Golden magicians fayre

The yeofolk had outdone themselves with the preparations. Thick woollen blankets of fine Weirwater wool, covered by canopies that echoed the heraldic colours of the nobles who would sit beneath them - with a smattering of blue and gold for those who chose to be incognito or had arrived late. Wooden seats of Semmerholm oak for those who wanted them; silken Astolat cushions for those who preferred to recline. Platters of food, and carafes of good vintage wine some genuinely novel, imported from the newly established vinyards in Dawnguard.Scattered here and there among the familiar treats were stranger things. Silvery half-pears, scooped out, with aromatic red and golden liquor filling their hollows. Coppery orbs of what was claimed to be mushroom dusted with what might be sugar, but which gleamed like metal, apparently edible by humans and orcs. Jugs of iced juice squeezed from the golden apples in the forest of Arden. All little gifts and tokens of appreciation from the court of the Moonsilver Prince.Earl-enchantress Nicole plucked one of the intriguing balls from the plate, and bit into it. The taste was like nothing she had encountered before - a little like meat, a little like chocolate, a little like something else entirely. Delicious, though. Truffles from the Summer realm. Imagine! She made an appreciative noise, and passed the platter to Ser Melanier. She popped a whole one in her mouth and coughed slightly, to the amusements of Sers Shasnae and Nataly where they reclined on the cushions. Without being asked, Ser Shasnae poured them all a glass of Dawnish wine, and they chinked glasses together.Without preamble, the lightstones that lit the circle of tents and canopies began to dim - something the enchantress had never seen before. The moon had risen over the trees to the east, and the stars glittered like jewels in the clear, sable sky. The journey to the hilltop, to where the great blue-stained wooden harp stood, had been chilly but here in the area immediately surrounding the instrument the air was as warm as the most pleasant night of early Summer.Nicole leaned forward, as the performers arrived. A trio of women, their skin glowing faintly with an illumination that was not the reflected light of the moon. They wore diaphanous gowns of exotic cut, and their long dark hair was threaded with spring flowers. White for the Lady Agalia; soft pink for Lady Dhalea; blushing cornflower blue for Lady Euphrosine. The earl-enchantress had been fortunate enough to speak with the three during the last performance, and found them diverting and amusing with just enough edge to their manners to make them interesting. Courtiers of the Unicorn Court, indeed.The ladies stopped next to the harp, and touched their heads together, arms entwining around each other's shoulders. The one of them - Nicole thought it was Euphrosine - spoke quietly. Ser Nataly startled - despite the distance it seemed as if the herald were standing just behind them. The enchantress fancied she felt the warm, perfumed breath against her pointed ear."We will play in the new season, and the new year," she said, "with a piece called the Threnody for the Knight of the Sun Who is Gone into the West. We hope you will enjoy it."There was a quiet murmur, stilled instantly when Lady Agalia laid her fingers against the thick silvery strands. The harps had been built for the winds of magic, to tease sometimes discordant notes as the tides of mana shifted and flowed around the hilltop. The Bards of the Crescent, however, played those heavy strings with consummate ability, all three of them gliding their hands and plucking and sometimes stroking the hardwood body of the instrument. The music was sorrowful enough to make Ser Melanier weep, and even Natalie herself felt her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Yet there was an undercurrent to it, a sense of injustice and rising anger, that caused the earl-enchantress to breathe faster, her heart beating more vibrantly as she remembered for the first time in many years the fury that had risen in her when Ser Tancred had failed the Test of Ardour the old earl had set to spite their love.Before she could lose herself in the memory, Ser Shasnae murmured and touched her arm, inclining her head. It took a moment for Natalie to realise what her knight had seen, and when she did she let out a quiet gasp. Flowers were rippling across the hilltop as the trio played - white, and pink, and blue - in a great carpet that danced and bobbed their heads to the music. Similar coloured blossoms were unfurling on all the nearby trees, some of them already fading and falling to reveal odd fruit in their place. Whatever else was happening here, however beautiful the music, it was clear that these bards were playing not just the harps, but the very flows of magic themselves.

