Here we go, folks, the Winds of War have started! This is for the Spring Summit, or E2, of Profound Decisions’ game Empire.
In the world of Empire we are starting the year 387, but of course out here in the real world we are nearly half way through 2025, but hopefully you knew that.
To Hold Death’s Hand in Mine
First we are off to the Sarangrave.
Last season both the Iron Helms and Isaella’s Dance were lost in the war with the Druj. There are reports of very, very few survivors making their way back to the Empire’s forces since then. In addition, the winter spirits that were allied with the Iron Helms have also taken over many of the dead and now feast on anyone and everyone they can find.
The National Assembly of Navaar warned their people to flee, that there would be no succour from the rest of the Empire. No armies would be coming to save them, so they must retreat to Imperial held lands. While the civilians retreat they come across groups of travelling apothecaries. These travellers were sent to try and mend the poisoned lands of the Tarn Valley by the Senate, but with the Druj taking control the apothecaries concentrate instead on helping the refugees.
The Lower Tarn Valley falls quickly to the combined forces of the Black Wind and the Druj. Those Navaar who are not slaughtered are taken as slaves, though many use the Gift of Kaela to escape their bonds. They know that no one is coming to rescue them, so the Labyrinth is the best escape they can hope for.
The Upper Tarn Valley is next, and likewise it falls quickly. The defenders here are not fighting to try and stop the Druj, but slow them, so that the refugees might have a better chance.
Then onwards to Peakedge Song.
The Thornsong House, College of Healing is protected by a mysterious fog that confuses anyone who tries to find the College. They have supplies for a year and will just have to hope that the Empire will have returned by then.
The Houses of Healing are protected by heralds of Ossegrahn, who call up a massive hedge that encircles the Houses of Healing and protects the healers and patients still there. But the Heralds do not celebrate, for this cannot last. After the Spring Equinox the Druj will be able to fight their way through the hedge and they will most likely slaughter anyone they find on the other side. A mysterious option to save the day has been offered, but it is apparently in the hands of the Senate and Conclave so who knows what’s going to happen there. From context, I am guessing this means giving the area to Ossegrahn as a Fane, which would make it his problem to defend.
Aside from the areas under magical protection, the majority of Therunin is now under the control of the Druj.
And with that control they make the decision to waken the Vallorn of Therunin with the help of Yaw’Nagrah.
Game Info
Therunin Conquered
Peakedge Stead, the Houses of Healing, and Thornsong House are the only significant structures still in Imperial hands.
All Imperial personal resources will experience the conquered territories penalty to their production unless they are protected by magic such as Vale of Shadows.
The loss of Therunin has reduced the ability for Navarr to support armies from six, to five.
The Garden of Glory, Peakedge Brokerage, and Stones from Blood have all been lost to the Druj. Their current status is unknown, but the titles associated with them will receive no benefit or production until the relevant regions are reclaimed and the situation can be assessed.
The majority of the Navarr stridings and steadings have evacuated, most moving to neighbouring territories or walking the trods.
Vallorn Awakened
Navarr prognosticators believe that by the start of the Summer Solstice, the Vallorn will have overrun most of the steadings in Sweetglades and Greenheart and have begun expanding into Peakedge Song and the Tarn Valley. After that it’s hard to say – a lot will depend on what the Druj are planning to do. It is entirely possible given the involvement of Yaw’Nagrah that the vallornspawn and the miasma will not stop at the borders of Therunin and will eventually threaten the people of Highguard, Dawn, and Urizen.
Any forest that has been permanently diversified to provide chaos fruit will provide an additional two fruit at the Summer Solstice.
Player Participation
Apothecaries – Any character with the Apothecary skill may choose to have been a part of the group that went to try and heal the Tarn Valley. If you would like a poisoned lingering wound from this adventure, email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk by the 31st of May
Navarr – Characters who had their personal resource in Therunin may also email in to ask for a lingering wound gained from defending their home. Alternatively, they may reflect the National Assembly’s order to flee by emailing in and asking to have their personal resource relocated to either the Barrens or Reikos for free as these territories have way houses. Again the deadline for these requests is the 31st of May.
Unlock Thy Hidden Gate
Now to the Sarangrave!
The Varushkan Golden Axe make their way through the swamp of the Sarangrave, supplying themselves from the Bloodwater Marsh, and marching alongside the Crimson Schlacta from the court of the Summer Eternal, Eleonaris.
The Towerjacks and the Wintersun move more cautiously, taking care to avoid both the natural and orc-made traps found there and do their best to reach out to the local Septs and possibly build alliances against the Druj. However this has little effect, apparently the subjects of the Druj have been told all of the gory stories of the Empire’s actions over the years and many do not wait long enough to be found.
Finally the sentinels of the Citadel Guard follow, covered in winter enchantments that slough deadly attacks off the soldiers of the Citadel Guard and onto the other armies around them.
Tricks and Towers
The armies are too big to go unseen, and just to make certain of it there are numerous watch towers throughout the swamps and a Night magic enchantment has been laid so that it is unnaturally easy to get lost. There are also giant arachno-crocodiles and bird sized wasps and all sorts of nasty beasts doing their best to take as many of the Imperials as they can.
