Disaster!

‘Gxe’dhok’s Revenge

The Long Winter means, to many, death. Frozen crops, cloudy skies, and beasts. But ice preserves as easily as it kills. The weather maintains the beauty of its victims even as it robs them of their last breaths. Dark magic has been wrought, however, and though slow and creeping, it now finds a hold as the Long Winter is undone, drinking of the residual energies like a carrion feeder. Pestilence is left where once cold reigned. Weakened bodies and newly thawed ground, often thick and muddy, combine to wreak havoc on populations. The origin point appears to be the now abandoned base once used by the Bloodied Hands, all those once inside very, very dead - blood magic and blight get along like dry straw and fire, it seems.
The BHD base in Bhule(86) has been destroyed!
Initia HC1 in Regno(8) and Jalyeong-Bo HC2 in Whern(87) become Open!
BHL TP1 for Copper in Bhule(86), WRN TP3 for Peat in Black Marsh (91), and LDN TP2 for Magical Reagents in Sycoraxistan (115) become Open!
Tevrus (90) is in Unrest!
The panic that ensues might be worse than the contagion itself; it by no means matches up to Crabbin’ Fever, and as the afflicted regions continue to grow warmer, buoyed by the southern spirits of Amham’s Chimes, the disease itself soon subsides, though not without having taken its toll...
RGO’s Faith is reduced by 1 until a 1-action Faith Project is taken to restore it!
OVN’s Intrigue is reduced by 1 until a 1-action Intrigue Project is taken to restore!
OVN and BHL each lose two Units!

Amham’s long efforts pay off in spectacular fashion, as a heat wave crashes into the Long Winter from below, easily pushing the cold back into the north, where it manages only to linger, greatly weakened, in those areas most accustomed to the cold. Spirits from across Emjata join in to help in the great ringing of the Chimes, and though they have not defeated the Long Winter entirely, they have set the cold back decades.
The Long Winter has been pushed out of Regno(8), Delwin(84), Overvann(89), Tevrus(90), Black Marsh(91), Thae Guceart(92), and Sycoraxistan(115)! The Long Winter no longer spreads as readily as it once did: spread reduced from 1d3 regions per Round to 1d3-1 regions per round.

Sycoraxistan’s aid in this matter, long experts at spirit wrangling, is nothing to be laughed at. Their own efforts establish waystations to help force back the cold further, offering their expertise to any priests who might wish to make the attempt.
Players may now take Faith actions to try to push the Long Winter out of regions if an HC of their state religion is present in the region! This counts as taking an action in the region, subjecting it to Long Winter penalties to the roll, but otherwise needs only TN14! Each HC past the first of your state religion in the region gives +1 to the roll. Failed attempts will still reduce the Long Winter penalty in the region by 2 points, to a minimum of 0.

In Whern, the Long Winter still reigns...or it would, were it not for their newly ascendant god, Isknvald Fault-Eater. It is said that at their trial, all those present, not just Seers, bore witness to the presence of the Gods. Though still young and weak for a god, Isknvald’s wit, guile, and newly found influence may prove enough to allow them to rise to even greater heights within the Gamle Mater Pantheon. In Sycoraxistan, the knowledge gleaned from fevered study and experimentation is kept safe, in case the Long Winter should return.
Regions with Long Winter and at least one Initia HC may be Fueled by Reagents/Magic Sources. Regions with Long Winter count as Fueled if they contain a Gamle Mater Holy Order. Regions with Long Winter and at least one Gamle Mater HC may be Fueled by Frozen Tears.


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Actions in Long Winter regions are at a -2 penalty , plus -1 for each round it’s been Wintered, up to -4 after two rounds (applies to attacker rolls too, but not defender).

Instability slowly rises (too cold to do anything about it, but the region also has difficult staying together), units and TPs can be lost or abandoned, HCs will start turning to Dragon Cult, and there’s even potential for state infrastructure to be damaged (reducing a random stat by 1 until an action is taken to repair it)

If all regions you have are in Long Winter, Stats are treated as though half their actual score for purpose of rolling outside your own regions, due to the difficulties of passing back and forth through the storms.

One Fuel TP can be dedicated to a Long Winter region to ward off the negative effects for a round. Frozen TPs can only be used if the region is getting Fuel.

