The tune without the words
The orc approached the door and hesitated for a second too long at the threshold. The warden felt a chill that they may have invited in what they had warned against, but a moment later, the orc stepped through the doorway. And as they did, each of the candles - even the new lightstone from far-off Redoubt - seemed to dim a little. The warden, swallowing down growing fear in their throat, offered the orc bread and a drink, making sure their dagger was close as they did.
The orc sat and drank before finally speaking up. "What on these roads do you fear most?" The warden sat in their good chair and talked about the wolves and the sovereigns and their personal fears, from how they disliked hornets to how the Druj were known for their torturous ways, to explaining about Cold Sun. The warden and mysterious orc spoke long into the night as the candles burned, until the warden fell asleep. The orc was gone in the morning when the warden awoke, but there on the table next to the warden's dagger was a small pile of tempest jade.
Overview
Magic fills the Known World. It rides the winds, it rises with the sun and the stars, it flows in great currents through the forests and the seas and the sky. It is part of the rivers and the forests, the seas and the skies. It is studied, mastered, examined, and debated. It is mysterious, enigmatic, unpredictable, and yet follows its own strange laws. All mortals practice magic, and yet they are not the only sources of magic in the world. It comes from rattling runes, from the heavens, from the wellspring of blood, from the shapes and symbols of creation, and while it can be bidden it cannot always be restrained. Wonder is all around, an endless wordless tune that winds and weaves around all things.
This wind of fortune rounds up a roundup of assorted strange events, some arising from mortal actions some with less explicable causes. There is a companion piece to this wind, The thing with feathers, that deals with things relating specifically to the eternals of the six realms.
Out With Lanterns
- Since the Autumn Equinox, five new rituals have become part of Urizen Lore
- Two of the rituals were contributed by Imperial covens who are open about their decision to do so
- Three others draw on the power of the destructive eternal Siakha and are illegal to perform
Urizen lore was created with the aid of the eternal Phaleron as a repository of magic that can only be performed by the magicians of Urizen. As part of the arrangement a ritual - Gift of Knowledge - was created by the Celestial Library to allow new rituals to become part of that body of magical lore. While no rituals were contributed to Urizen lore during the Autumn equinox, in the months since a surprising total of five new rituals have become available. Given the Gift of Knowledge can be cast by any Imperial or Commonwealth coven with even a rudimentary understanding of Day lore, it is perhaps surprising it doesn't happen more often. Perhaps the innate value of a ritual text, jealously guarded by those who have access to them, makes it more surprising that any rituals are presented. Either way, each of these rituals is now part of Urizen lore. They can be mastered following the usual rules, but can also be cast by Urizeni magicians who have not mastered them.
Bells and Dragons
- Two new rituals have been added to Urizen lore since the Autumn Equinox
- Bells of Silver and Brass restores the strength of a depleted garrison
- Might of Vstaive strengthens the garrison of a fortification
- Golden Ramparts has been updated in line with the new fortification rules
A week or so before the Winter Solstice, the librarians of the Grand Library of Canterspire discreetly let it be known that two new rituals have been added to Urizen lore - Bells of Silver and Brass and Might of Vstaive. It seems that these rituals were originally codified at the Halls of Knowledge, long before it was destroyed by the Druj. While the rituals came from different sources, both covens involved have indicated that they were persuaded to contribute their rituals by representatives of the Moonsilver King. Both groups admit they received boons from the Unicorn Prince in return for their ritual texts, but neither discloses exactly what their boons were. In both cases, likewise, they claim that the heralds indicated their master, the Lord of the Forest of Arden, was motivated by a simple desire to help Urizen protect itself from its many, many enemies and expected nothing in return.
The first ritual, was submitted to Canterspire Library by members of the Shield of Thought coven from Willstone Citadel in Redoubt. The Bells of Silver and Brass is a work of Autumn magic, codified during the reign of Emperor James. It seems that originally it was used to inspire soldiers to come to the defence of their neighbours through the use of invisible bells, but the ritual seems to have other, somewhat more practical applications. When this magnitude 60 Autumn ritual is cast on a fortification it subtly draws volunteers to take up weapons, and improves the process of turning a raw recruit into a seasoned soldier. This means that over the coming season, the garrison of the target fortification is restored, regaining 250 points of strength, in addition to any other resupply the garrison receives, even if the garrison is involved in fighting.
The other ritual is a much older, dating from the early reign of Empress Varkula, and contributed by a Dawnish coven. The Roses of Racqueen are a Weaver cabal from Semmerholm and how they came into possession of the ritual text for Might of Vstaive is not clear. The ritual itself employs Summer magic to enchant a fortification, reinforcing both the bastion and the garrison. Examination of the ritual by Urizen magicians of the Unfettered Mind and Rod and Shield indicates that it is almost identical to Golden Ramparts but with some very distinct differences. Golden Ramparts calls forth several dozen golden lions from the realm of Meraud to fight alongside the garrison, and relies on an assurance to give it power. Might of Vstaive however instead fills the mortal defenders of a castle with courage, preternatural prowess, and a thirst for victory. Yet the outcome from a purely practical point of view is the same - save that one uses the power of a Summer eternal and the other does not.
The contribution of Might of Vstaive suggests that Jaheris' real motivation in encouraging these rituals to be given to Urizen might be to undermine Meraud. Regardless of provenance, both rituals are available to any Urizen magician who wishes to learn them by the usual means. Indeed given that neither relies on an eternal for their power, they could be used as a template for an arcane projection and even codified at a college of magic and made part of wider Imperial lore, if anyone wished to do so.
