding from the south-east toward the Madrugan coast. They are low in the water; their holds are packed but presumably with warriors rather than trade goods.

Some of those ships have been seen recently, in other ports across the Bay. Through spyglasses, increasingly panicked watchers make out ships from the yellow-sailed Golden Winds and the green-sailed Tempest. Both navies have [[Shallow_days#Visiting_Armadas|anchored off Imperial cities]] in the last year, escorting merchants, their crew coming ashore to eat and drink in the paradors of Siroc, laughing and joked with the Freeborn, frequenting the markets of the Sapphire, all under the aegis of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|two-year peace treaty]]. The treaty that has just run its course.

There are not only Grendel ships among the armada. As they get closer, as the warning bells echo across the city, the glasses pick out the Asavean warships flanking the main force. Balo's Grace, Leaping Bull and Wind Tamer. The warships that destroyed the Isle of the Justicars, that slaughtered the people of Shantarim. With them a scattering of other war-vessels, far from their home in the distant west.

It's clear why they are here, and were it the Grendel alone it would be bad enough. But the presence of the Asaveans fills those who have an inkling of what is to come with a terrible forboding.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Iñez i Azul-Mar i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Kahraman</td><td>Bloodgold Jackals</td></tr>
</table></div>

==Salt Stone, Iron Net==
Massive as the armada is, it must contend with the Salt Guard. Trebuchet and catapult are armed and ready, launching great chunks of stone toward the attacking ships. A cheer goes up as one of the lead Grendel ships, a green-sailed vessel of the Tempest, is smashed to flotsam by the first stone.

Bronze sigils shimmer and flicker across the walls of the twin towers. Imperial magicians have used the potent [[Autumn magic]] to [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Ramparts_of_Ashlar|magically reinforce]] the Salt Guard, with power acquired from the realm of the [[Estavus|Forge Mistress]]. The siege engines are loaded by towering bronze constructs drawn from the City of Fire and Stone, the volcano-smithy of Shikal. The magical sigils of fire, stone, strength ripple across the chains and nets as they are raised across the harbour mouth. The marines themselves wait nervously, the sweat that beads their skin not only due to the supernatural warmth the [[enchantment]] has brought with it.

A single warband of Freeborn soldiers has come to Siroc to protect the city, taking up places on the walls. They are not the only unexpected defenders. When runners are sent into the city proper, to warn the people, the Commonwealth Embassy responds by sending it's entire garrison to support the Salt Guard. It is hard it imagine that fifty grim-faced warriors dedicated to the common good will make much of a difference in the face of an entire Grendel armada – but they come anyway. They march through the streets as the bells ring and people hurry to gather their families, and maybe a few people take heart from their willingness to defend the Billowing City.

While the people are afraid, they are Freeborn. They do not bow their heads to tyrants, be they human or orc. Those with battle-experience grab weapons kept in cupboards, and strap on old pieces of battered armour. Corsairs and sailors take to their own ships, ready to try and engage any invading vessel that might somehow breach the defences. The doors of the Parador of the Kindled Flame are thrown wide, to any who want to take refuge beside the children behind their walls of white granite.

The Grendel don't know any of this of course – or perhaps they do. There has been [[Rings_and_crowns#Be_Alert_to_Dangers|talk for some time]] of an espionage ring in Madruga, sponsored by some spymaster of the Broken Shore. Surely no Freeborn would sell their loyalty to the Brass Coast to the Grendel, no matter how much they were offered. Surely.

It's clear the Armada is prepared, though, for the Salt Guard and the harbour defences. Several of the leading ships of the Tempest have great serrated metal rams attached to the prow, just on the waterline, designed to tangle and rip at the port defences. There are ballistae and catapults on the invading ships that counter the hail of stone and javelins with missiles of their own.

The Asaveans in particular hold back, maintaining a barrage against the two Salt Guard towers, chipping away at even the magically reinforced stone. The Balo's Grace, the Leaping Bull, the Wind Tamer. Named in honour of the blasphemous gods of the [[Asavean Archipelago|Archipelago]], they are massive compared to the Grendel vessels that surround them, but still surprisingly manoeuvrable, with triple banks of oars that let them evade all save the luckiest hit.

Then, without any warning, fighting erupts across the harbour itself. Confused reports begin to spread of both humans and orcs making pinpoint strikes at the winches and pulleys that control the web of steel keeping the invading ships from the harbour. Treachery, from within Siroc itself.

Out at sea, perfectly timed to coincide with the attacks against the nets and chains, dozens of smaller boats – rowboats – are launched. They strive for the harbour, hard to target directly, maneuverable, swift. Some are sunk; many more manage to reach the harbour walls and join the attack on the defences. The fighting spills across the docks themselves.

Many of the warriors attacking the harbour are Naguerro, a former sept of the Lasambrian Orcs with a particular hatred for the Empire. Others raise the unfamiliar banner of a shark, ringed by lightning. Both forces seem almost unhinged in their zeal to slaughter the Freeborn defenders and capture the docks, break the defences, leave the city vulnerable.

Step by step the defenders are forced to retreat back toward the fortress-keeps of the Salt Guard. The nets and chains fall. There are Grendel vessels in the harbour itself, more Naguerro and Storm Sharks spilling out across the quayside, spilling out into the city, spilling Freeborn blood with mad abandon.

==Canvas Makes a Poor Shield==
Not all the Grendel ships storm the harbour. While the green-sailed Tempest and the blue-sailed Simoon take the forefront in the attack, the Golden Wind are busy on the coast outside the city, unloading orc soldiers, covered by the vessels of the red-sailed Shamal.

The banners of the Iron Gulls are raised. The Empire knows the 'Gulls, veterans of dozens of engagements. They survived the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_.28Spiral.29|Battle of Solen's Doubt]]. They were at the forefront of the [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war#Bronze|invasion of Feroz]]. They are known to be masters of [[Army_qualities#Siege|seige warfare]], and the warships of the Golden Wind unload rams and catapults alongside the soldiers themselves.

Beside them, the Black Eels raise their own standards. They, too, were at Solen's Doubt. They, too, are veterans of the war against the Empire. They enter the city from the south, but where the Iron Gulls are more interested in probing the defenders of the Salt Guard, the Black Eels seem to be here for [[Army qualities#Foraging|plunder]] and mayhem.

In the midst of the two armies a few hundred Grendel soldiers raise the slightly tattered banner of Governor Rahab, who rules over the conquered territories of Feroz to the south. There is a particular grimness to these orcs (and a handful of human mercenaries with them). Some of the Gulls and Eels mock them behind their backs, as they make haste toward the city ahead of the two armies. They seem especially eager to engage the Freeborn defenders.

While the rest of the armada is busy invading the harbour, the Shamal and the Tempest switch positions. Judging by the number of crimson sails the Shamal is smaller than the Tempest, their ships are newer, showing fewer of the marks of war. So too are the army they disgorge from their holds and decks. The standard of the Bone Nautilus, a white-and-gold tentacled spiral beast, are raised. This army is made up primarily of orcs, but there are a significant number of humans in their midst. Some are clearly hard bitten veteran mercenaries, some are keen-eyed youths, but there are also a number of Asavean footsoldiers, in distinctive helms, with spears and shields. They follow the other land troops in an assault against the south side of the city.

Menno van Ritsjhof was reportedly incensed when he discovered that Siroc has little in the way of defence against an attack from the shore. Perhaps the Freeborn felt that their position made it inconceivable that there would be a threat from the ground, rather than the sea. There are walls, but they are nearly as old as the city itself, and they surround the heart of the Sapphire not its borders. Siroc is a city of traders and merchants, that welcomes visitors. There are defences of course, but the Salt Guard is at the heart of them. There are defenders, but again they are focused around the Salt Guard. The three armies approaching by land are quickly in among the tents and pallanquins, and canvas offers little protection against the rapacious invaders.

==Falling Salt==
The Salt Guard falls. Great metal-bound catapult stones chip away at the walls, and smash the towers. Under the cover of a seemingly random assault, a squad of Naguerra battle-magicians unleash [[Spring magic]] against the gates of first one keep, and then barely ten minutes later the other. Rending vines erupting across the wood and stone, ripping it to pieces. The attackers pour inside. Commonwealth and Freeborn soldiers back-to-back, using every trick that the League architects could think of to make it harder for them to seize the fort. One by one the engines of destruction on both sides of the Salt Guard fall silent. The garrison is too busy fighting to survive to focus on the Grendel armada.

Those ships of the Broken Shore who are equipped to do so launch barrage after barrage of missiles against the two towers of the Salt Guard. Those without siege engines on their decks either turn the captured harbour defences against the fortress, or disembark, joining the fighting in the docks and inside the Guard.

At this point, the Asavean vessels move closer. They join the bombardment but their target is not the Salt Guard but the city of Siroc itself. They are seemingly unconcerned about crushing Grendel troops beneath their iron shot. It's not clear what happens but suddenly after a half hour of smashing tents and buildings and fleeing Freeborn and small groups of Grendel, the Asavean weapons still for a few minutes, then open fire against the Salt Guard along with the others. But the damage is done – swathes of the markets and paradors clustered around the quayside, flattened, burning. Dozens of ships, of quays, shattered to splinters. Columns of smoke begin to rise. Fire flickers in some of the windows of the Salt Guard.

With an almighty groan, one of the two Salt Guard keeps begins to collapse in on itself, transformed suddenly into a chimney that sends roaring flames up through the interior. Barrels of oil join the rocks being hurled toward Menno von Rijshof's masterpiece. Those defenders still trapped inside are no longer battling the invading orcs, but fighting to breathe as the smoke rises, fighting to escape as the fire spreads.

As the sun drops towards the eastern horizon, the second tower catches. Those defenders who manage to make it out of the collapsing fortification, coughing, gasping, wheezing, are swiftly dealt with by the invaders.

==Fire Spreads==
With the Salt Guard shattered, the city is easy prey for the immense force ranged against it. The Grendel have not had it all their own way; the courage of the Salt Guard has purchased vital hours for those who can see what is coming to flee the city, north toward [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]] or west to one of the bridges across the Scorrero, toward [[Segura]].

The Grendel follow. Over the next few months, the invaders spread north along the coast into Lightsea. Quzar falls before the Iron Gulls, despite the best efforts of the [[hakima]] and masters of [[Autumn magic]] supporting the defenders. The [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] is torn apart by the Naguerro, who loot many of the treasures within, treasures carried out of Feroz by fleeing magicians.

At the same time, the Black Eels loot and raid the port towns freely, killing any who try to resist, but seemingly unconcerned about those who wish to flee – unless they try to take their wealth with them.

Three of the Grendel navies, supported by the Bone Nautilus and the Asavean warships, assail [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]], assaulting the port towns of the corsairs. These islands were the first proper home for the Freeborn – and for the second time the Grendel seize Atalaya, the fount from which the entire Brass Coast flowed. Midport falls to the Shamal and the Golden Sails. The Tempest seizes the Shining Pillar – that great white-and-gold tower familiar to every sailor along the [[Bay of Catazar]], sometimes used as a symbol for the Brass Coast itself. When a sailor can see the beacon of the Shining Pillar, they know they are home. After the Grendel take the island on which it stands, the beacon falters, and goes out, for the first time in centuries the Shining Pillar does not shine.

Meanwhile the Simoom concerns itself with besieging the [[Madruga#The Lyceum|Isle of the Lyceum]]. The magicians there fight back, supported by their Commonwealth allies at the Lyceum Schloss. Contact with the island has been sporadic at best; it is not clear if the entire island has been conquered or what the state of the grand libraries, arcane academics, or students is. There is little hope that they may be able to hold out against the Grendel and their allies. There is a great deal of worry about what the Grendel might do with the vast stores of lore contained within the Lyceum.

As the Winter Solstice approaches... but wait. That's in the future. We aren't done with Siroc yet.

==The Last Sight==
Before the Grendel sweep across the rest of Madruga, on land and sea, they finish the conquest of Siroc. The offices of the [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] are looted, by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz. Perhaps the wealth they manage to steal here will make up for the fortune Rahab lost when the Scorrero Nets collapsed?

The Bone Nautilus surround the Parador of the Kindled Flame, eager to capture those who have sought sanctuary within, eager to carry away the children whose home it is to a life of slavery. When they finally breach the heavy oak doors, they find the place deserted. No sign of anyone hiding.

They have no way of knowing, but the children, their guardians, and those who accepted the offer of safety within the walls, are long gone. As the flames consumed the Salt Guard, two dozen friends of the [[Irra Harah|Prince of a Thousand Foes]] revealed themselves, and the sewer entrance, and lead those who would otherwise have been trapped in the orphanage to safety. They are already well on their way to Segura.

The same story unfolds across Siroc. Guardian angels – most mortal, some decidedly not – reveal themselves and help people escape what is to come. Without their unexected – and mostly invisibile - aid, a great many more people would have died when the city fell. If anyone bothers to ask – and most people are simply grateful for the aid – they say that they are discharging a service for the Archmage of Spring. They run when they can, they fight when they must, but they never try to hide. They discourage hiding, for some reason.

While many escape, many more do not. The Grendel take a few slaves but once the city falls they seem more interested in bearing away its loot rather than its people. The same cannot be said for the Asaveans. Now that the Salt Guard has fallen, the warships and mercenaries of the far west join in the conquest of the city. They are absolutely without mercy, killing anyone who comes within spear-reach or sword-reach.

It is they who lead the attack against the House of the Way, one of the oldest congregations in the Brass Coast. They smash the doors, shatter beautiful windows that have blazed in the setting sun for two hundred years, slaughter the priests and sutannir. Even the Naguerro seem a little taken aback by their zeal for slaughter, these human warriors from far away across the sea.

The Asaveans are also the ones who set the fires. Despite the chaos, the Grendel are careful to make sure that the city of tents does not burn. For a day and a night, they rampage through Siroc, taking everything they can find, everything they can carry. Then as the sun sets on the second day after the fall, as the armies regroup on the plains outside the city for the march north and west, as the navies withdraw to anchorages along the coast, the Asavean warships launch barrels of burning oil into the city. Another, and another, and another. The sky turns red, the glow growing like a baleful promise.

Asavean captains, more than a dozen cold-eyed scions of the patrician families - and it seems all the major families are represented – watch from the shoreline. They are not alone. Their soldiers have taken carefully selected prisoners. Where possible they are [[sutannir]], or priests of the Way, or [[dhomiro]] of one family or other. Two dozen, no more, dragged in manacles to the waterline south of the city.

As the barrels of oil fly, as burning brands are touched to the kindling piled all across the city, as Siroc burns, these prisoners are forced to watch. And then, as the fire stretches across the horizon, the final cruelty.

The last priests of the God of Chains are with the Asaveans and at a nod form the captains, they murder each of the prisoners. The last thing they see as they are hurled untimely into the Labyrinth is the jewel of Madruga, the Sapphire, their Billowing City, burning as the first stars of evening glitter in the uncaring sky.

All save three. These last three - one Erigo, one Riqueza, one Guerra - are released once the fires start to die down. Pushed into the surf, discarded like refuse, like jetsam on the coast of Brass, the last words of their captors echoing in their ears.

“We were an Empire before any of your petty kingdoms existed; we have no more lessons to learn about vengeance. But we can teach.”

==Game Information: Madruga==
The Grendel armada has seized three regions of Madruga: Siroc Plains, Lightsea, and Free Landing. As detailed in the [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#Not_A_Drop_To_Drink|Not a drop to drink]] Wind of Fortune, the blight of the [[Madruga#Great Grasses|Great Grasses]] remains contained thanks to the enchantment that has been diligently cast each prior season. As predicted however it has also stabilized in a way that means the region is no longer under Imperial control. As a consequence, with the Freeborn only controlling Calvos Sound and Torres, they have lost control of the territory. The Grendel have not, however, taken control of the territory; they only control three of the six regions. The territory is thus considerd contested – although the [[Senator]] for Madruga loses their seat in the Senate regardless.

The Salt Guard was overwhelmed and destroyed, but it provided sufficient defence to slow the Grendel invasion. Without it, and its enchantment, the armada may have had sufficient strength to launch a significant attack on Calvos Sound as well as the three regions it captured.

==Losses: Imperial Titles==
A number of Imperial titles have lost powers and sources of income.

Madruga no longer has a Senator.

The [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] and the [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] no longer have ministries. The titles still exist, however, and still have any appropriate responsibilities.

The [[Madruga#The_Commonwealth_Embassy|Commonwealth Embassy]] has been destroyed. The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] has lost their [[Ambassador_to_the_Commonwealth#Commonwealth_Merchants|ministry]] but maintains their other powers. The [[Commonwealth]] is likely to have a strong opinion about the destruction of its embassy in the Empire.

[[Madruga#Freeborn_Flame_Marina|Freeborn Flame Marina]] is in Grendel hands. The benefits it provided, allowing [[fleet|fleets]] of the Brass Coast to be [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Atalaya|upgraded more easily]] have been lost to the Freeborn, although it might be possible to regain the benefit if it were liberated.

The Empire no longer controls the [[Madruga#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]]. This means the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] has lost their ability to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Guiding_the_magicians_of_the_Lyceum|codify ritual texts]], the benefits of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Boon_of_the_Black_Sloth|Quiet Annexe]], and access to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Apartments_at_the_Lyceum|their apartments]]. They remain [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Arbiter_of_Imperial_Lore|Arbiter of Imperial Lore]] however. Unfortunately, one of the things they have also lost is the work on the ritual text they were codifying; it is still on the island itself.

The Parador of the Kindled Flame has been ruined, along with the city of Siroc itself. The devastation is sufficient to give Siroc Plains the ''ruins'' quality.

==Losses: Military==
The loss of Siroc has struck a devastating blow to the Brass Coast. The wealth of the Sapphire has been taken by the Grendel and the city itself comprehensively burnt. Furthermore, the Grendel have captured the wealthy ports of Lightsea and Free Landing. Coupled with the loss of the entire territory of Feroz, this means that The Brass Coast [[Commission#Maximum_numbers_of_Imperial_Forces|can no longer support their three armies]]. If not for the Iron Qanat, they would only be able to support a single army. Regardless the outcome is the same; following the Winter Solstice, they will begin to decline due to [[Imperial_army#Insufficient_Supply|insufficient supply]].

Assuming nothing else significant changes, the Freeborn will reclaim their ability to support armies once they are again in control of two of the prosperous coastal regions of the Brass Coast - Free Landing, Lightsea, [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]], [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]], or [[Feroz#Fontargenta|Fortargenta]]. This presumes they remain in control of Calvos Sound and the port-town of Calvos; if they lose that they will need to reconquer three regions.

The only silver lining is that the situation will not get worse - a nation is either "out of supply" or it is not. So even if the Brass Coast loses further territory their armies will not decline any faster - but it might mean that they have further to go before they can reclaim their ability to supply their armies.

==Intercede at the Lyceum (Battle)==
The Grendel's assault into Madruga has been a hammer blow to the Brass Coast. The Broken Shore's navies and armies have secured a solid foothold in the territory - almost claiming dominion in a single season of campaigning. Siroc has been razed and large swathes of the coast up through Free Landing are under the heel of the Salt Lords. Now the Grendel moridun troops and mercenary forces are securing the many islands offshore.

