Sunrise over Livardz
Graciana stared at the vast lake of white ash that seemed to stretch all the way across the valley to the horizon. Beavers did all this, she thought to herself? It seemed impossible, just the sheer scale of it.
Not the destruction, obviously. That was the work of Cold Sun. That terrible, inhuman force dedicated to "perfecting" the mortal world by eradicating every sapient being. A mindless thing raging against the mind itself. This vast lake and every living thing in it had been reduced to ash by a force that could not tolerate the possibility of disorder. Cold Sun was to blame for that.
But judging from what remained, this vast slick of bone white ash, what was here before Cold Sun must have been awe-inspiring. The Wyrding Pond they called. Some pond! It spanned most of the way across the valley. Mother Danika, the wise one from the other side of the mountains, said the beavers who built this dam had spent over a century making it bigger and bigger and bigger. Extraordinary. Patient as a beaver, Danika had said. Graciana had seen plenty of beavers' dams before, but never anything on this scale. What had possessed the little creatures to build something so Ambitious?
Nobody could answer that question now. Not the people who once lived in this vale. Not the beavers themselves. Local legend said the industrious creatures would answer a question if asked in the right way. Deeply improbable as these local legends often were, there was probably a grain of truth in it somewhere. Once. Not now. Now it was all gone. Gone to ash.
She sighed to herself. She was Dust, Flame, and Glass - nothing could immure her irrepressible spirit. But this? Who could have cast eyes on this extraordinary work and decided to destroy it all? Who could look on the patient little creatures who had devoted a hundred lifetimes to this great work and decide to annihilate them?
Fuck you, Cold Sun. Fuck. You.
She turned on her heel and headed back to the camp. She had needed to see this for herself, but they'd warned not to tarry her long. It was dangerous, they said. The ash poisoned the soul. And besides, there was work to do. Vitriol spat into the wind would not bring revenge on an uncaring eternal. Revenge would be turning Cold Sun's legacy into a life-affirming bounty for future generations. She was Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra. Imperial prognosticator. Her mind was her bhuj, her wits were her shield. Cold Sun would not win this battle.
Overview
Volodmartz was one of the territories ravaged by the scions of the Cold Sun when its armies invaded the Empire in 385YE. During the Winter Solstice, senator Ostrik Vulpe asked the Senate to send Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra to "find opportunities to bring Prosperity to the ruins of Volodmartz left by Cold Sun." The Highborn have also acted, offering their peerless kinship to the nation, seeking to erase the marks of destruction left by the voracious eternal when it attacked Livardz.
Two years ago when Cold Sun emerged in force, its scions focused their attentions on Volodmartz and Karov. While the Blade of Skies attacked in Karov, the Shepherds of Ash ravaged Volodmartz. Particularly hard hit was the region of Livardz, leaving it in ruins. The scions themselves mysteriously vanished shortly after, disappearing into the Star Caverns in pursuit of some hidden regio and never returning.
Graciana has identified three key challenges faced in Livardz, and in Volodmartz as a whole. The first is to rebuild Livardz, dealing with the physical destruction visited on the vales and settlements here. While some rebuilding has taken place, there are always additional problems with building new vales in Varushka in the form of the dark creatures that lurk on the edges of civilisation - several of which have moved into the abandoned ruins. There is a lot of work to be done rebuilding what has been destroyed.
The second challenge is dealing with the silent menace, the terrible threat posed by Cold Sun and the chance it might someday return from the Sumisev Peegel or the Star Caverns. Something must be done to ensure that Cold Sun or something even worse cannot emerge to threaten Livardz.
The final challenge is to break the curse of the ashen wind, the dreadful cloying white dust that occasionally blows on the wind. This supernatural curse saps the well-being of everyone touched by it, impeding all attempts to resettle the region.
Addressing each one of these three problems will require effort and investment - but the more of them that are completely dealt with, the more prosperity will return to Livardz.
The prognosticator is assisted in her work by a number of Highborn volunteers, including several respected benefactors, stewards of the dead, and magisters. A little to her surprise however, the bulk of these volunteers quickly peel off to pursue a matter of dire concern that is not directly related to Livardz but to "support the pride and prosperity of Varushka" in a more spiritual matter related to certain little black-and-yellow creatures.
