Cold war

Overview

The Commonwealth and the Principalities of Jarm have been at open war for some time now. This most recent conflict began over the tiny nation of Lantir, sandwiched between the two great powers. The magocratic Jarm-favouring nobility were displaced, apparently with the aid of the Commonwealth. Tensions escalated as the Principalities continued to back their allies, eventually erupting into armed conflict.

Fighting has since spread along the wide border between the two, and inevitably dragged in a number of the neutral nations that serve as a buffer between the two perennial rivals. The Empire has been quietly supporting the Commonwealth, at least in principle. Both sides have claimed confidently to be winning the war, and that their victory was imminent. While the Commonwealth has a superior military strategy, the Jarmish wield the superior magical force, leaving the two sides reasonably matched.

As of the end of the Autumn Equinox, however, the situation has changed dramatically in a way that few had predicted.

What We Know

A major incursion of Cold Sun has taken place in Lantir The small nation has effectively been destroyed by the scions of Oblivion The forces that have consumed Lantir turn their attention to the destruction of Jarm and the Commonwealth as they once attempted to destroy the Empire

"The Cold Sun has risen, and Lantir is condemned to history." These were the words reportedly delivered by Leviathan to the Wings of the Skywise at the end of the Autumn Equinox. Both the Ambassador to the Commonwealth and the Ambassador to Jarm apparently sent missives to their opposite numbers, warning of the danger of Cold Sun, and offering Imperial assistance. Yet even before the letters were dispatched, it was already too late. Exact details are still thin on the ground, but it appears that as the Autumn Equinox drew to a close, the power of Oblivion all but annihilated the capital city of Lantir. In the following days, regio across Lantir aligned with the Realm of Sea and Sky tore open and armies of merciless scions marched through.

Reports suggest that the Commonwealth army in Lantir was forced to retreat by the unexpected assault, sustaining serious casualties in the process. Their losses were exacerbated by orders to get as many Lantiri citizens to safety as possible. The Commonwealth generals immediately denounced the House of Princes, pointing to the tremendous loss of life caused in the first weeks of the incursion as proof that Jarm is a threat to every nation along the Sea of Steel.

Within days, however, the House of Princes denounced the Commonwealth for "destroying what they could not conquer" and bringing into question their professed commitment to the "Common Good". They accused their rivals of being prepared to see thousands of people slain by supernatural forces they can neither understand nor control. Stories of attacks against Jarmish targets quickly spread, reaching the Empire via merchants visiting the "free port" of Radosmo. They recount that the Rising Moon, one of the armies defending Jarmish interests in Lantir, has apparently collapsed under the assault of the scions while trying to secure a safe route out of Lantir for hundreds of terrified civilians.

There are no Imperial observers on the ground, but if the stories bubbling out from Lantir in the wake of the Autumn Equinox are to be believed, it seems that Cold Sun's incursion into Lantir is an order of magnitude greater than that faced by the Empire. There are also tentative reports which, if taken at face value, suggest that the armies of heralds are displaying more strategic savvy than when they faced Imperial soldiers. They have learned from their defeat by Imperial soldiers and magicians. There are especially lurid tales that suggest they are making much more use of the powers of destruction drawn directly from the eternal itself. The terrible liquid light that leaves only devastation in its wake; the blazing eye of the sun that burns everything before it to ash; the howling winds that wither and desiccate everything in their path.

A Smoking Gun

The Commonwealth have accused Jarm of unleashing Cold Sun and destroying Lantir The House of Princes has demanded that the Commonwealth admit they were responsible for unleashing Cold Sun and destroying Lantir Both nations seem to feel they are taking the brunt of the casualties caused by the scions

Both the Commonwealth and the Principalities of Jarm claim that the other side is responsible for the destruction of Lantir. When Cold Sun invaded the Empire, it came as a result of powerful ritual magic. The incursion was exacerbated by the scions themselves, who made use of stolen ilium and mithril to bolster and anchor their power.

