For those in peril on the sea

"What is... a lighthouse?"An audible groan went up from the audience. The Urizen before them stood calmly waiting for it to die down."We have heard a lot," they continued, "about the challenges of building large towers in hard-to-reach places, of mirrors, lenses, lamps, fuel, finding people prepared to go to tiny islands and... ah... 'freeze their arses off'."A ripple of laughter, and some jocular banter directed at the Freeborn architect who had voiced this sentiment during her own presentation. Again, the Urizen waited patiently for the jokes and chuckles to subside, like the tide going out."But we must, I think, also consider what a lighthouse is. What the core of it's essence is. It is more than a 'glorified torch holder' and more than a way to 'save people from slamming their ships into the cliffs'. It is a symbol, and a potent one at that."Warming to their subject, the speaker strode closer to the audience, scanning across them. They gave the impression of looking each person in the eye in turn."It is, fundamentally, light. It is the promise of safety when the storm rages about you. It is a warning of danger, but also the knowledge that someone else cares enough to warn you, a stranger, of the threat. It is a sigil of hope made manifest - not the passive hope that leads to inaction but the bright hope that tells each of us that we can face the challenges of the day and make tomorrow better. It is truth, as I am sure the philosophers of Sarvos would agree. It is the sanctuary, as the Highborn know, that comes with sturdy walls and Vigilance. It is the wish of home made manifest that tells the tired corsair they are nearly there. It is so much more than a tower with a light atop it."They paused then letting their words sink in. The audience were quiet, hanging on their words. It was easy to forget that the purpose of poise was not to deny emotion, but to bank it for when it will be most useful, and on this subject the Urizen spoke with burning passion."We must not forget that Master Sweetwater has brought us here not only to discuss the logistics of building lighthouses, but so that we might protect our shores and perhaps most importantly of all, uplift the pride of those nations who have lost their light. We can build all the towers in the world, but if we do not pause to think about what a lighthouse is, what it represents, then we are doomed to achieve only a portion of the task ahead of us. I will now open the floor to comments and questions, if you please."

Overview

Cyrus senator for Reikos, seconded by Pathfinder Gaddak of Mareave, and endorsed by the Imperial Senate, asked Eilian Sweetwater of the Prognosticators Office to appraise the restoration of recreation of the great warding lighthouses (such as the Shining Pillar and the Lighthouses of Nikiphoros) of the Bay so that we might protect our shores from new eternal threats and uplift of the Pride of those nations that have lost their light. Eilian, a former researcher with the Department of Historical Research threw himself into the role with relish, appreciating the opportunity to visit and explore several historic locations around the Bay of Catazar.

There are of course a number of lighthouses around the southern coast of the Empire, but most of those that remain amount to little more than a squat tower with a beacon atop intended to warn about a specific shoal or rocky shore. There were also a number of much larger lighthouses, often inspiring examples of Imperial architecture and engineering. Unfortunately, one by one, over the last few decades they have been destroyed, lost, or left derelict. It is these larger lighthouses that Eilian Sweetwater is particularly interested in. His appraisal, however, begins in Sarvos where the Prognosticators Office host a meeting of experts from the Brass Coast, the League, Highguard, and Urizen.

Symbols of Sanctuary and Hope

The impromptu symposium on lighthouses convened in Sarvos discussed the symbolism of lighthouses among the four nations of the Bay

The meeting takes a week or so, with artisans from the four nations sharing their expertise, ideas, and even a few proposals. Each of the four nations is in agreement as to the utility of lighthouses, but their individual appreciation is a little more nuanced.

The Brass Coast

To many Freeborn, a lighthouse is a beacon of hope - it is not just that it is invaluable to navigators, providing not only warning about danger, it is also a marker that has specific meaning. Lighthouses have an almost spiritual role in the Brass Coast, embodying as they do, the elements of glass and fire that shape their people.

The old Shining Beacon was an enduring symbol that a tired Freeborn crew were nearly home, back to their families and friends, and safe from the dangers of the sea. They are especially valuable to corsair families, who often shared a fierce love of the great lights that rose above their islands. In some cases the loss of the Shining Pillar, and the looting of the Celesti Lighthouse by Rahab, was felt more keenly than even the burning of Siroc.

