In the ground
"Should we wake gramgram?" Rosie whispered. The siblings looked over to their great grandmother, snoozing in her rocking chair. Her ancient cat opened one eye balefully to stare at them then went back to sleep on her lap with all three legs in the air.
"Best not," said Jim after some thought. "Remember what mam said about gramgram needing her sleep."
"We're not being rowdy tho," disagreed his sister. "We're being haunted by a monster that wants to eat us!"
Rosie sounded more excited than frightened at the thought of being eaten by the figure at the gate. Jim peeked out again. She was still there.
"What're we going to doooo?" whined Rosie. There were tears on the horizon if Jim didn't come up with something. He gave it a bit more thought. Friar Hulda always said that if in doubt, do something, because even if you do something wrong at least you've found out what you shouldn't have done. Something like that, anyway. he'd not really been listening.
Resolved, he crept across the kitchen to the stove and ladled several generous portions of still-warm stew into a wooden bowl. After a great deal of whispered argument, he persuaded Rosie to slip into the pantry and pour some creamy milk into another bowl. Together they unlatched the kitchen door and cautiously snuck down toward the gate. Jim felt his sister's cold hand creep into his own, and decided to hold it for a little bit to help her feel safer.
Close up, the woman was a good deal taller and even more unsettling to look at. Her face and hands bore intricate raised designs, like great-uncle James' sailor tattoos only different. The hand resting on top of the gate did not have fingernails but rather bony claws. Her eyes were disturbingly bright yellow, set back into deep sockets, and her teeth were pointed, all of them, like a rats. Most unsettling of all were the metal spines jutting out of her cheeks. They looked rusted, and the skin around them was discoloured like old blood. As soon as she saw the siblings, she stood up even taller and leaned slightly forward, with an expression she may well have thought was reassuring but was in fact very much the opposite of that.
"Ah, children," she said. Her voice was breathy, whispery, almost musical, but with an undertone that made Jim uneasy. "I thought I saw you peeking at me. So brave, to come down and meet me at the gate. Will you let me in? I have business with your greatmother."
Jim bit his lip, hard. He was a little worried he was going to wet himself, but he steeled his resolve and with a hand that barely trembled he held out the bowl of stew up toward the woman. He elbowed Rosie, and after a moment she remembered what she was meant to do. She offered the bowl of milk, which slopped a little over the side.
"Would you like something to eat," asked Jim. "And maybe something to wash it down with, you must be tired after your long journey."
The creature's eye twitched, and the yellow colour darkened towards red. It ground its teeth, turning it's head from side to side as it stared at the children. A long tongue the colour of an earthworm licked the bruised lips. Then it leant even further forward reaching over the fence with clawed hands towards Jim and his sister.
"It does smell tasty," she said, almost against her will. "Yes, I will accept this offering of warm meat and cold milk, children. And then you must let me come in.
"You can come in," said Jim. Rosie gasped. The creature grinned, but his next words wiped the triumphant expression off its face. "And as our guest, you'll promise to be on your best behaviour?"
"Why would you worry about something like that, little man?" The creature was trying to laugh it off, but Jim had been well trained by his gramgram. He didn't mistake a question for an agreement and stayed firm. Their pale visitor continued to glare at him, and then at Rosie who started to whimper slightly and moved closer to her brother. But she kept the bowl of milk extended and after a few unpleasant moments, the creature sighed and frowned.
"Fine, fine then. Agreed. I will be the very model of a good guest, of course. I really must speak to your greatmother and as your guest I'm sure you'll take me straight to her. Now hand over the meat and the milk, you awful mistrustful children."
The children moved a little closer and with awful speed their "guest" snapped the bowls out of their hands. Jim tried not to panic at the way her jaw distended as she poured first the stew, then the milk, into her mouth. Her writhing earthworm tongue slurped both bowls clean and then she dropped them at her side. Her eyes glowed like banked coals as she turned her attention back to the siblings, her unsettling smile now disturbingly wide and lazy.
"Delicious." she said. "And now it's time to let me come in and speak to your greatmother, boy. I don't have all night and my king is not a patient one."
Fingers shaking slightly, Jim reached towards the latch, raised it, and the gate slowly swung open.
Overview
The Marches are rarely numbered among the great magical powers of the Empire, but they are by no means deficient in that regard. Their landskeepers see to the wellbeing of the farms and the households, while mummers bring a little magic into the lives of villages and labourers, and the newly re-established smith tradition settles back into their old role of parley with the eternals.
Earlier in the year, the smiths recovered an old boon - the ability once each year in Autumn to send a missive to an eternal in a manner reminiscent of plenipotentiary. Gemma Brightsmith, the current Stone Smith used that boon to contact Adamant and ask for his aid. Heralds of the Deep Dragon have duly responded, visiting the Marches to discuss the boons their master might offer.
