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[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:385YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:385YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<div style="float:left; width: 700px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Veteran.jpg|caption=Ambition and audacity.|align=left|width=700}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/UDoYivVAp5I?si=HBF7GWZfEiw-HGro}}
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==Apulian==
<div style="float:left; width: 700px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Season of Fire and Salt.jpg|caption=War changes, and the warrior must change with it.|align=left|width=700}}</div>
The Imperial armies gather at the [[Redoubt#The_Court_of_the_White_Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]], guests of the [[Sentinel|sentinels]], before marching east to [[Spiral]] and the [[Spiral#Apulian|City of Nets]]. Four armies; the [[Golden Axe]], the [[Towerjacks]], the [[Seventh Wave]], and the [[Winter Sun]]. For some of the soldiers, crossing back over into Spiral is a daunting prospect. There are veterans of the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_.28Spiral.29|Battle of Solen's Doubt]] in each of the armies, especially the Towerjacks and the Winter Sun. They were there when [[Spiral#The_Black_Plateau|the thing that lurks at the heart of Spiral]] roused itself to wakefulness.
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces are engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there's more dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a wind of war its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.  


The march is not pleasant, under the grim oppression that emanates from [[Spiral#Screed|Screed]]. A cold wind sweeps down from the north, frosting bones and adding an extra touch of misery to the affair. Dreams are tormented by madness and horror, and it becomes standard practice to studiously not ask one's fellows “''How did you sleep?''” for fear they might tell you. The welcome at Apulian however is especially warm; [[orc|orcs]] and humans alike seem almost embarrassingly pleased to see Imperial soldiers, most especially the Towerjacks. All the armies are made welcome, but the engineers of [[Holberg]] are of special interest to the new orc citizens of the League. For many of the former [[Grendel]], this is the first time they have seen the armies of the Empire up close, without being in danger of being killed by them.
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 War and the [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].


Despite the [[Spiral#The_Block|mithril workings]] that infuse many of the buildings of Apulian, nights are still dark and haunted for many of the soldiers. The spectre of the {{Black Plateau}} hangs over everything even here. The grim atmosphere goes beyond even the aura of oppression, however. Citizens are worried about Grendel reprisals, of course, but they are also worried about the [[A_question_of_loyalty#Urizen|Urizen rebels]] in [[Spiral#Ankra|Ankra]] and [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]]. The [[spire|spires]] are packed full of magicians after all, and who knows what wickedness they might be able to work on their neighbours when the mood takes them? There are newly immigrated [[Holberg|Holbergers]] and [[Sarvos|Sarvosi]] here fuelling the fires of concern with stories of the [[Holberg#Holmauer_Park|Blight]] and the [[The_DOOM_that_came_to_Sarvos|Doom]] that befell their former homes a mere two years ago.
It should go without saying that we ask everyone to abide by the rules about [[Online_roleplaying|online roleplaying]] with regard to the military campaign. It's important that the key in-character activity of the Empire world takes place at events. The game is busier and better if everything that can happen in the field, does happen in the field. Military planning and political discussions should happen at events. For this reason we generally discourage too much downtime roleplaying between events and put strict limits on what can be done online particularly using our forums and Facebook groups.


The armies do not plan to stay long; a few nights to recuperate from the march through the open, and for captains and officers to go over the strategy again. Then, to the sound of echoing cheers from many of the citizens of Apulian, they head south. More than twenty-five thousand soldiers of the Empire, taking the [[Spiral#The_Passes|Apulian Way]] into [[Mareave]].
All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Belakov Zakharovich Prochnost, General of the Golden Axe"> Golden Axe, the time has come. We have rested and gathered our numbers. Now is the time to strike. We march with our allies of the Imperial Armies, Knights of the Summer Realm will also join us, as will a sea of banners from our military units. Let us march into Mareave and like the Vard, Take their land, take everything.</quote></div>
==Season of Fire and Salt==
It is the season of fire, when the wind howls and the snow falls and we huddle together for warmth. It is the season of salt, when fresh food is a luxury and we discover perhaps too late whether we have set enough of the year's bounty aside to see us through to the next year. And it is the season of war. But when is it not, given the times in which we live? But for the first time in a long time, war rages not only on the borderlands, but in the heart of the Empire itself, and this Winter the fire may rage and swallow all we hold dear, and the salt flow in our tears and our rage.


<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Melkior of Balthazar’s Vineyard, General of the Seventh Wave">The time has come to act on the exemplary plan forged by my predecessor, Barachel; We march into Mareave in an overwhelming assault! Audacity has been recognised as a true instantiation of Virtue, so let us show the Grendel just how audacious we can be! Your aim is to show the Salt Lord of Mareave the value of virtue and bring them to the negotiating table on our terms. Ambition inspires, so let our audacious assault inspire this salt lord to re-evaluate the cost of their current allegiances. Rendezvous with our spy network in Mareave and let them show our armies a clear path to victory; we will show the Grendel that the Empire is not a docile target for reckless plunder.</quote></div>
The armies of [[Cold Sun]], the ''scions'' of the Day realm, continue their assault against the heart of the Empire. From Varushka to the Brass Coast, from Hahnmark to Bastion, they bring only destruction and death. Some stand against them, others are forced to flee, or fall. We record the annals of triumph and despair as a list of '''[[Things that burn|Things That Burn]]'''.


<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Natalia 'The Falcon' Barossa, General of the Towerjacks">Rather than waiting for the Grendel to come to us, we shall demonstrate our ambition and audacity and take the fight to them. For the first time as a nation of five cities we go to war. Draw from the clarity of the master strategist and seize as much of Mareave as possible.</quote></div>
In the west Imperial soldiers and Jotun warriors dance. A complex game of strategy and positioning, manoeuvring, feint and counter-feint. Where armies clash, blood flows in a river, but until they do the tension builds and builds until – as we know, as we've seen before – it is released in a tempest of violence and sorrow. In '''[[Against the Jotun]]''' we hear stories from the lands where the sun sets, in [[Against the Jotun#Frost|frost]], in [[Against the Jotun#Fire|fire]], and in the [[Against the Jotun#Hill|shadow of the cinnabar hills]].


<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Skywise Rykana, General of the Winter Sun">Heroes of the Winter Sun, we have spent a season seeking our past but now we look to the future and strike out at the Grendel before they can light our coast ablaze. We match for Mareave to bloody the Grendel in their own lands, make contact with the Imperial spies in the territory before sweeping across the land in an overwhelming assault and teach these barbarians that they should never have challenged us again.</quote></div>
In the east, toward [[the Mallum]], the four armies of the Empire are in [[the Barrens]], each pursuing a different course. Where their paths weave and cross, they create ripples. They leave echoes of their passage. They buffet the people they come near, change them, sometimes profoundly. They cast a long shadow, the armies of the Empire, and sometimes it is easy to lose perspective, to lose sight of the fact that there are always at least two sides to any story. The latest chapter of the story of the Barrens is told here, in '''[[Ripples and shadows|Ripples and Shadows]]'''. ('''OOC NOTE:''' This Wind of Fortune is written from a different perspective than normal. We've also added a '''''content warning'''''. The text includes depictions of brutal violence and feelings of helplessness. The campaign summary is out-of-character and matter-of-fact and sums up the events without going into detail. It can be found [[Ripples and shadows#Game Information|here]].)
The Golden Axe set the pace. The Grendel lands are ripe for conquest, and they are very keen to [[Army qualities#Driven|embrace the legacy of the Vard]] and take what can be taken. In addition to almost seven thousand Varushkans, most in heavy steel armour, there are nearly forty warbands led by Imperial captains. Most are from Varushka or Urizen, but there are a smattering of champions from other nations alongside them. Their numbers are almost matched by those of the [[Knights of Glory|proud fey warriors]] who fight alongside the Golden Axe. They are broad-shouldered figures with flashing eyes and both their shimmering, braided hair and their heavy metal armour glows with all the colours of the sun at dusk. They are armed with axes, and from shields and standards the insignia of the [[Eleonaris|Queen of the Pennants]] roars over the battlefield. Their presence helps many of the Varushkan warriors endure the shadow that hangs over Spiral more readily than the troops of the other armies. Combined with their enthusiasm for conquest, this makes it perhaps inevitable that they are the first soldiers to set foot in Mareave in a very long time indeed.