The Cold Sun were an enemy unlike any the Empire has ever seen, unprecedented problems require unprecedented solutions. We send Graciana i Lopez i Guerra to find opportunities to bring Prosperity to the ruins of Volodmartz left by Cold Sun.
387YE Winter Senate Motion raised by Ostrik Vulpe, Senator Volodmartz; seconded Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic, Senator MiekarovaTwo years ago, the Cold Sun came to Varushka. Volodmartz was left two options: Burn in the light of the Cold Sun or condemn Livardz to ruin. Our cousins made this sacrifice for the defence of all Varushka. Now, let us aid the people of Livardz in their efforts to rise from ruin to prosperity.
Kasmira Milankova Ygrev, Winter Solstice 387YE, Vote: Greater Majority 202-0Rebuild Livardz
- The vales of Livardz were ruined by the Shepherds of Ash
- The Varushkans will need to hunt down the wolves that are infesting the ruins
- The Imperial Senate will need to assign architects to oversee the construction of new homes
The vales of Livardz were ruined by the Shepherds of Ash. Where they had time to purge their enemies, the scions of White Death entire razed settlements leaving nothing but scorched earth in their wake. Even the stones burned, so fierce was the heat of the Cold Sun. In the limited time they endured in the mortal world, they destroyed everything they could, in their efforts to purify.
To restore the Prosperity of the vales, all of this will need to be rebuilt. Not just homes, but bridges over rivers and walls around settlements. Every vale has half a dozen essential buildings that the Varushkan way of life requires to be Prosperous, mills, smithies, food stores - they all need to be painstakingly rebuilt in every vale that was destroyed. Creating a single mill is not normally the sort of thing the Senate would concern itself with, but it is not the individual building that is important here, but the number of them. Replacing what has been destroyed will take years unless the Senate is prepared to invest what is needed to speed it up.
Rebuilding is not a simple matter of just moving back in - where the people have fled or been slain, the wolves have moved in. Rooting them out will require a concerted effort, someone will need to gather the wardens of Varushka and convince them to attend to the matter. It will need to be Varushkans ideally, only they have the experience dealing with a threat like this.
Both problems must be resolved before the challenge to rebuild Livardz can be met.
Wood & Stone
| Civic Buildings of Livardz |
| Commission Type: Edifice |
| Location: Livardz, Volodmartz |
| Cost: Two commissions and 20 thrones from the treasury each season |
| Time: 1 year |
| Effect: Resolves the problem caused by the destruction of so many civic buildings in Livardz |
| Availability: Until the start of the Spring Equinox 389YE or until the situation changes |
| Special: Total time taken can be reduced by the Towerjacks or an army taking a defensive order in the territory under Bound by Common Cause |
- There are scores of civic buildings that must be raised all across the region to rebuild Livardz
- Raising new buildings will cost two of the Empire's commissions and 20 thrones from the treasury each season for a year
- The Towerjacks or an army enchanted with Bound by Common Cause could take a defensive order in the territory to reduce the total time taken by a season
A great deal of work is needed to restore the once Prosperous vales of Livardz. There are scores of buildings that are vital to life in a Varushkan vale - no two vales are the same, but most of them benefit from having a good mill where grain can be ground, a smithy to fashion and repair metal weapons, armour and tools, stores where meat, grain and other foodstuffs can be kept alongside other valuable resources.
In theory the Varushkans can manage all this work by themselves, but that will take years. A decade at least. If the Empire want to fix this problem now, they will need to send architects and builders to the region, along with the funds to pay for the work. The civil service believes there is so much building work to do, it will require the work of enough architects and builders to complete two commissions, along with an ongoing cost to the treasury of 20 thrones, each season for the next year.
The Senate could address the problem with a clearly worded Senate motion, directing the civil service to arrange for the building work. If that passes, then the Senate will be able to arrange two fewer commissions and an ongoing cost to the treasury of twenty thrones each season for the next year. There is no Imperial title that could announce the work, because there is no title capable of instructing two commissions.
There is one method that could also be employed - the ritual Bound by Common Cause has been shown to empower an army, enabling them to carry out exactly this kind of construction work on a massive scale. If an army, enchanted with Bound by Common Cause, was directed to Volodmartz, with orders to carry out the work, then that would serve to bolster the efforts whilst on defensive orders, decreasing the amount of time taken by a season. Of course, the Towerjacks, as the Empire's most prestigious army of engineers, could support the efforts without having to rely on the auspices of Autumn magic.