Overview

Toward the end of 386YE, a Dawnish coven drew on powerful magic to weave a net of Summer magic across the entirety of Dawn. The magic, similar in some ways to an Imperial enchantment like Hallow of the Green World, created a kind of supernatural invitation to the heralds of the Summer realm to visit Astolat, the Barrens, Semmerholm, and Weirwater. The enchantment was only intended to last for a season, but for inexplicable reasons has lasted for six months instead, bridging the end of the old year and the beginning of the new.

Emissaries of all the Summer eternals with an interest in the Empire have taken advantage of this opportunity, and as the Spring Equinox approaches the consequences of the marvellous weaving have become clear.

Heralds of Morning and Dusk

As the magic has gained momentum, scores of heralds of almost all the Summer eternals interested in the Empire have visited the nations of Dawn. They have been everywhere - in all four territories - acting like welcome guests. They talk to anyone who will listen, seek out those who share their interests, and otherwise act as emissaries for the eternals they represent.

Their presence brings with it a sense of the wonder of the Summer realm, and of magic in general. The weave that opens the regio and attracts the heralds has a subtle effect on many people of Dawn. It causes many to feel a deep fascination for magic, and a more widespread urging to make an effort to enhance the showmanship and performative aspects of magical acts by everyone in Dawn. Not only magic is effected; that urge to act larger than life, to add a little splendour and colour to one's life is almost universal. People laugh louder, cry more heart-wrenchingly, and put little flourishes on everything they do from making a cake to making music, from sweeping a yard to singing a song, touching for a few brief moments the majesty at the heart of the Summer realm.

The only heralds who are conspicuous by their absence are those of Hayaak. Not one herald of the Hawk Lord is spotted in Dawn during the celebration. There is a history of conflict between the eternal and some of the magicians of Dawn - it is widely believed that is likely the explanation for their absence.

Participation: In addition to the many boons brought by the heralds of the Summer Realm, any resident of Dawn - whether Dawnish or not - is encouraged to come up with stories about the heralds they might have met, or how they go about avoiding the attention of these supernatural creatures. There is a list of summer eternals that might give some inspiration for a story. Bear in mind that the heralds of Hayaak have not been encountered in Dawn this season.

Glory!

The Summer realm has many resonances, but some of the most powerful are those that deal with personal empowerment. In the last few months, every Dawnish citizen has had an opportunity to meet and spend time with heralds of the Summer realm.

At the start of the Spring Equinox, each character of the Dawnish nation may pick from one of the following boons. In each case, the boon comes from an interaction with a servant of a particular Summer eternal and players are encouraged to make up stories about how they gained the boon. Once the choice is made, they cannot change it.

Each of these boons comes with a roleplaying effect: you feel proud of your deeds and those of your companions. It feels good to talk about your achievements and your ambitions. Hearing someone belittle, insult, or discount you or any of your Dawnish countryfolk causes a surge of furious anger to rise up inside you and it can be difficult resisting the urge to put such people in their place.

The roleplaying effect is especially pronounced for those of the changeling lineage - you may find it hard to resist boasting about your deeds and those of your comrades, and hearing someone being rude to you countryfolk - or even just hearing of someone being rude - might be enough to move you to actual violence.

The special boon, and the roleplaying effect, lasts until the end of the Spring Equinox.

Septs and Wayhouses

Heralds of the Regent of the Eternal Sea make a particular point of seeking out the Last Battle Wayhouse in the Bleaks, to the chagrin of the already unhappy Karass. There are even a few reports of particularly serious-minded servants of the Porpoise Crown accompanying thorns on their reconnaisance into the Mallum. They are not the only heralds active in the Barrens by a long shot, and it is apparent that they are visiting not only the Dawnish settlements here, but also the orc septs and the new Navarr wayhouses, steadings, and stridings.

