Here comes the night

"Ognjen, let's have another round!" A chorus of cheers went up from Nadezhda's friends. The mood was high in the tavern; the army was almost ready to move out, ready to take the fight to the barbarians. Ognjen set down a tray of drinks on their table and went off to finish lighting the rest of the candles."To Aleksandr!" Vlad raised her cup, and the others echoed her, drinking the fine buttered rum fresh from Delev. Mira finished his drink and quickly raised his cup to make a toast of his own. "To the Little Boyar!" Again, the table raised their cups and drank deeply. The brightly lit tavern felt safe; it felt like home.Talk turned to what they might do after their two years were up: Vlad wanted to set up a farm near Delev, trying to encourage the bees back; Nadezhda was planning on making a claim on one of the mines near her family's outpost; Mira was excited by what he'd heard about Reinos, and finally revealed that he hoped that it would be assigned to Varushka when it was claimed; Dušan, youngest and quietest of them, made clear they were planning on staying with the army until all the Druj were dead."To those who paid!" Nadezhda tried to lighten the mood and raised her drink again. The others joined in, slower this time, but drank much deeper. "To the Cabal Lyktan!" Mira made another toast, grateful to the cabalists who brought the heat of Shikal to the forges of Karov. Their cups were almost empty, and Vlad called for another round from Ognjen. Another tray was laid down on the table, fresh cups full of the buttered rum.Dušan raised their cup high and looked at each of their friends in turn. "To the Emperor!" Dušan made their toast quietly, but forcefully. Each drained their cup, basking in this last night of true freedom before they left and became soldiers of Varushka.

Overview

During the Winter Solstice 386YE, the Imperial Senate passed a motion to raise a third Varushkan army in Karov. The motion was proposed by Aleksandr Zoravich Novosad, as the Senator for Karsk, and seconded by Myshki Marishka Letuchaya, as the Senator for Karov. The tale of how they turned up with a box full of mithril and dared their fellow senators to deny them has grown in the telling. Is that what really happened? Does it matter?

Following the passing of the motion, the territory was enchanted with Hammers of Fury by Cabal Lyktan and then again the next season to ensure that the army would be assembled as quickly as possible. Now, just six months later, the army is almost ready to take the field against the enemies of the Empire, but the army's essential quality remains an open question. The grim-faced schlacta remember the oath made to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Navarr against the threat of the vallorn, and how the Varushkan Assembly called on the nation to seek out deals with the dark powers of the land to see that done. The sovereigns that haunt the deep places of the north-east have sent messengers with offers of aid... and deals. Elsewhere, the stories and inspiration of Ratibor of Temeschwar remain strong in the minds of the ruthless boyars.

Aleksandr Zoravich Novosad, as the raising senator, is responsible for choosing both the name of the new army and its new forte. They should inform one of the Speakers for the Senate of their decision during the summit.

A Name! A Name!

The new army will need a name; one that will echo on the roads of Varushka, and that will join the ranks of the Golden Axe, the Northern Eagle, and the lamented Iron Helms. The final decision as to that name lies with the former Senator for Karsk, Aleksandr Zoravich Novosad, but they may wish to take advice from the rest of their nation - to find something suitable for the new army.

With the sacrifice of the Iron Helms still fresh in the minds of many, there is a common view in the vales of Varushka that the senator should not choose to try to recreate the lost army. While nobody can dispute that they were effective at what they did, people are eager to see the new army create its own legacy. There is no way for Varushka to create a cruel or merciless army at present, but even naming the new army after the Iron Helms would be seen as disrespectful given how recently they perished. Perhaps in another decade or two, when the bones of those lost soldiers have been interred in an ossuary, and their souls have returned from the Labyrinth, there will be another opportunity for the Iron Helms to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies. But not right now.

