Things go awry

Calun found his friend sat on the seat under the old oak, his gaze fixed resolutely on the ground between his boots. The usually exuberant landskeepers apprentice seems as subdued and introspective as Calun had ever seen him.

"'Everything alright, mate?" he asked. He held a roll under his nose and moved it back and forth slightly. Yain took the roll without looking up, and bit into it, his eyes shifting to Calun's boots.

"Calun... have you ever heard the sun singing?" Yain sounded very, very worried.

"You what mate?" It sounded stupid but it was all Calun could think to say.

"The sun. Have you ever heard it... singing?" The other young man sounded to be on the verge of tears. "Have you ever heard tell of anyone else saying they heard it singing?"

"Uh... no. No mate I haven't. Look have you been... at something? Master Padrig's special stash of potions maybe?"

Glumly, Yain shook his head. "I had some old cheese with breakfast. Do you reckon that might be it?"

"It could be, it could be. Where's Master Padrig?"

Yain gestured vaguely behind him.

"I can still hear it," he whispered as he finished the roll. "It's really loud Calun. I keep wanting to look at it to see if it has a face, even though I know it definitely doesn't and if I do look at it I'll go blind. What am I gonna do, mate?"

Calun felt his stomach do a backflip at the despair in Yain's voice, but kept his voice steady.

"What we're gonna do, marra, is we're going to go find Master Padrig and once he's had a look at you, I'm going to go get chirurgeon Alice, and together we're going to work out what's wrong and how it can be fixed."

He put one hand reassuringly on Yain's shoulder, and squeezed until his friend nodded a few times, acknowledging the plan.

"But first," said Calun, shaking the breadcrumbs and bits of torn lettuce out of the bag that had until recently held his lunch. "First we're going to put this sack over your head to make sure you don't do yourself an injury."

The stars are very bright tonight... but are they quite what they seem?

Overview

Not long before the Winter Solstice, magical chaos seeped into Anvil. The Imperial regio lost a portion of its power, some ritual magic had unexpected effects, and covens from individual nations discovered they were able to cooperate with one another like never before.

A great deal of divination was performed to try and unravel what has happened. Rumour can run twice round Anvil before the truth has shaken the sleep from its eyes, as the saying goes; the most common speculation involves an unprecedented conjunction of astronomantic constellations. Gossip suggests that the Astral Arcanist Serenus Starsong has rallied their peers, some of the finest experts in the magic of the heavens, toward finding a solution. Mind you, there is also speculation that this shift in the Imperial regio and the other chaotic magical events unfolding over the Empire are in fact the fault of a powerful cabal of astronomancers, led by the Astral Arcanist, who plan to usurp control of the Empire in the service of the pitiless stars.

Whatever else is going on, the magical chaos at least seems to be getting worse. There are stories from across the Empire of magical rituals going awry. They still work, they still do what they are meant to do, but it seems that isn't all they are doing.

Wounded Regio

It remains impossible to enhance ritual lore using the Imperial regio
Other properties of the Imperial regio are unchanged

The Imperial regio at Anvil remains... broken. The situation does not seem to have improved from the Spring Equinox but, at least, it has not grown any worse. To recap, the key power that so many Imperial magicians have relied on for nearly four centuries remains inaccessible. Since it was first discovered, the Imperial regio has been used to enhance rituals cast within it. Harnessing its power allowed ritual magicians to improve their realm lore to allow them to perform more powerful magic. This property does not seem to be available; attempts to draw on that power simply find... nothing.

In other respects, the regio continues to function as normal. It still allows rituals that in other circumstances would require ten minutes to cast to instead be performed in five minutes. It is still a "strong regio", connected to all six realms of magic. Rituals that must be performed at a strong regio can still be performed using the Imperial regio, and it still remains connected to every Imperial territory. It can still be used in conjunction with the Citadel Guard to focus magic and channel rituals through the Urizen army. Bargains with eternals that allow magicians to use operate portal to send or receive boons function normally although its not clear exactly how they are working. Rituals that specifically require the Imperial regio to work such as Whispers through the Black Gate still operate normally.

Serenus Starsong, Astral Arcanist

Using the Imperial Regio

Magicians who use the regio to target a territory in the Empire, or to enchant an Imperial army, experiences a supernatural sense of the importance of what they are doing. Unless the maintain strict focus, it is easy to become distracted with thoughts of the potential consequences of their magic no matter how unlikely they may be. Each act of powerful magic seems to have additional significance, and it is easy to begin second-guessing whether this is the right time to perform this ritual on this target. Those given to introspection might experience visionary flashes in which they seem to observe the outcome of the ritual playing out around them in real time. Any player casting a ritual on a territory or army is encouraged to review any description of that ritual on the wiki, and use that to inspire flashes of how the magic might cause unexpected outcomes.

