The long bench

Anvil welcomes those who come to trade whether they are dealing in goods, or ideas.

Overview

As the Autumn Equinox dawns, the great and the good of the Empire come to Anvil. Noble houses and Marcher households, Highborn chapters and Urizeni spires, Navarr steadings and stridings and more - they all gather to debate recent events and plan for the future. Congregations of the influential and the wealthy attract others as well - those with goods to sell, secrets to trade, or business of their own to arrange.

Accursèd Curios

• Members of the Alders-Baart family are making their way to Anvil from the Sarcophan Delves
• They bear a number of cursed items which they hope to sell to Imperial collectors
• These Beggar Kings aim to arrive at the Hub shortly after 8:30 on Friday evening.

A group of visitors from the Sarcophan Delves have been encountered on the road to Anvil from Crown's Quay in Necropolis. They introduce themselves in excellent Imperial as representatives of the bedelaar huisbaas of the Alders-Baart family. These travellers have earned a bad reputation with tavern owners; their arrival seems to bring foul weather, broken crockery, and other frustrations. Perhaps this is mere coincidence, or perhaps it is connected to the bulky sack they carry with them, and refuse to let anyone look inside...

On a related note, these Sarcophan merchants are apparently visiting Anvil with a desire to speak with traders, magicians and (in hushed tones) anyone with an interest in buying cursed objects...

They (and their sack) are expected to arrive in Anvil at the Hub, shortly after half-past-eight on Friday evening.

The Reeve of the Summerlands

• During the Autumn Equinox the heralds of Barien will be holding court at House Del'Toro in the Brass Coast
• The heralds intend to be in Anvil between 7pm and 9pm on Friday evening
• They have challenge scrolls for the House of the Guilded Vine, Brunlin Drum-Heart, and Vittore von Temeschwar
• They are keen to speak to Ivanbrok and either Solene d'Alba or some other representative of House de Gauvin
• The heralds wish to speak to anyone with a venue they might hire for the Winter Solstice

Each season, Revel, Temper, or another representative of Lord Barien, Reeve of the Summerlands books a location at Anvil that will host them on the first evening of the following season. For the Autumn Equinox they will be holding court at the House Del'Toro in the Brass Coast. They intend to be in Anvil between and seven and nine o'clock on Friday evening. The heralds have challenge scrolls to give out to three recent challengers who should find an opportunity to visit them during this time: the House of the Guilded Vine, Burnlin Drum-Heart of the Mark, and Vittore von Temeschwar.

The heralds also wish to speak with Gemma Brightsmith - to arrange some final details for her rewarding ceremony which will take place the following day at the Grove of the Thousand, near the Semerstones in Axmure (as detailed in the A yellow star hung Wind of Fortune).

Finally they have sent word that they believe two more challenges were completed during the Summer Solstice. They would like Ivanbrok and either Solene d'Alba or some other representative of the Dawnish House de Gauvain to meet them and confirm this, so that they too can be properly invited to a rewarding.

The Heralds have also suggested that any group from across Anvil who would like to host them at the Winter Solstice might find them during their time at House Del'Toro. They would prefer are particularly keen on offers from nations outside Wintermark, Dawn or the Brass Coast - as those are the places they have most recently commonly been found.

Seers, Spirits, and Stzena

• Jezda the Harbinger will be visiting the Varushkan camp at 8pm on Saturday
• This mysterious magician is concerned with prophecy and fell deeds
• She wishes to meet Alderei the Fair, General of the Iron Helms

Jezda the Harbinger is the leader of a mysterious Varushkan cabal known as the Seers of the Black Gate. Along with her attendant Kozma, she has declared her intent to visit the Varushkan camp at eight o'clock on Saturday evening. The enigmatic magician indicates that her business at Anvil concerns "prophecy and power, dark forces, and fell deeds" and she warmly invites Alderei the Fair, the general of the Iron Helms to come and meet her and hear what she has to say. She is also keen to meet with "all those concerned about the legacy and destiny of the Varushkan nation."

Very little is known about the Seers of the Black Gate - they have achieved some mild notoriety in recent years through their enthusiasm for performing Whispers through the Black Gate for several wealthy boyars. Jezda herself is whispered to have a particular facility for the ritual - and rumour suggests she possesses a unique ability to serve as an intermediary between the living and the spirits of the dead.