However Adamant is not the only eternal with an eye on the Marches as Autumn lengthens into Winter. A veritable army of supernatural soldiers belonging to the Bound King of the Thrice-cursed Court camps out in Upwold, and the attention of that dark monarch is very much on the Marches following the murder of one of his favoured servants. The slayer of Obligatus has been dealt with, but not without cost, and it seems that the Chained One is keen to express gratitude to the landskeepers he believes helped to ensure his particular brand of dark "justice" has been enacted.
At the same time rambunctious heralds of Sadogua have swarmed to the Marches, especially Mournwold, to take part in the annual Wassail festivities. Ever since the Marcher assembly reassured the wizards of their nation that friendship with the Father of Bats was not an issue, the Globbersnotch seems keen to maintain that friendship. This season, his servants are particularly interested in the arts of the mummers, and in turn the Wyrm King offers his boons to those who practice the particularly Marcher take on the magical tradition of dramaturgy.
Three eternals, then, offering their aid, boons, and gifts. Each favours a different path of Marcher magic, one guided by obligation, the other two by a seeming desire to strengthen their relationship with the nation. What can go wrong?
Better to Be the Hammer
- Adamant has responded to a message from the Stone Smith of the Marches which seems to have the force of a plenipotentiary
- The eternal offers three boons but only if the Eastern Guard is recommissioned or given over to him
- The current Stone Smith is Gemma Brightsmith
A month after the Autumn Equinox a visitor arrives at the Woldstone in Upwold; a messenger from the court of the King Under the Mountain. Unlike the koboldi they are neither short nor scaled - they are a tall spindly figure that seems to be composed of unfired clay with eyes of yellow gemstone. Their robe seems to be of an impossible material - cut rock with the flexibility of cloth - and their voice causes the earth beneath their feet to rumble and shift. They bear a message for the smiths at the nearby workshop. Conversation is a little stilted at first, but with the aid of a fine Marcher meal and a half-pint of light beer, the herald and its mortal hosts begin to relax a little.
It appears that Adamant was surprised to receive the words of the Stone Smith Gemma Brightsmith, delivered by the peculiar creature Gull. The Stone King had thought that particular avenue of communication had faded from memory long, long ago. Yet the Dragon of the Deeps is nothing if not a traditionalist, and well prepared to honour agreements no matter how old they are. The herald - who calls itself Meon of the Chisel - asks several probing questions about where the smiths have been all this time, why they are back now, and what this might mean for the Summer realm. Apparently satisfied with the answers, it delivers its messages from its eternal liege over a plate of spiced apples and honey.
Caveat
- Adamant's aid is contingent on something being done about Eastern Guard in Upwold
- The eternal's price is that the Empire recommission the structure or concede it to the Deep Dragon
Adamant is prepared to offer aid to the new smiths and through them the people of the Empire. But there is one very significant caveat. The Impenetrable One is aware that for some reason the Imperial Senate has chosen to decommission the fortress of Eastern Guard in Upwold. This is not something of which Wallshaper approves. Meon of the Chisel explains this at great, exhaustive length. Things should, says the herald, endure. Structures are built of stone so that they may last, and serve their purpose, and to see such an old and storied construction "mistreated" in such a way offends the sensibilities not only of their liege but also of Meon itself.
If the Marchers want any assistance from Adamant in the matter of fortification, then the smiths must prevail on the Senate to either recommission Eastern Guard along with assurances it will remain an enduring symbol of permanence and majesty, or else concede it to the Deep Dragon.
In the latter case, Adamant will take full custody of the historic structure. Meon says that if this happens, Adamant will send his koboldi to evaluate the structure and see how it might best be turned to his uses. There is some concern over this - some of the smiths point out that the King on the Stone Throne has offered significant aid to the Jotun in the past. Meon can offer few assurances beyond saying that his King is honourable and will not use Eastern Guard to harm the people of the Marches without very good reason.
Put Away My Labour
| Farstrider's Watch |
| Commission Type: Fortification Improvement |
| Location: Greensward, Mournwold |
| Cost: 130 white granite, 390 crowns |
| Time: 1 year |
| Upkeep: standard (increases to 30 Thrones) |
Special:
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Effects:
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| Availability: Autumn Equinox 388YE |
- Adamant will offer aid to significantly improve the fortification of Farstrider's Watch
- The commission must be overseen by the Master of the Koboldi or the Imperial Master of Works
- There is an opportunity to support the improvement using weltsilver and orichalcum
Meon begins by explaining that the Hammer of Feresh is a little unsure what aid the Marchers require with regard to Farstrider's Watch. If they wish to use Summer magic to restore the recently reconquered fortress, can they not simply deploy the Hammers of the Brilliant Shore? It is a ritual in Imperial lore after all. Or, better yet, they could expand and reinforce the castle to better represent its key position in defending the Mournwold and the Singing Caves! Indeed, if the Marchers are truly committed to protecting the Mourn, Adamant is prepared to offer assistance to turn it into a truly majestic castle that will cause pride to swell in the hearts of all Marchers who see it.