The same effect is experienced by anyone using the Citadel Guard connection to perform magic, but in addition they feel a physical connection to the Urizeni that make up that army. They may experience flashes of displacement that cause them to imagine for a moment they are a soldier in the army, or they may experience sensory phantoms related to the territory. The Citadel Guard are in Sarangrave at the moment - sensory phantoms might include the smell of marshland, the sound of desperate battle, the taste of army rations tinged with blood, a sensation of being drenched to the skin regardless of the actual weather, or an echo of fear and dread reminiscent of the miasma that covers lands claimed by the Druj. These phantoms persist for a few minutes after the ritual is completed.

Common Cause

During the Spring Equinox covens can cooperate with other covens in their own nation without needing additional assistance

It is not all bad news. The effects marked by astronomancers before the Winter solstice, allowing different covens within the same nation to cooperate when casting powerful rituals, still persists. Any coven can work with any other coven or covens from their own nation without needing anything to facilitate it. Of course the universal magical law that prevents covens and magicians from different nations cooperating are still in place, and these limitations show absolutely no sign of weakening.

Participation: Working Together
During the Spring Equinox any number of covens from the same nation can work together to perform a ritual as if they were using the Belt of Stars. Cooperative rituals count as a daily ritual use by every coven involved. While they may be performing a ritual together, they are still treated as separate covens for all other purposes (for example, a ritual that affects an entire coven will only affect one target coven). Each coven can use their own paraphernalia while performing this joint ritual. The effects of the Volhov's Robe seem to be unchanged; they still allow a magician who is not part of a coven to work with any other coven without difficulty.

Anyone cooperating in this fashion experiences a notable sense of connection to members of the other coven, along with a strong sense of being bound together or united by a common cause. It is hard to put this sensation into words and it takes many different forms. Early experimenters spoke of feeling a familial bond to strangers they barely new, as if they were cousins or siblings they had not seen in many years. Others felt an almost physical connection, their breathing and heartbeats synching up so it felt as if they were many people with one body. Still others talk of an almost precognitive sense, as if they instinctually knew what another contributor to the ritual was going to say or do moments before they did it.

Drowning Shepherd

It is currently impossible to create arcane projections that curse an individual
Arcane projections that create a personal curse issued before Winter 386YE no longer work
Arcane projections created after that data, that curse a character, cannot be cast after this event
During the Spring Equinox Arcane projections that create personal curses can be unravelled for ten mana
After the Spring Equinox, no arcane projection that creates a personal curse will work

For some time, the Drowned Shepherd has been exerting - or reflecting - a twisting effect on Imperial magic even before the current unprecedented conjunction. This is a dangerous constellation, often invoked in magic that creates curses or destruction, and it was the last to be uncovered by the recent project to learn the names of the stars. For some time now, it has been impossible to complete an arcane projection that creates a personal curse - a curse that targets an individual. Furthermore, as magicians of the Unfettered Mind have been warning for a while, it is becoming increasingly difficult to perform arcane projections that create a personal curse. Existing arcane projections that have allowed such magic to be performed have likewise been corroding and unravelling. The magic bound into these arcane projections has become scrambled - an effect that cannot be reversed.

As of the end of the Spring Equinox, any arcane projection that creates a personal curse can no longer be cast. Personal curse arcane projections created issued before Winter 386YE (the start of 2025) are already non-functional. It is still possible to salvage such an arcane projection before its power fails entirely, as first noted in Autumn last year. Any arcane projection that creates a curse on a character, can be brought to GOD and exchanged for 10 crystal mana. This either represents someone intentionally speeding the unravelling process along to reclaim the mana invested in the projection, or might mean that in-character a valued projection (that the player no longer wants OOC) has fallen apart despite their best efforts. The ability to exchange arcane projections that create such curses in this way will persist until the end of this event. After the end of the Spring Equinox it will no longer be possible to either cast arcane projections that deal with personal curses, or to exchange defunct arcane projections for mana.

The only good news is that it seems this unravelling is settling down - at least with regard to personal curses. Members of the Unfettered Mind are cautiously optimistic that whatever has been going on with curses aimed at individuals is resolving itself and that it should soon be possible to create arcane projections that cause trouble for other people again. Although what form such projections will take is a matter for speculation - after a similar effect befell arcane projections relating to the enchantment of armies, soldiers, and ships the laws of magic subtly adjusted themselves to change the way such things were done.

OOC Note: You'll need to hand the arcane projection phys-rep over so we can mark it as inactive on our systems. We don't plan to reprint lost arcane projections for the event; if you have lost an arcane projection in downtime you can e-mail plot@profounddecisions.co.uk after the event with the details of the missing projection and we'll do our best to replace it in time for the Autumn Equinox.

