387YE Summer Solstice interlude

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Overview

Downtime following the Spring Equinox will soon be open, allowing players to process their character's downtime choices. Not all resources allow a player to make a choice about how they operate between events, but we've provided information about new opportunities for fleet and military unit owners in particular as well as a reminder about existing opportunities created at earlier events.

On this page we'll be outlining, and offering some context for, various effects and events. As always, these include quick summaries, mostly out of character, to explain effects such as large-scale enchantments and curses. In some cases, there may be further developments around these events in the Summer Solstice winds of fortune, or they may be handled with a Resolution entry on the appropriate Wind.

The deadline for Downtime submissions is Midnight on TBC.

Choices

• During the Spring Equinox, there were a number of Senate motions, Conclave declarations, Synod judgements, and Military council orders

Each summit the Imperial Senate raises and votes on motions, the Imperial Conclave debates declarations, the assemblies of the Imperial Synod discuss judgements, and the generals of the Imperial Military Council issue orders to their armies. You can find details of these many decisions here:

• Senate sessions
• Synod judgements
• Conclave sessions
• Military Council orders

The Civil Service is responsible for ensuring that these motions, judgements, declarations, and orders are public knowledge. Not everything is widely distributed across the Empire, but any character who attends Anvil can easily find out details of what went on in the houses of power during the event.

Imperial Guerdon

The Imperial Guerdon is a bursary set up by the Imperial Senate primarily to reward military units that support Imperial armies, spy networks, and fortifications. The value of the Imperial Guerdon is divided between each military unit and fleet that supports an army in proportion to their effective strength. The Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies has the power to exclude any or all Imperial armies and navies, fortifications, or special projects (such as spy networks) from the Guerdon. If they do so, then a character who supports such an army, fortification, or special project will receive nothing for doing so.

This season, the Imperial Senate voted to change the value of Guerdon to 150 thrones.

This season, the Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies has announced that shares of the Guerdon will be shared between military units supporting the following armies:

• Autumn Hammers
• Northern Eagle

No other armies, or actions by military units or fleets, will receive shares of the Guerdon.

Military Units

• Players who control military units can choose from a number of downtime options
• Not every military unit is eligible to participate in every venture
• Left to their own devices, a military unit defaults to the mercenary work option

Any player whose character controls a military unit can choose from several downtime options by logging into the downtime system. They may choose to support an army, defend a fortification, or support a spy network. They can also choose one of the many ventures. Left to their own devices, a military unit defaults to mercenary work, guaranteeing an income of money along with a random chance of herbs, more money, mana crystals, ingots or measures.

Players who want to support one of the Imperial armies can also read the orders issued by each general before making their decision. These orders are a matter of public record within the Empire and also available on the 387YE Spring Equinox Military Council orders page. This new page makes it easier for players to read all the orders before making a decision; previously the only way to do this was to painstakingly click every army in turn. It's also possible for players without military units to see the orders, without waiting for the Winds of War (assuming the orders related to an area that produced a full write-up).

As always, the guidelines around discussing military matters online can be found here.

Fleets

• Players who control fleets can choose from several downtime options
• Left to their own devices, a fleet defaults to the maritime escort option

Any player whose character controls a fleet can choose from several downtime options by logging into the downtime system. They may choose to trade with a foreign port, engage in raiding barbarians, quest in search of glory or renown, scout either to support a smugglers cove or as part of another stealthy option, or commit to guarding a convoy of other ships.

Left to their own devices, a fleet defaults to maritime escort, guaranteeing an income of money along with a random chance of herbs, more money, mana crystals, ingots or measures.

The Empire does not currently have any navies, and there are currently no campaigning actions available, so it is not possible to take campaigning action, but if it were, then details would be included on the Military orders page.