There is one additional restriction on this offer; to benefit from the boons Adamant offers the expansion of the castle must be commissioned by either the Master of the Koboldi or the Imperial Master of Works. Provided it is commissioned by one of these two then with the aid of Wallshaper, improvement of the fortification would be completed in a year (assuming no further magic is used to speed it up further). The structure would be infused with adamant meaning that it would never collapse unless extremely powerful destructive magic were brought to bear against it.
The eternal's offer remains open until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE. If it has not been commissioned by then, a future arrangement will need to be discussed.
Moon, Sun, and Stone
- Adamant will provide some of the materials needed to improve Farstrider's Watch in return for weltsilver and orichalcum
Discussion of Farstrider's Watch ends with Meon explaining that Adamant has a certain respect for the miners of the Mourn. As such Worldcrafter is prepared to provide some of the materials needed to complete the work, but in return he desires precious metals - specifically pale weltsilver and glorious orichalcum.
For every forty ingots of these two metals the Marcher smiths can provide, he will provider a wain of white granite wains to improve Farstrider's Watch. Indeed, in the unlikely event that the Marchers were able to gather 5,200 ingots the entire cost of the improvements would be covered by the eternal and only money and time would be needed. After discussion at the Stone Smith's Workshop, Meon proposes that the ingots be collected by the smiths and then given to the Marcher egregore - ideally Jonah John rather than Mildred of Mumford if only because the former is known as a particular supporter of the hillfolk of the Mourn. Meon in turn will collect the materials and take them to the Summer realm in exchange for the stone.
This opportunity becomes available at the summit where the work is commissioned, and then each summit until a year has passed (so if the castle work were commissioned at the Winter Solstice, it would be possible to hand over metals until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE).
Fields of Gazing Grain
| Hall of the Kingfisher |
| Commission Type: Fortification |
| Location: Fisher's Rock, Bregasland |
| Cost: 150 white granite, 450 crowns |
| Time: 1 year |
| Upkeep: standard |
Special:
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Effects:
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| Availability: Autumn Equinox 388YE |
- Adamant will help carve a mighty fortification out of Fisher's Rock
- Requires commission by the Master of the Koboldi or Imperial Master of Works
- Adamant will help transform Fisher's Rock into a potent fortification that is unbreakable and unsinkable
The Shaper of Mountains is also interested in the proposal to create a mighty fortification out of the place the Marchers call Fisher’s Rock. Meon mentions that just like Graven Rock, Fisher's Rock is a place that has been fortified by the power of the Liege Unbreakable in the past. The eternal is all in favour of seeing them rise gloriously into the future.
As with Farstrider's Watch, if the Marchers wish Adamant’s aid in fortifying these places, then they will need to enlist the aid of the Master of the Koboldi - who is after all the go-between for the Empire and the servants of Adamant - or the Imperial Master of Works. Adamant seems to believe the Master is the Empire's pre-eminent expert on fortification construction, but on this point he may be mistaken, since the Master has the legal authority to improve fortifications but does not currently have the power to commission a new one.
Rather than commission a typical fortification, the koboldi will help transform Fisher’s Rock into the Keep of the Kingfisher. The work would require 150 wains of white granite, and only 450 crowns labour costs - the koboldi would undertake to transport materials as well as help build the thing removing the additional labour costs for building in a marsh. The work would take a year to complete presuming the materials were provided and no additional magic used.
When finished, the Keep of the Kingfisher would be a rank two fortification. The bastion would also be infused with adamant - making it as unbreakable as the Adamant Gate in eastern Semmerholm. It would also be unsinkable - even if the sea itself rose and drowned the North Fens, the castle would remain an inviolate place of protection for those within its walls.
This boon remains available until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE. If the commission has not begun by then, the boon will need to be renegotiated. Obviously this is somewhat problematic given the Empire does not currently control Bregasland - it is in the hands of the Jotun - but Meon does not seem overly concerned with this "technicality."
Water and Earth
| Dykes and Levies |
| Commission Type: Great Work |
| Location: Fisher's Rock, Bregasland |
| Cost: 75 white granite, 225 crowns |
| Time: 1 year |
| Upkeep: standard |
Special:
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Effects:
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| Availability: Autumn Equinox 388YE - or until another great work increasing investment in farms is commissioned in the territory |
- Adamant proposes to help drain parts of North Fens with a series of bulwarks connected to the Hall of the Kingfisher
- These additions would be incorporated into the commission of the Hall
- They would improve level of investment in farms in Bregasland
Meon raises her final point after extensive discussion of the Hall of the Kingfisher. Meon is of the opinion that marshes are a terrible waste of space; it is hard to build on them and almost impossible to mine. As part of the construction of the Hall, Adamant would provide aid to build a series of dykes, levies, and bulwarks at strategic locations around the North Fens to drain the marshes. The region would still be damp - but once the Hall of the Kingfisher was finished it would remove the marsh quality from the region allowing for future construction to be undertaken without additional labour costs.
