388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune
Overview
| Wind of Fortune | Order Released | Last Updated | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| The wolves tempt you | 1 | 15/08 | Imperial Address |
| Dream on | 2 | 17/08 | Seren |
| Come together | 3 | 17/08 | Apothecary college |
| Fair share of labour | 4 | 19/08 | Artisans Guild |
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of opportunities or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. 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 if they want to use it in character.
The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
| Nation | Diplomacy Wind |
|---|
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 could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
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. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting red links) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.
Winds of Fortune
The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)
- Imperial citizens; Navarr;
Emperor Vesna has used their power to address the Empire to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.
The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the The wolves tempt you wind of fortune.
Dream On
- Navarr
In Miaren, Seren is now become the City of Dreams in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the dreamspeaker calling has coalesced as a distinct archetype among the Navarr people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.
You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the Dream on wind of fortune.
Come Together
- Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When Therunin fell to the Druj Thornsong House was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of Lord Rain, the college of herbmastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of Reikos. Some stayed behind on Chalcis Mount, but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.
A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the Come together wind of fortune.
- Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting
At the recent summit, Emperor Vesna, requested that the Constitutional Court appraise the implications of a new Imperial sodality, the Imperial Guild of Artisans. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate ordering the construction of Guildhouse in 385YE, creating the position of Guildmaster of the Artisans. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.
You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the Fair share of labour wind of fortune.
Hidden Inventory
- Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still Proudly flying can help to rally the Courage and turn the tide. In Wintermark the position of banner-bearer is seen as vital to the success of any battle. Empress Britta was a banner-bearer, and bore Foe-Slayer, the legendary war-banner of Emperor Guntherm onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of Runegrott have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand edifice to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new artefact banner for Wintermark.
You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the Hidden inventory wind of fortune.
A Fork in the Path
- Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The Mystics of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided to approach the Witan directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the exploration of Tsirku has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the Raven Seer and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the Crown of Three Tears and the role of the Champion of Wintermark within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.
You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the A fork in the path wind of fortune.
Diplomatic Winds
Other Events
Dusk
- For this event we are defining dusk as beginning at 19:00 and ending at 20:00
- No bow or crossbow use in Anvil after 20:00 or on quests that start on or after this time
Our bow safety rules prohibit the use of bows and crossbows after "dusk". At this event we are defining that point as 20:00 each day. This means you cannot use a bow in Anvil after this time, or on a skirmish or quest that starts on or after this time.
The necromantic ritual Whispers through the Black Gate can only be performed for one hour around dusk - at this event that means the ritual can be performed at any time between 19:00 and 20:00.
Husky Business (Volunteers)
- There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event
- Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk
- Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons
- The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday
- The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters
- Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering
There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the Fens of Varreth, raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat highly likely encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our skirmish team.
If you are interested and would like more information, please email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.