The Church of The Divine Spheres has always been one of the cornerstones of Concordian culture - regardless of form and title, The Spheres and their followers guide the journeys of all within The Concord. This has never been more the case than this past season; where The Concordian Church has been a solid foundation for all within to stand on, it now finds itself in a stage of growth and change.
The Concordian people turn to the Priests of The Concord now more than ever; either to ask for aid and support, to question where their loyalties lie, or to seek answers of past lives uncovered.
How The Concordian Church of The Divine Spheres will look after this period of change has yet to be determined - only the Heroes of The Concord can answer these questions, and decide what their journeys will look like.
I Bring a Righteous Reprieve
The people of Nazafeza have long since resigned themselves to a struggle to survive, facing countless difficulties and often feeling forgotten by the very Concord they so wishfully joined. But the people of Andash are one of perseverance, and so they have pushed on and on, falling ever back on the Spheres and each other for comfort and support. Surely, they would think to themselves, the very Spheres that we pledge our souls to would understand and reward our suffering and what we have made of it, so long as we persevere.
It was this hope that would hold Nazafeza, and perhaps even greater parts of Mukarrem, from truly breaking apart over the desperate years. This would be one of their small comforts while the marines of the Principality ruined their homes, only a short while ago. Yet just as the jeers of tasteless brigands would be sour to a wound, so too would the lack of support they would feel, true or otherwise. The massive waves caused by Heroes are so often felt by The Concord that it is the smallest efforts that can be so often missed.
This could have been one of the many results that caused Vinitia Pontus’ words to strike so true in the hearts of Nazafeza’s citizens. A people felt misbegotten now finally within reach of salvation and trust, a bastion to place their faith which they have held so dearly. Perhaps it was the presence of Vinitia and her words, perhaps it was just luck, but regardless Heroes and Priests of The Concord would find their way to Nazafeza and hear of the people's plight and where they would seek to find new hope.
And they would not leave the people wanting.
By decree of The Concordian Church, The Council of Six and even The Senate, Nazafeza would find aid of all kinds come at last. Heroes would lead the way and hundreds, if not thousands, of Concordians would follow suit, rebuilding Nazafeza through the hands of a nation unified in action. A great number of people would travel from all over The Concord to finally be of assistance to the people of Nazafeza, relieving their suffering in any way possible. Priests would lead the fore, being the first to arrive and the last to leave, fulfilling the promises they made with a determination thought all but divine in nature.
In the tools and hands of labourers, rebuilding homes that were once ruined by war, could Nazafeza truly feel the hope of normalcy. In the rows and rows of markets set up within and outside the city, selling at rates that would barely break even, could Nazafeza feel the sacrifice of others. In the hundreds of lights, reflected in the glittering waters of the ocean, could Nazafeza feel the warmth of community and togetherness. In the celebration and festivals of Big Bev’s Bay, an act impossible were it not for the acts of Heroes, would Nazafeza feel that art and life could have a place in their world. After such a time of stagnation, held back by the struggles of living, could Nazafeza finally grow from its hardened shell.
Through the support of Priests first and Heroes second would Nazafeza know that The Concord is their bastion and home.
Game Information
The heroes of The Concord, spearheaded by Priests of the Concordian Church, would put a tremendous effort towards supporting the township and people of Nazafeza during the Winter Season. Thousands of people from all over The Concord would follow in the steps of a great many Heroes, lending aid in every imaginable way in a true act of unification. The people of Nazafeza, who had at times felt dismayed and abandoned, are able to smile fully knowing that they belong.
The actions of Concordian Priests have allowed the people of Nazafeza to put their faith in the Concordian Church who has cared for them. For the following Season, Congregations based in Nazafeza will function as if they were 2 Tiers higher, and all other Investment types based in Nazafeza will function as if they were 1 Tier higher.
Investments that attended Nazafeza will find that they have gained a small assortment of resources, items and currency, reflecting the economic rewards and charity of such a large cultural event.
The completion and naming of the trade port as ‘Big Bev’s Bay’ brings the trade port into full function. All naval investments based in Nazafeza gain +1 Tier whenever they complete the ‘Trade with Foreign Ports’ action.
Sometimes the Hammer, Sometimes the Nail
As the revelry of the festival continues outside, Vinitia takes a seat at her improvised desk, made up of crates that used to hold food and books of prayer in equal measure. There are more than a few wounds in the souls of The Concord, threatening their Journeys, but the ‘visit’ from the contingent of Concordian Heroes shone the light of Lumos upon one hidden in their underbellies - their people and their Heroes are so distant from one another that they are forgetting the Spheres that unite them.
Perhaps, Vinitia ponders, picking at the remnants of her dinner, The Heroes of The Concord view themselves as miniature Emperors; ordained by the Spheres to decide the fate of their people as they deem necessary.
An ant walks across Vinitia’s desk. She lets it wander onto her hand, walks herself over to the edge of the room, and gently guides it onto the window sill, to let it follow the light and stir of the Night Festival. More ants follow the first, moving out from the shadows.