To take advantage of this offer, whoever commissions it would need to specify they wish to build the bulwarks as well. It would increase the cost to complete the Hall of the Kingfisher by another 75 wains of white granite and 225 crowns but with the aid of the eternal it would not add any extra time to the construction.
Some of the smiths from other parts of the Marches are quite excited about this - if the land were drier it would surely provide tracts of fertile farmland. The Bregas smiths are cautious, but Meon provides assurances that there would still be fens, there would just be more dry land making it easier to farm and easier to move around the territory. If the bulwarks were built alongside the castle, they would function as a great work increasing the level of investment in Bregasland farms by one. In conjunction with the existing Imperial Breadbasket every farm in the territory would provide an addition 72 rings each season (rather than 36 as it is at the moment).
The construction cannot be attempted separately; if it is not included in the announcement that begins work on the Hall of the Kingfisher it will require future negotiation with Adamant to enact.
In the Ring
| Sealed Dolmen |
| Commission Type: Edifice |
| Location: Ore Hills, Mournwold |
| Cost: 50 white granite, 20 mithril, 210 crowns |
| Time: 2 seasons |
| Upkeep: None |
| Special: The matter of Eastern Guard must be resolved |
Effects:
|
| Availability: Autumn Equinox 388YE |
- Adamant expands on previous opportunities to offer his own brand of magical protection to the Marches
- The Closed Dolmen would reduce the effectiveness of curses laid over Marcher territories
Defence and fortification are not entirely about castles however. Meon of the Chisel muses that the curse wards mentioned by the Stone Smith in her missive are a challenge but are certainly possible. Indeed, the Unshakable Foundation is arguably the best eternal to speak to about protecting lands from malign effects (or so Meon claims). The plans put together by the mortal Richard of Holberg are not going to work though - at least not with Adamant's help - because they are too steeped in "less reliable magics." Yet the Master of the Endless Delve is no stranger to protective magic such as this. The cost would be considerable, but it would also cause Summer magic to infuse itself into the very soil around the stones themselves, which Meon suggests is surely a good thing.
A circle of closed dolmen could be built with Adamant's assistance in the western Ore Hills - as near the centre of the Mourn as possible. The ring would require 50 wains of white granite and 20 wains of mithril, as well as 210 crowns labour. It would take six months to complete. At the end of this time, it would infuse the territory with a little of the power of the Stone Potentate, and the resonance of adamant. As long as the dolmen stood, and remained closed, they would weaken any curse that effected the territory. The exact impact would depend entirely on the nature of the magic involved, and even the power of Adamant is not enough to completely cancel the effects of a curse.
The sealed dolmen would draw power from the flows of mana through the territory - meaning they would also impact the mana sites of the Mourn. Every mana site in the territory would produce one fewer crystal mana each season. The crystals would still form, but rather than containing pure mana they would be touched by the majesty of Adamant and the Summer realm - specifically each site would produce a bronze dragonseye. Each dragonseye provides two crystal mana towards the performance of any Summer ritual that creates a personal enchantment. It would also impact the Happiston Fields, with the Keeper of the Happiston Fields losing three crystal mana and receiving two bronze dragonseyes in their place. Any other sinecure or great work creating crystal mana in the Mournwold would likewise produce less crystal mana, providing a bronze dragoneye in its place.
As with other offers, the boon of the sealed dolmen remains until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE and if not commissioned by then, it will need to be renegotiated. Meon mentions that there is nothing to prevent Adamant helping to create similar dolmen in other Marcher territories - but that arranging a boon to assist with such things would require a separate plenipotentiary missive.
Malediction and Masonry
- The exact effects of the closed dolmens depend greatly on the nature and scale of the curse
- They would also offer protection against negative effects created by some enchantments
Curses can be quite unpredictable, but the smiths working with Meon have speculated about the likely outcome. Any curse that specifically targets the earth, soil, and stone of the Mournwold such as Naeve's Twisting Blight or Mountain Remembers Its Youth would have reduced mechanical impact - the damage to the production of farms, forests, and mines would be halved. Other territory curses would have their effect on farms specifically halved, but otherwise likely have their normal mechanical impact.
The "unanticipated consequences" of all such territory-wide rituals would be very much lessened. The powerful protective wards would be taken into account when looking at the "nature of the area and the current situation there" and inform the description and any arising winds of fortune appropriately.
The wards proposed by Adamant do not discriminate; they would also activate to reduce the negative consequences of large-scale enchantments, if the outcome would be to cause significant harm to earth, stone, mines, forests, or farms.