None of the nations involved - not the Commonwealth, not Jarm, and certainly not Lantir - make use of the Declaration of Alignment employed by the Conclave; however, both have methods of their own to ensure such entities cannot run amok within their borders. Whatever was done in Lantir to breach these protections, ritual magic must have been employed, and on a large scale, to initiate the initial invasion. While this seems to point the finger at Jarm, the House of Princes categorically denies responsibility; they wanted to liberate Lantir from Commonwealth control, not destroy it. The Commonwealth lacks the sheer magical prowess wielded by their northern rivals, but it would be a mistake to assume there are no covens capable of working powerful magic, and they certainly have the organisational power to do so if they put their minds to it.

In the Empire, the forces of Cold Sun were scattered and still managed to scar the land, to destroy towns and villages on a barely precedented scale, and to kill, maim, and displace a great many people. The situation in the east appears to be worse; full armies of scions are on the move. The threat is greater because both sides seem to have been slow to realise the scope of the situation. An attempt to convene a summit on neutral ground to discuss the incursion ended in shouted recriminations. It seems both sides assume they are taking the brunt of Cold Sun's aggression and that their rivals are exaggerating their claims around the threat for political reasons.

That the Empire were the first people to encounter Cold Sun is common knowledge in the Known World. This has unfortunately raised questions among some suspicious factions in both the Great Nations of the Sea of Steel. One rumour has it that the Empire provided suspiciously large amounts of crystal mana to Commonwealth magicians just before Cold Sun's incursion. Another claims that an Imperial citizen shared vital intelligence with Jarmish magicians, leading to their creation of a ritual to unleash this devastating force and destroy Lantir.

There are also people on both sides underestimating just how deadly the scions can be and how absolute their goals actually are. Even if they accept that Cold Sun attacks indiscriminately, these factions will still see an opportunity in the incursion. After all, if one side can hold Cold Sun back, and the other can't, then surely it will place them in a much stronger position once the scions are finally dealt with?

Commonwealth and Cold Sun

The Commonwealth is redirecting troops and resources to protect their border from the scions As members of the Liberty Pact the Commonwealth delegate will want to talk about the Cold Sun situation during the coming meeting The Commonwealth ambassador has renewed a request for the Empire to send forces to help fight this most recent Jarmish threat

The Commonwealth response is to begin marshalling troops to face Cold Sun's forces directly with martial might - much as the Empire did. The need to continue to defend their borders against the Jarmish complicates matters even more, of course.

Militärattache Ludkhannah Schöningen thanks Ambassador Finn Pridetalker for the advice they offered, and the warnings of what the scions would be capable of. That news has proved valuable in dealing with the creatures who have pressed over the border from Lantir into Commonwealth territory to destroy and pillage. The invaders are reportedly drawn to sources and stockpiles of mithril and ilium. Ludkhannah remains confident that the Commonwealth will face this new weapon of the House of Princes and prove its equal, just as they have every other underhanded magical attack launched over the decades by the rival nation.

In the wake of the atrocity - the immense loss of life in Lantir - she requests that the Empire denounce Jarm and end any trade of any kind with that nation. More pressingly, however, she renews the request that Imperial mercenaries be encouraged to travel to the Commonwealth to help fight the incursion. After all, the Empire's soldiers are literally the most experienced in the world at fighting Cold Sun in the world.

Jarm and Cold Sun

Jarm has accepted the offer of aid presented by the Imperial Ambassador The Principalities believe the incursion of Cold Sun is an attack from the Commonwealth or their allies

The Jarmish House of Princes is especially outraged by the appearance of Cold Sun forces in Lantir. As a nation that prides itself on its sorcerous prowess, being taken by surprise by a magical attack of this nature is especially offensive. There have been full-throated condemnations from the Magician-Princes against the "cowardly Commonwealth", who, unable to defeat the might of Jarm with their armies, have undertaken to unleash a devastating and indiscriminate form of destruction instead.

