Satraps of the Abyss

"Please stop haunting me, Roderick." Lisane didn't look at her son, continuing to fold clothes and place them in a large weirwood travelling trunk. He sighed again, gustily, and she didn't need to see him to imagine his expression of deep concern.

"I'm just worried, mother. I assumed - we all assumed - that working for the Prognosticator's Office would involve something a little closer to home. At least at first. We were picturing an office at the Castle of Thorns. Somewhere that we could..."

"Check in on me?" She suppressed a smile, kept her tone sharp. "Honestly, I am an old woman Roderick. And you have a grandchild for goodness' sake! And do not dare start your next sentence with anything approaching 'at your age' or I will demand a Trial of Resolve from Melisandre and everyone will see you being thoroughly trounced by a great-grandmother!"

Roderick blew through his massive moustaches. "I'm just worried..." he said again. "The Sumaah Republic is two entire seas away. Three if you count Teeth. Seas swarming with bloodthirsty Asavean pirates. And even when you get there I hear its full of danger. Dragons. Giant panthers. Strange priests. At least take a few knights with you. Just to set my - our - minds at rest!"

Lisane looked down at her things. The last thing she needed to pack was Empress Lisabetta's book about eternals, and the colouring book full the children had presented her with. The Navarr artist's delightful line drawings of the various eternals, which were only slightly idolatrous, had been coloured in with a great deal of enthusiasm and glancing at it softened her heart. She dropped it into her trunk, shut the lid, threaded and tightened the buckles. Then she turned round, hands on hips.

Roderick looked absolutely wretched. He had always been the most anxious of her children, and in the shadow of the forty-year-old noble in front of her she could see the little boy sobbing from one too many nightmares of the Druj coming to get him.

"Roddy," she said gently, crossing the room to put her hands on his shoulders. She had to reach up, look up to meet his eyes. She sometimes forgot how tall he was. "I understand, I really do. When Gerard told me what my first appraisal was going to be, I confess it put moths in my stomach. But I took his offer up precisely because I want a challenge. Something more complex and important than keeping bees."

"But-"

She laid a finger on his lips and smiled at him. "I've no doubt that the Freeborn and the... the Sumaah Zemress pilgrims... will see me safely to and from the Republic. Merchants make the trip every season, you know, and nothing bad happens to them. And I am absolutely certain the Sumaah will not let a hungry drake or deadly panther eat me. I'm sure they don't let monstrous predators lurk around their cities, and Timoj is one of the great cities of the world as I understand it. It's lovely that the family are so worried, and I will miss you all just as much as you miss me, but I'll be back before you know it. Back in time for the Winter Solstice feast. I'm not going to miss Melisandre's first feast as earl, am I??"

She continued to gaze into Roderick's eyes. There was a great well of love there, but also that hard core of steel that had served her so well as earl and would serve her well dealing with the people of the Sumaah Republic. He looked away.

"Yes my ea-. Yes mother," he said quietly. She patted his arm.

"Excellent. Now, I'm going to go and say goodbye to the children. You can make yourself useful by putting those broad shoulders of yours to good use and carrying my trunk down to the wagon."

The unfamiliar spirits of the deep jungle are equally dangerous and enticing to Imperial scholars.

Overview

At the Spring Equinox, the Senate took advantage of an opportunity brokered by the Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic, Accalon of Felix's Watch, regarding magical cooperation between the Empire and the Sumaash. The Senate elected to send the freshly-appointed prognosticator Lisane de Terresford on the task, to "appraise how the High Houses of Virtue and the Imperial Conclave can find ways to co-operate in interactions with eternals".

The former Dawnish earl took passage to the Sumaah Republic immediately after the Spring Equinox, and made the crossing safely. She and her small staff have been granted apartments in Timoj, the capital city of the Republic, as guests of the High Houses of Wisdom and Vigilance. Lisane is expected to remain in Timoj for the next several seasons, and will not be available to undertake other appraisals until she returns to the Empire. As the Summer Solstice approaches, however, a preliminary report has already reached Gerard La Salle.

Wisdom of the Conclave

During the Summer Solstice the Conclave can send a single order to support the appraisal
This will end the order's involvement in any other project
The order will be engaged until the start of the Winter Solstice 383YE
The order chosen will contribute to the outcome of the appraisal depending on its nature

As discussed in the original proposal, the Sumaash are happy to host a delegation from a single Conclave order to support Lisane. Her initial report is dense, full of information about the situation in Sumaah, partly because she believes this will help the Conclave to determine which order would be best suited to make the long journey to the southern shores of the Sea of Salt.

During the Summer Solstice, the Conclave may choose to ask one order to contribute to the ongoing appraisal. This requires an order to raise a declaration of Concord following the usual rules for guiding an order. If the Conclave agrees, members of the order will travel to the Sumaah Republic to support Lisane and her team. It would not be possible to guide that order again until the Winter Solstice, which is also when the outcome of their involvement will be presented to the Empire. Guiding an order already involved elsewhere - such as in the fighting against Cold Sun - will end their participation in the situation.