Faith in the Stone
- Opportunities exist to create true consecrations at the Hall of the Kingfisher or the improved Farstrider's Watch
- These opportunities take advantage of the symbolism of these two places and their connection to Pride and Loyalty
- Writs of Consecration would be needed as normal for creating an inspirational location
- Both proposals would only be fully effective if the appropriate opportunity were embraced
One of the attendees at the Stone Smith's Workshop is the former monk Thomas o' the Woolpack. A sprightly seventy-year old, "Wooly Tom" found his calling as a smith only recently, but is an adept crafter of reliquaries and regalia. Inspired by the discussion with Meon, Thomas has apparently spoken with some of his old friends among the monasteries, and added a rider of his own to the offer of Adamant, one that builds on the offers with the power of Marcher virtue.
Two of the proposals from the court of the Deep Dragon result in a sizable stone structure being created, one that will loom large in the minds of virtuous Marchers. Farstrider's Watch is already something of a place of pilgrimage for Marcher folk; it resonates strongly with the sacrifices made by Marcher soldiers to keep the Mourn safe. Likewise, Fisher's Rock in Bregasland has a recent history that has at its core questions of Marcher loyalty and unity.
Thomas proposes that either or both of these places, were they commissioned, could be consecrated with true liao - following on from a successful writ of consecration in the appropriate assembly of course. Indeed, minor adjustments to the structures themselves could be made that would make this even more effective.
Farstrider's Watch in the Mourn is a strong candidate for a place consecrated to Pride, especially if it incorporated a shrine remembering the sacrifices of the Ore Hills Rebels - recognised last year as exemplars. Work is already underway on Rebellion's Ridge which could be seen as a growing interest in these historical figures. Along with the stories of General Flowers, the castle's role in defending the Marches from the Jotun, and as a memorial to the pride of the oathsworn general of the Tusks army, it would be cemented as a place of pilgrimage. A properly consecrated memorial for the rebellious miners would inspire their descendants to continue to seek political representation in the politics of the Mournwold; it would serve as a stopping-off point for those travelling to Honour's Rest, provide boons to those preaching the virtue of Pride in the Marches, and it would provide an opportunity for the Mournwold to show its appreciation of the Tusks.
Fisher's Rock is also an important symbol, this time relating to Loyalty. Bregasland has been riven by disputes between neighbours, and between those who embraced the separatist dogma of Mathilda Fisher and those who cleft to the Empire. The ripples of those disagreements are still being felt in the western Marches. For all their faults the Fishers were loyal to one another, for all that their understanding of virtue was clearly warped by their time among the Jotun. Thomas o' the Woolpack suggests that the place could become a fine site for a consecration dedicated to that most Marcher of Loyalty exemplars, Bolstering Bill. Again the commission would include a space set aside to serve as a shrine to those who support their fellows rather than tear them down. The keep would be a place of pilgrimage, and reinforce that the Marches will not neglect Bregasland nor treat them as outsiders. It would remove the rebellious quality, provide boons to anyone preaching the virtue of Loyalty in the Marches, and grant the Bregas the opportunity to show their appreciation for the Strong Reeds.
Obviously there is nothing to prevent the Marcher assembly working with the Pride assembly to consecrate Farstrider's Watch as it stands, or with the Loyalty assembly to create a shrine for Bolstering Bill in Bregasland. In theory, the Synod could consecrate a hole in the ground if they chose to. But the grandeur of these huge structures Adamant has proposed is what makes either site ideal for this. Consecrating a smaller fortification simply would not have the same impact.
The proposals by Adamant allow for major rebuilding work and all that would be required to incorporate suitable shrines for the Ore Hills Rebels in Farstrider's Watch, or for Bolstering Bill in the Keep of the Kingfisher, would be a note to that effect in the commission.
A Dragon's Gift
- The Stone Smith may receive a schema from Adamant in return for ten rings of ilium
- The boon must be claimed before the end of the Winter Solstice
In honour of past times, and in recognition that the Marcher smiths are again in the Marches, Adamant offers them an unexpected boon if they wish to accept it. In return for ten rings of ilium, Adamant will forge a schema for the smiths' use, allowing anyone who studies it to master the creation of something Meon calls the Ring of the Dragon. This magic focus can be invoked once each day by a ritual magician versed in Summer lore to improve their ability to wield Summer magic. Meon stresses that it is a gift for the Marches, not for the Empire, in memory of times gone by. Adamant would be displeased if the schema became part of Imperial lore or was incorporated into Runesmith's Law but .
To claim the schema, the Stone Smith must bring the ilium to the Imperial regio by the end of the Winter Solstice and invoke the operate portal spell, either personally or from an object such as a Pauper's Key. They will receive the schema in return.