Virtue Its Own Reward

• Several priests are coming to Anvil to discuss whether it is virtuous to engage in so much looting while fighting the slave trade
• A priest of Vigilance is also visiting to deliver a dire warning
• These concerned priests are expected to arrive on Friday evening, although no specific time has been given

Whilst most of the population is celebrating the success of the raid on Chalonsio, there has been some discussion about the motives of the rich and powerful who attend Anvil. Whilst the raid has undoubtedly freed many people, reports of great treasures being looted from the Asavean city at the same time have raised questions about why the raid took place in the first place. There are similar questions about the attack on Skallahn. Was this a virtuous response to the threat of the Jotun, or just an excuse to act like "thieving bandits"? Surely in these kinds of situation it is more virtuous to do the deed for its own sake, rather than to pad one's own nest with stolen treasures.

A small group of priests who would ordinarily not make the journey to Anvil, have gathered together and intend to visit the summit some time on Friday Evening. They have several different proposals to address their concerns, and will be looking to speak with many people including other priests, senators, cardinals and those who took their fleets or military units to Skallahen or Chalonsio - or who are intending to join the assault on the slave lords' aerie.

At the same time a priest named Carolus von Holberg, a dedicate of the Vigilance assembly, has expressed their intent to come to Anvil to raise a very different concern about the recent raids. In their customary style, however, Carolus has failed to explain exactly what it is they wish to talk about and who it is they are wishing to talk to.

Make or Break

• The Marracossan Exiles who have settled Trajadoz have increasingly been travelling abroad from their small enclave.
• Groups of traders and artisans have been seen along the roads to Anvil - though many seem to have turned back.
• If any manage to make the trip, they'll arrive in Anvil around 10pm on Friday night, with another group arriving at 10pm on Saturday night.
• Legate Glaucia Herminia - a nominated representative to Anvil of the Exiles is rumoured to be expected at midday on Saturday.

The Marracossans of Trajadoz are, they claim, renowned artisans - whose skill at tool-working cannot be matched. A bountiful season in their orchards and farms has seen a surge in trade with their immediate neighbours in Torres - but increasingly these foreigners wish to expand their trade - and their relationship - with the Empire beyond just the Brass Coast. With this goal, groups of artisans, merchants and (perhaps concerningly) priests from the settlement have been visiting nearby regions and territories to demonstrate their wares. The most ambitions of these parties have claimed Anvil as their ultimate destination - though whether they'll make it is another question.

Travelling with one such group are individuals of a notably less mercantile character - soldiers in woven, laminated linen typical of Asavean light armour and the hanging robes of their Plenum 'nobility' have been seen travelling along the surest paths to the capital. Among them is the Legate - or General - Glaucia Herminia, a taciturn figure from the failed uprising in Marracossa who is characteristically tight-lipped, save for stating that he is visiting to represent his people.

Lost in Translation

• A small number of Asavean priests have spent the last season slowly travelling to Anvil.
• These individuals claim to be Priests of the Way and have been actively attending services and congregations along their route.
• They are expected to reach Anvil at around 3pm on Saturday.

Bearing green sails and a green pennant, the Asavean ship that put into port at Siroc did not linger long - disgorging its small, though equally brightly-clad group of passengers before swiftly departing Imperial waters. The ship was certainly a secondary curiosity to the strangers it left behind though - apparently content to wile away days indulging in the paradors and other wonders of the Brass Coast, the foreigners have made a slow journey along the main roads to Anvil. When asked, the visitors respond in perfect Imperial that they are "Priests of the Noble Virtues heading to meet the Synod and explore the intricacies of the Way."

Despite their leisurely pace, these 'Priests' have certainly demonstrated their Prosperity - spending their Imperial coin freely - as well as their apparent piety. They have been eager to attend services and visit congregations whenever given the chance.

In Bone and Body Both

• Representatives of the Tamazi will be visiting Anvil at 1 o'clock on Saturday.
• The orcs wish to meet with artisans, academics and those versed in knowledge of banking and trade.
• They have expressed a desire to learn more about the magical traditions of the Empire.

The Tamazi - orcs, once of Axos, now free and increasingly embracing citizenship as Imperial Orcs - are not content to be passive students of their new nation and way of life: they have Ambitions of their own, the first of which was seizing the power of magic that was once denied to them by their overlords. But they are a diverse and outward-facing people and have not been shy about sharing their plans to make their people - and their newly adopted siblings - stronger, Wiser, more Prosperous.