The Druj Are Coming
The Tower of the Skink is the closest major fortification and it is from here that the majority of the first skirmishers come. They do their best to trick the Imperials into following them into traps, but a few weeks after the Imperials arrive scouts from the Druj armies start to appear. They are enchanted with Spring rituals to help them recover their strength from last season’s battles, having to suddenly fight the Imperials will be ruining someone’s plans for a holiday!
The Druj armies found here are the Deadly Blade, the Hidden Snake, and the Poison Crane.
The Battle of Tabun
Outside the village of Tabun the Druj are forced to finally confront the invaders after weeks of smaller skirmishes.
The Druj use the local villagers as meat shields to protect them, while those defending the Tower of the Skink use siege engines to try and turn back the Imperials. The Towerjacks focus on the siege engines, while the the Winter Sun and Golden Axe fight at the lower walls, and the Citadel Guard send smaller groups of soldiers to help fight in the bloodies parts of the battle.
After the Hidden Snake erupts from their hiding spots in the marsh, the Towerjacks take control of the siege engines and turn them on their previous owners. This along with the actions of the other Imperial armies, especially the heft of the Golden Axe, means that the village is soon taken by the Imperials and the Druj are chased off into the Marsh.
The villagers left behind are asked many questions, but they are too afraid to give any information and most flee into the night to get back to the Druj.
Game Information
About 1000 Imperial soldiers have died and twice as many Druj.
The Empire is a little over half way to achieving a beachhead in Sarangrave.
The Golden Axe’s “Take Their Land” Order was very useful in this fight.
Player Participation – Golden Axe (Military Units and Changelings)
Any character whose military unit supported the Golden Axe in their triumphant push to claim the Bloodwater March may choose to begin the next event experiencing a roleplaying effect: You are filled with confidence; nothing is beyond you if you put your mind to it. Now is the time to act, to pursue goals you have been neglecting. Anyone who questions your prowess must be taught a quick lesson about the foolishness of doubting you.
Furthermore, if you are a changeling whose military unit supported the Varushkan army, the roleplaying effect is much more pronounced. In addition, if you have the hero skill you gain an additional hero point for the duration of the event. Such characters may also use their experience of fighting alongside the crimson-and-gold armoured heavy infantry to permanently increase the strength of their lineage.
Battle Opportunity
There will be a battle opportunity posted on this Wind closer to the event.
A Circle Sewn With Fate
The port town of Oran was attacked by two groups this past season. One was the majority of the garrison from the fortification at Mora’s Rock, the other came from the sea, the fleet of the Children of Wrecks, the cult of the Eternal Siakha.
Some of the people of Oran try to find help or escape. A group of youths travels to Quzar, while others move out into the grasslands away from the coast and the in the opposite direction to the oncoming Grendel.
But most decide to stay. They do not have much hope of saving the city, but at least they can put a few dents in their enemies.
Or, at least that is the plan.
The two groups arrive almost at the same time. The Children of Wrecks are accompanied by monsters, terrifying heralds of the Spring realm, and a dramatic storm. The Grendel bring discipline and a massive battering ram in the shape of a serpent. It makes quick work of the gates to Oran and the Grendel pour into the town.
Only they do not fight the Freeborn, instead they fall upon the Children of Wrecks. The Defenders mostly decide to roll with this change, and work together with the Grendel to cut down the cultists. Within three hours the Children of Wrecks are being chased back to the sea and the Grendel sort themselves out and leave.
Apparently they received word from the “ghost of the sea” and assorted remnants of an old Grendel spy ring that the Children of Wrecks were going to attack Oran and they took this opportunity to fight their truly despised enemies, the followers of Siakha.
As such there has been no change in the military control aspects of Feroz.
The Grendel Commander and the Wind Lord who was in control of this attack are available for Winged Messengers should anyone wish to send one.
If One Be Gone We Carry On
And now north to the Marches.
Mournwold
Last season an opportunity arose for the Imperial Heroes of Anvil to fight Haakon, the Old Jarl of the Mourn. They did so and defeated him in honourable combat, an important step in the long road to a truce with the Jotun.
The Tusks and the Drakes stay in the Mourn to slowly push out the Jotun. Many of the Jotun they are fighting are old veterans who know this land, which makes it harder. But the people of the Mourn are on the side of the Empire and celebrate them with hidden caches of food and drink when they come by. There are even members of the Mournwold Orc communities who speak to the army recruiters about joining the armies, despite the cultural difficulties that this will create. But they seem sincere and there will, no doubt, be more news about this in future Winds.
The Mournwold is technically Imperial, but the Greensward is still under Jotun control as is much of the Northern farmland. The problem is that the Jotun have the territory next door and have done much to fortify it, they can sweep out and attack whenever they wish.
Bregasland
However there is worse news out of Bregasland. 40 to 50,000 Jotun have come out of Ashvale and have thoroughly invaded Bregasland. It is not just the usual Jotun either, the Corazon from the South have come with and are unfortunately immune to the superstitions about bogs and marshes.