==Take Their Land==
South, then, to the shores of the [[Bay of Catazar]]. What begins in a court of white granite, passes through darkness, and onto the land between the mountain and the sea. Follow the trail of the Imperial armies, down the Apulian Way, and into the [[Bay_of_Catazar#The_Broken_Shore_and_Attar|Broken Shore]]. Here we learn a little of what lies '''[[Between stone and salt|Between Stone and Salt]]'''.
The other three armies enjoy the boons of Imperial magicians as well, the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]] helping them coordinate their assault against the Grendel territory. Not since before the abortive attempt by [[Axos]] to invade Urizen during the reign of [[Emperor Nicovar]] has such an Imperial force been assembled and marched onto the [[Bay_of_Catazar#The_Broken_Shore_and_Attar|Broken Shore]], onto Attar.


This is a dry land. Similar in some ways to the arid grasslands of [[the Brass Coast]] but rockier, more broken. Northern Mareave is made up mostly of hills. Desolate, dry hills. Empty hills, for the most part. It becomes obvious fairly quickly that there are comparatively few settlements here, mostly mining villages inhabited by those who work the foothills of the mountains to the north. They have their defenders; a few put up a fight until they see the sheer number of Imperials arrayed against them.
And in the [[Spiral#Apulian|City of Nets]], once the armies have passed down the Apulian Way, they wait. Peace with the Grendel is ended; they know the Salt Lords will seek Retribution for the treachery of Kaliact. Will exact a price for the hubris of the League in accepting them. The garrison of Ballagruh to the north make the long trip across the wasted plains and hills, under the shadow that lies over Spiral, to reinforce the city. Their fear is fed by that thing which squats in Screed, and for many night is tossed with dark dreams of a terrible flame and an awful price extracted for their Audacity. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.


More serious resistance comes from the Brine Turtles. One of the major ''septs'' of the Broken Shore, these orcs apparently have their homeland in the south of Mareave. They are well-armoured and heavily armed, well-disciplined, and they know the terrain well. They're supported by soldiers from the garrison of Beoradh itself, sent by Salt Lord Eshan. The Salt Lord does not take the battlefield themselves, and there is little suggestion that anyone actually ''likes'' them, but by all accounts they pay well and that's enough.
Once the gates of the [[Redoubt#The_Court_of_the_White_Fountain|Court of the White Fountain]] close, and the armies are on their way to Mareave, the [[sentinel|sentinels]] resume their watch on the unceasing sea. The [[Quaymaster_of_the_Elosian_Docks#Elosian_Docks|new port]] at [[Redoubt#Naris|Elos]] has the potential to threaten the Grendel mastery of the [[Bay of Catazar]], and they must surely know of it. Though the [[Brilliant Star]] has been warped by [[Cold Sun]], the [[mithril]] can still be mined, and the rulers of the Broken Shore love mithril even more than they love salt, or coin. Sentinels from [[Redoubt#The_Walls_of_Cargo|Cargo]] have come down the river to [[Redoubt#Naris|Naris]], ready to fight alongside their siblings. Together with the citadels and spires of Redoubt, they watch the horizon for signs of ships. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.


It becomes clear pretty quickly that these defenders are heavily outnumbered. They fight entirely defensively, trying to pick when and where they engage the Empire, and falling back whenever the weight of arms facing them becomes too heavy. Icarion falls, conquered by Imperial troops.
There are spies in the [[Sarvos|City of Masks]], but the [[Wolves of War]] are there to root them out. A few weeks after the Autumn Equinox, the Fire of the South arrives, tired from their long march, but ready to fight to defend the city. The Grendel have never conquered the City of Masks. They may have held that old city, the Jewelled City, for a few months, but that was long ago and the past is another country. Yet everyone knows they covet it, covet its wealth, its people, its place on the Bay. Some fear a reckoning. As the League has taken a city from the Grendel, so they might take a city from the Salt Lords, so they might choose to balance their scales by taking a different city. Some point to the Asavean embassy as a sign the Grendel will not come for fear of angering their allies. Others point to the Sumaah embassy, and the recent destruction of the [[Overseer_of_the_Cavabianca_Dock#Cavabianca_Dock|Cavabianca Docks]] and are much less sure. As the Wolves hunt, and the Fire carouses, both keep one eye on the sea. The [[Sarvos#Colossus of Sarvos|Colossus]] watches with them, and so do the soldiers of [[Sarvos#Our_Lady_of_Pride|Our Lady of Pride]]. A few merchant vessels report attacks by orc pirates, a few fail to arrive at port entirely. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.


After that the fighting spills east and south. The Brine Turtles pull back to the shelter of the walls of Rathmonna – the largest settlement in the north-eastern hills, nestled between the mountains that rise north, east, and south. It has solid stone walls, but they are barely a fortress and no match for the Towerjacks. The town holds out for a fortnight, then the Grendel retreat south, and with them any hope of holding this region.
[[Necropolis#Reumah's_Rest|Reumah's Rest]] watches from the cliffs, [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] against any threat to [[Necropolis]] or the [[Necropolis#The_Necropolis|Black City]]. [[Necropolis#Hedrossan|Crown's Quay]] may not match the three cities of the Bay in grandeur but it is still a major port. And the Grendel interest in the Necropolis is well known. There have been too many visitors during the uneasy peace, and while their espionage ring may have been rooted out, the fact the orcs of the Broken Shore cared enough to establish it in the first place speaks volume. They will not let the Grendel take the beaches of Necropolis, though. The chapters stand ready, and the news from [[Bastion]] where the faithful of the Empire protect the White City from the monstrous attackers fills their hearts with Pride and Courage. "How can we fail against flesh and blood, when we have such an example to inspire us?" Some secretly hope an attack ''does'' come, that they may have the chance to test their virtue against heretics and blasphemers. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.


The inhabitants call it ''Nadir'', and it is perhaps a fitting name. A low-point. There is precious little water here, and most springs happen to fall in the hunting grounds of packs of vicious [[Mundane_beasts#Drakes|drakes]] – whose numbers go some way perhaps toward explaining both the relative lack of settlements in the hills here, and the need for walls around Rathmonna.
And finally the Salt Guard, and the Billowing City, the Sapphire of Madruga. [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]]. The entire Grendel armada assails [[Madruga]]. Their armies take the City of Thousand Sails, and then their [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] allies burn it to the ground. A wave of orcs sweeps across the territory, conquering and looting. As the Winter Solstice nears, the territory is lost to the Empire - although it has not been claimed by the orcs either. A sea of tears shed by the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]]. One of the greatest Imperial cities turned to ashes, little more than '''[[A beacon of smoke|A Beacon of Smoke]]'''.