Freeborn glass makers are the undisputed masters of their craft in the Empire, with huge expertise in glassblowing, glass casting as well as annealing, caneworking, lampworking and enrgaving.

Highguard

The Highborn are by no means as active as seafarers as they were in the past, but it is no coincidence that the lighthouse is an almost universally recognised symbol of Vigilance. Before Necropolis was a city of the dead, back when it was called Pharos, it was named for the great lighthouse that stood above the city on the cliffs of Coursmouth. The Pharos was burned along with the city in the closing days of civil war with the patricians. It was never rebuilt, and to some historians it represents a turning point - the slow turning away of the Highborn from the sea to look inward to the spirit.

Though the Highborn are no longer a great naval power, they retain their love of architecture and there are few nations who can rival their ability to create the tall towers needed to house a beacon.

Urizen

For the Urizen, lighthouses are a realisation of the power of illumination. They shine to dispel the power of mist and fog, but just as importantly to illuminate the night. A lighthouse is not just a warning beacon, it stands as a witness to everything that happens at sea, promising safety and sanctuary to those who are guided by it. Traditionally, no lighthouse keeper turns away those in need of sanctuary; in Urizen and Highguard they are often priests dedicated to Vigilance. Some take on the responsbility for organising volunteer crews to offer direct aid to ships that get into trouble within the span of their lights - those who take out small boats in the teeth of a storm to bring succour to those who otherwise would be doomed to drown at sea.

The Urizen are unrivalled experts at creating and controlling light. It takes enormous amounts of time and skill to make a lightstone powerful to serve as the light source of a large lighthouse and there are few outside Urizen who have the arete to master the art.

The League

Appreciation of lighthouses is more prosaic in the League where they are appreciated for their practical benefits. They are sometimes viewed as symbols of achievement, or even Prosperity; reflecting the work needed to build them and the way the support that they give to mariners and merchants helps to ensure fewer ships and their precious cargoes are lost at sea.

Yet there is also a little mysticism even here. The best lighthouses use huge mirrors to focus the light - leading to an odd folk tradition where lighthouse keepers were often seen as people with a specific understanding of truth. In some coastal towns in the League, the lighthouse keeper also served as a local magistrate, hearing minor crimes and delivering judgement. There are folk tales that liars who look into the lamp atop a lighthouse, reflected and reinforced by the polished mirrors, are struck blind if they do not recant their falsehoods.

The Brass Coast may make the best glass in the Empire, but the mirror-masters of the League acknowledge no rivals anywhere in the world, creating cunningly crafted and polished mirrors that can focus light into the perfect beam.

Unshackled

The last group to attend the symposium were the Imperial Orcs of Mareave. The Unshackled have little experience dealing with lighthouses, but now that they have a coastline they are much more appreciative of the value these burning towers provide. There is a derelict lighthouse at Icarion that Eilian Sweetwater is very keen to revisit, but they are also aware that a smaller lighthouse stands above the docks in Beoraidh.

The Grendel like their lighthouses, say the Sannite. They're symbols not only of vigilance but also Prosperity. Several of the Salt Lords traditionally pay the lighthouse keepers out of their own pockets, making a show of protecting mariners across the seas of the Bay. Rahab's destruction of the Celesti Lighthouse - or at least his endorsement of the looters - is said in the bazaars of Beoraidh to have raised significant eyebrows among some of the more traditional Grendel lords and was a clear sign of his utter desperation in the face of the constant provocations of the Brass Coast.

In the eyes of the Grendel, only a fool destroys a lighthouse. It is seen as a mark of the "madness" of the Children of Wrecks that they intentionally destroy lighthouses - the taint of their ravening mistress no doubt. Which leads to further discussion of the problem of the Children, and the likelihood that any new lighthouses will likewise be targetted for destruction.