Ring of the Dragon
- Form: Talisman. Takes the form of a ritual focus. You must be wearing this item or holding it in hand to use its magical properties.
- Requirement: You must have the magician skill to bond to this item.
- Effect: Once per day you may use this ring to gain one additional rank of Summer lore for the purposes of performing a single ritual, subject to the normal rules for effective skill.
- Roleplaying Effect: While wearing this ring you feel larger than life - bigger and sturdier than you actually are - as if your bones were made of stone.
- Materials: Crafting a Ring of the Dragon requires nine ingots of orichalcum, six measures of iridescent gloaming, and three ingots of green iron. It takes one month to make one of these items.
Click to expand for details of the Ring of the Dragon.
Stones in the Soil
- The knights of Tharim remain in Upwold
- The Conclave has agreed that the injured farm owners of the territory deserve compensation from the Bound King
- With the aid of the landskeepers, Tharim's knights have provided Heart's Blood to farmers whose crops were damaged
The Tharim has an odd relationship with the Marches; his knights are in Upwold at the moment having gone there to find the killers of his herald Obligatus. He is also the patron of the Pale Chain in Mitwold, the standing stone that apparently keeps an ancient evil trapped deep beneath the ground. His "friendship" has proved to be something of a two-edged blade already; his knights "help" in hunting down the servants of Agramant left more than a little damage to Mitwold farms. The commander of Tharim's troops, Lord-Captain Catenatus, dealt with furious complaints from the Marchers by indicating that the Bound King has empowered them to offer compensation for any damage done - if the Conclave thought it was merited. The Archmage of Winter raised the appropriate declaration, and Imperial magicians agreed that compensation was merited. As such every farm owner in the territory has received a pawn of Heart's Blood from the knights of Tharim, distributed with the aid of the Upwold landskeepers.
As Winter grows deeper, and the Jotun advance across Mitwold, a herald of Tharim named Poena - one of the colleagues of Obligatus who apparently arrived alongside him in the Empire six years ago - visits the Silent Giant apparently looking for Nicolas Reaper (the Keeper of the Golden Fields) and the rest of the Upwold landskeepers. Poena takes the form of a tall, dangerous looking woman with bone-white skin marked with raised cicatrixes and iron spines across her cheekbones. She bears news of certain boons offered by Tharim to his "Marcher friends", especially those Landskeepers who are charged with keeping the Marches safe and prosperous. They are also offered in recognition of the fine tribute that magicians of the Marches have provided to Tharim (and the Court presumably), including several one-of-a-kind objects that were especially appreciated.
Tribute's Blade
These magical foci always take the form of daggers or one-handed bladed weapons. They must be used in a specific way: used to shed blood as part of a ritual performance. It is a good idea for a magician to be familiar with the dangers of blood magic before employing them. They grant the user an additional rank of Winter Lore for purposes of casting Tribute to the Thrice-cursed Court, Petrifying Command of the Tyrant, and Pallid Flesh of the Dead King.
- During the Winter Solstice Marcher Tribute to the Thrice-cursed court can be used to secure a Blade of Petition
- The ritual must target a magical dagger or one-handed weapon bonded to a landskeeper
The Bound King is apparently pleased with the help rendered by the Marcher landskeepers in pursuit of the murderers of Obligatus. As such he proffers a simple, personal boon - a Blade of Petition. These blades are magical foci given as boons of Tharim, and provide aid to castings of Tribute to the Thrice-cursed Court, Petrifying Command of the Tyrant, and Pallid Flesh of the Dead King provided the wielder first offers a "minor tribute" to the eternal.
To claim a Blade of the Petitioner a landskeeper needs to perform or secure the aid of a Marcher coven capable of performing, Tribute to the Thrice-cursed Court. The ritual must target a magical dagger or one-handed blade, placed in a container alongside one measure each of beggar's lye and dragonbone, and an ingot of weltsilver. The magic item must also be bonded to a landskeeper. If all this is done correctly, then in place of the usual reward for the ritual, Tharim will return the weapon with a valuable new property - transforming it into a Blade of Petition.
The Bound King stresses that only landskeepers can claim this gift, although what they do with the blade once they have it is not his concern. Poena stresses that while it is sure no landskeeper would be greedy enough to try and secure more than one Blade, any foolish enough to do so must expect punishment for their temerity. Also, any attempt to send the focus back to Tharim through the Tribute to the Thrice-cursed Court will receive nothing, and risks angering the Court.
OOC Note: Only a character with the landskeeper archetype can gain one of these magical foci. The phys-rep for the dagger or knife used as the target of the ritual is returned with a new ribbon attached, which expires normally (just before the Winter Solstice 388YE). The Blade of the Petitioner functions as any other focus with regards to things such as bonding and the normal rules for effective skill.