Things Revealed

Every Penumbral Veil and Vale of Shadows across the Empire has collapsed
The interference with Imperial divinations has collapsed
The influence of the Key and the Spider prevent shrouds forming over the Empire or adjacent territories

At the same time as the chaos at the Imperial regio was being reported, it was discovered that magical shrouds had settled not only over the Empire but over all adjoining territories as well. This included Bregasland, Therunin, and Liathaven, the entire Mallum, almost all of Otkodov, and all Jotun lands the Empire has maps of - Skallahn, Tromsa, and Hordalant. During the Winter Solstice, the potent shroud over Casinea and the Imperial regio itself was broken with the Piercing Light of Revelation.

The other shrouds persisted for a time, but it seems that the effect at Anvil was somehow the "lynchpin" of the entire effect. Within a week of the Winter Solstice, the unexplained shrouds disintegrated. Magicians across the Empire - and those venturing beyond its immediate borders - report that there is no sign of them. As the Spring Equinox approaches, however, it appears there is still a lingering effect, one that is almost completely opposite to that which created the magical shrouds in the first place. the Lock is no longer bright in the skies over Casinea; instead the Key and the Spider now glitter with a certain perceptible presence. Their laws are "Things are watched by a hidden eye" and "things are revealed" and that seems very much to be the case.

During the Spring Equinox it is not possible to use any magic to create a shroud over a territory within, or adjacent to, the Empire. That covers all territories that can be reached by the Imperial regio but also those listed above - Skallahn, the Salt Flats of Sanath and the rest. This effect is not just restricted to Imperial magicians either - it appears nobody can create shrouds on this scale. No ritual exists to do so in Imperial lore, but members of the Unfettered Mind are confident that even if there was a way to shroud an entire Empire with a single ritual, it too would not work.

OOC Note: Attempts by anyone to use magic that shrouds a territory or the Empire during the Spring Equinox will fail. It will remain impossible to create such effects until at least the start of the Summer Solstice. Rituals that shroud things on a smaller scale such as Vale of Shadows, Incantation's Mystic Mask, Masque of the Blinded Weaver, or The Malachite Casket can be cast as normal.

Star Dreams

The astronomantic constellations are more pronounced in the night sky
Folk everywhere are experiencing vivid dreams filled with images of the things the constellations represent
Anyone who dreams can gain a burst of inspiration by describing their dream in vivid detail to someone else

Across the Empire, the astronomantic constellations are more pronounced in the night sky. The stars that make up the constellations seem brighter and more vivid, and draw the eye. They also haunt peoples' nights - even the most mundane dream becomes a little more eerie when the Mountain or the Stork burns brightly, but without context, in a darkened sky. Likewise, actual images of the things the constellations are held to represent turn up in dreams much more often. A dream of a family wedding might be observed by three women who nobody else can see but who slowly close in around the dreamer. A business owners dream of serving a difficult customer may be made much more surreal by the presence of great white birds infesting their shop. A dream of flying is much more intense as the dreamer imagines they have great fiery wings which allow them to soar across the Empire high in the night sky.

This effect is much more pronounced at Anvil; even magical dreams and nightmares such as those caused by Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt, or created through the dedication ceremony, will be influenced by constellations and images of the things they symbolise. Only those who do not dream - due to being excommunicated for example - are untouched by this effect.

Peculiar and often unsettling as this is, it also brings with it a strange inspiration. Once during the Spring Equinox, any character can spend two minutes of appropriate roleplaying describing the dream they had last night to another character. Using this ability, you should include as much detail as possible, and the dream must include reference to one of the constellations. At the end of the two minutes, you recover either one spent hero point or two spent points of personal mana. If you are interrupted during your dream explanation, the ability isn't wasted but you must start your time again. This includes someone walking away from your attempt to describe your dream to them.

Unlike most such abilities, this one can be used in dangerous circumstances such as a battle - although obviously attacking, defending yourself, or being hit disrupts your story of your dream. This ability is not available to anyone who is not able to dream, but it can be used by people who are experiencing magical dreams such as Sift the Dreamscape's Sands or Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt.

Ride the Noble Steed

The ritual Ride the Noble Steed has an additional effect during the Spring Equinox

One particular ritual that involves dreams seems to have been empowered in a peculiar way. Ride the Noble Steed normally provides two people with a dream of riding a horse, but during the Spring Equinox the dream is significantly more vivid. The horse is wilder, and the environment through which it rides more majestic and awe-inspiring. The dream always takes place under - or through - the night sky, and the horse itself seems particularly solid and potent.