Principle among these is the isle on which the Lyceum has stood for nearly 300 years. This is an incredible prize for the Grendel, an asset of extraordinary value, however it is not so easily taken. Over the centuries, the magicians of the isle have spent considerable resources erecting potent magical wards that can protect the [[college of magic|college]] if is attacked. However those wards need powerful magical rituals to be performed to invoke them - no easy task.

The heroes of the Empire have an opportunity to strike against Grendel forces at the '''Field of Aenea'''. There, they can attempt to recover a ritual text of strategic importance; kill the "''Seeker of the Sky''" who is seeking the very same ritual; and take up the eternal Sadogua's offer to "[[Begins_where_it_ends#Sadogua|keep the Lyceum safe]]". There is also an unexpected and unusual opportunity to deploy powerful magic to aid the protection, defence and obfuscation of the entire island.

Prognosticator Atraxes notes that a conjunction of [[the Web]] and [[the Great Wyrm]] offers the Empire the unique window during the solstice to intercede in Madruga and potentially protect the Lyceum from the Grendel. The alignment of stars above the contested territory will enable rituals cast at two linked regio to behave in strange and more powerful ways than normal.

===Objective: Raise the Lyceum's wards===
* '''Cast rituals at the two regio to raise the islands powerful wards'''
* '''Each regio requires three potent rituals to invoke and power the ancient wards'''
* '''Failure will allow the Grendel to loot the Lyceum'''

The reason the Lyceum was located in Free Landing was the presence of twin regio that had an unusual property; they shifted the realm to which they were aligned after each ritual that was cast. They provided an excellent opportunity to research how ritual magic would interact with regio without risking accidentally cursing an entire territory. The regio shift according to a set pattern - something Imperial magicians have built the Lyceum's wards to exploit. The wards are difficult to raise, partly because of the magical energy need to power the wards and partly because they make using the Lyceum well nigh impossible, so it requires a major effort by Imperial magicians to trigger them.

The defensive wards of the Lyceum are tuned to the ''Shadow regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need to perform an Autumn ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then Winter ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]] at magnitude 40. That is no easy feat, but if they are successful, the Lyceum will be plunged into impenetrable darkness for a year, making it utterly impossible for the Grendel to loot it, its books, or to carry away the researchers as slaves.

The offensive wards of the Lyceum are turned to the ''Storm regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need a Day ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then a Summer ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Foam and Spittle of the Furoius Sea]]. If the final ritual is completed then the area around the Lyceum will be ravaged by storms for a year, hammering the Empire's enemies. The wards would serve as a strength 3000 fortification in the region that could not be conquered or removed. The magical storms would target the [[Grendel]] forces any time they undertook military action in the territory.

None of the rituals used in this way have their usual effect; their power is directed entirely toward the wards. Likewise, the Shadow regio and the Storm regio do not fulfill the requirement of a "strong regio" for purposes of ritual casting.

===Alternative: Respond to Sadogua's offer===
* '''Cast Align the Celestial Net in the presence of the ''Glutton's'' herald'''
* '''Casting the ritual will see the college spirited to the Night realm'''
* '''Rejecting the offer will leave the Lyceum in the Grendel's hands'''
Sadogua has made it abundantly clear that he is ''very angry indeed'' with the Empire. If the wards cannot be raised, one alternative might be to try and win round the ''Wyrm-King'' by travelling to the Lyceum and giving the college to the eternal. ''Jubbjibbaglob'', an apprentice of Sadogua's, has been sent to the isle to make sure the Grendel don't run off with the statue of Simargl, the Empty One, in the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Quiet_Annexe|Quiet Annex]], and will be around should the Empire wish to placate the eternal in this matter.

To cede the Lyceum a night coven will need to take ''Jubbjibbaglob'' to either the ''Shadow regio'' or the ''Storm regio'' and perform [[Align the Celestial Net]] on it. Once completed the herald will confirm that the necessary steps have been taken to allow the ''Globbersnotch'' to swallow the Lyceum, putting it beyond the reach of the Grendel, and anyone else. It is understood that there will be ample time for anyone in the locale to escape, as Sadogua knows the importance of not rushing a big meal.

Of course if the Black Sloth devours the Lyceum, there's no going back from that, but at least it prevents it falling into the hands of the Grendel. However even the Glutton can't eat a whole library at once, so he'll save some of the tastiest books for later. Assuming the Empire wanted to build a replacement, then it can ask the Globberslotch to return whatever texts are still left to help with that. Once he's calmed down, of course.

===Objective: Find the ''Final Dance of the Immobile''===
* '''Recover the ritual text of the Winter ritual that was codified this season'''
* '''Success will return the ritual text to the Empire and allow it to be mastered or added to Imperial lore'''
* '''Failure will result in the Grendel being able to utilise the enchantment'''
Since their election at the last Summer Solstice, '''Palaphon Ankarien''', the Dean of the Lyceum had the college work upon the codification of ''Final Dance of the Immobile''. The ritual seems to hold out some promise of weakening or warding against the Dry Patricians. The researchers of the Lyceum had all but completed the codification of the ritual and were finishing the presentation of the text when the armada of the Grendel swept into sight. In the ensuing panic, the text was taken by a Navarri vate in an attempt to get it off the island. However, the vate never reached safety and is presumably still on the island.

The scholar is believed to have been injured or possibly captured by the Grendel. Imperial heroes should aim to find and rescue the mage, who should still have the text. If the ritual has been taken from them, the Navarri will be able to indicate who took it. Should the ritual text be recovered then it could either be kept, added to Imperial lore through an appropriate [[Declaration]], or added to Urizen lore through [[Gift of Knowledge]].

===Objective: Ransom Sky Mage Faireoir===
* '''Ransom the powerful ritualist of the Sky realm who has an unknown connection with the magicians of the Schloss'''
* '''Success would give the Empire opportunity to claim a powerful strategic ritual text from the Grendel'''
''Faireoir, Seer of the Sky and Diviner of Ophis'', is a well-connected and influential Sky ritualist among the bickering courts and mercantile chambers of the Broken Shore. The Sky Mage was instrumental in directing the Grendel's attack against the Lyceum, planning to use the wealth of magical lore to gain further favour and influence for themselves. While clearly there for the opportunity to enrich themselves and their coven, Faireoir is also looking for something specific. It's not clear what it is, but there's little likelihood that it's anything ''good''.

Strangely, this figure appears to be known to the magicians of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum_Schloss|Lyceum Schloss]] - the fortified annexe where the [[Commonwealth]] magicians studying at the Lyceum. They have taken refuge along with a number of students and several Imperial citiens, but they recognised Sky Mage Faireoir and have pointed him out to Imperial scouts.

How they know Sky Mage Faireoir is a fascinating question, one the normal candied Commonwealth have declined to answer at this time. However they have said his coven is powerful and have access to potent war rituals, some of which the Empire does not possess. If the Empire could capture the powerful Sky Mage, he is bound to agree to a ransom in return for this life. His captors could demand a ritual text from him, in return for letting him leave the field alive.

It would best if any contract were enforced with a [[Scrivener's Bloodmark]] but if they've captured him the Empire could invoke the [[Lictors]] for any ransom. Provided they take reasonable means to enforce the contract, the Sky Mage would be bound to send a copy of the ritual text to the Empire once he returns to Dubhtraig.

==Save the Shining Pillar (Battle)==
In the wake of the Grendel's invasion of Madruga there are others who wish to make the most of the opportunity; using it as a way to make their personal fortunes, strengthen their grip on the mortal realm, or strike against the Empire in their own way. Just before the Winter Solstice a force of Grendel moridun soldiers arrives at Atalaya Heights in Free Landing. With them come a small party of Asavean soldiers and a dignitary of some import.

The Plenum has dispatched ''The Priest of Wrecks'' accompanied by several "''Guardians of the Black Bull''" to assist and observe the Grendel's first strike against the Empire. Soon after landing on the shores of Atalaya, ''Barquentius Iyandeus'' the Asavean ecclesiast began preparations for a large supplication that is expected to be completed shortly after the Winter Solstice. This act is intended to serve as a symbolic blow against the Freeborn and the wider Empire and to ensure good fortune for the Grendel's ongoing campaign. It will involve the ritual killing of a number of Imperial citizens and the destruction of the Shining Pillar.

The ten attendants of the Shining Pillar known as '''The Beacon's Watch''' refused to abandon the tower, claiming that they must ensure the flame remains lit and the lighthouse is still seen out in the Bay. They have all been captured and are in the custody of the Grendel. This conjunction offers a chance to rescue them from potential sacrifice and to ensure that the skills and knowledge required to maintain and operate the Shining Pillar are preserved.

In the days before the Winter Solstice ''High Priestess Shivaarn'', she who praises the [[Siakha|Mother of Monsters]], arrived at one of the islands of Free Landing. Shivaarn performed some form of rite - calling on the Salt-born Devourer and the Mother of Wrecks and the Maelstrom. From dawn until dusk she chanted and gave offerings of trinkets claimed from corsairs, of the [[The_Brass_Coast_hearth_magic#Coins|lucky coins]] of a score of dhomiro, and finally mithril. Chest after chest filled with mithril ore was thrown into the shores and swiftly swept out to sea. And then the sea boiled and foamed as heralds of Siakkha emerged. Not just the carcharadons that so many Imperials are familiar with, but something new. Tempests in human form drawn to join with the Grendel forces massing at the Shining Pillar to overwhelm it. And if they are able to claim enough lives to create some monstrosity of surf and squall in service of Siakha.

===Objective: Kill the Priest of Wrecks===
* '''Eliminate the Priest of Wrecks and the Guardians of the Black Bull'''
* '''Failure would result in the desecration and ultimate destruction of the Shining Pillar'''
Iyandeus is a loud and passionate orator, not a fighter, and the Plenum has dispatched a guard of warriors who have received blessings of their idolatrous god to ensure the priest is kept safe, or doesn't inadvertently wander into harms way. Marching in heavy chain and tall helms these soldiers are devotees of The Black Bull, the protector soldier spirit-god. These grizzled veterans are sworn into servitude to fight and die to protect Iyandeus, and can be expected to be well-prepared for battle.

Killing the Guardians and Iyandeus will ensure that the Asavean supplication cannot go ahead. Besides being an opportunity to take revenge on the Asaveans for Siroc, it will also put a stop to his plans to desecrate and destroy the Shining Pillar.

===Objective: Rescue the Beacon Watch===
* '''Free at least five members of the Beacon Watch from the Grendel'''
* '''Success will ensure a future legacy for the Shining Pillar'''
* '''Failure will see the attendants sacrificed to an Asavean god'''

The heroes of Anvil will need to track down and locate the members of the Beacon Watch in the area. They are under heavy guard by Grendel forces, rather than in the custody of the small Asavean delegation. The barbarians have split them to avoid any escape attempts and once it is clear that the Sentinel Gate has opened then they will move the lighthouse attendants during the battle to prevent potential rescue attempts.

If at least five members of the Beacon Watch are returned safely to Anvil, then the Asavean's rite to their Red God will not be possible. These attendants will return to the Brass Coast to pass on their knowledge and train others to operate the beacon once Madruga is liberated. This will mean that even if the Grendel destroys the edifice, it could be rebuilt to shine out again across the Bay once more.

===Objective: Deny the Carcharodons===
* '''Prevent the shoals of Siakha from murdering twenty or more Imperial heroes'''
* '''Success will diminish the influence of the eternal in the area'''
* '''Failure would see a fortified fane to Siakha form off the coast'''

The bloodlust rising from Atalaya's cove has drawn the fearsome carcharadon heralds of Siahka ashore to the Shining Pillar. When battle commences they will come ashore in greater numbers, drawn to bloodshed like wolves on the trail of their quarry. Heedless of their survival, the heralds will patrol the lines of contact seeking out those misfortunate enough to have been laid low. Anyone set upon by one of their number can expect a [[Calls#EXECUTE|swift and brutal death]].

If the heralds are able to murder twenty or more Imperial citizens, then Siakha's thirst for death and destruction will be fixed on the locale of the Shining Pillar. This would manifest as a raging Spring regio just off the Atalayan coast, forming a roiling gyre of tempest waves, fuming spray, and a sucking maelstrom of magic that would draw nearby ships down to certain death. Merchant shipping would be forced to give the area a wide berth until it could be dealt with, but the immediate threat would the monstrous heralds of Spring that would sprew forth. The presence of the fane would be a dangerous new threat for the Military Council to contend with, serving as a two thousand strength [[fortification]].

===Battlefield Environment: Blood in the Air===
* '''The land near the Shining Pillar is under the effect of a powerful Spring miasma'''
* '''All characters experience a feeling of rising bloodlust'''
* '''Any character who does not resist the aura has a single use of CLEAVE with an apprporiate melee weapon whilst in the location'''

''A coppery tang fills the nose and the mouth fills slick with thick saliva; the magic of savagery, blood, and destruction pulses through the veins.''

Anyone who travels to this location will experience a strong roleplaying effect of rising violence and bloodlust, unless they:

* Expend a hero point upon entering the area
* Draw on the spiritual strength of an anointing
* Draw on their Merrow lineage and assume a calm demeanour
* Are bonded to a magical item or have a ritual enchantment that mitigates effects like these

Whilst in the location any character can make a '''single''' [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|CLEAVE]] call with any melee weapon other than a pike without the need to expend a hero point or the need to have the [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|Cleaving Strike]] skill. This ability is lost if the character resists the roleplaying effect at any point, or upon their return to Anvil.

==Opportunities and Dangers (Conjunctions)==
There are smaller attacks from the Grendel across the Bay of Catazar. Probing attacks, with individual Grendel captains leading their fleets against specific targets in an attempt to recover what they can. Each of these fleets can potentially be claimed - if the Grendel who own them are defeated - but they will likely require extensive repair to get them to the high standard of the Empire. The civil service has agreed to an arrangement with the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate that where possible the League guild will salvage the ships of the Grendel and, in return, offer deeds to fleets to those recognised as responsible for the conjunction.

===News From the Plain (Necropolis)===
* '''A force of Grendel are seeking information on the bridge that spans the Couros'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:45 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Courage'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Ranald'', an influential Sky Mage of the Grendel, remained hidden in Necropolis as the peace treaty ran its course and the Imperial Senate [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Declare_war_on_the_Grendel|declared war]] on the Grendel. Barely escaping ahead of the purge once the espionage ring there was [[Rings_and_crowns#Eyes_of_the_Basilisk|uncovered]], they've been hiding out with a much reduced force along the banks of the river. Now, with the focus of the Highborn and the garrison of [[Necropolis#Reumah's_Rest|Reumah's Rest]] on the coast awaiting an attack from the sea, the company under ''Ranald'' are making their way through Coursmouth towards Ada's Plain.

On Ada's Plain not far from the river, and the Courspan Bridge that crosses it, stands the [[chapter]] of Ethan's Respite. The [[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Stewards_of_the_dead|stewards of the dead]] there repeatedly refused to allow the Grendel permission to visit the area over the last two years. The chapter cited tales about a secret, or a historical incident, that would allow the orcs to threaten the Courspan if they uncovered it. It's not clear if this is an item or a piece of information, but it's obvious that curiosity has gotten the better of Sky Mage Ranald.

The chapter of Ethnan's Respite have called for aid, asking that the [[Champion of Courage]], '''Thomir, Son of Astion''', take responsibility for preventing the Grendel from finding out... whatever it is they are trying to find out. Dispatching the Sky Mage and their guards before they can become a problem will likely head off future threats from the magician. There's also a chance the Champion might potentially uncover the secrets the Grendel are seeking themselves, of course. Especially if they chose to take magicians capable of using [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic divinations]] or [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic visions]] to explore the area.

===The First Ship (Redoubt)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening the Great Harbour of Elos'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 14:30 on Saturday to The Elosian Grove, Naris'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Elosian Architect'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Maistir Dorcas'' has landed their ships on the gentle coast of [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]]. The Grendel were observed by a small patrol of sentinels from the [[Redoubt#Court of the White Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]], and they are accompanied by creatures that bear all the hallmarks of being servants of the ''[[Siakha|Mother of Wrecks]]''. The Grendel left a small guard at their ships and made all haste toward Elos. It's unknown what exactly Maistir Dorcas thinks they might achieve if they are left, unchallenged, to reach the harbour. They might plan to fire the shipyard, loot the warehouses and their stockpiles of ingots and herbs, or even simply slaughter the workers on behalf of Siakha. The presence of the heralds makes those aware of them nervous, however. It's unfortunately doubtful the Court of the White Fountain can reach Elos in time to stop Dorcas doing... whatever they are planning to do.

The [[Elosian Architect]], '''Talia Seaboar''', is responsible for threats to the harbour there, and may want to gather a band of heroes to intercept the Grendel. There is another incentive, perhaps. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate - who are arguably more salvagers than they are shipwrights these days - would relish the opportunity to claim the Grendel ships refurbish them and sell them on, or rip them apart for parts. They have agreed to give the Elosian Architect the deed to ''The Impulse'', an impressive [[fleet|ship]], its fine structure [[Fleet#Upgrade|upgraded]] with five wains of [[weirwood]], to do with as they see fit. Should Maistir Dorcas be dealt with, of course.

===Behind A Lock (Sarvos)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening Glass Point Cove'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:00 on Saturday to Isle of Quiet, Uccelini'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of Glass Point Cove'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Quartermaster Ewan'' has landed their ships on one of the heavily wooded islands of [[Sarvos#Uccelini|Uccelini]]. A passing fishing boat, by chance, brought news of their presence along with a warning that they are accompanied by servants of the ''[[Siakha|Salt-born Devourer]]''. Now the quartermaster has sent a small force ahead - under the guise of a fishing boat - to the secretive [[Custodian_of_Glass_Point_Cove#Glass_Point_Cove|Glass Point Cove]]. They clearly plan to establish a presence there, perhaps as an advance guard of the Grendel forces. There is a chance to strike at the Grendel on the wooded island before they move to reinforce the vanguard - claiming the precious mana and likely doing extensive damage to the mithril netting.

There is an opportunity to benefit from the cunning of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then not only will the delicate netting be protected, but the ships they arrived on will be left abandoned. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate will waste little time in confiscating the vessels and either selling them on, or breaking them down for parts. They have offered the deed to ''Dance of Victory'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Custodian of Glass Point Cove]], '''Dalibor Marek van Temeschwar''' to do with as they will - if they deal with the threat posed by Quartermaster Ewan.

===Following the Craft (Madruga)===
* '''A force of Grendel are fleeing with an heirloom stolen from the Parador of Salt and Sand'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:30 on Saturday to Ezmara's Thicket, Lightsea'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Hakima of Salt and Sand'' is responsible for reclaiming the heirloom'''
''Nechtan'', a wealthy Sand Mage of the Grendel, has withdrawn north of Quzar in [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. The Grendel are accompanied by several heralds of ''[[Siakha|the Mother of Monsters]]'' and are waiting on their fleet to collect them with their ill-gotten gains. One of these is a valuable heirloom stolen from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]]. The item was used in teaching those who came to learn from the [[hakima]], and has come to symbolise the hope of regaining the parador and re-establishing such classes. Several of the surviving hakima, forced to flee when the parador fell, have pledged to pool their resources and support the Hakima of Salt and Sand with four mana crystals each season until the parador is regained... provided the heirloom is returned and shown to one of the Freeborn egregores.

There is an additional opportunity to benefit from the retribution of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then the fleet will be easy to overcome; something that the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate are more than willing to attempt. The Syndicate have offered the deed to ''The Blade of Freedom'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]], '''Bakar i Riqueza''' to do with as they see fit - provided the Sand Mage and their entourage is dealt with.

