Flames and the dark

Myfanwy and Gavyn of the Black Thorns stood on the remains of the Elos docks, engaging in their usual pastime.

"No he isn't"

"Yes he is"

"No he ISN'T"

"Yes he IS"

Myfanwy once again lost her temper with Gavyn "Even if Umarth WAS a Fate Heretic, which he isn't, the Fate Heresy would need to be proscribed by the Synod, which they didn't, and raise a statement of condemnation against him, which they haven't."

Gavyn was certain he would win the argument this time "Just because something isn't the law yet, doesn't mean it's not true! There's probably a thousand more dickhead eternals in the Spring realm who would love nothing more than to see the vallorn eat the entire continent that are the enemies of the Empire, but the Conclave hasn't declared them as enemies yet, doesn't mean it's not true!"

Myfanwy put her head in her hands "And the entire reason we have these laws, dimwit, is so that idiots like you don't go off half-cocked and start stabbing everyone like all those idiots who completely misunderstand the lessons of Isaella!"

Gavyn, dedicant of Courage, did not take kindly to the accusation of not understanding the best exemplar. "He told those Urizen that they would take Elos, and then they did! All those drugged-up mystics need to have a good chat with the Silent Bell if you ask me; just because their heresy is useful to us doesn't make it not heresy. It's like if I got myself a Purity aura to survive the fall of the Dance rather than make it out by myself, I'd still be a Heretic!"

Myfanwy stood to face Gavyn, eye to eye, vein to bulging vein. "And what happens if I push you into the Catazar after you spent all that time drying your clothes?"

Gavyn was briefly disarmed "Wait, what? My clothes would-"

SPLASH

"Are you a Fate Heretic now?"

Gavyn dragged himself back onto the beach "That was a dirty trick, and you know it's not the same".

Myfanwy was not done "Just because you are a blind idiot who can barely keep an eye on his own surroundings doesn't mean others can't use their skills and intuition to look deeper into the future than what's for dinner!"

"You pushed me into the Bay! I can't believe you'd do this after six months of being wet!"

Myfanwy's rage was evaporated by the sight of her spouse resembling a very sad, wet cat. "Right, sorry Gav, that was too far. Here, let me dry you off. Look, dinner's on me tonight; I hear these Urizeni can do wonderful things with fish."

"I've never had fish before"

"How!? You're from Therunin!?"

"Trust me Fan, if it's in Therunin and it swims, you'd be put off from eating it."

Things Change and Transform

Overview

The Grendel are gone, at last. Six months after the Fist of the Mountains paid the ultimate price after the surprise naval invasion at Elos, the invaders have been driven from Redoubt. Now comes time to assess what damage has been wrought, what can be done to make amends and what can still be salvaged. To count the irreplaceable dead and see what is no longer written and ceases to be.

The Grendel had intended to unleash the devastation of the Spring Realm into Elos, to remind the Empire that it is the orcs of the Broken Shore, and they alone, who field navies in the Bay of Catazar (the guile of the Red Wind Corsairs notwithstanding). That plan was scuppered due to the heroic act of the Winterfolk under the command of general Umarth "Winter's Flame" Kannask. Perhaps as a result, the list of what has been lost or damaged is shorter than it might have been. Yes, there is damage, yes there are goods, buildings and people missing, but there is little need to commission any major repairs through the Senate as is often required following an incursion of the Druj. Indeed, there will be no extra work needed should the Senate choose to commission the opportunity to expand the docks at Elos to further challenge the Grendel stranglehold on the water.

What does stand out is precisely what the Grendel chose to take with them when they left in such a hurry last season. Elos is a well-used port, yet many crates of mundane wares were left abandoned rather than loaded onto ships. Equally, the fine furnishings, fixtures and carpentry that the wealthier merchants of the south coast have are largely untouched. Instead, it is the arcane equipment and texts that have been looted. Spires across southern Redoubt have seen their libraries picked over and scavenged by the magicians of the Grendel. Citadels have had their armouries raided for anything with even a hint of magic. The Grendel will take anything of value when they loot a place, but this time they have clearly ignored items they could have sold for far more, in favour of anything that might be of use to magicians.

