Empire is a game run by the company, Profound Decisions in the UK. The Winds of Fortune are updates to the world that they think the players should know about. We just finished with the Winds of War which are about war and battles, so now it’s time for Winds of Fortune! It’s a very political batch today as we have the Throne’s Address, and then a whole bunch of diplomatic reports for the ambassadors of the various countries the Empire has contact with. This might be a tough read for anyone who isn’t particularly interested in the diplomacy side of the game, but there are some interesting trade deals and things which might be more your cup of tea.
Inextricable, indefatigable, and inevitable
So first to the Throne’s Address. This is a power every Throne has to essentially write a letter to the whole of the Empire. Everyone will hear about it and probably get a chance to read it themselves.
This season’s address focused on the importance of land. It congratulated the military on conquering new territory and scolded those who had been cursing the lands of fellow Imperials. The Empire was also told to go out and find new ways of being Prosperous and to ensure that everyone in the Empire was included in this Virtue.
For the Common Good
This Wind is an update on the politics involving the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth has Foreigner status, which means citizens can trade with them and it is illegal to attack them.
The Commonwealth is at war with the Principalities of Jarm. Most of this conflict is taking place in a smaller country between the two, called Lantir. As such, the Empire is not the highest priority for the Commonwealth, and they are easily distracted.
They have asked for help in their war, but as the Principalities of Jarm are also Foreigners this makes things tricky. There is an option to allow independent military units to go and fight as mercenaries, but the Senate would have to pass a motion to approve it. It would likely anger the Jarmish, since the Empire is meant to be staying neutral. If the Empire sent a force of at least 3000 then a report could be made about the state of the war, but we have no other way of finding out what’s going on.
The Commonwealth is a signatory of the Liberty Pact but opposes the addition of more voting members. The last time they attended a meeting, they prioritized ejecting Axos, which they did not manage to do. However, they are now mulling over adding small countries allied to them or pulling out entirely, but have not made up their mind and seem to instead want to wait and see if the Empire will “wise up” and eject Axos.
The Commonwealth has heard that due to a deal with Prospero the Empire has sent a ritual text to the Jarmish, they accept that there was no way to get out of this, but remind the Empire that if they do this again they will be breaching the rules of the Liberty Pact. They do appreciate that care was taken to make the ritual sent over as low threat as possible.
Rachensgrab is very close to the Commonwealth and they are concerned about the ships going to investigate it. Anyone sending a ship should take care to behave themselves, lest the Commonwealth become more than concerned.
The Commonwealth appreciates that the Ambassador saw fit to warn them about the magical storms this past season. It has reduced the number of traders, however.
Auras are seen as particularly unwelcome in the Commonwealth, and so there has been a push to buy some True Liao to remove one by some extremists. The Gatekeepers who control the supply of True Liao in the Empire have not agreed to sell and the Commonwealth thanks them for this, since it would probably cause a lot of problems if they did.
The Commonwealth Embassy was destroyed by the Grendel, they would like a new one, please. It should be on the Bay of Catazar to ensure that their people can reach it and it should be in a territory other than Redoubt since that one contains the Jarmish Embassy.
While an ordinary Embassy could be built, they have offered to send over one of their architects in order to build a fortified one, which would have the benefits of a fortification in whichever territory it was placed but would not cost the Empire any more than an Embassy would for upkeep (5 Thrones a season).
It would cost 70 white granite, 30 weirwood, and 300 crowns in labour and it would not require a commission slot.
The Commonwealth are also looking to buy more Mana crystals from the Empire and have offered to start a Ministry where the Empire could buy Illium, which would then fund their Mana requirements. This new Ministry would have to be commissioned through the Senate, and would create a title, The Sternenmetal Merchant, which would be assigned through Tally of the Vote by whichever nation it was placed in. It would cost 16 white granite, and 48 crowns in labour to build.
Thrones and Principalities
Now, onto the Jarmish. The Principalities of Jarm are not as friendly with the Empire as their foes, the Commonwealth. They have closed their ports to Imperial Traders, but they are still classed as Foreigners rather than Barbarians.
The Jarmish are founders of the Freedom Accord, an alliance set up in opposition to the Liberty Pact. Its goals are to maintain individual nations’ ability to govern as they see fit.
The Jarmish are not overly bothered by reports that the Hand of Dumon have infiltrated some of their territories. They don’t think this new upstart cult will be able to do much against their much older cults.
The Jarmish have the Pilgrim’s Shield of Wisdom. They offer to sell it to the Empire for the Ritual Text, Brotherhood of Tian, plus 10 illium to whichever Conclave order brings it forward in Conclave, plus 100 to the Senate for shipping costs.
