Value beneath the mountain

By the grace of Conclave, this season we train our new recruits! A mortal army would rest and recover, tell the stories of their actions and their virtue, and prepare for the seasons to come. Virtue is the Ambition of the soul, the currency of the exemplar, and the eternity of the paragon. A season of virtuous discussion would see me well fed - but children of the Autumn realm, you are not like me! This season, while we are not fighting, we will be doing something you will enjoy. Under Mount Polus, the great mountain we call Kaspoena's Reach, there are riches to be found! This season let us sniff out the value beneath the mountain, within the crevasse at its feets. My foxes, lead the way! My minotaurs bring your picks! My spiders, be ready to evaluate what we find! We are bound by common cause - to seek the unspent coin of our mountain, to rejoice in the Prosperity of our industry, to enrich our tomorrows with the work of today.

Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer, General of the Argent Sword

Overview

During the Spring Equinox 387YE, the Golden Chalice received an arcane projection from Meraud, the King of the Twilight Sun, that would dramatically and permanently elevate one of the largest peaks in a region. The Hand that Shakes the Heavens was performed by the Ashen Flame coven of Urizen, targeting Occursion in Zenith. Tremors began to be felt across the territory as one of the mountains, Mount Polus, began to rise. Shortly before the Summer Solstice, an overwhelming crunch was heard as a crevasse opened at the base of the mountain, beckoning those seeking adventure. Preliminary investigation by the Citadel of the Empty Sword suggested that an army could be used to explore the crevasse.

Last season, the General of the Argent Sword, Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer, issued orders to the heralds of her army to "sniff out the value beneath the mountain", and they have done so with all the propensity expected of creatures of the Iron Labyrinthe. They have found a previously undiscovered vein of mithril in the series of caverns, which go even deeper than previously believed.

Unfortunately, the crevasse and the caverns it leads to are dark, and there are strange, hostile creatures that dwell in the depths.

The Treasure of Kespoena's Reach

Kespoena's Nadir

Commission Type: Bourse Seat

Location: Occursion, Zenith

Cost: 300 thrones in labour

Upkeep: 10 thrones a season

Time: Six months

Effect: Creates the Kespoena's Nadir bourse seat that produces 12 wains of mithril a season

Availability: Until the end of the Summer Solstice 389YE

Special: Can be announced by the Master of the Koboldi

The General of the Argent Sword has received three wains of mithril from the expedition
The mithril vein could be worked, establishing a new mithril seat in Occursion
Further exploration will uncover more of the vein, leading to an opportunity for the mine to be expanded

The mithril vein could be established as a bourse seat, Kespoena's Nadir, by either Senate motion or by an announcement from an appropriate title. Interestingly, the koboldi, heralds of Adamant, have expressed an interest in being the ones to work on the project and have made clear they consider it to be of appropriate grandeur even if it doesn't involve white granite.

What's more, once complete, an appropriate army could explore even deeper into the cavern. Either the Boyar's Hasta (hiring the appropriate sell swords), the Narwhal's Spear, the Seventh Wave, the Wolves of War (employing the appropriate mercenaries), or a different army enchanted with Bound by Common Cause could take a defensive order to uncover more of the vein, leading to an opportunity for the mine to be expanded.

Under Kespoena's Reach

To rename Mount Polus in Zenith, the highest mountain in the Empire, to "Kespoena's Reach", after the astronomancer for whom that mountain was raised. Her dream, to rebuild her spire atop the tallest mountain in Zenith, was rendered impossible by the Arch of the Sky quarry - but with Ambition, and love, nothing is beyond our reach. Dare to do the impossible. Dare to dream.

Gancio di Catazar, Citizens' Voice

There are six conjunctions to various pockets in the chasm under Kespoena's Reach
Each successful conjunction will reduce the cost of establishing Kespoena's Nadir by eight thrones if commissioned this season
If all six are successful, then it will reduce the time to establish Kespoena's Nadir to three months if commissioned this season

The caverns that the crevasse leads to are long and winding; it will cost three hundred thrones to establish routes to and from the vein and establish all the necessary equipment within. There are six opportunities to reduce the cost of the work, and potentially even speed it up if the

The creatures are unknown. The reports from the soldiers of the army have been that they are humanoid, but beyond that it is anybody's guess. Certainly, they are aggressive; one golden spider of the City of Bridges was bludgeoned in the back of their cephalothorax whilst carefully checking the width of a tunnel.

Dismal Pit

This is a combat highly likely encounter
A small band of Disciples of Sulemaine ventured into the cavern when it first opened
Herminius of the House of the Wanderer is responsible for killing the Disciplies
There are no innocents present on this conjunction; magistrates advise that lethal force is fully justified

Disciples of Sulemaine, those who clung to the teachings of the Paragon of Blades have been encountered in the tunnels of the cavern. Nothing suggests that these Disciples of Sulemaine are the widely known disciples. Indeed, scouts suggest that this band ventured into the cavern when it first opened and have eked out an ascetic existence ever since. They missed the call to action from the Urizen Assembly and the subsequent war in the mountains that followed. Now, they have found out what happened and have taken to launching ambushes on the Autumn soldiers of the Argent Sword as they pass through winding tunnels, and there is nothing to suggest that they would not do the same to mortal labourers. If they can be dealt with, then it will reduce the need for guards for the labourers passing through this part of the caverns.