A Surprise Guest

In addition to the invited attendees, there is a surprise additional guest when the symposium starts. At first some of the other attendees mistake them for an Urizen, given they are wearing pale lavender hooded robes. It is only when the evening draws in and it becomes apparent this particular attendee glows in the dark that suspicions are raised. After being challenged, the guest confirms that they are in fact a herald dispatched by the Seer Clad in Raiment of Gold, at the invitation of the Archmage of Day, to observe proceedings. They give their name as Fotismos and while they are not especially voluable, they often interject with odd details or peculiar observations that later prove to be quite insightful.

Finally, during an open session of discussion toward the end of the symposium, they take the stage to explain their mistress' interest in lighthouses is more than academic. As the Empire knows, some of the most powerful methods of illumination used in the lighthouses of the Empire have been inspired or infused by the Thousand Eyes of the Sun and Moon. Their explanation is esoteric but seems to boil down to the fact that the eternal likes the way lighthouses observe their surroundings, and bring light to the dark. As such, Fotismos has been instructed to offer support to the appraisal for as long as the Empire deems their presence appropriate.

Conclusions

In general, Eilian concludes, lighthouses are more than just towers with lights on top of them. They are symbols of Vigilance - of being alert to dangers at sea - but more than that they promise safety and succour. There is little that can be said in any concrete way about the threat of unknown eternals, but if there is something festering in the depths of the Bay of Catazar, it surely cannot hurt for the Senate to invest in some of these bright, far-seeing beacons. Especially as all the significant lighthouses seem to have been knocked down.

As well as a philosophical discussion of lighthouses, however, the symposium at Sarvos brings out a number of practical opportunities. With their heads close together, a set of general plans are created and made available to builders across the Empire. They include designs, diagrams, and theory needed to create a "standard lighthouse" - a simple tower with a light atop it - and a more impressive and effective "great lighthouse" suitable to serve as a potent beacon to Imperial ships.

Following the symposium, Eilian visits several historic locations around the Bay with a small gaggle of builders, architects, scholars, and visionaries and also presents a set of proposals for several grand lighthouses built on a foundation of Imperial history.

A Warning Light

A typical lighthouse is an edifice built with at least 10 wains in a region with a coastline A lighthouse can be built entirely with white granite Up to a fifth of the wains may be mithril reflecting the mirrors used to amplify the beacon By default an edifice has no mechanical game effects

There are any number of lighthouses scattered around the shores of the Empire which serve the traditional function - warning sailors of dangers and helping them navigate through storms and thick fogs. A lighthouse could be built in any region with a coastline - it is after all "just" a stone tower with a light on top of it, tended to by a one-or-two person team who ensure the beacon remains lit in times of need.

Anyone capable of building an edifice can construct a standard lighthouse. The minimum price for a lighthouse is 10 wains, but as with any edifice any number of wains might be used depending on the grandeur desired. It would be most practical to build a lighthouse from white granite, but up to a fifth of the wains involved might be mithril instead representing powerful mirrors. Regardless of materials used, this kind of lighthouse is of resolutely mundane nature. Regardless of where they are placed, an edifice has no mechanical game effects, though a lighthouse will always be important and notable, especially to mariners and others seagoers who travel the protected waters.

OOC Note: A standard lighthouse is classed as an edifice. Once constructed, it will receive at most a paragraph of description on the appropriate territory page (depending on grandeur). While it may make most sense to build such a thing in a region with the coastal quality the only requirement is that the region include a section of coastline. As with any other commission the lighthouse could become part of an opportunity - although there is no guarantee that will be the case.

A Welcoming Beacon

A great lighthouse would be a great work benefitting fleets Standard costs would be 40 wains of weirwood or white granite and 10 wains of mithril, to provide the first level of investment in a territory A lighthouse that supports fleets must be built in a region with the coastal quality

A great lighthouse would be a massive structure of white granite or weirwood with mithril mirrors at the top, and may incorporate a boat station operated by volunteers who seek to preserve life in the case of a disaster. This kind of lighthouse is a specific great work that benefits fleets. It is effectively an opportunity available to anyone who can commission a great work.