While the Brine Turtles and the Salt Lord's soldiers retreat, the orcs here remain fiercely independent. They quickly scatter ahead of Imperial soldiers, but there's no sign of any of them surrendering. Some slaves are freed from the mines in Icarion, and from the settlements in Nadir, but it appears the majority of the population of northern Mareave is made up of free, independently minded, orcs. Not part of the Brine Turtle sept as such, not even necessarily Grendel as such, but happy to pay tithes to the Salt Lord in return for being left alone. Many are hunters; the rest are miners. They take to the hills, and they show little interest in coming down out of them.
===The Hunt Begins (Brocéliande)===
* '''An unknown number of knights-errant are trapped by vallornspawn in Greenweald'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:30 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Knight of the Greenwood'' is responsible for rescuing the knights-errant'''
An order of knights-errant journeyed into [[Brocéliande]] a few weeks ago. The "Emerald Dogs" had each been set a test of mettle by ''Earl Phillip Borpusip'' to recover a relic from Greenweald, and tell the tale of their journey on their return. The Emerald Dogs set off into the lush forests south of Semmerholm. A dozen knights-errant accompanied by several other yeofolk, all of them seemed certain they would return having committed numerous glorious deeds worthy of being memorialized by the troubadours. They had studied and prepared as much as they could, and were sure they would achieve their task - spending no more than a week in the ancestral homeland of the Navarr.  


They're also pretty clearly not a threat to the Imperial forces as they secure their hold on the northern hills.
Just two days before the summit one of the yeofolk, ''Billimund Skinner'', was found by a number of foresters. Billimund Skinner was covered in blood and days-old injuries; [[Vallornspawn_husk#Green_Lung|green lung]] had clearly taken its toll. The yeofolk explained how they had overreached in their haste to claim relics; how they had been cut off and forced to abandon their supplies, and everything had gone downhill from there. Billimund had been lucky - given the circumstances - and managed to slip away north. But the others might still be out there, and they will need rescuing.


==No Welcome in Eoradal==
According to the [[Dawn_egregore|Knight of Roses]] at least one of the Emerald Dogs is still alive and fighting in Greenweald. Given that this involves supporting the action of a knightly order against the vallorn it falls to the [[Knight of the Greenwood]], '''Percival Summerstrong''' to gather a group able to rescue as many of the knights-errant as possible.
The Empire still does not have a completely reliable map of Mareave. Even as the Empire invades, however, scouts and spies are moving quickly across the territory, making use of the [[Construct Spy Network in Mareave|recently completed spy network]]. These scouts mostly avoid the armies, pressing deeper into the lands of the Brine Turtles. From some of them, however, the armies discover that the region directly south of Nadir, along the mountains, is called Eoradal.


This is the next target of the Imperial advance. Hilly, like the northern regions, but a little more densely populated. It is scattered with ruins – sturdy remnants of the vanished [[Skoura|Skourans]]. The closer one gets to the eastern mountains, the more common these ruins become. Some have been converted into settlements by the orcs. Mining and hunting again seem to be the main activity among these settlements. These are hard-bitten orcs, very different to the traditional image of the Grendel. It's doubtful that many of them have even seen the sea, much less actually set sail across it.
===Nightmares Walking (Therunin)===
* '''A horde of vallornspawn are massing around the Circle of Rot in Sweetglades'''
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 19:00 on Friday to TBC'''
* '''This part of the skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Spear of the Seven'' is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn'''
Last season the trods of [[Therunin]] were [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Therunin|severely damaged]] by the ''scions'' of Cold Sun. The stridings that have passed through the territory have stayed vigilant for any opportunity, any Spring regio that could allow a performance of [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]. A regio has been found deep in the forests of [[Therunin#Sweetglades|Sweetglades]], a potent regio tied to the realm of Spring that is aligned to the [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]] resonance: the ''Circle of Rot''. While it's potent enough to meet the requirements of [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn]], it doesn't enhance the ability of Spring ritualists to actually perform the ritual. More pressingly, there is an unfortunate horde of vallornspawn massed around the regio. Any attempt to send a coven there alone would surely be tantamount to sending some of the finest Spring ritualists of the [[Imperial_history#Resurgence|resurgence]] on a suicide mission.


They're no friends to the Empire, and much more amenable to helping the Brine Turtles (even if it's pretty obvious they have no time for the soldiers from Beoraidh). A few of those fighting alongside Winter Sun hail from this part of the world; for most of them it is a bittersweet homecoming. There's no welcome for members of the [[Sannite]] sept here, but a small handful are able to find lost family members and speak to them. Some of these meetings go well, and end with a few new orcs ready to come north to Skarsind with friends or family. Most end poorly, with bitter recrimination, accusations of treachery, or the discovery that anyone who might remember the Imperial Orc have already been killed by Imperial soldiers or misadventure.
But if a more martial force could go in first and force the vallornspawn to pay attention - to distract them long enough that the ritualists could move in after them and perform the ritual in "relative" safety, that would be a stroke of luck. The [[Sentinel Gate]] does not function on luck, but it is governed by fate. And fate is sometimes kind.


There's also a little tension here and there with both humans from other nations and orcs from other septs. To most of the Imperial Orcs, especially the Sunstorm, the orcs of Mareave are just more barbarians who need to be swept away, taught never to challenge the Empire again. That does not sit well with every member of the Sannite sept.
The [[Spear of the Seven]], '''Corwyn Heartsbane''', is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn long enough for the ritualists to perform the ritual. This is likely to be incredibly dangerous: the area is deep within the miasma and the vallornspawn are relatively untouched.  


From spies, and from the Sannites, a picture of affairs in Mareave becomes a little clearer. Tension between the Salt Lord and the Brine Turtle is old news, something baked into the Broken Shore. What is newer is the whisper of tension between the Salt Lord and their peers. Anger at the Council that chose not to send more warriors to defend Mareave against the invasion that everyone, even orcs half-way into the mountains of Eoradal, knew was coming. There's also resentment of Kalliact and her fellow traitors – and maybe a hint here and there of wistfulness. Some of the orcs here are a little jealous of those who have “escaped” north, away from the heat, the iron grasp of the Grendel, and the bitter salt of the seas and the hills.
====Healing====
* '''The Sentinel Gate will open at 19:05 on Friday to TBC
* '''This part of the skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|combat possible]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Archmage of Spring'' is responsible for arranging a coven to cast The Dance of Navarr and Thorn'''
Given that this is clearly an example of employing the power of the Spring realm to the advantage of Imperial citizens it is the responsibility of the [[Archmage of Spring]], '''Ibiss Briarheart''', to organise the coven who will go through the Sentinel Gate to perform the ritual while the other heroes keep the vallornspawn occupied.


