384YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune
Overview
Over the past three months, several events have occurred which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. You can also read about the progress of the Empire's military campaigns in the Winds of War.
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations, or political bodies, to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place and very little happens in isolation.
As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters 'should' know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months.
Many winds of fortune open with a short section of in-character text. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip. They're mostly just a bit of fun and they tend not to contain anything vital to the understanding of the wind of Fortune.
Winds of Fortune
The Winds of Fortune will be presented prior to the Autumn Equinox.
Hopeless as a Feather (Plenipotentiary)
- Archmages and the Imperial Conclave; specifically invited guests including Brat Umbral Path, Morwenna Winterbuilt, Ahzrukhal of Highguard, Spyridonakes of Urizen, Clèrabela Vicente de Metri of the League, Baerwynn of the Sussivari, and anyone carrying a boon of Sadogua that has lost its power; Grandmaster of the Golden Pyramid, Catellus di Tassato Regario of the Cat's Curiosities, Izaac von Temeschwar, and anyone with an interest in religious curiosities; Elienne of Dawn; Leo the Rainbow Sage and Catrina the Unbelievably Magical
The six archmages can each dispatch a single plenipotentiary message to an eternal of the magical realm they represent every season. The eternal is bound to respond - perhaps with a formal parley, perhaps with something unexpected. During the solstice passed, each of the archmages sent such a message, and replies have been received. During the Autumn Equinox parleys will take place with the Globbersnotch, the Summer Mage, and the Prince with a Thousand Foes; the Sovereign Lord of the City of Chains will provide a peculiar market-auction for items of religious and spiritual significance; and the Wise Crow will provide an opportunity for several people to do something that is apparently ill-advised and bound to end badly.
You can find the details of this season's plenipotentiaries in Hopeless as a feather.
Back in the Same Place (Appraisal)
- Imperial Senate; the League National Assembly; the Assembly of Ambition; citizens of the League especially those of Temeschwar
The Imperial Senate has instructed Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra to perform an appraisal into the potential to construct a university in Temeschwar, that will increase the number of commissions the Empire can initiate each season. This has proved to be a far from easy task, given the restrictions placed on her by the Senate's motion. She has done her best however and presents two extravagant possibilities for achieving the Senate's goals.
You can read about those two possibilities in Back in the same place
Into Tired Shadow
- Highborn Assembly; Highborn generals; Urizen
For three seasons the Highborn armies have committed themselves to a crusading storm, straining every sinew to wipe the Druj from the face of Zenith. It seems they will stop at nothing to ensure the salvation of those Urizen people who still suffer under the cruel tyranny of the pernicious barbarians. Even now, with the Druj trapped by the cunning of the Imperial generals victory in Zenith is not assured. For there is another threat, one less martial but as every bit as terrible. The Druj have unleashed their unspeakable evil on Zenith, and if it is not dealt with it threatens to taint the territory for years to come.
You can read about the choices facing the Highborn Assembly in Into tired shadow.
Dear Green Space
- Wisdom Assembly; Imperial Senate; The League, especially the people of Holberg; Patron of the Pavilion; the Imperial Conclave
During the Summer Solstice, Hembeneth i Guerra of the Brass Coast, Cardinal of Wisdom, called on the virtuous to find a practical solution to the terrible corruption of Holmauer Park in Holberg. The beautiful park was cursed at the same time the mirrors of Sarvos were shattered, apparently as part of some attack against the League by the Hag Queen of the Thrice-cursed Court. Now, the Wisest minds in Holberg and the Empire have turned their attention to the situation, considered the problem of the cursed park from every angle, and come up with a practical solution to the problem. Not that everyone in Holberg views the cursed Park as a problem to be solved...
You can learn about the proposed solution, and the alternative suggestion, in Dear green space.
Other Events
There are a number of other events and situations which are noteworthy, but which for whatever reason have not led to a full Wind of Fortune in their own right.
Summer Conjunctions
During the Summer Solstice, there were a number of conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate identified by the Imperial prognosticators. In each case a band of Imperial heroes used that conjunction to travel to a location far from Anvil and intervene in a ongoing situation. These are the known outcomes of those conjunctions.
