The play that came to Apulian

Overview

There have been strange developments in Apulian this season, as if the city were under the effects of some strange conjunction or other. Dramaturgists in particular seems to be affected, magicians attempting to perform rituals find the personae seem bigger somehow, more powerful; even mundane actors find their performances affected by the six core characters in strange ways.

The effects seem beneficial - some Night magicians who live in the city have reported that it seems easier to perform some kinds of ritual magic at present. The effect on plays is electrifying, with shows selling out and attendees giving stellar reviews. One particular play, entitled "The Seven Companions" in particular is receiving stellar reviews, though it's not clear if the performance is by the original troupe who first performed the play at Anvil or just some imitators who have stolen their work.

The only one who doesn't seem pleased by these developments is the Rainbow Serpent. For whatever reason, the Spiral Dancer appears to be growing increasingly agitated.

Something Dramatic

There are odd events taking place in the city of Apulian

Apulian is not a big city - it's not always obvious, but it's not actually that much bigger than Meade. Apulians like to say that it's a young city, yet to grow, but some wits claim that one can stride from one end of the city to the other in the time it takes to take a leisurely stroll round Holmauer Park. Which makes it all the stranger that of late people have reported getting lost in the city. At first this was of huge amusement to the locals, as newcomers freshly disembarked at the docks failed to find their way to Aylee's Tavern which is barely two blocks away. But of late, even people who have lived in Apulus all their lives suddenly discover that they've taken a wrong turn and somehow wandered into a street they've never seen before.

It's all rather odd, though not alarming odd. If anything, quite the contrary, people who are not of a nervous disposition report it's actually rather fun. You set off meaning to meet your friend at Drouthy's Battered Fish Spicery hoping to enjoy the best fish supper in the city and instead find yourself in a completely new part of Apulian. And invariably, wherever you end up always seems to have some form of thrilling entertainment. It might be a new playhouse that you've never been to before, or a group of mountebanks doing street theatre, or a troupe of magicians performing an exhilarating dramaturgical ritual right then and there in the middle of the street.

Those who embrace this new facet of life in the city find it refreshingly engaging, and for everyone else it's just a minor annoyance. But it is odd, that much can't be denied.

Of course, the people of Apulian are no fools. Once people notice what's going on, it's only a matter of time before someone starts looking into it. It seems there is a whisp of Night magic in the air in the city. It's not an enchantment; a few simple spells are enough to confirm that. But there is something happening, something that is making the city reverberate with Night magic. That's why people are getting lost.

That might also be why something is happening to dramaturgy. Or, as any learned scholar of magic could explain, what is happening to dramaturgy might be why something is happening in the city. Cause and effect can difficult to separate with magic. Dramaturgy - that noble practice of magic that is so popular in the League is having something of a renaissance in Apulian. Possibly this is a push back to the astronomantic techniques often favoured by their Urizen neighbours - but if so then it is having a strange effect.

Hammer and Tongs

Debate and discussion between astronomancers and dramaturgists blooms in Apulian

Where there are two magicians, it is said, there are three opinions on the practice of magic, and nowhere is this more true than Spiral. There has been a good deal of interest in astronomancy within the Empire in recent times: the recent creation of the post of Astral Arcanist and the ongoing discovery of the names of many of the stars that make up the constellations is just part of that. Of any League city, Apulian contains the greatest number of astronomancers - it is a tradition particularly favoured by many of the Apulian Orcs, as well as many Urizen, some of whom have chosen to leave their nation and embrace the League as part of their expression of their loyalty to this ancient territory. The greater part of all the League's magicians, however, even in Spiral, favour dramaturgy: the art of drawing power not from distant and unchanging cosmic principles, but from the archetypes of the stories told about the world by those who live in it.

Debate between astronomancers and dramaturgists has been somewhat heated as of late - not in a way that has required any Reckoning between parties, but the relative merits of the two traditions is a subject that inspires much passion. Astronomancers talk about the ancient and universal nature of their tradition - the way that the timeless wisdom of the stars links people far apart. Scholars of magic point to the way that changes in magical laws are often described in terms of the conjunction between constellations: this gives some astronomancers a sense that their discipline describes the true structure of the universe, whereas, say, the dramaturgist's art reveals only what is in the imagination of the playwright.

Not so, say the dramaturgists. A conjunction is often most obvious in the stars themselves, but it is only an expression of a deeper change in the natural law. The stars are, by definition, distant: that is why tulpas form, ultimately, because the distance between the stars and the will of the magician sometimes requires a bridge, which spontaneously forms. Is this so different, however, from what happens in the mind of an audience, as a simple stage becomes a vista in another land: a shared vision of creative will between performer and audience, reified in its witnessing. Just because dramaturgy is more subtle than astronomancy does not make it lesser. And, anyway, say those who advocate for dramaturgy's importance, the lessons that are in the stars are on the stage, too? Is not the paramount law of astromancy, after all, that things go awry, that they are not what they seem? What actor does not know that?