The question is, for what purpose? The Great Wyrm hangs low over the shores of Redoubt, and it is a rare moment that the Urizeni see it as something to fear.

The Dying Night

The notable exception to the relative lack of damage to southern Redoubt is the Tilphussian Reach, upon which the Tower of Light and Shadow was built. Not only has the tower itself been reduced to rubble, but by the pile of discarded vials of prismatic ink it is clear that the Grendel have channelled an enormous amount of Sky magic into the regio in order to attempt to clear the presence of the hated realm of Fog. Only the barest wisps of the Night portion of the regio remain, and it is beyond the capability of mortals alone to repair the damage that has been done. Fortunately, Urizen are not without allies, or at least interested parties, among the inhabitants of the realms.

Four have made offers thus far, with suggestions for how they might help restore the damaged regio; however, the Archmage of Day or the Archmage of Night could use the power of plenipotentiary to ask others for aid.

Sadogua

Restoration of the Tower of Light and Darkness

Commission Type: Ministry

Location: Naris, Redoubt

Cost: 20 iridescent gloaming, 10 mithril, 10 weirwood, 5 mana crystals, and 60 crowns, three months

Availability: Until the start of Spring Equinox 389YE or something else is built on the Tilphussian Reach

Requirements: Declaration of Acceptance is passed by the Conclave

Effect: Rebuilds the Tower of Light and Darkness Grants the Penumbral Watcher opportunity to acquire a Penumbral Cowl each season in exchange for iridescent gloaming. Provides the Penumbral Watcher with four crystal fire each season.

Penumbral Cowl
16 measures of iridescent gloaming	1 Penumbral Cowl
34 measures of iridescent gloaming	2 Penumbral Cowl

• Sadogua is disinclined to waste too much effort on the tower, but if Urizen really wants him to, he will put it back exactly the way it wasn't
• The rebuilt Penumbral Tower would produce four crystal fire and allow the Watcher to purchase one or two Penumbral Cowls each season
• The offer requires a declaration of acceptance by the Conclave

The Globbersnotch was rather fond of the Tower of Light and Darkness, and has made an offer to stabilise the regio to return it to how it was, as best as he can. If the Conclave passes a Declaration of Acceptance for the aid of the Brother of Wizards, he will dispatch heralds to begin carefully and delicately coaxing the last of the Night magic in the place back into balance with the Day magic. When a visiting herald was asked why he would only restore the balance rather than take it all for himself, it was heard to say, "What is the shadow without the light to cast it?"

As well as the declaration being passed, the Tower of Light and Darkness would need to be recommissioned in its new form. Once complete, it would no longer produce any Myrrh, but the Watcher would gain four crystal fire each season. In addition strands of silk could be pulled from the penumbra between the realms which Glutton's heralds would teach the staff at the regio to weave with iridescent gloaming into a cowl that grants two ranks of lore for the casting of the rituals Sharp Eyes of the Corsair, Muffled Oar and Weaver at the Web. When asked what in Atun's name Weaver at the Web is, the herald merely smiled sweetly. The Penumbral Watcher would be able to acquire these in exchange for the needed gloaming to make them.

Whisper Gallery

The Pinacotheca of Tilphus

Commission Type: Great work

Location: Naris, Redoubt

Cost: 25 wains of mithril, 25 wains of white granite, 150 crowns, 3 months

Availability: Until the start of Spring Equinox 389YE, another great work is built in Redoubt that increases investment in military units or fleets taking a scouting action, or something else is built on the Tilphussian Reach

Requirements: Declaration of Acceptance by the Conclave Enmity to be removed from the Whisper Gallery for the duration of the construction

Effect: Rebuilds the Tower of Light and Darkness as a gallery devoted to foreign art and culture, the Pinacotheca of Tilphus Grants the Penumbral Watcher a seasonal income of three prismatic ink and three crystal fire. Raises the level of investment of fleets and military units based in Redoubt performing the scouting action by one rank.