As an example, if the motion to start the work was passed at the Spring Equinox 388YE, and an army supported the efforts over the following season, then the work would be completed by the start of the Winter Solstice 388YE with a total cost of sixty thrones to the treasury. If the same army remained following the Summer Solstice 388YE, then the work would be completed by the start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE, with a total cost of forty thrones to the treasury.
Iron & Wine
| Triosk Forestry |
| Commission Type: Ministry |
| Location: Livardz, Volodmartz |
| Cost: 12 white granite and 36 crowns, and 1 season |
| Availability: One year |
Effects:
|
| The Warden of Triosk |
| Type: Varushkan National |
| Appointment: Tourney |
Powers:
|
| Responsibilities: Defend the prosperity of Volodmartz, by driving out wolves and other fell creatures that threaten the vales of Volodmartz |
| Restriction This is a martial title |
| Orichalcum Trade | |
| 36 orichalcum | Two wains of weirwood |
| Green Iron Trade | |
| 34 green iron | Two wains of weirwood |
| Weltsilver Trade | |
| 40 weltsilver | Two wains of weirwood |
| Tempest Jade Trade | |
| 42 tempest jade | Two wains of weirwood |
- The wolves of Livardz must be dealt with before the work to rebuild Livardz is complete
- Destroying the creatures or driving them out requires cooperation between Varushkan wardens across Varushka
- The Boyar of the Iron Roads can commission a forestry to serve as a focal point for efforts to deal with the monsters
- The Volodmartz Forest Warden would need to be a martial title to gain the respect of other wardens
- Upon completing the ministry, the benefits of the Iron Roads would be lost for one year
Triosk, at least, was overlooked by Cold Sun, for the most part. Most likely the Shepherds of Ash were intending something similar to their compatriots in Karov, leaving an obvious "safe space" for those fleeing their assault to gather so they could be killed all at once as the Blade of Skies attempted in Delev. The remaining prosperity of Livardz is anchored here, along the river. The Boyar of Triosk is eager to support any Imperial investment in the area, and bemoans the fact that once upon a time the region was one of the most prosperous in all Varushka.
In fact Triosk's secure position offers a unique opportunity to deal with the wolves that now infest the outlying vales. Many of the Iron Roads meet at Triosk, so the trade that flows down them comes here before it goes south. For the most part, this vital trade is protected by members of the various warden companies that patrol the roads of Varushka. If the wardens could be persuaded to forego protecting the roads for a year, and instead focus on driving out the wolves of Livardz, then it would be possible to rebuild Livardz.
Wardens are notoriously independent; they won't listen to the Senate, but they will pay attention to the Boyar of the Iron Roads. If the Boyar uses their power to commission a forestry at Triosk, and appoints someone with a clear martial bent, then the wardens will rally round the Forester as they attempt to clear out the wolves. It will mean much less trade on the Iron Roads for a while - mines and forests in Miekarova, Karov, Karsk, and Volodmartz would each lose one level of investment, and forests in Ossium would lose two levels of investment - but people will accept that if the Boyar makes the call. Varushkans are always prepared for difficult choices. But after a year, the vales will be free of wolves and other monsters, or at least as free as anywhere in Varushka ever gets. It will take at least a year, but trade will return to normal after that time. If the Senate has also dealt with the work needed to create new buildings, then the challenge to rebuild Livardz is met.
The Warden of Triosk would need to be someone that the wardens would respect and follow into battle. Such skills are rarely required to hold high office in the Empire, but the Warden would be expected to personally take the lead. It has to be someone the other wardens are confident is an effective warrior. Thus, it will need to a martial title appointed each year by a clash of arms - a free tournament in which any Varushkan can participate. The winner would become the Warden of Triosk and gain the benefits - as well as taking on the responsibility to defend the prosperity of Volodmartz by driving out wolves and other fell creatures that threaten the vales of Volodmartz.