==The Gate of Storms==
<box><big>'''[[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|Vallorn miasma]]'''</big><br>
Eoradal proves a harder nut to crack than either Icarion or Nadir. The Brine Turtles receive further reinforcement from their sept-lands to the south, along with mercenaries paid for by the Salt Lord.
* '''''The Hunt Begins'', ''Nightmares Walking'', and ''Healing'' all take place within vallorn miasma'''
* '''Anyone in vallorn miasma is affected by [[Calls#VENOM|VENOM]] unless they are bonded to an [[Abraxus Stone]] or are under the effect of [[Vitality of Rushing Water]]
* '''Anyone affected by the VENOM from the vallorn miasma will eventually begin to suffer from symptoms of nausea or mild feverishness
The short length of these conjunctions means that in this instance there is no chance of anyone developing [[Vallornspawn_husk#Green_Lung|green lung]]</box>


The Grendel commanders make use of a place referred to as the Gate of Storms, or sometimes Rucraic's Aerie, a fortified settlement in the south-east of the region, built up against the skirts of the mountains. Once upon a time it was a grand fortress, but the years have not been kind to it. It is well defended, but no match for even the smallest Imperial [[fortification]]. It is difficult to approach though, making it the ideal location from which the barbarians defend Mareave.  
==Battle opportunities==
Imperial prognosticators have identified three possible [[Sentinel_Gate#Major_Conjunctions|major conjunctions]] of the [[Sentinel Gate]] at the coming summit. The [[Imperial Military Council|Military Council]] will [[muster]] on Friday night, and the [[general|generals]] will select two of them to be taken up by Imperial heroes. At the moment the full details of these battle opportunities are not clear; more information will be provided nearer to the event.


The Seventh Wave are the ones to confirm its presence, narrow down its location, and begin to plot a route whereby it can be taken. But it is clear that it is serving its purpose as a place of safety for the defenders. They are able to slow the Imperial advance, and in a few places turn it back.
All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Location</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Opportunity</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Opposition</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Day</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Learn More</td>
<tr><td>[[Madruga]]</td><td>Intercede at the Lyceum</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[A_beacon_of_smoke#Intercede_at_the_Lyceum_(Battle)|A beacon of smoke]]</td>
<tr><td>[[Madruga]]</td><td>Prevent the destruction of the Shining Pillar</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[A_beacon_of_smoke#Save_the_Shining_Pillar_(Battle)|A beacon of smoke]]</td>
<tr><td>[[Mareave]]</td><td>Influence the complex politics in Mareave</td><td>Grendel</td><td>Either Day</td><td>[[Between_stone_and_salt#Politics_of_Mareave_(Battle)|Between stone and salt]]</td>
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:300px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Force Weight
|-
| Brass Coast || 19
|-
| Dawn || 48
|-
| Highguard || 21
|-
| Imperial Orcs|| 5
|-
| League || 20
|-
| Marches || 25
|-
| Navarr || 51
|-
| Urizen || 15
|-
| Varushka || 14
|-
| Wintermark || 57
|}
The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the [[Muster]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least 134 and at most 141 force weight sent on it.


As the Winter Solstice draws closer, the Imperial armies have conquered Icarion and Nadir – and both some Urizen and some Varushkans have eagerly begun to explore the ruins scattered across the region, albeit with very different goals in mind. They have made inroads into Eoradal, but there is still a long way to go – and before the region can be completely conquered the Gate of Storms will need dealing with.
==Conjunctions==
The [[Sentinel Gate]] also allows smaller groups of Imperial citizens to reach locations all over the Empire where their intervention might change the course of events. Many of these ''[[Sentinel Gate#Conjunction|conjunctions]]'' involve combat, but there are also a variety of other opportunities presented by the magic of the Gate.


It isn't entirely clear how much longer the Brine Turtles can hold out, however. Even in light of their [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|overwhelming campaign of conquest]], Imperial troops have suffered very few actual casualties. The defenders, by contrast, have clearly been severely depleted. Perhaps as many as five Brine Turtles fell for every Imperial left unable to fight. Even with the mercenaries and the Grendel soldiers from Beoraidh it's doubtful the Brine Turtle can continue to hold off the equivalent of five entire armies by themselves.
For most conjunctions, the Civil Service has identified the Imperial titles that are the most appropriate to take overall responsibility for ensuring that a response is organised. Whilst the individual has been named by the Civil Service, there is no legal requirement for them to coordinate a response or travel on the conjunction. They may delegate oversight to another individual of their choosing. As always, Imperial war scouts will be on hand at the Sentinel Gate to provide further information to any citizens wanting to learn more. They can provide updates on the barbarians' goals, guidance on how to engage the enemy troops or advice on how to avoid casualties and return back to Anvil in safety.


There's also the report of the spies and scouts to come; hopefully it will provide more information about what Mareave actually looks like, especially the southern lands claimed by the Brine Turtles.
Sometimes it is necessary for us to make small adjustments to the timing or size of encounters at the time of this publication and when an encounter runs at an event. Details for the conjunctions on Friday will be finalised on Friday afternoon of the event before time-in (18:00) whilst details for the conjunctions on Saturday will be finalised on Saturday before time-in (10:00). Please check the details of any conjunction you are interested in as soon as possible to ensure that you have the full and up-to-date information; it might also be sensible to check again shortly before the planned time of the encounter. You can check the details of a conjunction by casting [[Detect_magic#Discover_Conjunction|Detect Magic (Discover Conjunction)]] on the Sentinel Gate in the presence of a referee.


One thing is increasingly clear though; there are deep divisions between the people here, and going on than initially meets the eye. Yet there's also one burning question on the lips of many soldiers. If the Salt Lords suspected the Empire would invade Mareave... why are only the Brine Turtles here to defend? Where are the rest of the Grendel?
It's very important to pay attention to the [[accessibility]] note for each conjunction, which covers the likelihood of combat. Further details about the accessibility of a conjunction are [[Accessibility#Who_and_how_to_ask.3F|available both before and during the event]]. You can learn more about this on the [[accessibility]] page.


==Game Information: Mareave==
===Friday===
The Empire has conquered two regions and is a fifth of the way toward a third. There is no map of Mareave, so the precise details of each region are unknown as is the layout of the territory. The expectation is that the [[spy network]] will provide such information at the Winter Solstice, at least to those captains who contributed to its operations.
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || 80 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Brocéliande, Greenweald, Crangton Copse || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[#The Hunt Begins (Brocéliande)|Rescue the knights-errant]]
|-
| 18:45 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Necropolis, Coursmouth, Hedra's Meadow || [[Champion of Courage]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#News_From_the_Plain_(Necropolis)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 19:00 || 65 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Circle of Rot || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[#Nightmares Walking (Therunin)|Distract the vallornspawn]]
|-
| 19:05 || 25 || 15 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|Possible]] || Therunin, Sweetglades, Circle of Rot || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[#Healing|Perform the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]]
|-
| 19:15 || 20 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Siroc Plains, Plains of the Tavin || [[Ambassador to Otkodov]] || [[Fading_like_a_Flower#Eyes_of_the_Dragon_(Conjunction)|Rescue the captives]]
|-
| 20:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kahraman, Gambit, Path of Idina || [[Azure Sutannir]] || [[Against_the_Jotun#The_Falcon_(Kahraman)|Rescue Erdene Bataguin]]
|-
| 21:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Skallahn, Iron Stand, Hralfstor's Orchard || [[Imperial Seer]] || [[Against_the_Jotun#Wolf Dreams (Skallahn)|Stop the Jarl of Greenwall]]
|-
| 21:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Liathaven, Liaven's Glen, Bawn of Daffyd || [[Imperial Advisor for the Feni]] || [[Against_the_Jotun#Threads in the Pattern (Liathaven)|Stop the Jotun]]
|-
|}