Until sunset the day after experiencing this empowered dream, one of the two participants can use either stay with me or get it together on the other participant, without spending a hero point. To use this ability they must include a reference to their shared dream, to the horse they rode, and to their relationship. Once this ability is invoked by one of the participants, the effect ends - its not possible for both participants to heal the other. It's also worth noting that its not possible to dream of riding the horse with more than one person - at least not without using a different ritual - and there are only so many magical dreams one can have in a night. If you are also enchanted with an effect such as Sift the Dreamscape's Sands you can't take advantage of the power granted by Ride the Noble Steed.

Rivers of Chaos

The Rivers of Life curse has had additional unpredictable effects in the territories where it has been cast
In Feroz opportunities exist to harness the power of the spell
In Redoubt the curse has aggravated the Ribbon of Salt
In Mitwold the curse has resulted in odd pools of blood-like liquid and some unsettling events around the Pale Chain

It's easy to forget that Rivers of Life is, just like Rivers Run Red, a curse and not an enchantment. Imperial arcane scholars often tie this to its indiscriminate nature - it aids ones enemies as well as ones allies. The reality runs a little deeper than this; all Spring magic is indiscriminate to some degree. Just like Rivers Run Red, Rivers of Life works by metaphorically throwing open a door and allowing the healing and vitality of the Spring realm to flood into a territory, just as Rivers Run Red does with the uncontrolled resonances of venom and sickness. The effects are generally beneficial, but only because mortals value life and healing over infection and sickness. This uncontrollable flow of magic means that, even more so than a large scale enchantment, Rivers of Life can have widespread unpredictable effects in addition to restoring health to injured warriors. Soldiers fighting at the Battle of Wayford in Mitwold or assailing the Tower of the Skink in Sarangrave saw first hand the kind of chaos that can be stirred up alongside the healing power of Spring.

Feroz

Rivers of Life in Feroz has fallen under the influence of the Stallion
Farms can harness the burst of fertility this has provided by employing Strong Ox, Golden Sun
The Dhomiro of Afar can improve the quality and health of their Herd with the use of Spring magic and ilium

Feroz as a whole has known better years. Since the Grendel occupation was ended, it has slowly pulled itself back to its feet. This last season, healing rains fell across Feroz and brought with them the touch of rampant Spring magic. With the stars of the Stallion bright in the night sky, they have led to a remarkable surge in the number of animals born across the territory, especially among the cattle of the Herds of Afar. Farms across the territory look to be flourishing, and there is every promise of a fine harvest this year. Provided the lingering power of the "curse" is harnessed of course.

During the Spring Equinox, any farm in Feroz that was enchanted with Blessing of New Spring at the Winter Solstice will provide an additional 18 rings at the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. Thanks to a bumper crop, fuelled by the magic of Rivers of Life and the influence of the Stallion (or perhaps the Stallion simply reflects the fact that this magic is working across the territory).

The Dhomiro of Afar is in a more unique position however. Some of the hakima who have made a study of such things believe there is a way to harness this unlooked for bounty with the power of star metal. The ritual Fan the Flame of New Life is normally used on folk looking to start a family, but this season it could be used in a different way. If the Dhomiro of Afar has the ritual cast on themselves at the Spring Equinox, it could be made to have a much more significant, lingering effect.

The ritual would need to be performed at the Imperial regio, and would take five minutes to perform rather than the usual two. During the performance the constellation of the Stallion would need to be invoked by the contributors and the target alike. Finally, this ritual would also need six rings of ilium that would be consumed during the performance. At the climax of the ritual, the magic would be greatly enhanced and pass through the Dhomiro of Afar without touching them. Instead it would spread through the Herds they have dominion over, harnessing their fertility and dramatically increasing their numbers. If this complex plan is followed, the Herds of Afar will provide an additional 12 crowns of income each season going forward. (OOC Note: The enchantment would not have any effect on the Dhomiro of Afar).

Redoubt

The Ribbon of Salt has become agitated
If a territory- or Empire-scale curse or enchantment of Spring magic effects Redoubt during the Spring Equinox the Ribbon will erupt disastrously
There is a possibility that the damage could be mitigated by unleashing the Ribbon under the influence of the Fountain

There are not many farms in Redoubt, but those few there are report that the Rivers of Life have brought with them the kind of fine, healthy growth that makes a farmer glad indeed. These farms lie in the lowlands, and the life-giving magic of the waters flows through irrigation ditches, falls in the rain itself, and promises a harvest that will be nothing short of remarkable... but there is also a note of caution. Star watchers and astronomancers have marked that the Mountain and the Stork seem to be coming into alignment above the mountains of Redoubt specifically. Worst of all, the Wanderer appears to be influencing this minor conjunction and that does not bode well. Especially given what lies just off the coast of the territory.