Those Navarr who have settled in the eastern Dawnish territory have ample opportunity to talk to heralds of the Summer realm. Any Navarr character that has actually moved their personal resource to the Barrens can choose from the roster of eternal boons above, and experience the same roleplaying effect.

Presumably the Great Forest Orcs, the Rahvin, the Karrass, and the other orcs are likewise benefitting from the attention of the Summer Realm although what form thir interactions take is not clear. It seems the Great Forest Orcs greet the heralds respectfully, but are very cautious around them. The Rahvin - returning to the Fangs as they are - seem to be particularly interested in speaking to the heralds of Cathan Canae and Jaheris. The Karass keep their own counsel, but do not turn the heralds away.

The Summer Magician

The Summer enchanter has been struggling of late; last season the magicians of Dawn worked with their Imperial peers to help the Lord of the Summer Stars to fight off some poorly understood malady that was consuming his power. Thanks to the sacrifices made, and the near overwhelming decision to ignore the attempt by the Gryphon-Prince to steal Meraud's power for himself, the Lord of the Summer Stars has begun to make a recovery. Yet, as the enchantment named for him quickly shows, he is not quite the same eternal he was before he sealed his demense.

Unsurprisingly, given their history, there are a number of Meraud's heralds visiting the de Casillon nobles at Spiral Castle. However, it is a little more surprising that every herald of the Fire Mage visiting Dawn this season finds an excuse to track down the Knight-errant Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, to say hello and spend an evening discussing magic with her. This attracts a little attention in Dawn, especially from some of the enchanters of Astolat given that the young magician is yeofolk rather than noble. What is it about her that the heralds find so interesting?

It's also notable that the heralds of Meraud are found to be subtly different to those Imperial magicians have encountered before. They are quick to laugh, and keen to hear of clever and cunning uses of magic. They still enjoy the spectacle of a powerful ritual, but they seem to take as much joy in the arts of the battle mage, or the enchantments that empower and strengthen individuals. There's also a notable shift in their common colouration - purple and silver seem to be very much in vogue among Merauds heralds this season. And perhaps most noticeable of all, there is something distinctly... vulpine about some of Meraud's apprentices. In particular, they don't seem to be using his old heraldic device of the lion and rods in favour of a silver fox on a violet field.

Meraud himself is still putting his domain in order; the heralds speak of conflict between the Lord of Fire and the Spiderling Prince - of a clash between Meraud and Jaheris, who are contesting Hayaak's old realm. It seems Foxwise is no longer satisfied with a small domain surrounding his tower. The renewed King of the Twilight Sun has... ambitions.

Further information about Meraud can be found in the TBC wind of fortune dealing with eternal magic.

Lion and Bear

Not every interaction between heralds is peaceful. On several occasions, open fighting breaks out between courtiers of Eleonaris and warriors of Cathan Canae with Dawnish-folk caught in the middle. These exchanges are limited in scale, and there's no loss of life among the mortals of Dawn, but there is some damage and disruption. Sensible folk work hard to keep the heralds of the two rival queens apart from each other, but that's not always possible.

Where they are by themselves, the heralds are model guests. The golden knights of Eleonaris enjoy the courtly diversions of the nobility - banquets, tourneys, hunts, and the like. The mighty warriors of Cathan Canae prefer the more earthly entertainments of the yeofolk - fayres, taverns, bawdy stories and rowdy songs. The heralds of the Fields of Glory establish a camp at Lacuve, around the Dawnish end of the Golden Causeway within sight of the memorial to the invasion of Ossium. The heralds of Cathan Canae establish a camp of their own in the western Barrens around the White Bear construction site and make a few blunt comments about how long work on the statue of their mistress seems to be taking.