Quivering and Chill
- Three new rituals that draw on the power of Siakha have become part of Urizen lore
- These rituals are illegal to perform while the eternal remains under enmity
During some of the worst storms of the early Winter, three new works of Spring magic are added to Urizen Lore without additional fanfare. The text they are drawn from is apparently a water-damaged ship's logbook, filled with cryptic poems in praise of the unceasing sea, the power of the storm, and the admirably simple life of the shark. Interspersed between the poems are crude drawings of sea monsters, and what seem to be actual prayers in praise of the Mother of the Maelstrom asking for her to send her children to torment the unknown author's enemies, or begging her to fill them and their crew with the power of the tempest. These sections become increasingly difficult to read, and the last few pages are almost entirely obscured by old blood splatter. Scrawled across the cover - carved into the thick leather with a knife - was the message “at the mother’s command, a gift for Ibiss Briarheart.”
It should come as no surprise then that the three rituals contained in the book bear the unmistakable mark of the eternal Siakha. Rhythm of the Tempest, Blood-dimmed Tide, and Shark's Rampage each draw on potent resonances of savagery and ruin, and are shot through with the bloodthirsty power of the Mother of Wrecks.
The attendants at the Library - pale-eyed servants of Phaleron - are clearly uncomfortable with these magics, but can do nothing to prevent them becoming part of Urizen lore. After all, despite the request of the Celestial Library, Gift of Knowledge was made part of Imperial lore. As such any magician of the Empire, including those who have turned traitor in the service of the Mother of Wrecks, can use it to present whatever rituals they choose. The librarians of Phaleron are not empowered to pick and choose - they must accept any ritual text that is offered. They cannot turn down the rituals of Siakha any more than they were able to turn down those that draw on the power of Agramant.
Of course these rituals are illegal to perform while Siakha remains under the enmity of the Conclave. There is some speculation as to what Ibiss Briarheart may have done to merit these “gifts” - and a great deal of debate about whether any true Urizen would touch these spells with the tip of a measuring rod.
The Clouds are Mean
- Madruga, Feroz, and Sarvos have been cursed by the Children of Wrecks
- Torrential rains and gale winds have swept across the three territories
- Farms and businesses have been harmed by the Thunderous Deluge, and there have been additional effects in each territory
Shortly before the Autumn Equinox, the Children of Wrecks in Feroz and Madruga unleashed tumultuous storms on the territories. Then, during the summit, wreckers were able to make use of the Circle of Savagery in Sarvos to unleash the same curse on that territory of the League.
Madruga and Feroz
- The storms that have struck Madruga and Feroz have stirred up some of the magic of Crucible
Unlike Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea, the Thunderous Deluge covers the entire territory. Rain falls in sheets as far west as Morajasse and as far north as Torres. It fills the Scorrero - a wild river at the best of time - causing it to burst its banks. This is hardly something new, but it adds to the hardship of those trying to reclaim Oranseri and will likely make any attempt to bridge the river - to restore easy movement between the two easternmost Freeborn territories - that much harder.
The storms are especially odd in Madruga, where the power of the storms collides with an Night magic enchantment. Storm clouds roil with colours not normally found in the sky and on one occasion there is a five minute rain of tiny red frogs over Calvos that rapidly turns into a short-lived plague as the things breed and spread. Feroz is hit much more heavily by the storms, especially given that the populace such as it is, is currently busy trying to rebuild. One thing worse than living out of makeshift shacks and old tents is trying to live out of waterlogged shacks and leaky tents.
Sarvos
- Flood defences have protected Sarvos from the thunderous deluge
- The region of Riposi has permanently gained the coastal quality
This is by no means the first time such powerful storms have been called up by the Children of Wrecks, but it is the first time in a very long time that Sarvos has been targeted in this way. The tempest rages for several months after the Autumn Equinox. The waters rise, and there is a great deal of worry in Sarvos that doom has finally arrived to wash away the City of Masks. If only there were suitably robust flood defences... but of course there are suitably robust flood defences! Commissioned by Senator Rosalina Gulia Viola di Sarvos, they were built with the aid of the Vandersaar family of the Sarcophan Delves. The Vandersaar were no doubt partly motivated by the desire to protect the low-lying Alivetti estates enclave, but their help has proved invaluable. The canals rise a little, as the rain and wind mercilessly shakes the towers of Sarvos, but there is no lasting damage.
The same cannot, unfortunately, be said for other parts of the territory. There's some flooding in Rodez and Trivento; estates along the broad banks of the Gancio are left sodden and waterlogged, and the only folk who seem happy with the situation are the huge, white cranes that picked their way through the reed-beds of the river. The worst damage, however, is incurred in Riposi. The flat plains are known for their poor, chalky soil. The thunderous deluge pelts the farmlands here with particular virulence, but nobody is expecting it when the low cliffs that run along the southern side of the region give way and collapse into the hungry sea. Waves wash inland nearly a quarter of a mile in places, carrying away what little topsoil there is.
When the storms abate, as the Winter Solstice approaches, there can be no denying that it is now considerably easier to approach Riposi from sea (the region has permanently gained the coastal quality). There's not a lot that can be done about it, it seems - especially not by "dirt poor Riposi farmers."
Odd Dreams
- More odd dreams in Feroz, Madruga, and Sarvos
People living in or visiting Feroz, Madruga, and Sarvos find their nights filled with dreams of rushing water, rain. More peculiarly, dreams also prominently feature water features - springs, waterfalls, fountains of all kinds - and horses of all colours often racing through the sky as the rain falls. People who awaken from these dreams report feeling either tired or filled with vigour. The dreams fade as the Winter Solstice approaches, and don't seem to leave any particular lingering effects.