If more than one such declaration passes the Conclave, the last one to pass will win out.

Any order could be dispatched to Sumaah; there are members of each who are enthusiastic about the opportunity. Any order could secure a benefit for the Empire, but only some of them would do so by supporting Lisane and her team. Some orders have different areas of concern, and will make use of the opportunity to be hosted in the Republic in ways that are only peripherally associated with studying eternals. The civil service are confident that sufficient magicians will work with Lisane, so there's no chance of a diplomatic incident unless one of the orders goes out of its way to cause one, and the appraisal will still be successful no matter who goes.

The Sevenfold Path are the most obvious order to send to Sumaah. If this order is chosen, their contribution will help focus the appraisal on ways for the Synod to help guide the Conclave in its interactions with the eternal realms.
The Celestial Arch are diplomats, and well versed in dealing with eternals. If this order is chosen, their contribution will involve making contact with non-Assembly magicians, and learning more about eternals the Empire does not currently have relations with.
The Shuttered Lantern may have a shadowy reputation, but part of their remit is to use magic in the detection and monitoring of threats. Their contribution to the appraisal will be to focus on the ways that the Sumaash keep their people safe from eternal influence without access to the Declaration of Alignment, and to any unique eternal threats the Empire is blind to or blasé about.
If the Rod and Shield are dispatched to support the appraisal, their contribution will be to look at how the Sumaash use magic on the battlefield. For a nation extremely hesitant to use rituals such as Knights of Glory, they must make up the "shortfall" in other ways.
The Silver Chalice would encourage the appraisal to look for ways that Sumaash magicians and Imperial magicians could pool their lore of magical healing, especially with regard to eternal boons. The jungles of Sumaah are known to be rich in rare healing fruits and plants, and its likely that the Chalice could learn more about such things and perhaps even gain access to them.
The Golden Pyramid are generally not as excited about matters of spirituality, but are excited about potential trade opportunities with the Republic. Their "contribution" will be to seek out opportunities to secure new trade goods, especially those related to eternals, or new routes to the Sumaah Republic for Imperial merchants.
The Unfettered Mind are relentlessly enthusiastic about magic of all kinds. If they are guided to Sumaah, they will provide minimal support to the actual appraisal underway. Instead, they will reach out to non-Assembly magicians, discuss matters of magical theory, learn about Sumaah's magical colleges, explore magic familiar to Sumaash magicians but not in use in the Empire, and make a study of the "spiritual materialism" tradition that many Sumaah magicians employ. If the Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind were particularly interested in one of these themes more than the others they could mention it in their Declaration, and the Unfettered Mind magicians would focus some their attention in that direction, at least at first.

Regardless of which order is chosen - if any - the trip represents a rare opportunity to gain access to the magicians of the Sumaah Republic. It is not likely to be one that gets repeated any time soon.

Accalon of Felix's Watch, Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic

Virtue and Magic

The first part of Lisane's preliminary report provides a general overview of attitudes to magic and eternals

The first part of Lisane's report discusses the general Sumaah attitude to magic, magicians, and eternals. It builds on and informs common knowledge, and it seems some things "everyone knows" about the Republic may be outdated or based on misconceptions.

Sumaash Magicians

Many magicians in Sumaah are also präster, and each of the High Houses contain ritual magicians who specialise in specific areas of magic that support the wider role of the House. For example, within the Assembly of Prosperity are several covens that specialise in enchantments that lead to increased wealth, while divination is carefully studied by both the vigilant and the wise. This same attitude extends to dealing with eternals; within each of the Houses are some magicians experienced with dealing with the creatures of the realms.

That is not to say that all magicians are priests, or that only the High Houses work with magic. Far from it. The practice of ritual magic is not as widespread or organised as it is in the Empire, but there are still large numbers of practitioners from all walks of life spread across the Republic. It is a misconception that the priesthood "controls" all magic in the Republic. As with all Sumaash, their magicians are acutely aware of the virtuous implications of their skills, and naturally look to the präster for guidance on how best to reconcile magic with faith. In particular, they are alert to the threat of idolatry - subsuming their human destiny to inhuman entities. Perhaps as a result, the practice of goetia is banned in the Republic, and a Sumaash tradition similar to Imperial theurgy is only practised by dedicated präster. Lisane also notes that there are serious restrictions on a number of rituals Imperial magicians might consider harmless such as Chamber of Delights or Crystal Clarity of the Rational Soul, and that the Sumaash approach to the creation of arcane projections appears to be very much more controlled than it is in the Empire. The focus of the appraisal, for now at least, is on the eternals however and the prognosticator focuses her efforts on that first and foremost.