The servants of the two Queens are particularly keen to visit Astolat, and spend time among the armies encamped there. There are seven Imperial armies in Astolat this season, and heralds from the court of Eleonaris in particular take the opportunity to renew friendships - and even the occasional romance - with soldiers and knights they have fought alongside in previous campaigns. The blunt warriors of Cathan Canae seize on the opportunity to test themselves against the champions of the Northern Eagle, while Barien's reeves celebrate the glorious deeds performed on the fields of battle. As the season lengthens, two lieutenants of the rivals each bring news to the Castle of Thorns of a particular boon their patron offers to show their friendship with Dawn and the Empire.

Golden Glory

The boon of Eleonaris applies to the seven armies camped in Astolat this season - the Eastern Sky, Golden Sun, and Gryphon's Pride of Dawn; the Granite Pillar of Highguard, the Freeborn Fire of the South, the Wolves of War from the League, and the Northern Eagle of Varushka. If the army is enchanted with Knights of Glory, Eleonaris will send some of her most glorious cohorts to fight alongside them. The army will benefit from the presence of three thousand additional warriors as normal, but they will also make a point of inspiring and supporting the other warriors that fight beside these armies. Any military unit that supports one of these armies, provided they are enchanted with Knights of Glory, will gain a boon including a single Golden Apple that Eleonaris hopes will help encourage the captain to seek an enchantment for themselves or the soldiers under their command.

The boon only applies following the Spring Equinox.

Frozen Strength

While they enjoy testing themselves against the soldiers of the Empire, the heralds of the Immovable One are for the most part more concerned about the protection of the nation than the prowess of its armies. In between tests of strength and endurance, many of them roam the hills of Estmure and Hope's Rest. There is already a castle in Estmure - The Adamant Gate - but the fortification at Hope's Rest - Dourfell Keep - is in ruins and not likely to be rebuilt any time soon. The gruff Thane of the Rimebound Shore spends some time prowling the hills and the banks of the great lake that lies between the Barrens and Therunin. The stink of Druj corruption in particular disgusts them; they have a long-standing enmity with the orcs of the Mallum and are eager for opportunities to fight the servants of the Buruk Tepel. When they arrive at the Castle of Thorns it is with a boon and an offer.

For the next year, any Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae conjured in Dawnish territory will be empowered. Rather than 2,000 strength each such citadel will provide 3,000 strength. Obviously, potential targets for this ritual are limited. However, if the magicians of Dawn can ensure that a frozen citadel is raised in Hope's Rest each season for the next year then at the start of the Spring Equino 388YE the Mistress of Blizzards will anchor a little of the essence of her realm in the hills of the southern Barrens. The region will gain the Rimebound quality - the weather there will always be slightly worse than in the rest of the Barrens, with regular snowfalls and even blizzards in winter. But any casting of Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae - or any other similar Summer enchantments - will be empowered. Any citadel will be 3000 strength rather than 2000; if there was a mortal castle there then Golden Ramparts would provide 1500 extra strength, and Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground will mean the fortification does not collapse until the ritual ends no matter how much damage it takes.

In addition, if the magicians of Dawn are given leave to use ilium to permanently summon a Frozen Citadel in Hope's Rest if they wish. Should they choose to do so, the Thane of the Rimebound Shore will petition his mistress to allow his personal castle to be summoned to the mortal world and bring his household to support it until such time as the Druj of the Mallum are permanently broken. Rather than a traditional fortification, the Citadel of the Rimebound Shore follows the rules for a citadel - it would provide significant protection to Hope's Rest, keeping guard against the Druj (and the vallorn) as well as keeping a watchful eye on the wilder places of the Barrens. With the willing support of the Thane and his mistress, this feat could be achieved with "only" 100 rings of ilium rather than the usual requirement of 300 rings. Furthermore, until the Druj are defeated or the Imperial Conclave declares enmity against Cathan Canae, the presence of the Thane and their warriors will mean the citadel has no upkeep unless the Empire chooses to improve it in some way. This offer of a permanent citadel remains until the start of the Spring Equinox 388YE.