The Sky Is Low
- Madruga has also been wrapped in Night magic
- People in Madruga experience peculiar dreams of transformation
- Heralds of the Night realm are more active in Madruga
- Some of the effects have spilled over into Feroz
While storms are wracking Madruga, a very different kind of magic wells up within the territory. It rises from the marshes of the south-west primarily, and seeps quickly across the territory. It brings with it peculiar dreams - dreams that are made all the more peculiar by those accompanying the storms. Folk living in or visiting Madruga find themselves having recurring, vivid dreams of dark forests, filled with strange foliage that seems to shift in size, shape, and colour, as well as those brought with the rain. Through the trees slither mighty serpents, with scales that ripple and change with all the colours of the rainbow and some that are impossible to describe. Those who experience these dreams speak of a profound awareness of the way things change, and the ways they themselves have changed throughout their lives.
In waking hours encounters with creatures of the Night realm become more common, especially within the environs and at the borders of Crucible and Siroc Sound. Brightly dressed heralds of Azoth and Janon are encountered the most often; the former enthusiastic if hard to understand, the latter keen to celebrate or dance in the pounding rains. They actively seek out Freeborn, magicians and otherwise, and encourage them to either seek self-transformation or embrace their passions. While they don't offer many boons, certainly not on the large scale, it's clear that their presence helps shape the magical effects that do arise from this powerful enchantment.
Liberty For All
Beware the seductions of the false virtue of Anarchy (also known as Freedom). It will shatter your Glass, tempting you towards lies and dishonesty. It will scatter your Dust, eroding bonds to family, tribe and kin. It will stutter your Flame, leaving it destructive and uncontrolled, yearning to burn everything we built. We are Flame. We are Dust. We are Glass. Reject Anarchy - lest it undermine that.
Azir i Shartha i Riqueza, Autumn Equinox 387YE, Vote: Greater Majority 134-40- The enchantment brings with it a powerful sense of rebellion and interest in liberty
As the Night magic waxes across Madruga, and as the thunderous Spring storms continue, it rouses something in the Freeborn spirit. A transformative urge that speaks to a fundamental desire for personal liberty that some claim underlies the history of the Brass Coast. Even as the dreams of forests and dragons spread, so too does a subtle urge for freedom bubble up from somewhere deep within the soul. This manifests itself in a number of ways - arguments about the philosophy of liberty; discussions about what can be learned from the example of Ahraz; a general refusal by young people to tidy their rooms or listen to their elders; a marked increase in opposition to taxation and fines; angry words directed at magistrates doing their business; a flourishing in music and art that calls for people to be able to live their lives freely and as they wish. These sentiments are cheerfully encouraged by the heralds of Shadowed Fire and The Great Work abroad in Madruga.
One of the ways the side-effect of the enchantment manifests is in outspoken opposition to the statement of principle raised by Azir i Shartha i Riqueza during the Autumn Equinox and supported by the Freeborn assembly. The statement called for people to "beware the seductions of the false virtue of Anarchy" claiming that it would ultimately damage the soul. While the statement may have had more impactful effect in other parts of the Brass Coast, in Madruga under the power of Night magic, it is taken very differently. Far from taking these words to heart, people across Madruga actively resist them.
Participation
Anyone whose personal resource is in Madruga may choose to experience a roleplaying effect during the Winter Solstice: You feel an urge to question and disregard accepted traditions and laws in pursuit of freedom and liberty for yourself and others. Active resistance to authority feels profoundly satisfying, and any restrictions on beliefs or actions, especially by the Synod, the Senate, or the magistrates, feels like an act of violence."
If you choose to experience the roleplaying effect, then during the Winter Solstice you have a source of spiritual strength for purposes of overcoming any roleplaying effect. Instead of the expected outcome of the roleplaying effect you feel a potent urge to rebel, resist, and oppose the source of that roleplaying effect - physically if necessary. The effect will have faded by the end of the Winter Solstice.
Furthermore any Freeborn character whose personal resource is in Madruga may decide they have sought out dedicates of the Malign spiritual presence known as anarchy and petitioned them for a hallowed item. The heralds of Janon in Madruga have an uncanny knack for bringing such people together with folk with the ability to create such hallows. If you want to do this, you can email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk before the 1st of April and request a hallow. We'll provide you with a ribbon in your pack. You should clarify in the email if you are more interested in liberating others, undermining authority, inspiring rebellion against the status quo, or fighting oppression by whatever means are necessary. In each case, we will be giving the hallow its name, and it will take the form of an amulet or talisman. You will need to provide your own physrep.
Bear in mind that possession of hallows created by people dedicated to Anarchy (or freedom, or liberty, or whatever else it might be called) is of dubious legality and might incur serious consequences if it becomes known you have acquired one.
Pool of Transformation
- Characters with naga or briar lineage can visit Madruga and strengthen their lineage trappings
In Crucible there is a fountain in the courtyard of an old parador that once stood by the road along the banks of the Scorrero that now flows with rainbow waters; drinking from them by moonlight can prompt a transformation in unlineaged humans. There is a chance that the drinker will unpredictably gain the naga, briar, or draughir lineage over the course of a few days. Between the Autumn and Winter solstice, these waters have flown especially fast and strong, flooding the courtyard itself with a shallow pool of shifting prismatic waters. It is soon discovered that any naga or briar who bathes in the waters while the magically conjured rain falls find that their trappings - both those physically apparent and more spiritual effects of the touch of the realms are intensified.
Participation
Any naga or briar who wishes to do so may choose to have visited the pool in downtime and bathed in it, using it as an excuse to strengthen or increase their lineage trappings. Bear in mind that once this is done it represents a permanent change to your character; it is rare for lineage trappings to become weaker over time. Naga who do so are more likely to develop scales in unexpected colours or feathers, and find their intuitive tendencies greatly pronounced at least in the short term. Briar who do so are more likely to evidence flowers, and find their mercurial tendencies greatly pronounced at least in the short term. This option is only available in the lead-up to the Winter Solstice.