It is an engaging debate, a sign of the way that the people of Apulian have begun to truly embrace their future as the inheritors of the magical legacy of Spiral. Still, it is easy to see why advocates of dramaturgy feel somewhat bruised in the way their discipline is often talked about. The Senate has seen fit to create the position of Astral Arcanist to advise the magicians of the Empire on constellations and tulpas, but no such position exists to be a fount of knowledge and talent regarding the personae, instruments, and thrones of dramaturgy. Some are asking... why not? If it is possible to find the names of the stars, and to call down the stars into oneself, could not more be learnt and experienced regarding the dramaturgical archetypes?

Perhaps it is this interest which is causing the strange dramaturgial effects... or perhaps it is the strange influence of dramaturgy which is provoking the interest in traditional League approaches to magic.

Larger than Life

Theatres, playhouses, and impromptu performances seem to be touched by the powers of dramaturgy Even mundane events seem to be touched by a spark of drama

At first the effects are rather subtle - obvious in hindsight, but too subtle to be noticed at the time. Ricardo von Temeschwar, the notoriously scathing theatre critic wrote a rapturous review of a new production of the Three Princes of Tassato which daringly reimagines the three principals as the Witch, the Bishop and the the Mountebank. "Genuinely gripping" Ricardo said afterwards and everyone agreed it was a fair review at the time, it really had been an excellent production. But this is the critic who famously wrote of Anavoli's seminal work, The DOOM that came to Sarvos, "a piece so moving it poses essential questions - questions like 'Where is the nearest exit?' and 'How can I get my money back?'". Ricardo so rarely has anything good to say about anything. But the play had been really rather good, and that was somewhat surprising as it was a new troupe and not much had been expected of them.

But sell out performances of Three Princes is just the first of many shows to receive raptuous applause this season in Apulian. In fact any time a play or performance draws on the dramaturgical tropes, even a poetry recital in one case, the piece seems to be incredibly moving and hugely well-received. However as time goes on, the effects become less subtle, people start noticing cases of the dramaturgical personae turning up in places they're not meant to be.

The most striking example is Antonio di Tassato's performance of "Thoughts to a Mirror". Antonio's work is lauded by critics for its novel use of staging and the rejection of the classical form. That said, performances are most often frequented by inebriated bravos late at night, because the seats are cheap and always readily available. Antonio is on record as detesting dramaturgy, which he claims has completely ruined the art form, and his works are always careful to avoid any references to personae, instruments or thrones. Thoughts to a mirror is an innovative bifurcated monologue, in the first half the actor talks alone to the mirror and then after the interlude, the same actor plays their reflection in the mirror responding to the monologue from the first half.

Everyone involved in the production denies that they brought in the new set dressing that makes the stage look like a Library. That might be written off as just another mystery, but it doesn't explain how there came to be two very clearly distinct dramaturgical personae (The Prince and The Witch) on stage, at the same time, in a performance that features just one actor. On the plus side the new version of the performance is getting rave reviews and selling out, but Antonio is threatening legal action against the playhouse while they attempt the novel legal defence of claiming they haven't made any changes to the play.

On stage is one thing, but as the season draws on, people report experiencing moments in their life where they feel like one of the personae has helped them personally. A doctor from Holberg who was set up by a pair of bravos looking to steal their purse found the strength to fight the pair of them off armed only with a parasol. Afterwards they explained that at the moment where they were attacked, they just imagined themselves to be the Captain and that gave them the strength to send their attackers packing. All over Apulian people report similar phenomena, some find themselves able to channel one or more of the qualities of their favourite personae. Others report encounters with friends, relatives or lovers during which they acted uncannily like one of the personae.

Curiouser and Curiouser

League and Urizen magicians want to collaborate to investigate this strange phenomena The Empire could build an Academy of Dramaturgical Arts to allow the two nations to explore dramaturgy together The alternative is to build a larger college of magic which would include the effects of the Academy of Dramaturgical Arts

Few Urizen who live in Apulian have ever seen anything of this kind before, and while League magicians are much more familiar with dramaturgical techniques than their Urizen counterparts they are equally mystified by this strange development. Once it becomes clear something is definitely happening in the city, the subject becomes a hot topic of discussion among those who make the study or performance of magic their business. In other cities, the troupe magicians might have passed this off as a passing matter, the dramaturgical equivalent of a conjunction, but their Urizen counterparts refuse to accept that as an explanation. They are eager to study the strange phenomena to see what it might reveal.