==Politics of Mareave (Battle)==
===Saturday===
Over the past three months the armies of the Empire made their first foray into Mareave. It went surprisingly well: the Golden Axe, the Towerjacks, the Seventh Wave, and the Winter Sun were able to claim just over two regions in a single season and the Brine Turtles have suffered heavy casualties in their defence of the territory.
{{stub}}
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 14:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Redoubt, Naris, The Elosian Grove || [[Elosian Architect]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#The First Ship (Redoubt)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 15:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Sarvos, Uccelini, Isle of Quiet || [[Custodian of Glass Point Cove]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Behind A Lock (Sarvos)|Defeat the Grendel]]
|-
| 15:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Madruga, Lightsea, Ezmara's Thicket || [[Hakima of Salt and Sand]] || [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Following the Craft (Madruga)|Reclaim the heirloom]]
|-
| 17:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Hahnmark, Kronemark, Dun's Hurst || [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]] || [[Things_that_burn#The_Hammer_(Hahnmark)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 17:30 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Upwold, The Heath, Sammy's Paling || [[Sutton Stone Quarries|Custodian of Sutton Stone Quarries]] || [[Things_that_burn#Into the Stone (Upwold)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 18:00 || 75 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Astolat, Groveyard, Coppice of Roses || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Autumn]] || [[Things_that_burn#Visitations (Astolat)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 20:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Road to Masi || [[Woundbinder of the Mark]] || [[Things_that_burn#A Hero in the Night (Kallavesa)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 20:30 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Miaren, Goldglades, Golden Meadow || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Things_that_burn#The Bite of the Thorns (Miaren)|Stop the heralds]]
|-
| 21:00 || 70 || 20 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || Bastion, Sybella Cross, Tamar's Stand || [[Champion of Loyalty]] || [[Things_that_burn#Scouting and Discoveries (Bastion)|Reclaim (or destroy) Oath-heart]]
|-
| 23:00 || 50 || 30 mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely_or_Contained|Unlikely]]  || Miekarova, Perumaki, Wilkza|| Senator for [[Miekarova]] || [[All_my_magic_friends#Accursed_Coronation_Celebration|Return the villagers to their barrow]]
|}


The political landscape of Mareave is unsurprisingly complex. The Salt Lord Ehsan rules in Beoraidh, but there are small towns where they pay their taxes on time and don't have to pay attention beyond that. Cut-throat merchants, ruthless mercenary companies, and cunning maistirs live a knife-edge existence and the sudden appearance of thousands of Imperial soldiers has upset that delicate balance.
==Military Considerations==
 
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Winter Solstice.
In this treacherous environment, loyalties shift and swirl like eddys in a gyre, throwing up opportunities for the Empire to pay off those Grendel who seek only profit from this war.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Upwold]] or [[Mitwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
 
* '''Dawn:''' Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Put_on_your_war_paint#Glorious_in_Victory.2C_Proud_in_Defeat|Link]]
===Objective: Slaughter the Grendel Warbeasts===
* '''The Marches:''' Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''If Imperial heroes can kill enough Grendel warbeasts then the Salt Lord Ehsan's forces will be significantly weakened'''
* '''The Marches:''' Marcher armies fighting in Upwold, Mitwold, or Mournwold each receive an additional 1000 strength. The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in Bregasland. This lasts until the start of the Winter Solstice 385YE, or until they leave Bregasland in the case of the Strong Reeds. [[At_the_dog_and_eel_show#Beat_the_Bounds|link]].
* '''If that happens, the Salt Lord will be forced to fall back, ceding the the region of Eoradell to the Empire'''
* '''Varushka:''' Varushkan armies involved in the same campaign as an army from the Brass Coast or Wintermark generate 10% fewer victory points. If armies from both nations are present, the reduction is increased to 20%. [[Our_choice#Prepare_for_Difficult_Choices|Link]].
 
* '''Varushka:''' Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
The Salt Lord relies on a mix of loyal soldiers and mercenaries to form the core of his forces, the most important of which are the Kraken's Jaws who capture wild drakes and train to be able to deploy them against the Empire in battle. The creatures are savage and difficult to control and a single beast is a match for the strongest Imperial hero. Against common soldiery they are a terrifying prospect and the Grendel have used them to great effect.
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
 
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
However there is a strength to turn this weakness against the Salt Lord. He has brought all his forces together in one camp to discuss strategy for the coming season's campaign. The Salt Lord would never willingly take the battlefield against the Empire, but with a chance to launch a daring attack on the encampment, the Grendel will defend the area while key personel flee. The captured drakes will be at the forefront of that defence giving Imperial heroes a chance to defeat the monsters.
* '''Wintermark:''' Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]
 
*'''Zenith:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
If enough of them are slain, then the Kraken's Jaws will need a season to capture more wild drakes to throw against the Empire's armies. If that happens then the Salt Lord will be forced to fall back, abandoning the currently contested region of Eoradell, ceding control of it to the Empire. The Imperial warscout will have precise information on how many warbeasts the Empire would need to hunt down and kill to succeed.
*'''Morrow:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
 
===Objective: Pay off the ''Dracaild of Rathmonna''===
* '''Pay off the leader of the Kraken's Jaws mercenaries'''  
* '''Success will keep Imperial supply lines in Mareve safe for the coming year'''
* '''Failure will see the drakes disrupt army supply in Nadir'''
 
There are fearsome drakes throughout the wilds of Nadir near Rathmonna and the Grendel are adept at capturing these beasts and using them to attack Imperial forces. The creatures are difficult to control, but they can be horribly effective if they can herded towards the enemy. It's specialised work, and the local experts are a mercenary band of Kraken's Jaws under the leadership of the ''Dracaild of Rathmonna''.  
 
The Dracaild is threatening to unleash the drakes against the Empire's supply lines. They will cause significant disruption if they are able to run amok attacking Imperial baggage trains for the foreseeable future. If that happens, then the upkeep for each Imperial army in the territory will increase by ten thrones a season for as long as the attacks continue.
 
Once the Dracaild takes payment and commits his mercenaries to this action then there will be no going back, but currently he is holding out to see if the Empire will make him a better offer than Salt Lord Ehsan. Sixty thrones would be enough to buy him off, preventing any ongoing attacks on Imperial supply lines, at least for the coming year. If the Empire are still in Mereve after that then the deal can be renegotiated. If the Dracaild is killed in battle, then his successor will take the Salt Lord Ehsan's offer and attack the empire's supply lines.
 
===Objective: The Ibis Turns the Tide===
* '''Pass orders to the Red Ibis'''
* '''Success could benefit Spiral and the League'''
* '''Success instead might expand the Regario Dossier'''
Whilst the Towerjacks are famed for their expertise in siegecraft honed on the wall of Holberg, the army is not composed of just ranks of engineers, sappers, and grim free company soldiers. There are some in the army who consider themselves playwrights, actors, entertainers and performers, [[mountebanks]] one and all. Following the fall of Rathmonna's walls to the Towerjacks, a troupe of silver-tongued recruits made contact with a mysterious Grendel scoundrel who named themselves as the ''Red Ibis''. Serving in a Broken Shore mercenary company as a morale officer and carrying their banner of a red wading bird, the individual lays out an astounding proposal for the consideration of the General of the Towerjacks. The traitor indicates that they hold contacts with various information brokers, and amongst audacious business owners in Dubtraigh, all with various reasons to accept Imperial coin for information about the Grendel.
 