Strange Flowers
- There is an opportunity to harness some of the power of the magical marshes in the south
- This opportunity is also available to the herb gardens of Feroz
In combination with that magically conjured rain, the night magic has an unexpected effect. When the magical marshes of the south first formed, they did so due to a confusing melange of Night, Spring, and Winter magic. Now cursed storms raised by Spring magic, and Night enchantment, combine with the magic already in the water and mud to send ripples of transformation across Madruga - and into Feroz as well. It seems as if the storms have caught the chaotic magic of Night, and infused it with a little of the uncontainable nature of Spring. Wisps of the enchantment have been swept into Feroz, along with some of the transformative essence of the marshes. Magical theorists say that this is impossible; that is not how either enchantments or curses work. They're at a loss to explain what has happened here.
During the Winter Solstice, any herb garden in Madruga or Feroz can be diversified to grow marsh flowers. This requires the garden to be targeted by a performance of Ruthless Vigilance, Healthy Crop, providing the vital third ingredient of Winter magic. The ritual must also include a ring of ilium for each target of the ritual, which is consumed in the casting. In addition to its normal effects, and in conjunction with the Night and Spring magics in the territory, the culled energies released will help the odd flowers take root. The target herb garden permanently loses the ability to provide 2 drams of Imperial Roseweald, but will instead produce a single random marsh flower each season.
This opportunity only exists at the Winter Solstice.
Exotic Foliage
- Herbalists in Madruga have noted some new marsh flowers growing in the wake of the Spring curse and Night enchantment
- These flowers might appear in herb gardens diversified to produce them or via titles
One last feature of the Night magic spilling over Madruga is that herbalists in the territory have begun to encounter some new marsh flowers. In a way this should be unsurprising - Night magic has a fundamental resonance of transformation and change and the marshes are still relatively new. Among the peculiar wonders seen over the last few months are beautiful multicoloured flowers that take wing like butterflies when startled before settling on entirely different plants and becoming sessile again; flowers that chime like bells when the wind blows across them; a gorgeous crimson bloom that smells strongly of the syrah (an impressive feat given that syrah itself comes in a myriad of different shapes and scents) and whose petals can be boiled up to make a very passable sweet, brown tincture; and immense orchids larger than a human or orc within whose blooms bitter nectar pools. Some of these new blooms have been harvested by those who have cultivated marsh flowers in their herb gardens, but what properties they may have is not clear at this time.
Fish Dreams
- Odd dreams are experienced by sensitive folk especially in Kallavesa, Bregasland, and Mitwold
- Any citizen from other territories who has touched the waters of the Gullet may also experience one of these dreams
Imperial citizens are no strangers to peculiar dreams. Some arise spontaneously from within the spirit, others are guided by priests using liao ceremonies, but just as common are those created through the use of ritual magic, especially the lore of the Night realm. After the Autumn Equinox, a trickle of odd dreams in Kallavesa, Bregasland, and Mitwold soon becomes something of a flood. It becomes apparent that similar dreams are also being experienced by anyone who has touched the waters of the Gullet or the Westmere at any point in their lives.
The dreams differ in specifics, but comparing notes indicates there are several themes and images in common.
It's up to you whether your character has personally experienced these dreams or not. While they're most appropriate for characters whose personal resource is in Bregasland, Mitwold, or Kallavesa, they're also being experienced by people across the Empire who have a connection to the Gullet or the Westmere, albeit with reduced frequency. Anyone who lives in one of the affected territories, however, is likely to have met people talking about these weird dreams even if they don't experience them themselves.
- The dreamer feels as if they are leaping from their body, flying on unseen wings beneath a night sky resplendent with stars. The sky is full of black and golden owls, wings close enough to touch. Together they soar over a great valley, spotted with stands of trees and great unfamiliar beasts. Without warning a great wave of water crashes through the valley from the north, drowning the creatures, and plunging the dreamer into freezing waters salted with the tears of the dead and the lost.
- The dreamer understands that the seas of the world are ossuaries, full of bones, places of death. They are full of wrecks and ruins and the silent sadness of the drowned. They are also places of life, as well, albeit life that often seems very strange to people who live on the land in the air. Millions of creatures with fins, and eyes, and claws, and limbs, and jaws; but also things not beasts, not plants, but living still.
- As the dream draws to an end they become aware of something new, a glimmering sense of growth and life. This thing is not native to cold waters, and prefers warmer seas. It is composed of comingled senses of wonder and terror that ultimately wants to bring everything within itself, unique but integrated. It is something alive, familiar and utterly unknown, a blossoming celebration of the life of salt water. A thing of bright colours, of the many that are part of the whole, and it is terrible.
There are astronomantic practitioners all over the Empire, and the Marches and Wintermark are no exception. One titbit of information that suggests this is more than a simple dream is that when the dreamers are flying through the night sky, the constellations of the Key and the Spider are prominent among the stars. While not everyone recognises these shapes in the sky, they are consistently present in the dream.
Those who wake up speak of feeling chilled to their bones, but also of a disquieting yearning to travel to the shores of the Gullet and immerse themselves in the waters.
One odd element that leaves mystic and landskeeper alike a little confused is that there is no sign of any enchantment responsible for these dreams. Normally, a skilled magician can divine an active enchantment, and there's no sign of it here (even with rumours rampant in Anvil last season that Zlata Ruznikova Perenel, The Dread Auntie, Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind, had done something targeting the Gullet). By the Winter Solstice, the dreams have mostly fallen away, but it is possible that a ritual such as Eye of the High Places targeted at Mitwold, Bregasland, or Kallavesa may be able to catch some of the whisps of... whatever caused this.
