Outside the wall

Overview

During the Winter Solstice, the Imperial Senate commissioned Naomi of Virtue's Rest to undertake an appraisal into how the displaced people of Varushka might be encouraged to the city of Delev, to build up their prosperity, and to ensure their safety within the nation.

The Highborn prognosticator is the youngest of the lead scholars in the office and looks, where possible, to find the most diplomatic possible solution. As well as several long meetings with representatives of the vales, and folk from Dawn, the League, and nations even further afield, Naomi also met with several Thule merchants. The latter, unfortunately, were reticent to commit to too much with the looming renegotiation of the peace treaty that has secured their trade with Varsuhka for the last five years. She also met with several prominent factions within the town itself including the Karov Mercer's Compact who are always eager to find ways to build Delev up so that it might rival the cities of the League, and the canny Hearth and Honey Tea Shoppe who speaks for a number of groups concerned about the loss of bees from Duzekani.

Assessing the Situation

There are currently only a comparatively small number of displaced Varushkan citizens in Varushka Most were unhomed due to the attacks of Cold Sun and many have already sought the safety of Delev

The ceding of Krevasaty seven years ago at the end of the war with the Thule, and the more recent concedence of Miechernya as part of the agreement to secure the aid of Otkodov against the Jotun, saw a number of Varsuhkan citizens forced to choose between migrating south or remaining as subjects of the Dargons. Most chose to either establish new vales, or joined family in existing settlements. These folk are now well established in their new homes, and unlikely to seek to start new lives in Delev.

The same cannot be said however for those caught up in the recent troubles. The attacks of the scions of Cold Sun in Karov and Volodmartz saw many more people unhomed as the heralds of the Day realm destroyed several settlements. In most cases the Vaurshkans whose vales were destroyed by the Blade of Skies and the Shepherds of Ash can't return to them - the sites where their vales once stood are ruined. In Karov in particular, these people are already in Delev having sought safety there as the servants of Oblivion ravaged the southern regions.

Then, with the glass barely cooled from the invasion of Cold Sun, the unliving servants of the Schlacta of Rot began to threaten settlements and travelers all across southern Karov. The Schlacta has been dealt with, but there are still people who were forced to flee the depredations of the dead, or who no longer feel safe in more isolated settlements of Kamienczka and Skoremujac. These people welcome new homes, especially ones that can be established in well defended places - there are still remnants of Cold Sun's forces in southern Karov as well as the wolves of the Army of Rot - on top of the more familiar monsters who have become noticeably bolder of late.

Naomi does speak to some citizens of Karov who mutter darkly about what the future may bring. The peace treaty with Otkodov has in many ways proved lucrative for Varushka but it has come at a price. Regions of Karov and Karsk have been ceded. Two more are claimed by the Thule in Ossium, and while they were never part of Varurshka it still chafes. The treaty expires this year, and will likely need to be renegotiated. Will Varushka be forced to purchase peace at the cost of leaving more of its people with no choice but to try and build new homes further south? Will Delev be ready to accept these people if it comes to that?

There is also the matter of the bees, something that worries many of the more virtuous citizens of Duzekani. When Cold Sun attacked, the bees deserted the region en masse and have still not returned. For a nation that places a great deal of stock in both the symbolic nature of bees, as well as more grounded economic value of their wax and honey, this is a matter of growing concern. Another year where all honey has to be imported from elsewhere does not bear thinking about, folk tell Naomi, although what she can do to help with that is not clear.

Delev and Temeschwar

Delev is a large town in south-western Karov that serves as a wealthy trade hub The town sits in the shadow of the larger, more prosperous League city of Temeschwar to the west

There has only ever really been one major city in Varushka - and Temeschwar left its family to join the League during the foundation of the Empire. A good deal of trade flows to the south-west, with Temeschwari markets and the prominence of the Assayer's Guild meaning many Varushkan miners would rather deal with the League than with their fellows in Delev.

A hub for the many smaller vales dotted around southern Varushka, Delev is the oldest and proudest of the vales that guard the road from the Semmerlak to Seren and the south. It is the foremost trading town in Karov, which suits it well, but many still chafe at living in the shadow of the great city to the south-west. There is still some bad blood between the citizens of Delev and those of Varushkan descent in Temeschwar; when the city suffered its recent plague of rats there was a certain degree of schadenfreude among the citizens of southern Karov. One particular bone of contention remains the Eternal Shafts of Time, which the Temeschwari attempted to "take with them" when they seceded. Several Karov families keep alive tales of treachery, ingratitude, and attempted theft.

