The above images were sourced from the original Wind of Fortune, Not to Conquer

The original Wind detailing the needs and wants of the groups living in the Barrens was an incredibly complicated and LONG document, over 19,600 words long, in fact. I had a go at making it into a spreadsheet but everything is just too complicated and wordy, so you get a really, really long essay instead.

Congrats.

This is pretty interesting, but if you don’t have any reason to want to know about the diplomatic situation in the Barrens then honestly this might be one to give a miss. Otherwise, let me know if I made it clear or if it is still a horrible tangle of words and motivations. I will be including some of the maps from the Wind in this document because otherwise it would make even less sense and that is saying something.

So what is the background?

Essentially Dawn and the Druj have been fighting over the Barrens since time immemorial. And a lot of the choices both sides have made have created hate and distrust in the groups who live there, towards both sides. One particular bad decision a few in character years ago was for the Empire to team up with the Druj and kill off several of the tribes who were doing their best to rebel against the Druj. This made many of the locals hate the Empire even more than the Druj, and then the Druj backstabbed the Empire because that is what they do. So the local tribes either got wiped out or a new hatred for the Empire (or both!), the Druj got a lot of their enemies killed, and the Empire got nothing.

The Rahvin

The Rahvin were the main tribe who rebelled against the Druj in the above event. Most of them got killed, and their leader (the original Rahvin) got extra, extra killed. Up until now most of the survivors were thought to be the newly renamed Black Wind who will come up later, but it turns out there are a few survivors who were enslaved in a Mithril mine called the Fangs.

They are technically at war with the Empire at the minute, but that is a hangover from the previous war and so could be changed without too much hassle, but for now they are Barbarians. The Senate should probably change that before getting started on negotiations.

They want to get in contact with the Black Wind, but have no way to do so right now. They predict that they will want to join back up again and have the same or similar goals. But they don’t know for sure. But if they get the chance to join up with the Black Wind then this may open up a chance for the Empire to negotiate with that tribe.

They know that their position in the Fangs is their main negotiable point so they are not moving. They want to arm their fellow tribes and help fight back against the Druj and the Empire, being in a major Mithril mine will help with that. As long as their view of the Empire is overwhelmingly negative, it is a risk to leave them there. They have been interviewed by priests from Dawn, Highguard and the Imperial Orcs. They appear to be virtuous and reasonable, but they have been treated badly in the past and their reasonableness has limits.

What do they want?

  1. A good start would be for the Empire to admit that they were wrong to side with the Druj and to kill their leader and loads of their people. This could either be done to put the blame on Dawn or the Empire. If the blame were on Dawn the Rahvin would like the Empire more as a whole, but still hate Dawn, and if the Empire took the blame the general Imperial would lose face but the Dawnish would be liked better. 
  2. They will not accept Dawnish or Imperial rule, and want at least one of the following territories ceded to them before they trust that the Empire is serious about negotiations. In order of which they want most; Bitter Strand, the Carmine Fields, and Murderdale. Alternatively, the Empire could just cede the Fangs, but this would not be as powerful a message and when Dawnish people started moving in next door it would likely cause problems.

Instead of diplomacy, the Empire could try to solve the problem militarily. There are very few of the Rahvin and they are in a vulnerable position without much food. A single army could remove the Rahvin, losing about 50 soldiers, or two armies could besiege them over two seasons with no Imperial losses. 

The Dawnish, Highborn, or Imperial Orc Assemblies could use a mandate to send supplies to the Rahvin in the Fangs, which would extend the length of time they could hold out in a siege by three months. It would also improve the relationship of the Rahvin with whoever sent the food. There could not be any attempt to convert the Rahvin at this time, they simply do not have a good enough view of the Empire for this to be possible. 

Currently, the other groups in the Barrens are looking to how the Empire treats the Rahvin as an example of how they will be treated. 

The Karass

The Karass are another tribe in the Barrens, however, they are mistrusted by the other tribes and betrayed the other tribes during the rebellion. During the Summer event the Karass visited Anvil and were declared Foreigners. After their delegation returned from Anvil a meeting was held amongst their people and they seem to have retreated from the Plains of Teeth to the Bleaks and the Untrod Groves. 

They want the regions known as the Bleaks, the Plains of Teeth, including the fortification, the Towers of Dusk. The senate could give any of these over, but if they are treacherous, it would just be handing land over to the Druj. If they do join with the Druj then the Druj will have an advantage in claiming territories.

They share borders with the Druj and are the most vocal about the Empire making a treaty with the Druj, apparently believing that it would save them from being attacked. They have a very transactional relationship with the Druj and apparently expect something similar with the Empire.  They have been very unwelcoming to the few Imperials who have seen them and do not appear open to negotiations on what they have asked for.