Jarmish merchants are also looking to buy magical items from the Artisan’s Guild. They have a list of offers for various items and will look to commission the Artisan’s Guild with the intention of picking up the items at the next summit. There is currently no legal reason to stand in the way of this trade.
Towers and Crows
Next, the Sarcophan Delves. They believe in staying neutral, so they have not picked an obvious side in either the Freedom Accord or the Liberty Pact stuff, though they have outlawed slaves and slave trading in order to avoid the extra tariffs imposed by the Liberty Pact. They are Foreigners, so it is not illegal to trade with them, but you cannot attack them.
Several attempts to make trading deals with the Sarcophan Delves have fallen through recently and there are signs that they are starting to go to other markets. However, they are open to buying Bourse Resources. They are open to buying Mithril, Weirwood or White Granite for 2 Thrones. Or, if the Empire is OK with selling Weirwood which will immediately get sold to the Grendel, they can buy at 3 Thrones.
They are also getting a wee bit salty about all the storm rituals getting cast left and right, especially in Sarvos where they have a trade enclave. An offer to open more narcotics markets has smoothed that over a touch, though.
This season the Sarcophan Delves will not be sharing any intelligence with the Regario Dossier, but would still like to receive the intelligence from it. They have offered 18 Thrones for the holder of it. If they wish to trade then they can get in contact with Plot.
They are not willing to share any information on the Elkar, apparently they do not wish to lose their Monopoly. And they say they do not wish to share any info on the Book of Silence, reminding the Empire that they are allowed to practise in the Sarcophan Delves only for as long as they behave themselves.
Guide the Spirit
Now on to the Sumaah. The Sumaah Republic is a member of the Liberty Pact, friendly with the Empire and the Commonwealth, and at war with the Asavean Archipelago. They are Foreigners.
They are not thrilled that Axos is a part of the Liberty Pact because they have allied with the Grendel in the past and because they have their own religion. They will leave how to deal with them to the Empire, however, it is clear that they would much prefer if they were taken over and their heretical religion destroyed.
The Sumaah are clear that, just as with the Doctrine of the Howling Abyss and the Doctrine of the Ancestors, the Houses of Virtue intend to study the new Doctrine of Enlightenment at length before they take any official position on it. They worry that the Empire is moving too hastily, but they would prefer to keep things amicable.
They welcome the news that the drug, Ocean’s Caress, has been made illegal as it was made by the Asavaeans and they profited greatly from it. Also, apparently, it is Unvirtuous.
It is growing increasingly hard to buy Liao from Sumaah, this is apparently because they have been running low on it and there have been warnings about not selling it all. Likewise there are less traders than normal from the Republic, though this is likely more to do with the warning about the storms that they received last season.
The Sumaah have denounced the destruction of Siroc and while they would likely not be able to do anything monetarily to help it rebuild, they are willing to do something symbolic if the Ambassador asks.
The Sumaah are seeking Imperial Permission to present Ambassador Accalon with a personal gift by way of apology for the nation’s failings, apparently the Ambassador was excluded from a recent Liberty Pact meeting. They do not wish for it to look like a bribe so they are asking for permission, either the Senate or the Throne can do this.
Ambassador Accalon has invited the Sumaah to send delegates to the Empire to discuss the recognition of Amika and Alberto Acciai, who attempted to raise a rebellion against the Asavaeans. Their representative, Utredare Tipoa of the High House of Wisdom hopes to arrive in Anvil at Saturday 2pm.
Recent Imperial efforts to thwart the Asavean blockade of Zemeh have been greatly appreciated by the Sumaah, and now there are new opportunities for statements from both national assemblies and the Assembly of the Way or General Assembly to further support this by opening the Fleet Resource option to all nations. The national assemblies can pass this statement, but will not be charged the Liao for it if the larger Assemblies pass their own versions, though the Sumaah will take note of individual nations and may seek to thank them in the future.
In an ongoing attempt to encourage magical togetherness the Sumaah were offered 4 Imperial Rituals. They have accepted Hammers of the Brilliant Shore and Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground. If a Grandmaster of a Conclave order will raise the necessary Declaration of Dissemination to send either ritual text to Sumaah, then the nation will provide a permanent endowment of 10 liao each season to that order. They are obviously keen to get either ritual as quickly as possible, but they understand that such things can take time. They are happy to confirm that they will make the endowment of liao to any order that disseminates either of the two rituals (or 20 liao to one order if a single order does both) in the next year.