As a town which aspires to match Temeschwar, it is certainly prosperous. The offices of the Overseer of the Westward Road are found here, dedicated to coordinating trade between western Varushka and the Northern trade network. The Iron Roundtower stands on the road to the south-west, not far from the Eternal Shafts of Time. The Great Hall of Fabric Arts is being built here, a celebration of Varushkan Prosperity.

Delev was also the site of a climactic battle between the scions of Cold Sun and Imperial armies. The Battle of the Weirwater Gate saw the Blade of Skies army disband explosively, in a blast of force that might have claimed the whole town had Imperial soldiers not been able to keep the heralds from overrunning the defences. Shortly after, work began on the Little Boyar's Welcome - a fortification that will defend Delev from future threats.

The town stands on the verge of achieving a transformation into something more. It will be some time before it achieves the size or prosperity of Temeschwar... but Naomi believes there is a road to that future if the Varushkans wish to tread it.

A Welcoming Hearth

Delev is already fortified, but Naomi proposes that the walls be improved Employing Varushkan warding wisdom would make the fortification especially effective when dealing with unnatural forces

Built after the Battle of the Weirwater Gate, the Little Boyar's Welcome protects Delev with sturdy stone walls constructed by skilled Varushkan stonemasons. A team of inspired crafters adorned the outer wall of the fortifications with a sprawling mural, inlaid with iridescent gloaming, that depicts the Little Boyar herself, and also serves as a monument to the armies that fought to protect Delev from Cold Sun - the Iron Helms, the Northern Eagle, and even the Quiet Step. The salvaged ruins of the Weirwater Gate itself were incorporated into the fortification, serving as a stark warning to anyone who enters of the devastation endured and the lives lost.

According to Naomi, the citizens of Delev and the surrounding area see the new walls not only as a way to provide protection against the dark forces of Varushka, but also as a promise of prosperity to come. They do not, however, provide much opportunity for growth. The prognosticator brought several advisors with her, and spoke extensively to not only Varushkan citizens but those farther afield - especially people from the greatest city in the League, Holberg, which many see as an exemplar of what a true city should be. She proposes that one way to secure Delev's prosperity, and make it a beacon for Varushkans prepared to embrace city living, would be to reinforce the walls further, creating a second set of walls that would provide sufficient space of Delev to grow, and build up the current walls at the same time. If Delev has aspirations to challenge Temeschwar it could do worse than match the splendor of the northern League city's own defences.

At the same time, though, Naomi stresses that the concern of many of the people of Delev is for Delev. Several of the community leaders are very interested by recent developments in far off Spiral, and the discussion surrounding the creation of a citadel.

Walls Against Wickedness

Strengthening the defences of Delev and converting them to a citadel would make Delev a symbol of security and safety It will cost 20 wains of mithril and 60 crowns, and the work will take a season to complete The citadel would provide significant protection to Duzekani, but would no longer protect the whole of Karov The initial burst of prosperity would increase the taxable income of Karov, helping defray the upkeep It would cement Delev as a rival to Temeschwar

Converting the Little Boyar's Welcome to a citadel, dedicated to the protection of the people of Delev against wolves, heralds, and invading barbarians, would make the settlement a beacon of safety in Varushka. It would be an obvious place for those whose vales had been destroyed or otherwise lost to flee to - and not just those from Karov. It's not a cheap proposition, but the bulk of the work has already been done - the Little Boyar's Welcome already exists. Building on these defences is more a matter of providing superior arms and armour to the garrison, and reinforcing the gates so that they would endure anything a besieging army might try to throw at them.

Naomi predicts it will require 20 wains of mithril, and cost 60 Crowns. The work would take three months. Once work was complete, the existing fortification would be converted into a citadel of the same strength. This would mean, in addition to providing significant protection to Delev and Duzekani it would be extremely difficult to destroy (reducing all damage taken by the fortification 80%). The "drawback" would be that it would only protect Duzekani, rather than having a further-reaching garrison that would offer a measure of protection to the entire territory.

If the Little Boyar's Welcome is expanded, it will cement Delev as a beacon of protection. Those with nowhere else to go, especially those whose homes were destroyed by the forces of Oblivion, will move there and establish homes and businesses. This will be to add 6 Thrones each season to the taxation provided by Duzekani to the Imperial treasury, which will go some way to offsetting the upkeep needed to maintain the new citadel.