They are not seen positively by other tribes, the Vendarri, in particular, see them as extremely untrustworthy servants to the Druj, and there are rumours that they even have one of the incredibly valuable Black Lotus plants. Something that would surely be taken from them if they were not extremely favoured.

There are some military options when it comes to the Karass, however, it should be remembered that they were only made Foreigners last event and such a quick turnaround would likely make the Empire look just as treacherous as them.

If the Empire were to decide to fight them, then it would only take two armies to destroy the Karass, and this would be because of how spread out they are, not because of overwhelming numbers. The two armies would take less than 100 casualties each. One of the armies could also do the Daring Raid action or Plunder action and attempt to find the Black Lotus if they do have it. This attack would only work like this for this season as after that, the Sept will be secure in their new homes and will be much harder to attack. 

Vendarri

The Vendarri are seen as very treacherous by the other Septs of the Barrens, having earned the right to at least some self governance from the Druj. They surrounded en masse to the Highborn, but have a history of betrayal, as they turned on their allies in the Rebellion when it looked like the Druj were going to win.

They are pretty neutral towards the Empire, and in particular the Dawnish, and would probably not give a damn about who now rules over them if it wasn’t for the storms that were apparently sent by a Dawnish Archmage which ruined many of their homes. 

Since their homes were destroyed, they are open to being moved to new ones. They would like the Empire to cede either the Morass in Holberg, or Rebeshof in Holberg or the Saltmarsh in the Barrens to them, though if they are expected to travel to Hoberg they will need an escort. This would require a payment from the Senate of 75 thrones, or an army to accompany them. They fear the Druj and so want to be as far away from them as possible.

The Sand Fishers do NOT want to live just down the road from them, however, the Vendarri are famously awful apparently and their treachery is not an endearing quality in neighbours. 

However, they are probably the group most aware of the dangerous position they are in and will accept far less than the others. Essentially they will accept anything if it means they are safe and protected from the Druj. If this were done they would likely become very positively inclined towards the Empire.

The alternative military options are thus;

  1. Wipe out the Vendarri, a single army could do this without taking more than a hundred casualties,
  2. An Imperial Army could take the short term choice of defending the Vendarri in their current position, this would endear the army’s nation to the Vendarri.

Alternate magical options;

  1. Conclave could endow the Vendarri with 120 mana crystals to fix up their homes,
  2. Conclave could endow them with 50 mana a season to cast Dripping Echoes of the Fen if the region were ceded to them, otherwise it would see them as enemies to be defended against, 
  3. A Conclave order could be sent to the region to investigate and see what could be done to help them out more specifically.

The Vendarri are probably the most likely to accept the Dawnish, but they are also the most likely to go back to the Druj if it looks like they are going to win, so you have to work out how to balance that. Also they have a terrible reputation thanks to their treachery in the Rebellion and none of the other orcs like them.

Great Forest Orcs

Many of the Great Forest Orcs are living with the Navaar as foreigners, however, there are still some of their people living in slavery under the Druj. 

The Great Forest Orcs have good relationships with the Navaar and Highborn, but do not like Dawn at all, especially since the Military Council turned down their offer of a ceremony of reconciliation last year.

Either the Navaar or the Highborn assemblies could put forth mandates calling on the GFO to join them in a fight to take back their ancestral lands of the Heart of Peytaht. Alternatively, the Military Council could ask for their help to take on the Druj in either Murderdale or the Heart of Peytaht, they would contribute a force of 1000 strength. If the Sept then had the Heart of Peytaht ceded to them they would likely contribute soldiers to future fights in the Mallum.

They are starting to get a bit antsy about the Empire’s lack of urgency in taking the Heart of Peytaht, they are worried that their people who still toil there under the control of the Druj will be slaughtered in retribution. The longer the Empire takes, the less happy they are likely to get, especially as it becomes the only bit of the Barrens the Druj still have control over. 

They will become VERY unhappy and even rebellious if the Senate goes back on their word to cede the area to them.

Montanians

The Montanians are human, and mostly Briar. They are the descendants of a heretical cult, who escaped the Barrens with the GFO and coming to live with the Navaar in Therunin. They were living in the area known as Hope’s Rest, but used a mysterious ritual to blow up their keep there to kill as many of the invading Druj as they could. Now that the land is under Imperial control they have started moving back.

They believe in the False Virtue of Freedom, otherwise known as Liberty or Anarchy. They were recently granted access to a ministry that gives them Liao seasonally. They have been careful not to be caught doing anything that might count as Preaching, so they can not be accused of committing any crimes.