Watcher's Tomb
Bitter Salt is a coarse, granular, crumbly powder. You'll need to provide your own physrep - the ideal would be a mix of salt an ashes in a small pouch. It takes the form of a ribbon that is activated on use with the assistance of a referee. Using it requires a short ritual performance in which the ashes are mixed with fresh blood and used to daub the Naeve rune on the forehead of the recipient. They then receive an enchantment - Warder at the Tomb Gate - that follows all the usual rules for enchantment.
- During the Winter Solstice, Tribute to the Thrice-cursed Court can be used by Marcher magicians to secure a dose of Bitter Salt
- The ritual must target a newly crafted magic item that is bonded to a landskeeper
During the Winter Solstice any Marcher coven may offer a specific tribute to the Thrice-cursed Court and receive their aid in return. They must cast the Tribute to the Thrice-cursed Court ritual on a "pristine" item - one that has only recently been completed (a new magic item that expires before the start of the Winter Solstice 388YE). The item must be bonded to a landskeeper, and three one ring coins placed in the container alongside it. Instead of the usual vials of heart's blood, they will receive a Pouch of Bitter Salt.
Bitter Salt can be invoked at the Imperial regio as part of a two-minute ceremony, following the rules for ritual performance, that involves mixing the ashes with freely donated blood and using them to mark the rune Naeve on the forehead of a warrior-captain. This will release an enchantment - a boon of the Thrice-cursed - that will flow through the target to infuse the soldiers over who they have dominion (their military unit).
The enchantment is a version of a ritual Poena calls Watchers at the Tomb Gate and provides an additional five ranks of strength to a military unit that undertakes a guarding action. While their soldiers are enchanted the captain also experience a roleplaying effect: you expect respect and deference from those you protect; its easy to become angry and even violent when face with failure to recognise your contribution to the safety of those you guard. The captain is also marked by the Thrice-cursed Court, something that can be determined through use of the detect magic spell. If anyone uses discern enchantment on a target of one of these rituals, it will reveal that they bear a "mark of chains" as well as whatever personal enchantment they might be under (if any).
It's important to note with both the Wrath and Rage boons than an enchantment cannot be removed prematurely without casting a different enchantment, or allowing the duration (until the start of the next Profound Decisions event) to expire. It's not possible to just give up the enchantment - meaning it is much more likely that someone with one of these boons will be detected.
Tharim presumes this can be used to help defend Mitwold against the Jotun, by garrisoning Forte Fidelis, but as with his other boons he is broadly unconcerned what the power is used for.
Sorrow's Cost
- During the Winter Solstice, Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court can be used to secure a rare arcane projection calling on Tharim's power
- The ritual must target an artefact or item hallowed with true liao and must be performed by a landskeeper or a coven containing a landskeeper
Poena also speaks of a major boon indeed, one rarely offered by Tharim, that he will grant to the landskeepers of the Marches. In recognition of its rarity and power, it comes at a significantly higher price. In return for an actual artefact or for an item that has been hallowed with True liao sent via Tribute to the Thrice-cursed Court by a Marcher coven containing a landskeeper, Tharim will provide an arcane projection of a ritual his herald calls Blades of Rust and Sorrow. This is an enchantment of Winter magic, of magnitude one hundred and twenty, that can be performed on a general to infuse their entire army with the blessings of the Thrice-cursed Court.
Blades of Rust and Sorrow makes the soldiers cold, cruel, and vicious and adds the resonances of hunger and punishment to their blades. This provides an effective four thousand extra force, but only for purposes of inflicting casualties. As with the boon of Warder of the Tomb Gate, as long as the enchantment persists the general bears the mark of chains, which can be discerned with detect magic. Again, the expectation is that this will be used to help fight the Jotun but actually Tharim doesn't really care where it is used.
The landskeepers have explicit permission from Tharim to use the enchantment if they want, or to have it codified at one of the Empires magical colleges if they want to use it more freely. There is an assurance attached of course - the ritual loses all power if the Pale Chain is ever moved or destroyed, or the ward it creates is pierced or removed.
There is however one pressing consideration which is that two years ago the Conclave interdicted the practice of "making armies savage" at the urging of the eternal Zakalwe. Just from the description alone it seems likely that Blades of Rust and Sorrow would fall afoul of this (and as a ritual not in Imperial lore the magistrates would be charged to confiscate any arcane projection for such an effect). Poena does not consider this to be an issue, and presumes the landskeepers will easily be able to sort this out if they want Tharim's boon.
Limited Opportunities
- These boons are only available during the Winter Solstice but once received will endure for the usual duration
- They are only available via Tribute to the Thrice-cursed court rituals cast by Marcher covens
- They require the aid of a landskeeper to claim
These boons are only available during the Winter Solstice, and rely on the participation of a landskeeper (explicitly in this case a character with the landskeeper archetype recorded on the database). Magicians of other nations can make use of the blade, salt, or arcane projection if they are provided with the item, but the boons can only be secured if Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court is cast in the specified ways by Marcher magicians with the aid of a landskeeper.