Nobody would be able to deny the prosperity of Delev, and it could soon rival the prominence and wealth of Temeschwar. Over the next few years Delev would grow in size and prominent, allowing it to quickly become a small city on par with Meade or even Kalpaheim. It would protect the nearby Iron Roundtower, and the other significant structures in the region of Duzekani.

To concerns that this would leave other vales undefended, the community leaders of Delev shrug and suggest that those vales should look to their own defence rather then rely on others - or cultivate good relations with covens who can Forge the Wooden Fastness or call up a Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae. Callous, perhaps, but certainly not unexpected in the dangerous lands of the north.

A Great Market

Delev Market could be expanded to make the place a true centre of trade and commerce to rival Temeschwar Completing the expansion of the market would require 50 wains of white granite, 150 crowns, and take three months It would increase investment in businesses in Karov by one rank, adding 36 rings each season to their production If the Little Boyar's Welcome were improved, the market would also improve taxation from the territory by 4 thrones

Delev, like Temeschwar before it, is a town whose prosperity is based on trade. Thanks to the Northern trade network, merchants from as far afield as Wintermark and Urizen make the long trek to Varushka. It's also common to see a Thule merchant here these days, trading crystal mana with Varushkan miners and farmers.

While Delev market is effective, speaking to the merchants not only in the town itself but farther afield underlines the potential for building something larger here. Indeed, with the changes to the Blood Red Roads recently made by the Imperial Senate there is a potential loss of trade to Delev that may see fewer merchants coming to the settlement.

Naomi presents plans for a Great Market at Delev that will secure trade between other nations and south-western Varushka. It is a straightforward great work that will add 36 rings each season to the production of every business in the territory. Furthermore, any Varushkan would be able to move to Karov and take a business resource for the next year without the usual 2 crown costs, and until the end of 387 YE any business in Karov could be upgraded for one fewer wains of white granite than usual.

The Great Market will provide additional trade opportunities for the Bargainer of the Iron Tower, and the Overseer of the Westward Road to trade. It will also provide options for Harbourmaster of the Semmerlak as prosperity spreads. This will add an additional rank to each of the main ministries overseen by these titles.

If the Little Boyar's Welcome is also expanded as mentioned above, however, and Delev becomes a beacon of security, this will attract more settlers displaced by recent events, or who might be displaced in the future. The growth in prosperity will see further gains for the Imperial treasury, increasing taxation by an additional 4 Thrones each season.

Finally, it will also expand the influence of the Boyar of the Iron Roads. At the moment the Boyar can establish new ministries in Varushka. If the great market and the citadel were both constructed, there would be a call for the Boyar to further improve the prosperity of the nation through the establishment of sinecures in territories connected by the Iron Roads. Once complete the Imperial Senate could use a senate motion to grant the Boyar of the Iron Roads the right to create a single sinecure (instead of a ministry) each season that would not count against the limited number of commissions the Senate can create

Golden Bee Assayers Office

An assayers office built in Delev would stop Varushkan miners travelling to Temeschwar to sell their goods The offices would require 12 wains of mithril to produce a vault

One thing that rankles with the people of Delev, and indeed folk all over Varushka, is the role the Assayer's Guild of Temeschwar plays in the trade of Varushkan metals to the rest of the Empire. A lot of the metal trade still passes through Temeschwar, and the folk of Delev would prefer that trade to stay in Karov. As such, a group of metal-traders from Delev, and representatives of mining groups in various parts of Varushka, send a delegation to speak with Naomi.

They propose setting up a Varushkan assayer's office in Delev, which they have tentatively proposed be called the Golden Bee Assayer's Office. This would see Varushkan merchants and assayers dealing with Varushkan miners, and reduce the need for so many of them to trade via Temeschwar. Establishing the office would be a relatively straightforward ministry built in Delev. It would require 14 wains of mithril, and 42 crowns, and take three months to establish. The office would have a secure vault where exemplar weights and measures could be securely kept, as well as allowing for metal merchants to bank valuables there with a trustworthy staff.

Creation of the ministry would create a title - Golden Bee Assayer - who would benefit from access to the ingots brought to the market. If the office is built and the Little Boyar's Welcome is also' transformed into a citadel, this office would further fuel the growth of Delev as a city, and increase the taxation of the territory by another 2 Thrones each season.