A great lighthouse must be built in a region with the coastal quality quality. The lighthouse represents a level of investment in fleets based in the territory. A lighthouse uses a combination of either weirwood and white granite, and an amount of mithril for the mirrors. Adding the first level of investment takes 40 wains of weirwood or white granite, and 10 wains of mithril. Lighthouses adding higher levels of investment need proportionally more mithril and either white granite or weirwood.

This kind of lighthouse receives a paragraph on the appropriate territory page, as well as adding an entire rank to the effectiveness of any fleet based in the territory that takes a trading action during downtime. The weakness of such a great work is that it is relatively easy to damage if the region where it is built is captured by an enemy. The practical nature of the Grendel means they are broadly unlikely to do such a thing - Governor Rahab's anger and greed making him an exception - but the Children of Wrecks actively enjoy destroying lighthouses.

OOC Note: A great lighthouse is a specific example of a great work that can be built with non-standard materials, and can only be constructed in a region with a specific quality. Anyone who can commission a great work could specify that they are building a great lighthouse. The amounts given here are for the first level of investment in fleets in a territory; higher levels of investment will require proportionally more materials.

Notable Lighthouses

As part of their work, Eilian has conducted a review of all the notable lighthouses on the Bay of Catazar. They have made an initial study of the history of each of these important structures and where possible they have visited what remains, but time is not on their side. The lighthouses are spread across the entire coast, and it is challenging to do much more than visit them. Fotismos, the herald of She Who Watches proves quite helpful here able to provide snippets of insight that even the residents of the territories in question are unaware of.

It's clear that each lighthouse could be restored, or rebuilt, or the work completed, creating a unique structure that reflected the nation where it was built. Unfortunately, each such project requires a degree of investigation and detail that simply exceeds the amount of time available before the Summer Solstice. With that in mind, Eilian and a small team of experts from the symposium have focused their attention - for the moment at least - on a proposal on one of the lighthouses mentioned in the appraisal. At least in theory.

Unfortunately the Shining Pillar is not in a position to be restored. Not only is the island on which it stood claimed by the Children of Wrecks, but that island has apparently been devoured by a perpetually churning maelstrom. The herald Fotismos with uncharacteristic wryness comments that even their mistress would struggle to construct a lighthouse on the mouth of an insatiable beast. With that in mind, Eilian and his team explore the next best thing - the damaged Celesti Lighthouse.

The Celesti Lighthouse

Eilian Sweetwater has made a particular study of the Celesti Lighthouse in Feroz The lighthouse was looted and rendered inoperable during the governorship of Rahab the Rapacious

Situated near the farthest tip of the Oran peninsula, at one of its highest points, is the shell of the Celesti lighthouse. Nearly five hundred feet tall - a wonder of the Empire that rivalled the Shining Pillar of Madruga - it was originally commissioned as part of the massive investment in coastal ports and defences during the reign of Emperor Barabbas.

Intended to serve both as a navigation aid and to keep a watch for signs of Grendel ships, the structure was much larger than it needed to be - making it an object of ribald fun for satirists and humourists around the Bay of Catazar. Barabbas planned to have the lighthouse lit in a dramatic display as his great armada sailed past on its way to conquer Attar but due to overspending and delays, construction hadn’t yet started on the complex beacon and only the tower itself was finished.

Following the destruction of the Barabbine Fleet, funding for coastal projects abruptly ceased, and there was little Senate interest in completing what was largely seen as one of the late Throne's great follies. With Senate funding withdrawn, it proved impossible to complete the lighthouse. A small group of Guerra hakima kept a large bonfire lit at night in the otherwise empty beacon room of the partially completed lighthouse, maintaining its purpose as an aid to sailors through the treacherous isles and sandbanks of the southern coast. Sightseers and pilgrims to the site provided the small amount of funding to keep the structure itself in fair condition, though never enough to complete its construction.