While they are doing so, Jarmish covens are feverishly working to find ways to contain the eternal or send its heralds back whence they came. They have reached out to a number of other eternals asking for aid - but the results have apparently been along the same lines as those the Empire received. Offers of support to fight the scions, but little to actually face the destructive power that the scions wield on behalf of Oblivion.

Lord Trescher is particularly impressed by the assurances of Ambassador Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo that "should Jarm wish for any assistance at all" they might receive it from the Empire. By asking for "leave to share strategic information the Empire has gathered on the Cold Sun and work on assistance that could be offered to Jarm against the Cold Sun from The Imperial Conclave" they have secured the attention of the House of Princes. In the past, the House has preened and boasted about its magical prowess, but Lord Anton is not a fool and neither are many of the luminaries of the ruling families. They seize on Damiàn's proposal and make it clear that they are prepared to accept advice and support from Imperial magicians in defeating the forces pouring out of Lantir.

Imperial Aid

The Empire could choose to become involved in the east to offer aid against Cold Sun They might offer aid to both sides, support one nation over the other, or stay out of the escalating situation

While there are a few suspicious glances in the direction of the Empire, nobody denies that they are the only people to have contained and ultimately triumphed over an incursion of Cold Sun. Imperial citizens have clear expertise that both the Commonwealth and Jarm could benefit from when it comes to dealing with the scions apparently flooding into Lantir. There are, however, some political stumbling blocks to offering significant aid to one or both of the eastern powers. For that matter, the Empire may not wish to focus so much of its attention so far from home.

Both Jarm and the Commonwealth know the realities of the situation. In the end, if the Empire were to do nothing more than offer their condolences and wish the two rival nations good luck dealing with the incursion, it would likely be accepted as simple common sense. As long as no evidence emerged that the Empire was in any way involved in unleashing Cold Sun into Lantir, of course - but in that case its doubtful any amount of aid would mollify the injured parties.

Senate Aid

The Senate could call for Imperial captains to aid one or both sides The Liberty Pact proscribes offering any significant military aid to any nation at war with a signatory - such as Jarm The Jarmish have been very clear that military aid to the Commonwealth would be seen as a declaration of war

There are plenty of Imperial citizens with first-hand experience of fighting Cold Sun, either in person or alongside their own warriors. While the Imperial Senate has carefully avoided encouraging military units to travel to the Sea of Steel to get involved in the war between the Commonwealth and Jarm, helping in the fight against Cold Sun is clearly a different matter. On the other hand, sending mercenaries to the Commonwealth would be seen as military assistance by the Jarmish; offering any military support to Jarm, even to help deal with Cold Sun, could be treated as a breach of the Liberty Pact.

The chief magistrates have confirmed that there is no legal impediment to the Senate supporting Imperial captains or mercenaries travelling to the east to help in the fight against Cold Sun. Clause 8 of the rights of Liberty Pact members forbids sending aid to any nation at war with a signatory pact member, but Clause 5 clearly puts the legal remedy for breaches of the rights in the hands of a meeting of the Pact's members, not in their individual states' law. In plain speech, it's not illegal for the Empire to send military support to the Jarmish, but the Commonwealth could call for reparations, or even demand that they be thrown out of the Pact for doing so. It would be a delicate matter that will require careful handling.

Under Imperial law, the scions serve an eternal that the Conclave has placed under enmity. Therefore, the Senate could pass a motion instructing the Civil Service to help arrange transport and logistical support to Imperial citizens looking to fight Cold Sun in the east. This support would also ensure that Imperial warriors would specifically battle the scions rather than getting caught up in a war that (at least in legal terms) is taking place between two groups of foreigners.

Depending on the wording, this would create one or two ventures for Imperial military units; Help Jarm against Cold Sun and/or Help the Commonwealth against Cold Sun. Both of these would be guarding actions, supported by enchantments such as Aspect of the Mountain or Peregrine and Ichimos. There would be rewards for those prepared to offer their aid, depending on which side the military unit was working with.