The Strings of Jaheris

The servants of the Silver Prince are found all over Dawn, but they seem to have a particular interest in Astolat. In particular, it attracts a trio of heralds who appear in the guise of handsome women with long black hair, delicate antlers no larger than a human hand, and an aura of silver light that is barely perceptible during the day but shines like the full moon at night. They call themselves Bards of the Crescent, and it seems that the three of them are influential courtiers of Jaheris' domain. They are drawn, especially, to the harps of Astolat. These beautiful aeolian harps play melancholy music that drifts across the farmlands and woodlands of Astolat as the winds of magic disturb their moonsilver strings. Their music subtly influences the flow of mana, inspiring the mana sites of the territory to produce a bounty of crystals.

Lady Aglaia , Lady Dhalea, and Lady Euphrosine take it in turns to actually play the harps that Lord Joshua of House Cadence designed. They soon attract an appreciative audience, who gather at night to hear the Bards play, and to discuss art and music, what it means to be a noble, and the true nature of power. As the Spring Equinox approaches, the three Ladies of the Crescent are joined by more and more of the courtiers of the Moonsilver Court - beautiful and cruel lords and ladies who serve Jaheris. Some of them take their own turns at the aeolian harps, guiding the flows of magic across the territory even as their gently touch causes the strings to sing.

Shortly before the Spring Equinox, Lady Aglaia, Lady Dhalea, and Lady Euphrosine disappear for three nights to take counsel with their master. When they return, they bring with them a proposal from the Black Unicorn. If the Dawnish are prepared to accept them, the bards of the Crescent, and some of the other musicians of the Forest of Arden, will come to Astolat each new moon night and play certain melodies on the Harps that will bring a little of the forest itself into the territory.

Night Music

If the heralds of Jaheris are allowed to play the harps of Astolat, the result will be twofold. It will change the way the Harps interact with the mana sites of the territory, and it will cause elements of the Forest of Arden to seep into the mortal world.

The first effect is comparatively straightforward. The Harps of Astolat currently provide each mana site in the territory with a single crystal of mana in addition to what they would normally provide. Under the auspices of the Bards of the Cresent, they would instead reduce the amount of mana produced by each site by one crystal. They would also provide the opportunity to harvest a silver pear from the trees that grow near mana sites across the territory - one in Spring, one in Summer, and one in Autumn. In Winter, however, the Bards would play different music, that speaks to the cold heart of the world and the silence that lies between the notes. In Winter each mana site would produce a handfull of moonberries, sufficient to allow the owner to create a single phial of moonberry cordial.

At the same time, the music would cause the forests of Astolat to take on some of the resonance of the Forest of Arden. What this would mean is that some of the creatures of Jaheris' realm would come to Astolat. Creatures such as the riddling spiders; the cruel black unicorns; the hugger-mugger stump people whose sinewy limbs are surprisingly long and whose cunning eyes flash with silver; the delicate lords and ladies who can break or mend any heart with a word and a touch; the squirrel knights of the high boughs; the pale hunters of ash and rosemary; stags silver and gold; the white rose lions; and of course the other Bards of the Moon. They'd visit all the woodlands, but they would congregate in particular in Coombe. The three Bards of the Crescent are quick to point out that these are not the wild and terrible creatures of other Summer domains - they are cultured and clever creatures as befits the court of their master the Moonsilver Prince. As long as they are treated with respect, they would abide by laws of hospitality, and ensure that none came to harm at their hands who did not bring it upon themselves. But they smile wryly when they say this, and it is clear that for all their pretension of civility the servants of Jaheris can be very cruel indeed. On the other hand, what is the point of a woodland that is not dangerous?

That region of Coombe would gain the wild woods quality. This quality would increase the labour cost to build any commission specifically located in Coombe by half again, unless that commission was the result of an opportunity that specifically said otherwise (generally one involving an eternal comfortable with wild woods such as Jaheris, but also the Night and Spring eternals are likely to appreciate the wildness of the forest).