In 380YE, however, Ahraz i Guerra - one of the remaining hakima of the Celesti - raised the money necessary to complete the beacon. Based in a reclusive monastery near the summit of the Gilded Peak in Kahraman, they strove to recreate the golden light of the peaks, and their plans were still kept in the monastary archives. With funds raised, the plans recovered from the Celesti archives and the design of the unique lamp secured, work to properly complete the lighthouse was authorised by the short-lived Civilian Commissioner for the Brass Coast.

For several years, the golden light of the Gilded Peaks shone out across the Bay welcoming travelers to the Brass Coast, and providing a vital navigation aid for those attempting to traverse the isles and sandbanks of Cazar. By no coincidence, this also made it visible to taller structures in Siroc, Oran, and Joharra. The "Celesti Lighthouse Keeper" was charged with maintaining the tower; keen to promote trade with the newly opened foreign ports in the Principalities of Jarm. Sadly, when Feroz was conquered by the Grendel, and ceded to the orcs by the subsequent peace treaty, the lighthouse came under the dominion of the ruthless and avaricious Governor Rahab.

A Phoenix Rises

The Celesti Lighthouse could be restored to its former glory

Following the liberation of Feroz, the lighthouse was left in a parlous shape; the foundations remain but the mirrors and the gorgeous lamp have been looted. It still serves as an intimidating sight above the cliffs of Oran, and it is perhaps unsurprising that the Children of Wrecks sought to bring it down in Winter 386YE - another thumb to the eye of the Freeborn. Fortunately the Strategos of the Brass Coast, Gael i Guerra, organised a warband of Imperial heroes to ensure the wreckers were defeated and so the tower at least still stands.

Given its long history, and the impossibility of visiting the site where the Shining Pillar once stood (it is now a howling maelstrom that allegedly opens into the very realm of Siakha herself), Eilian makes a point of visiting the damaged tower and speaking with representatives of the Celesti about the possibility of repairing and restoring it. Just restoring the lighthouse would be an easy task. The structure is sound, only the lamp and mirrors require replacement. A commission, and three seasons of work would restore the beacon and allow the lighthouse to function again just as it did before.

A Vigilant Light

The tower could become the centrepiece of a massive citadel As well as protecting the coast it could be fortified further by Imperial fleets It would also function as a great work supporting Freeborn fleets in Feroz Completing the lighthouse would remove the abandoned quality from Oranseri

The problem the Celesti Lighthouse faces is that the Children of Wrecks have already tried to destroy it once, and launched a raid against the town of Oran that was only thwarted due to the intervention of the Grendel at Mora's Rock. Given they still control the Cazar Straits, Eilian proposes using the existing tower as a starting point to restore the original purpose of the lighthouse - warning and defending against attacks -

Eilian is somewhat inspired by Reumah's rest in Necropolis. The massive lighthouse itself is built of white granite, and could be heavily reinforced in the manner of a fortified tower or small keep without damaging its beauty. In addition, though, Eilian's proposal includes strategically placed barricades, two small forts, and the best warning bells that can be purchased from Highguard. As well as a keeper, the Celesti Lighthouse would be garrisoned by a group of elite Freeborn marines. If enemies are spotted or encountered, the garrison would quickly rouse and stand ready to defend the shores, while messengers could be sent swiftly inland to provide warning of the attack.

The great lighthouse Eilian proposes would be a citadel costing 120 white granite and 30 mithril, with a labour cost of 450 crowns and taking a year to complete. At the end of that time, the Celesti Lighthouse beacon would once again shine across the Bay, a source of Pride and a subtle reminder of Barabbas' ambition to one day conquer the Broken Shore. As well as protecting Oranseri (and itself of course), it would also function as a great work raising the level of investment in fleets based in Feroz by one rank bonus when they undertake a rading action (if the territory already has a great work that enhances fleets, the price will be increased proportionally). The new Lighthouse would have an upkeep of 10 Thrones. As well as its more traditional benefits, however, it would have two other effects.

It would remove the abandoned quality from Oranseri; both the reassuring light and the protection it offers would make Freeborn much more likely to risk resettling Oran. Combined with the Inkworks of Joharra, the town would begin to reclaim its former glory.