Whenever a Sumaah coven is anticipating an interaction with an eternal, or one of their heralds, they usually seek the support of one of the präster. The priest serves as an advisor, ensuring that virtue and the Way are foremost in the minds of those dealing with inhuman creatures. There is no law that demands this; rather the long experience of Sumaah magicians demonstrates that having a präst on hand tends to lead to better outcomes. The präst doesn't need to be present for every interaction - there are covens trusted to engage with certain eternals or use certain rituals without oversight. For example, as long as the questions and answers are discussed with a präst there is no requirement to log every single performance of Swim Leviathan's Depth (or its Sumaah equivalent at least).

On the other hand, anyone known to be regularly interacting with creatures of the realms without the support or advice of one of the präster will find themselves called to inquisition by the High House of Vigilance and asked to give a thorough report on their dealings. Those unable or unwilling to do so to the satisfaction of the assembly may face serious censure. Sumaah is determined to ensure that their nation remains uncorrupted by the influence of the inhuman eternals.

Anathema and Tolerance

Eternals and virtue
No Sumaash would describe an eternal as "virtuous". The common attitude is that the inhuman entities of the realms are incapable of virtue. While the Republic has in recent years begun to re-examine its prejudice that only humans are capable of following the Way, the idea that an eternal or herald might be able to do so is rejected wholeheartedly. The idea that an eternal might possess anything approaching a soul is considered actively blasphemous. Any eternal that claims interest in virtue is presumed to be engaging in misdirection or manipulation and the subject of immediate suspicion. Obviously this belief further reinforces the careful and suspicious attitude to the eternals.

An eternal has only two states in the Republic - tolerated or anathema
Without a Conclave the Sumaah must use more direct methods to guard against hostile eternals

There is no body in the Republic analogous to the Conclave. When it comes to dealings with eternals, the Assembly of Vigilance takes an active role and ultimately wields the legal power to declare a given eternal to be anathema. Dealing with an eternal who has been declared anathema is a serious offence that may result in the death penalty. While anathema is superficially similar to the status of enmity there is no equivalent of amity in Sumaah. All eternals are either tolerated (equivalent to neutrality) or anathema. In the past when a new eternal was encountered, all interactions with it would be undertaken by präster, or Vigilant magicians, until the High House had weighed it and determined if it was anathema or not.

Even this status of neutrality is not quite the same as that in the Empire - there are no Sumaah titles specifically dedicated to liaising with an eternal. Emissary to the Celestial Library, Shadowed Torchbearer, and Churnspire Adjutor would all be considered dangerously close to idolatry. There are likewise no titles analogous to archmage - at least not in terms of their interaction with the realms. The equivalent of an Imperial enchantment such as Hallow of the Green World is unknown in Sumaah, and if it were its practice would be anathema. Even rituals such as the Golden magicians fayre would be condemned - the idea of providing an eternal access to the Republic in such an uncontrolled way would horrify most Sumaash.

There is also, as previously noted, no Conclave. The functions that might be wielded by that body in the Empire are either absent, or employed by the House of the People or one of the Houses of Virtue instead. The Sumaash view the idea of leaving decisions on the use of magic and items to magicians to decide by themselves to be dubious at best. Deciding what magic is safe to use is fundamentally a matter of Virtue and requires the appropriate expertise.

Eternals and Free Will
A common philosophical view in Sumaah is that eternals are physically incapable of Virtue, because they don't have free will. In the view of some präster, free will is fundamental to the exercise of Virtue. Nobody would suggest that a sword is courageous for taking the battlefield. Eternals they argue, are eternal and unchanging, their nature is fixed. They cannot change or be changed. If their nature cannot change, can eternals actually be said to exercise any choices at all about the actions they take? Do they have free will? If they do not, then how can they be any more virtuous than a sword or a shield?

One area where the Empire has a clear advantage is dealing with hostile eternals. The metaphysical defence provided by enmity is not perfect, but it does greatly reduce the threat of an eternal influencing Imperial citizens. The Sumaah are forced to use more mundane methods to protect their people. The Assembly of Vigilance - and to a lesser degree the Assemblies of Wisdom and Pride - maintain or coordinate cadres of Sumaash investigators and warriors who actively seek out the machinations of enemy eternals and put a stop to them. These groups of "idolator hunters" are widely respected, and their investigation of suspicious events usually welcomed. They're also heavily subsidised by the House of the People, meaning that they are well equipped to deal with the unpredictable enemies of the Republic they hunt.

The Republic use warding magic to complement this approach. Rituals such as There Is No Welcome Here may be employed, but the Sumaash also use hearth magic wards. One common practice is to build a shrine or temple over or near a strong regio when it is identified, allowing comings and goings of heralds to be carefully monitored or prevented. This is harder to do with regio in the deep jungle, but even so there are apparently several places of pilgrimage dedicated to maintaining a vigilant watch on the "verdant wastelands" of the wild tropical forests.