The Ribbon of Salt in Redoubt is an unpredictable regio tied to the Spring realm. It lies beneath the surface of the Bay of Catazar near the spire of Visten in south-eastern Redoubt. Once or twice every week it "erupts" sending a massive waterspout several hundred feet into the air, sometimes with tragic consequences for those trying to make use of the regio. Some seers warn that the spout has the potential to be even more destructive, and watch it uneasily whenever any large scale Spring magic is used in the territory. Indeed, the Children of Wrecks recently attempted to harness its power to unleash a disaster on the shores of Redoubt, but the intervention of Imperial heroes put paid to their plans. For the last month, the eruptions of the Ribbon of Salt have increased in tempo. In the fortnight before the Spring Equinox, they are coming roughly once every eighteen hours or so. This is, obviously, a cause for some concern.

Several magicians from Visten visited the Ribbon immediately after one of the eruptions in the short period where they can be confident there is no danger. What they learned here intensifies concern into alarm. The regio is on the verge of some disastrous outpouring of Spring magic, prompted by the curse laid over the territory. Left to its own devices, it will eventually subside, spending its energy in these frequent outbursts of violent water. The potential danger is being exacerbated by - or possibly reflected in - the constellations that seem focused on Redoubt as the Spring Equinox draws closer. After the Equinox, the threat should pass and the eruptions become further and further apart.

Unless someone places a powerful Spring magical curse or enchantment over Redoubt of course. If that happens, the combination of even more Spring magic and the constellations will create a deadly resonance that will see the Ribbon of Salt explode. On the first full moon after the Equinox, when the tides are at their highest, a ripple of ruinous magic will pour out of the Ribbon of Salt and cause devastating Spring storms to crash against all the territories on the coast of the Bay of Catazar. Not only Redoubt, but Mareave, Spiral, Necropolis, Sarvos, Madruga, and Feroz. The Grendel will not be spared, and neither will the Iron Confederacy.

The immediate effect will be similar to Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea across the entire bay. fleets across the Bay will suffer a two rank penalty for the season, no matter what action they are taking, and Navies in each territory will experience as many as 500 casualties between them. Worse than that, though, the storms will pound Sarvos, Apulian, Elos, Crown's Quay, Beoraidh, and the recovering coastal towns of the Brass Coast. The damage is likely to be comparable to that unleashed by the hurricane after the Great Drought of 384YE.

There are two ways that this threat might be headed off. The first is to make sure nobody casts a Spring magic enchantment or curse on Redoubt (or on the entire Empire) during the Spring Equinox. Anything that targets a territory will set the Ribbon of Salt off. There are no barbarian forces in Redoubt at the moment, so it seems unlikely to happen as long as nobody at Anvil decides to unleash the Ribbon. There are certainly those who might view the damage to the territories along the Bay of Catazar worth it to strike at the Grendel, even if it will also inflict significant harm both to the Empire and potentially diplomatic ties with the Iron Confederacy.

The other way is to release the power of the Ribbon of Salt more slowly and carefully. After some tense discussion, a collegium of stargazers in spires along the coast believe that it would be possible to minimize the damage provided it were done carefully. Performing Regrow the Land's Heart targeting Redoubt normally would simply trigger the Ribbon of Salt. These stargazers are confident that if the enchantment is placed in a very precise fashion, however, it could "bleed off" the destructive potential of the regio. The performance will need a bowl filled with water extracted from the Ribbon of Salt immediately after one of its eruptions, when it is at its least dangerous. Fortunately the people of Visten are able to provide this, and have at some minor inconvenience sent a flask of seawater to Thalia of Netherwatch, the Senator for Redoubt. 8 rings of ilium will be needed, placed in the bowl and consumed as part of the performance. The actual casting itself will need a clear invocation of the Stork and, crucially, the Fountain. If everything is done correctly, the stargazers believe damage from the Spring regio will be mitigated.

The nature of Regrow the Land's Heart is to reduce the scars of violence. The Ribbon of Salt will still erupt, will still spread Spring magic across the Bay of Catazar, but the influence of this particular gentle magic under the influence of the Fountain, would bleed off a significant portion of its destructive potential. There would still be penalties to fleets, but the damage to navies would be halved, and the threat to towns along the coast would be much reduced. While there would still be some damage and loss of life, the amount would be significantly minimized.

Do nothing and trust the Empire, and the threat will fade. Set the Ribbon of Salt off intentionally, but ensure the damage is reduced. The lesson of the Stork is that things matter, and that even seemingly simple decisions can have far-reaching consequences.