Make This Your Purpose

The greatest assets of Varushka are our Wisdom and resolve. We send Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti with 50 liao to urge every Varushkan to use our knowledge of the dark powers to choose the lesser of two evils. The virtuous apply what they have learned.Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti, Varushkan Assembly, Autumn Equinox 386YE, Vote: Greater Majority 280-12Varushka has suffered under the malice of the Druj for too long, it is now time to commit to their destruction. With the liberation of Ossium and the strength to build our fourth army we intend to raise an army to follow in Boyar Ratibor's footsteps: do not let anything stand between you and your goals. Light your torches in the enduring flame at Ratibor's Gate as we march to end their threat for good.Ivana Petara Vodjavic, Varushkan Assembly, Winter Solstice 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority 312-0

Each Imperial army has a quality that defines it. The Golden Axe might be dour and pessimistic, but ultimately, they represent the legacy of the Vard with their drive to conquer lands. The Northern Eagle are renowned for their frontier lifestyle, with a solid core of expert mountaineers and ex-prospectors who are exceptionally difficult to shift once they have something to defend. The new army will stand beside these two armies in embodying the unique Varushkan approach to war.

At the moment, like any newly-mustered army, the newest Varushkan cohort does not have a quality - they can't take any special orders or actions - but are ripe to gain a new quality once they are battle-hardened. As always, the civil service has consulted with the soldiers, with the schlacta and wagon-raiders, with the wise ones and the veterans of Varushka who in their time weathered their own storms. The result is a list of possible qualities the new army could possess.

Then the messengers from the sovereigns came, with their own offers. Some were called specifically, others volunteered their beneficence, but each of them suggests a way they might help. Not all the sovereigns have spoken up so far - some have kept their own counsel and simply watch to see what happens next.

Now the former senator who originally raised the motion must decide which one they choose. There might be an opportunity to improve a quality in the future - much as the Golden Axe did with the support of the Varushkan Assembly - but once chosen, an army's quality defines the essential nature of an army. Most of these qualities come at no extra cost - the nature of the army easily turns to embrace them - but those offered by the sovereigns also require a bargain to be struck.

Dawn until Dusk

New Lands

Ratibor, boyar of Temeschwar, is rightfully recognised as a true son of Varushka. During the Winter Solstice 385YE, the Varushkan Assembly upheld a statement of principle from Ivana Petara Vodjavic, that called on the next army to be inspired by Ratibor's example. To not let anything stand between them and their goals. To ensure that the Druj were ended for good. The recent appraisal into disrupting the Druj's supply has laid out how they might be defeated - how the septs might be brought to heel by claiming their lands.

The new army could be encouraged to take the inspiration of Ratibor of Temeschwar to heart, and become conquerors, allowing it to take the Push the Line order when attacking.

Take What We Will

There has been a long tradition in Varushka of enterprising bands that seek their fortune by launching forays into barbarian lands to grab whatever riches can be found. The wagon raiders tend to live in tight-knit communities of hard-bitten veteran soldiers, being especially skilled in the use of shields, and close quarters fighting. They are often treated with suspicion - there are plenty of stories of wagon raiders who bring back more terrible things than riches when they return from the deep forests - and some boyars resent warriors who do not answer to anyone and do as they wish.

Recent years, however, have seen more young Varushkans choosing to embrace this path. The success of the Stinking Market in Ossium shows that there is no shortage of greed and reckless bravery in Varushka. At the moment, the Wolves of War regularly offer short-term contracts to wagon raiders to help them reap the rewards while fighting the barbarians, but that same enthusiasm could be harnessed to the service of the nation.

The new army could be encouraged to attract wagon raiders, and get them to share their expertise with the soldiers. This would give them the foraging quality, allowing them to take the Plunder order when attacking.

A Necessary Evil

Alongside the wagon raiders, the sell swords of Varushka also have a poor reputation among their countryfolk. They live rough lives, drifting from contract to contract and are often greeted with distrust by the people of the vales. But when there are bandits that need dealing with or shambling wolves sighted in the nearby woods they rarely lack for employment. A necessary evil, perhaps. Weighed against that, this model of mercenary work is appealing to veterans and new warriors alike. Like the League, the only nation with a stronger mercenary tradition, the Varushkans could embrace the idea of recruiting sell swords to add their expertise to their new army, making accommodation with their needs and recruiting former mercenaries to help secure the right kind of contracts for the work that needs doing.

The army could be given the Sell Sword quality, reflecting their use of expert bands of mercenaries but also the breadth of Varushka. The largest Imperial nation by landmass, there are a lot of people in Varushka and many of them have very particular sets of skills. The challenge is making sure the general can access the skills they need when they need them. The best way to do this would be to establish a Hound's Hall - a place dedicated to bringing sell swords and patrons together - somewhere well populated or with a strong martial tradition. The best options would likely be Delev, Ivarsgard, or Karantzy. It would take a season to build, but as long as it were completed in time the general would gain access to a set of special orders.