Lisane notes that these virtuous practices mirror Imperial efforts such as the War of Whispers, the hunt of the Suaq Wastes, or the practices of vigilant folk in Varushka in response to the threats of their own cold wilderness.

Refusal

The Sumaah are very cautious in accepting any eternal boon

Unlike the Empire, the Sumaah are very suspicious of many eternals, including Eleonaris, eschewing her boons and declaring her anathema.

The Sumaah are much more likely to turn down a boon or an eternal offer of aid than to accept it. In theory every eternal boon is weighed carefully, usually with the guidance of at least one präst, and in some cases might even be discussed with a statement of principle before it is accepted. Powerful boons are often presented for scrutiny by the House of the People as well, especially if they are likely to impact the citizens of a territory or region. The more powerful and all-encompassing a boon is, the more scrutiny it demands, so potent, far-reaching boons are rarely taken up simply because the risks involved are usually considered too large or too difficult to assess.

Rituals that draw on the power of an eternal directly are less common among Sumaash magicians. There are a few - a version of Swim Leviathan's Depth for example is relatively well known. One of the Sumaah responsible for hosting Lisane, a magician-präst named Chikkal, Assessor of the High House of Vigilance expands a little on this, explaining that even in those uncommon cases where such a ritual is created, it will almost always be bound with a stricture that it may only legally be performed in the presence of a priest, or with the approval of an assessor from one of the High Houses. This is done to ensure that the eternals do not begin to exert subtle control over magicians who may become reliant on such magic, or influence the subjects of such magic in a way that is unvirtuous.

Chikkal's view is that no human ever needs an eternal boon, however much they may want them. Any agreement with an eternal, they argue, will invariably tarnish the virtue of the one who seeks it, and risk corrupting their fellows. "Easy is not the same as virtuous," claims Chikkal piously. While it initially seems Chikkal speaks for the majority of the präster, Lisane notes that it quickly becomes apparent that there are any number of other opinions on the matter and many priests openly disagree with the ultra-conservative approach of peers such as Chikkal. Still, there is a common stereotype in the Republic that Imperial magicians unwisely seek every advantage they can gain from inhuman spirits rather then relying on themselves and their fellow humans. The unwise bargainer who brings ruin on themselves by making deals with eternal spirits is a very common character in Sumaah literature, there are scores of cautionary tales whose ultimate fate is so awful, it provides a sobering example to readers or audience.

Republican Eternals

The second part of Lisane's preliminary report provides an overview of the eternals the Republic has encountered
The Sumaah deal with a much smaller group of eternals than the Empire does
Some eternals are known by very different names and appearances in the Republic
There appear to be some eternals known in the Republic that are not familiar to Lisane or her staff

The second part of Lisane's preliminary report deals with the actual eternals the Sumaash deal with (or don't deal with). Sumaah don't commonly group the eternals together in the same way their Imperial peers do. Rather than focusing on which realm they hail from, the only significant division is between "tolerated" and "anathema". Lisane, however, falls back on Imperial categorization, simply because her report is intended for Imperial eyes.

One of the challenges Lisane faces is that the Sumaah frequently use different names for eternals to those used in the Empire, and like the Empire they have many different sobriquets for the eternals. This may well be the root of some misconceptions about the beings the Republic deals with. The Empire has long considered Yaw'nagrah for example to be favoured in Sumaah, but it seems likely this was based on a misconception based on the at-the-time unknown eternal Ossegrahn (given the Green Mother is anathema in the Republic and has been for much of its history).

In most cases the prognosticators have been able to link the names of Sumaash eternals to those known in the Empire, but there are some cases where there is no direct correlation. In the case of these "unknown" eternals, she has been able to gather a little information, enough to satisfy herself that they are probably distinct entities. It is entirely possible that some of these unfamiliar eternals are actually powerful lieutenants (heralds) of a more familiar eternal. Sadly, an in-depth study of individual eternals in Sumaah is beyond the scope of this appraisal.

Of Spring

Ossegrahn and Arhallogen are tolerated in Sumaah
Wind Panther appears to be an unfamiliar eternal, who is tolerated
Siakha, Ira Harrah, Yaw'nagrah and Llofir are all anathema

Of the Spring eternals familiar to the Empire, only two are tolerated. Rainbird, with his power to help mend wounds, bring fresh water, and promote wholesome growth, provides boons useful to the Republic's farmers and healers alike. The Assembly of Prosperity keeps a weather-eye on magicians who deal closely with the eternal, most prominent among which is the coven of The Wellspring (which met with Imperial magicians in 383YE). The problem is that Rainbird regularly seeks to encourage the Republic to abandon its virtuous war against the unvirtuous. Rainbird is told "no" on a regular basis, which means that his power is generally restricted to the small scale - empowering individual physicks or bringing fertile rains to farms for example.