Friendship is an Arrangement
- Heralds of Sadogua have again attended wassail across the Marches
- The Father of Bats is particularly taken with the Marches' mummers
Serious matters may be under discussion in Upwold, but in the rest of the Marches - even places under threat by the Jotun - there is a slightly more convivial atmosphere at least while Wassail is going on. Last year, heralds of Sadogua were invited to attend the seasonal Wassail in the Marches. This year, they've turned up again, and thrown themselves into the celebrations with just as much gusto. After the Autumn Equinox some very odd creatures turn up throughout Mitwold, Upwold, Mournwold, and even Bregasland (where wassail is understandably a little more subdued than usual).
Many of the visiting creatures take on the guise of mummers. Some form their own troupes while others turn up to audition for existing bands. They are reasonably well behaved, albeit excitable, full of fun, and free with the minor magics heralds of the Globbersnotch enjoy. They bring their own masks and costumes, and are adept at playing comedic roles and participating in the Chorus. Their presence is accompanied by a dramatic increase in the number of bats seen at twilight, as well as a number of encounters with friendly and talkative black cats of unusual size across the Marches. Some of these creatures wear, or are interested in acquiring, delightful little hats.
The Toad King again offers a small boon to the folk who have proved so welcoming to his heralds. During the Winter Solstice, any Marcher farm that is enchanted with Blessing of New Spring but does not use any whisperspore will grow a circle of "friendly" black mushrooms somewhere within its bounds. If they are collected on the night of the new moon and squeezed dry, they'll produce one of two elixirs he calls Shinemoon. Pale Shinemoon can be used to provide a ritual magician with a little inspiration when performing a ritual using Day, Summer, or Autumn magic while Dark Shinemoon does the same but for a ritual using Night, Winter, or Spring magic. Sadogua understands if his Marcher friends prefer to accept the unpredictable and chaotic boons of Old Toadstool Head instead, but his heralds cannot conceal the fact that the Black Wyrm is a little narked that Spring eternals are once again interfering with his attempt to do something nice for his friends in the Marches.
Participation: Any Marcher character is encouraged to make up stories about the antics of Sadogua's heralds, assuming they visited their Wassail celebrations, using the above as a guideline. They will have been reasonably well behaved, not disruptive, friendly, and with a quite astonishing capacity for food and drink - both that provided by their hosts, and supplies they have brought with them out of the Forests of the Night - and for enthusiastically discordant singing and dancing.
Like their master, the heralds of Sadogua favour magicians (and potential magicians) over more mundane folk. In particular, any Marcher character of the mummer archetype can choose to have performed alongside one of the heralds of Sadogua who attended the Wassail. The experience is surprisingly intense; it is easy to lose oneself entirely in ones role when playing alongside the heralds. Players are encouraged to make up stories of a wild nights of revelry, minor magical side-effects of the play performed, and of losing time and waking up three days later upside down in a haystack or pigpen.
Masks and Mummery
- Sadogua offers a boon to Marcher mummers during the Winter Solstice
In all the excitement, the heralds almost forget the other matter. Sadogua offers a small boon to the mummers of the Marches if they want it, partly based on his appreciation for the fine work done by Goatsbridge Coven, the Maidstone Mummers, Mummering Hive, and their fellows. During the Winter Solstice, any mummer can pop along to the Imperial regio with a bag containing twenty measures of iridescent gloaming and dragonbone in any combination, along with one of their masks. If they use operate portal to throw it through to Sadogua, he'll provide them with a little present to show his appreciation of their work - either a Mask of the Gambler or a Mask of the Seamstress. They can pick whichever one they want by sending him a Missive (either personally or by getting a friendly Marcher magician to do it). Provided this is done before midnight on the Saturday of the event, he'll refashion their mask by the end of the Summit.
When asked what the difference is between a Mask of the Gambler and a Mask of the Seamstress, the heralds provide contradictory explanations that rapidly get derailed into talk of other magical topics. They are confident that the masks are something to do with the scions of mummery as they term them. They think the masks are useful even to folk who don't practice Night magic - although why anyone would want to spend too much time studying realms other than Night, they can't imagine - and that they'll last about a year (just like any other magic item).
OOC Note: Out of character, the ribboned mask will be available to be picked up from GOD on Sunday morning by the mummer who provided the ingots and measures. In- character the mask is being delivered to your bedroom by a small flock of cheerful bats. Any items that aren't picked up by Time Out on Sunday will go into lost property after the event.
Further Reading
- Smith
- Landskeeper
- Mummer
- Stone Smith
- A pinch of salt - 387YE Spring Wind of Fortune introducing the Stone Smiths Workshop and the recovery of the ancient tradition