'Hope' is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard - And sore must be the storm - That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm -
I’ve heard it in the chilliest land - And on the strangest Sea - Yet - never - in Extremity, It asked a crumb - of me.Emily DickinsonNew Season, New Owner, Same Loom Of Spells
- Access to the Loom of Spells will be auctioned at 15:00 on Saturday at the Crimson Reapers camp in the League
- The Crimson Reapers have taken custodianship of the Loom of Spells for the next year
Ritual codification is a complex process, usually undertaken by experienced specialists with long years of training and access to the finest reagents and tomes of recondite knowledge. Yet it seems that with a little help from the Autumn realm, a precocious child can achieve similar results! The Loom of Spells, a bizarre magical contraption owned by the Prince of Ties, once borrowed by the most-hated herald Sanvar Isk, then leased to the Church of the Little Mother, and now under the careful hand of the Crimson Reapers, can weave arcane projections into rituals with surprising ease.
The Crimson Reapers, specifically Bella Di Sarvos, now holds the metaphorical key to the very real Loom, and will auction the services of the Loom of Spells to the great and the good (and the wealthy) of Anvil. They will be hosting the auction at the Crimson Reapers camp in the League on Saturday at 15:00. The Loom of Spells can only codify rituals of the tenth magnitude or lower, though Quick Study in Urizen lore can enhance this. The Crimson Reapers have let it be known that the auction will accept all manner of wains, materials, and money so that all can try to win. Any questions on the valuation of materials and wains should be directed to the Crimson Reapers once in Anvil.
What We Feared
- There are rumours of strange folks encountered in Varushka and along the roads to Casinea
People in Casinea, Astolat, Weirwater, and the five territories of Varushka have been talking of encountering strange folks on the roads. There's no consistency in nationality or lineage; the strangers are as likely to be a briar Steinr as they are a merrow Freeborn. The one detail that stays the same is that they ask to hear stories of fears; tales of when the dread has set in. They want to know what it is that makes the hairs of your neck stand up. What thought might cross the mind of someone who thinks they're alone in the house. They're always grateful to hear the stories - there doesn't seem to be any malice - and they almost always offer a token payment of an ingot or two in thanks.
Conjunctions
Over the Hills (Hercynia)
Accessibility & Content Warning
- There are disturbing reports of a remote steading in Hercynia
- This is conjunction a combat unlikely encounter
- Whoever is appointed as Archmage of Winter is responsible for investigating the strange rumours
There is a house on the hill, up among the tall peaks and frosted pines. The wind has been said to whisper and howl strange things on dark nights when the cold bites and rains sting with icy touch. There has always been a family that lives among the peaks; they used to warn and signal of occasional avalanches and watch the snow's movements, but as of late, no one has seen them. However, rumours have spread of folks who stalk the woods late at night.
A few days before the summit, a stilted report was made by a heavily injured Navarri at a nearby steading. It was unclear what exactly they were trying to report, beyond mentions of the "Starwood Roots Steading", "the price of Winter", and "Whispers on the Wind".
The report was passed on to the magistrates, but a sudden snowfall has prevented them from adequately investigating the area. There is a conjunction to the steading, which - given the mention of Winter - the civil service has made the responsibility of whoever is elected as Archmage of Winter at the coming summit. The magistrates trust whoever is appointed Archmage of Winter to arrange a group to investigate, and ask that if the group finds any evidence of crimes, they inform the magistrates when they can.
A Light in the Trees (Therunin)
- A group of Navarri refugees from the Glimmerwater Steading are hiding out in Therunin
- They have possession of a magical lantern capable of bringing out merrow lineage in folk, but are being forced to flee Therunin
- Eleri Bronwen's Rest has been contacted about bringing up to 11 people to discuss where the Glimmerwater steading and their lantern might relocate to so they may continue their work
- This is conjunction a combat unlikely encounter
For many years, the Glimmerwater steading of Eastring has plied their unique trade, giving the bounty of the realm of Day to those who seek it. Inhabiting a flooded Day regio and armed of a wondrous magic lantern, these folk have guided many to embrace their place in the dance by coaxing out hidden merrow lineage in the soothing, calm lit waters of their home.
Those days are over. Therunin is overrun by both the green-clad Druj with their brutality, and the all-too-familiar horrors of the vallorn. For a time, the Glimmerwaters managed to continue their work in between dodging Druj patrols, but this has become untenable. Forced to finally abandon their home after a rough encounter with chikad and vallornspawn husks, they have set off on the trods, travelling west.
The Glimmerwaters are insistent that they will carry on their duty. But they won't do it in Therunin; at least, not until the territory is made safe once more. Another Day regio must be found, and the lantern relocated. To make this decision, Eanna Glimmerwater has sent a missive to Eleri Bronwen's Rest, inviting her to meet with them at a wayhouse at the coming summit, to decide where in the Empire the Glimmerwaters' travels will end.
The Play Eats The Cast
- Spiral is still like that.
Six months ago, it was brought to the attention of the people of the Empire that something was going on in Spiral. Something more than usual, that is. A wild tumult of dramaturgy and drama, plays and masks, underpinned with a powerful magical convocation. That strangeness has not faded with the Winter Solstice - if anything it is even more pronounced. Theatres, playhouses, and street-corners continue to be blessed with splendour, and strange phenomena continue to unfold.
As a reminder of what this means, we’ve reprinted the Participation section from that wind for characters living in Spiral, whether Urizen or League.
Participation
Any League or Urizen citizen whose resource is in Spiral can roleplay that they have experienced the strange phenomena. If your character was in Apulus this season, they are likely to have gotten lost at least once, and found themselves in a new part of the city, one they have never seen before. The experience is generally discombobulating but not unpleasant as it most often leads to a dramatic encounter with a dramatic production of some kind. Players are encouraged to make up stories of a wild night of revelry or wonderful trip to the theatre that resulted, as appropriate to your character.