Wicked Fangs is barely tolerated, and the High Houses have gone back and forth on it several times over the years. In stark contrast to Rainbird, it actively encourages the Sumaah to slaughter their enemies without mercy; to strike before their foes are ready; and to use whatever tools are available to them to do so. While it is popular in some quarters, many präster question whether its boons are compatible with virtue. Regardless, there are Sumaah warriors who embrace the venomous or warlike enchantments it offers to bring down their enemies. Lisane remarks that there is historical evidence it offered significant aid when the Sumaash threw off the yoke of the Asaveans.

The other Spring eternal the Sumaash deal with seems to be unknown in the Empire. Commonly known as Wind Panther, it seems to be a creature of the Spring realm associated with hunting, and to a degree fishing. It apparently encourages both self-sufficiency and support of one's family or community through direct action. Wind Panther is most often called on for her powerful boons that empower skirmishers and archers to fight monsters, hunters to track and dispatch dangerous prey, or to bring down predators that would threaten the family. Given that the jungles of Sumaah are, at least to Imperial eyes, swarming with dangerous creatures on every scale, these boons have apparently proved vital in the past.

Storm Bringer and Hungry Forest are anathema because they are creatures of destructive chaos that are at odds with civilisation; they are despised in the same way that Imperial citizens might feel about Blood on the Snow. Shadow Slinker was an ally of the Sumaah generations ago, but today it is anathema because it seeks to lure people away from Virtue, and provides boons to the Republic's enemies. Blood Choke is an unpredictable creature of the deep wilderness that has nothing to offer the Sumaah and is associated with a particular poisonous fungus that causes agonizingly slow death if eaten in error. While anathema it seems to mostly ignore the Republic although, as with Shadow Slinker, it provides boons to some of the people the Sumaah are at war with.

Of Summer

Cathan Canae, Rhianos and Adamant are tolerated
All the other Summer eternals are anathema

Of the eternals of the Summer realm, Stone Dragon, Ninth Wave, and Thunder Drake are tolerated. Stone Dragon provides useful boons and rarely wants anything unvirtuous in exchange. It's still illegal to accept his aid to build buildings dedicated to virtue however - any temple or shrine must be shaped by human hands alone.

Ninth Wave is also tolerated, but remains controversial with interactions carefully monitored to ensure that folk are not being lead astray by unvirtuous endeavour. It is clear that the eternal desires mortals to embrace peril for the excitement it brings - such motivation is dubious at best and the endeavours themselves are frequently desperately irresponsible in nature. However moments of great Virtue often occur while engaged on such exploits and so the eternal is tolerated. Even so they are primarily dealt with by Frieøyer magicians rather than by the Republic as a whole.

Thunder Lizard - characterised as an immense drake of the deep jungle - is tolerated for her straightforward approach to the Republic. Her magical citadel is one of the few rituals that draw directly on an eternal that is regularly employed. She also promotes warrior-ideals which are seen as compatible with virtue, and significantly more acceptable in general than those taken from Wicked Fangs.

The rest of the Summer eternals known by the Empire are anathema in the Republic. This includes White Snake, Blood Eagle, Flame Wing, and especially Sun Drake. The latter in particular is seen as an enemy of the Sumaah thanks to her dangerously unvirtuous creed of personal glory and warrior-supremacy. There are nonetheless some small hidden cults dedicated to her service, and the Vigilant remain alert to any rumour of their corrupting influence. The Lord of the Arena is known, but likewise considered anathema. The Sumaash attitude is that it is good to test oneself, but question the Virtue of doing so for rewards granted by some inhuman force. The virtuous should always be open to challenges, but in pursuit of human destiny, not dancing to the tune of an eternal. Lisane notes that there is a long history here, with fragmentary stories that suggest the Lord of the Arena is associated in the Sumaah memory with the Asaveans, and the hated satraps, although they were unwilling to discuss the details.

The Republic never uses titles such as king, queen, or (outside of the Lord of the Arena), lord or lady for any eternal. Simply calling someone like Sun Drake, the "Lady of Pennants" or naming Thunder Lizard, the "Queen of Ice and Darkness" would be treated as a minor act of idolatry. This makes the odd nomenclature for the eternal the Empire knows as Barien particularly stand out. The one exception to this abhorrence of titles, is "satrap" which is frequently used in sobriquets for the more corrupt and wicked eternals - particularly those of the Autumn realm.

