380YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

Overview

Over the past three months, several events have occurred which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. You can also read about the progress of the Empire's military campaigns here.

In each case. we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations, or political bodies, to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place and very little happens in isolation.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters 'should' know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months.

Many winds of fortune open with a short section of in-character text. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip. They're mostly just a bit of fun and they tend not to contain anything vital to the understanding of the wind of Fortune.

On with the motley then - assuming anyone has any left.

Castle of Wind and Sky

• Varushka, Imperial Conclave, Imperial Senate

A blizzard has hit the Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun - an unnaturally strong blizzard that roars around the castle but leaves the vale (and the people) of Volchitrava untouched. The blizzard shows no sign of going away. You can learn more about this situation here.

Cobwebs

• Empire

The runes Lann and Hirmok are showing up with supernatural frequency, the runecasters say. The astronomancers speak of a conjunction of the Web and the Chain, and everyone can feel those bonds that tug at their hearts becoming stronger. You can learn about the specific effects of this conjunction here.

Disloyal, Unprosperous, Unvigilant, Unwise

• Imperial Bourse

Friar Alyn of Hay has begun traveling the Marches, extolling the virtue of Prosperity and the lack thereof in relation to the Imperial Bourse Private Auction. The friar is actively encouraging citizens not to sell their treasure to the agents of the Imperial Bourse, and instead to try and sell them personally, or to keep them. You can learn more about the reasons presented for this shift here.

Empty Skies (Winds of Magic)

• Imperial Conclave, Empire

The stars have now vanished from over Skarsind, Holberg, Necropolis, Bregasland, Segura, Sermersuaq, Volodmartz, Karsk, Miekarova, and the Barrens. There are also developments with the eerie fog on the Bay of Catazar, and with that missing constellation you may have heard of. You can learn more about them here.

Goatfoot

• Wintermark, the Imperial Orcs

The have been multiple sightings of a bizarre, shaggy beast in the vicinity of Pakaanan's Pass, and occasionally around Northspires (in Hahnmark) and along the eastern shores of East Floe. It has a cryptic, unsettling message for the Imperial Orcs and their Winterfolk neighbours. You can learn more about this weird spirit and its antics here.

Iron and Wine

• the League, Military Council, Imperial Senate, everyone else

Legendary celebrations have been held across the entire Empire in the wake of the coronation of Empress Lisabetta. The revelry matches, and in some cases exceeds, that following the coronation of some of the most beloved Thrones in Imperial history. You can learn about the festivities - and about the new general order available to the armies of the Empire, as well as an opportunity for the Senate to make a profound change - here.

Like a Wheel Within a Wheel

• Urizen

The territory of Spiral has been reclaimed for the Empire - although the Grendel remain a significant threat there. The civil service have begun to review opportunities related to the territory, and you can learn about some of them here.

Peace Song

• Dawn, Military Council

Visits from by heralds of Lashonar have been a common occurrence through the last few years, especially in Dawn. These visits have brought both weal and woe at times - and this time is no exception. This time their music is focused on songs of sorrow and tears. The mood of these songs is clear - war is a horror to be avoided at all costs - it brings only death and misery. You can learn more about this effect here.

Pilgrimage

• Imperial Synod, Highguard

The size of the Congregation of the First Empress, and with it the influence of the living Paragon Yael of Felix's Watch, continues to increase. The Imperial Synod has supported and encouraged the spread of the belief in the message of revelation preached by members of the Congregation, and people from across the Empire are flocking to learn more about The Land Without Tears. You can learn all about this powerful religious movement and its implications here.

Song of the Lakefolk

• Wintermark, Imperial Synod

Unexpectedly, a small armed force of strangely-dressed hunters has started gathering on the northern shores of Atkonaroq, in the far reaches of Sermersuaq. From their camp on the northern shores, they have begun launching pecuilar raids on nearby settlements - raids in which almost nobody is harmed and nothing of note is taken. They are by all reports quite determined, but refuse to discuss what is going on or who they are - and their numbers appear to be growing. You can learn what little the Empire knows about these mysterious individuals here.

Starfall

• the Empire

The red star, the comet, dubbed the Stalker by the Imperial Conclave will hit the ground some time during the Autumn Equinox with potentially quite profound impact. You can learn about the current situation here.

Thoughts are Free (Trade Winds)

• Imperial fleet captains

The Empire does not exist in isolation - five other great civilisations, and a handful of smaller ones, are also active on the world stage. You can find an update on international diplomacy and trade opportunities here.

Turbulence

• Varushka, Dawn

There is something up with the Semmerlak. During the day, not a breath of wind. Once the sun sets, violent storms and rumours of unnatural beasts preying on fisherfolk, sailors, and those who stray too close to its waters. Something is up. You can learn more about this unfortunate state of affairs here.

When All This Was Trees

• Navarr, Imperial Senate

The orcs of the Great Forest have entered Therunin as guests of the Navarr. Now, there needs to be some pretty intense discussion and negotiation about precisely what this is going to mean for the future. You can learn about the current situation in Therunin here.