Mitwold

Blood seeps from the soil around the Pale Chain
The heirs of Red Walder have been seen in the area

Mitwold remains an active warzone. The dramatic impact of Rivers of Life, where waterspouts erupted from the river during the Battle of Wayford have been widely recounted in the days since. Overshadowed by the dramatic events, a more subtle effect almost goes unremarked. In several places around Mitwold, primarily in the vicinity of old battlefields, a liquid very similar to fresh blood seeps from the earth itself. It seems harmless - unsettling rather than dangerous - and it is no less effective at healing wounds than the waters that have been flowing naturally through the central Marches since the Winter Solstice.

There is however one location where this seems to be an exception. A landskeeper from Wayford who keeps a weather eye on the Pale Chain standing stone recounts a worrying event. According to their story, on the night of the last new moon before the Spring Equinox they found the stone itself weeping a thick red bloody fluid that pooled on the ground around the monolith. Given what it is that the Pale Chain contains, the landskeeper found this quite alarming for obvious reasons. They marked in particular the brightness of the stars that make up the Key on the night the blood flowed. Worst of all, they report something emerging from the blood-sodden mud around the stone.

House Guildenstern

Before they gathered the confidence to investigate, they realised they were not alone. Three other figures had arrived on the scene, bickering quietly among themselves. The landskeeper recognised one of them as Jyll Longleys - flax farmer, inveterate gossip... and the daughter of the wicked old bandit Red Walder. They deduced from this that the other two were her brother Bill of Beatsdown and that dusty old poacher Cobb who styles himself a priest. Outnumbered, the landskeeper could only watch as they egged each other on to get closer to the Pale Chain, pulled some ... things... out of the ground, and got the hell out of there like Tharim himself was on their trail. The landskeeper in question beat a hasty retreat as well, and by the time they returned next morning with some doughty youths from House Guildenstern there was no sign of anything amiss at the stone.

It's not clear what has actually happened here. It's possible that the Bound King of the Thrice-cursed Court will know. There's also some kind of connection between the rock and the Guildensterns, so its not impossible they might have some idea what is going on. Then there's Claudia Varkulova Remislav, openly favoured by Tharim, but who is brave enough to ask impertinent questions of someone the King in Chains thinks of fondly? Regardless, this is an ill omen indeed, and those who know the history of the place know that nothing good can come of it. No-one should want the apples shaken from that particular tree indeed.

Bregasland

A new woodland has appeared between Gravenmarch and the Rushes
Graven Rock is echoing with unsettling resonances

In Bregasland the influence of Rivers of Life was markedly less dramatic than elsewhere... right up until a brand new woodland erupted on the border between Gravenmarch and the Rushes. As well as the trees rising in a single night, which at least some magicians speculate may be a result of the Rivers of Life running awry, there appears to be a strange resonance echoing through Graven Rock. The three things - Spring curse, sudden trees, and echoing rock - may be connected or they may not but... it'll be a heck of a coincidence if they aren't.

Marcher landskeepers cautiously suggest that Eye of the High Places may discover more information, and are concerned about what these changes might portend. By contrast several mummers are of the opinion that Dreams in the Witch House may turn out to be a more useful divination given the mysterious nature of events here, and are less concerned than excited about what might be going on. Already dramatisations of the Battle of the Moving Forest are being discussed, with enthusiastic plans for how exactly to make an entire woodland appear on stage as if by magic.

A Malachite Casket

The Painted Caves in Miekarova have been hidden by magical mists

For the last three months, the Painted Caves of Miekarova have been hidden by magical mists. As mentioned by the Thule, this is particularly notable because the Caves are in Mieriada, the region of Miekarova ceded by the Senate. Varushkan travellers are still able to come-and-go relatively freely through the Thule-held regions of their nation, but since the Winter Solstice they have been warned away from the caves. A few adventurous types - volhov mostly - still pushed through and took a look at the fog that all the fuss was about. Their discoveries have slowly percolated through Miekarova, told over supper late at night or shared around a campfire when travellers meet.

Many people have heard how the nearby hills are shrouded in thick mists, and that the shadows darken around the paths leading to, and the entrances into, the Painted Caves and darkens the shadows around the paths leading to, and the entrances into, the Painted Caves of Mieriada. What is less well known - at least until this volhov have their poke about - is that those who attempt to find their way into the caves despite this discouragement quickly find themselves lost, or inexplicably turned around. Strange lights and noises in the mists lead them astray, or they talk of hearing familiar voices or even phantasms of loved ones calling them to step from the path. Those who press on regardless say they encountered horrors drawn from their darkest nightmares that caused even the doughtiest of them to flee - and become lost in the mists. Even those able to stick to the path due to sheer willpower (or lack of imagination) found themselves travelling for hours or even days, only to find themselves, exhausted and confused, back where they started. As near as the volhov could tell, while the misty magic continued nobody could actually reach or enter the Painted Caves.