There will be an immediate benefit to all this effort. Not for nothing does Graciana propose that the Boyar commission a forestry - there are foresters working all over Volodmartz, but it's dangerous work, away from the safety of the roads for the most part. If there are wardens in Triosk working to clear Livardz of dangers, then grateful foresters will trade their precious weirwood in return for the metals that the tools of their trade, axes and saws.
Silent Menace
- Livardz is threatened by the silent menace posed by the Star Caverns and the Sumisev Peegel
- Both must be effectively dealt with to remove the Silent Menace
Livardz is threatened by two supernatural dangers: the Star Caverns, into which an entire army of Cold Sun disappeared - and presumably could reappear at any moment. And the Sumisev Peegel, the strange Day regio from which the Shepherds of Ash, the fanatical scions of the eternal first emerged. Both would need to be dealt with to remove the silent menace threatening the Prosperity of Livardz.
Wall it Up
| Sealing the Star Caverns |
| Commission Type: Sinecure |
| Location: Murupa, Volodmartz |
| Cost: 15 white granite, 5 weirwood, and 60 crowns |
| Availability: One year |
Effects:
|
| Murupan Goose-herd |
| Type: Varushkan National |
| Appointment: Varushkan Assembly |
| Powers: Receives 11 crowns and 8 doses of liao each season |
| Responsibilities: To watch the geese of Murupa, and deal with anything that escapes the Star Caverns |
- With traditional Vard practicality, the simplest, most effective way to deal with the threat posed by the Star Caverns is to wall them in
- Establishing a substantial goose-herd on the surrounding hills will make people feel safer
The oldest fear is fear of the unknown, some Varushkans claim. Others say it's spiders. The debate rages on, and Graciana has no time for it. One of the things impeding the prosperity of Livardz is that very fear. The mystery of what happened to the Shepherds of Ash when they walked into the Star Caverns removed the threat but not the terror that they might one day return. The assembly at the time warned people of what was coming, and there's a lot of speculation about the involvement of a sovereign or other dark power. But that fear that the Shepherds - or something worse - might emerge from the Star Caverns at any time lingers. The actual caves themselves aren't even in Livardz - being in nearby Murupa but fear is never rational.
After speaking with wise ones, volhovs, cabalists, and wardens, Graciana has a straightforward proposal. Seal up the Star Caverns. Nobody in the world can match the Varushkans for warding, and if the rumours of living darkness taking up residence in the caverns are true, nobody should be going there anyway. The proposal is simple. Find every entrance to the caverns and build a wall across it, marked with symbols of warning and vigilance. And then establish flocks of geese in the hills of Murupa to keep watch over the place. Stories from the dreadful days of 385YE when the scions were on the rampage claim that whenever they approached a settlement it was the geese who reacted first often providing advance warning of the threat. All wise Varushkans know it is safe to be out and abroad when geese are honking - but if the geese should hiss then bar the door and open it for no-one.
What convinces the savvy prognosticator is that even semi-domesticated geese can serve as a source of prosperity - down, feathers, eggs, and goose meat are all commodities that can be sold. With that in mind, she presents a proposal for the Murupan Goose-herd. The wards will make sure nothing can actually get out of the caverns, but it's the presence of the geese that will actually reassure people. Combining the wards with the establishment of a sizeable wild goose-flock, will allow the Goose-herd an income of money from anserine industry, but will also see them receive donations of liao from the priests of Varushka to be used to create consecrations, hallows, and anointings of Vigilance and Wisdom.
Blow It Up
- The most effective way to ensure that nothing can ever emerge from the Sumisev Peegel is to destroy it
- The powerful Winter ritual, Wind of Mundane Silence, is the only dependable way to destroy a regio
- There is a conjunction to the Sumisev Peegel at 23:00 on Saturday at the Summer Solstice
- The Varushkan Assembly will need to identify a citizen to take responsibility for the expedition
In the southern woodlands of Livardz, a peculiar grove of trees once stood. Black-barked, their trunks were mottled with peculiar crystal outgrowths. This is the Sumisev Peegel. It and the weak regio that lies at its heart are named for the two-centuries-dead volhov who discovered it and first tapped its weak magic to perform simple divinations for the folk of the surrounding vales. Few people bothered to visit. The crystals were nice but not worth the effort to gather them; their glow faded quickly when removed from the grove. When the power of Day washed over the Empire in 385YE, the spark of light in the Sumisev Peegel roared up like a bonfire, and the invisible door at its centre gaped wide enough to allow three thousand scions of Cold Sun to come through to the mortal realm.