• The Whisper Gallery wish to see the regio turned into a repository of strange and disturbing art
• The Pinacotheca provides 3 prismatic ink and 3 crystal fire each season
• The gallery would raise the level of investment in military units and fleets performing a scouting action
• The offer requires a declaration of acceptance by the Conclave
• Conclave would need to remove enmity for the duration of the commission

While the discussion is being had of what to do about the regio, a large folio appears on the desk of the civil servant organising the survey with a note that reads "For A&B. S". What is contained inside are the plans for a truly enormous and labyrinthine art gallery, with dimensions and material requirements that are in some ways either contradictory or indeed paradoxical. After careful study by the magicians of Redoubt, it appears to be a suggestion for the Whisper Gallery to help construct a great work containing the art and culture of every foreign nation known to the Empire and perhaps some more than that. The resultant building erected upon the regio would allow visitors to immerse themselves in the ways of cultures they might choose to visit... in order to better infiltrate them. This would raise the level of investment for military units and fleets based in Redoubt when performing any scouting venture or voyage.

There are several catches, of course. First, the Conclave would need to pass a Declaration of Acceptance agreeing for the Court of the Shadowed Oracle to help construct it, as the paradoxical parts of the design can only be built with their aid. That would definitely be illegal - it could only happen if the eternal were no longer under enmity. As the Shadow Courtiers would only be helping align the regio and build the structure, enmity could be restored at any point once the work was complete. The magicians who have examined the plans are certain that there would be no lingering magical effects powered by the Whisper Gallery, only the natural magics of the regio, meaning that if the Concilium of the Perjured Throne were returned to enmity after that point, then the Pinacotheca would continue to operate without legal or magical problems.

The Penumbral Watcher would be tasked with the protection of the Pinacotheca should it ever come under threat. For their efforts, they would be rewarded with three vials of prismatic ink and three of crystal fire that would spontaneously manifest in the nooks and crannies of the exhibits each season.

Azoth

Cauldron of Interlaced Shadow

Commission Type: Sinecure

Location: Naris, Redoubt

Cost: 25 ingots each of orichalcum, tempest jade, green iron, and weltsilver; 25 measures each of ambergelt, beggar's lye, dragonbone, and iridescent gloaming; and 3 ilium, 6 months

Availability: Until the start of Spring Equinox 389YE or something else is built on the Tilphussian Reach

Requirements: Declaration of Acceptance by the Conclave

Effect: Rebuilds the Tower of Light and Darkness as the Cauldron of Interlaced Shadow Grants the Penumbral Watcher an income depending on the season.

• The Azoth desires to change the regio into a crucible
• The Crucible of Interlaced Shadow would provide different magical consumables each season
• The offer requires a Declaration of Acceptance by the Conclave

A misshapen herald of the Crucible attending the Empire to answer the petition of the Archmage of Night is also keen to make their own suggestion. The Rebis it says, appreciated what the Grendel did to it, even if it was or wasn't their intention. As the Grendel pushed it towards day, if it were pushed back towards Night in the right way, then it could be left to oscillate in a space of constant flux between the two realms, ever changing and realigning towards new and interesting outcomes.

A grand cauldron could be dug into the earth to contain and reinforce these magical changes, each season producing something weird and wonderful.

• Ripe in time for the Spring Equinox, it would grow four of the beautiful marsh flowers last seen in Madruga.
• Brewed in time for the Summer Solstice, three extremely viscous tonics could be distilled that grant any who could manage to neck it an additional two points of personal mana for the season.
• Ready for the Autumn Equinox, two extremely sour concoctions that would grant any who could drink it without pulling a face two additional ranks of lore for the next ritual they cast that creates an enchantment increasing a magician's ranks of lore.
• Prepared for the Winter Solstice, a single elixir that has no taste or texture at all that grants the one who drank it three additional ranks of lore for the next Night ritual they cast that relies on the resonance of transformation.

The herald was really rather excited about all the different outputs and clearly wants to have the privilege of taste-testing each of them; however, the civil servants insisted that while the Empire is very grateful for the Azoth's offer, it would be the Penumbral Watcher who would be the one making such a decision.