Conjunction
Ripped Away (Necropolis) – A mob of “wreckers” have taken one of the Sumaash delegates and are planning on sacrificing them to Siakha. This skirmish is a combat highly likely encounter. The Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic is responsible for stopping the wreckers, the timing for this skirmish is still to be decided.
Winds and Flames
Faraden is one of the smaller nations that surround but do not border the Empire, a country of merchants and wizards, proud warriors and heretical priests who almost follow the Way but not quite. They are classed as Foreigners. The nation has turned its back on slavery to pursue better relations with the Empire, and it seems with the opening of the first Faraden port to Imperial ships that things can only improve. Not everyone does want closer ties with the Empire, however, and there are signs that Asavaea is influencing this distrust somehow.
The Jotun territory of Reinos sits between Faraden and the Empire, if it were to be conquered, then an alliance would be much easier between the two countries and all bordering territories would have an increase in taxable income. Faraden would really like this because they have to pay very high “taxes” to the Lasambrians to stop them from raiding their caravans. Of course, if conquering the territory would be too much to ask, then the Empire could try sending an expeditionary force to give the Lasambrians something else to think about?
Faraden would like to buy weirwood from the Empire if negotiations open at two thrones a wain, for 25 wains. The ambassador can complete an immediate sale of weirwood by passing the goods to the civil service and confirming the amounts by letter to their counterpart. Alternatively, there is a Winged Messenger address for anyone who would like to sell it as an individual rather than through the Ambassador. There is also a potential for deals on magical metals, especially Orichalcum and Green Iron, but the prices for these would have to be sorted between the seller and the buyer themselves.
The Blue Silken Scarf is interested in purchasing a bulk order of iridescent gloaming and has made an arrangement with Ephisis to support it. They are willing to pay 15 rings per dram, or a crystal mana for three, for up to 150 drams of Iridescent Gloaming. This too should be arranged through the ambassador.
Several years ago there was a trade enclave built in the Marches, however it was found to be full of Vengeance cultists so it was ripped apart. The Empire could build a new trade enclave in Mournwold, Mitwold, Upwold, Kahraman, Segura, Kallavesa, Hahnmark or Tassato. Replacing Moonwater Hall would require 20 wains of white granite, 20 wains of weirwood and 60 crowns. Once complete the Hall would raise the level of investment of businesses in the territory by one.
In the Hills, the Cities
Axos is a group of cities that are aligned with one another; they are classed as Foreigners.
Axos are signatories to the Liberty Pact, but relations were seriously damaged by the Tsark Debacle, where they teamed up with the Grendel to attack the nation of Tsark. Someone warned the Tsark and it was a terrible disaster which killed a lot of their people. The Empire paid reparations, and the Axou said they would not mention it again, but they have not forgiven or forgotten. The Empire standing up for Axos in the Liberty Pact (the Commonwealth wants them out) has gone a lot further to mend how they feel but things are still rocky.
There is an offer to hallow an item for each of the Assembly of Nine to Peace (or as the Axou call it, Understanding) so that they might study it. To prevent it from getting archived and forgotten about, each of the Assembly of Nine who got an item would have to swear to carry it with them for a year. They would also have to give the priest doing the hallowing safe passage and 100 Liao. They would also have to give a letter from the Throne thanking them for doing it. If one of more of the Assembly of Nine wish to go through with this then they must arrange through the Ambassador, aka sort out over email and make sure that the Ambassador has 100 Liao in their inventory.
The Axou are interested in purchasing up to fifty wains of white granite each season for the next six months, they are offering 18 crowns a wain (2 Thrones, 2 Crowns). The ambassador can complete the sale by passing the goods to the civil service and confirming the amounts by letter to their counterpart. There is a potential for the deal to continue after the next two summits, but that depends on the price.
The Price of Peace
This Wind of Fortune dealt with multiple groups rather than being dedicated to one.
Thule
The Thule are Foreigners, and are not members of the Liberty Pact, but they did recently release their slaves in order to not be negatively affected by it. There has been a peace treaty in place for several years, it has been maintained through ceding land to the Thule. The Treaty will end next year and the time for discussing extensions or adaptations has arrived. The Thule are tempted by the idea of a continued peace, but they will make the Empire pay dearly for it. One indication of this is that they recently pushed to get the Ambassador to Otkodov switched from a Varushkan citizen to a Wintermark citizen.
To begin with, they want a very clear statement to be given by the Senate, and they won’t allow any rewording like what happened last season! The statement is “The Casinean Empire recognises that the Silver Peaks, Miechernya, Krevsaty, Crows Ridge, Bonewood and Webwood are part of Otkodov, now and forever. The Empire renounces any claim on these lands.” And it must be passed by the Senate to prove that a majority of the Empire recognises those regions as belonging to the Thule. Now this is not legally binding, but it would be a big step. Especially since there are a lot of people who won’t like it!