A beacon of smoke

2024-04-25T16:20:44Z

TomH: /* Behind A Lock (Sarvos) */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=A beacon of salt.png|caption=The Freeborn philosophy is that society is best served when every individual is responsible for themselves and to themselves.|align=left|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/stKMG93Jdgw?si=6EiBbnrWTo18Wf6B}}
<div class="captioned-image captioned-image-{{{align|right}}}" style="clear: {{{align|right}}}">[[File:UrizenMagician.jpg|124x110px|link= https://youtu.be/vjwH_Nqs1Aw]]<div class="caption">Alternate audio version</div></div>
==City of Sails==
The [[Madruga#Siroc|City of a Thousand Sails]] is always enumerated alongside [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]], [[Hahnmark#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]], and the cities of the League. Billowing Siroc, the Sapphire. The hakima say that it was founded by [[Tribe#Embracing_Guerra|Guerra]], that passionate opponent of slavery, driven to build a better world.

Brightly coloured tents extend Siroc out far beyond the small cluster of stone buildings that make up the heart of the city. Sails of all shapes and sizes fill the sheltered bay, guarded by twin towered keeps on either side of the bay along the approach to the harbour. The Salt Guard, [[The_same_bed#The_Salt_Guard|designed]] by Menno van Ritsjhof, and part of the legacy of [[Empress Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta's]] plan to armour the [[Bay of Catazar]] against the Grendel.
Each of the two halves of the Salt Guard is equipped with powerful engines of war, and garrisoned by skilled mariners and corsairs who ensure the towers are always ready to respond to any threat. Between the towers, the iron chains and nets that have guarded the harbour for centuries, since they were first imported at great expense from the forges of [[Wintermark]]. Menno van Ritsjhof believed the Salt Guard would make it impossible to assault the City of Rainbow Canvas by sea.

But he was wrong.
__TOC__
==Vengeance As A Burning Flame==
The first watchers to spy the Grendel Armada approaching assume they must be seeing things. Mistaking a great wave, or a bank of fog, for the wall of masts and sails. Red, green, yellow, and blue, the sails and the mast-banners announce what must surely be the entire Grendel navy speeding from the south-east toward the Madrugan coast. They are low in the water; their holds are packed but presumably with warriors rather than trade goods.

Some of those ships have been seen recently, in other ports across the Bay. Through spyglasses, increasingly panicked watchers make out ships from the yellow-sailed Golden Winds and the green-sailed Tempest. Both navies have [[Shallow_days#Visiting_Armadas|anchored off Imperial cities]] in the last year, escorting merchants, their crew coming ashore to eat and drink in the paradors of Siroc, laughing and joked with the Freeborn, frequenting the markets of the Sapphire, all under the aegis of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|two-year peace treaty]]. The treaty that has just run its course.

There are not only Grendel ships among the armada. As they get closer, as the warning bells echo across the city, the glasses pick out the Asavean warships flanking the main force. Balo's Grace, Leaping Bull and Wind Tamer. The warships that destroyed the Isle of the Justicars, that slaughtered the people of Shantarim. With them a scattering of other war-vessels, far from their home in the distant west.

It's clear why they are here, and were it the Grendel alone it would be bad enough. But the presence of the Asaveans fills those who have an inkling of what is to come with a terrible forboding.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Iñez i Azul-Mar i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Kahraman</td><td>Bloodgold Jackals</td></tr>
</table></div>

==Salt Stone, Iron Net==
Massive as the armada is, it must contend with the Salt Guard. Trebuchet and catapult are armed and ready, launching great chunks of stone toward the attacking ships. A cheer goes up as one of the lead Grendel ships, a green-sailed vessel of the Tempest, is smashed to flotsam by the first stone.

Bronze sigils shimmer and flicker across the walls of the twin towers. Imperial magicians have used the potent [[Autumn magic]] to [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Ramparts_of_Ashlar|magically reinforce]] the Salt Guard, with power acquired from the realm of the [[Estavus|Forge Mistress]]. The siege engines are loaded by towering bronze constructs drawn from the City of Fire and Stone, the volcano-smithy of Shikal. The magical sigils of fire, stone, strength ripple across the chains and nets as they are raised across the harbour mouth. The marines themselves wait nervously, the sweat that beads their skin not only due to the supernatural warmth the [[enchantment]] has brought with it.

A single warband of Freeborn soldiers has come to Siroc to protect the city, taking up places on the walls. They are not the only unexpected defenders. When runners are sent into the city proper, to warn the people, the Commonwealth Embassy responds by sending it's entire garrison to support the Salt Guard. It is hard it imagine that fifty grim-faced warriors dedicated to the common good will make much of a difference in the face of an entire Grendel armada – but they come anyway. They march through the streets as the bells ring and people hurry to gather their families, and maybe a few people take heart from their willingness to defend the Billowing City.

While the people are afraid, they are Freeborn. They do not bow their heads to tyrants, be they human or orc. Those with battle-experience grab weapons kept in cupboards, and strap on old pieces of battered armour. Corsairs and sailors take to their own ships, ready to try and engage any invading vessel that might somehow breach the defences. The doors of the Parador of the Kindled Flame are thrown wide, to any who want to take refuge beside the children behind their walls of white granite.

The Grendel don't know any of this of course – or perhaps they do. There has been [[Rings_and_crowns#Be_Alert_to_Dangers|talk for some time]] of an espionage ring in Madruga, sponsored by some spymaster of the Broken Shore. Surely no Freeborn would sell their loyalty to the Brass Coast to the Grendel, no matter how much they were offered. Surely.

It's clear the Armada is prepared, though, for the Salt Guard and the harbour defences. Several of the leading ships of the Tempest have great serrated metal rams attached to the prow, just on the waterline, designed to tangle and rip at the port defences. There are ballistae and catapults on the invading ships that counter the hail of stone and javelins with missiles of their own.

The Asaveans in particular hold back, maintaining a barrage against the two Salt Guard towers, chipping away at even the magically reinforced stone. The Balo's Grace, the Leaping Bull, the Wind Tamer. Named in honour of the blasphemous gods of the [[Asavean Archipelago|Archipelago]], they are massive compared to the Grendel vessels that surround them, but still surprisingly manoeuvrable, with triple banks of oars that let them evade all save the luckiest hit.

Then, without any warning, fighting erupts across the harbour itself. Confused reports begin to spread of both humans and orcs making pinpoint strikes at the winches and pulleys that control the web of steel keeping the invading ships from the harbour. Treachery, from within Siroc itself.

Out at sea, perfectly timed to coincide with the attacks against the nets and chains, dozens of smaller boats – rowboats – are launched. They strive for the harbour, hard to target directly, maneuverable, swift. Some are sunk; many more manage to reach the harbour walls and join the attack on the defences. The fighting spills across the docks themselves.

Many of the warriors attacking the harbour are Naguerro, a former sept of the Lasambrian Orcs with a particular hatred for the Empire. Others raise the unfamiliar banner of a shark, ringed by lightning. Both forces seem almost unhinged in their zeal to slaughter the Freeborn defenders and capture the docks, break the defences, leave the city vulnerable.

Step by step the defenders are forced to retreat back toward the fortress-keeps of the Salt Guard. The nets and chains fall. There are Grendel vessels in the harbour itself, more Naguerro and Storm Sharks spilling out across the quayside, spilling out into the city, spilling Freeborn blood with mad abandon.

==Canvas Makes a Poor Shield==
Not all the Grendel ships storm the harbour. While the green-sailed Tempest and the blue-sailed Simoon take the forefront in the attack, the Golden Wind are busy on the coast outside the city, unloading orc soldiers, covered by the vessels of the red-sailed Shamal.

The banners of the Iron Gulls are raised. The Empire knows the 'Gulls, veterans of dozens of engagements. They survived the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_.28Spiral.29|Battle of Solen's Doubt]]. They were at the forefront of the [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war#Bronze|invasion of Feroz]]. They are known to be masters of [[Army_qualities#Siege|seige warfare]], and the warships of the Golden Wind unload rams and catapults alongside the soldiers themselves.

Beside them, the Black Eels raise their own standards. They, too, were at Solen's Doubt. They, too, are veterans of the war against the Empire. They enter the city from the south, but where the Iron Gulls are more interested in probing the defenders of the Salt Guard, the Black Eels seem to be here for [[Army qualities#Foraging|plunder]] and mayhem.

In the midst of the two armies a few hundred Grendel soldiers raise the slightly tattered banner of Governor Rahab, who rules over the conquered territories of Feroz to the south. There is a particular grimness to these orcs (and a handful of human mercenaries with them). Some of the Gulls and Eels mock them behind their backs, as they make haste toward the city ahead of the two armies. They seem especially eager to engage the Freeborn defenders.

While the rest of the armada is busy invading the harbour, the Shamal and the Tempest switch positions. Judging by the number of crimson sails the Shamal is smaller than the Tempest, their ships are newer, showing fewer of the marks of war. So too are the army they disgorge from their holds and decks. The standard of the Bone Nautilus, a white-and-gold tentacled spiral beast, are raised. This army is made up primarily of orcs, but there are a significant number of humans in their midst. Some are clearly hard bitten veteran mercenaries, some are keen-eyed youths, but there are also a number of Asavean footsoldiers, in distinctive helms, with spears and shields. They follow the other land troops in an assault against the south side of the city.

Menno van Ritsjhof was reportedly incensed when he discovered that Siroc has little in the way of defence against an attack from the shore. Perhaps the Freeborn felt that their position made it inconceivable that there would be a threat from the ground, rather than the sea. There are walls, but they are nearly as old as the city itself, and they surround the heart of the Sapphire not its borders. Siroc is a city of traders and merchants, that welcomes visitors. There are defences of course, but the Salt Guard is at the heart of them. There are defenders, but again they are focused around the Salt Guard. The three armies approaching by land are quickly in among the tents and pallanquins, and canvas offers little protection against the rapacious invaders.

==Falling Salt==
The Salt Guard falls. Great metal-bound catapult stones chip away at the walls, and smash the towers. Under the cover of a seemingly random assault, a squad of Naguerra battle-magicians unleash [[Spring magic]] against the gates of first one keep, and then barely ten minutes later the other. Rending vines erupting across the wood and stone, ripping it to pieces. The attackers pour inside. Commonwealth and Freeborn soldiers back-to-back, using every trick that the League architects could think of to make it harder for them to seize the fort. One by one the engines of destruction on both sides of the Salt Guard fall silent. The garrison is too busy fighting to survive to focus on the Grendel armada.

Those ships of the Broken Shore who are equipped to do so launch barrage after barrage of missiles against the two towers of the Salt Guard. Those without siege engines on their decks either turn the captured harbour defences against the fortress, or disembark, joining the fighting in the docks and inside the Guard.

At this point, the Asavean vessels move closer. They join the bombardment but their target is not the Salt Guard but the city of Siroc itself. They are seemingly unconcerned about crushing Grendel troops beneath their iron shot. It's not clear what happens but suddenly after a half hour of smashing tents and buildings and fleeing Freeborn and small groups of Grendel, the Asavean weapons still for a few minutes, then open fire against the Salt Guard along with the others. But the damage is done – swathes of the markets and paradors clustered around the quayside, flattened, burning. Dozens of ships, of quays, shattered to splinters. Columns of smoke begin to rise. Fire flickers in some of the windows of the Salt Guard.

With an almighty groan, one of the two Salt Guard keeps begins to collapse in on itself, transformed suddenly into a chimney that sends roaring flames up through the interior. Barrels of oil join the rocks being hurled toward Menno von Rijshof's masterpiece. Those defenders still trapped inside are no longer battling the invading orcs, but fighting to breathe as the smoke rises, fighting to escape as the fire spreads.

As the sun drops towards the eastern horizon, the second tower catches. Those defenders who manage to make it out of the collapsing fortification, coughing, gasping, wheezing, are swiftly dealt with by the invaders.

==Fire Spreads==
With the Salt Guard shattered, the city is easy prey for the immense force ranged against it. The Grendel have not had it all their own way; the courage of the Salt Guard has purchased vital hours for those who can see what is coming to flee the city, north toward [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]] or west to one of the bridges across the Scorrero, toward [[Segura]].

The Grendel follow. Over the next few months, the invaders spread north along the coast into Lightsea. Quzar falls before the Iron Gulls, despite the best efforts of the [[hakima]] and masters of [[Autumn magic]] supporting the defenders. The [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] is torn apart by the Naguerro, who loot many of the treasures within, treasures carried out of Feroz by fleeing magicians.

At the same time, the Black Eels loot and raid the port towns freely, killing any who try to resist, but seemingly unconcerned about those who wish to flee – unless they try to take their wealth with them.

Three of the Grendel navies, supported by the Bone Nautilus and the Asavean warships, assail [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]], assaulting the port towns of the corsairs. These islands were the first proper home for the Freeborn – and for the second time the Grendel seize Atalaya, the fount from which the entire Brass Coast flowed. Midport falls to the Shamal and the Golden Sails. The Tempest seizes the Shining Pillar – that great white-and-gold tower familiar to every sailor along the [[Bay of Catazar]], sometimes used as a symbol for the Brass Coast itself. When a sailor can see the beacon of the Shining Pillar, they know they are home. After the Grendel take the island on which it stands, the beacon falters, and goes out, for the first time in centuries the Shining Pillar does not shine.

Meanwhile the Simoom concerns itself with besieging the [[Madruga#The Lyceum|Isle of the Lyceum]]. The magicians there fight back, supported by their Commonwealth allies at the Lyceum Schloss. Contact with the island has been sporadic at best; it is not clear if the entire island has been conquered or what the state of the grand libraries, arcane academics, or students is. There is little hope that they may be able to hold out against the Grendel and their allies. There is a great deal of worry about what the Grendel might do with the vast stores of lore contained within the Lyceum.

As the Winter Solstice approaches... but wait. That's in the future. We aren't done with Siroc yet.

==The Last Sight==
Before the Grendel sweep across the rest of Madruga, on land and sea, they finish the conquest of Siroc. The offices of the [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] are looted, by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz. Perhaps the wealth they manage to steal here will make up for the fortune Rahab lost when the Scorrero Nets collapsed?

The Bone Nautilus surround the Parador of the Kindled Flame, eager to capture those who have sought sanctuary within, eager to carry away the children whose home it is to a life of slavery. When they finally breach the heavy oak doors, they find the place deserted. No sign of anyone hiding.

They have no way of knowing, but the children, their guardians, and those who accepted the offer of safety within the walls, are long gone. As the flames consumed the Salt Guard, two dozen friends of the [[Irra Harah|Prince of a Thousand Foes]] revealed themselves, and the sewer entrance, and lead those who would otherwise have been trapped in the orphanage to safety. They are already well on their way to Segura.

The same story unfolds across Siroc. Guardian angels – most mortal, some decidedly not – reveal themselves and help people escape what is to come. Without their unexected – and mostly invisibile - aid, a great many more people would have died when the city fell. If anyone bothers to ask – and most people are simply grateful for the aid – they say that they are discharging a service for the Archmage of Spring. They run when they can, they fight when they must, but they never try to hide. They discourage hiding, for some reason.

While many escape, many more do not. The Grendel take a few slaves but once the city falls they seem more interested in bearing away its loot rather than its people. The same cannot be said for the Asaveans. Now that the Salt Guard has fallen, the warships and mercenaries of the far west join in the conquest of the city. They are absolutely without mercy, killing anyone who comes within spear-reach or sword-reach.

It is they who lead the attack against the House of the Way, one of the oldest congregations in the Brass Coast. They smash the doors, shatter beautiful windows that have blazed in the setting sun for two hundred years, slaughter the priests and sutannir. Even the Naguerro seem a little taken aback by their zeal for slaughter, these human warriors from far away across the sea.

The Asaveans are also the ones who set the fires. Despite the chaos, the Grendel are careful to make sure that the city of tents does not burn. For a day and a night, they rampage through Siroc, taking everything they can find, everything they can carry. Then as the sun sets on the second day after the fall, as the armies regroup on the plains outside the city for the march north and west, as the navies withdraw to anchorages along the coast, the Asavean warships launch barrels of burning oil into the city. Another, and another, and another. The sky turns red, the glow growing like a baleful promise.

Asavean captains, more than a dozen cold-eyed scions of the patrician families - and it seems all the major families are represented – watch from the shoreline. They are not alone. Their soldiers have taken carefully selected prisoners. Where possible they are [[sutannir]], or priests of the Way, or [[dhomiro]] of one family or other. Two dozen, no more, dragged in manacles to the waterline south of the city.

As the barrels of oil fly, as burning brands are touched to the kindling piled all across the city, as Siroc burns, these prisoners are forced to watch. And then, as the fire stretches across the horizon, the final cruelty.

The last priests of the God of Chains are with the Asaveans and at a nod form the captains, they murder each of the prisoners. The last thing they see as they are hurled untimely into the Labyrinth is the jewel of Madruga, the Sapphire, their Billowing City, burning as the first stars of evening glitter in the uncaring sky.

All save three. These last three - one Erigo, one Riqueza, one Guerra - are released once the fires start to die down. Pushed into the surf, discarded like refuse, like jetsam on the coast of Brass, the last words of their captors echoing in their ears.

“We were an Empire before any of your petty kingdoms existed; we have no more lessons to learn about vengeance. But we can teach.”

==Game Information: Madruga==
The Grendel armada has seized three regions of Madruga: Siroc Plains, Lightsea, and Free Landing. As detailed in the [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#Not_A_Drop_To_Drink|Not a drop to drink]] Wind of Fortune, the blight of the [[Madruga#Great Grasses|Great Grasses]] remains contained thanks to the enchantment that has been diligently cast each prior season. As predicted however it has also stabilized in a way that means the region is no longer under Imperial control. As a consequence, with the Freeborn only controlling Calvos Sound and Torres, they have lost control of the territory. The Grendel have not, however, taken control of the territory; they only control three of the six regions. The territory is thus considerd contested – although the [[Senator]] for Madruga loses their seat in the Senate regardless.

The Salt Guard was overwhelmed and destroyed, but it provided sufficient defence to slow the Grendel invasion. Without it, and its enchantment, the armada may have had sufficient strength to launch a significant attack on Calvos Sound as well as the three regions it captured.

==Losses: Imperial Titles==
A number of Imperial titles have lost powers and sources of income.

Madruga no longer has a Senator.

The [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] and the [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] no longer have ministries. The titles still exist, however, and still have any appropriate responsibilities.

The [[Madruga#The_Commonwealth_Embassy|Commonwealth Embassy]] has been destroyed. The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] has lost their [[Ambassador_to_the_Commonwealth#Commonwealth_Merchants|ministry]] but maintains their other powers. The [[Commonwealth]] is likely to have a strong opinion about the destruction of its embassy in the Empire.

[[Madruga#Freeborn_Flame_Marina|Freeborn Flame Marina]] is in Grendel hands. The benefits it provided, allowing [[fleet|fleets]] of the Brass Coast to be [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Atalaya|upgraded more easily]] have been lost to the Freeborn, although it might be possible to regain the benefit if it were liberated.