They want the people of the Barrens to be free of both the Druj and the Empire, and the Dawnish of Dawnguard to be merely one voice amongst many in the territory rather than ruling over it. They have very odd views of ruling in general actually, talks with them tend to devolve as everyone needs to be included.

They want the area of Hope’s Rest ceded to them, the Druj driven out of the Barrens and the Mallum, and all the septs given the right to rule over their own patch. They would also very much like to join the Liberty Pact.

Senate Options

The Senate could cede the Hope’s Rest area to them, they are very happy to sign a treaty allowing the Dawnish to travel through the area, though they point out that they will be preaching their beliefs. The Senate also needs to make up their mind what status the Montanians have, they’ve been treated as Foreigners but they could technically be Barbarians as they were part of the previous rebellion in the Barrens.

If they get the land their allies in the GFO will likely help them to build a fortress out of Weirwood which will mean there is a non-Imperial fortification in the Barrens.

Military Options

The Montanians are collecting in Hope’s Rest, an army could be sent to kill them all and it would only take 50 casualties. However, this would anger almost all the other Septs in the Barrens, the only exceptions being the Karass and the Black Wind.

Synod Options

There is the option to make them officially Heretics, but they have mostly been behaving themselves and many people consider them a better sort of heretic than the Faraden and the Empire puts up with them.

If priests were sent to try and convert them as many people would be converted to their beliefs as to the Imperial view.

If they are allowed to stay in the Barrens then they intend on preaching Freedom to anyone who will listen and they will likely become a source of rebellion against the Empire in the future unless something is done.

The Black Wind

The Black Wind were once part of the Rahvin, however after the failed rebellion they were forced to become a new army under the Druj. 

Currently the Black Wind army is in the Mallum somewhere, presumably resupplying. The Black Wind sept however remains in the Barrens, composed primarily of civilians. At the moment the majority of them are still in the Carmine Fields, Murderdale, Bitter Strand, with a handful of small settlements in Dawnguard. Black Wind Orcs served under Serra Grubfest, the hated Druj governor of the Barrens, and were involved in many of her more brutal reprisals against the Dawnish.

The Black Wind hate the Empire and especially the Dawnish. Their eventual goal is to remove all Imperials and Druj from the Barrens. They are reluctant servants of the Druj, but they hate the Empire even more. 

Military Opportunities

The Iron Helms could threaten the civilian families of the Black Wind Army, if this were done the Black Wind would likely stand down since most of the reason they are fighting for the Druj is to keep their families safe.

The army would likely collapse at this point, or the Imperials could use the constant threat against their people to control the army instead.

Another option would be to use five Imperial Armies to force the Black WInd out of the Barrens entirely. Given that the people would have to run they would leave most of their belongings behind, which would create looting opportunities. 

The Black Wind are an ongoing threat to all the Imperials in the Barrens. 

The Dawnish

The Dawnish are Imperial citizens whose noble houses have lived in the Barrens for centuries. Most live in Dawnguard, but there are Dawnish living in Murderdale, the Carmine Fields, and a few who live in Hope’s Rest and Bitter Strand.

They have a pretty lengthy list of things they would like done. They want the Towers of Dawn to be rebuilt to match the strength of the Spires of Dusk. Apparently both Adamant and Cathan Canae have offered to help out with this, but that is to be detailed in a future Wind of Fortune.

They want the borders secured and the political future made certain. They want peace, but not at the cost that Dawn loses control of the Barrens because they ceded too many regions. In particular, they do not want to give up any of the following regions; Dawnguard, Murderdale, the Carmine Fields and the Plains of Teeth. They would especially like the Fangs and the Heart of Peytaht to become Dawnish Bourse Seats, but they doubt that that will happen.But overall they would really like it so very much if the Empire would destroy the Druj.

Any decision to take the Barrens away from Dawwn would result in massive anger and probably outright rebellion.

The Druj

The Druj still have control over the Heart of Peytaht and Murderdale. They are very nasty people and the septs of the Barrens are properly terrified of them coming back and trying to get revenge. Given everything we know about the Druj that is a major threat and should be considered.

Cathan Canae

The eternal has gotten very annoyed with the Empire for giving up parts of their conquered lands. While there might be some wiggle room here it should definitely be considered and someone should go have a chat with her about it.

Highguard have problems with considering her opinion at all, as they believe it to be a bit Idolatrous. 

The Menrothat

The Menrothat would like the Empire to cede Farweald to them, in exchange they offer their greatest treasure, the Black Lotus plant and their knowledge of how to use it.

Only the Karass would welcome them into the Barrens. Everyone else has heard about them and don’t like what they’ve heard.

And that is that.

This summary is just over 3100 words, so I have left out a lot. Fingers crossed nothing super important, but either way,

I’ll see you next time,

K

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