Unlike the Tower of the Eagle in Hahnmark, this regio does not appear to be in danger of opening any time soon. But Varushkans know better than anyone that appearances can be deceptive. The wise know that truth lies behind the eyes. What was open before can be open again. It would be foolish to settle so close to something so deadly. Cold Sun can never return to the Empire while the Conclave maintains its enmity, but forever is a long time. How many years will pass before some meddling volhov finds a way to convince themselves and the Conclave that this time it will be different? Cold Sun is eternally implacable - all it would take is the Conclave to let its guard fall for a single day, and Cold Sun will be back in Livardz, in force.
To remove that fear will take concrete action. It doesn't need complex wards, it doesn't need flocks of geese or a forestry. What it needs is a powerful team of cabalists with a mastery of winter magic to go to Sumisev Peegel and remove the threat permanently. As fate would have it, there is a conjunction large enough to allow forty heroes to travel to the regio next season at 23:00 on the Saturday. That timing seems ideal; it gives the Conclave enough time to find a coven of Winter magicians prepared to accept the risk and travel to Varushka to perform Wind of Mundane Silence, a magnitude 150 winter ritual - at the Summer Solstice.
Graciana advises that the trip will be dangerous. There are no wolves near the regio; the threats there are entirely magical in nature. The regio is still accursed. The sickly glow that surrounds it makes humans and orcs begin to feel unwell after only a few minutes of exposure, and while nobody has so far died from exposure, it is only because they quickly withdraw. Examination of those exposed in this way shows that they have been cursed by Cold Sun and are at risk of turning to ash. Physicks know how to treat the curse with prismatic ink and herbs, but the ritual will have to be performed in the regio, and it takes at least ten minutes to perform. That level of exposure to the malign corruption of Cold Sun could kill everyone taking part.
Who will provide the mana to pay for the ritual? Which covens will take on this terrible risk? Which physicks will go with them to share the danger? With a season to prepare, it would be prudent to use that time wisely. The civil service has asked the Varushkan Assembly to use a statement of principle to select the most appropriate citizen to take on the arduous responsibility of dealing with the Sumisev Peegel.
The Ashen Wind
- The ashen wind is a subtle poison that blanches the life of everyone it touches sapping their will
- If the Wyrding Pond and the shadow ghosts of the Sunless Vale can be dealt with, then the curse of the ashen wind will be broken
The ashen wind is a subtle curse, a poison that slowly seeps the life from those it touches. Where it lands on the skin, it leaves it blanched white. If breathed in, it burns the mouth and robs a person of their taste. It saps the will of everyone it touches, and those it overpowers die and turn to ash. If their remains are not dealt with, it only spreads the curse further as the ash blows in the cold winds. Physicks can treat the poison, but it is a constant bane that threatens life in Livardz.
There are two major sources of ash in the region, the Wyrding Pond and the Sunless Vale; both must be dealt with to break the curse of the ashen wind.
The Wyrding Pond
| The Wyrding Tower |
| Commission Type: Ministry |
| Location: Livardz, Volodmartz |
| Cost: 12 mithril and 36 crowns |
| Availability: One year |
Effects:
|
| Volhov of the Wyrding Tower |
| Type: Varushkan National |
| Appointment: Tally of the Votes |
| Powers: Can secure splinterstars and sunbleach from the Wyrding Pond |
| Responsibilities: Keep a watch on the Wyrding Pond, and deal with any threat to it |
| Restriction No income unless the title holder has the volhov archetype |
| Splinterstars | |
| 9 ingots of tempest jade | 3 splinterstars |
| 20 ingots of tempest jade | 6 splinterstars |
| 33 ingots of tempest jade | 9 splinterstars |
| Sunbleach | |
| 20 measures of beggar's lye | 2 pouches of sunbleach |
| 44 measures of beggar's lye | 4 pouches of sunbleach |
| 72 measures of beggar's lye | 6 pouches of sunbleach |
- The Wyrding Pond was once a vast artificial pond in a vale on the northern edges of Livardz
- The scions of Cold Sun destroyed the pond, and everything that lived in it, leaving a blanched regio and a vast pool of ash
- Harnessing the power of the blanched regio would render the ash harmless
The Wyrding Pond was a vast artificial pond in the Riversway Vale on the northern limits of Livardz. Built by a colony of Prosperous beavers, every year the dam would grow a little larger and the pool a little deeper. According to local history, there was once a quixotic regio here that enjoyed a mixed reputation amongst masters of the Day realm. Over a century ago, the Conclave chose not to stop a colony of beavers intent on moving in. It was a prudent decision; the beavers dammed the river and quickly drowned the regio, but the resulting pond teemed with life-providing fish, eels, and mussels to the inhabitants of the vale. And legend had it, that if you caught the beavers at the right time, they would answer a question put to them. Nonsense, of course, but the pond and the beavers who built it were a source of Prosperity for the whole vale.