Finally, any fleet will be able to take a guarding action to support the lighthouse. They will add their strength to that of the citadel if it is attacked from the sea, but crucially they will also defend the coastal waters of the entire territory from invasion, sea monsters, raiders and the like. Normally a fleet cannot support a fortification or citadel; this grand fortified lighthouses and coastal defences would be an exception to that rule.

The title of Celesti Lighthouse Keeper would be restored, but rather than a ministry that can purchase mana, it would represent a sinecure representing willing donations from Freeborn ship captains. The title would be appointed by Tally of the Votes rather than chosen by the Senators - those directly affected by the lighthouse would make the decision of who its custodian should be - and their responsibilities would expand to protecting the shores of the Brass Coast from threats of all kinds.

Light in the Storm

Kimus offers to infuse Day magic into the lighthouse via the lamp Doing so would provide a boost to morale of Imperial sailors and their allies, while reminding the enemies of the EMpire that the Brass Coast remains defiant It replaces the Escort Imperial Shipping voyage with the Patrol the Bay of Catazar voyage Once complete it can be used to restore the Broken Shore Bounty It also provides a magical benefit to the Celesti Lighthouse Keeper

In addition to the purely mundane assessment, the herald Fotismos presents their own proposal to the Empire vire Eilian and their team. The Glass of the Heavens is prepared to offer their own unique addition to the specialised light source, one that would provide an unblinking supernatural light that would be visible even more clearly than nnormal. Indeed, every ship sailing the waters of the Bay of Catazar would know exactly where they were in relationship to the lighthouse at all times even if they couldn't see it and didn't know what Celesti Lighthouse was.

The watchstone adds an additional cost to commission the lighthouse of 60 ingots of weltsilver, 40 ingots of tempest jade, and ten rings of ilium. Once the structure was complete, Fotismos would install the unquenchable light in the lighthouse - regardless of whether the commission is for the simple restoration or the much more impressive vigilant light. However the instruction to incorporate the gift of She Who Watches the World must be given at the point the lighthouse work is commissioned - it can't be added later without negotiation with the eternal and likely significant remodelling. The magical illumination will burn with a steady beam of light and provide several benefits.

Firstly, the fact that everyone in the Bay of Catazar knows exactly where they are in relation to it would be a boon to navigation. It would also serve as a reminder to hostile forces in the bay that the lighthouse - and the Freeborn nation it represents - defies them. Even the Grendel navies would know the light was there, and that no matter what they or the Children of Wrecks do to the Brass Coast, they will never submit. The benefit to the morale of the corsairs would be considerable, and the impact on the pirates and privateers of the Bay would likewise be significant. It would remove the need for the Freeborn to keep escorting Imperial shipping, while still preventing the penalties that action was created to remove.

Instead it will create a new scouting voyage Patrol the Bay of Catazar that will allow any Imperial vessels to patrol the Bay, helping anyone who gets into trouble, and also being alert for any signs of threat or peculiar developments at sea or on its shore. It would essentially work like a spy network focused on the Bay itself rather than its coasts, alert for movements of ships, supernatural threats from the depths, and the likes. The rewards would be the same as Escort Imperial Shipping, but in addition if at least 1500 effective strength was applied to the action in a season it would produce a short spy report detailing any interesting events taking place across the Bay.

The Lighthouse would also restore the confidence of the common folk around the Bay that the Freeborn Corsairs are looking out for them. Once work were complete, the Imperial Senate could use a senate motion to re-open the Broken Shore Bounty as a Freeborn National Bourse Seat appointed by Tally of the Votes. It would have the usual upkeep for an ilium seat - 5 thrones each season - and provide 7 ilium each season. If they chose to do so, the Senate could place the Lighthouse Keeper themselves in charge of the Bounty, making it a Bourse Seat with additional benefits.

Obviously, if the Lighthouse were destroyed or looted again these benefits would be lost - one reason Fotismos is eager to stress that the larger, fortified lighthouse is a much better bet than the smaller, less defensible, version.