And to the people of The Concord, their ‘Heroes’ are unknown and unknowable behemoths, wielding the Spheres with ease; just as likely to pick them up and cradle them the arms of Cervitas as they are to leave them to the undergrowth.
But, Vinitia thinks, smile warm as she watches the ants meander on their path, All people need others to guide them on their Journey, big or small. Be it the Heroes or the people.
And so, Vinitia returns to her desk and looks back to her letters and to her maps. The people here no longer need me to help them hear the words of the Spheres. Her eyes cross to the centre of the map, and she sighs, already feeling an ache in her bones at the thought of the long journey to Resinderholz.
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Even under the golden light of The Wondrous Forests of the Night, the damp air in Wolstad is heavier than any that Vinitia Pontus has experienced - the stale catacombs below The Grand Cathedral of Niccolo were the closest she could remember, but the shadows hadn’t been quite so dense there.
It makes sense, Vinitia thinks, That the people here are quite so dour.
She gazes out the shuttered windows of the home herself and her fellow Priests were sharing, eyes squinting at the trees shifting in the flickering morning light. It was nice, at least, to see the flowers blooming across the city. But even the brightness of the white flowers, grown in Panoply’s powers on a building dedicated to Lumos and Cervitas, were not enough to lighten the souls of the people here.
Vinitia’s gaze shifts to the blue petals that seem to fall endlessly from the huge dead oak. Perhaps I will not be enough, she allows herself to think in a moment of melancholy. Perhaps I was the wrong choice. An Einherjar may have been a better fit for such practical people against what ails them.
The swords on The Gravetree glint in the growing sun, some of their blades not yet wholly consumed by rust. She thinks back to the green creature she saw speared by such a weapon upon her arrival into town, its blood sticky and pungent. A weight begins to settle in her stomach, one that she has not felt for a very long time - doubt.
But then, she thinks of the people that she comforted in the Abbey of one of her Spheres - of the mother whose hair she braided back from her tired face, of the child whose knee she cleaned after running from the creature, and of the cautiously hopeful smiles on their faces as they returned home with a small basket of cantucci she had made. She had done that. She had helped them. And she would continue to do so, however she could.
But I cannot do so alone, she thinks. She turns back to the small room, checking that the gift from her Pedagogue, finely made by one of the many skilled Artisans of home, is still where she placed it, before getting her supplies ready for the day.
After all, some plants are made to be foraged - to provide for the people and to let them grow, she ponders, conviction strong in her heart. And some plants are made to be cut down - to return to ash and to start anew.
Game Information
Vintia Pontus, the ardent Artebazzani preacher, along with her gaggle of supporting Priests, have been given permission by The Concordian Heroes to continue preaching within The Concord. At the very least, they were not cut down where they stood, and no motions within The Church were passed to see them chased away.
Following her success in prompting further aid for the people of Nazafeza, Vinitia has travelled along The Salt Road and The Golden Road towards The Greenweald, settling into Wolstad to provide aid there.
Characters who would have been in Wolstad this last season would have seen Vinitia offering support in Weltschmerz Abbey, preaching the words of The Divine Spheres, and supporting the populace in their daily tasks. Some may have seen her conducting serene Rites of Cervitas and solemn Rites of Arcadian, while others may have seen her sitting quietly at The Gravetree, head bowed in contemplation.
Congregations based in Wolstad will receive additional information about Vinitia Pontus’ preaching in Wolstad and her stated goals.
Seeing some of the problems plaguing the people of Wolstad, Vinitia will be offering an opportunity for the Heroes of The Concord to join in her aid through The Concordian Church of The Divine Spheres.
Impossible to Say Which Was Which
The social climate of Lerona Mere is not unlike water in a kitchen. Sometimes it is cool and languid, made up of frolicking in The Bay of Promised Gold and calm conversations on art and culture. Sometimes it is a rolling, frothing boil, spilling over the edges of its bounds, like the fires of revolution burning through hearts, minds, and bodies.
At present, it is not icy nor blistering; instead, to those with keen eyes and ears close enough to the ground, it is the beginning of a slow, barely-perceptible simmer. There is no burning revolution. No riots in the streets. No rotten fruits or vegetables being thrown at Senators.
But there is certainly something brewing beneath the surface.
Word had gotten to nearly all the people of Lerona Mere when the Heroes returned from Passage - they spoke of a Grand Inquest for the murder of a Triaminite. The murder of a heretic, espousing sacrilege in the streets of the largest city in The Concord.
Surely that’s no murder at all, whispered the people of Lerona Mere, thinking back to the incident; Surely The Concordian Church of The Divine Spheres, and the Heroes of The Concord, would see that this was necessary to protect the souls of the people? These whispers would not abate, but when it became clear that the answer was no, would instead morph into something else.