All that is required for this change to take place is an invitation, issued by someone who has the authority to do so. In this case, the Bards of the Crescent ask the Knight-protector of Winter - Ser Malgrin Greyrush - to formally offer hospitality to the emissaries of the Court of Arden. The Knight-protector of Winter is chosen alongside the Senator for Astolat, and Lady Dhalea comments that if anyone is in a position to judge the danger of giving the beasts of Arden free run of the forests of Astolat it is one used to dealing with monsters. To issue the invitation the Knight-protector should bring their standard of office to the Imperial regio on Saturday once the sun has set with a written invitation to the Bards and the court of Jaheris, and invoke the banner's magic to send the message to the Forest of Arden.

The change to the great work, and the woodlands of Astolat, would persist as long as the people of Dawn did not turn against Jaheris. It seems that if they are invited in this way, even the enmity of the Imperial Conclave would not be enough to prevent the servants of Jaheris visiting Astolat.

Circle of the Semmerstones

Josephine deLune has presented a recent proposal for constructing a college of magic in the Barrens. The college would employ a specially designed curriculum, and seek patrons from the four "main" magical realms to support it. The heralds of the Summer realm, especially those of Adamant and Meraud, question why Dawn should bother with those other lesser realms? They have a proposal of their own instead. After meeting with a number of enchanters in Semmerholm in particular, the koboldi of the King Under the Mountain present ambitious plans for a place of magical study taking advantage of Dawn's particular friendship with the eternals of Summer.

The Semmerstones represent one of the most powerful regio in the Empire outside of the Imperial regio. They have been a place for Dawnish magicians to treat with the Summer realm since time immemorial. The proposal is that with the aid of Adamant and Meraud a college be built beside the stones that would become the Empire's premier college for the research of Summer magic, dedicated to the creation of some of the most potent and majestic rituals achievable by mortals.

It's obviously not a cheap proposition. The Circle of the Semmerstones would cost 70 wains of mithril, 60 wains of weirwood, 80 wains of white granite, and 630 crowns. It would take at least a year to complete, and have an Upkeep of 12 Thrones each season. It would prevent the magicians of Dawn supporting another college. The college would be specifically for the people of Dawn - the Enchanter of the Semmerstones would be appointed by the Tally of the Votes, and the expectation would be that the title would be held by an enchanter.

Once complete, however, it would codify any ritual at the rate of one season for every 10 magnitude it possessed. As long as the Enchanter of the Semmerstones was a noble enchanter, then when working on Summer magic, it would codify at the rate of one season for every 15 ranks. In addition, when working on any ritual with a magnitude of 100 or greater, the college would codify it slightly faster - increasing the rate of codification by 5 magnitude each season.

If the college were commissioned by the Master of the Koboldi, then the Stone Dragon would ensure that the structure was infused with adamant and incorporate several unbreakable vaults for the most valuable magical texts - meaning that while it might in theory be captured by an enemy it could not be destroyed without the direct intervention of another powerful eternal with a resonance for ruin or destruction. Provided the people of Dawn were able to drive any invaders out of Causse they'd be able to recover the college and its libraries.

Furthermore, the college would be neutral ground for the eternals of Summer. They would all serve as patrons to a degree, encouraging the Enchantress of the Sememerstones to develop powerful magic that aligns with their goals but avoiding the rivalry and feuds that have afflicted the Icy Crag. The title would need to be elected by a simple majority vote of noble enchanters at Anvil. The kings and queens of the Summer realm are only interested in aiding someone they view as a peer. Provided that happened, the eternal kings and queens would offer their aid with ritual formulation as long as Dawn keeps faith with the Summer realm. As such, the Enchanter of the Semmerstones would be able to spend orichalcum to speed up the process of codification if they were a noble enchanter.