Players who are familiar with the six dramaturgical personae may have had an encounter in which one of the six appeared to be present, either someone you met acting as if they were embodying the spirit of this personae or you finding yourself inspired and enabled by one of the personae, most likely the one that appeals most strongly to your character.
During this summit, any League or Urizen character whose resource is in Spiral can draw on the power of one of the five personae as a source of spiritual strength to resist a roleplaying effect by instead embracing the roleplaying associated with this intensification of the personae. You may do this at any time during the summit, as often as feels appropriate, but you may only use a single personae throughout the event.
- The Witch - You feel emboldened to meddle in the romantic affairs of others, however much they try to keep them private.
- The Captain - You feel driven to challenge others to act upon their unspoken ambitions and to assist them in achieving their goals when they align with yours.
- The Bishop - You find it easy to engage in long and intense debates on spiritual matters, especially pertaining to death and what follows it.
- The Doctor - It feels natural to answer the questions of others with further questions, carefully guarding your magical knowledge behind a cryptic façade.
- The Prince - It feels easy to fall silent in conversations and watch the faces and gestures of others, spotting the lies they tell and the ways in which they can be manipulated.
Finally, any League or Urizen magician whose personal resource is in Spiral who possesses the Night lore skill, can gain two additional effective rank of Night lore once each day for a single ritual at the summit, subject to the normal rules for effective skill.
When they're open, they're red.
Husky Business
- Conflict in the territories bordering the Gullet has seen a surge of coral husk activity
- Groups of coral husks have been seen dragging corpses into the Gullet
A year ago, there was a minor earthquake in the Gullet. A few minor injuries were reported, but for the most part it was accepted as fairly mundane. A few months later, the first sightings of strange creatures in the Gullet were made. These were discovered to be some form of "coral husk"; similar in a way to those found in vallornspawn, but at the same time altogether different. The husks were pushed back at the time, with the Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind, Zlata Ruznikova Perenel, The Weaver, organising a group to witness a somewhat spontaneous vivisection. Now, with battles fought in the lands surrounding the Gullet, there are once again sightings of groups of the coral husks dragging the dead and dying into the sea.
It Moves (Kallavesa)
- A gaggle of coral husks are massing in West Marsh
- This skirmish is a combat highly likely encounter
- The Watcher of Britta's Pool is responsible for stopping the husks
- There are no innocents present on this conjunction; magistrates advise that lethal force is fully justified
Several warriors who, having tested themselves at Britta's Pool, journeyed to the coast for rest and to see how far out they could swim. Unfortunately, they were cut down and dragged into the depths by the coral husks. Now, the husks are moving through the marsh again - seemingly on the hunt for more of the dead and dying to take into the watery depths.
It is the responsibility of the Watcher of Britta's Pool, Rafe, to arrange a group to journey to West Marsh and stop the coral husks claiming more corpses.
Behold the Fear (Bregasland)
- A gaggle of coral husks are massing in North Fens
- This skirmish is a combat highly likely encounter
- The Keeper of the Dour Fens is responsible for stopping the husks
- There are no innocents present on this conjunction; magistrates advise that lethal force is fully justified
It's not easy being a Fenlander. When it isn't wily eels waiting to strike at an unsuspecting heel, it's thousands of Jotun claiming the territory is theirs and attempting to force the locals to bend the knee. Eels make for good eating but these coral husks are just a pestilence. They're not vallorn, but the old line that "the vallorn has no trade interests" is just as apt for these strange creatures of the Gullet.
It is the responsibility of the Keeper of the Dour Fens, Bill of Middleton, to arrange a group to journey to North Fens and stop the coral husks in their tracks.
Cut Them Down (Sermersuaq)
- A gaggle of coral husks are massing in Stark
- This skirmish is a suitable for cadets encounter
- The Head of the Academy is responsible for investigating reports of husks in the area
- There are no innocents present on this conjunction; magistrates advise that lethal force is fully justified
Jimothy o' Hay, alumni of the Academy and the Sun Chamber, remained in Sermersuaq after the investigation into the Cult of the Falconer. Claiming to appreciate the weather and the food, he stayed on to keep an eye out for any weird happenings that might be of concern. After travelling with the Green Shield as far as the border for their attack into Skallahn, he stayed in Stark to do a bit of fishing. It was Jimothy who spotted the first signs of activity of the coral husks in the area. He's an old friend of the chancellor, so he's asked them to see if the students at the Academy can check out the problem and ensure there is nothing dangerous happening.
It is the responsibility of the Head of the Academy, Chancellor Hildebrand Von Holberg of the Temple of Nine Fingers, to arrange a group to journey to Stark and investigate the reports of coral husks in the area.
An Ode To Blood And Sacrifice
- An arcane projection has been cast in a Night Regio in Brocéliande
- The effects of this projection spread across all of Navarr
- All across the Empire, Navarri have had powerful dreams of the oaths that bind them to their nation
Last season, there was an unexpected conjunction of the Sentinel Gate that lead to a regio aligned with Night magic in Brocéliande. With the encouragement of heralds of Lashonar, Nathair Autumngale led a group of Navarri through the Gate to perform a powerful arcane projection. To call them a 'group' might be understating the case, as eyewitness reports from Anvil describe literally hundreds of Navarr pouring through the gate. Anyone desiring to know what happened would be best off asking one of those present, but everyone assumes that the arcane projection An Ode To Blood And Sacrifice was cast.