The motion itself would be well received by those it spoke in support of. Any military aid at all against Cold Sun will be welcomed. If at least 5,000 strength comes to the aid of either side, they will make significant progress in dealing with Cold Sun. It won't be an instant result, but the civil service predicts this level of support will reduce loss of life and help keep Cold Sun corralled in Lantir rather than spill out into the nation. If both sides receive this level of support, it will help reduce the threat of the Cold Sun to everyone in the east. Regardless, the civil service suggests that with this kind of Imperial aid, it will take at least six months before the Jarmish and Commonwealth are in a position to drive Cold Sun out of Lantir.

Regardless of how many Imperial soldiers travel to the Sea of Steel, if only one side receives aid, the other will be significantly weakened by the fight to deal with the invading scions over this time. Obviously, aiding one side or the other in the current climate risks creating diplomatic problems with one or both nations. The ambassadors may be able to mitigate such fallout, depending on how they present the Empire's assistance to their respective nations.

Rewards A standard military unit supporting the Commonwealth would receive a hero stone, some soldier's booze, a little iron fist, and 30 rings. A similar military unit supporting Jarm would receive a pawn of vis (one of Prismatic Ink, Golden Apple, or Warm Ashes) and a pouch of magical Jarmish spices. A military unit that is enchanted or upgraded will receive proportionately more.

The Senate could further incentivise aid by applying the Imperial Guerdon to one or both ventures if they wished, potentially as part of the same motion that created the ventures (provided it was applied equally to both ventures if they chose to support both nations).

Military Aid

The Military Council could offer aid in the east The Generals of the armies that faced scions directly could send experts to help support one side or the other The army would need to take defensive orders in Imperial territory to allow the general to dispatch soldiers to advise those fighting Cold Sun Sending officers and veterans overseas to act as advisors puts the army at a significant disadvantage if it is engaged in battle

Regardless of what the Senate decides, the Military Council could also act here. As recounted in the Things that burn, Eclipse, and Last rays of the sun Winds of War, several Imperial armies directly faced the threat of Cold Sun, and so have expertise that could prove invaluable to the Commonwealth and Jarm. Entire armies cannot cross the seas to engage the scions directly, but the general of an army could nonetheless choose to send officers and veteran soldiers to advise the nations. Doing so would significantly weaken their army, however, for as long as these soldiers were abroad.

All that is required to do this is for the general of one of the armies that fought Cold Sun to issue a defending order in Imperial territory, and to explicitly instruct their officers to aid either Jarm or the Commonwealth (it's not feasible to split advisors from a single army between two nations while they remain openly antagonistic to each other). The generals involved would receive a short summary of the situation in the nation they chose to aid.

While offering aid in this way, the army would have the usual opportunity to resupply, but if it were engaged in a campaign, its strength would be halved due to the loss of much of its command structure. It would take only a season to share the army's wisdom with the chosen nation, and they would return by the next Solstice or Equinox, allowing the army to operate as normal after that.

This expertise would be just as valuable as sending mercenaries; each army would effectively count as 1,000 force sent to help one side or the other. Unlike mercenaries and independent captains, however, sending officers with clear expertise to advise and support the forces of the Principalities and/or the Commonwealth would have a positive effect on the diplomatic attitudes of the nation aided. The more armies that offered support in this fashion, the greater the impact. The generals of either nation who receive this valuable aid will be indebted to the army in question - they will feel honour-bound to show their appreciation. What form this takes will depend on the army, the orders the General gives, and the nation they choose to assist.

As with the Senate encouraging military captains to directly fight Cold Sun in the east, however, this could be construed as military aid to one side or the other. Again, there are no legal complications here - the general has the absolute right to give orders to the army they command - but it has the potential to create diplomatic difficulties if the Liberty Pact, or the Senate's relationship with the Principalities of Jarm, are brought into question.

