Once more unto the breach dear friends, once more!
So we got one new Wind of Fortune last night, and a bunch more today, so there is plenty for me to write about. Enough in fact that I don’t much feel like dithering about here in the intro, so on with the summaries.
Write the Lines
The Wintermark territory of Semersuaq was under the control of the Jotun for some time, and now that they are once more under the protection of the Empire people are considering what changes they want to make.
First of all, there is a push to make a fourth Wintermark army, this time focused around the culture of the Semersuaq. To make this possible work started on a series of smoke houses needs to be completed. This will ensure that the territory has enough food and wealth to supply a fourth army, you see. The smoke houses were started by the Jotun, but now they can be taken over by the Suaq people. If the army was created after the at least six months after the smoke houses were completed then (and only then) would a Suaq themed army be possible.
As well as the benefits of a cultural themed army, 60 crowns would be split between the farm owners of Semersuaq. In addition, any Wintermarker wishing to move to Semersuaq or take up a life of farming would be able to do so without having to pay the usual charges to the civil service, AND anyone with a military unit would be able to get a farm with the same number of upgrades as their military unit. And finally for a year anyone looking to upgrade a farm in Semersuaq for a year after the completion of the smoke houses would have to pay one less wain of weirwood each time.
The smoke houses would need a commission from the senate and 40 weirwood, 10 thrones, three months of work.
Secondly, the mithril mine, the Pride of Ikka’s Tears, was expanded by the Jotun. It would cost 200 thrones and take three months to complete the work and from then on the mine would produce 5 more wains per season. In addition there is a push to improve the roads, going to the mine, which would cost 10 thrones to start with and then an ongoing 6 thrones per season, but the mine would produce 2 more wains per season.
Third, there are a pair of new fortifications in Semersuaq. To remodel them to Wintermark preferences would cost 60 thrones and take 3 months. Alternatively, the senate could abandon them (and the costs of running them). Also, the Wintermark Assembly could raise a mandate to rename them, but this needs to be done sooner rather than later or else people will just get too used to calling them the old names and anything new won’t stick.
Finally, on an even more pressing deadline (diplomats need the answers at the Winter summit) the Thule are looking to trade illium for food. To do this a Trading hall would need to be built, a senate commission, 8 weirwood, 16 crowns, and 3 months, but once it was built a Wintermark intermediary could trade food for illium. In addition to this the Thule are also looking to lease two areas of Semersuaq from the Empire for hunting and fishing, plus use of the local smoke house for the preservation fo what they catch. They are willing to trade 15 rings of illium for one area, or 30 for both. This lease would last for 5 years.
Wildest Dreams
The Black Canal is receiving money from interested parties, but it looks like people are struggling to get the Weirwood and White Granite required. This is unfortunate since it seems to be very enthusiastically anticipated by both the human and orc locals. Some preliminary work has begun and both peoples are learning more and more about each other.
There is so much excitement that if someone were to build a Ministry in Sarcombe it would cost 2 wains and 4 crowns less than normal, this is especially useful since there is a push to get some proper management organised and build an Alderman’s Office in Sarcombe. It would need a commission from the senate, and would take 3 months, but would cost 20 white granite and 5 thrones to build. Anyone wanting to hold the office would have to be an alderman (the rules are very clear about that) but that person would gain 18 crowns from the position.
There is also a push to clear the Forest of Alderley and turn the land into farmland, this would give the marches the chance to create another army. A sawmill would have to be built to do this and it would cost 20 wains of weirwood, 5 wains of mithril, 50 crowns in labour, and take three months to complete. After a year the land would support the additional army.
Alternatively, whilst the forest still stands, a market could be built that sold foraged herbs. Constructing the market would require a commission, 12 wains of weirwood, 3 thrones in labour costs, and take three months, but then a position would be created for someone to go and buy those herbs. If the forest were ever destroyed the amount of herbs foraged would be severely reduced.
Following the greater activity of ghosts in the Mourn, some new veins of ore were found under the singing caves. A lift would have to be built in order to travel down to carve out these deeper mines. It would cost, 10 wains Weirwood, 20 Crowns, and take three months to complete. After which the holder of the Singing Caves could pay for more mithril to be dug up.