The first five ranks of additional research in a season would cost 18 ingots of orichalcum. The next five ranks will cost a further 44 ingots (for a total of 62 ingots). The next five ranks will cost another 88 ingots, and so on doubling the cost for each further additional five ranks of research within the same season. However, unlike similar colleges the heralds of Meraud could offer their advice on nearly any area of magic - meaning that as long as the Imperial Conclave does not declare enmity against the Summer mage, this speed increase would apply to magic of any realm except Winter magic - the fundamental resonances of Winter are simply too alien to the Lord of Summer Stars and his apprentices.

Finally, the college would come with palatial apartments for the Knight-protector of Summer. Furthermore, as long as the Knight-protector of Summer were prepared to include "protect the Circle of Semmerstones, and support the Enchanter" to their responsibilities, the Queens of the Summer Realm would provide them with a Triumphant Blade and a suit of Winterborn Warmail each year when they are appointed, to use themselves or to entrust to a retainer who will help them discharge their new responsibilities.

One side effect of building this college will be that the Summer eternals will be less fixated on competing for patronage of the Icy Crag in Varushka. There is the question of whether the Empire needs two colleges of magic both ostensibly focused on the study of Summer lore - the heralds of Adamant don't seem to understand the question and the heralds of Meraud just laugh and point out that the Conclave has a college of Summer lore - and this would give Dawn a college of Summer lore which is an entirely different thing.

Adventure in Wild Places

The Regent of the Eternal Sea is best known as a patron of voyagers and captains, but they are equally enamoured of those who adventure on land. The questing knights and knight-errants of Dawn in particular have a special place in the heart of Stormchaser and their servants. A coterie of blue-skinned troubadours and barkers descend on the tourney grounds of Laroc to marvel at their splendour and urge those who contend there to greater acts of martial prowess and boasting. Most of the other heralds of Hornsounder, however, eschew the well-settled parts of Dawn and instead set about finding groups of would-be adventurers and encouraging them to undertake risky and ill-thought-out forays into the most dangerous parts of Dawn and the lands surrounding it. Unlike many of the other heralds, they cheerfully accompany Dawnish questors beyond the borders of Dawn, some even travelling as far afield as the Forest of Ulnak or the deadly depths of Lorenzo's Deep Pockets.

Until the start of the Winter Solstice 387YE, any military unit or fleet controlled by a questing knight or knight-errant who undertakes a questing venture or questing voyage (as appropriate) will be accompanied by a herald of the King of the Nine Tides - pretty much whether they like it or not. The effect will be to increase the rank of their resource by 2 for purposes of determining the rewards they receive. While other archetypes may gain encouragement from the heralds, they are most interested in those who traditionally seek out danger and glory in the wild places of the world.

Summer Crossroads

The Iron Duke offers a schema that can be studied by Dawnish artisans to learn how to create a focus for use by magicians performing Challenge the Iron Duke and Champions Shining Resolve. The Dawnish egregore - Ser Hugh, Knight-Errant has the schema and has sworn to return it at the end of the Spring Equinox.

Dragonforge is not precious about this particular item but makes it clear it's a gift for the people of Dawn in recognition of their dogged pursuit of glory. Nobody other than a Dawnish artisan will be allowed to study the schema, but the eternal does not care who they make them for nor whether other magics are used to share (temporarily) the crafting methods. But they are clear that only Dawnish artisans can study the schema. If anyone who is not part of the nation does so he will be very angry and take steps to make that anger clear to anyone who has transgressed his wishes.

A Dawnish artisan who is unable to attend the event, or who does not have available free items, can email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk before downtime closes after the Spring Equinox and request that the item be added to their item list provided they have an empty item crafting slot - and they are Dawnish, of course.

Berechiah and a Note of Caution

During the Winter Solstice, the Vigilance assembly sent Asteria of Ocean Kite’s Roost to Astolat to urge all vigilant citizens to seek out threats and drag them into the light, with particular reference to the cults of Blood on Snow. As they shine a light in the heartlands of Dawn, the vigilant contribute to the general aura of chaos and disruption caused by the presence of the Summer eternals - but their presence is hardly enough to cause more than a few ripples in a territory and a nation infused with so much Summer magic.