Of Autumn

Estavus and Ephisis are tolerated
Polyptoton is not entirely familiar to the Empire and is tolerated
Prospero, Callidus, Basileia, and the Lictors are anathema
The Satrapy of Discord appear to be part of an unfamiliar city of the Autumn realm that is anathema

One of the more popular eternals among Sumaah magicians is Fire Mountain, also known as the Anvil of Thunder and Granite. The Republic is not rich in ore, and a common bargain between Sumaash and Fire Mountain involves the trade of natural materials for valuable metals. From the point of view of the Sumaah, the prices demanded by the Anvil of Thunder and Granite for its aid tend to be straightforward, and deeply transactional, in a way that does not threaten virtue. Even so, it is much more common to deal with Fire Mountain to secure raw materials than worked goods, however. There is a fairly common belief that purchasing worked goods from Fire Mountain deprives a mortal human of their industry and Prosperity.

The Eternal Bazaar is tolerated, but carefully monitored due to its refusal to abide by the laws of the House of the People, or the dictates of the High Houses in what it will trade. Interactions with the Eternal Bazaar are limited to magician-präster of the High House of Prosperity. The ritual Ephisis' Scale is not practised in the Republic; any deals with the Bazaar are undertaken "face to face" with heralds rather than being left in the hands of an easily-accessible and impossible to restrict ritual. The Eternal Bazaar is also a source of friction within the Republic; the High House of Prosperity argues that the boons it provides are worth the need for constant vigilance while other präster are often less convinced. So far, however, the High Houses have not declared the eternal to be anathema.

The "Great Turtle", the eternal Polyptoton, the City of Salt and Sail - this eternal spoke with the Empire via its herald for the first time last season.

The Great Turtle or the Wandering Port, with the ability to carry messages across great distances almost instantaneously, is tolerated by the Sumaah. The heralds of the eternal rarely demand anything the Sumaah consider unvirtuous, although they have clashed with the censors of the High House of Vigilance in the past over their unnatural veneration of the written word over matters of virtue. The Great Turtle is also sought out for boons related to protecting or aiding ships, especially merchant vessels, particularly where they help them avoid or outrun the more powerful vessels of the Asavean Archipelago. Lisane believes that while the eternal was previously, largely unknown in the Empire, there have been recent developments that indicate this is no longer the case.

The rest of the Autumn realm is kept at arms length, either because they have nothing Sumaah wants or because they are considered active threats. The Satrapy of Rope, the Wheedling Spider seeks to trap the virtuous with bonds of unnatural obligation, and all too often threaten to draw innocent people into idolatry. The Satrapy of Cages are seen as an inhuman force trying to meddle in virtuous laws. The Satrapy of Hunger and their leader Drooling Maw fundamentally preach materialism and obsession with the accumulation of wealth. Worst of all are the inhabitants of the Satrapy of Lies; corrosive enemies of virtue who work to corrode the souls of the virtuous and want to mire every human in murder, betrayal, and treachery. The High House of Loyalty see the Satrapy of Lies as particular enemies. Whenever a herald from the City of Lies is found in the Republic it is summarily executed; nothing good is built on a foundation of lies.

One other set of eternals - the Satrapy of Discord - are anathema in the Republic but are unfamiliar to Lisane. Reporting to a leader the Sumaah call Mockingbray, they apparently hail from a city that burns with the fire of riot, rebellion, and revolution. According to the High House of Wisdom, these heralds once offered aid in the rebellion against the hated Asavean satraps, but then immediately tried to ruin any attempt to create a new government. Mockingbray, the ruler of the City of Wreckage, is always looking for ways to undermine tradition; to burn everything down in pursuit of a state of abominable anarchy. Obviously, once its true nature was clear, it was immediately proscribed by the Sumaah.

Lisane theorises that this might be a version of the entity once known as Mazen, but the Lord of Masks is widely recognised as part of the Satrapy of Lies. The Sumaah say the Satrapy of Discord is still active, which would mean that if reports of that creature's demise are to be trusted, this would have to be a different eternal.

Of Winter

Wise Rangara is tolerated
An unfamiliar eternal named Pale Jaguar is tolerated
Agramant, the Thrice-cursed Court, Sorin, and Kaela are anathema
Khobel Tavah appears to be unknown in the Republic

Only two Winter eternals are tolerated among the Sumaah. White Eye Serpent is a black-scaled creature associated with "wisdom" that is one of the oldest spirits known to the Republic. It isn't wisdom as the virtuous understand it, but more the importance of learning difficult lessons, questioning assumptions, and cleaving to tradition. It's a font of herbal lore, and has ways of bringing out human insight that can prove invaluable. One reason it is tolerated is that it rarely if ever seeks to provide answers, but will offer aid to nudge someone along the path towards understanding a situation through their own efforts.