To this end they come to Anvil - their heads full of possibilities for the future of them, their people - and their nation.

Well Trodden Paths

• A small group of individuals claiming Terun-Axou heritage are once again visiting Anvil, before travelling back to Axos.
• They aim to meet those they have spoken with previously and anyone wishing to support their fight against the Vallorn at the Navarr noticeboard at 21:00 on Friday.

A group of former slaves from Axos have spent the last few seasons walking the trods, and are often mistaken for a small striding from a distance. They soon give themselves away as not being navarr - they are far too ill-prepared for the trods when seen up close. They have visited Anvil before; they claim to be descended from the Terun inhabitants of an ancient city in Axos, and have asked the Navarr to educate them about their "shared history".

Having apparently learned as much as they feel they need, they have spread a message that they are preparing to head back to their homes in Axos. Before they leave, however, they wish to meet with those who have helped them previously - and with anyone who feels they could support the fight against the vallorn in Axos.

They will be at the Navarr noticeboard at 2100 on Friday, before finding somewhere more comfortable to discuss matters.

Weirwood Woes

• A representative of Parnau Principality in Jarm will be attending the forthcoming Anvil summit.
• They wish to resolve the matter of the currently inactive Pallas Docks, and hope to speak to both the Ambassador to Jarm and the Prime Factor of the Pallas Docks.
• They are expected to be at the Hub from 12:30pm on Saturday

With trade between the Principalities of Jarm and the members of the Liberty Pact embargoed, the flow of weirwood through the Pallas Docks has stopped. The infrastructure was expensive to put in place, and already Prosperous citizens of Cargo have started to speculate about how long it will be before the great cranes are once again put to work towards a more virtuous cause. Still, embargo or not, matters of ownership still need to be settled.

With that in mind Hanus Kovac, a bureaucrat in service to the Magician-Prince of Parnau Principality, intends to visit Anvil to see what solutions can be reached. They have indicated that they wish to meet with Gelert Ashborn, the Ambassador to Jarm, and Lorelann Thoress, Prime Factor of the Pallas Docks, or their appointed representatives. Hanus intends to be at the Hub at 12:30pm, to adjourn from there to a place of refreshment and talk business. Hanus Kovac is at pains to stress that this visit is entirely unofficial, and that they would appreciate as little fuss as possible given recent unfortunate developments.

Beggars' Lot

• A Grendel Master of Ceremonies will bring a traditional game played across the Broken Shore to Anvil
• Anyone interested in playing should meet Kayley by the gate to Anvil at 20:20 on Friday.

The Broken Shore has long boasted a vibrant culture of games and entertainments - at least according to its inhabitants - and now word has spread that one of the region's foremost entertainers is travelling to Anvil with a traditional Grendel competition for visitors to try their hands at playing.

Kayley, Master of Ceremonies, Amusements, Revelries, has apparently "toured the world" with an old Grendel game known as Beggars' Lot. The concept is simple: up to six players buy the right to play by donating a minimum amount of money to a pot. The players then have 15 minutes to decide which one of them receives the entire pot - the catch being that the decision must be unanimous.

The Master of Ceremonies, Amusements, and Revelries has indicated that there will be four runs of the game happening on the Friday evening of the summit, loosely timed to start at 20:30, 20:50, 21:10 and 21:30. These times are not exact however, and prospective players should meet Kayley at the gate to Anvil (between the Urizen and Varushka camps) early to avoid disappointment. The first three games will have a minimum buy-in of 1 Throne to participate. The final game is a high stakes version with a minimum buy-in of 10 thrones. There can be a maximum of six players per game.

Kaban Concoctions

• Once again, Axou traders will be setting up market for a short period, selling their unusual brews from the Tunnels of Kaban
• They intend to begin trading outside the Forge at 1530 on Saturday, and sell until they run out of stock

Those on the road to Anvil may be becoming used to the sight of a small group in purple robes carrying packs clinking with bottles of strange products from Axos. Hippolytus, a regular visitor to the Anvil summits over the last year, has spread word that they are once again sending associates to Anvil, led by their trusted colleague Evander, to sell unique salves, tinctures and herbal creations found only in the Citadels.

Evander of Kaban has encouraged anyone interested in buying wares the group have previously sold in Anvil to come along and restock - and has also dropped heavy hints about a "business opportunity" that is "both rare and exciting" and which should appeal even to those who would not usually have a need to buy apothecarial concoctions. He intends to open up shop outside the Forge from 15:30 on Saturday afternoon.