The conversations between League and Urizen magicians are respectful and fruitful - both sides find themselves learning much from the exchange, and soon there is a suggestion that it would be ideal to build on this new spirit of cooperation. Working together in Apulus, the finest minds in Spiral could investigate dramaturgy - if they had a suitable premises to gather to share their thoughts and test their ideas who knows what they might discover? Even if nothing comes of it, sharing the best insights of League and Urizen magicians could help the magic of both nations to flourish and it would raise the city's prominence a centre for the study of magic.

The initial proposal for an Academy of Dramaturgical Arts is from an Urizen architect, Salina of the White Harbour. The Academy would not only train actors for the stage - perhaps even in forms of theatre outside the classical Sarvosi style - but would act as a place of research and learning about dramaturgy itself. The edifice would require 20 wains of white granite, 15 wains of mithril, 10 wains of weirwood, and two seasons to build. Once complete the edifice would help to cement Apulus' position as the foremost city in the League and for the study of dramaturgy. Assuming the strange phenomena currently affecting the city was still happening, the League and Urizen magicians working at the Academy would be able to make a study of it and see what they could find out. In the more likely case that this recent event is a passing phase, more akin to a conjunction, the Academy would simply study the personae, the instruments, and the thrones and learn what they could of them.

It's a bold plan... but one of the League orcs, an ambitious young fellow called Sean de Apulian says "bollox to that, lets go all in". By which the former Grendel means that if the Empire is going to build a college to study dramaturgy in Apulian, they should bite the bolt and just do it. No half-way house, no "academy" - Sean's idea is for a grand college of magic - one that can draw on the finest minds of the Urizen living in the territory as well as the League magicians who have moved here.

Their proposal is not cheap - it would mean the League could not build a college of magic anywhere else without a new opportunity to do so, but it would provide all the regular benefits of a college of magic, as well as all the benefits of the proposed Academy of Dramaturgical Arts. It would allow the codification of new rituals and also spur interest in dramaturgy, looking at how it can be used to benefit the city and the Empire.

Participation

Any League or Urizen citizen whose resource is in Spiral can roleplay that they have experienced the strange phenomena. If your character was in Apulus this season they are likely to have got lost at least once, and found themselves in a new part of the city, one they have never seen before. The experience is generally discombobulating but not unpleasasnt as it most often leads to a dramatic encounter with a dramatic production of some kind. Players are encouraged to make up stories of a wild night of revelry or wonderful trip to the theatre that resulted, as appropriate to your character.

Players who are familiar with the six dramaturgical personae may have had an encounter in which one of the six appeared to be present, either someone you met acting as if they were embodying the spirit of this personae or you finding yourself inspired and enabled by one of the personae, most likely the one that appeals most strongly to your character.

During this summit, any League or Urizen character whose resource is in Spiral can draw on the power of one of the six personae as a source of spiritual strength to resist a roleplaying effect by instead embracing the roleplaying associated with this intensification of the personae. You may do this at any time during the summit, as often as feels appropriate, but you may only use a single personae throughout the event.

The Captain - you feel emboldened to face any challenge and confront it head on, especially if it represents a martial threat. The Doctor - you find it easy to commit to the most efficient course of action regardless of the costs. The Witch - you feel driven to find the shrewdest way to resolve your current difficulty, it seems wise to trust your gut instincts The Prince - you feel an urge to rebuke or disdain anything that would undermine your authority or status. The Bishop - you feel an urge to break down the problems facing you and discuss them with ohers. The Mountebank - you find it tempting to subvert people's words or actions to turn them against themselves.

Finally, any League or Urizen magician whose personal resource is in Spiral who possesses the Night lore skill, gains one additional effective rank to all Night rituals cast this summit, subject to the normal rules for effective skill.

Something Stressful

The Night eternal Sung is growing increasingly agitated and is demanding a fane in the city

In Summer 386YE, representatives of the Spiral Dancer cordially requested that the Empire create a fane for the eternal inside the city of Apulian. The request was to build the Chamber of Euphony, an evocative commission that would welcome the eternal's influence into the City of Nets, and encourage the spread of Night regio through it, ultimately creating something it called "the City Below". In return, it would make the person granted dominion over the fane into the "Map to the City Below".

The request has received the clear backing of the Imperial Conclave, passing a declaration of Concord raised by Rafael Barossa d'Apulian, on behalf of the Sevenfold Path. The call was echoed and supported by the Imperial Synod, who lauded the goal to make Spiral "a place of pride, equal in stature and luxury to her sister cities". Despite this unprecedented show of support, the Imperial Senate has thus far chosen not to build the fane.