Pale Jaguar or the Maiden of Mists is not an eternal familiar to Lisane. It seems to be a Winter eternal of trackless places, that represents becoming lost, the deep jungle, and a primaeval fear of the wilderness. It also speaks of the importance of memory, especially remembering the dead or the lost, and the importance of perseverance even against an end that seem inevitable. While few magicians deal with Pale Jaguar, a small group of Sumaah mystics interact with the eternal with the blessing of the High House of Wisdom. They engage in long durances in the wilds of the jungle, hoping to unlock visionary experiences or temper their bodies or spirits. One of Lisane's staff wonders if this might simply be a particular guise of the eternal the Empire knows as Sorin, designed to circumvent his anathema. For the moment, there is no evidence one way or the other, but it appears that once one peels away the more mystical levels the Maiden of Mists is much more explicitly concerned with matters of survival, preservation, and certain ideas of wisdom than the Whelpmaster seems to be.

In the Republic Sorin is known as the Bone Dragon, and is depicted as a great skeletal drake whose encouragement of sacrifice, suffering, and hidden traps makes him anathema. He is depicted in stories as lurking on the edge of civilisation, seeking to steal away the unwary to devour their flesh or consume their spirits. Some of these stories cast Bone Dragon in the traditional role of a "bogeyman" - he appears in that role occasionally in cautionary tales for children especially.

The Traitor, who has easily as many aliases as he does in the Empire, is anathema as a matter of course, but among the Sumaah is numbered as a member of the Satrapy of Woe. The Corrupters are active opponents of the Republic and particularly the High Houses of Virtue. The Vigilance assembly puts a great deal of effort into trying to prevent them from interfering in the affairs of the Republic or corrupting the foolish with their tainted gifts. The Dread Condor on Silent Wings is anathema, primarily due to her open offer of what appears to be eternal servitude via her Silent Household, but responds by simply ignoring the Republic in a similar manner to Llofir.

Finally, Khobel Tavah is unknown in the Republic, and they express no interest in learning more about them.

Of Day

Zakalwe, Kimus, Leviathan, and Phaleron are all tolerated
Span of the Sky is an unfamiliar eternal who is tolerated
Sinokenon, Roshanwe, Ylenwe, and Cold Sun are all anathema

The eternals of Day are among the most popular of the eternals the Republic deals with (for a given value). Brilliant Javelin is one of the few martial eternals the Sumaah tolerate; its interest in encouraging rather than leading is seen as less of a challenge to the pursuit of virtue. Along with Thunder Lizard, they are the eternal most likely to see their boons accepted on the battlefield. Mirror of Dawn and Dusk is considered to be a strange and esoteric entity, whose ability to gather information and willingness to provide it are as welcome as its requests to observe events are seen as unthreatening.

The Watcher in the Waters is tolerated because it seems to have little active agenda beyond discussing history and current events with mortals. The chief concern is that magicians are too ready to accept the answers the eternal provides, without stopping to consider that while the Watcher maybe eternal, they are not the Creator. Präster are quick to remind those who deal with this eternal that just because the being expresses boundless confidence in its abilities, it is not infallible.

The Archive of Rainbow Coral is likewise tolerated due to its limited agenda. It is clear that the Archive values the preservation of knowledge far and above the preservation of life, but that is something that can be managed by those who deal with it. More of a problem is Phaleron's jealous attitude to the information it contains, which is occasionally decried as counter to human destiny.

A fifth eternal of the Day realm, unfamiliar to Imperial prognosticators, is also tolerated. Span of the Sky appears to be concerned with wind and water, and favoured by a small number of magicians that live along the coast including the Frieøyer. There is speculation this might be an aspect of Kimus, but it is treated as distinct by the magicians that deal with it. Notably, the groups that interact with it most apparently also field cadres of battle-mages whose mastery of the repel and entangle spells are invaluable when fighting the Republic's enemies.

By contrast, Stupid Moon is anathema; its efforts to undermine the House of the People and push the Houses of Virtue to prominence have won it the enmity of most of the Republic and any attempt to make contact with Sumaah magicians is met with violence. At first two others considered anathema - the siblings Salt Mask and Silk Mask - were assumed to be unfamiliar eternals but further investigation indicated there were Sumaash names for Roshanwe and Ylenwe. According to Chikkal, Assessor of Vigilance, these two creatures are deceivers and liars who present a false-face to mortals in which they appear to be concerned with matters of virtue but in fact seek to subvert and twist the faithful into engaging in idolatry.

Finally, there is Oblivion. The eternal has had no interaction with the Republic, but the High Houses of Virtue have lost no time in declaring it anathema. Anyone attempting to make contact with Cold Sun will be executed, and there is some discussion of whether it might be best to excommunicate such criminals if they emerge. The High House of Vigilance regard the matter as settled there - given their emphasis on Virtue, they are confident that nobody will be unwise enough to approach the eternal, given how appalling the consequences have been elsewhere.