If the General wishes he could request ''one'' of the two following options.
 
* For 25 thrones the Red Ibis will draw on his contacts with information brokers to supply the Empire with the names of which territories have Grendel spy networks in them.
 
* For 20 thrones the Red Ibis will draw on his contacts in Dubhtraig, to provide the names of business owners in Dubhtraig whose loyalty is for sale, allowing the Regario Dossier to establish spies who could provide reports from there.
 
The Red Ibis will want payment up front of course, and can only pursue one or the other option, but they ''gurantee'' results, provided they get off the battlefield alive. One challenge is making contact for the hand-over of the money. The Red Ibis will need a distraction of some kind to make it to Imperial lines to receive their payment. If the League can create a distraction on the field - a short performance, street theatre, or duelling spectacle - once they spot the Red Ibis banner, then the traitor will have a brief chance to collect payment and orders from the General of the Towerjacks or their proxy on the field of battle.
 
===Objective: Lift the Yoke===
* '''Make a deal with the North Mareave Trading Consortium'''
* '''Success will free hundreds of orcs to join the Saanite sept in Skarsind'''
* '''Failure will result in the slavers swiftly relocating most of them back to the Broken Shore'''
Following reports of the complicated situation among the various groups in Mareave, a chamberlain of ''The Accounter'' offers a deal brokered by Ephisis with the North Mareave Trading Consortium. The arrival of the Empire - and the Saanites with them - has led to a number of wealthy Grendel looking to quickly (and cheaply) get rid of potentially troublesome servants lest there be a repeat of what happened at the coliseum. The North Mareave Trading Consortium have taken advantage of this sudden influx of supply in the market and have bought up every contract they could afford and are willing to offer those contracts... for a fair price.
 
All that is needed is for the General of the Winter Sun to meet with an actuary of the North Mareave Trading Consortium to complete the transaction. This will involve signing a contract, paying eighty thrones to the Grendel, and acceding to a casting of the [[Scrivener's Bloodmark]] which the Quartermaster's magician will perform. The ''Prince of Scales'' had discussed logistics for the deal with Imperial civil service and they counsel that it would require the General of the Winter Sun to ''Break the Chains'' in Mareave or Spiral to receive the Saanites and escort them to safety this season. If this happens then it would be possible to use a Senate motion to change the core of the [[Raise Autumn Hammers|Autumn Hammers]] to be Sannite rather than Ethengraw.
 
===Objective: Recover a map to Rucraic's Aerie ===
* '''Locate the entrance to the Gate of Storms'''
* '''Success will enable the Seventh Wave to seize the Gate of Storms'''
* '''Failure will allow the Grendel to create a fortification in the Aerie this season'''
During the press into Eoradal, unconquered from the Seventh Wave have discovered rumours of an old map that points to a hidden entrances into the settlement of Rucraic's Aerie, bypassing the defences. One report suggests it is tattooed on the back of a slave, another that it is sequestered in a [[Secrets_for_the_Shadow_Courier|veiled pouch]]. Eagle-eyed heroes would be advised to search the bodies of fallen Maistir, Laoch, and other dignitaries in order to locate the map.
 
If the map is located and passed to the Civil Service, then any Imperial general engaged in Mareave this coming season could issue orders to '''Seize the Aerie''' as part of their campaign plans for the season. Soldiers would swiftly infiltrate and secure the structures of the Gate of Storms preventing the Grendel from garrisoning the location allow them to create a strength 3000 fortification. If the order is taken by the Seventh Wave then it would also present further information about the routes beyond to distant Skoura.
 
===Objective: Treat with Maistir Oiche===
* '''Enlist the aid of the Gaineamh Tine'''
* '''The Golden Axe can recruit mercenaries to help loot Mareave'''
The sell-swords of the '''Gaineamh Tine''' warband are a fractious band of cutthroats and pillagers, with are notorious for looting supplies from Imperial forces, the local populace, ''and'' the Grendel's own baggage trains. They are small but ambitious, avaricious and audacious and their loyalties are for sale to the highest bidder
 
The mercenaries are currently on the payroll of Salt Lord Ehsan but that contract is due to expire and the Empire could hire them for the coming season. If the General of the Golden Axe, their adjutant, or suitably recognised proxy, can locate the Gaineamh Tine captain, ''Maistir Fiahd Oiche'' during the battle they have a chance to bargain with and turn the mercenary band against the Grendel. Barely fifty mercenaries are enough to influence the wider campaign in Mareave, but their knowledge would be invaluable. Working with them, the Varushkan general could call on the mercenaries' knowledge and expertise to strike at key economic targets. A payment of ten rings of ilium and twenty thrones to the maistir would enable the Golden Axe to use the '''Ransack the Camps''' order in Mareave next season.
 
<box>'''Ransack the Camps'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by one fifth.'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is reduced by one tenth.'''
* '''The army generates wealth based on the number of victory points generated.'''</box>
 
==Further Reading==
* [[Bay_of_Catazar#Mareave|Mareave]] - Summary of current knowledge about Mareave
* [[Mareave and Urizen]]
* [[Fall of Solokha]]

Revision as of 14:54, 25 April 2024

This is a placeholder page for content that PD are actively working on.
Season of Fire and Salt.jpg
War changes, and the warrior must change with it.

Overview

Over the last three months, Imperial forces are engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there's more dramatic action, or where there are opportunities, we've given a wind of war its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

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 War and the Winds of Fortune is to make players aware of things their characters should know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of Anvil.

It should go without saying that we ask everyone to abide by the rules about online roleplaying with regard to the military campaign. It's important that the key in-character activity of the Empire world takes place at events. The game is busier and better if everything that can happen in the field, does happen in the field. Military planning and political discussions should happen at events. For this reason we generally discourage too much downtime roleplaying between events and put strict limits on what can be done online particularly using our forums and Facebook groups.

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.

Season of Fire and Salt

It is the season of fire, when the wind howls and the snow falls and we huddle together for warmth. It is the season of salt, when fresh food is a luxury and we discover perhaps too late whether we have set enough of the year's bounty aside to see us through to the next year. And it is the season of war. But when is it not, given the times in which we live? But for the first time in a long time, war rages not only on the borderlands, but in the heart of the Empire itself, and this Winter the fire may rage and swallow all we hold dear, and the salt flow in our tears and our rage.

The armies of Cold Sun, the scions of the Day realm, continue their assault against the heart of the Empire. From Varushka to the Brass Coast, from Hahnmark to Bastion, they bring only destruction and death. Some stand against them, others are forced to flee, or fall. We record the annals of triumph and despair as a list of Things That Burn.

In the west Imperial soldiers and Jotun warriors dance. A complex game of strategy and positioning, manoeuvring, feint and counter-feint. Where armies clash, blood flows in a river, but until they do the tension builds and builds until – as we know, as we've seen before – it is released in a tempest of violence and sorrow. In Against the Jotun we hear stories from the lands where the sun sets, in frost, in fire, and in the shadow of the cinnabar hills.