Long Winter Regions [Round LW Began]
Bhule (86) [29]
‘Ridi’r (85) [30]
Whern (87) [30]
Cays & Bahwick (88) [31]
Delwin (84) - Still Infested (not LW)


A Stillness, Broken; The Pride in Uproar!

Zenay Rrasa has proven skilled, acquiring Obsidian Glass from Khirus for the use of the Pride. But with every success there comes a price, and her growing power, as well as Tashan’s promises of rulership, are certainly a worrisome threat. Greater appeasement may be a necessary evil….

Zenay Rrasa successfully raids AVA TP3 for Obsidian Glass in Khirus (40)! Zenay Rrasa increases from Intrigue 7 to Intrigue 8! One additional action may be given to Zenay Rrasa to appease her growing power.

Perhaps threatened by her brother’s foreign support, or hiding an even more devious plot, Kissin accepts the offer of co-rulership, and throws her forces against the enemy - or at least an enemy - in the Azure Coast. Her withdrawal from the uprising is met with what appears to be an embarrassed silence from the Feast of Rieba.

Kissin Rieba Ssuras (Mil8 General) rejoins the Serene Marasa Pride with four Units! SMP loses three Reputation with Feast of Rieba, becoming Reputation 2 - Opposed! Kissin Rieba Ssuras is using one SMP action to invade the Azure Coast with three Units, using Pack Tactics, Iron Weaponry, and Camel Cavalry! Kissin Rieba Ssuras is using one SMP action to attempt to convert Dragon Cult HC3 of the Azure Coast to Perijanism! Kissin Rieba Ssuras is using one non-SMP action to attempt to appease the priesthood!

Granting the harem control of domestic policies may have allowed Zabaryn greater focus on the war, for what good it did, but their growing influence is a storm cloud on the horizon. In the high summer of 209, in the midst of the heaviest rainstorm of the year, the more metaphorical storm breaks: Tashan Khompur Ssuras, with the backing of several powerful harem members, makes her own move for the throne. She declares Zabaryn a weak usurper who has brought nothing but ruin, and openly promises the harem control of the Pride should they support her. Chaos rules in Khomphan as the secret allegiance of many soldiers and even some Manes is revealed, and bloody fighting soon spills outward from Trodjan.

The Feast of Rieba’s silence proves less embarrassed and more ominous when Tashan’s rebellion begins. From their base in Mareen, the Feast joins in Tashan’s denunciation of Zabaryn, sending elite forces blessed by Rieba to march on the capital city. Worryingly, rumors spread that the Feast plans to hold a massive tournament open even to the lowest classes to determine the new Emperor.
Mareen is in Rebellion, with two Rebel factions! Lioness Rebels are led by Tashan Khompur Ssuras (Mil10) with three Units using Pack Tactics, Iron Weaponry, and Camel Cavalry! Orthodox Rebels are led by Seneschal Janra Rieba Hhrosa (Mil8) with four Units using The Book Of The Water’s Edge(Unknown Effect(!))! Tashan Khompur Ssuras is trying to recruit the harems and their half-breed children to her cause! Tashan Khompur Ssuras (Int6) is trying to Raid Open TP2 for Living Ivory in Arrakis!

Following their victory in Xaryx, Lagos and Estevan press onwards. Lagos leads a small detachment into Sonil, bribing, threatening, and dueling to raise support, while Estevan remains to protect their gains. In late 210 Lagos disappears for several months, but when he returns he makes no secret that he is courting the support of the only neutral sibling, Jasak, a populist who has begun to see his right to challenge for the throne….

Sonil is in Rebellion led by Lagos III Trodje Ssuras (Mil9) with three Units using Pack Tactics, Iron Weaponry, and Camel Cavalry! Lagos III Trodje Ssuras (Int5) is trying to Raid AHM TP1 for Tower Cactus in Sonil using Dueling Instincts! Lagos III Trodje Ssuras is trying to recruit Jasak Rither Ssuras to his cause!

Estevan El Lyz (Mil9) is defending Xaryx (80) & Arrakis (81) with eight Units, using Camel Cavalry, Imperial Uniform, Sedellan Glass Armor, and Obsidian Fire! Estevan El Lyz is trying to buyout AVA TP2 for Pearls in Roagan!