The Empire no longer controls the [[Madruga#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]]. This means the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] has lost their ability to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Guiding_the_magicians_of_the_Lyceum|codify ritual texts]], the benefits of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Boon_of_the_Black_Sloth|Quiet Annexe]], and access to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Apartments_at_the_Lyceum|their apartments]]. They remain [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Arbiter_of_Imperial_Lore|Arbiter of Imperial Lore]] however. Unfortunately, one of the things they have also lost is the work on the ritual text they were codifying; it is still on the island itself.

The Parador of the Kindled Flame has been ruined, along with the city of Siroc itself. The devastation is sufficient to give Siroc Plains the ''ruins'' quality.

==Losses: Military==
The loss of Siroc has struck a devastating blow to the Brass Coast. The wealth of the Sapphire has been taken by the Grendel and the city itself comprehensively burnt. Furthermore, the Grendel have captured the wealthy ports of Lightsea and Free Landing. Coupled with the loss of the entire territory of Feroz, this means that The Brass Coast [[Commission#Maximum_numbers_of_Imperial_Forces|can no longer support their three armies]]. If not for the Iron Qanat, they would only be able to support a single army. Regardless the outcome is the same; following the Winter Solstice, they will begin to decline due to [[Imperial_army#Insufficient_Supply|insufficient supply]].

Assuming nothing else significant changes, the Freeborn will reclaim their ability to support armies once they are again in control of two of the prosperous coastal regions of the Brass Coast - Free Landing, Lightsea, [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]], [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]], or [[Feroz#Fontargenta|Fortargenta]]. This presumes they remain in control of Calvos Sound and the port-town of Calvos; if they lose that they will need to reconquer three regions.

The only silver lining is that the situation will not get worse - a nation is either "out of supply" or it is not. So even if the Brass Coast loses further territory their armies will not decline any faster - but it might mean that they have further to go before they can reclaim their ability to supply their armies.

==Intercede at the Lyceum (Battle)==
The Grendel's assault into Madruga has been a hammer blow to the Brass Coast. The Broken Shore's navies and armies have secured a solid foothold in the territory - almost claiming dominion in a single season of campaigning. Siroc has been razed and large swathes of the coast up through Free Landing are under the heel of the Salt Lords. Now the Grendel moridun troops and mercenary forces are securing the many islands offshore.

Principle among these is the isle on which the Lyceum has stood for nearly 300 years. This is an incredible prize for the Grendel, an asset of extraordinary value, however it is not so easily taken. Over the centuries, the magicians of the isle have spent considerable resources erecting potent magical wards that can protect the [[college of magic|college]] if is attacked. However those wards need powerful magical rituals to be performed to invoke them - no easy task.

The heroes of the Empire have an opportunity to strike against Grendel forces at the '''Field of Aenea'''. There, they can attempt to recover a ritual text of strategic importance; kill the "''Seeker of the Sky''" who is seeking the very same ritual; and take up the eternal Sadogua's offer to "[[Begins_where_it_ends#Sadogua|keep the Lyceum safe]]". There is also an unexpected and unusual opportunity to deploy powerful magic to aid the protection, defence and obfuscation of the entire island.

Prognosticator Atraxes notes that a conjunction of [[the Web]] and [[the Great Wyrm]] offers the Empire the unique window during the solstice to intercede in Madruga and potentially protect the Lyceum from the Grendel. The alignment of stars above the contested territory will enable rituals cast at two linked regio to behave in strange and more powerful ways than normal.

===Objective: Raise the Lyceum's wards===
* '''Cast rituals at the two regio to raise the islands powerful wards'''
* '''Each regio requires three potent rituals to invoke and power the ancient wards'''
* '''Failure will allow the Grendel to loot the Lyceum'''

The reason the Lyceum was located in Free Landing was the presence of twin regio that had an unusual property; they shifted the realm to which they were aligned after each ritual that was cast. They provided an excellent opportunity to research how ritual magic would interact with regio without risking accidentally cursing an entire territory. The regio shift according to a set pattern - something Imperial magicians have built the Lyceum's wards to exploit. The wards are difficult to raise, partly because of the magical energy need to power the wards and partly because they make using the Lyceum well nigh impossible, so it requires a major effort by Imperial magicians to trigger them.

The defensive wards of the Lyceum are tuned to the ''Shadow regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need to perform an Autumn ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then Winter ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]] at magnitude 40. That is no easy feat, but if they are successful, the Lyceum will be plunged into impenetrable darkness for a year, making it utterly impossible for the Grendel to loot it, its books, or to carry away the researchers as slaves.

The offensive wards of the Lyceum are turned to the ''Storm regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need a Day ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then a Summer ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Foam and Spittle of the Furoius Sea]]. If the final ritual is completed then the area around the Lyceum will be ravaged by storms for a year, hammering the Empire's enemies. The wards would serve as a strength 3000 fortification in the region that could not be conquered or removed. The magical storms would target the [[Grendel]] forces any time they undertook military action in the territory.

None of the rituals used in this way have their usual effect; their power is directed entirely toward the wards. Likewise, the Shadow regio and the Storm regio do not fulfill the requirement of a "strong regio" for purposes of ritual casting.

===Alternative: Respond to Sadogua's offer===
* '''Cast Align the Celestial Net in the presence of the ''Glutton's'' herald'''
* '''Casting the ritual will see the college spirited to the Night realm'''
* '''Rejecting the offer will leave the Lyceum in the Grendel's hands'''
Sadogua has made it abundantly clear that he is ''very angry indeed'' with the Empire. If the wards cannot be raised, one alternative might be to try and win round the ''Wyrm-King'' by travelling to the Lyceum and giving the college to the eternal. ''Jubbjibbaglob'', an apprentice of Sadogua's, has been sent to the isle to make sure the Grendel don't run off with the statue of Simargl, the Empty One, in the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Quiet_Annexe|Quiet Annex]], and will be around should the Empire wish to placate the eternal in this matter.

To cede the Lyceum a night coven will need to take ''Jubbjibbaglob'' to either the ''Shadow regio'' or the ''Storm regio'' and perform [[Align the Celestial Net]] on it. Once completed the herald will confirm that the necessary steps have been taken to allow the ''Globbersnotch'' to swallow the Lyceum, putting it beyond the reach of the Grendel, and anyone else. It is understood that there will be ample time for anyone in the locale to escape, as Sadogua knows the importance of not rushing a big meal.

Of course if the Black Sloth devours the Lyceum, there's no going back from that, but at least it prevents it falling into the hands of the Grendel. However even the Glutton can't eat a whole library at once, so he'll save some of the tastiest books for later. Assuming the Empire wanted to build a replacement, then it can ask the Globberslotch to return whatever texts are still left to help with that. Once he's calmed down, of course.

===Objective: Find the ''Final Dance of the Immobile''===
* '''Recover the ritual text of the Winter ritual that was codified this season'''
* '''Success will return the ritual text to the Empire and allow it to be mastered or added to Imperial lore'''
* '''Failure will result in the Grendel being able to utilise the enchantment'''
Since their election at the last Summer Solstice, '''Palaphon Ankarien''', the Dean of the Lyceum had the college work upon the codification of ''Final Dance of the Immobile''. The ritual seems to hold out some promise of weakening or warding against the Dry Patricians. The researchers of the Lyceum had all but completed the codification of the ritual and were finishing the presentation of the text when the armada of the Grendel swept into sight. In the ensuing panic, the text was taken by a Navarri vate in an attempt to get it off the island. However, the vate never reached safety and is presumably still on the island.

The scholar is believed to have been injured or possibly captured by the Grendel. Imperial heroes should aim to find and rescue the mage, who should still have the text. If the ritual has been taken from them, the Navarri will be able to indicate who took it. Should the ritual text be recovered then it could either be kept, added to Imperial lore through an appropriate [[Declaration]], or added to Urizen lore through [[Gift of Knowledge]].

===Objective: Ransom Sky Mage Faireoir===
* '''Ransom the powerful ritualist of the Sky realm who has an unknown connection with the magicians of the Schloss'''
* '''Success would give the Empire opportunity to claim a powerful strategic ritual text from the Grendel'''
''Faireoir, Seer of the Sky and Diviner of Ophis'', is a well-connected and influential Sky ritualist among the bickering courts and mercantile chambers of the Broken Shore. The Sky Mage was instrumental in directing the Grendel's attack against the Lyceum, planning to use the wealth of magical lore to gain further favour and influence for themselves. While clearly there for the opportunity to enrich themselves and their coven, Faireoir is also looking for something specific. It's not clear what it is, but there's little likelihood that it's anything ''good''.

Strangely, this figure appears to be known to the magicians of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum_Schloss|Lyceum Schloss]] - the fortified annexe where the [[Commonwealth]] magicians studying at the Lyceum. They have taken refuge along with a number of students and several Imperial citiens, but they recognised Sky Mage Faireoir and have pointed him out to Imperial scouts.

How they know Sky Mage Faireoir is a fascinating question, one the normal candied Commonwealth have declined to answer at this time. However they have said his coven is powerful and have access to potent war rituals, some of which the Empire does not possess. If the Empire could capture the powerful Sky Mage, he is bound to agree to a ransom in return for this life. His captors could demand a ritual text from him, in return for letting him leave the field alive.

It would best if any contract were enforced with a [[Scrivener's Bloodmark]] but if they've captured him the Empire could invoke the [[Lictors]] for any ransom. Provided they take reasonable means to enforce the contract, the Sky Mage would be bound to send a copy of the ritual text to the Empire once he returns to Dubhtraig.

==Save the Shining Pillar (Battle)==
In the wake of the Grendel's invasion of Madruga there are others who wish to make the most of the opportunity; using it as a way to make their personal fortunes, strengthen their grip on the mortal realm, or strike against the Empire in their own way. Just before the Winter Solstice a force of Grendel moridun soldiers arrives at Atalaya Heights in Free Landing. With them come a small party of Asavean soldiers and a dignitary of some import.

The Plenum has dispatched ''The Priest of Wrecks'' accompanied by several "''Guardians of the Black Bull''" to assist and observe the Grendel's first strike against the Empire. Soon after landing on the shores of Atalaya, ''Barquentius Iyandeus'' the Asavean ecclesiast began preparations for a large supplication that is expected to be completed shortly after the Winter Solstice. This act is intended to serve as a symbolic blow against the Freeborn and the wider Empire and to ensure good fortune for the Grendel's ongoing campaign. It will involve the ritual killing of a number of Imperial citizens and the destruction of the Shining Pillar.

The ten attendants of the Shining Pillar known as '''The Beacon's Watch''' refused to abandon the tower, claiming that they must ensure the flame remains lit and the lighthouse is still seen out in the Bay. They have all been captured and are in the custody of the Grendel. This conjunction offers a chance to rescue them from potential sacrifice and to ensure that the skills and knowledge required to maintain and operate the Shining Pillar are preserved.

In the days before the Winter Solstice ''High Priestess Shivaarn'', she who praises the [[Siakha|Mother of Monsters]], arrived at one of the islands of Free Landing. Shivaarn performed some form of rite - calling on the Salt-born Devourer and the Mother of Wrecks and the Maelstrom. From dawn until dusk she chanted and gave offerings of trinkets claimed from corsairs, of the [[The_Brass_Coast_hearth_magic#Coins|lucky coins]] of a score of dhomiro, and finally mithril. Chest after chest filled with mithril ore was thrown into the shores and swiftly swept out to sea. And then the sea boiled and foamed as heralds of Siakkha emerged. Not just the carcharadons that so many Imperials are familiar with, but something new. Tempests in human form drawn to join with the Grendel forces massing at the Shining Pillar to overwhelm it. And if they are able to claim enough lives to create some monstrosity of surf and squall in service of Siakha.

===Objective: Kill the Priest of Wrecks===
* '''Eliminate the Priest of Wrecks and the Guardians of the Black Bull'''
* '''Failure would result in the desecration and ultimate destruction of the Shining Pillar'''
Iyandeus is a loud and passionate orator, not a fighter, and the Plenum has dispatched a guard of warriors who have received blessings of their idolatrous god to ensure the priest is kept safe, or doesn't inadvertently wander into harms way. Marching in heavy chain and tall helms these soldiers are devotees of The Black Bull, the protector soldier spirit-god. These grizzled veterans are sworn into servitude to fight and die to protect Iyandeus, and can be expected to be well-prepared for battle.

Killing the Guardians and Iyandeus will ensure that the Asavean supplication cannot go ahead. Besides being an opportunity to take revenge on the Asaveans for Siroc, it will also put a stop to his plans to desecrate and destroy the Shining Pillar.

===Objective: Rescue the Beacon Watch===
* '''Free at least five members of the Beacon Watch from the Grendel'''
* '''Success will ensure a future legacy for the Shining Pillar'''
* '''Failure will see the attendants sacrificed to an Asavean god'''

The heroes of Anvil will need to track down and locate the members of the Beacon Watch in the area. They are under heavy guard by Grendel forces, rather than in the custody of the small Asavean delegation. The barbarians have split them to avoid any escape attempts and once it is clear that the Sentinel Gate has opened then they will move the lighthouse attendants during the battle to prevent potential rescue attempts.

If at least five members of the Beacon Watch are returned safely to Anvil, then the Asavean's rite to their Red God will not be possible. These attendants will return to the Brass Coast to pass on their knowledge and train others to operate the beacon once Madruga is liberated. This will mean that even if the Grendel destroys the edifice, it could be rebuilt to shine out again across the Bay once more.

===Objective: Deny the Carcharodons===
* '''Prevent the shoals of Siakha from murdering twenty or more Imperial heroes'''
* '''Success will diminish the influence of the eternal in the area'''
* '''Failure would see a fortified fane to Siakha form off the coast'''

The bloodlust rising from Atalaya's cove has drawn the fearsome carcharadon heralds of Siahka ashore to the Shining Pillar. When battle commences they will come ashore in greater numbers, drawn to bloodshed like wolves on the trail of their quarry. Heedless of their survival, the heralds will patrol the lines of contact seeking out those misfortunate enough to have been laid low. Anyone set upon by one of their number can expect a [[Calls#EXECUTE|swift and brutal death]].

If the heralds are able to murder twenty or more Imperial citizens, then Siakha's thirst for death and destruction will be fixed on the locale of the Shining Pillar. This would manifest as a raging Spring regio just off the Atalayan coast, forming a roiling gyre of tempest waves, fuming spray, and a sucking maelstrom of magic that would draw nearby ships down to certain death. Merchant shipping would be forced to give the area a wide berth until it could be dealt with, but the immediate threat would the monstrous heralds of Spring that would sprew forth. The presence of the fane would be a dangerous new threat for the Military Council to contend with, serving as a two thousand strength [[fortification]].

===Battlefield Environment: Blood in the Air===
* '''The land near the Shining Pillar is under the effect of a powerful Spring miasma'''
* '''All characters experience a feeling of rising bloodlust'''
* '''Any character who does not resist the aura has a single use of CLEAVE with an apprporiate melee weapon whilst in the location'''

''A coppery tang fills the nose and the mouth fills slick with thick saliva; the magic of savagery, blood, and destruction pulses through the veins.''

Anyone who travels to this location will experience a strong roleplaying effect of rising violence and bloodlust, unless they:

* Expend a hero point upon entering the area
* Draw on the spiritual strength of an anointing
* Draw on their Merrow lineage and assume a calm demeanour
* Are bonded to a magical item or have a ritual enchantment that mitigates effects like these

Whilst in the location any character can make a '''single''' [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|CLEAVE]] call with any melee weapon other than a pike without the need to expend a hero point or the need to have the [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|Cleaving Strike]] skill. This ability is lost if the character resists the roleplaying effect at any point, or upon their return to Anvil.

==Opportunities and Dangers (Conjunctions)==
There are smaller attacks from the Grendel across the Bay of Catazar. Probing attacks, with individual Grendel captains leading their fleets against specific targets in an attempt to recover what they can. Each of these fleets can potentially be claimed - if the Grendel who own them are defeated - but they will likely require extensive repair to get them to the high standard of the Empire. The civil service has agreed to an arrangement with the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate that where possible the League guild will salvage the ships of the Grendel and, in return, offer deeds to fleets to those recognised as responsible for the conjunction.

===News From the Plain (Necropolis)===
* '''A force of Grendel are seeking information on the bridge that spans the Couros'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:45 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Courage'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Ranald'', an influential Sky Mage of the Grendel, remained hidden in Necropolis as the peace treaty ran its course and the Imperial Senate [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Declare_war_on_the_Grendel|declared war]] on the Grendel. Barely escaping ahead of the purge once the espionage ring there was [[Rings_and_crowns#Eyes_of_the_Basilisk|uncovered]], they've been hiding out with a much reduced force along the banks of the river. Now, with the focus of the Highborn and the garrison of [[Necropolis#Reumah's_Rest|Reumah's Rest]] on the coast awaiting an attack from the sea, the company under ''Ranald'' are making their way through Coursmouth towards Ada's Plain.

On Ada's Plain not far from the river, and the Courspan Bridge that crosses it, stands the [[chapter]] of Ethan's Respite. The [[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Stewards_of_the_dead|stewards of the dead]] there repeatedly refused to allow the Grendel permission to visit the area over the last two years. The chapter cited tales about a secret, or a historical incident, that would allow the orcs to threaten the Courspan if they uncovered it. It's not clear if this is an item or a piece of information, but it's obvious that curiosity has gotten the better of Sky Mage Ranald.

The chapter of Ethnan's Respite have called for aid, asking that the [[Champion of Courage]], '''Thomir, Son of Astion''', take responsibility for preventing the Grendel from finding out... whatever it is they are trying to find out. Dispatching the Sky Mage and their guards before they can become a problem will likely head off future threats from the magician. There's also a chance the Champion might potentially uncover the secrets the Grendel are seeking themselves, of course. Especially if they chose to take magicians capable of using [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic divinations]] or [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic visions]] to explore the area.

===The First Ship (Redoubt)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening the Great Harbour of Elos'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 14:30 on Saturday to The Elosian Grove, Naris'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Elosian Architect'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Maistir Dorcas'' has landed their ships on the gentle coast of [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]]. The Grendel were observed by a small patrol of sentinels from the [[Redoubt#Court of the White Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]], and they are accompanied by creatures that bear all the hallmarks of being servants of the ''[[Siakha|Mother of Wrecks]]''. The Grendel left a small guard at their ships and made all haste toward Elos. It's unknown what exactly Maistir Dorcas thinks they might achieve if they are left, unchallenged, to reach the harbour. They might plan to fire the shipyard, loot the warehouses and their stockpiles of ingots and herbs, or even simply slaughter the workers on behalf of Siakha. The presence of the heralds makes those aware of them nervous, however. It's unfortunately doubtful the Court of the White Fountain can reach Elos in time to stop Dorcas doing... whatever they are planning to do.

The [[Elosian Architect]], '''Talia Seaboar''', is responsible for threats to the harbour there, and may want to gather a band of heroes to intercept the Grendel. There is another incentive, perhaps. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate - who are arguably more salvagers than they are shipwrights these days - would relish the opportunity to claim the Grendel ships refurbish them and sell them on, or rip them apart for parts. They have agreed to give the Elosian Architect the deed to ''The Impulse'', an impressive [[fleet|ship]], its fine structure [[Fleet#Upgrade|upgraded]] with five wains of [[weirwood]], to do with as they see fit. Should Maistir Dorcas be dealt with, of course.