The abandoned village of Whittle sits on a hill full of ore, there is an idea to build around the other side of the hill from the village and make a new mine. They also think it might be a good idea to change the name of the hill to avoid unpleasantness. A ministry would have to be built to allow buying of the ore and it would cost, 20 mithril, 5 thrones, and take three months to complete. There would be mostly Green Iron for sale, but if enough was spent there could also be illium too.
Everyone is also reminded that Steven of Sarcombe is still at large and is leading a prominent pro-Jotun force that is working against the Empire. His death would demoralise his troupe, perhaps enough that some of them would return to the empire, but it would also help ease the shame of the people of the Mourn.
Finally there are some conjunctions. These have been given to players who have “hats” aka political positions, in the area.
The Bailiff of the Downs has been instructed to stop a Jotun sympathiser, “Little Robin”, making it to Liathhaven.
The Master of the Sarcombe Metal Market has been put in charge of an effort to rescue a frequent visitor to the market, “Wise Maggie”, from the Jotun.
Snow Might Fall
There has been an ongoing push to build a Runeforge at Runegrott, almost all of the quests to build it have ben completed and there is only one left! This is to make the Paragon Isenbrad an inspirational tomb using True Liao. If this is done a new branch of magical knowledge, called the Runemaster’s Law, would be created that would teach WIntermarkers unknown types of magical item creation. It would also reduce the amount that the final Runeforge would cost as the locals would donate resources towards it.
To make this happen a special mandate would need to be approved by the Wintermakr Assembly and True Liao would have to be bought and used.
Drums Beat In My Head
The Grendel have taken over Feroz. There is a source of illium in Feroz called the Scorrero Nets, they are pretty much what they sound like, just great big nets across a river catching Illium before it gets washed out to sea. A Feroz refugee has put forth the daring idea of building a second bank of nets further up river to catch as much of the illium as possible before it washes down stream and brings the Grendel any more money.
It would cost 200 thrones to build these nets, however if it is built and made a Brass Coast Bourse Seat then some of the local bigwigs are offering to pay 60 of those thrones.
It would bring in 4 illium a season and have an ongoing cost of five thrones a season.
All Too Well
This Wind of Fortune is about the Imperial Orcs and the various septs of orcs that have come from the Barrens.
Previous winds have put forth ways to help bring these septs into the Imperial Orcs. These include;
- Building an Amoury Smithy for the Ethengraw, they would go on to become a major part of any new Imperial Orc army and give the Imperial Orc armies new qualities
- Building an Ossuary for the Illarawm, they would share what they know about the ancestors of the orcs and help them hear them better
- Build a Garden for the Yerende, they would then share their mystical herbal knowledge with the Imperial Orcs.
Also, the Imperial Orcs are feeling underappreciated and overworked. As such they are basically threatening to go on strike, and there are a series of Mandates which could be put forward to either support or disagree with this idea. If they did then any armies that worked outside the nation would face debuffs, while any military unit focused on building wealth would gain a buff.
An Illarawm Mystagogue has an offer to help the Imprial Orcs make contact with their ancestors. They need a statement of principle to be passed through the Imperial Orc Assembly to let everyone know that the offer is there and that it has been approved.
The Yerende require help learning how to garden in the new environment of Skarsind, if the Broken Shield Guardian agrees to help them learn how to cultivate Cerulean Mazzarine (and let them know via WInged Messenger) then they will give them 8 orcroot plants in return. The Yerende have also made contact with the Great Forest Orcs through those travelling with the Navaar, while the offer hasn’t been accepted yet there is a chance that they may wish to go live with their “distant cousins” instead of staying in Skarsind.
The Ethengraw have reached out to Wintermark after the Nation put out a mandate of inclusivity towards all species who have the qualities of Wintermarkers. They are interested in finding out more about the Wintermarkers, with a possibility of one day becoming Wintermarkers themselves. One way this could be helped along is if the Wintermarkers gave them the opportunity to ply their armour smithing craft alongside the runeforge. This would cost 45 wains of mithril and and 90 crowns but would not add any time to the current runeforge build timeline.