Guardians of Winter

• Some members of the Wintergard chapter intend to visit Highguard to talk about suspicious events at Syrene's Wisdom
• They may be looking for assistance to perform one or more inquisitions
• The group is expected to arrive around 8pm on Friday

The town of Syrene, just down the road from Anvil in Syrwatch was recently hit by a major flood - in the middle of the Great Drought no less. While the town has been the focus of efforts by the Silver Chalice to help those injured or displaced by waters tainted with Winter magic, there have been a few other inexplicable events. Members of the Wintergard chapter - Vigilant sentinels who watch over the peculiar Pool of Syrene - have indicated that they are intending to come to Anvil during the Autumn Equinox.

The Highborn are looking for assistance as they make inquiries into a peculiar report from within Syrene's Wisdom - the mine that was the epicentre of the recent flood. Apparently, there is a story of people where there should not have been people and they are deeply concerned this may relate to the flood. They will be visiting the Highguard encampment at eight o'clock on Friday evening, and are keen to speak with anyone who can help them with their enquiries - and potentially to any inquisitors who might be prepared to help them resolve the matter through the Synod.

Accessibility
The trip to the Mir Mozga is a tent encounter, and is listed as combat unlikely or contained. It will involve a walk from the Sentinel Gate to the encounter tents (and back). It includes some themes of xenophobia/suspicion and some horror tropes that may be uncomfortable; anyone with concerns in this regard are encouraged to make further enquiries at the event.

Who Goes There? (Conjunction)

• The Ketsov clan, recently arrived in Karsk has announced a Winter Market in the Mir Mozga.
• The celebrations have been somewhat spoilt by accusations by visiting neighbours of poor hospitality.
• Prognosticators have determined a conjunction will deliver a small group to the market square of Ketzov Mir Mozga at 8:30pm on Friday night.

The Ketzov are a former subject clan of the Druj from Ossium. Recently embracing an opportunity to establish a vale in Karsk, these transplants have begun taming the forest and building a surplus ready for winter. Clannish and in many ways outsiders, the Ketzov believe in letting results speak for themselves: an attitude that has as many supporters as detractors in Lestasny. But, external appearances aside - the Ketsov have invited their cousins to a Winter Market as to share their Prosperity.

However, things have not gone smoothly: visitors arriving in poor weather have been subjected to interrogations at the gate - with some being turned away entirely! Other visitors have stated that they have been ejected with barely a nod to hospitality. It hasn't escaped notice that often these victims of poor civility have been draughir - which has worsened attitudes towards the Ketzov - and the prospects of a successful Market at the Mir Mozga.

With unfortunate tensions growing between the Ketzov and their new neighbours in Karsk, the prognosticators have identified a conjunction of the Sentinel Gate that will allow a small number of people to visit their vale at half-past-eight on Friday night. Perhaps the Burgher of Ketsov might be able to get to the bottom of their odd behaviour?

Confusion in Calvos (Conjunction)

Accessibility
This encounter is not intended to feature fighting and is classed combat unlikely or contained. This is an opportunity for sutannir and Freeborn performers, including those who do not fight, to pass through the Sentinel Gate for a mixture of investigation and performance. It will take place in a fixed spot on the field a short distance from the Sentinel Gate, and will take place on flat ground, with players being welcome to bring seating with them.

• The people of Calvos in Madruga tell of Sumaah visitors acting strangely
• A group of sutannir and performers may be able to investigate, and lift the spirits of locals
• Civil Service prognosticators have identified a conjunction to the area for 50 people, at 11pm on Friday night.

Shortly after the Summer Solstice a sect of Sumaah Präster announced that they would be travelling to Calvos, Madruga to participate in the upcoming Festival of Zemress. Their aim was to gather tales of the Blade of the Isles, and - more importantly - those who had been inspired by her legacy. Locals say that they arrived safely before the upcoming Equinox, but have been acting strangely, expressing confusion over the most basic points of virtue. After such anticipation, their presence threatens to put a dampener on the festivities.

Sofia i Karoz i Erigo from the nearby Seminary of Zemress, has suggested a group of sutannir gather a party to lift the spirits of locals, remind the Präster of the reasons for their visit, and perhaps investigate whatever it is that afflicts them. A conjunction of the Sentinel Gate has been identified at 23:00 on Friday evening that will allow a large group to reach the outskirts of Calvos where the Sumaah are camped.