The Jotun sweep through much of Bregasland before it is possible to stop them. And often it is more delay and distraction than a full stop. The Strong Reed army was told to Lay Low, and they prevent a major attack on the town of Eel’s Landing, or at least delay the invaders enough that everyone is able to get away and take their valuables with them.
This infuriates the Jotun, the Corazon especially, and they take it out on the grain stores that make up the Breadbasket. There will be no benefit to the Bregasland farmers this season.
Many of the Jotun choose to visit the various pilgrimage sites around Bregasland, such as Sabbey’s Mound and Fisher’s Rock.
They offer the Choice to those they come across, but they only get welcome from the Clakes of Beandown who, rumour has it, have allied with them for a promise of revenge on their neighbours.
Ottery
Those that can move ahead of the invaders make their way to Ottery, where the Strong Reeds do their best to bind the disparate and argumentative Bregaslanders into a defence.
They are massively outnumbered, but they will fight to the end to keep their homes. And they will probably need to, if there are no reinforcements sent the Jotun will take complete control over Bregasland.
There will be a battle opportunity for fighting the Jotun, but it has not been revealed yet.
Game Info
Most of the territory has fallen to the Jotun.
The Jotun have conquered Grey Fens, North Fens, and the Rushes
They are eight-tenths of the way towards taking Ottermire
For the moment personal resources in the territory do not suffer the conquered territory penalty – and as long as the Strong Reeds remain in Bregasland they won’t suffer that penalty even if the Jotun take Ottermire.
The senator, Willem Tarne, has lost their seat, and the territory cannot be targeted by rituals from the Imperial Regio.
Any Bregasland characters should think about how this invasion will change things for them.
Follow Me My Friend
Now for a brief moment in Tassato.
A few days after the Winter Solstice the dead rise in Tassato. However, this is a city where the majority of the dead are burned, so who is it that rises? Well the richest and most respected rise from glittering tombs, their rings falling from skeletal fingers. Murder victims drag themselves out of the river and from hidden spots around the city, and old enemies who were buried outside the walls come too. The Winter spirits who take over the dead bodies have little care for how much the people were loved or hated, they just rip them from their rest wherever they can find them.
The Fist of the Mountains called up the dead of the territory on the same summit as the Leaguers celebrated their Feast of the Reaper. However, the army leaves for the front after a week so, shattered tombs and horrified Tassatans aside, there are few consequences, so far. But throughout the season the soldiers of the other armies notice the unnatural bloodthirst of the Fist and there are rumours of monstrous dogs roaming the camps.
In contrast to the Winter magic enchanting the Fist, the Bloodcloaks, the Bounders, the Autumn Hammers and the Summer Storm, are enchanted with the Day ritual, Clarity of the Master Strategist which helps them to work together and choose the best tactics. In addition, the Autumn Hammers have called on favours from the Autumn realm, and are accompanied by heralds who encourage them to loot the wealthy region of Riberia, in some cases taking back that which has been stolen from Imperial lands, but also taking things like perfumes, oils, wines, jewellery and icons.
The thralls of the region flee ahead of the armies, taking what they can with them, but are often forced to leave behind their icons. These icons are incredibly varied, but nearly always there is one that represents Hessar Escuta, the leader of the old Lasambrians who, it is said, slew the First Empress before being killed in turn. What virtue he represents varies, but it is often Courage or Pride.
The Imperial Armies continue West. Here they come across the Southern Yegarra, humans who fight alongside the Orcs. But for the most part the armies that should be here are not, and the majority of the fighting happens around villages and towns by fighters more accustomed to banditry. As the armies travel South more Jotun warriors appear from the garrisons stationed nearby, and the combined forces of the Jotun, Yegarra and Lasambrian are very, very clear about their disgust that the Fist of the Mountains have taken the dead into battle. The Lasambrians are also very angry about the Imperials attempting to take more of the land that belongs to them, and often tell the Imperials that when they come across them.
By the Spring Equinox Riberia has been conquered and there are only three places in Bastasor where the defenders are holding strong. The Arena of Virtue, Grismont Township, and the Crown of Bastasor. None of the invading armies have had high casualty counts, and if nothing changes the Empire will have control of the other parts of Bastasor next season.
Player Participation
The Fist of the Mountain was under an enchantment that allowed them to fight alongside 1000 corpses inhabited (if that is the right word) by Winter spirits. These corpses were taken from the lands surrounding the city of Tassato and so anyone from that region is likely to have seen the corpses shamble out of the city and probably has opinions on it.
Battle Opportunity
There will be a battle opportunity to fight in Reinos this season, however the details have not yet been revealed.
And folks, that is it for the Winds of War! I hope you find these notes useful and that they help to make the game more fun and approachable for anyone who reads them. Please let me know if I left in any mistakes or typos, I think I got them all but this is always a slightly rushed process as I want to get these summaries up as quickly as possible and some will always escape.
Can you believe that it is two weeks until Event 2? It’s kind of terrifying, not going to lie, I have a lot to get ready.
The Winds of Fortune will be coming out next!
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