The best news is that they find little to no evidence that Agramant has any foothold in Astolat. Mind you, as one of the vigilant investigators inspired by Asteria points out, one of the worst possible times to be a monstrous servant of Blood-on-the-Snow is when there are so many emissaries of the Summer realm looking for things to test themselves against and encouraging people to seek out opportunities for adventure. It's not that there are definiately no Dawnishfolk influences by Agramant here - absence of evidence is not evidence of absence - but more that if there are any cults of the Devourer of the Fallen here they are not especially active and their reach is likely extremely limited at this time.

There are however two threats - one future and one current - that are of concern for the vigilant. The first is the vallorn of Brocéliande. Especially in eastern Astolat there is a genuine fear that when plans to fight the vallorn come to fruition, monstrous abominations will come pouring out of Black Boughs and Greenweald into Coombe and The Chase. The folk of these regions have some experience of the chaos the vallorn brings - occasional drifts of miasma invariably bring vallornspawn with them - but they fear that they will be defenceless when the beasts of the twisted wood come forth in force. They make preparations but there is only so much even the vigilant can do without funds and support from the Synod, Senate, or Miliatry Council.

The other more immediate threat is that of widespread borderline idolatry. There are seven armies here, many of whose soldiers speak enthusiastically of their experiences fighting alongside the Knights of Glory, or tell salacious fireside tales of marching alongside cannibalistic unliving horrors. The presence of the many heralds of the Summer realm ought to be a cause for concern, but the people of Astolat from the most glorious noble to the salt-of-the-earth yeofolk farmer take this all in stride. Welcome it, even.

There's nothing specific to point to, but it is something of a worry. The enthusiasm for Knights of Glory, and the odd effects it has on Imperial soldiers in particular are returned to several times as a cause for concern. At the moment there's probably no need for anything more than a few cautionary notes but this kind of magic - this Golden Magicians Fayre - strikes the vigilant agents of the assembly as dangerous. Along with a recent incident in the Marches involving the Brother of Wizards, there is also the general reliance on magical citadels summoned from the realms in the Empire's military strategy (rather than relying on mundane and predictable forts built by mortal hands). There's the increase in dangerous boons being offered by eternals, as well as the appearance of heralds all over the Empire in response to the actions of individual magicians or the plenipotentiary of archmages. it creates genuine concern that the citizens of the Empire are getting far too used to treating with the servants of eternals, crediting their successes to them, and even building statues to their glory.

Nobody is saying the Conclave should interdict Knights of Glory or Quickening Cold Meat... actually that's not true. Some people are very much saying that, but they're not zealots. They just point out that when the influence of the eternals got a bit much in Empress Brennan's reign, the rituals that most obviously drew on their power and were influencing mortal soldiers were interdicted for a time. What the Conclave interdicts it can also reconcile, after all.

Rather there is a sense that the mandate urging people to be careful making deals with inhuman powers have not gone far enough. If things continue as they are going its only a matter of time before an actual idolatrous cult of the Summer eternals becomes a problem in Astolat... or in Dawn as a whole. And that's just one nation - the influence of the eternals, say the vigilant in Astolat, is on the rise across the Empire. It may be time for the Vigilance Assembly, for the General Assembly as a whole, to take a more direct stance against the risk of mortals subsuming their destiny to the will of unnatural forces.

A Last Hurrah

This may be the last time a weaving of this kind, on this particular scale, is performed in the Empire. The ongoing grand conjunction is shifting the bounds of magic in ways subtle and unsubtle. Going forward, infusing a nation with an enchantment will need the direct assistance of an eternal who will provide the arcane projection, making it much harder to achieve. An arcane projection might enchant a territory or the whole Empire, but nations will not be standard targets for magical effects. You can read more about this in the recent rules update.

Further Reading

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