All that ended when the Shepherds of Ash came to Riversway. The inhabitants of the vale tried desperately to protect the Wyrding Pond, but they were overpowered and annihilated by the scions. But Cold Sun's hatred was not sated by these callous murders, and his servants destroyed the beavers, the pond and every living thing in it, leaving nothing but a deep pool of toxic ash. When the wind blows hard, it sweeps the loose ash from the surface and spreads the curse all across Livardz. The destruction did, however, expose the regio at the bottom of the pond. In doing so, it created a way to deal with the curse at its source.
Sunbleach is a lumpy, powdery residue created from beggar's lye exposed to the wan radiance of the region in the Wyrding Pond. It can cause mild burns if it touches naked skin, and is normally sealed in leather pouches and handled with gloves. It contains captured Day magic, however, allowing it to be used during the performance of any ritual of that realm. The magician dusts their cheeks and hands with the caustic residue (which counts as the use of a tonic), and they gain a +2 bonus to their Day lore for the next ritual they perform within ten minutes, subject to the normal rules for additional ranks. Unfortunately, after thirty minutes, they suffer an unpleasant malady, similar to a traumatic wound, which must be treated by a physick using marrowort before they can perform any magic again.
Splinterstars are covered in more detail on the page for the Brilliant Star.
The regio has been blanched by the touch of Cold Sun. A wan light seeps from it, day and night, bathing the area with a pallid glamour and ensuring that ash remains potent. But tap the energy, contain it, and the ash would slowly become harmless, and the Wyrding Pond could produce a valuable supply of potent day magic. Who would foolishly meddle with fell powers in such a way - the job cries out for a volhov.
Tempest jade exposed to the odd radiance here quickly denatures but around one time in three the crumbled crystals reassemble into a splinterstar. These weird pseudo-mana crystals are only produced in one other place in the Empire - by the terrible radiance of the Brilliant Star. It takes a lot longer here, and is a bit more wasteful, because the radiance is not the same but it works.
However, there is another option as well: the radiance can also be leached away - with beggar's lye. Beggarwood trees seem to be strangely resistant to the effects of Cold Sun. Not immune certainly... but resistant somehow. Exposing a cache of beggar's lye to the wyrd light of the regio leaves a bleached, powdery mass that has its own interesting properties as well as absorbing the light bleeding from the regio. Either technique is enough to stop the location from contributing to the ashen wind as long as the site is carefully tended.
To neutralise the Wyrding Pond in this way, the Senate would need to commission a volhov's tower here. Once that was complete, mine and forest owners in Varushka could appoint someone to occupy the tower and ensure that it served its purpose. If they were a capable volhov (if they had the volhov archetype) then they could use tempest jade and beggar's lye to create a supply of splinterstones and sunbleach for themselves.
The Shadow Ghosts
- The Shadow Fellowship was a well-regarded warden fellowship
- They were completely wiped out by scions of Cold Sun trying to save their home, the Sunless Vale
- Their ghosts haunt the site and will need to be dealt with before the ashen residues can be safely disposed of
- Each ghost will require Voice for the Dead to be cast to allow it to speak
- There is a conjunction to the Sunless Vale at the Spring Equinox at TBC
- The Grieftender of the Forgotten is responsible for the expedition
- There are no innocents present on this conjunction; magistrates advise that lethal force is fully justified
In life, the Shadow Fellowship were a well-regarded warden fellowship that placed great emphasis on the Virtue of Vigilance. For most of them, their homes were in the Sunless Vale. This small community of hard-working Varushkans lived in the shadow of mountains so tall that the sun could only enter the valley for little more than a few hours each day in winter. When the Shepherds of Ash moved to attack the vale, the Shadow Fellowship swore to stop them.