The simple divinations that any volhov worth their salt can perform would only reveal that the effect surrounding the caves was the result of a potent Night magic ritual of magnitude 30 - one that could only be pierced or removed by significant Day magic. It seems clear that the Thule did not place this magic on the hills of Mieriada. There is some speculation of the involvement of the Night Below, but as one explorer ruefully points out after being forcefully removed from the area by a Thule patrol, where Fly-the-Light is involved people very rarely if ever actually come back.

The Caves themselves have a long history, and a special significance for many Varushkans. Many people assume there is only one such cave - the largest in western Mieriada that are the only ones to have been extensively explored. In fact there are several clusters, all having in common great numbers of vibrant paintings, as bright today as they were when they were created. Some date back to a period long before the arrival of the Vard, and as such they have special significance to some Varushkans who feel their Ushkan heritage more strongly. Perhaps more importantly from the Thule point of view, some of the caves contain regio, usually connected to the realm of Night, associated with dreams and visions.

The Dragons have been very clear that they do not appreciate this magical effect. That alone attracts some interest among the people of Miekarova. Some assume it is a Varushkan coven thumbing their noses at the Thule who have claimed Miekarova. Of those, a few worry that this will cause trouble, but many others are very much in favour of this passive resistance to those they see as an occupying force. All of this would likely be moot, however, if not for one unlooked for circumstance brought about by the current magical chaos that seems to be swirling around the Empire.

Things Can Be Hidden

The Malachite Casket ritual can be empowered by invoking the constellation of the Lock to extend its duration to an entire year and make it harder to penetrate
The Casket can be combined with ilium to make it permanent and impossible to remove without ruinous expense

The four stars of the Lock, the constellation that is sometimes called The First Ward in old cabalist texts, burns bright in the sky over Varushka. It is neither a good omen nor a bad one; it speaks both to the sealing away of danger, and the way danger might lie in wait. It is also extensively evoked in magic that bars, wards, or defence... and with magic that conceals, prevents access to, or denies control over something.

During the Spring Equinox, if the ritual The Malachite Casket is cast again using the Imperial Regio while the stars are visible in the sky, the casters may verbally evoke the power of the Lock as part of their performance. If they do so, then the resulting shroud will linger over the hills of Mieriada for an entire year and will be significantly harder to dispel. If they include 30 rings of ilium in the performance, it will become permanent and next to impossible to remove permanently without a ruinous investment of ilium in the counterspell. Obviously, if either of these options are taken it will anger the Thule.

But it will also send a message to those who want to see the orcs of Otkodov pushed back over the mountains that they are not alone.

Winds of Clarity

A ritual enchantment of the Day realm has been laid over Sermersuaq
The lingering echoes of the Falconer and their dangerous scheme have been unravelled
A sense of clarity and rationality has fallen over the territory
There are lingering effects for characters whose personal resource is in Sermersuaq

There has been a great deal of unsettlement in Sermersuaq here in recent years - most recently through the influence of the entity known as the Falconer. Their connection to the Claw, and the actions of their followers, resulted in a wave of violence spreading through the north-west of the Empire. Imperial heroes put a stop to their schemes, but the lingering effects remained.

After the Winter Solstice, an enchantment weaves itself into existence over the cold plains of northern Wintermark. Its effect is to draw the power of the Day realm into alignment with the mortal world, with the intention of unravelling the lingering corruption caused by meddling with the constellation known as the the Claw. In this, it has been entirely effective. The last echoes of the Falconer's influence has been torn asunder not only in Sermersuaq, but as the days start to lengthen toward Spring, across the rest of the north-western Empire. While the remnants of the monoliths the Falconer's brood attempted to raise still dot the plains, there is no power in or around them. They are simply stones, unconnected to each other or to the heavens above In the night skies over Sermersuaq, the four stars of the Claw seem almost imperceptibly dimmer. By contrast, the six stars of the Chalice seem to burn ever brighter.

The enchantment brings with it a sense of calm and rationality. Subtle Day magic flows through the skies and waters of the territory, as pools, lakes, and rivers become particularly clear. The magic is most obvious in the winds, though, which are particularly bracing, and bring with them a sense of wellbeing and clarity. It feels good to be outdoors, even in Winter. The air is crisp and fresh, and it is hard not to spend time speculating objectively on ones situation, and ones problems. Where action is called for, it becomes each to spend a moment thinking through the best course to take, and to put those plans into operation.

