To seek enlightenment

"So, what happened to 'this is the last time?'" Lyubov looked up as Mladen studiously chose things and carefully put them in his knapsack.

Mladen looked up, as if surprised that she'd come out and said it. "It's just that.. I'm the best one for it. And this is the last time! I told them so..." he refused to admit that he would likely answer the call again if it came.

"You might have been the best for it a few years ago, but there's new blood now. Why can't you just relax?" She felt almost cruel for saying it, but the new lot wouldn't get a chance to make a name for themselves if Mlad kept jumping up and down desperate to help.

"Maybe for something else, but this is something I'm good at. I fought those wars and I can dredge up old contacts. Heck, I can talk the talk with the Suranni if need be. I promise you, I'll be home by the next solstice. We can go have honey rum in Delev then." He finished packing and leant down to give Lyubov a kiss on the head, before shouldering his pack.

Overview

The Spring Equinox of 388YE may go down in history as one of the most inspirational in the history of the Synod, as eight Assemblies were each able to divine, debate and determine their highest calling. For the Wisdom Assembly, it was to support the fine work of the civil service who perform historical research and produce appraisals.

In a perfect world, the Assembly might have hoped to increase the capacity of one or both departments. It would clearly strengthen the Empire to be in a position to carry out more research or conduct more appraisals. Unfortunately, that isn't possible at this time; the Empire simply does not have that capacity (OOC Note: Profound Decisions does not have the capacity to support any additional plot of this kind at this time).

That does not mean that there is nothing the Wisdom Assembly can do. If they cannot increase the amount of research work the Empire can carry out, is there some way they could improve the quality of the work done?

Wisdom teaches us to test and apply what we have learned, for it is always incomplete. Nowhere is this more true than in the actions of our enemies. What is not known cannot be fought without needless loss of Imperial lives. Questions rise anew with each strike against - or from - our wars against barbarian and vallorn alike. The Way cannot spread, cannot be known beyond our current borders, without the wars we fight; we cannot fight these wars, both current and future, without the knowledge to support our forces. The Ministry of Historical Research and the Empire's prognosticators tirelessly collate and unearth knowledge of our enemies, but their work is endlessly unfinished. Supporting the efforts and research of those institutions and the study of these foes embodies the teachings of Wisdom. This is our highest calling.

Asthore Autumngale, Wisdom Assembly, Spring 388YE, Vote: Upheld with a Greater Majority 296-74

Finding the Right Question

Those familiar with the work of the Prognosticators Office can testify to the importance of asking the right question. The long-suffering civil servants will do their best to provide some kind of answer, no matter what question is asked. But the undeniable truth is that some topics are more fertile than others - and more importantly, asking the right question in the right way can make the time and effort invested in an appraisal much more rewarding. For that reason, the department took the unusual step of issuing new guidance to citizens so that they could learn how to get the best from the department.

The Wise have considered this thorny issue, and have fallen back on the oft-used defence of debates on Wisdom - the need to find the right question. What if the Assembly worked with the prognosticators' office to find the right question together? Of course there is always a danger that it raises expectations too high; nothing is ever guaranteed. But surely if the Assembly can help with the formulation of the question, it can only help?

For the following year, the Wisdom Assembly can pass a statement of principle detailing a single issue they would like to find out more about. If the statement passes with a greater majority, then the Wise will come together to suggest one or more well-worded appraisals for the Senate to consider commissioning the following season.

It seems like an eminently sensible suggestion that offers the best chance of success. So good in fact, that a familiar face has already made a head start on it.

Every Word You Speak

Appraise the Armies of X

Motion Type: Appraisal

Necessary Detail: Grendel, Thule, or Jotun

Prognosticator: Mladen Escovich

Time: Three months

Availability: Only available at the Summer Solstice 388YE

Effect: Uncovers information about the armies of a single local power, either the Grendel, Thule, or the Jotun Will not identify how the nation supplies their armies

Special: Can instead appraise armies of the Iron Confederacy but will take an extra three months

• Mladen Escovich has been inspired by the words of the Wisdom Assembly
• The ageing Varushkan offers to take on yet another "one last job" to assess the armies of a nearby nation
• This opportunity is only available at the Summer Solstice 388YE

Mladen Escovitch is officially listed on the official roster of official prognosticators as retired - a status he appears to view as some kind of insult or disastrous mistake. His colleagues tend to see it more as something of a joke. The ageing Varushkan appears to be incapable of retiring to earn his well-deserved rest despite the importunities of his long-suffering wife.

This season, he is using the highest calling of the Wisdom Assembly as the excuse for failing to stop turning up for work. As such, he proposes that the Imperial Senate could instruct the prognosticators' office to appraise the armies of a single foreign nation, either the Grendel, Thule, or the Jotun. Mladen is also willing to assess the armies of the Iron Confederacy, but that will take an extra three months to avoid any "mishaps" such as what affected Mark Siwarsbairn. The goal would be to find out as much as possible about the armies. Some things would be a matter of fact; the size and quality of each army could be nailed down. But beyond their size and composition, other details could be important: a little information about their history and background, the identity of their general. Who knows when such details might offer some insight into how to defeat the enemy.

If the Senate does want such an appraisal, they could legally choose to name anyone. But Mladen has found a way to suggest an appraisal that only he, with his extensive experience on the front line, could answer. For all practical purposes, the Senate would have to choose to assign Mladen to this appraisal if they decided to go forward with it.

Even with Mladen on the job, it would only be about the armies themselves. Their supply - the full details of how each territory supports them and how to interfere with that would not be included. That is beyond the reach of appraisal at this time. The only reason the Empire was able to get such a full picture of the Druj supply lines was how well mapped and close the remainder of their territories were. Much of the Grendel, Thule, and Jotun lands remain completely shrouded by the fog of war, and thus any appraisal to look into their supply lines would fail to deliver answers to those key questions.

Question the Right Finding

• Roshanwe has sent one of her heralds, Little Lantern, to support the prognosticators' office
• The Conclave could use a declaration of acceptance to ask the eternal to withdraw the herald

The eternal Roshanwe has heard the call of "her" assembly, and is keen to offer her support where she can. After careful consideration, she has elected to send one of her disciples to work at the Prognosticator's Office. While this will not increase the number of appraisals that the team can perform, it will allow the Senate to elect to send Little Lantern in place of one of their normal colleagues.

The Pearlescent Advisor may have knowledge and the means of acquiring it beyond the scope of the others. As a Day herald, they will definitely have their own eccentricities and perspective on what the important parts of the appraisal are, and an idiosyncratic way of reporting back to the Empire.

In order to gain access to the Empire required to help with such matters, She-Who-Walks-Beside would need to have the amity of the Conclave. As long as this was maintained, the extra prognosticator would remain available to the Senate.

The civil service has not required the approval of Conclave or Senate for this assignation. This is because there is no danger posed by the herald making their services available - if the Senate is not happy with the arrangements, they can simply not send the herald. The Conclave could use a declaration of acceptance to ask Roshanwe to withdraw their herald at any time - but they would need to word the declaration carefully if they wished to avoid distressing Elder Pharos.