In the east, toward the Mallum, the four armies of the Empire are in the Barrens, each pursuing a different course. Where their paths weave and cross, they create ripples. They leave echoes of their passage. They buffet the people they come near, change them, sometimes profoundly. They cast a long shadow, the armies of the Empire, and sometimes it is easy to lose perspective, to lose sight of the fact that there are always at least two sides to any story. The latest chapter of the story of the Barrens is told here, in Ripples and Shadows. (OOC NOTE: This Wind of Fortune is written from a different perspective than normal. We've also added a content warning. The text includes depictions of brutal violence and feelings of helplessness. The campaign summary is out-of-character and matter-of-fact and sums up the events without going into detail. It can be found here.)

South, then, to the shores of the Bay of Catazar. What begins in a court of white granite, passes through darkness, and onto the land between the mountain and the sea. Follow the trail of the Imperial armies, down the Apulian Way, and into the Broken Shore. Here we learn a little of what lies Between Stone and Salt.

And in the City of Nets, once the armies have passed down the Apulian Way, they wait. Peace with the Grendel is ended; they know the Salt Lords will seek Retribution for the treachery of Kaliact. Will exact a price for the hubris of the League in accepting them. The garrison of Ballagruh to the north make the long trip across the wasted plains and hills, under the shadow that lies over Spiral, to reinforce the city. Their fear is fed by that thing which squats in Screed, and for many night is tossed with dark dreams of a terrible flame and an awful price extracted for their Audacity. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

Once the gates of the Court of the White Fountain close, and the armies are on their way to Mareave, the sentinels resume their watch on the unceasing sea. The new port at Elos has the potential to threaten the Grendel mastery of the Bay of Catazar, and they must surely know of it. Though the Brilliant Star has been warped by Cold Sun, the mithril can still be mined, and the rulers of the Broken Shore love mithril even more than they love salt, or coin. Sentinels from Cargo have come down the river to Naris, ready to fight alongside their siblings. Together with the citadels and spires of Redoubt, they watch the horizon for signs of ships. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

There are spies in the City of Masks, but the Wolves of War are there to root them out. A few weeks after the Autumn Equinox, the Fire of the South arrives, tired from their long march, but ready to fight to defend the city. The Grendel have never conquered the City of Masks. They may have held that old city, the Jewelled City, for a few months, but that was long ago and the past is another country. Yet everyone knows they covet it, covet its wealth, its people, its place on the Bay. Some fear a reckoning. As the League has taken a city from the Grendel, so they might take a city from the Salt Lords, so they might choose to balance their scales by taking a different city. Some point to the Asavean embassy as a sign the Grendel will not come for fear of angering their allies. Others point to the Sumaah embassy, and the recent destruction of the Cavabianca Docks and are much less sure. As the Wolves hunt, and the Fire carouses, both keep one eye on the sea. The Colossus watches with them, and so do the soldiers of Our Lady of Pride. A few merchant vessels report attacks by orc pirates, a few fail to arrive at port entirely. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

Reumah's Rest watches from the cliffs, Vigilant against any threat to Necropolis or the Black City. Crown's Quay may not match the three cities of the Bay in grandeur but it is still a major port. And the Grendel interest in the Necropolis is well known. There have been too many visitors during the uneasy peace, and while their espionage ring may have been rooted out, the fact the orcs of the Broken Shore cared enough to establish it in the first place speaks volume. They will not let the Grendel take the beaches of Necropolis, though. The chapters stand ready, and the news from Bastion where the faithful of the Empire protect the White City from the monstrous attackers fills their hearts with Pride and Courage. "How can we fail against flesh and blood, when we have such an example to inspire us?" Some secretly hope an attack does come, that they may have the chance to test their virtue against heretics and blasphemers. But as the Winter Solstice nears... there is no sign of the Grendel.

And finally the Salt Guard, and the Billowing City, the Sapphire of Madruga. Siroc. The entire Grendel armada assails Madruga. Their armies take the City of Thousand Sails, and then their Asavean allies burn it to the ground. A wave of orcs sweeps across the territory, conquering and looting. As the Winter Solstice nears, the territory is lost to the Empire - although it has not been claimed by the orcs either. A sea of tears shed by the Freeborn. One of the greatest Imperial cities turned to ashes, little more than A Beacon of Smoke.

The Hunt Begins (Brocéliande)

  • An unknown number of knights-errant are trapped by vallornspawn in Greenweald
  • The Sentinel Gate will open at 18:30 on Friday to TBC
  • This skirmish is a combat highly likely encounter
  • The Knight of the Greenwood is responsible for rescuing the knights-errant

An order of knights-errant journeyed into Brocéliande a few weeks ago. The "Emerald Dogs" had each been set a test of mettle by Earl Phillip Borpusip to recover a relic from Greenweald, and tell the tale of their journey on their return. The Emerald Dogs set off into the lush forests south of Semmerholm. A dozen knights-errant accompanied by several other yeofolk, all of them seemed certain they would return having committed numerous glorious deeds worthy of being memorialized by the troubadours. They had studied and prepared as much as they could, and were sure they would achieve their task - spending no more than a week in the ancestral homeland of the Navarr.

Just two days before the summit one of the yeofolk, Billimund Skinner, was found by a number of foresters. Billimund Skinner was covered in blood and days-old injuries; green lung had clearly taken its toll. The yeofolk explained how they had overreached in their haste to claim relics; how they had been cut off and forced to abandon their supplies, and everything had gone downhill from there. Billimund had been lucky - given the circumstances - and managed to slip away north. But the others might still be out there, and they will need rescuing.

According to the Knight of Roses at least one of the Emerald Dogs is still alive and fighting in Greenweald. Given that this involves supporting the action of a knightly order against the vallorn it falls to the Knight of the Greenwood, Percival Summerstrong to gather a group able to rescue as many of the knights-errant as possible.

Nightmares Walking (Therunin)

  • A horde of vallornspawn are massing around the Circle of Rot in Sweetglades
  • The Sentinel Gate will open at 19:00 on Friday to TBC
  • This part of the skirmish is a combat highly likely encounter
  • The Spear of the Seven is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn

Last season the trods of Therunin were severely damaged by the scions of Cold Sun. The stridings that have passed through the territory have stayed vigilant for any opportunity, any Spring regio that could allow a performance of the Dance of Navarr and Thorn. A regio has been found deep in the forests of Sweetglades, a potent regio tied to the realm of Spring that is aligned to the ruin resonance: the Circle of Rot. While it's potent enough to meet the requirements of The Dance of Navarr and Thorn, it doesn't enhance the ability of Spring ritualists to actually perform the ritual. More pressingly, there is an unfortunate horde of vallornspawn massed around the regio. Any attempt to send a coven there alone would surely be tantamount to sending some of the finest Spring ritualists of the resurgence on a suicide mission.

But if a more martial force could go in first and force the vallornspawn to pay attention - to distract them long enough that the ritualists could move in after them and perform the ritual in "relative" safety, that would be a stroke of luck. The Sentinel Gate does not function on luck, but it is governed by fate. And fate is sometimes kind.

The Spear of the Seven, Corwyn Heartsbane, is responsible for distracting the vallornspawn long enough for the ritualists to perform the ritual. This is likely to be incredibly dangerous: the area is deep within the miasma and the vallornspawn are relatively untouched.