===Behind A Lock (Sarvos)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening Glass Point Cove'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:00 on Saturday to Isle of Quiet, Uccelini'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of Glass Point Cove'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Quartermaster Ewan'' has landed their ships on one of the heavily wooded islands of [[Sarvos#Uccelini|Uccelini]]. A passing fishing boat, by chance, brought news of their presence along with a warning that they are accompanied by servants of the ''[[Siakha|Salt-born Devourer]]''. Now the quartermaster has sent a small force ahead - under the guise of a fishing boat - to the secretive [[Custodian_of_Glass_Point_Cove#Glass_Point_Cove|Glass Point Cove]]. They clearly plan to establish a presence there, perhaps as an advance guard of the Grendel forces. There is a chance to strike at the Grendel on the wooded island before they move to reinforce the vanguard - claiming the precious mana and likely doing extensive damage to the mithril netting.

There is an opportunity to benefit from the cunning of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then not only will the delicate netting be protected, but the ships they arrived on will be left abandoned. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate will waste little time in confiscating the vessels and either selling them on, or breaking them down for parts. They have offered the deed to ''Dance of Victory'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Custodian of Glass Point Cove]], '''Dalibor Marek van Temeschwar''' to do with as they will - if they deal with the threat posed by Quartermaster Ewan.

===Following the Craft (Madruga)===
* '''A force of Grendel are fleeing with an heirloom stolen from the Parador of Salt and Sand'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:30 on Saturday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Hakima of Salt and Sand'' is responsible for reclaiming the heirloom'''
''Nechtan'', a wealthy Sand Mage of the Grendel, has withdrawn north of Quzar in [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. The Grendel are accompanied by several heralds of ''[[Siakha|the Mother of Monsters]]'' and are waiting on their fleet to collect them with their ill-gotten gains. One of these is a valuable heirloom stolen from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]]. The item was used in teaching those who came to learn from the [[hakima]], and has come to symbolise the hope of regaining the parador and re-establishing such classes. Several of the surviving hakima, forced to flee when the parador fell, have pledged to pool their resources and support the Hakima of Salt and Sand with four mana crystals each season until the parador is regained... provided the heirloom is returned and shown to one of the Freeborn egregores.

There is an additional opportunity to benefit from the retribution of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then the fleet will be easy to overcome; something that the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate are more than willing to attempt. The Syndicate have offered the deed to ''The Blade of Freedom'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]], '''Bakar i Riqueza''' to do with as they see fit - provided the Sand Mage and their entourage is dealt with.

A beacon of smoke

2024-04-25T16:20:16Z

TomH: /* The First Ship (Redoubt) */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=A beacon of salt.png|caption=The Freeborn philosophy is that society is best served when every individual is responsible for themselves and to themselves.|align=left|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/stKMG93Jdgw?si=6EiBbnrWTo18Wf6B}}
<div class="captioned-image captioned-image-{{{align|right}}}" style="clear: {{{align|right}}}">[[File:UrizenMagician.jpg|124x110px|link= https://youtu.be/vjwH_Nqs1Aw]]<div class="caption">Alternate audio version</div></div>
==City of Sails==
The [[Madruga#Siroc|City of a Thousand Sails]] is always enumerated alongside [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]], [[Hahnmark#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]], and the cities of the League. Billowing Siroc, the Sapphire. The hakima say that it was founded by [[Tribe#Embracing_Guerra|Guerra]], that passionate opponent of slavery, driven to build a better world.

Brightly coloured tents extend Siroc out far beyond the small cluster of stone buildings that make up the heart of the city. Sails of all shapes and sizes fill the sheltered bay, guarded by twin towered keeps on either side of the bay along the approach to the harbour. The Salt Guard, [[The_same_bed#The_Salt_Guard|designed]] by Menno van Ritsjhof, and part of the legacy of [[Empress Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta's]] plan to armour the [[Bay of Catazar]] against the Grendel.
Each of the two halves of the Salt Guard is equipped with powerful engines of war, and garrisoned by skilled mariners and corsairs who ensure the towers are always ready to respond to any threat. Between the towers, the iron chains and nets that have guarded the harbour for centuries, since they were first imported at great expense from the forges of [[Wintermark]]. Menno van Ritsjhof believed the Salt Guard would make it impossible to assault the City of Rainbow Canvas by sea.

But he was wrong.
__TOC__
==Vengeance As A Burning Flame==
The first watchers to spy the Grendel Armada approaching assume they must be seeing things. Mistaking a great wave, or a bank of fog, for the wall of masts and sails. Red, green, yellow, and blue, the sails and the mast-banners announce what must surely be the entire Grendel navy speeding from the south-east toward the Madrugan coast. They are low in the water; their holds are packed but presumably with warriors rather than trade goods.

Some of those ships have been seen recently, in other ports across the Bay. Through spyglasses, increasingly panicked watchers make out ships from the yellow-sailed Golden Winds and the green-sailed Tempest. Both navies have [[Shallow_days#Visiting_Armadas|anchored off Imperial cities]] in the last year, escorting merchants, their crew coming ashore to eat and drink in the paradors of Siroc, laughing and joked with the Freeborn, frequenting the markets of the Sapphire, all under the aegis of the [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Grendel_Autumn_383YE|two-year peace treaty]]. The treaty that has just run its course.

There are not only Grendel ships among the armada. As they get closer, as the warning bells echo across the city, the glasses pick out the Asavean warships flanking the main force. Balo's Grace, Leaping Bull and Wind Tamer. The warships that destroyed the Isle of the Justicars, that slaughtered the people of Shantarim. With them a scattering of other war-vessels, far from their home in the distant west.

It's clear why they are here, and were it the Grendel alone it would be bad enough. But the presence of the Asaveans fills those who have an inkling of what is to come with a terrible forboding.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Iñez i Azul-Mar i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Kahraman</td><td>Bloodgold Jackals</td></tr>
</table></div>

==Salt Stone, Iron Net==
Massive as the armada is, it must contend with the Salt Guard. Trebuchet and catapult are armed and ready, launching great chunks of stone toward the attacking ships. A cheer goes up as one of the lead Grendel ships, a green-sailed vessel of the Tempest, is smashed to flotsam by the first stone.

Bronze sigils shimmer and flicker across the walls of the twin towers. Imperial magicians have used the potent [[Autumn magic]] to [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Ramparts_of_Ashlar|magically reinforce]] the Salt Guard, with power acquired from the realm of the [[Estavus|Forge Mistress]]. The siege engines are loaded by towering bronze constructs drawn from the City of Fire and Stone, the volcano-smithy of Shikal. The magical sigils of fire, stone, strength ripple across the chains and nets as they are raised across the harbour mouth. The marines themselves wait nervously, the sweat that beads their skin not only due to the supernatural warmth the [[enchantment]] has brought with it.

A single warband of Freeborn soldiers has come to Siroc to protect the city, taking up places on the walls. They are not the only unexpected defenders. When runners are sent into the city proper, to warn the people, the Commonwealth Embassy responds by sending it's entire garrison to support the Salt Guard. It is hard it imagine that fifty grim-faced warriors dedicated to the common good will make much of a difference in the face of an entire Grendel armada – but they come anyway. They march through the streets as the bells ring and people hurry to gather their families, and maybe a few people take heart from their willingness to defend the Billowing City.

While the people are afraid, they are Freeborn. They do not bow their heads to tyrants, be they human or orc. Those with battle-experience grab weapons kept in cupboards, and strap on old pieces of battered armour. Corsairs and sailors take to their own ships, ready to try and engage any invading vessel that might somehow breach the defences. The doors of the Parador of the Kindled Flame are thrown wide, to any who want to take refuge beside the children behind their walls of white granite.

The Grendel don't know any of this of course – or perhaps they do. There has been [[Rings_and_crowns#Be_Alert_to_Dangers|talk for some time]] of an espionage ring in Madruga, sponsored by some spymaster of the Broken Shore. Surely no Freeborn would sell their loyalty to the Brass Coast to the Grendel, no matter how much they were offered. Surely.

It's clear the Armada is prepared, though, for the Salt Guard and the harbour defences. Several of the leading ships of the Tempest have great serrated metal rams attached to the prow, just on the waterline, designed to tangle and rip at the port defences. There are ballistae and catapults on the invading ships that counter the hail of stone and javelins with missiles of their own.

The Asaveans in particular hold back, maintaining a barrage against the two Salt Guard towers, chipping away at even the magically reinforced stone. The Balo's Grace, the Leaping Bull, the Wind Tamer. Named in honour of the blasphemous gods of the [[Asavean Archipelago|Archipelago]], they are massive compared to the Grendel vessels that surround them, but still surprisingly manoeuvrable, with triple banks of oars that let them evade all save the luckiest hit.

Then, without any warning, fighting erupts across the harbour itself. Confused reports begin to spread of both humans and orcs making pinpoint strikes at the winches and pulleys that control the web of steel keeping the invading ships from the harbour. Treachery, from within Siroc itself.

Out at sea, perfectly timed to coincide with the attacks against the nets and chains, dozens of smaller boats – rowboats – are launched. They strive for the harbour, hard to target directly, maneuverable, swift. Some are sunk; many more manage to reach the harbour walls and join the attack on the defences. The fighting spills across the docks themselves.

Many of the warriors attacking the harbour are Naguerro, a former sept of the Lasambrian Orcs with a particular hatred for the Empire. Others raise the unfamiliar banner of a shark, ringed by lightning. Both forces seem almost unhinged in their zeal to slaughter the Freeborn defenders and capture the docks, break the defences, leave the city vulnerable.

Step by step the defenders are forced to retreat back toward the fortress-keeps of the Salt Guard. The nets and chains fall. There are Grendel vessels in the harbour itself, more Naguerro and Storm Sharks spilling out across the quayside, spilling out into the city, spilling Freeborn blood with mad abandon.

==Canvas Makes a Poor Shield==
Not all the Grendel ships storm the harbour. While the green-sailed Tempest and the blue-sailed Simoon take the forefront in the attack, the Golden Wind are busy on the coast outside the city, unloading orc soldiers, covered by the vessels of the red-sailed Shamal.

The banners of the Iron Gulls are raised. The Empire knows the 'Gulls, veterans of dozens of engagements. They survived the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_.28Spiral.29|Battle of Solen's Doubt]]. They were at the forefront of the [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war#Bronze|invasion of Feroz]]. They are known to be masters of [[Army_qualities#Siege|seige warfare]], and the warships of the Golden Wind unload rams and catapults alongside the soldiers themselves.

Beside them, the Black Eels raise their own standards. They, too, were at Solen's Doubt. They, too, are veterans of the war against the Empire. They enter the city from the south, but where the Iron Gulls are more interested in probing the defenders of the Salt Guard, the Black Eels seem to be here for [[Army qualities#Foraging|plunder]] and mayhem.

In the midst of the two armies a few hundred Grendel soldiers raise the slightly tattered banner of Governor Rahab, who rules over the conquered territories of Feroz to the south. There is a particular grimness to these orcs (and a handful of human mercenaries with them). Some of the Gulls and Eels mock them behind their backs, as they make haste toward the city ahead of the two armies. They seem especially eager to engage the Freeborn defenders.

While the rest of the armada is busy invading the harbour, the Shamal and the Tempest switch positions. Judging by the number of crimson sails the Shamal is smaller than the Tempest, their ships are newer, showing fewer of the marks of war. So too are the army they disgorge from their holds and decks. The standard of the Bone Nautilus, a white-and-gold tentacled spiral beast, are raised. This army is made up primarily of orcs, but there are a significant number of humans in their midst. Some are clearly hard bitten veteran mercenaries, some are keen-eyed youths, but there are also a number of Asavean footsoldiers, in distinctive helms, with spears and shields. They follow the other land troops in an assault against the south side of the city.

Menno van Ritsjhof was reportedly incensed when he discovered that Siroc has little in the way of defence against an attack from the shore. Perhaps the Freeborn felt that their position made it inconceivable that there would be a threat from the ground, rather than the sea. There are walls, but they are nearly as old as the city itself, and they surround the heart of the Sapphire not its borders. Siroc is a city of traders and merchants, that welcomes visitors. There are defences of course, but the Salt Guard is at the heart of them. There are defenders, but again they are focused around the Salt Guard. The three armies approaching by land are quickly in among the tents and pallanquins, and canvas offers little protection against the rapacious invaders.

==Falling Salt==
The Salt Guard falls. Great metal-bound catapult stones chip away at the walls, and smash the towers. Under the cover of a seemingly random assault, a squad of Naguerra battle-magicians unleash [[Spring magic]] against the gates of first one keep, and then barely ten minutes later the other. Rending vines erupting across the wood and stone, ripping it to pieces. The attackers pour inside. Commonwealth and Freeborn soldiers back-to-back, using every trick that the League architects could think of to make it harder for them to seize the fort. One by one the engines of destruction on both sides of the Salt Guard fall silent. The garrison is too busy fighting to survive to focus on the Grendel armada.

Those ships of the Broken Shore who are equipped to do so launch barrage after barrage of missiles against the two towers of the Salt Guard. Those without siege engines on their decks either turn the captured harbour defences against the fortress, or disembark, joining the fighting in the docks and inside the Guard.

At this point, the Asavean vessels move closer. They join the bombardment but their target is not the Salt Guard but the city of Siroc itself. They are seemingly unconcerned about crushing Grendel troops beneath their iron shot. It's not clear what happens but suddenly after a half hour of smashing tents and buildings and fleeing Freeborn and small groups of Grendel, the Asavean weapons still for a few minutes, then open fire against the Salt Guard along with the others. But the damage is done – swathes of the markets and paradors clustered around the quayside, flattened, burning. Dozens of ships, of quays, shattered to splinters. Columns of smoke begin to rise. Fire flickers in some of the windows of the Salt Guard.

With an almighty groan, one of the two Salt Guard keeps begins to collapse in on itself, transformed suddenly into a chimney that sends roaring flames up through the interior. Barrels of oil join the rocks being hurled toward Menno von Rijshof's masterpiece. Those defenders still trapped inside are no longer battling the invading orcs, but fighting to breathe as the smoke rises, fighting to escape as the fire spreads.

As the sun drops towards the eastern horizon, the second tower catches. Those defenders who manage to make it out of the collapsing fortification, coughing, gasping, wheezing, are swiftly dealt with by the invaders.

==Fire Spreads==
With the Salt Guard shattered, the city is easy prey for the immense force ranged against it. The Grendel have not had it all their own way; the courage of the Salt Guard has purchased vital hours for those who can see what is coming to flee the city, north toward [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]] or west to one of the bridges across the Scorrero, toward [[Segura]].

The Grendel follow. Over the next few months, the invaders spread north along the coast into Lightsea. Quzar falls before the Iron Gulls, despite the best efforts of the [[hakima]] and masters of [[Autumn magic]] supporting the defenders. The [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] is torn apart by the Naguerro, who loot many of the treasures within, treasures carried out of Feroz by fleeing magicians.

At the same time, the Black Eels loot and raid the port towns freely, killing any who try to resist, but seemingly unconcerned about those who wish to flee – unless they try to take their wealth with them.

Three of the Grendel navies, supported by the Bone Nautilus and the Asavean warships, assail [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]], assaulting the port towns of the corsairs. These islands were the first proper home for the Freeborn – and for the second time the Grendel seize Atalaya, the fount from which the entire Brass Coast flowed. Midport falls to the Shamal and the Golden Sails. The Tempest seizes the Shining Pillar – that great white-and-gold tower familiar to every sailor along the [[Bay of Catazar]], sometimes used as a symbol for the Brass Coast itself. When a sailor can see the beacon of the Shining Pillar, they know they are home. After the Grendel take the island on which it stands, the beacon falters, and goes out, for the first time in centuries the Shining Pillar does not shine.

Meanwhile the Simoom concerns itself with besieging the [[Madruga#The Lyceum|Isle of the Lyceum]]. The magicians there fight back, supported by their Commonwealth allies at the Lyceum Schloss. Contact with the island has been sporadic at best; it is not clear if the entire island has been conquered or what the state of the grand libraries, arcane academics, or students is. There is little hope that they may be able to hold out against the Grendel and their allies. There is a great deal of worry about what the Grendel might do with the vast stores of lore contained within the Lyceum.

As the Winter Solstice approaches... but wait. That's in the future. We aren't done with Siroc yet.

==The Last Sight==
Before the Grendel sweep across the rest of Madruga, on land and sea, they finish the conquest of Siroc. The offices of the [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] are looted, by the honour guard of Governor Rahab of Feroz. Perhaps the wealth they manage to steal here will make up for the fortune Rahab lost when the Scorrero Nets collapsed?

The Bone Nautilus surround the Parador of the Kindled Flame, eager to capture those who have sought sanctuary within, eager to carry away the children whose home it is to a life of slavery. When they finally breach the heavy oak doors, they find the place deserted. No sign of anyone hiding.

They have no way of knowing, but the children, their guardians, and those who accepted the offer of safety within the walls, are long gone. As the flames consumed the Salt Guard, two dozen friends of the [[Irra Harah|Prince of a Thousand Foes]] revealed themselves, and the sewer entrance, and lead those who would otherwise have been trapped in the orphanage to safety. They are already well on their way to Segura.

The same story unfolds across Siroc. Guardian angels – most mortal, some decidedly not – reveal themselves and help people escape what is to come. Without their unexected – and mostly invisibile - aid, a great many more people would have died when the city fell. If anyone bothers to ask – and most people are simply grateful for the aid – they say that they are discharging a service for the Archmage of Spring. They run when they can, they fight when they must, but they never try to hide. They discourage hiding, for some reason.

While many escape, many more do not. The Grendel take a few slaves but once the city falls they seem more interested in bearing away its loot rather than its people. The same cannot be said for the Asaveans. Now that the Salt Guard has fallen, the warships and mercenaries of the far west join in the conquest of the city. They are absolutely without mercy, killing anyone who comes within spear-reach or sword-reach.

It is they who lead the attack against the House of the Way, one of the oldest congregations in the Brass Coast. They smash the doors, shatter beautiful windows that have blazed in the setting sun for two hundred years, slaughter the priests and sutannir. Even the Naguerro seem a little taken aback by their zeal for slaughter, these human warriors from far away across the sea.

The Asaveans are also the ones who set the fires. Despite the chaos, the Grendel are careful to make sure that the city of tents does not burn. For a day and a night, they rampage through Siroc, taking everything they can find, everything they can carry. Then as the sun sets on the second day after the fall, as the armies regroup on the plains outside the city for the march north and west, as the navies withdraw to anchorages along the coast, the Asavean warships launch barrels of burning oil into the city. Another, and another, and another. The sky turns red, the glow growing like a baleful promise.

Asavean captains, more than a dozen cold-eyed scions of the patrician families - and it seems all the major families are represented – watch from the shoreline. They are not alone. Their soldiers have taken carefully selected prisoners. Where possible they are [[sutannir]], or priests of the Way, or [[dhomiro]] of one family or other. Two dozen, no more, dragged in manacles to the waterline south of the city.

As the barrels of oil fly, as burning brands are touched to the kindling piled all across the city, as Siroc burns, these prisoners are forced to watch. And then, as the fire stretches across the horizon, the final cruelty.

The last priests of the God of Chains are with the Asaveans and at a nod form the captains, they murder each of the prisoners. The last thing they see as they are hurled untimely into the Labyrinth is the jewel of Madruga, the Sapphire, their Billowing City, burning as the first stars of evening glitter in the uncaring sky.