The failure to act might reflect a general concern about the risks posed by the construction of a fane. Ceding a fane to an eternal will normally improve diplomatic relations between them and the Empire, but it does come with a cost. The first and most obvious is that it might antagonise an eternal's rivals. The Night Singer did not attempt to deny that the creation of the fane would draw the interest of rivals such as the Toad King and the Perjured Throne.

Inhabitants of the city would be vulnerable to the subtle influence of the magic of the Lady of Mysteries and though Amity and enmity will still work elsewhere; they would not stop the Night Singer's heralds from visiting the city, nor the eternal using their magic to influence it. Once control of the fane was given to the Rainbow Serpent, it could not be taken back without the use of force, and the eternal would be free to do with the fane as it chose.

Perhaps in this case discretion is the better part of valour. The Senate hasn't turned down a Senate motion to commission the fane, that might offend the strange eternal's sensitivities if they learned of it. Instead, the matter has simply never found its way onto the Senate's agenda. The Empire is busy after all, with wars of three fronts and the Asaveans pressing them at sea.

Normally, that would be the end of the matter. The question of a fane would quietly disappear, lost in the blizzard of issues that affect the Empire every summit. But not this time... it seems that the Rainbow Dancer is apparently still asking... and they appear to be growing quite agitated.

Writhing Tails, Flashing Wing

The fane was originally proposed by Actius, the Arbiter of the Deathless Cave. This Urizen spire is dedicated to the study of Night magic and is known for its close relationship with the Rainbow Serpent. A powerful herald of the Night eternal, the Dancer at the End of Time, dwells in the Deathless Cave. The Dancer is a close friend of the magicians, and more particularly the musicians, of the Deathless Cave, and enjoys performances and discussions of magic, music and myths with the occupants of the Deathless Cave and whoever visits them.

Actius has returned to Apulian to raise the matter of the fane again, but this time it is clear that the request is coming with a strong sense of urgency. According to the arbiter, the Dancer is becoming increasingly agitated by developments in Apulian. The magicians are at a complete loss to explain why, but they describe the Dancer as growing discordant and dissonant. Its music has become cacophonous and inharmonic - some of those who were once closest to the Dancer find the changes painful to the ear.

Such behaviour is not unprecedented, but in recent times the cause has always been clear. The Dancer became muted and quiet for years after Spiral was lost to the Grendel over five decades ago. More recently the Dancer became wildly agitated when the Black Plateau was triggered. In the seasons running up to that ruinous event, the herald was overcome with fits of wild melancholia, interspaced with dizzying bouts of frantic motion in which its tails would writhe and its wing would flash.

This time, nobody is quite certain exactly what is causing the growing agitation, but it definitely seems to be linked to the matter of the fane. Direct questions to the eternal, (such as those posed by Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River) reveal nothing, but the herald has continued to ask about the fane, and has communicated (the Dancer apparently doesn't communicate with words according to Actius) a growing sense of urgency and distress. There is a strong sense of imminence, that the Spiral Dancer must act soon, lest the hour grow late.

The arbiter hesitates to phrase the Rainbow Dancer's request as a demand. As an experienced politician, he understands just how poorly that is likely to be received by the powers that be at Anvil, but he is at pains to stress that this issue is clearly causing immense frustration for the Rainbow Dancer. Magicians who are experienced at negotiating with the Lady of Mysteries frequently describe her as melodious and charming, serene and captivating. Now, Actius somewhat reluctantly refers to the insistence of the Lord of Illusions that the Empire must act soon, or else it will become too late.

As if to underline the problem, Actius claims that developments in the city mean that the fane will now be more expensive, albeit only by a small amount. They apologise for this change, it is clear they are embarrassed by it, but it is apparently becoming more difficult for the Rainbow Serpent to "hear" the music of Apulian. Actius asks that the Oblivion Sentinel, Floria Sunshaper, take the lead on ensuring that this fane is built to "bring harmony back to the discordant land".

Somewhat predictably, this inexplicable response by the eternal has done nothing to quell the concerns of those who doubted the wisdom of building a fane to Sung in Apulian. If anything, it has made things worse - it's one thing to contemplate allowing the serenely angelic Rainbow Serpent to enfold the city in its scintillating wings, it's another entirely to expose thousands of people to the frustration and anger of the Lord of Illusions. The actions of the Senate, whether deliberate or not, are suddenly starting to look more and more like prescience.

Further Reading

Apulian - the City of Nets Astronomancy Dramaturgy Sung