Will to Survive

• the Marches, Highguard, the Imperial Orcs, Military Council, Imperial Synod

The Mournwold may have fallen, but in doing so it has given rise to a - what? an opportunity? A terrible new threat? Eerie blessed weapons and strange ideas are coming from parts of the lost Marcher territory, that have implications for the future of the campaign there - especially for the five armies currently camped in Tassato. You can learn about these events here.

Ongoing Events and Resolutions

Matters of Mithril

• the Imperial Bourse, the Imperial Senate, the League, Wintermark

Work on the new mithril mine in Sermersuaq will be completed by the start of the Autumn Equinox. The Imperial Senate may choose how to allocate the mithril mine at this time - that is whether it will be an Imperial or National Wintermark resource. The actual seat will not be appointed until the Winter Solstice, after the first mithril has produced. This will require a motion of the Imperial Senate as usual. The mithril resource currently does not have a name - the Senate is responsible for providing this name when they allocate the mine.

Work on the Great Pits of Ennerlund is complete, and the mithril mine has produced its first load of Imperial mithril since it was conquered by the Druj. The seat has been appointed as Imperial, and will be available for auction along with the other mithril seats during the Autumn Equinox.

The Other Empress

• the League, Highguard, Imperial Senate

The sarcophagus of Empress Giselle is still in a cellar in the vicinity of Sybella, under the watchful gaze of the magistrates. A small delegation has visited it to examine the sarcophagus and the remains within, but their findings have not been made public at this time. The situation has otherwise not changed - there are competing claims from the Highborn and the League, with final resolution resting with the Senate. You can learn more about this situation here.

Veils of Shadow

• the League

The Penumbral Veil that has hung over Tassato for the last year, twisting the night sky in an eerie fashion, begins to attenuate and finally fades entirely shortly before the Autumn Equniox. The magic of that potent shroud has clearly run its course.

The Crumbling Court of the Fountain

• Urizen

The Court of the White Fountain in Optarion continues to labour under the effect of the winter curse that is trying to undo it. The first signs appeared before the Spring Equinox, and they show no signs of abating. The plume of fire that gives the fortification its name is guttering, and the white stone that comprises the tower and the wall crumble and crack.

The Winter curse is not acting unopposed however. Magicians from the Spire of the Auric Horizon continue to bring powerful magic of their own to bear. There is some hope that the curse will have run its course by the time the Winter Solstice comes around - but if the effect does not peter out by that time it may well mean that it is permanent and another solution will need to be sought.

The Creeping Morass

• Holberg, Imperial Senate

Following last season's potent enchantment, the spread of the marshes of Holberg has continued unchecked. The spread of the Morass in the wake of Druj sabotage has been a matter of some concern for some time now, and the powerful enchantment exacerbated the situation. Large sections of Rebeshof have already reverted to their original, sodden state and as a result Rebeshof has been officially declared a marsh (it now has the marsh quality).

This deleterious change has had the immediate effect of permanently decreasing the production of farms in Holberg by 18 rings. If Ennerlund also succumbs to the marsh, the penalty will double.

Assuming nothing changes, Ennerlund will also have become a marsh by the start of the Winter Solstice 380YE. If Ennerlund does become a marsh, the Great Pits of Ennerlund will need additional pumps and precautions, permanently increasing the upkeep of this important Bourse resource by 2 Thrones per season.

It is too late to prevent the marsh spreading into Rebeshof, but Ennerlund could still be protected, but the work is now significantly harder than in previous seasons. It will now require the expenditure of 80 wains of weirwood, and 20 Thrones, to build new dikes, and to replace the paths and bridges that the Druj, nature, and Spring magic have conspired to destroy. This great work would add 75 random herbs to the production of herb gardens owned by League citizens in Holberg.

Alternatively, the Senate could abandon Ennerlund to the marshes and instead try to make the best of the situation. The result would be a vast, teeming marsh partially tended by skilled herbalists and doctors that would nearly rival the Kallavesa marshes for valuable healing herbs. This would cost the same as the plan to prevent the spread of the marsh - 80 wains of weirwood and 20 thrones - but would provide 100 random herbs each season to League herb gardens in Holberg. Obviously both Rebeshof and Ennerlund would be marshes by the time the work was finished.

It is worth noting that as the spread of the marsh accelerates, any further powerful Spring magic could remove the choice of how to proceed from the Empire entirely. Should Holberg be targeted by rituals such as Thunderous Deluge, Rivers Run Red, Rivers of Life, Thunderous Tread of the Trees, or similar - or should the Hallow of the Green World be cast on the Empire again - attempts to control the spread of the marsh will be rendered fruitless, and Ennerlund will be swallowed by the marsh regardless, negating these opportunities to gather herbs from the marshes (although it would still be possible to harness the marshes for the production of herbs, doing so would not involve an opportunity and instead follow the normal rules for great works).