Magical Aid

The Ambassador to Jarm has already offered magical support to the Principalities The Conclave could send magicians to offer aid to either or both sides

The Ambassador to Jarm, Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo, apparently spoke eloquently in their communications to Lord-Magister Anton Trescher about the need to stand united against the threat of Cold Sun. The Jarmish have been quick to accept this offer and make it clear that they are ready to receive any assistance the Imperial Conclave is prepared to offer. The Commonwealth, likewise, has a good relationship with the magicians of the Empire and will enthusiastically accept any support they have to offer. Again, in theory, helping one side or the other might have diplomatic consequences but again, there is no legal impediment to doing so. Cold Sun is an enemy of the Empire, after all.

During the Winter Solstice, any grandmaster can use a suitably worded Declaration of Concord to guide their order and offer aid to the Commonwealth or to Jarm against Cold Sun. As with any other guidance of this nature, each order that does so will remove twenty mana crystals from the font to equip magicians and secure transport to the east. The Civil Service will offer its assistance with logistics, introductions to Jarmish or Commonwealth peers, and the like. Each order can only assist one nation effectively; trying to split an order's magicians between the two nations would complicate matters to the point that their assistance would be broadly neutralised.

Each order that helps one side or the other would count as 750 strength towards helping contain Cold Sun in the coming season. This might represent war-witches and battle mages fighting the scions directly, or it might represent tactical or strategic aid, but it will help a given nation deal with the threat of the eternal stretching their destructive presence beyond the borders of Lantir. Each order will also have an additional effect tied to its individual manifesto.

The Celestial Arch are diplomats first and foremost, and their assistance will maximise the benefits of any other Imperial assistance in either Jarm or the Commonwealth (whether from the Senate, Military Council, or other Conclave orders). They could also be given a secondary task depending on the wording of the declaration - to encourage the two warring nations to pool their efforts to deal with Cold Sun.

The Rod and Shield are the most martial order, and their aid will be military in nature. The presence of the Rod and Shield assisting a nation effectively counts as 1750 strength towards containing the scions in Lantir. As with the assistance of a general, the nation that receives this valuable aid will feel indebted to the Rod and Shield, and honour-bound to show their appreciation in a way that depends on the wording of the Declaration, and the nation they choose to assist. Fighting directly with magic and force-of-arms is risky however, any member of the order can email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk to confirm they have helped in Lantir. They will receive a magical lingering wound, but also be able to claim some of the spoils of war in the form of a pawn of vis, either taken from the scions or secured in thanks for aid.

The Unfettered Mind are most able to explain the unfamiliar magics the scions use as well as offer their general expertise in magical matters. The chance to observe the larger-scale incursion taking place in Lantir also presents a rare opportunity, giving some more insight into the magic of Oblivion, the Day realm, and its eternals. As a result, the Grandmaster will receive a ritual text containing a ritual either secured in Lantir or received as a gift from the nation they support.

The Silver Chalice are healers, with experience dealing with the destructive curses the scions unleash. Their presence will significantly reduce the loss of life among the remaining survivors in Lantir as they are evacuated, as well as to the soldiers of the nation they support. Their knowledge will have a lingering effect - there will be significantly lower loss of life for the nation they are able to help, as their knowledge of magical curses quickly spreads. As with the Rod and Shield, the nation they help will offer a token of their appreciation to the order. Unlike the other orders, however, the Silver Chalice can choose not to support either side and instead focus entirely on reducing loss of life. If the Declaration is worded to support this approach, many hundreds of lives will be saved, but the diplomatic and military benefits of the Order helping one side or the other will be lost (they'll provide no military strength, and neither Jarm nor the Commonwealth will provide any rewards).

The Shuttered Lantern address threats with discretion and are adept at evaluating threats and directing responses to them. They are also well-positioned to do some information gathering of their own. If the order is dispatched to help either Commonwealth or Jarm, their members will be able to investigate what led to the incursion in Lantir. A summary of their findings will be provided to the Grandmaster at the Spring Equinox.