The effects of this projection were quickly felt in the aftermath of the Autumn equinox. Navarr across Brocéliande began to experience vivid dreams. The exact shape of these dreams varied from person to person, but all reported hearing the same song, and knowing exactly what it was called: Painted. Few are in any doubt that this song is "real" - people can hum it or sing it and it is clearly the same melody. Some say it was written by a Navarr bard in Anvil less than a decade ago, others claim to have heard this song (or one very much like it) passed down from parents and grandparents since their earliest childhood. Perhaps it is simply one of those songs that feels like it ought to always have existed. Some dream of a single voice, some of a choir, some of hundreds of people all singing in unison, but the song remains the same.
Those Navarr who were physically present for the performance of the ritual, whether they contributed or not, find that they experience something a little different. The song is still there in their dreams, the chorus and the melody. Yet from time to time the music is joined by two voices they do not recognise - one that seems male and another that presents as female singing in an almost transcendent harmony. It doesn't happen often, but when they awaken from these dreams they invariable find their cheeks and pillow wet with tears even if they are otherwise given to stoicism.
A few weeks after the dreams in Brocéliande begin, people outside the territory begin to experience them. The dreams first spread to the Last Battle Wayhouse in the Barrens. As the steadings and stridings begin to realise what is happening, the effect spreads even further. Perhaps more significantly, the song is not only heard by Navarr. It seems many people in the Barrens have heard the song echoing in their dreams - people of Dawn, and some orcs of the Great Forest report it weaving through their sleep. After this, the dam breaks. rushing across boundaries of region and territory, it is less than a month before the dreams that began in Brocéliande reached every place in the Empire and beyond where the trods persist.
Any Navarr has the dream at least once, but members of other nations also seem to experience it albeit less intensely and with less frequency. Some magicians speculate that a form of benign magical contagion, almost like a braiding may be at work. The magic is being carried by the remaining stridings out of Brocéliande and then spreading slowly through the trods themselves. Stranger things have happened, especially where Night magic is involved.
Indeed some with an affinity for the realm of Night speak of dreams that feature a sinuous serpent with feathered wings dancing through the sky in time with the music, while brightly-coloured bird folk swiftly appear and disappear, singing along with the dream chorus. Others talk of seeing a lithe wyrm, wingless and with delicate claws and wide eyes that shimmer with prismatic colours and irrefutable joy. One interpretation of this is that The Caller Of The Chorus has decided to exert its power to help spread this message as far as the laws of magic will bear.
This seems impossible at first. During the Autumn Equinox Lashonar was declared an enemy of the Empire by the Conclave. The eternal cannot work around the metaphysical limits of enmity. After further investigation the vates looking into it are able to determine that the ritual was cast on Friday evening, while the declaration of alignment took place on Saturday night, It seems that the Gibbering One had plenty of time to begin work spreading the ritual before the iron bands of enmity closed around it. They also point out that Brocéliande is not, and never has been an Imperial territory, leaving it unprotected by the declarations of the Conclave.
Whatever the case, there is no evidence of anything more sinister afoot. There has been no direct consequences, no heralds of Lashonar within the Empire seeking to promote the dreams and the song. If the Conscience of Kings has been involved, it seems it is satisfied to have done what it has to help spread the message of this song as far as it possibly could without regard for reward or consequence. All things considered, things could have been far worse.
As of the start of the Winter Solstice, the dreams and the music are still resonating through the trods it seems, showing no signs of weakening. It's not clear what if anything this might portend - perhaps as the seasons turn the Night magic will become quiescent once more?
Participation
Any Navarr character may choose to have heard the song, experienced the dreams of singing voices either directly or via half-remembered echoes, or to have seen what appears to be Lashonar. Those who do experience a roleplaying effect during the Winter Solstice: You feel a sense of immense pride in the oaths that you have sworn and the tattoos and other marks you wear to commemorate them. It feels good and right to celebrate this element of your culture, and to encourage others to follow suit.
If you are Navarr and you choose to embrace the roleplaying effect, then during the Winter Solstice you possess a single additional hero point, even if you do not have the hero skill. This hero point can be spent in the normal fashion, depending on your skills, but once gone it is not recovered. The roleplaying effect and the additional hero point are lost by the end of the Winter Solstice.
Characters who are not Navarr, but who feel a personal connection to that nation, to the trods, or to the fight against the vallorn are also free to roleplay having had the dream or heard the echoes of the music. They do not receive the roleplaying effect or the additional hero point however.
OOC Note: The lyrics and chords to the song can be found here. It is written by Gabrielle Falquero.
Faces in Clouds
- The penumbral veils placed in the Autumn Equinox 386YE persisted for an additional season
- New faux constellations were spotted in the skies wherever these veils hung
- The veils were destroyed along with all others shortly before the Winter Solstice
- Memory of the last set of faux constellations is unclear
Following the Autumn Equinox a year ago, a widespread veil of night settled across most of the Empire. Only the territories of Casinea, Madruga, Mournwold, and Therunin were untouched. After last seasons Equinox, these veils should have failed and fallen apart - the effect of the ritual lasts for a single turn of the year and they were presumably raised at the Autumn Equinox 386YE. Unaccountably, however, the veils remained intact. They neither weakened nor strengthened and showed no sign of unravelling - not until the unanticipated events at Anvil that have seen every penumbral veil ripped apart.
The sky is always a little peculiar when the Penumbral Veil is drawn, but after the Spring Equinox this year, unfamiliar constellations were reported to be visible in the skies over Skarsind, Mournwold, Tassato, and Necropolis. These stars dwindled as the Summer Solstice approached, and different patterns of stars were marked in the night sky above Karov, Hahnmark, Holberg, Spiral and Semmerholm. In each case, they brought with them odd dreams and unpredictable influences, and an unattributable awareness of their names and apparent properties.
When the veils continued, so did the "faux constellations". Again, the second set faded away shortly after the Equinox and a new set began to be noted in the sky. Rather than hanging over specific territories however, these flickered in the sky everywhere in the Empire affected by the Penumbral Veils. They were brighter and more notable than the previous constellations, more vibrant, and it was noted by some astronomancers that while they might appear or disappear night to night, there was never more than one of them in the skies over a given territory at a time.