Of Night

Sung and Lashonar are tolerated in the Republic
An unfamiliar eternal named Deep Drummer is tolerated
Janon, Sadogua, Azoth, and the Whisper Gallery are anathema
Azoth appears unknown in the Republic

Moon Moth is idly tolerated. She is depicted as a huge rainbow-winged moth who encourages mortals to pursue the great mysteries of the world and the spirit, without claiming to be an authority on either. This includes the mysteries of virtue and the Labyrinth, and apparently she has offered boons relating to both the cultivation of iridescent gloaming and the creation of potions that help pursue spiritual matters. Lisane notes with interest that the Sumaah apparently believe that all moths are agents of Moon Moth, and that the reason they are never seen during the day is that they pass into the Night realm when the sun rises. This belief, and the toleration of Sung, apparently dates back to a time long before the foundation of the Republic.

Chattering Bird is tolerated, but only just. As with the Great Turtle, it provides useful abilities for the Sumaah to communicate with others that they cannot achieve themselves - access to the Caucus Forum is considered a valuable resource. Whenever it attempts to have an opinion on politics the virtuous quickly shut it and its followers down. One interesting proscription Lisane notes is that it is illegal to accept boons from Chattering Bird related to preaching the Way in the same vein in which it is illegal to accept the aid of Stone Dragon to build places of virtue.

"Moon Moth" is the most common Sumaah Republic name for the eternal the Empire knows as Sung; rather than a feathered serpent they depict her as an insect with beautiful iridescent wings.

There is another eternal tolerated by the Sumaah that at first is mistaken for Janon. The Deep Drummer is a creature that appears to represent mystical ideas of catharsis, the channelling strong emotions, and celebration of victories and achievements. It is popular not only with Sumaah warriors, but also with artists as it encourages them to both express and inspire strong feelings through their art. The High House of Vigilance has clashed with the High Houses of Courage and Pride in the past around the toleration of Deep Drummer, who are concerned that the eternals enthusiasm for celebration can lead the virtuous astray. The Sumaah apparently view Deep Drummer as the sibling or spouse of Whirling Chaos, claiming the former is a creature of balance where the latter is a creature of discord.

The rest of the Night realm is anathema in Sumaah. Seducer, the Satrap of Bats, is famously despised in the Sumaah Republic. He shamelessly encourages magicians to put their own selfish concerns above virtue, and regularly opined that the assemblies should "butt out" of magicians' affairs. He was also involved in early attempts to form a magical fraternity similar on paper to the Imperial Conclave, that was roundly rejected on grounds of being a terrible idea two hundred years ago. The eternal itself is one of those that still seeks to deal with Sumaash magicians, and its influence is actively resisted by the hunters of idolators.

Whirling Chaos, as has already been mentioned, is anathema. A dangerously unpredictable entity that appears on the surface to encourage Virtue but is actually a creature of anarchy who does not care what people feel as long as they allow their passions to consume them utterly. The Screaming Monkey Kings are also anathema, not least because they cannot be trusted in any way not to support the Asavean Archipelago at every turn. Lisane mentions that Chikkal, Assessor of the High House of Vigilance, seems to take the existence of the Screaming Monkey Kings as a personal affront and that this attitude is by no means uncommon in the Republic.

The Sumaah do not seem to be familiar with the eternal Azoth, and on learning more about them, Chikkal suggests there will be little interest in changing that situation.

Design Note

Unknown eternals begin disinclined to speak to the Empire
This is the first part of an appraisal that will run over several events

The preliminary report includes an overview of the eternals, and introduces several that appear to be unknown in the Empire. While there is enough information here for Imperial magicians to attempt to contact one of these eternals, if they wished, all start from a position of disinterest in the Empire. While an eternal is bound to respond to a plenipotentiary, as has been seen previously on several occasions that response can be a polite (or impolite) refusal.

Most Imperial magicians will be aware that if these eternals desired a relationship with the Empire, they would already be pursuing one. It's also important to bear in mind that none of the creatures mentioned here are more powerful or more inclined to offer better deals than the eternals the Empire already deals with. Whenever a new eternal starts paying attention to the Empire it will often create more problems than it solves - Lord Rain is arguable on this point, Cold Sun less so...

The opportunity to send a prognosticator to the Sumaah Republic to engage with an appraisal means they will be unavailable for several seasons. In contrast to some previous opportunities, our intent is to present part of the appraisal each event until this time is up. One reason is to prevent the requirement to do a single massive appraisal at the end of the period, the other is to reinforce the idea that this is an opportunity - the invitation of the Sumaah presents further options to gather a deeper understanding of the situation. This wind of fortune presents the opportunity for the Conclave to engage in the Republic, and expands the information about magic in Sumaah and their attitudes to the eternals. The next stage of the appraisal will present opportunities related to adapting the Sumaah Republic attitude to the eternals. The nature of the final stage of the appraisal, presented at the Winter Solstice, will depend on which of the orders - if any - the Conclave has chosen to send to the Republic.