It also opens the way for encounters with the forces of the Day Realm. Anyone spending time in Sermersuaq this season may well have encountered an unexpected Day regio, or met with heralds of Roshanwe, Zakalwe, and Ylenwe. These encounters will not be dramatic; instead they represent opportunities to discuss problems, personal quests, or matters of conflict with a sympathetic ear that offers good counsel.

Sermersuaq Participation

Characters from Sermersuaq will experience the roleplaying effects of Day rituals more keenly
Characters whose personal resource is in Sermersuaq receive a source of spiritual strength from Day magic personal enchantments

Some of the effects of this powerful magic linger still. Anyone from Sermersuaq - whose personal resource is in that territory - will find that the roleplaying effects of any Day rituals cast on them are more pronounced, more immediate and impactful. Enchantments of Day magic that don't normally create a roleplaying effect cause a target from Sermersuaq to experience one anyway: you feel calm, collected and clear-headed. Although pressing matters have not lost their importance, you feel an urge to consider all your options before taking action especially if it may lead to serious consequences.

While a character from Sermersuaq bears any character enchantment created with Day magic, they can be use it as a source of spiritual strength to overcome other roleplaying effects, in the same manner as an anointing can. Note that this does not apply with enchantments that target resources or armies - while those roleplaying effects are pronounced they are not focused enough on the individual to grant the source of spiritual strength.

Finally, any character from Sermersuaq who looks at the night sky may be left with the impression that the stars that make up the Stork constellation are shining especially brightly.

The Wanderer's Pilgrimage

The Wanderer has continued to move through the night sky passing through and interacting with various constellations as it does
In previous interactions, tulpas of the constellations manifested which were somehow combined with the Wanderer's influence
The Wanderer is currently in conjunction with The Phoenix, The Web, and The Stallion and may manifest The Pilgrim Flame sometime during the Spring Equinox

The Wanderer has continued to move through the night sky with seemingly more purpose than usual, passing through and interacting with various constellations as it does. Shortly before the Summer Solstice of 387YE, it passed through both the Lock and the Key, pausing briefly at each, as if adding an additional star to the constellations. This interaction was felt throughout the Empire in small but subtle ways, but the constellations manifested tulpas which seemed to combine the Wanderer - in this case creating The Lock's Flame and The Key's Flame - all of which also called themselves The Pilgrim Flame.

The same thing happened during the Autumn Equinox of 387YE, but that time it was with The Chalice and The Claw, the tulpas of which caused a moderate amount of chaos at the Varushkan Night Market limited only by the laws of hospitality. Even tulpas, it seems, are subject to Varushkan hospitality.

Over Winter, the Wanderer moved through empty sky, but this season it has moved in conjunction with The Phoenix, The Web, and The Stallion. Astronomancers expect another manifestation of The Pilgrim Flame in Anvil, if it keeps to the expected pattern.

Pilgrimage Participation

Any player is free to roleplay that their character has been affected by the strange conjunctions of the Wanderer The Phoenix, The Web, and The Stallion. Most of the effects are subtle but you can roleplay that you have been affected by one of the effects being experienced across the Empire:

An increase in the number of accidental fires and cases of arson across the Empire.
Academic and scholarly debates have grown more intense while pushing the boundaries of their subjects, with some individuals being so passionate that they have resorted to brief moments physical of violence.
People finding that they are bonding more quickly with new acquaintances
Hidden connections between individuals, such as a secret lover or a corrupted official, are sometimes becoming known about by those they most affect through increasingly unlikely coincidences.
Some individuals in positions of authority, from local officials to Imperial title holders, have reported restless dreams about the stresses of their position.

The Stars are Wrong

Territory-scale magic is much more likely to have additional unlooked for effects when performed at the Spring Equinox
These effects will never invalidate the listed mechanical effect of a ritual

During the Spring Equinox, the power of the astronomantic constellations appears focused on the Empire, and on Anvil in particular. For centuries astronomancers have argued about whether the stars influence events, or whether they merely reflect them. Right now, it appears that both interpretations might be true, at least during this unprecedented conjunction. Anvil is the heart of the Empire where decisions are made that affect every Imperial citizen; the conjunction reflects this. Yet the influence of the stars is also having a warping effect on the Empire. In particular it is affecting Imperial magic.

Any ritual that targets a territory or the Empire performed during the Spring Equinox is much more likely to have unexpected effects. All magic used on the territory scale can have unlooked for side effects - circumstances constantly influence what happens and all such rituals are mentioned in the winds of fortune or the winds of war (or both). This season, those side effects will be much more pronounced. They will never prevent the ritual having its mechanical effects; that will always happen as described in the appropriate ritual. But just as the Rivers of Life curse has had additional strange consequences wherever it was cast last season, so any rituals cast this season are likely to have unpredictable effects.