All save three. These last three - one Erigo, one Riqueza, one Guerra - are released once the fires start to die down. Pushed into the surf, discarded like refuse, like jetsam on the coast of Brass, the last words of their captors echoing in their ears.

“We were an Empire before any of your petty kingdoms existed; we have no more lessons to learn about vengeance. But we can teach.”

==Game Information: Madruga==
The Grendel armada has seized three regions of Madruga: Siroc Plains, Lightsea, and Free Landing. As detailed in the [[Not_a_drop_to_drink#Not_A_Drop_To_Drink|Not a drop to drink]] Wind of Fortune, the blight of the [[Madruga#Great Grasses|Great Grasses]] remains contained thanks to the enchantment that has been diligently cast each prior season. As predicted however it has also stabilized in a way that means the region is no longer under Imperial control. As a consequence, with the Freeborn only controlling Calvos Sound and Torres, they have lost control of the territory. The Grendel have not, however, taken control of the territory; they only control three of the six regions. The territory is thus considerd contested – although the [[Senator]] for Madruga loses their seat in the Senate regardless.

The Salt Guard was overwhelmed and destroyed, but it provided sufficient defence to slow the Grendel invasion. Without it, and its enchantment, the armada may have had sufficient strength to launch a significant attack on Calvos Sound as well as the three regions it captured.

==Losses: Imperial Titles==
A number of Imperial titles have lost powers and sources of income.

Madruga no longer has a Senator.

The [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] and the [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] no longer have ministries. The titles still exist, however, and still have any appropriate responsibilities.

The [[Madruga#The_Commonwealth_Embassy|Commonwealth Embassy]] has been destroyed. The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] has lost their [[Ambassador_to_the_Commonwealth#Commonwealth_Merchants|ministry]] but maintains their other powers. The [[Commonwealth]] is likely to have a strong opinion about the destruction of its embassy in the Empire.

[[Madruga#Freeborn_Flame_Marina|Freeborn Flame Marina]] is in Grendel hands. The benefits it provided, allowing [[fleet|fleets]] of the Brass Coast to be [[The_power_behind_our_moves#Atalaya|upgraded more easily]] have been lost to the Freeborn, although it might be possible to regain the benefit if it were liberated.

The Empire no longer controls the [[Madruga#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]]. This means the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] has lost their ability to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Guiding_the_magicians_of_the_Lyceum|codify ritual texts]], the benefits of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Boon_of_the_Black_Sloth|Quiet Annexe]], and access to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Apartments_at_the_Lyceum|their apartments]]. They remain [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Arbiter_of_Imperial_Lore|Arbiter of Imperial Lore]] however. Unfortunately, one of the things they have also lost is the work on the ritual text they were codifying; it is still on the island itself.

The Parador of the Kindled Flame has been ruined, along with the city of Siroc itself. The devastation is sufficient to give Siroc Plains the ''ruins'' quality.

==Losses: Military==
The loss of Siroc has struck a devastating blow to the Brass Coast. The wealth of the Sapphire has been taken by the Grendel and the city itself comprehensively burnt. Furthermore, the Grendel have captured the wealthy ports of Lightsea and Free Landing. Coupled with the loss of the entire territory of Feroz, this means that The Brass Coast [[Commission#Maximum_numbers_of_Imperial_Forces|can no longer support their three armies]]. If not for the Iron Qanat, they would only be able to support a single army. Regardless the outcome is the same; following the Winter Solstice, they will begin to decline due to [[Imperial_army#Insufficient_Supply|insufficient supply]].

Assuming nothing else significant changes, the Freeborn will reclaim their ability to support armies once they are again in control of two of the prosperous coastal regions of the Brass Coast - Free Landing, Lightsea, [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]], [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]], or [[Feroz#Fontargenta|Fortargenta]]. This presumes they remain in control of Calvos Sound and the port-town of Calvos; if they lose that they will need to reconquer three regions.

The only silver lining is that the situation will not get worse - a nation is either "out of supply" or it is not. So even if the Brass Coast loses further territory their armies will not decline any faster - but it might mean that they have further to go before they can reclaim their ability to supply their armies.

==Intercede at the Lyceum (Battle)==
The Grendel's assault into Madruga has been a hammer blow to the Brass Coast. The Broken Shore's navies and armies have secured a solid foothold in the territory - almost claiming dominion in a single season of campaigning. Siroc has been razed and large swathes of the coast up through Free Landing are under the heel of the Salt Lords. Now the Grendel moridun troops and mercenary forces are securing the many islands offshore.

Principle among these is the isle on which the Lyceum has stood for nearly 300 years. This is an incredible prize for the Grendel, an asset of extraordinary value, however it is not so easily taken. Over the centuries, the magicians of the isle have spent considerable resources erecting potent magical wards that can protect the [[college of magic|college]] if is attacked. However those wards need powerful magical rituals to be performed to invoke them - no easy task.

The heroes of the Empire have an opportunity to strike against Grendel forces at the '''Field of Aenea'''. There, they can attempt to recover a ritual text of strategic importance; kill the "''Seeker of the Sky''" who is seeking the very same ritual; and take up the eternal Sadogua's offer to "[[Begins_where_it_ends#Sadogua|keep the Lyceum safe]]". There is also an unexpected and unusual opportunity to deploy powerful magic to aid the protection, defence and obfuscation of the entire island.

Prognosticator Atraxes notes that a conjunction of [[the Web]] and [[the Great Wyrm]] offers the Empire the unique window during the solstice to intercede in Madruga and potentially protect the Lyceum from the Grendel. The alignment of stars above the contested territory will enable rituals cast at two linked regio to behave in strange and more powerful ways than normal.

===Objective: Raise the Lyceum's wards===
* '''Cast rituals at the two regio to raise the islands powerful wards'''
* '''Each regio requires three potent rituals to invoke and power the ancient wards'''
* '''Failure will allow the Grendel to loot the Lyceum'''

The reason the Lyceum was located in Free Landing was the presence of twin regio that had an unusual property; they shifted the realm to which they were aligned after each ritual that was cast. They provided an excellent opportunity to research how ritual magic would interact with regio without risking accidentally cursing an entire territory. The regio shift according to a set pattern - something Imperial magicians have built the Lyceum's wards to exploit. The wards are difficult to raise, partly because of the magical energy need to power the wards and partly because they make using the Lyceum well nigh impossible, so it requires a major effort by Imperial magicians to trigger them.

The defensive wards of the Lyceum are tuned to the ''Shadow regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need to perform an Autumn ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then Winter ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]] at magnitude 40. That is no easy feat, but if they are successful, the Lyceum will be plunged into impenetrable darkness for a year, making it utterly impossible for the Grendel to loot it, its books, or to carry away the researchers as slaves.

The offensive wards of the Lyceum are turned to the ''Storm regio''. To raise these wards the Empire would need a Day ritual of at least 20 magnitude, then a Summer ritual of at least 20 magnitude and then finally perform [[Foam and Spittle of the Furoius Sea]]. If the final ritual is completed then the area around the Lyceum will be ravaged by storms for a year, hammering the Empire's enemies. The wards would serve as a strength 3000 fortification in the region that could not be conquered or removed. The magical storms would target the [[Grendel]] forces any time they undertook military action in the territory.

None of the rituals used in this way have their usual effect; their power is directed entirely toward the wards. Likewise, the Shadow regio and the Storm regio do not fulfill the requirement of a "strong regio" for purposes of ritual casting.

===Alternative: Respond to Sadogua's offer===
* '''Cast Align the Celestial Net in the presence of the ''Glutton's'' herald'''
* '''Casting the ritual will see the college spirited to the Night realm'''
* '''Rejecting the offer will leave the Lyceum in the Grendel's hands'''
Sadogua has made it abundantly clear that he is ''very angry indeed'' with the Empire. If the wards cannot be raised, one alternative might be to try and win round the ''Wyrm-King'' by travelling to the Lyceum and giving the college to the eternal. ''Jubbjibbaglob'', an apprentice of Sadogua's, has been sent to the isle to make sure the Grendel don't run off with the statue of Simargl, the Empty One, in the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Quiet_Annexe|Quiet Annex]], and will be around should the Empire wish to placate the eternal in this matter.

To cede the Lyceum a night coven will need to take ''Jubbjibbaglob'' to either the ''Shadow regio'' or the ''Storm regio'' and perform [[Align the Celestial Net]] on it. Once completed the herald will confirm that the necessary steps have been taken to allow the ''Globbersnotch'' to swallow the Lyceum, putting it beyond the reach of the Grendel, and anyone else. It is understood that there will be ample time for anyone in the locale to escape, as Sadogua knows the importance of not rushing a big meal.

Of course if the Black Sloth devours the Lyceum, there's no going back from that, but at least it prevents it falling into the hands of the Grendel. However even the Glutton can't eat a whole library at once, so he'll save some of the tastiest books for later. Assuming the Empire wanted to build a replacement, then it can ask the Globberslotch to return whatever texts are still left to help with that. Once he's calmed down, of course.

===Objective: Find the ''Final Dance of the Immobile''===
* '''Recover the ritual text of the Winter ritual that was codified this season'''
* '''Success will return the ritual text to the Empire and allow it to be mastered or added to Imperial lore'''
* '''Failure will result in the Grendel being able to utilise the enchantment'''
Since their election at the last Summer Solstice, '''Palaphon Ankarien''', the Dean of the Lyceum had the college work upon the codification of ''Final Dance of the Immobile''. The ritual seems to hold out some promise of weakening or warding against the Dry Patricians. The researchers of the Lyceum had all but completed the codification of the ritual and were finishing the presentation of the text when the armada of the Grendel swept into sight. In the ensuing panic, the text was taken by a Navarri vate in an attempt to get it off the island. However, the vate never reached safety and is presumably still on the island.

The scholar is believed to have been injured or possibly captured by the Grendel. Imperial heroes should aim to find and rescue the mage, who should still have the text. If the ritual has been taken from them, the Navarri will be able to indicate who took it. Should the ritual text be recovered then it could either be kept, added to Imperial lore through an appropriate [[Declaration]], or added to Urizen lore through [[Gift of Knowledge]].

===Objective: Ransom Sky Mage Faireoir===
* '''Ransom the powerful ritualist of the Sky realm who has an unknown connection with the magicians of the Schloss'''
* '''Success would give the Empire opportunity to claim a powerful strategic ritual text from the Grendel'''
''Faireoir, Seer of the Sky and Diviner of Ophis'', is a well-connected and influential Sky ritualist among the bickering courts and mercantile chambers of the Broken Shore. The Sky Mage was instrumental in directing the Grendel's attack against the Lyceum, planning to use the wealth of magical lore to gain further favour and influence for themselves. While clearly there for the opportunity to enrich themselves and their coven, Faireoir is also looking for something specific. It's not clear what it is, but there's little likelihood that it's anything ''good''.

Strangely, this figure appears to be known to the magicians of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum_Schloss|Lyceum Schloss]] - the fortified annexe where the [[Commonwealth]] magicians studying at the Lyceum. They have taken refuge along with a number of students and several Imperial citiens, but they recognised Sky Mage Faireoir and have pointed him out to Imperial scouts.

How they know Sky Mage Faireoir is a fascinating question, one the normal candied Commonwealth have declined to answer at this time. However they have said his coven is powerful and have access to potent war rituals, some of which the Empire does not possess. If the Empire could capture the powerful Sky Mage, he is bound to agree to a ransom in return for this life. His captors could demand a ritual text from him, in return for letting him leave the field alive.

It would best if any contract were enforced with a [[Scrivener's Bloodmark]] but if they've captured him the Empire could invoke the [[Lictors]] for any ransom. Provided they take reasonable means to enforce the contract, the Sky Mage would be bound to send a copy of the ritual text to the Empire once he returns to Dubhtraig.

==Save the Shining Pillar (Battle)==
In the wake of the Grendel's invasion of Madruga there are others who wish to make the most of the opportunity; using it as a way to make their personal fortunes, strengthen their grip on the mortal realm, or strike against the Empire in their own way. Just before the Winter Solstice a force of Grendel moridun soldiers arrives at Atalaya Heights in Free Landing. With them come a small party of Asavean soldiers and a dignitary of some import.

The Plenum has dispatched ''The Priest of Wrecks'' accompanied by several "''Guardians of the Black Bull''" to assist and observe the Grendel's first strike against the Empire. Soon after landing on the shores of Atalaya, ''Barquentius Iyandeus'' the Asavean ecclesiast began preparations for a large supplication that is expected to be completed shortly after the Winter Solstice. This act is intended to serve as a symbolic blow against the Freeborn and the wider Empire and to ensure good fortune for the Grendel's ongoing campaign. It will involve the ritual killing of a number of Imperial citizens and the destruction of the Shining Pillar.

The ten attendants of the Shining Pillar known as '''The Beacon's Watch''' refused to abandon the tower, claiming that they must ensure the flame remains lit and the lighthouse is still seen out in the Bay. They have all been captured and are in the custody of the Grendel. This conjunction offers a chance to rescue them from potential sacrifice and to ensure that the skills and knowledge required to maintain and operate the Shining Pillar are preserved.

In the days before the Winter Solstice ''High Priestess Shivaarn'', she who praises the [[Siakha|Mother of Monsters]], arrived at one of the islands of Free Landing. Shivaarn performed some form of rite - calling on the Salt-born Devourer and the Mother of Wrecks and the Maelstrom. From dawn until dusk she chanted and gave offerings of trinkets claimed from corsairs, of the [[The_Brass_Coast_hearth_magic#Coins|lucky coins]] of a score of dhomiro, and finally mithril. Chest after chest filled with mithril ore was thrown into the shores and swiftly swept out to sea. And then the sea boiled and foamed as heralds of Siakkha emerged. Not just the carcharadons that so many Imperials are familiar with, but something new. Tempests in human form drawn to join with the Grendel forces massing at the Shining Pillar to overwhelm it. And if they are able to claim enough lives to create some monstrosity of surf and squall in service of Siakha.

===Objective: Kill the Priest of Wrecks===
* '''Eliminate the Priest of Wrecks and the Guardians of the Black Bull'''
* '''Failure would result in the desecration and ultimate destruction of the Shining Pillar'''
Iyandeus is a loud and passionate orator, not a fighter, and the Plenum has dispatched a guard of warriors who have received blessings of their idolatrous god to ensure the priest is kept safe, or doesn't inadvertently wander into harms way. Marching in heavy chain and tall helms these soldiers are devotees of The Black Bull, the protector soldier spirit-god. These grizzled veterans are sworn into servitude to fight and die to protect Iyandeus, and can be expected to be well-prepared for battle.

Killing the Guardians and Iyandeus will ensure that the Asavean supplication cannot go ahead. Besides being an opportunity to take revenge on the Asaveans for Siroc, it will also put a stop to his plans to desecrate and destroy the Shining Pillar.

===Objective: Rescue the Beacon Watch===
* '''Free at least five members of the Beacon Watch from the Grendel'''
* '''Success will ensure a future legacy for the Shining Pillar'''
* '''Failure will see the attendants sacrificed to an Asavean god'''

The heroes of Anvil will need to track down and locate the members of the Beacon Watch in the area. They are under heavy guard by Grendel forces, rather than in the custody of the small Asavean delegation. The barbarians have split them to avoid any escape attempts and once it is clear that the Sentinel Gate has opened then they will move the lighthouse attendants during the battle to prevent potential rescue attempts.

If at least five members of the Beacon Watch are returned safely to Anvil, then the Asavean's rite to their Red God will not be possible. These attendants will return to the Brass Coast to pass on their knowledge and train others to operate the beacon once Madruga is liberated. This will mean that even if the Grendel destroys the edifice, it could be rebuilt to shine out again across the Bay once more.

===Objective: Deny the Carcharodons===
* '''Prevent the shoals of Siakha from murdering twenty or more Imperial heroes'''
* '''Success will diminish the influence of the eternal in the area'''
* '''Failure would see a fortified fane to Siakha form off the coast'''

The bloodlust rising from Atalaya's cove has drawn the fearsome carcharadon heralds of Siahka ashore to the Shining Pillar. When battle commences they will come ashore in greater numbers, drawn to bloodshed like wolves on the trail of their quarry. Heedless of their survival, the heralds will patrol the lines of contact seeking out those misfortunate enough to have been laid low. Anyone set upon by one of their number can expect a [[Calls#EXECUTE|swift and brutal death]].

If the heralds are able to murder twenty or more Imperial citizens, then Siakha's thirst for death and destruction will be fixed on the locale of the Shining Pillar. This would manifest as a raging Spring regio just off the Atalayan coast, forming a roiling gyre of tempest waves, fuming spray, and a sucking maelstrom of magic that would draw nearby ships down to certain death. Merchant shipping would be forced to give the area a wide berth until it could be dealt with, but the immediate threat would the monstrous heralds of Spring that would sprew forth. The presence of the fane would be a dangerous new threat for the Military Council to contend with, serving as a two thousand strength [[fortification]].

===Battlefield Environment: Blood in the Air===
* '''The land near the Shining Pillar is under the effect of a powerful Spring miasma'''
* '''All characters experience a feeling of rising bloodlust'''
* '''Any character who does not resist the aura has a single use of CLEAVE with an apprporiate melee weapon whilst in the location'''

''A coppery tang fills the nose and the mouth fills slick with thick saliva; the magic of savagery, blood, and destruction pulses through the veins.''

Anyone who travels to this location will experience a strong roleplaying effect of rising violence and bloodlust, unless they:

* Expend a hero point upon entering the area
* Draw on the spiritual strength of an anointing
* Draw on their Merrow lineage and assume a calm demeanour
* Are bonded to a magical item or have a ritual enchantment that mitigates effects like these

Whilst in the location any character can make a '''single''' [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|CLEAVE]] call with any melee weapon other than a pike without the need to expend a hero point or the need to have the [[Heroic_skills#Cleaving_Strike|Cleaving Strike]] skill. This ability is lost if the character resists the roleplaying effect at any point, or upon their return to Anvil.

==Opportunities and Dangers (Conjunctions)==
There are smaller attacks from the Grendel across the Bay of Catazar. Probing attacks, with individual Grendel captains leading their fleets against specific targets in an attempt to recover what they can. Each of these fleets can potentially be claimed - if the Grendel who own them are defeated - but they will likely require extensive repair to get them to the high standard of the Empire. The civil service has agreed to an arrangement with the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate that where possible the League guild will salvage the ships of the Grendel and, in return, offer deeds to fleets to those recognised as responsible for the conjunction.

===News From the Plain (Necropolis)===
* '''A force of Grendel are seeking information on the bridge that spans the Couros'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:45 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Courage'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Ranald'', an influential Sky Mage of the Grendel, remained hidden in Necropolis as the peace treaty ran its course and the Imperial Senate [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Declare_war_on_the_Grendel|declared war]] on the Grendel. Barely escaping ahead of the purge once the espionage ring there was [[Rings_and_crowns#Eyes_of_the_Basilisk|uncovered]], they've been hiding out with a much reduced force along the banks of the river. Now, with the focus of the Highborn and the garrison of [[Necropolis#Reumah's_Rest|Reumah's Rest]] on the coast awaiting an attack from the sea, the company under ''Ranald'' are making their way through Coursmouth towards Ada's Plain.

On Ada's Plain not far from the river, and the Courspan Bridge that crosses it, stands the [[chapter]] of Ethan's Respite. The [[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Stewards_of_the_dead|stewards of the dead]] there repeatedly refused to allow the Grendel permission to visit the area over the last two years. The chapter cited tales about a secret, or a historical incident, that would allow the orcs to threaten the Courspan if they uncovered it. It's not clear if this is an item or a piece of information, but it's obvious that curiosity has gotten the better of Sky Mage Ranald.