Healing

  • The Sentinel Gate will open at 19:05 on Friday to TBC
  • This part of the skirmish is a combat possible encounter
  • The Archmage of Spring is responsible for arranging a coven to cast The Dance of Navarr and Thorn

Given that this is clearly an example of employing the power of the Spring realm to the advantage of Imperial citizens it is the responsibility of the Archmage of Spring, Ibiss Briarheart, to organise the coven who will go through the Sentinel Gate to perform the ritual while the other heroes keep the vallornspawn occupied.

Vallorn miasma
  • The Hunt Begins, Nightmares Walking, and Healing all take place within vallorn miasma
  • Anyone in vallorn miasma is affected by VENOM unless they are bonded to an Abraxus Stone or are under the effect of Vitality of Rushing Water
  • Anyone affected by the VENOM from the vallorn miasma will eventually begin to suffer from symptoms of nausea or mild feverishness
The short length of these conjunctions means that in this instance there is no chance of anyone developing green lung

Battle opportunities

Imperial prognosticators have identified three possible major conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate at the coming summit. The Military Council will muster on Friday night, and the generals will select two of them to be taken up by Imperial heroes. At the moment the full details of these battle opportunities are not clear; more information will be provided nearer to the event.

All battle opportunities are Combat Highly Likely environments.

LocationOpportunityOppositionDayLearn More
MadrugaIntercede at the LyceumGrendelEither DayA beacon of smoke
MadrugaPrevent the destruction of the Shining PillarGrendelEither DayA beacon of smoke
MareaveInfluence the complex politics in MareaveGrendelEither DayBetween stone and salt
Nation Force Weight
Brass Coast 19
Dawn 48
Highguard 21
Imperial Orcs 5
League 20
Marches 25
Navarr 51
Urizen 15
Varushka 14
Wintermark 57

The sides for the battles will be chosen by the generals in the Muster of the Imperial Military Council on Friday night. Each of the two battles must have at least 134 and at most 141 force weight sent on it.

Conjunctions

The Sentinel Gate also allows smaller groups of Imperial citizens to reach locations all over the Empire where their intervention might change the course of events. Many of these conjunctions involve combat, but there are also a variety of other opportunities presented by the magic of the Gate.

For most conjunctions, the Civil Service has identified the Imperial titles that are the most appropriate to take overall responsibility for ensuring that a response is organised. Whilst the individual has been named by the Civil Service, there is no legal requirement for them to coordinate a response or travel on the conjunction. They may delegate oversight to another individual of their choosing. As always, Imperial war scouts will be on hand at the Sentinel Gate to provide further information to any citizens wanting to learn more. They can provide updates on the barbarians' goals, guidance on how to engage the enemy troops or advice on how to avoid casualties and return back to Anvil in safety.

Sometimes it is necessary for us to make small adjustments to the timing or size of encounters at the time of this publication and when an encounter runs at an event. Details for the conjunctions on Friday will be finalised on Friday afternoon of the event before time-in (18:00) whilst details for the conjunctions on Saturday will be finalised on Saturday before time-in (10:00). Please check the details of any conjunction you are interested in as soon as possible to ensure that you have the full and up-to-date information; it might also be sensible to check again shortly before the planned time of the encounter. You can check the details of a conjunction by casting Detect Magic (Discover Conjunction) on the Sentinel Gate in the presence of a referee.

It's very important to pay attention to the accessibility note for each conjunction, which covers the likelihood of combat. Further details about the accessibility of a conjunction are available both before and during the event. You can learn more about this on the accessibility page.

Friday

Time People Duration Combat Location Responsibility Overview/Link
18:30 80 20 mins Highly Likely Brocéliande, Greenweald, Crangton Copse Knight of the Greenwood Rescue the knights-errant
18:45 20 20 mins Highly Likely Necropolis, Coursmouth, Hedra's Meadow Champion of Courage Defeat the Grendel
19:00 65 20 mins Highly Likely Therunin, Sweetglades, Circle of Rot Spear of the Seven Distract the vallornspawn
19:05 25 15 mins Possible Therunin, Sweetglades, Circle of Rot Archmage of Spring Perform the Dance of Navarr and Thorn
19:15 20 20 mins Highly Likely Madruga, Siroc Plains, Plains of the Tavin Ambassador to Otkodov Rescue the captives
20:30 75 20 mins Highly Likely Kahraman, Gambit, Path of Idina Azure Sutannir Rescue Erdene Bataguin
21:00 75 20 mins Highly Likely Skallahn, Iron Stand, Hralfstor's Orchard Imperial Seer Stop the Jarl of Greenwall
21:30 75 20 mins Highly Likely Liathaven, Liaven's Glen, Bawn of Daffyd Imperial Advisor for the Feni Stop the Jotun

Saturday

This is a placeholder page for content that PD are actively working on.
Time People Duration Combat Location Responsibility Overview/Link
14:30 70 20 mins Highly Likely Redoubt, Naris, The Elosian Grove Elosian Architect Defeat the Grendel
15:00 70 20 mins Highly Likely Sarvos, Uccelini, Isle of Quiet Custodian of Glass Point Cove Defeat the Grendel
15:30 70 20 mins Highly Likely Madruga, Lightsea, Ezmara's Thicket Hakima of Salt and Sand Reclaim the heirloom
17:00 75 20 mins Highly Likely Hahnmark, Kronemark, Dun's Hurst Caretaker of New Dunhall Stop the heralds
17:30 75 20 mins Highly Likely Upwold, The Heath, Sammy's Paling Custodian of Sutton Stone Quarries Stop the heralds
18:00 75 20 mins Highly Likely Astolat, Groveyard, Coppice of Roses Knight-protector of Autumn Stop the heralds
20:00 70 20 mins Highly Likely Kallavesa, Kallavesa Marsh, Road to Masi Woundbinder of the Mark Stop the heralds
20:30 70 20 mins Highly Likely Miaren, Goldglades, Golden Meadow Spear of the Seven Stop the heralds
21:00 70 20 mins Highly Likely Bastion, Sybella Cross, Tamar's Stand Champion of Loyalty Reclaim (or destroy) Oath-heart
23:00 50 30 mins Unlikely Miekarova, Perumaki, Wilkza Senator for Miekarova Return the villagers to their barrow

Military Considerations

Several territory pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several fortifications that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Winter Solstice.

  • Billeting: Any Imperial army can take the Billet order in Upwold or Mitwold. Link
  • Dawn: Dawnish armies cannot take the Cautious Advance order or the Give Ground order. Link
  • The Marches: Marcher armies cannot take the Give Ground order. Link
  • The Marches: Marcher armies fighting in Upwold, Mitwold, or Mournwold each receive an additional 1000 strength. The Strong Reeds receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in Bregasland. This lasts until the start of the Winter Solstice 385YE, or until they leave Bregasland in the case of the Strong Reeds. link.
  • Varushka: Varushkan armies involved in the same campaign as an army from the Brass Coast or Wintermark generate 10% fewer victory points. If armies from both nations are present, the reduction is increased to 20%. Link.
  • Varushka: Varushkan armies can take the Hospitality of the Boyars order whilst in Ossium. Link.
  • Wintermark: Wintermark armies can take the Fight with Honour order. Link.
  • Wintermark: Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. Link
  • Wintermark: Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. Link
  • Zenith: Any Highborn or Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. Link
  • Morrow: Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. Link
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