A dozen wardens against three thousand heralds of one of the most destructive eternals the Empire has ever encountered from the realms. It is unlikely that any of the wardens ever imagined that victory - or even survival - was possible. They died, as they lived, fighting to keep Varushka safe from supernatural threats. It is pleasing to imagine they gave their lives dearly, but there are no tales of their bravery because after the wardens fell, the scions wiped out every living thing in the valley.
The natural light of the mortal sun may not be able to reach the Sunless Vale, but the wind can. When it blows hard, the ash that remains swirls and fills the air with cloying dust that poisons everything it touches. Hard-working Varushkans have a plan to deal with the dust - there are mine workings all across the vale, perfect for disposing of the toxic ash. But there is one thing standing in their way.
The wardens of the Shadow Fellowship died fighting the scions of Cold Sun, but they have not passed on. Their ghosts haunt the valley where they died, threatening anyone who draws too close. What is needed is a group of impassioned priests who can travel to the Sunless Vale and find a way to move the ghosts on. Either through exorcism or better yet, by soothing their troubled spirits. The latter will be hard though - none of these troubled spirits retains the ability to speak. Anyone hoping to guide them to the Labyrinth will need to cast Voice for the Dead on each ghost to enable them to give voice to the pain in their soul.
There is a conjunction that will allow priests and magicians to travel to the Sunless Vale to move the ghosts on. Given the difficulties involved, the Grieftender of the Forgotten, Miroslav Dainovitch Temnavoda, is responsible for the conjunction. If the expedition is successful, then this site will no longer contribute to the ashen wind.
Ruinous Resolution
- Resolving any two of these three problems will remove the ruins quality from Livardz and restore the Prosperity of the region
- Resolving all three will cause a surge in Prosperity for every resource in the territory for a year
Livardz is ruined, but this quality represents more than just destroyed buildings. It includes the curses that afflict the region and the fear that remains in the wake of Cold Sun's attack sapping the confidence and Pride of the people of Livardz. There's no requirement for it to be removed to restore the prosperity of the region - new homes can be built, people can come to terms with the problems of living here (if people can live in Spiral they can live almost anywhere). However, it is certainly possible to remove that quality and, arguably, show the resilience of the Empire in the face of Cold Sun's destructive quest for oblivion.
Removing the ruins quality from Livardz requires that two of the three problems be dealt with: the challenge to rebuild Livardz, dealing with the silent menace, and breaking the curse of the ashen wind be addressed. Whichever one isn't addressed won't just go away, but it will have less effect. If two of the problems are dealt with, then the ruins quality will fade, and the Prosperity of the region and indeed the whole territory will rise, boosting revenues for the Imperial treasury by six thrones a season.
In the event that all three problems are dealt with, there will be an additional unlooked-for benefit in the form of the "Security of Volodmartz". This functions just like a great work providing a level of investment in every resource in Volodmartz. Each season for the next year, they will receive 22 additional rings of income. The Security of Volodmartz begins in the season following the completion of the third challenge. This benefit is ephemeral - it will last for a year before it fades, provided that Volodmartz does not suffer another serious threat to its prosperity.
Design Note
- Confident that the Varushkans can deal with Cold Sun's legacy without their aid, the peerless kinship of the Highborn Assembly has been focused at a different threat to Varushkan prosperity
By the time Highborn Assembly reach Volodmartz, it is clear that the work of Graciana in collaboration with the skills and experience of Varushkans is more than enough to deal with the legacy of Cold Sun. Eager not to waste their efforts, the assembly have turned their attention to a different problem afflicting Varushkan Prosperity, the missing bees.
When players aim more than one "lever" in the direction of a situation, it rarely creates a solution that is more effective. We already write the best wind of fortune we can. However, the wording of the statement triggering the peerless kinship leaves space to turn the Highborn attention to a related problem - an even bigger threat to the Prosperity of Varushka - the matter of the missing bees (which was also called out by the Varushkan Assembly last season) You can find more out about this in the Saint of bees wind of fortune.