The Golden Pyramid are first and foremost concerned with the prosperity of the Empire's magicians, but they are also experts at deploying magical resources effectively. They're also the only Conclave order with a Grand Lodge - albeit one that is in a slightly precarious situation. If the Golden Pyramid are guided to support the Commonwealth or Jarm, they will do so with one eye on the future. As well as providing support, they will uncover an opportunity to secure closer trade ties for the Empire with the nation they aid, as well as an opportunity to acquire valuable support for their order. There is a downside, however, if the Golden Pyramid are involved, regardless of which nation they support, the costs for other orders to get involved in Lantir will be increased by five crystal mana each, simply because the 'Pyramid will insist that everyone involved is well paid for taking the dangerous trip east.

Finally, the Sevenfold Path will be seen as representing the Imperial Synod. Unlike the priests of that august body, however, there will be significantly less resistance to their involvement - they neither rely on the auras the Commonwealth finds unpalatable, nor are they seen as foot soldiers of a hegemonizing faith by the Jarmish. Their involvement represents something of a "wild card", however, with results dependent on the exact wording of their Declaration of Concord. The most likely outcome is that they are able to help modify attitudes to pilgrims of the Way among the nation they help. This won't neutralise Commonwealth suspicion of auras, or the Jarmish attitude that religion is a personal matter, but it will still have a positive effect.

Any order that gets involved in the east, helping to fight against Cold Sun, will be tied up for six months. This will mean that it will not be possible to issue any further guidance to the order for that period. If the conflict with Cold Sun continues beyond that point, any order that went will gain new options to assist whichever side they are working with or else return home.

Civil Service Advice

The Civil Service offer some cautious guidance on the matter of Cold Sun

Given current information, neither great nation is in danger of being destroyed by Cold Sun at this time, but there's no coordinated response to Cold Sun because both nations are continuing to fight one another while also trying to deal with the forces of Oblivion. The Empire has seen first-hand the kind of destruction the scions are capable of when not contained or directly challenged, and both Commonwealth and Jarmish accounts suggest this is a much larger, much less spread-out incursion than that which the Empire faced. There has already been a major loss of life, and the death toll cannot help but mount every day the scions continue to try and "purify" the two grand nations.

Neither nation is likely to collapse due to the incursion, but there is an opportunity here to greatly weaken one or both nations should the Empire wish to deal with the inevitable diplomatic fallout. The simplest course is to do nothing, to send thoughts and platitudes, and leave the two foreign nations to sort the matter out themselves.

There's no legal bar to supporting either or both sides, but the diplomatic consequences will be significant. However, as long as neither side believes the other is getting "more" support than they are, there's no chance either will cause trouble over the Liberty Pact or agreements with their nation. They'll be too grateful for the aid they are getting to cause trouble, provided they don't discover that the other side is getting more help than they are....

The Civil Service notes that while all aid will be gratefully received, the Commonwealth is likely to be slightly more impressed by Military Council engagement than the Jarmish, and the Principalities will be more impressed by aid from the Conclave than the Commonwealth.

Limited Opportunities

All three sets of opportunities are only available during the Winter Solstice

The opportunities for the Senate, Military Council, and Conclave are only available during the Winter Solstice. The situation in Lantir and between Jarm and the Commonwealth is so volatile that it is not possible to predict what will happen in the coming months. It is possible there may be future opportunities to get involved in the matter of Cold Sun, but they will likely look very different to those presented here. The Winter Solstice represents an opportunity for the Empire to offer assistance while the incursion is at its most "handleable" and where their aid is likely to have the greatest impact.

Usual Service

More traditional diplomatic matters are dealt with in the TBC Wind of Fortune

The incursion of Cold Sun is occupying the attention of the Principalities and the Commonwealth, but even in times of war, normal diplomatic considerations must be borne in mind. The more usual business of negotiation, trade, and ideological clashes is discussed in the TBC Wind of Fortune.