Beginning At Home

A mandate by the Varushkan or Loyalty Assemby could encourage Varushkan miners to sell their metals in Delev rather than Temeschwar The judgement would move the Delev Market purchase options from the Custodian of the Assayers Guid to the Golden Bee Assayers Office The judgement would increase taxation of Karov by 2 thrones and decrease the taxation of Temeschwar by 2 thrones

The rivalry between Delev and Temeschwar results in another proposal, one that arises from some discussion with priests in southern Karov. They propose that the Varushkan National Assembly or the Loyalty Assembly could use a mandate to urge the miners of Varsuhka to deal with Varushkan merchants and eschew Temeschwar. If that happened there would be a lot more metal going through Delev rather than flowing to Temeschar. The Golden Bee Assayer would be perfectly positioned to take advantage of this, and it would further grow confidence in Delev and the flow of wealth through Karov (and potentially into Imperial coffers) as less metal left the nation for the League.

This would shift the entire "Delev Market" stream from the Custodian of the Assayer's Guild to the Golden Bee Assayers Office as the bounty of precious metals flowing along the Iron Roads stopped spilling out into Temeshwar and instead stopped at Delev. The statement could be issued at any time - even if work has not begun on the Golden Bee Assayers Office it would strip the Delev Market stream from Temeschwar, and resume at the Assayers Office once the ministry was completed.

In the latter case, with fewer Varushkan miners going to Temeschwar, it would knock the taxation of that territory down by 2 Thrones each season and add it to the taxation of Karov, further increasing the territory's contribution to Imperial coffers.

Sweeter Honey

Oksana Lyava Pinavora and her allies offer to contribute 900 Thrones towards the purchase of the Hunt of Alderei the Fair for Varushka

While there is a great deal of attention on Delev, it is not the only prosperous trading town in Karov. To the east, along the shores of the Semmerlak, stands the port of Korotny. One of it's best know residents is Oksana Lyava Pinavora, an influential merchant-boyar with a great deal of Pride in her nation. Four years ago, she first presented the honey offer - to provide the Imperial Senate with a lump sum of money in return for their relinquishment of the Hunt of Alderei the Fair into Varushkan hands. The offer has been reiterated several times since; there was even a suggestion that Varushka threaten to disband its armies if the Empire continued to leave what should be Varushkan prosperity in the hands of other nations.

The offer still stands - and with rumours spreading like wildfire that the Imperial treasury is on the verge of collapse, and that the markets in weirwood, mithril, and white granite have become extremely volatile, Oksana arranges a meeting with Naomi to discuss the offer. They are no longer prepared to offer 1000 Thrones to the Imperial Senate - especially as it is a buyer's market at the moment - but rather have dropped their offer to 900 Thrones. In the most recent auction, the Hunt of Alderei the Fair brought in less than 300 Thrones to the Imperial treasury. The year before it fetched more than 500 Thrones. If this trend continues, says Oksana, then by 388YE the Senate will have to pay 100 Thrones to get someone to take it off their hands! She is joking, of course.

Oksana Lyava Pinavora is not only motivated by economics. She and her supporters see the Hunt of Alderei the Fair being an Imperial asset as an affront to the people of Varushka - it is where one of the great criminals of their history was brought to brook. It is something that should be in Varushkan hands, and that would be best served by Varushkan tenders who can best understand the importance of its history. Varushka is arguably the largest nation in the Empire, and one of the wealthiest. Pride and Ambition both unite to demand that the Hunt be returned to them - that the wealth of Varushka should be Varushkan. For that matter, the Vale of the Sunless Depths brought more wealth into Imperial coffers, as an Imperial seat, rather than being given into the custody of the Varushkans even though it is literally beneath a town in Ossium - one could argue that this more than justifies the request for the Hunt.

She also mentions a story that has likewise spread across Varushka - that when Aleksandr Zoravich Novosad and Karov's own Myshki Marishka Letuchaya presented the motion to muster a new army they provided all the mithril and funds required in one box before the Senate even voted. Their action has proven quite inspirational, especially on top of previous calls for the Varushkans to be in control of their own prosperity.

With that in mind Oksana urges the people of Varushka, especially the senators and merchant-boyars, to add their own funds to those offered by her and her allies. The power of relinquishment exists, and has been used. The question is not whether the Hunt of Alderei the Fair (and the Night Quarry) can be bought, it is simply a matter of how much they will cost.