Trade Summary

• Imperial fleets can trade with ports in Axos, the Commonwealth, Faraden, the Iron Confederacy, the Sarcophan Delves, and the Sumaah Republic
• Production depends on the port chosen, and can be increased by upgrades and enchantments

Imperial fleets can trade with a number of foreign nations who have chosen to open some of their ports to visitors from the Empire. The assumption is that a ship trading with a foreign nation makes enough from selling their cargo to cover their running costs, crew salaries and the like, but that there is enough profit to provide the character who owns the fleet with valuable goods of interest to the folk who attend Anvil. What goods are received for visiting a port is changeable, and heavily influenced by Imperial diplomacy.

• Axos: The port of the Towers of Kantor welcomes Imperial fleets.
• Commonwealth: The ports of Leerdam and Volkavaar welcome Imperial traders and their production has been significantly altered. You can find out more about the new items on the According to principle wind of fortune. Fleets trading with either Commonwealth port benefit from a 1 rank bonus due to the Asavean bounty on fleets trading with the Empire.
• Faraden: The port of Caitun welcomes Imperial fleets. Fleets from the Marches and Wintermark benefit from a 1 rank bonus due to close proximity. The production of Caitun has shifted to no longer produce ingots of weltsilver. Instead, a starting fleet will produce 54 rings. You can find out more about the situation on the A pillow of winds wind of fortune.
• Iron Confederacy: The port of Robec is available for Imperial fleets.
• Sarcophan Delves: The ports of Sarcophan and Betovering welcome Imperial traders.
• Sumaah Republic: The port of Zemeh welcomes Imperial traders, and its production has been significantly altered. You can find out more about the changes on the Friend of mine wind of fortune.

Congregations

• In addition to the standard preaching options taken by owners of congregations, some special lectures may be available

During downtime, the owner of a congregation can choose to take a preaching action. Normally these actions are used to preach one of the Imperial virtues, or the general teachings of the Way, allowing a Synod member to change which of the virtue assemblies they belong to.

After the Spring Equinox there are several additional preaching options available grouped together as lectures.

Encourage Pilgrimage to Capodomus

• Anyone with a congregation can choose to preach Ambition by encouraging pilgrims to visit Capodomus Cathedral
• A congregation that takes the Preach Ambition - Encourage Pilgrimage to Capodomus action will receive three less liao but four more Synod votes than usual
• A congregation that takes this action will be in the Ambition Assembly at the next summit

Golden light wind of fortune

Arcane Projections

• The deadline for submitting an arcane projection has changed
• Going forward arcane projections must be submitted before the close of downtime
• It is not possible to submit arcane projections that create personal curses

The deadline for submitting an arcane projection has changed from the late booking deadline, to the close of downtime. This is a significantly shorter window than previously. We've made this change to improve our ability to process arcane projections - an earlier deadline means that the game team have more time to consider each arcane projection, which will allow us to be more detailed and consistent in our responses.

As detailed in the Patterns of fairytales wind of fortune, it is not currently possible to create an arcane projection that involves a curse directed at a character.

Colleges and Forges

• We've changed the email address for college of magic and runeforge submissions

It is important for characters responsible for a college of magic or runeforge to remember that the deadline for submitting rituals for codification, or instructions to the runeforge, is also the point that downtime closes. You must use let us know how you plan to use your college or forge by this point, otherwise it will not be possible to submit anything and the season will be lost.

We've also made a small change there; the e-mail address to which such instructions should be sent is now plot@profounddecisions.co.uk rather than rules. The rules decisions about an arcane projection that is being codified, or a new item, have already been made and it is plot that deals with the creation of ritual texts, unique items, or schema.

Miscellaneous Effects

• After every event there will be a range of special effects that have an impact on downtime
• Each effect is automatically applied to the appropriate personal resources; this provides details of what has caused each effect

Every season sees large-scale effects impact individuals and nations. Some arise as the result of Synod judgements, Senate motions or Conclave declarations. Others are the results of winds of fortune or war, or magical effects such as enchantments or curses. Each such effect is mentioned in your downtime if it affects your personal resource, along with a brief summary of what is going on. This list provides more detail, and is also useful for knowing what is going on in the wider Empire.