Phaleron

• Urizen could ask Phaleron for aid to create a demesne for a powerful guardian drawn from the Day realm
• Urizen would need to perform a powerful ritual to entreat Phoebus Al-Pulpi to defend Naris
• The guardian would make Naris twice as hard to conquer and provide magical scales to the Emissary to the Celestial Library
• The offer requires a declaration of acceptance by the Conclave

There is another option to consider, suggests Placidia of the Spire of the Stallion's Volition. Why does it need to go back to being a mixed Day-Night regio? Given that it's most of the way there already, what if a Day eternal were approached to finish what the Grendel started, but to the Empire's benefit? Placidia introduces a tearful librarian from the Celestial Library. It is the sacking of texts from the spires of southern Redoubt that has caused the distress, and the herald is convinced that This Must Never Be Allowed To Happen Ever Again.

Some years ago, the Coral Library interceded when the Druj came to Canterspire, and since then has provided an arcane projection to provide similar assistance to places it deems the most valuable in the Empire. The Tilphussian Reach's new alignment presents another opportunity for Phaleron to offer aid to preserve what it calls "The Inheritance Owed the Future". If the Conclave were to accept the offer of the Archives of Silence, it would provide the raising magician with an arcane projection; "Entreat with Phoebus Al-Pulpi" that could be cast to expand and secure the power of the regio for Phaleron and make space for this creature, which is the size of a small house. The Day ritual is magnitude 100, and it requires 50 rings of ilium sharing the effort to make the change permanent with Phaleron. Once done, the ritual will align the regio to Phaleron. While no ground would be ceded, it would securely bind the regio into the Celestial Library's Demense.

The regio itself would become aligned with the Vault of Ages, and Phaleron would send a powerful guardian to protect Redoubt from future incursions. This creature is the sire of all the eight-talon-legged crystalline lizards who serve the Celestial Library, known as Phoebus Al-Pulpi. It would take residence in the regio and emerge as and when needed to protect the Urizen peoples' troves of knowledge should they ever come under threat again, (OOC Note: The presence of Phoebus Al-Pulpi would increase the number of victory points necessary to conquer Naris by ten.) The guardian would remain at the regio until either the last navy of the Spine-Crackers is sunk into the depths of the Catazar, or the Conclave passed a declaration of enmity against the Library. The herald says that the last time that happened was very long ago, and due to an unfortunate misunderstanding not worth dredging back up.

This change would do nothing to restore the powers and prestige of the Penumbral Watcher, as the responsibility for liaising with the guardian would fall to the Emissary to the Celestial Library. Al-Pulpi would provide the Emissary with two of its crystal scales each season, which can be crushed to serve as five mana crystals and grant the user three additional ranks of Day lore for the next casting of rituals Gift of Knowledge, Eyes of the Soul's Past, or Guardian Gate.

The Dream Master

Umarth Kannask, last General of the Fist of the Mountains

Last summit, representatives from the spire of the Stallion's Volition made their way to Anvil to give thanks to the Winterfolk for the actions of the Fist of the Mountain and engage in cultural exchange over the subtle and refined art of divination. Once in the Wintermark camp, they were met with a great host of mystics and stormcrows eager to share with the grateful magicians, and they had a truly wonderful time. Bones, skeins, cards, stars, entrails and even tea were all read and considered to contemplate the future of the relationship between the peoples of the far north-west and south-east.

Of particular note, to the great excitement of the visiting seers and illuminates; was the presence of the man himself: Umarth "Winter's Flame" Kannask. He gave to them the last banner of the Fist of the Mountains, and instructed them that it was to be raised at the docks at Elos when it was retaken from the Grendel. Lo and behold, that very season the Grendel fled from Redoubt and the Spire was able to return to their homes. This tale has spread among many of the Urizen of Redoubt, and many tales of the inspiration of the foresight of the Winter's Flame are being told and, most importantly, written down.

If the Synod chose to, this season they could cement this moment by agreeing to consecrate the site where the banner was raised over the recaptured docks with a precious dose of true liao. If a Virtue Assembly agreed and successfully passed a Writ of Consecration, then depending on the wording of the writ and the Virtue chosen, a unique commission would be possible that would tie Wintermark and Urizen forever in that place. Of course, this would require the Synod to figure out the Virtue most relevant to the events that unfolded over the last six months. It is unclear what will happen if multiple virtue assemblies manage to uphold an appropriate writ.

Citizens of Urizen and Wintermark who are not members of the Synod, but who have opinions on the matter, will need to petition members of the relevant assemblies at the coming summit to ensure their voices are heard.