| # | Link | Location | Responsibility | Overview | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Second skin | Sermersuaq, White Plume Rocks | Mediator of Hyljehal | Free a hylje hostage from the Jotun | Koskinen was rescued from the Jotun, freeing the hylje to continue to aid their allies |
| 2 | Old bones | Sermersuaq, Spirax wood | Weigher of Worth | Deny the Spear of Bounty to the Jotun and cause their quest to fail | Despite the valiant efforts of the imperial Orcs and their allies, the Jotun kept hold of the spear and have gained the favour of Hayaak |
| 3 | The Missing Warlock | Sermersuaq, Flat Hills | Ambassador to Otkodov | Retrieve a vital Thule warlock captured by the Jotun | The matter of the missing warlock was resolved to the satisfaction of the Thule. They commend the Ambassador for their role in this resolution |
| 4 | Heart of Oaths | Bregasland, unknown, unknown | Archmage of Day | Opportunity for the Imperial Orcs to recover the artifact Pilgrim's Shield Oath-Heart | Dillion Fisher was dealt with and the shield Oath-Heart recovered |
| 5 | Captain's Price | Segura, Cereva Hall | Imperial Fleet Master | Intercept a raiding party of Wave Riders on Imperial soil | After repeated attempts to dissuade the Grendel from their course, negotiations broke down. The Waveriders were prevented for reaching Cereva Hall |
| 6 | A little time | Bregasland, Greywater Estate | General of the Strong Reeds | Help House Greywater escape a Jotun execution squad | House Greywater escaped into the secret places of the marsh. They support the Strong Reeds in resisting the Jotun presence |
| 7 | Stolen history | Zenith, Golden Cascade | Curator of the White City Museum | Recover the Amulet of Truth from a wicked Druj warleader | Despite the best efforts of the righteous Imperials, Khelver was able to escape with her stolen amulet |
| 8 | Stolen knowledge | Zenith, Sleetstorm Pass | Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind | Deny the ghulai of Sarangrave a mysterious magical text | The ghulai of Sarangrave were able to escape with the mysterious text |
| 9 | Kick against the pricks | Sarangrave, Dead Stone Woods, | Senator for Temeschwar | Recover a Bloodwater Spear orc from the Druj | Imperial heroes were unfortunately unable to get close to the Druj prisoner |
| 10 | Stormwood | Barrens, Stormwood | Archmage of Spring | Claim the Stone of Storms from Druj dedicated to Siakha | The stone was claimed, and many of the Druj followers of Siakha slain |
| 11 | Sour honey | Ossium, the Bone Hives | Keeper of the Bone Hives | Stop the Druj destroying the Bone Hives | The Druj were only able to destroy two of the Bone Hives, meaning they will produce nothing until after the Winter Solstice 384YE |
| 12 | Boyar of Steel | Karsk, Ashen Fields | Boyarina Nisha Melinka Rupeilia Strazcovich | Deal with the self-styled Boyar of Isember Alexi Iskandrova Isembrioch | The robber-boyar was intercepted and executed before he could flee |
| 13 | Troubled waters | Barrens, Circle of Falling Trees | General of the Golden Axe | Stop a group of Druj ghulai trapping soldiers on the wrong side of the river | The ritual was successfully intercepted, and the Golden Axe soldiers were able to make it back across the river without difficulty |
| 14 | Lost Wanderers | Karsk, Wild Copse | Dean of the First Voice Glade | Rescue kidnapped Navarr and recover an ancient relic | One of the prisoners, and the relic they were carrying, were rescued from the bandits |
| 15 | Dark spirits | Karsk, Whispering Glade | Guardian of the Maze of Zoria | Find a way to deal with the dark power of Isember | After some diplomacy, the Dark Spirit was allowed to flee |
| 16 | From the forest | Barrens, Lupine Arbour | Knight-Protector of Spring | Defeat a horror from the Spring realm threatening the Dawnish armies | The beast was dealt with decisively, and the Dawnish armies saved from its depredations |
| 17 | A poisoned chalice | Barrens, Red Plains | General of the Wolves of War | Retrieve cursed treasure and end a threat to the Wolves of War | The cursed treasure was examined and a cure provided to the wagon raiders fighting alongside the Wolves of War |
| 18 | A sudden flood | Barrens, Saltmaw | Archmage of Spring | Unleash the Barren Sea to flood the Fangs and the Saltmarsh | Despite strong opposition, the magic was invoked, and the heroes were able to escape back to Anvil. The Barren Sea rages against the land |
| # | Link | Location | Responsibility | Overview | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Reeve of the Summer Lands | Semmerholm, the Semmerstones | Iron Duke challengers | A grand audience with Barien to reward those who have completed his Challenge | The audience went without any significant hitches |
| B | Allied Groves | Zenith, Allied Groves | Grandmaster of Silver Chalice | Investigate and deal with the malaise | The malaise was dealt with, and the victims healed |
| C | The Grove of the Halls | Zenith, Grove of the Halls | Herbalist of the Hearth | Save as many of the ex-prisoners as possible | All the ex-prisoners were restored to good health |
| D | Ghosts in Wintermark | Hahnmark, Turelva | Scops of Wintermark | Help the ghostly spirits haunting the area pass on | Every unquiet spirit was laid to rest, and their stories brought back to Anvil |
| E | Feverwater Wreck | Therunin, Feverwater | Dredgemaster of Feverwater | Explore an ancient wreck at the bottom of the Feverwater | The expedition returned safely |
Trade Summary
Rather than spread this information out around the various foreign nations, we've collected it here for ease of reference.
- Asavean Archipelago: With sanctions imposed by both the Empire and the Asavean plenum, any fleet captain trading with Nemoria receives a -2 rank penalty to their production.
- Axos: The impact of recent events continues to fade, but the dreadful docks at Issyk remain a problem. Consequently Imperial fleets suffer significant penalties to trade with Axos. A fleet captain trading at the Towers of Kantor suffers a -1 rank penalty, while trading at the Chambers of Issyk suffers an incredible -3 rank penalty.
- The Commonwealth: Commonwealth citizens remain enthusiastic about trading the Imperial fleet captains. Fleets trading with Leerdam receive an additional dram of Bladeroot, while fleets trading with Volkavaar receive an additional vial of Artisan's Oil on top of their normal production.
- Principalities of Jarm: The ports of Kavor and Vezak remain closed to Imperial fleets.
- Sarcophan Delves: Imperial captains continue to be welcomed in the Delves. Fleets trading with the great port-city of Sarcophan receive an additional dose of Marrowort and an additional dose of Imperial Roseweald on top of their normal production.
- Sumaah Republic: Imperial captains are free to trade with the Sumaah Republic. Fleets visiting Zemeh receive standard production.
- Grendel: The port of Oran is closed to Imperial fleets.
- Iron Confederacy: The port of Robec remains closed to Imperial fleets.
Mandates
- You can find details of the mandates, along with the rest of the Synod judgements, here.
Nine mandates were successfully upheld in the Imperial Synod. All mandates have been automatically enacted as long as the named priest has sufficient liao in their inventory before Downtime opens. Some mandates were upheld by their respective assemblies but not enacted.