Through the Long Night

Deep Earth

Not a huge amount is known about the Dubik, whose name is spoken in whispers. It is the slumbering one, the one who rests beneath the soil of Volodmartz and whose dreaming spirit is said to move through the forests of Varushka while it sleeps. While the sovereign itself is rarely seen, it has many progeny; the animate plant-like creatures that share its name and thirst for blood, and inhabit the deepest, most tangled woodlands. They are also known by certain cabalists, and one of these mortal servants, calling themselves only a "Bargainer of the Dubik", visits Tolvoli to extend their bloody patron's offer of patronage. Acceptance of the Dubik's offer would see the ranks of the new army bolstered by the blood-thirsty children of the Dubik.

The sovereign still sleeps and dreams, but the cabal has located a place where its power is strong; an abandoned outpost in eastern Suvretz, all that remains of the old vale of Krastavya. If they have the stomach for it, the outpost could be repurposed for use by the cabal. If a shrine was constructed there, then the Bargainers of Dubik would be able to treat with the Dubik of the forests, and continue their study of the sovereign itself. Several members of the cabal would join the army and provide support - and the general would be able to call on the Dubik no matter how far from Varushkan borders they wandered.

These wolves would need to be kept on a tight leash, lest they prey on the army's allies (and they are known to have a particular taste for the blood of changelings). But the general would be able to make use of the monsters when attacking, unleashing them to slaughter the enemy, to drink them dry; or they could feed and cultivate the beasts when defending, allowing them to harvest valuable consumables that only the Dubik can provide.

If the Shrine of the Dubik was created then the army would become bloodthirsty. The general could issue the Bleed them Dry attacking order, or the Gather Blood order when defending.

Might and Magic

Last season, Tasya of the Black Feathers, servant of the Battlefed, sent word that her master was pleased to hear from Alderei the Fair and Magnus the Kind at the Winter Solstice. Tasya requested that Morrigan Mortere of Dawn host a meeting between the two Varushkans and Plotikost of the Needle Jaw, one of the many loyal servants of Moundshroud to discuss terms of patronage.

Plotikost will arrive in Anvil on the first night of the summit, and will go to the Mortere camp in Dawn to negotiate what the price of such patronage might look like. Tasya of the Black Feathers is at pains to make clear that such a meeting will need to take place over the heart of one recently slain in battle. If the discussions go well, then the new army could take on the patronage of the Charnel Lord and become Branoc born. If that happens, then the army would be able to take the Grinding Advance order when attacking and the Arcane Consolidation order when defending. It would also secure the favour of the Charnel Lord for the army - a nebulous quality but one that from time to time was of use to the old Iron Helms (while occasionally producing problems of its own).

Endless Strength

Last season, the Stzena of Tears visited the Varushkan camp in Anvil to discuss patronage of the army amongst other things. The offer was laid out to the senators of the nation that the Howling Queen would offer patronage of the army. The Stzena of Tears, on their way back along the roads to Varushka, spoke to a civil servant outside the Castle of Thorns. They wished to clear up a few uncertainties around the offer made. The Howling Queen will definitely not share patronage of the army with any other being, but if the Varushkans take up her bargain then she will send her plaguewulfs to support the army.

The new army could accept the patronage of the Howling Queen, and become accursed. The army could benefit from emergency resupply regardless of what territory they were in or whether they were engaged by the enemy. Furthermore they could take the Gather Husks order when defending.

...The Night Below

Finally, there are rumours across the nation of a peculiar offer made by a phantasm that apparently promised a way to make the army immortal, unkillable, and unharmable. The story goes that the phantasm has promised that, as long as Fly-the-Light was the only patron of the army, "the shields of the army will never splinter, nor their armour ever rust. The soldiers will neither age, nor fall in battle. No illness will ever befall them and they will know no pain, nor suffer hunger or thirst." Another story. Is there truth to it?

It's not clear that this offer is even real. If it is, then only the newly appointed general of the army could accept it. Unfortunately, nobody seems to know who the offer was made to, if it was made at all, and if it was made then presumably the people who received it will know what is required to gain that patronage if the general wishes to take it.

Further Reading

Playback Speed