If successful, Herminius of the House of the Wanderer will receive ten crowns from grateful families of the few citizens who lost their lives to the Disciples of Sulemaine before the Winter Solstice 388YE.

Fuliginous Burrow

This is a combat highly likely encounter
A small band of bandits fled ahead of the heralds into the cavern and are holed up
The burrow has the potential to be harvested for lightstones for the efforts
The Architect of Illumination is responsible for defeating the bandits
There are no innocents present on this conjunction; magistrates advise that lethal force is fully justified

Some loathsome folks choose to spend their lives taking from others and denying them the fruits of their labour. A small band of bandits, "The Nightwoven", were forced to flee ahead of the army into the caverns and are now holed up. As luck would have it, the burrow the bandits have chosen to make camp in has high potential to be harvested for lightstones. If the bandits can be defeated, then keen crafters will journey to the burrow to claim some of the lightstone.

If successful, both the Architect of Illumination, Felix of the Wise Citadel, and whoever is appointed as the Merchant Boyar of the Light Market at the upcoming summit will receive six crowns in thanks from merchants keen to make use of the influx before the Winter Solstice 388YE.

Mirksome Tunnel

This is a combat unlikely encounter
Sentinels who supported the efforts are injured
They will need to be treated so they can map their way out
The Gardener of Pallas is responsible for ensuring the sentinels are treated
There may be innocent people present on this conjunction; magistrates advise caution must be taken to avoid innocent casualties

There are several routes from the foothills of Occursion through to the discovered mithril vein. Sentinels from the Citadel of the Empty Sword were travelling to patrol along the borders of Zenith when the enthusiasm of the Argent Sword led to them joining the efforts to explore the crevasse. The sentinels have done well, but two of their number have been injured, and they face a perilous slog back through the tunnels. Word from the heralds suggests that the sentinels may have uncovered a more efficient route to the vein; if they can be treated, they will be able to map their way out, allowing the labourers to take the much more expedient path.

If successful, the Gardener of Pallas, Arephanes of Tropaion Citadel, will receive a bounty of sixteen herbs from the grateful families of the sentinels before the Winter Solstice 388YE.

Caliginous Pocket

This is a combat highly likely encounter
Creatures are in the way of an underground lake which could be used for supplies
If the creatures in the pocket can be defeated, the labourers will be able to use it for water and food
The Arbiter of the Four Winds is responsible for defeating the creatures to make use of the underground lake
There are no innocents present on this conjunction; magistrates advise that lethal force is fully justified

The discovery of the underground lake was perhaps more surprising than the mithril vein. Strange luminescent shapes have been spotted moving under the water, and the bones of fish were found before the golden spiders that stumbled upon the lake were driven away by creatures. The Caliginous Pocket serves as a key chokepoint between wherever the creatures came from and the lake. If the creatures can be defeated, then a cache could be established, allowing the efforts to make full use of the lake.

If successful, both the Arbiter of the Four Winds, Donato of the Crucible, and the Keeper of the Study, Annie Webster, will receive six crowns in thanks from curious gourmands before the Winter Solstice 388YE.

Tenebrous Cave

This is a combat highly likely encounter
Creatures in the cave are preventing a herald from claiming a cache of gemstones
If the creatures in the cave can be defeated, the herald can retrieve the valuable gemstones
The General of the Argent Sword is responsible for defeating the creatures
There are no innocents present on this conjunction; magistrates advise that lethal force is fully justified

One of the fox-like scouts of the army has uncovered a cache of valuable gemstones. Unfortunately, there is a small pack of the strange creatures in the way of the herald of Callidus of the Coin. The herald has no way of defeating the creatures, and time is running out for the vulpine herald to get its fill of precious gemstones. If they can be recovered, then ~~all~~ ~~most~~ some of them will be put towards the establishing of Kespoena's Nadir.

If successful, the General of the Argent Sword, Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer, will receive gemstones worth ten crowns from the herald before the Winter Solstice 388YE.

Twilight Cavern

This is a combat unlikely encounter
A scout has uncovered the ideal place to place a location aura to restore heroic will
Herthfire's Hospitality or Leonine Pavilion could be performed in the area to steady the will of labourers
The Oblivion Sentinel is responsible for seeing one of the rituals performed and helping the malaised sentinels
There may be innocent people present on this conjunction; magistrates advise caution must be taken to avoid innocent casualties

If the choice is made to begin establishing Kespoena's Nadir this season, then one of the two rituals that allow the restoration of heroic will would be excellent for the work in the Twilight Cavern; an enclosed area near the mithril vein. Unfortunately, those who spend too long in the Twilight Cavern are beset by a strange malaise; some form of miasma that saps the sufferer's will and encourages them to simply rest. If that can be dealt with, the cavern will serve as an excellent intermediate resting point; performing either Herthfire's Hospitality or Leonine Pavilion here would allow the labourers to rest and recuperate without falling to the miasma. There are a small band of weakened sentinels who will need to be treated, either with an appropriate anointing, or by talking them through the situation whilst the ritual is performed.

One of the heralds of Sung, Singer of the Silent Melody has asked whoever is appointed as the Oblivion Sentinel by the Urizen generals this season to intercede and ensure that the ritual, preferably the better one is performed. If successful, the Oblivion Sentinel will receive three pawns of crystal fire from the herald of the Rainbow Serpent before the Winter Solstice 388YE.