For some of the Heroes of The Concord, they feel it when they are walking the streets of the city. A hushed whisper that falls over the grocer’s stall as they pass by, figures eying the ‘wanted’ posters plastered up by The Concordian Civil Service at the behest of their Senator. A murmuring under a roof yet to be fixed that goes silent as they walk by. The closing of a door in the face of a Magistrate after a citizen’s statement that they couldn’t have possibly seen what happened to that poor Dendarri; they were looking the other way when it occurred.
This feeling is certainly not helped by the news, spreading like the flames of Anarch through the city and towns, that The Concordian Heroes ‘parlayed’ with Artebazzani. It is fine, the people of Lerona Mere speak to themselves. We all know what happened last time an Artebazzani stepped foot on Concordian soil. And so, it is with great disappointment when there is no news of punches being thrown, nor weapons drawn. No news of oppressors being suppressed. No news of dead Artebazzani, bleeding out into the Nazafezza sands. No news of justice for the people of Lerona Mere.
For the Heroes of The Concord, they feel this grievance when they are visiting their churches in the outskirts. A silence when they enter the building, then an awkward cough, and a quiet filing out until they are the only individual left in the room. An assessing look at the many Heroic Priests against their dwindling flocks of folk remaining at home. The single derisive snort at the ever-so Heroic Concordians telling tales of throwing off the shackles of their oppressors, while wearing their glittering left- overs and sending letters to their Cardinals.
Oh, there is certainly something simmering, but what it will become remains to be seen.
Game Information
The decisions made by Lerona Mere Heroes of The Concord, both regarding the Grand Inquest for the murder of the Dendarri Triaminite last season, and the fraternising with Artebazzani preachers, have created malcontent within the people of Lerona Mere. Heroes of Lerona Mere, particularly Priests, may have noticed themselves being quietly heckled, mocked, or entirely ignored in streets that used to be entirely comfortable to them; the streets of their home.
There will be decisions regarding this civil unrest for the Council of Six.
As a result of this shaking of faith in the Lerona Mere people, all Congregation investments within the region of Lerona Mere have been damaged.
Will You Know Who You Were?
Every Summit creates its own maelstrom of rumour and myth-making. If you believed every tavern tale about the gathering of The Concord’s Heroes, you would be convinced that the Summit was a magic-filled crime spree that was both a wild display of wealth, and ruined the Concord’s economy simultaneously.
While it is often best to ignore these outlandish tales, one that has emerged is based in startling fact; The Heterodox of the Church, Lysander of Lerona Mere, was blessed with a journey into one of his past lives. Those who were present describe Lysander and the Priest chosen as his guide, Jacques De Zisseau, entering a comatose state after praying before the Pulpit of the Iron Star, an artifact retrieved from the cursed Greenweald Cathedral a year prior.
The Concord had been prompted toward use of the pulpit at the end of a celestial blade. The Fang of Inner Darkness, Herald of The Star Serpent, threatened the lives of several notable Concordians following their confessed role in the death of The Tome Bearer, another Herald of The Star Serpent. While the Church has since ruled that this act was a matter of mercy, The Fang of Inner Darkness felt little forgiveness.
Thanks to the actions of many Concordians and the pleading of those who had slain The Tome Bearer, their death was forestalled. But the lack of care taken with the Pulpit retrieved from the Iron Star was interpreted as a failure of The Concord and the demand was given. The Concord will use the Pulpit to the best of their ability to learn of their past, the Spheres, and the world, or they will have shown their failure in the eyes of The Star Serpent.
Now the Pulpit of the Iron Star looms beyond its simple frame. Rumour has it that Jacques De Zisseau was wounded in his guiding of the Heterodox, so there is proof of the power of the artifact, let alone Lysanders revelations of a life as an Andashi General in war against The Witch.
The situation has raised far more questions than answers. The Fang of Inner Darkness killed Concordians in pursuit of revenge; does this mean that revenge killings are holy in the eye of The Star Serpent? Or is it a weakness in The Fang? Are these visions of past lives gifts from Stallia to be held close by the revelator? Or are they pieces of history that should be studied and recorded for the benefit of all?
Regardless of what the future holds, the past is calling.
Game Information
Following the Ceremony of the Pulpit of the Iron Star, the artifact is now attuned to The Concord. It will offer a Past-Life Vision to one individual, known as the visionary, and a priestly ‘guide’ per Summit, on the second day at 10:30pm. Not much is known about the visions and they appear to be at least somewhat dangerous.
The visionary will be chosen by the Council of Six during that day's Council session. The visionary has the right to refuse. Reviews by the Civil Service and Priests of the Church have found, such is the personal nature of the vision, that the Guiding Priest will be chosen by the visionary, not by the Council. Characters interested in becoming a visionary are recommended to seek out a High Priest and plead their case.
The debate over the nature of the Past-Life Visions and their specific value still rages within the Church. If characters are interested in preserving these stories, it is recommended that they pursue them quickly, as it is outside of the Civil Services abilities to do so, such is their workload, and soon these visions will fade with memory and time.
The circumstances around The Tome Bearer and the nature of The Fang remain obscure.