The chapter of Ethnan's Respite have called for aid, asking that the [[Champion of Courage]], '''Thomir, Son of Astion''', take responsibility for preventing the Grendel from finding out... whatever it is they are trying to find out. Dispatching the Sky Mage and their guards before they can become a problem will likely head off future threats from the magician. There's also a chance the Champion might potentially uncover the secrets the Grendel are seeking themselves, of course. Especially if they chose to take magicians capable of using [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River|Day magic divinations]] or [[Shadowed Glass of Sung|Night magic visions]] to explore the area.

===The First Ship (Redoubt)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening the Great Harbour of Elos'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 14:30 on Saturday to The Elosian Grove, Naris'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Elosian Architect'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Maistir Dorcas'' has landed their ships on the gentle coast of [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]]. The Grendel were observed by a small patrol of sentinels from the [[Redoubt#Court of the White Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]], and they are accompanied by creatures that bear all the hallmarks of being servants of the ''[[Siakha|Mother of Wrecks]]''. The Grendel left a small guard at their ships and made all haste toward Elos. It's unknown what exactly Maistir Dorcas thinks they might achieve if they are left, unchallenged, to reach the harbour. They might plan to fire the shipyard, loot the warehouses and their stockpiles of ingots and herbs, or even simply slaughter the workers on behalf of Siakha. The presence of the heralds makes those aware of them nervous, however. It's unfortunately doubtful the Court of the White Fountain can reach Elos in time to stop Dorcas doing... whatever they are planning to do.

The [[Elosian Architect]], '''Talia Seaboar''', is responsible for threats to the harbour there, and may want to gather a band of heroes to intercept the Grendel. There is another incentive, perhaps. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate - who are arguably more salvagers than they are shipwrights these days - would relish the opportunity to claim the Grendel ships refurbish them and sell them on, or rip them apart for parts. They have agreed to give the Elosian Architect the deed to ''The Impulse'', an impressive [[fleet|ship]], its fine structure [[Fleet#Upgrade|upgraded]] with five wains of [[weirwood]], to do with as they see fit. Should Maistir Dorcas be dealt with, of course.

===Behind A Lock (Sarvos)===
* '''A force of Grendel are threatening Glass Point Cove'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:00 on Saturday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of Glass Point Cove'' is responsible for defeating the Grendel'''
''Quartermaster Ewan'' has landed their ships on one of the heavily wooded islands of [[Sarvos#Uccelini|Uccelini]]. A passing fishing boat, by chance, brought news of their presence along with a warning that they are accompanied by servants of the ''[[Siakha|Salt-born Devourer]]''. Now the quartermaster has sent a small force ahead - under the guise of a fishing boat - to the secretive [[Custodian_of_Glass_Point_Cove#Glass_Point_Cove|Glass Point Cove]]. They clearly plan to establish a presence there, perhaps as an advance guard of the Grendel forces. There is a chance to strike at the Grendel on the wooded island before they move to reinforce the vanguard - claiming the precious mana and likely doing extensive damage to the mithril netting.

There is an opportunity to benefit from the cunning of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then not only will the delicate netting be protected, but the ships they arrived on will be left abandoned. The Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate will waste little time in confiscating the vessels and either selling them on, or breaking them down for parts. They have offered the deed to ''Dance of Victory'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Custodian of Glass Point Cove]], '''Dalibor Marek van Temeschwar''' to do with as they will - if they deal with the threat posed by Quartermaster Ewan.

===Following the Craft (Madruga)===
* '''A force of Grendel are fleeing with an heirloom stolen from the Parador of Salt and Sand'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 15:30 on Saturday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Hakima of Salt and Sand'' is responsible for reclaiming the heirloom'''
''Nechtan'', a wealthy Sand Mage of the Grendel, has withdrawn north of Quzar in [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. The Grendel are accompanied by several heralds of ''[[Siakha|the Mother of Monsters]]'' and are waiting on their fleet to collect them with their ill-gotten gains. One of these is a valuable heirloom stolen from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]]. The item was used in teaching those who came to learn from the [[hakima]], and has come to symbolise the hope of regaining the parador and re-establishing such classes. Several of the surviving hakima, forced to flee when the parador fell, have pledged to pool their resources and support the Hakima of Salt and Sand with four mana crystals each season until the parador is regained... provided the heirloom is returned and shown to one of the Freeborn egregores.

There is an additional opportunity to benefit from the retribution of the Grendel though. If the Grendel are defeated then the fleet will be easy to overcome; something that the Sarvos Shipwrights Syndicate are more than willing to attempt. The Syndicate have offered the deed to ''The Blade of Freedom'', a fleet of ships that have had their hulls upgraded with five wains of weirwood, to the current [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]], '''Bakar i Riqueza''' to do with as they see fit - provided the Sand Mage and their entourage is dealt with.

Against the Jotun

2024-04-25T16:14:05Z

TomH: /* Threads in the Pattern (Liathaven) */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Against the Jotun.jpg|caption=The Jotun he Jotun strive to follow a simple code of honour - and despise those who break their oaths.|align=left|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/yiuchiOgnKE?si=Hw7YQxwKWOMFmUXN}}
==Frost==
The Imperial armies have rampaged across Tromsa, slaying the Jarl, bringing down the walls of Viheltavathorn, in pursuit of the pretender. With the Marcher armies in the vanguard, they brought vengeance to the roof of the world. Before the gates of Oksenesfestsal itself, the heroes of Anvil fought and defeated the warriors of the new Jarl, Igya Olgafsdottir. They [[A_tale_told#Falling_.28Battle_Opportunity.29|claimed their ransom]], and Mathilda Fisher is now in Imperial custody. And then, their work done, they withdrew. A measured retreat east, back across the chill taiga and snow-dusted hills, across the forested borders of the Icewood back into [[Sermersuaq]].

Even as the Empire quits Tromsa, scouts bring news of an immense Jotun force entering Rikskog from the south. Details are sketchy, beyond the fact that Yrsa Jansdóttir, Jarl of Jarls, Queen of Kalsea leads the armies of the west. An overwhelming response; perhaps inspired by fear that the Empire may despoil Mount Majastind and the graves of the ancestors. With the garrison of Oksenesfestsal, and the support of the fyrds, the Queen's forces move to catch the Imperial invaders. They are too late; the Empire has already quit Tromsa, well on their way to their next engagements.

The Jotun quickly reclaim the land the Empire conquered. Any stragglers swiftly fall beneath the hammers and axes of the furious orcs. Under the shifting ribbon of the northern lights, as the snow begins to pile up, silence falls over Tromsa.

===Game Information: Tromsa===
Imperial armies have withdrawn from Tromsa. In their absence, a significant Jotun force has swiftly reconquered all the regions taken by the Empire last season.
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Storm Shall Not.jpg|caption=The Jotun strive to follow a simple code of honour - and despise those who break their oaths.|align=left|width=600}}</div>

==Fire==
While the Bounders, the Strong Reeds, and the Fire of the South embark on the long march south, the rest of the Imperial armies do not go far. A brief camp is made at Olgafsdottirshal in [[Sermersuaq#Tanikipari|Tanikipari]] (and there is an irony to these warriors resting before a castle built by the new Jarl of Tromsa after so recently assailing her home). A short break, long enough to allow the Red Wind Corsairs to join them before crossing the border again – but this time further south, into the [[Skallahn#Iron Stand|Iron Stand]], into [[Skallahn]].
===A Rift of Fire and Night===
The Green Shield lead the way into Skallahn, still accompanied by both the [[Knights of Glory|red-and-gold knights of the Summer court]] and the emissaries of [[Janon|Fire Muse]]. They are not alone; heralds of Janon also fight with the Red Wind Corsairs and the Summer Storm. Half-naked despite the cold, intricate golden tattoos swirling across their crimson skin, they urge the soldiers they battle alongside to give into their passions, inspiring them to greater and greater acts of heroism and courage.

There is obvious friction between the fey knights who fight with the Green Shield, and these whirling warriors of Janon. Especially since the latter take every opportunity to challenge the servants of Eleonaris, to question their commitment to their cause. While resting the scops and mediators who fight beneath the Green Shield banner are called on several times to intercede, to diffuse the tension between the groups. At least once the army enters Tromsa, there are more than enough Jotun to keep the servants of the Lion and the Flame too busy to fight each other.

Alongside the armies come more than sixty Imperial captains, leading their warbands into Skallahn. An entire additional army, made up of fighters from several Imperial nations, especially those of Wintermark and the Imperial Orcs.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Lofyn Blood-cloak, General of the Bloodcloaks">Blood-cloaks, look how we dance in the blood & ice of the north. How can we fight and adapt for our Empire. You are my pride. The Dragon of Zenith, Aulius Warcaster comes, to bid us welcome Zakalwe's wise heralds to witness your heroism, to learn our weaknesses, that we might prove our potential. Welcome master strategist, you saw the Bloodcloaks fall, see how we soar.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Iron Osric, General of the Green Shield">Heroes of the Green Shield, hail to thee, there has been triumph in Tromsa and we hold to our word. Shield and Cloak, a sworn oath. Pursue the path of Guntherm, a dance of din points to delight the servants of shadowed Fire. As on the Battlefield, so across the border. Forward to the Fray, fight with honour.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Delora i Sol-Devorador i Erigo, General of the Red Wind Corsairs">Freeborn! For years we have answered the choice of the Jotun Sword-hand. We have let them choose the battlefield, choose the retreat; now we take the battle to them! We blaze through Iron Strand and we show the Jotun what the honour and passion of the freeborn burns on. As on the battlefield so the campaign - We will show the Jotun that we can fight by their rules and beat them at it! We invite the Heralds of Janon to witness our attack! Now, my courageous, burning freeborn - Board them!</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Irontide Skorr, General of the Summer Storm">Warriors of the Summer Storm, heralds of Janon. Following our push into Tromsa we now move back into Skallahn on a Balanced Attack. Let's fight with Wisdom, Courage and the Ambition to destroy a fortification there. Let us be passionate in our warfare and if we have any downtime then we shall construct a pit and FIGHT! We will continue taking the fight to the Jotun and show them what we can do!</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Stanley of Chalkdown, General of the Tusks">Jacks of the Tusks! We continue our strike against the Jotun in Iron Stand and the fortress in Ulfsmoor. As on the battlefield so on the campaign, are fight as the virtuous honoured we will show the Jotun that white granite will not shield their lands from the treads of our boots! The Imperial frontier expands by the reach of our bills.</quote></div>
The [[Bloodcloaks]] and the [[Tusks]] set the pace, [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|taking advantage]] of the boons provided them by Imperial magicians. The Bloodcloaks are also advised by a lieutenant of the [[eternal]] [[Zakalwe]], his Polemarch of Strategy. The strategy laid out by the Imperial generals is surely an ambitious one; to trick the Jotun into fighting where they are not, then sweep across the [[Skallahn#Iron Stand|Iron Stand]] and lay seige to the squat stone keep of the [[Skallahn#Ulfrsborg|Ulfrsborg]].

Both Wintermark armies [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Army_Orders|fight with honour]], ready to step in should their allies forget themselves and give in to the demons of warfare. In particular, they are at pains to make sure there is no widescale looting of settlements, no slaughter of civilians or thralls by either side. The Jotun cannot help but be aware of this, and it means that when the Winterfolk fight their enemies give quarter – and ask for it in return in the expectation it will be honoured. The Red Wind Corsairs in particular take steps to ensure their corsairs restrain their natural urges; it was not too long ago that the Winterfolk disparaged the Freeborn as little better than maggots. Their behaviour on this campaign goes along way toward finally burying that unfair stereotype.
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Let Us Show Them.jpg|caption=Let us be passionate in our warfare.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
For their part the orcs of the Summer Storm are keen to test themselves against the walls of Ulfrsborg, but also against each other. Wherever they establish an armed camp, the 'Storm cut logs and build fighting pits, exulting in the thunder of the blood and the roar of their ancestors beneath the cold skies of the Jotun lands. Urged on by their fellows and by the enthusiasm of the heralds of Janon, they lose themselves in the tumult of the challenge, in the clamour of the ancestors. And into that clamour... something unlooked for.

Perhaps it is something about this place, about Skallahn. Perhaps it is to do with the [[A_lost_king#The_Bone_Temple|recent lessons]] of the [[Illarawm]]. Perhaps it is the creatures of the Night, weaving passion and intuition into their music. Whatever it is, some of the orcs emerge from these rough fighting pits changed. They speak of hearing a voice – a clear, unambiguous voice – of an ancestor. Not the joy-of-battle voice of Sjöfn of the Bittenblade (although she is there, too, in the pit). Not one of the angry slaves. Something - someone - else. Clearly, for the first time, a voice that talks to them in the exhilaration of the pit. Urges them to cleave to their fellows, to find their family and make it the heart of them. To keep safe those they love, and who love them in return. And to strike mercilessly, absolutely, to destroy anyone or anything that threatens that heart, that love. To rip them apart with bare hands if needs must, to hunt a traitor to the ends of the earth and further should it come to that. To never forget. Nothing is forgotten, the voice says, calmly. Nothing is ''ever'' forgotten.

There's no name to this voice, not yet anyway. But those who hear it know without needing to think about it that it is come from inside and outside at once – an ancestor voice. At first they might consider it to be a personal, private thing. But as they speak of their experience, haltingly at first, they find others who have heard that same voice, telling them similar things. The more orcs speak of it, the more come forward to admit they heard that voice. The more orcs come out of the fighting pits having heard its echo. There are many more questions than answers. Who is this ancestor? Why do orcs across the Summer Storm hear its counsel. Why this voice, here, now?

The voice doesn't provide answers, of course. What ancestor does? In the cold light of the dawn, blinking, muddled from a night of debating this voice, orcs shake their heads and put aside the world of the spirit for the world of steel and stone. It's time to cross the Iron Plain, to Ulfrsborg, and the hall of Jarl Ottesen!
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><th>Captain</th><th>Nation</th><th>Territory</th><th>Banner</th></tr>
<tr><td>Aethwin</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>House Gerís</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aulus Warcaster</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Zenith</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mouse of Dawn</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Astolat</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Finch Hawthorne</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Bregasland</td><td>Hartell Household</td></tr>
<tr><td>Edwin de Warrenne</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Bregasland</td><td>Order of the Forgotten Word</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rook</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Uhtræd Ironfeld</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Cynwulf Ashburh</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Darkwolves of Argonne</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dægmund Dunning</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Hengest Dun</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Leif Dunwolf</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Penda Dunning</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Seht Ravenson of Dunhearth Hall</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Theoderic Ulfarsson</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Dunhearth Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Tager Defender of the Fallen Tyrshalt</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Renwaerd</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rane Shardbearer</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>Sigehold Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lofyn Blood-cloak</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Hahnmark</td><td>The BloodHands</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sampo Mikkola</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kallavesa</td><td>Brackenbeak Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Leif Dreambinder</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kallavesa</td><td>Sussivari Oathsworn Fyrd</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ryske</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kallavesa</td><td>The Tylianson Ploughshare</td></tr>
<tr><td>Gerard the Waylander</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mitwold</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Tancred of Meade</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mitwold</td><td>House Garamond</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lawrence Talbot</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mitwold</td><td>The Talbots</td></tr>
<tr><td>Oliver Shepherd</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mitwold</td><td>The Talbots</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rasaldalph Mottes</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Happiston Volunteers</td></tr>
<tr><td>Griselda 'Zelda' Snowdrop</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>The Unbound Union</td></tr>
<tr><td>Maria Alexandrovna Kabanova</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Ossium</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Arja Fiskdottir</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Guthelm</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>Hendal Hearth</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aethelstan Korping</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>House Gerís</td></tr>
<tr><td>Iron Osric</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>Sigehold Hall</td></tr>
<tr><td>Atte Arrow-Tongue Metsastajason</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>Sussivari Oathsworn Fyrd</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kellua Itsepainen</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Sermersuaq</td><td>Sussivari Oathsworn Fyrd</td></tr>
<tr><td>Alfred Houtman Fella</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Upwold</td><td>Hartell Household</td></tr>
<tr><td>Teddy Rose</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Upwold</td><td>Hartell Household</td></tr>
<tr><td>Alfmund Fordwinsson</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Kallavesa</td><td>Darkwolves of Argonne</td></tr>
<tr><td>Arthur Ash</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>The Hogsgrove Coppice</td></tr>
<tr><td>Farwatch Thirrik</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Frith</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Ashborn Trosk</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Ashborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Shad</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Ashborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vana</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Ashborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Groza</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Bleakshield</td></tr>
<tr><td>Arora</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Bloodcrows</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bloodcrow Agna</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Bloodcrows</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bloodcrow Na'grul</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Bloodcrows</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bloodcrow Rakk</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Bloodcrows</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bloodcrow Rasp</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Bloodcrows</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bloodcrow Vassa</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Bloodcrows</td></tr>
<tr><td>Graul</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Bloodcrows</td></tr>
<tr><td>Redhand Gezzar</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Redhands</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sand Viper Ikk</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Sand Vipers</td></tr>
<tr><td>Skywise Karrak</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>Skywise</td></tr>
<tr><td>Irontide Dakred (Dak)</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>The Irontide</td></tr>
<tr><td>Irontide Rak'sha</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>The Irontide</td></tr>
<tr><td>Irontide Rus</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>The Irontide</td></tr>
<tr><td>Irontide Skorr</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>The Irontide</td></tr>
<tr><td>T'onk</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Skarsind</td><td>The Irontide</td></tr>
<tr><td>Viktor von Temeschwar</td><td>The League</td><td>Temeschwar</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sebastián Fawnwood</td><td>Dawn</td><td>The Barrens</td><td>House Fawnwood</td></tr>
<tr><td>Urien Novarion</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Weirwater</td><td>Anvil Lance</td></tr>
</table></div>

===Steadings of the Hills===
The plan does not survive contact with the enemy, of course. There is always some unexpected element that sets a strategy unravelling, and the wise general understands this. “Spend no time on the plan,” said one clever League general. “Spend all your time thinking on the contingencies for when it all goes wrong.”

In this case, the unexpected element is the presence of four armies of southern Jotun, recently arrived across the [[Skallahn#The_Kongeg.C5.91r|Kongegőr]]. They must have marched north with the others, with those busy “liberating” Tromsa, but these warriors stayed behind in Skallahn. Perhaps the intent is to resupply; perhaps the wily Jarl of Keirheim or the far-sighted Queen of Kalsea predicted the Imperial plan; perhaps something more political is at work. Either way, the banners of Bjorgthorn Hammerhand , general of the Southern Bear, and the grey owl standard of the [[Hordalant#Iron_Host|Iron Host]] flutter alongside those of the Jarl in Ulfsborg, while the Bear Who Swims and the Mandowla's Roar enjoy the hospitality of Keirheim. They are a long way from home, but as soon as news of the Imperial invasion reaches them, the generals bestir their armies to meet the threat from the east.

The Jotun have supernatural allies of their own, albeit fewer than the Empire. Alongside the Southern Bear marches another force of knights drawn from the Fields of Glory. Tall orcish warriors in heavy armour, they fight beside a pride of massive golden lions barded in matching armour. There is a little concern as to what will happen when they face the Green Shield; but in the event both groups of knights seem to relish the opportunity to test themselves against the other on the field of war, and the servants of Janon in particular revel in the chance to match their passion against the glory of Eleonaris.