Naomi notes that Oksana also makes mention of the fact that the two bourse resources are in regions of Varushka "threatened" by the Thule. She refuses to be drawn on this, but Naomi presumes she means the rumour that the Imperial Senate is considering buying peace with the orcs of Otkodov by trading away Opascari or Mieriada along with the Hunt and the Quarry. There seems to be an assumption by Oksana and her allies that if the Senate sells one of these Bourse resources to Varushka they could not then turn around and relinquish them to the Thule, providing a degree of protection to the regions in question. Oksana is also quite vocal that neither she nor her fellow merchant-boyars are fools - attempts to "trick" Varushka into paying for the Hunt and "balancing" it by relinquishing another Varushkan national bourse seat would not only be unworthy of the Senate, but prompt a significant backlash from those involved.

There are other rumblings as well. Ambition, Pride, even Wisdom perhaps, say that the two lost Bourse resources claimed by the Senate during the early years of the Empire should be in Varushkan hands. The inspiration of Ratibor of Temeschwar, combined with comments from a few Urizen pilgrims here to visit the Maze of Zoria, brings to mind the fiery threats of the sword scholar Clytemnestra. When the Urizen threatened to destroy the Citadel Guard, people took notice. While there's no desire to see the Varushkan armies disband, a quote sometimes attributed to Ratibor has started doing the rounds - "if you can destroy it, you control it." Nobody is doing anything rash right now but, in theory at least, he Senate might be more inclined to restore the Hunt and the Quarry to their rightful owners if the alternative was losing them entirely. One to think about, perhaps.

The Bee Question

There are still no bees in Duzekani Naomi is at a loss to propose a solution

There is one other matter of prosperity and Delev that Naomi is not able to resolve. When Cold Sun attacked the region, all the bees disappeared from Duzekani. They have still not returned. At first folk assumed it was the presence of the dangerous black glass scattered across the southern regions - remnants of the vales and villages burnt by the scions - but even the reclamation of Bulyakov does not seem to have caused the bees to return. It remains a matter of concern for the people of Karov - bees, the honey and wax they produce, are a powerful symbol of Prosperity as well as the basis of many businesses and farms in the territory. Each season that passes without bees causes an awful lot of people to have sleepless nights.

Naomi is also aware that there are anxious reports from Wieliczka, Kamienczka, and Skoremujac that as spring approaches there seem to be fewer bees around. This might simply be a case of worry deceiving people concerned that the problem will spread, or it might be a matter of grave concern.

The prognosticator is at a loss as to what to suggest, but has spent a little time speaking with Varushkan magicians in Karov who have been studying the problem. It is their assessment that this is a supernatural - or possibly spiritual - problem, and that the bees are not dead simply missing. They do not appear to have "gone" anywhere else in Karov.

It is the assessment of the cabalists that there are two ways to proceed. They suggest that the Imperial Senate might commission an appraisal from Naomi's colleague Lutomysla Niegoslava - a Varushkan magician - to look into the matter and how it might be resolved. Alternatively, there are a number of eternals who might be amenable to an archmages Plenipotentiary in regard to bees. Normally they would propose the Brother of Wizards whose appetite for honey and honey-based produce is well known and who helped deal with the Iridescent blight a few years back. Unfortunately, he is apparently still angry at Varushkan magicians over the creation of the Towers of Zulgan Tash so may be less inclined to help. It's hard to be sure with such a volatile creature. Alternatives that suggest themselves are the eternals of the Autumn or Day realms. Sinokenon allegedly has a soft spot for bees - their well organised swarms and geometrically pleasing hives appeal to it. Ylenwe has concerns around harmony, was connected to Cold Sun in some manner, and has mentioned in the past that the humming of bees is a particular kind of music all its own. Kimus cares little for bees, but might be able to find where those that once lived in Duzekani have gone. The eternals of the Autumn realm that deal with the Empire are not known to have any particular interest in bees themselves, but Ephisis, Callidus, and even Prospero are likely to appreciate the products of beekeeping - honey, mead, wax - and how they are traded and bring wealth. Finally, Wise Rangara is known to appreciate both the sweetness of honey on thick black bread, and the wisdom to which bees are apparently privy (whatever that means).

What's certain is that if the situation gets any worse, it will begin to directly impact the prosperity of Karvov given there are a number of businesses and farms that are reliant on bees and the goods they produce. Such businesses and beekeepers will move out of Duzekani - away from Delev - and potentially out of Karov entirely. Ultimately, if the situation is not addressed, the taxation of the territory will fall as farms and businesses are forced to give up their trade.

The Future Waits

These opportunities are not time sensitive, provided the situation does not change

Like any other appraisal, Naomi has explored the current situation. Her proposals with regard to Delev and Karov are not especially time sensitive, and will remain available until the situation in Karov or Varushka substantially changes.

Further Reading

Delev Karov