Then all the veils stopped, suddenly, just before the Winter Solstice and these constellations vanished. Unexpectedly, when they disappeared, they took with them all awareness of what they actually looked like. There's obviously a great deal of confusion and excitement at the moment, but astronomancers in particular are noting that even their written records of these last faux constellations appear to have disappeared. All that remains are their names. What the spinning feather, the night haunter, the horn of echoes, the grasping eye, the forked candle, the spiralled conch, and the splintered throne looked like - how many stars there were, what they meant, even where they definitively hung - nobody can remember.
A few metaphysicians compare the effect to the mysterious fog of several years ago that still plays havoc with some memories. Others are of the opinion that it might be the residue of Night magic of some kind, or that it has something to do with the interaction of the magic creating these patterns and whatever has happened to the Imperial regio. It hasn't erased the memories of the other nine constellations, those that played out through the year - the paired dancers, the golden ferret and the rest - only this last brace.
As recounted in the What regulates the wheel? wind of fortune, there are still powerful shrouds covering the Empire and its adjoining territories. They are clearly not the product of the Penumbral Veil however. Nothing obscures the night skies, and nothing draws attention to their existence. The stars and the moon look just as they always do. All the astronomantic constellations are visible as they should be. People do not suffer strange dreams when they rest under the night sky.
Participation
Characters with an interest in the stars who have spent time in any Imperial territory except Casinea, Madruga, Mournwold, Therunin, and Sarangrave may experience a peculiar lingering effect. They feel an urge to try and draw the out last set of faux constellations, or create art related to their names. They may feel a tugging to try and understand what those stars might have meant, even though they can't remember directly. They might also find them invading their dreams over the course of the summit. These can be pleasant dreams in which they watch the stars and understand them, or stressful dreams where they try to grasp their shape and meaning, but either way on awakening the memory of the faux constellations slips away. These effects become less pronounced as the Winter Solstice summit continues and will have faded by the end of the event.
It isn't possible to remember the shapes or properties of these stars. Just as with effects such as Cast Off The Chain of Memory, ritual magic or an arcane projection will not recover any additional information about this last group of faux constellations. The only thing that remains of them are their names - and there's some potential for disagreement about exactly what they were. Not everyone agrees to the exact words.
Markets Quiet and Loud (Ephisis' Scale)
- Agents of the City of Gold and Lead have provided information about Ephisis' Scale bargains
- There is an opportunity to acquire hearts blood and warm honey in return for dragonbone or tempest jade
There are no markets and bazaars that match those of the City of Gold and Lead. Each season Imperial magicians are able to use a simple ritual Ephisis' Scale - to trade with the merchants and brokers of the Autumn realm - and through them with mortals and agents all over the known world and perhaps beyond. During the Spring Equinox, the Waning Circle established a "spot price" for wains of mithril, white granite, weirwood, and ilium. While there is a "reasonable" set price, the more Imperial magicians offer the more the price drops. They've also reiterated that anyone wishing to trade a significant amount of wains in one go should strongly consider not including anything else in their box.
Drugs and Potions
- Most of the markets of the City of Gold and Lead are not purchasing potions or drugs at this time
- The Silent Market continues to deal in narcotics and consumables
The Silent Market are amongst the more well-established brokers in the City of Gold and Lead. They deal in unique curios and luxury goods, but also buy and sell narcotics and other consumables. They have apparently been doing some fine business with the Empire over the last few years. Yet they have also recently come under pressure from the Lictors on matters relating to the laws of the Empire. laast season they agreed to stop dealing in potions and consumables, but since then they have apparently resolved their differences with the City of Bond and Bar. They are again open for business, for the purchase and sale of potions and consumables.
However, they want to be clear that they are not interested in standard magical herbs, or the potions any apothecary can brew. Nor are they interested in the trade goods that can be purchased in foreign ports - they already have magicians providing them with those goods. They are interested in unique products that may be of interest to discerning customers. With that in mind, they want to lay out an opportunity for the Empire. Anyone performing Ephisis' Scale can place a copy of the Queros rune in the box indicating it is specifically for the attention of the Silent Market. They will evaluate drugs, potions, and other consumables and make an offer. There are two stipulations however: the box should only contain potions, drugs, and other consumables - they will not make an offer for anything "familiar" or "easily available."
No other market is interested in these goods at this time. Any box that contains drugs or potions and does not contain the rune Queros, will be returned to the sender. The merchant from the Silent Market will not purchase anything "familiar" or "easily available" - if it is included in a box for them then any offer made will exclude those goods.
This season they are very interested in getting hold of proper Hahnmark viezesmaak. This drug is well known in the Sarcophan Delves, but there is something of a fashion at the moment for doses that provably come from Wintermark rather than the usual places. As such, the Silent Market have prepared an offer for any Wintermark caster of Ephisis' Scale that sends a box of visesmaak and is prepared to sign a provenance swearing that the product came from the farms of Hahnmark. They will offer either an equal amount of consumable narcotics from elsewhere in the world, or two drams of either Imperial Roseweald or Cerulean Mazzarine for every three doses of viezesmaak. Whichever is chosen will be delivered before the Spring Equinox - provided that the provenance is signed.
On the matter of legality, representatives of the Silent Market have been evasive but it comes down to the fact that they are not remotely interested in what the Empire considers to be appropriate to trade. They are more than happy to deal in bite, for example, and are not ashamed of doing so. They will not be cooperating with any magistrates to restrict trade, and they will not balk at providing goods the Empire might find unpalatable. Once the goods are back in Anvil, they don't care what happens to them or their brokers.