The path to Ulfrsmoor is swiftly blocked by the Southern Bear and the Iron Host, with the other two armies moving to attack the Imperial flank. All four armies use their greater familiarity with the terrain to their advantage, but they do not shy away from conflict. Indeed, the Iron Host in particular seem almost desperate to test the strength of the Imperial heroes, especially those of the Summer Storm.

===Still Before The Storm===
While there are innumerable skirmishes and short engagements across the Stand, and in eastern Ulfsmoor, the first major battle takes place in the shadow of the Iron Banner. The fallen [[fortification]] built by [[Emperor Guntherm]] is where the rich markets of Oversgaard are held, and where Jarl Ebbe has their hall, built partially into the old walls of the great castle. Control of the ruins, and of Oversgaard, represents a major strategic goal when it comes to control of the Iron Stand.

Everyone knows the fighting will begin as the sun rises, but in a way the battle really begins shortly before dawn. Bjorgthorn Hammerhand invites the leaders of the opposing armies to meet with him on the field below Oversgaard. Two small groups of orcs and humans meet on the frosty field between the great armies drawn up to either side. Both sides eye each other cautiously, but the old Jotun champion radiates an easy confidence.

Words are exchanged. A note of bravado here. A nod of recognition for clever tactics. A short mention of earlier meetings on the battlefield. Jarl Ebbe begins to demand the Empire quit the field, but Bjorgthorn squeezes their shoulder, shaking his head, and their angry words fall silent. Instead, the general quietly recognises the decision the Imperial forces have made to meet them as equals, to fight with honour, heroically, gloriously, proudly and courageously. He mentions the Freeborn decision to honour the fallen heroes of Fort Braydon with a mound. He expresses the belief that their ancestors – the Imperial ancestors – must smile on them in this hour.

Things will never return to the way they were, but perhaps there can once again be respect between Jotun and Wintermark, between the orcs of the west and the Freeborn of the south. Perhaps there can even be a new understanding between Jotun and Skarsind.

Shortly before the sun touches the horizon, the general of the Southern Bear raises a battered drinking horn and invites the Imperial champions to share his toast; to hope for a champion's death in battle that will impress the ancestors enough to see them across the Howling Abyss. He seems profoundly unconcerned that many of those present are not orcs.

Then both groups return to their lines, and as the sun crests in the east, with a terrible roar that must surely shake the heavens, the battle begins.
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Dour Marchers.jpg|caption=The Imperial frontier expands by the reach of our bills.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
===Before the Hall of the Iron Jarl===
Alone the Jarl's fyrd would be no match for the armies of the Empire, but they are reinforced by perhaps twenty-thousand warriors from the south and maybe as many as ten thousand soldiers from Keirheim and Ulfrsborg. Thanks to the presence of the Imperial captains, however, the two forces are almost evenly matched – at least in numbers.

The Jotun are resolute; they will not give ground. Yet they also wish to preserve the town, and so refuse to fight within the walls. In truth, their decision makes sense. The walls are hardly built to repel the advance of an Imperial army, and the palisades and makeshift barricades they have erected are just as sufficient without risking the lives of the thralls they seek to protect, or the hall of the Jarls of Iron Stand.

For their part, the Bloodcloaks and the Green Shield have no interest in seeing Imperial forces destroy Oversgaard or loot its markets. The majority of the fighting takes place in the open, although both sides at various points make use of the ruins scattered around the slopes of the hill. Blood flows. More than three-quarters of all casualties suffered on both sides in the campaign take place in the three days of fighting across the hard-packed earth around the long-fallen Iron Banner.

At night, when it is too dark to see, both sides collect their injured and their dead and pull back to their own lines. The fronts shift back and forth, first one way then another. Each night the Summer Storm light the torches at their improvised fighting pit, and celebrate the victories and mourn the losses. The Red Wind Corsairs light great bonfires, that turn the dark to day on the Imperial lines, and the tireless heralds of Janon bring the night alive with music that banishes exhaustion and all but replaces sleep for those who join their wild dancing.

The Jotun have their own ceremonies; marking the darkest hour of the night with the mournful horns that recognise those who have fallen, and echo with sorrow for those who have fallen into the Howling Abyss.

Then the fighting begins again. The Empire makes early gains, but the Jotun simply refuse to fall back. They don't throw their lives away, but neither do they give up any advantage if there is any way to hold it. As the Winter Solstice dawns, there is a stalemate below Oversgaard. Neither can the Empire take the town, nor can the Jotun defenders conclusively rout them.

Both armies remain camped, staring at each other across frozen ground, torn and broken by days of fighting, as curtains of snow fall heedlessly between them.
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Corsairs and Spears.jpg|caption=We blaze through Iron Strand and we show the Jotun what the honour and passion of the freeborn burns on.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
===Game Information: Skallahn===
While they have been unable to conquer Oversgaard, the Empire has made gains in Skallahn. They are a quarter of the way toward taking the Iron Stand, but the Jotun defenders are holding strong.

The decision of the Bloodcloaks and the Green Shield to Fight with Honour has been obvious to everyone in the territory. The Jotun likewise continue to recognise the tactics of Wintermark, and both offer and accept quarter such that Wintermark casualties are reduced by a tenth.
===Participation: Skallahn===
As with those fighting alongside the [[Burning Falcon]] in [[Things that burn#Participation: Segura|Segura]], any character whose [[military unit]] was assigned to fight alongside the army this downtime may choose to have been impacted by the experience of battling in close proximity to heralds of both [[Eleonaris]] and [[Janon]]. If you possess [[heroic skills#hero|hero points]], you may choose to gain an additional temporary hero point which, once spent, is permanently gone. It will have faded entirely by the end of the Winter Solstice regardless.

===Participation: Imperial Orcs===
Any Imperial Orc character of the Sunstorm sept who travelled to Skallahn with the Summer Storm and challenged themselves in one of the fighting pits may have heard this new ancestral voice. It doesn't matter if you assigned a military unit to assist the Summer Storm, only that you roleplay having accompanied the army and participated in the [[Pit-fights|fighting pit]]. The fighting pit is a spiritual experience for most Imperial Orcs, and it is while blood is pumping and adrenaline is high that the voice is most audible.

The voice feels masculine, and speaks of the kind of things mentioned in the Wind of War text - the importance of finding and protecting a family, of loyalty or fidelity to loved ones, and receiving the same in return. And of absolute commitment to protecting that family and wreaking bloody vengeance on anyone who harms them. The voice is usually quite matter-of-fact, but when it speaks of treachery, betrayal, or traitors it burns with a palpable fury that may cause an orc to lose their temper and lash out at someone who has wronged them.

This voice may also be "contagious". Any character who enters the fighting pit during an event and tests themselves against an orc who heard the voice during the Skallahn campaign may come to hear it themselves, provided that before entering the fighting pit they consume a dose of one of the [[Unshackled_Gift|Unshackled Gift]] potions, or are experience an effect that explicitly says it is easier to hear ancestors while under it.

There's no indication ''who'' this voice is, but everyone who has heard it and discussed it with another orc who has had similar experiences agrees it is the same voice. An ancestral voice, loud and clear, heard in the pit beneath the skies of Skallahn, shared among members of the Sunstorm sept.
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ill Tidings.jpg|caption=The news from [[Kahraman]] is not good; the Lasambrian Jotun appear to still be focused on conquering the western [[the Brass Coast|Brass Coast]]|align=left|width=600}}</div>

==Hill==
“Rich folk need big dogs,” so the truism goes north of the border. The Mournish are dour people, who find the cloud in every silver lining. Kahraman has never been richer! The [[Kahraman#Strategic_Considerations|passes]] of the north-west are [[Shallows_and_miseries#Redgate_Pass_.28Battle.29|sealed by rock]] and [[Liathaven#Liath's_Heart|baleful forest]]. The mountain above what was once Redgate Pass shines with the smelting fires, work underway to [[Construct the Red Depths|work begun]] to bring forth the bounty of the mountain's heart. Across the arid grasslands and the red hills the hammers of industry fill potholes, lay flags and cobbles, [[Rebuild_Roads_of_Kahraman|restoring life to tired old roads]]. Allies help ensure that the prosperity of the Freeborn will be protected from the jealous grasping hands of less happier lands. All is well.

But perhaps the Mournish have a point. Because no matter how you slice it, Kahraman has barely known six months of peace in the last ten years. The Jotun covet its wealth; the Lasambrian Jotun seek to build a kingdom there. Those defences are needed, but in the absence of Fort Braydon, the dhomiros of the cinnabar hills wonder who will stand between them and the next attempt at conquest from the west?

One answer might be Imperial magicians of course. The mountains are ideal for the placement of those [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae|icy keeps]] borrowed from the realm of the [[Cathan Canae|Mistress of Blizzards]]. Two rise in the days following the Autumn Equinox, above [[Kahraman#Serra Briante|Serra Briante]] and [[Kahraman#Serra Damata|Serra Damata]]. A “joke” spreads from wayhouse to parador to labour camp in the following weeks that perhaps the Imperial Conclave should just make them both permanent enchantments and have done. Few actual magicians laugh at the joke; they have an idea of what that might cost.

Two magical citadels, against three armies. As reliable as the tides and the moon and the winds in winter, the Lasambrian Jotun invade Kahraman barely a fortnight after the Equinox. The Hierro, the Corazon, the Escuta. Fifteen thousand orcs or more. They cannot, of course, directly attack the wealth of the mountains; the passes are closed to them. Rather they come again to [[Kahraman#Gambit|Gambit]], through the sparse [[beggar's lye|beggarwoods]]. With axe and hammer they make their camps and send their warbands north to test the defences and east to harry the people of the [[Kahraman#Jade Range|Jade Range]].

The magical citadels give them pause, but their scouts nonetheless test the will of the lion-headed ogres that garrison the fort in the foothills above [[Kahraman#Serra_Damata|Damata]]. They are turned back, but they measure the extent both of the heralds' willingness to pursue them and that of the families to fight them. They encounter significantly less resistance in Gambit; again village, estate, and parador fall to them. Again people receive the Choice – stay and serve and keep your wealth or flee and leave all save your clothes and food for the road behind.

The Corazon, as they always do, range ahead of the other two armies stealing and looting. One champion jokes to the Freeborn she is robbing that they are become farmers, harvesting wealth from the fields of Kahraman as the seasons ebb and flow. Nobody laughs.

The [[Time and time again|kamkrag]] are meant to protect against the endless greed of the Corazon... but they are not finished. Those watch-towers and barracks that are complete provide defences to the scattered Freeborn soldiers who try, futilely, to hold back the orcs sweeping east through the grasslands, but there are still works of work to be completed before they offer any protection. The Corazon do not waste their time trying to destroy the finished structures, but they joyfully plunder work-gangs, caravans, and labour-camps wherever they encounter them. Stone, tools, supplies – all are stolen away to feed the hunger of the Lasambrian raiders.

Behind the Corazon come the Hierro and the Escuta. They are more cautious, perhaps more keenly aware of the changes that have taken place in Kahraman since they were last here. Cautious, but not cowardly. Methodically they secure the land around them, and while their main attention is in the west they are not shy about sending soldiers out into the rest of the territory. A handful reach as far as [[Kahraman#Braydon's Jasse|Braydon's Jasse]], and pay their respects at the burial mound that covers the ruins of Fort Braydon.

While they do not go out of their way to kill those who do not resist, work on both the restoration of the roads, and on the Red Depths is horribly disrupted by the presence of the orc bandits. As the Winter Solstice nears, work on the great projects commisioned by the Senate has ground to a complete halt. While they do not threaten the building site for the Red Depths directly, they are able to at least partially sever the trade routes transporting the vital materials. In the west, the Lasambrians and are well on their way to the complete conquest of Gambit.
===Game Information: Kahraman===
The presence of the Lasambrian armies, especially the raids of the Corazon, have significantly delayed work on both the [[Construct the Red Depths|Red Depths]] and the [[Rebuild Roads of Kahraman|road restoration]]. Thanks to the Senate decision to make the Red Depths a Freeborn national seat, the dhomiro who live in the cinnabar hills are (grumblingly) prepared to make up the shortfall in tools and materials caused by the Lasambrian raids, but this will take time. As such, assuming nothing else changes, work on the Red Depths will now not be completed until the start of the Spring Equinox – assuming the Lasambrians do not do anything further to disrupt it.

The work on restoring the roads, however, has been more seriously hit. The Lasambrians have seized around 10 wains of white granite, and stripped several work-teams of their tools and mundane materials. The white granite will need to be replaced. Worse, the work on the territory-wide project cannot progress while the Lasambrians are rampaging across half of Kahraman. Indeed, if they capture any regions it won't be possible to complete the project until they are removed.

Thanks to the presence of the magical citadels in the mountains, the orcs are just over three-fifths of the way toward conquering the region of Gambit.

==Storm Clouds and Stone (Conjunctions)==
Three opportunities for the heroes of Anvil to use the [[Sentinel Gate]] to face the Jotun have been identified as the Winter Solstice draws closer. For the moment they are little more than teasers, but more information will be provided before the summit.
===The Falcon (Kahraman)===
* '''A warband of Jotun have captured Erdene Bataguin, a respected Faraden builder-architect supporting the road-restoration project in Kahraman'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 20:30 on Friday to Path of Idina, Gambit'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Azure Sutannir'' is responsible for rescuing the Faraden architect'''
While the Lasambrians are primarily interested in conquest and lighting raids, they are not the only western orcs in Kahraman. Several warbands of “true” Jotun accompany them, and it is one of these bands that intercepts a retreating caravan in Braydon's Jasse. Primarily made up of Faraden of the Bataguin family who had been visiting the [[Azure Sutannir#Azure Chorus|Azure Chorus]], the orcs quickly overwhelmed the guards, and offered the Choice.

Some of the Freeborn and Faraden managed to reach the relative safety of the Azure Chorus (the Jotun do not go out of their way to attack sites of spiritual importance). Unfortunately one of those taken as a thrall by the orcs was a Bataguin builder-architect, the well-respected Erdene Bataguin. They accepted the choice of being a thrall, rather than slain, and are accompanied the Jotun as they began their journey back towards the border with Reinos. As the [[Azure Sutannir]] is responsible for protecting those who visit the temple, they are ultimately responsible for rescuing the Faraden architect.

The Bataguin have already delivered the building supplies and funds supporting the road-building project, but if they are carried away by the Jotun this would represent a serious diplomatic incident with the Faraden. The [[Ambassador to Faraden]] in particular might wish to ensure this does not happen. Assuming Erdene can be returned safely to their family, the Bataguin will feel an obligation to offer thanks to the Azure Sutannir. They are not only wealthy, but well-respected in Faraden for their building prowess.

===Wolf Dreams (Skallahn)===
* '''Jarl Ebbe of Overgaard has called on the fyrd of Iron Stand'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 21:00 on Friday to Hralfstor's Orchard'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Imperial Seer'' is responsible for stopping the Jarl of Greenwall'''
As the Imperial armies advance into Iron Stand, the Jarl ''Ebbe of Overgaard'', sends out another call to arms. Jarl Ebbe calls on the Jotun of the region who owe them fealty to rise up against the warriors of the Empire and come together to form a fyrd. If the fyrd is raised, it will support the Jotun armies in their defence of Skallahn. ''Delphysius the Polemarch of Strategy'', a herald of [[Zakalwe]] accompanying the [[Bloodcloaks]] on campaign, has determined where Jarl Ebbe will be during the summit. Partly in response to the request of the [[Archmage of Day]] has made of their master, they have presented a plan to deal with the Jarl before the fyrd has fully gathered. A decapitation strike will rob the Iron Stand of its leader at a crucial moment and throw the defenders into disarray.

Delphysius has requested that the [[Imperial Seer]] - who they believe to be a citizen of Wintermark - take the lead on this strategic strike. The Polemarch suggests that the Seer liaise with the people of Wintermark, but also with the Freeborn, Imperial Orcs, and Marchers, all of whose soldiers are involved in fighting in the territory, and see what aid they are prepared to provide to the attack.

If the Jarl is dealt with, no fyrd will form in Iron Stand for at least the next year. Ebbe's successor will need to wrestle with the shadow of dishonour that will hang over the warriors of the region, for letting their Jarl be slain. If they're not dealt with, the fyrd will be raised and in response to the recent invasions and raids from the Empire, will attract significantly more champions that it might have otherwise - the resulting fyrd will be twice the normal strength and may see Jarl Ebbe become a champion of the Jotun in their own right (meaning that if the Jotun defend Skallahn, they may continue to fight the Empire in other territories). Regardless, ''Agon, Polemarch of Clarity'' - a respected lieutenant of Zakalwe in their own right - has expressed a keen interest in discussing the outcome of the skirmish with the Seer during the Spring Equinox.

<box><big>'''Fyrds'''</big><br>
Each region in a Jotun territory generates a fyrd when it is conquered by the Empire. As the Jarl and their warriors are forced to retreat from their lands, they form up into a fyrd, a warband with a military strength of five hundred. A fyrd is unable to act independently of fortifications or armies in the territory; it will only act to support a Jotun army in the territory or a fortification if there are no armies present..

A region's fyrd can be dismantled by killing the jarl or through other opportunities.</box>

===Threads in the Pattern (Liathaven)===
* '''A warband of Jotun are on their way to slaughter a Feni enclave'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 21:30 on Friday to Bawn of Daffyd'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Imperial Advisor for the Feni'' is responsible for stopping the Jotun'''
The strange creature - described as having the mask of a jackdaw and a cloak of feathers - that was first spotted near the Old Pig in [[Mournwold#Freemoor|Freemoor]] startled the poor beaters. First heralds of [[Siakha|the Mother of Wrecks]] in Mitwold, then ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]] in Bregasland, now whatever "this thing" is? "This thing" turned out to be ''Halka'', a herald of [[Wise Rangara|the Ancient One]], with a request for those that are willing to "right a wrong".

It seems a warband of Jotun belonging to an ambitious young would-be champion named ''Urse Longarm'' are moving to assault a small community of [[Feni]] in the depths of Liathaven. The Feni settlement lies within a [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]] of the Eldest, but somehow Urse has discovered its location and more importantly the location of the wards that deny access to trespassers. Those same Feni have spent the last year or so raiding Jotun encampments and the orcs are out for vengeance. As far as the Black Crow can determine however, Urse has not shared their information with the rest of their people, hoping to gain status and respect by dealing with the threat alone. If the Jotun are able to destroy the wards then the settlement will be exposed and the orcs will be free to take their reprisals against the residents. Wise Rangara either cannot, or will not, aid the Feni directly. Rather, she wants the people of the Marches to do so.

If the Marchers are prepared to stop these Jotun then Grandmother Winter will consider them to have atoned for their role in [[382YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_war#The_Rattle_of_the_Bones|the killings of the Feni of Alderly]]. Specifically, Halka suggests that if the [[Imperial Advisor for the Feni]] really wants to make amends for destroying a community that had lived quietly in the woods for a thousand years, and for driving many of their warriors into the arms of [[Agramant|That Bastard Agramant]], they should take the lead on dealing with the Jotun. Given this is a direct request to the Imperial Advisor for the Feni it is their responsibility to stop Urse Longarm and the rest of the Jotun.