Finally, Fotismos would provide the Celesti Lighthouse Keeper with a fragment of the material from which the light was made, creating an unbreakable link between the lighthouse and the title. As long as the Celesti Lighthouse Keeper were included as an additional target of a ritual, the effective magnitude of any divination cast on Feroz would be increased by 10 for purposes of overcoming shrouds, and any Piercing Light of Revelation would have its magnitude for purposes of removing shrouds or effects that obscure or conceal the territory increased by 30. Furthermore, as long as Kimus is not placed under enmity, a performance of Piercing Light of Revelation specifically intended for that purpose could be used to destroy any curse of storm or ruin targeting Feroz - such as Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea or Thunderous Deluge - provided the magnitude of the ritual is at least three times the magnitude of the target curse.

An Extensive Prospect

Eilian is confident that given time he could prepare similar length proposals for other historical sites around the Bay of Catazar If the Senate wishes to do so they can approve a sabbatical for Eilian who will spend the next year working on lighthouses They will name either an individual, or the Magpies, to be responsible for directing Eilian as to which of the listed projects he should pursue each season It would not be possible to direct Eilian on any other appraisal during the year of his sabbatical

Eilian has expressed genuine regret that he was not able to provide further proposals in response to the appraisal. He was able to make little more than a cursory visit to the sites of the other historical beacons that once stood above the Bay of Catazar, many of which have fascinating stories attached to them. He has also been deep in conversation with the peculiar herald Fotismos who it appears shares an appreciation for lighthouses, both historical and potential. The former historian is confident that together with the emissary of Thousand Eyed Kimus he could come up with detailed proposals for several of them if he only had time. As such, after speaking with Gerard leSalle and the rest of the Prognosticator's Office he has a request for the Imperial Senate.

He asks if the Senate is interested in learning more about the lighthouses of the Bay, and proposals as to how they might be used to honour the legacies of their nations, prepare for the future, or simply provide the valuable services lighthouses offer. If they are, Eilian proposes that the Senate pass a motion formally approving a year long sabbatical for the former historian and their team to continue his exploration of the lighthouses of the Bay, with the support of the herald of the Day Realm and the experts gathered at the symposium. There are six potential sites he and his associates could explore in more detail:

The proposed lighthouse of Caricomare which was never completed due to a clash between inspired Ambition and tediously pragmatic economic realities. There are intriguing notes that it was intended in part to help protect low-lying parts of the city of Sarvos from the threat of storms. The site of the Pharos of Necropolis which Eilian believes could gain additional impact from its association with the exemplar and founder of Highguard, Atuman. The Lighthouse of Nikeporos, destroyed during a recent battle with the Grendel which is said to have stood atop a peculiar regio tied to the Winter realm. The lighthouses that currently stand along the shores of Naris, associated with the restored port of Elos in Redoubt, that once safeguarded the maritime aspirations of the people of Urizen. The herald Forismos is especially interested in this one. The Lighthouse of Apulian in Spiral, which was a great work constructed in pre-Imperial times destroyed by Hadrian of Apulian with its own dedicated cadre of Lighthouse Keepers. The Lighthouse of Icarion, originally built in an old Urizen style, that stands along the clifftops near the southern end of the Apulian Way.

Eilian and his allies could prepare a single proposal each season over the coming year for one of these sites. Obviously, there is not enough time to do all the lighthouses but Eilian anticipates there will be some that are of more value to the Empire than others. As part of the motion approving the sabbatical, the Imperial Senate could choose to name someone who would be responsible for liaising with Eilian to direct his team to one of these sites. (OOC Note: The player would email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk before the close of downtime after each event indicating which of the named projects they wish Eilian to undertake that season.) Eilian would prepare a focused report for the following season, as part of the winds of fortune.

Alternatively, they could devolve responsibility for his historical appraisal to the Magpies (if the Imperial Sodality is ratified of course), presuming that their manifesto still includes the provisos relating to historical research.

The downside is that Eilian would not be available for any further appraisals until the start of the Summer Solstice 388YE. There would be no additional costs, other members of the department could carry out two appraisals as normal during this time, but the prognosticator could not be named to read any other appraisal during this time.