If this is passed then the Thule Ambassador looks forward to meeting the Imperial Ambassador to discuss “interesting offers” but nothing can move forward until this has been concluded.
Conjunction
A Hound of Darkness (Sermersuaq) – Maarik the Golden Tongue and her followers are in Aino’s Rest. This skirmish is a combat highly likely encounter. The Ambassador to Otkodov is responsible for killing Maarik the Golden Tongue. If Maarik and her allies are not defeated then they will escape justice once again, recruiting additional followers and enacting more and more acts of brutality. Timing to be decided.
Grendel
The Empire is at war with the Grendel of the Broken Shore, but the Grendel have not completely cut off diplomatic relations, keeping their Embassy open in Cargo. However, they are classed as Barbarians.
The Grendel Ambassador will be coming to Anvil at an undisclosed time to speak to the Imperial Ambassador about the Siakha cultists causing havoc on the Bay of Catazar. They caution that the Salt Lords are not interested in peace at this time, but they are concerned about the uprising of the followers of Siakha, the High Priestess Shivaarn, and her Children of Wrecks. The original suggestion presented by the Grendel was for a short period of ceasefire to allow both nations to destroy this new threat. However, recent developments have made that more difficult than originally planned. With the passage to Free Landing now impassable to armies, it is not clear in the short term how the Empire can defeat the Wreckers, even without the Grendel to worry about. Speaker Morna plans to discuss the whole situation with their counterpart and see what agreements can be reached. At the very least, a formal agreement to share intelligence about their common enemy, could benefit both sides.
Iron Confederacy
The Iron Confederacy is a large powerful nation that considers itself the equal of the Empire, they are classed as Foreigners. Relations with the Confederacy remain civil but strained due to religious and cultural differences. The Suranni believe that magic users are evil and don’t think much better of the Imperial priests. They respect the Throne and the Military Council but that’s all. They demand that their ambassador not be a magician.
They have made half-hearted efforts to align themselves with the Liberty Pact. They have released their slaves and made them serfs instead, it’s not a massive difference, but it is an improvement in some ways.
At the moment, they are neutral in the war between the Grendel and the Empire, though they have made it clear that they are being offered inducements to join on the side of the Grendel. If the Empire wishes to avoid this, they have provided a list of what the Empire could do to make the Suranni pick the Empire over their enemies.
“Outlawing the sale or transportation of all narcotics into the Iron Confederacy, on top of the current prohibition on trading or gifting liao, would go down well. Making it illegal to preach the Imperial Way in the Iron Confederacy would similarly be a popular move, though she understands that a reciprocal motion banning the promotion of the Suranni faith in the Empire might be the cost of such a law. Free Trade status for the Iron Confederacy is nice and simple. Similarly, a direct statement made through the Senate or via an Imperial Address acknowledging the Suranni people as the equals of the Casinean Empire on the diplomatic stage would be a good sign of friendship. The Baroness is at pains to stress that the Empire is free to get creative in this matter. After all, Ambassador Tethros should doubtless understand the culture of the Iron Confederacy enough to know what they would like.”
Skoura
The Skoura do not have an embassy, so communication goes through the Imperial Consul. They are classed as Foreigners.
Skoura sits to the East of Mareave and historically the people of Skoura used to live there, though they called it Mahal. They were driven into the mountains centuries ago and are known for having a dour outlook which does not welcome foreign visitors. The Empire’s present links with them are due to the Eternal Prospero, and the Conclave Order, the Celestial Arch.
They do not wish to have mutual embassies, but they have worked with the Imperial Consul to put together a possible treaty. Basically they release their rights to the territories they once held, but ask that if anything is found that might be an important historical artefact that it be returned to them. They also apparently think that the Empire would be a better owner of the lands than the Grendel, which is nice of them. Check the Wind for the full text.
Lasambrian Jotun
A diplomatic delegation from the Lasambrian Hills is on its way to Anvil. The orcs are Lasambrian Jotun, barbarians, and thus fall within the purview of the Imperial Consul, but apparently, the former Senator for Segura will have more details by the beginning of the Summit. They are expected to arrive at Anvil at 11:00 in the morning on Saturday.
OK, that looks to be it from the international diplomacy Winds of Fortune! I have tried to keep things as simple as possible, but if you have any interest in one of these nations, I really recommend checking out the related Wind because they give a lot of background info that I have skipped.
I wonder what will come from the Profound Decisions team next? I’m hoping for some Winds about magic. Let me know if made any mistakes!
Stay safe out there,
K
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