Five years ago the people of Southern Esterra forged hope using their own hands. Against the storms of conquest, fear, plague, and magic, there was no salvation coming. But rather than fall meekly beneath their challengers, the people, as varied as the stories that brought them there, held firm together. They stopped the great retreat, they forged the miracle, and they changed the world.
Five years have passed and they find themselves in a very different world. As The Concord takes its first steps into victory - not simply the forestalling of defeat - hope can become glory, and glory can become whatever you wish it to be.
It is 225 AE, and The Concord will break the storm.
Welcome to the Winds of the World for Autumn 225!
The Winds of the World detail the changes and progression of the world of Concord over the last season, detailing the wars, fortunes and opportunities that have arisen over time. These are intended to show how the world has moved, provide prompts and guides for characters as well as let you see the results of your actions.
This page will detail the Winds of the World as a summary, with a short introduction for each individual section of the Winds. If any particular section draws your attention or has game information that might affect you, click into it and read the full text which will be substantially longer and contain game information. These pages are in a slightly new format, broken up into subheadings allowing the Concord Team to focus information and provide a better cause and effect.
It is important to note that the Winds of The World are not an in-character document. Rather, it represents a collection of documents, rumours, reports and tales that have swept The Concord. Any character is more than welcome to know as little or as much of the Winds as possible, reflecting how well informed they like to keep themselves. It is perfectly acceptable to arrive in Passage having heard nothing or to only seek out the winds that apply to you. Particularly studious, influential or well-travelled characters may know all or most of it. When referring to the Winds in character, you are welcome to characterise it as 'rumours heard in tavern houses' or 'the latest report from Weiland!' rather than the idea that the Civil Service putting out a gigantic almanac of goings on and gossip.
We've attempted to tag each entry in the Winds in regards to who it affects, hopefully this will make it easier to navigate. Each sub section will be updated as the Autumn Summit draws nearer, with an entry being posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until they are all posted. The Winds will be posted in the order that they are listed here.
To Learn from Crises of Anguish - The War in Mukarrem
- The War Chamber / Andash
Mukarrem has seen more than its fair share of violence and would-be conquest since the inception of The Concord, with no perpetrator more consistent than The Imperial Prince of the Western Empire, the Trade Prince of The Trade Principality of Aprivano, The Chosen of The Magistrate, Majiid Del’Majiid.
The last time that the forces of the Trade Prince stepped blooded boots into Nazafeza, they razed the city, destroying dwellings, docks, and denizens with the same vermeiled vehemence. The last time that he had his bejewelled hands on Concordian Heroes, they were almost killed for Spheres that hold no place in his heart, justified by perceived slights and ill-maintained ‘friendships’.
In the past, Majiid Del’Majiid has fought The Concord with blazing rage, and blistering scorn, lighting fires for the suffering they bring. But this time is different.
This time, the Imperial Prince means to stand by his self-given title, calm and collected in his conquest. This time, he will not burn Mukarrem, but begin to take it as his own.
Unmoved by the Whispers of Crows - The War in The Tribelands
- The War Chamber / Andash / Greenweald Baronies
While a bandit-turned-warlord steals from Concordian merchants and baggage trains, a warlord-turned-cultist masses in the desert. Steel for gold and steel for a just cause pass each other in the night, both eager to be wet with the blood of fallen Concordians. There is no love lost between these foes, but there is a greater opportunity afoot.
The people of Andash joined The Concord to reclaim the glory lost to the sands and have instead found themselves cast as the bulwark against raiders and marauders alike. There was a time when Janissaries were a valued export but as the land of sun and moon readies itself for another winter campaigning season, it seems that the children of Andash will be needed at home. The wars in Andash will not wait.
Is This the Reprieve for Marching Boots, or Simply the Gate to More - The War in Mancante Terra
- The War Chamber / Lerona Mere
The arrival of The Legion of the Blackheart Bear to Korrence was not one of fanfare, nor applause and cheer. Korrence as it stands - a simple town turned military outpost - would be nothing more than the first landing of a greater war to be fought. Mancante Terra, one of the largest swathes of lands in Southern Esterra, would take time to traverse. The enemy would not wait, and neither would The Legion.
Bolstered by marines of The Liberties Fist, the war would see Concordian forces consolidate their control over held territory and push their way atop the plateau on which sits Mandrianos. Yet they would not do so easily, met by mysteries and monsters beyond their ken with each step. The Drowned present themselves yet once more as a steady threat to be faced with resolute minds.
Yet again will the campaign into Mancante Terra ask a price of The Concord.
The Last Fool of the One-Eyed King - The War in The Steinvaults
- The War Chamber / Iron Valley / Kingdom of Bordevar
Parents across the turn of the Sphere often trot out the old adage that ‘bullies are cowards; if you stand up to them, surely they will leave you alone!’ While there are more than a few young people with blackened eyes and split lips owing to this piece of knowledge, there is likely some truth in it.
The Boar’s Head Clan, those mountainfolk of the Steinvaults, have thrown their weight around The Concord for years at this point. Their relentless need for captives to work at their frozen plans and their sneering contempt for Concordian unity have become plain to see. For seasons they had survived at the edges of Concordian consideration, by boon of being not worth the trouble.
But this tormentor dreamt too big, pushed too far, and when The Concord stood up to them they did so with thousands of armoured boots.
To Prod and Poke Over and Over Until Finally All That Is Left Is Wrath - The War in Windholme
- The War Chamber / Iron Valley
It is the words of those in power that determine the ways of war. This has never been more true for the people of Windholme, as The Severed Lords are declared an enemy of The Concord, yet again bringing to bear the weight of Baelags and Brotherslee. These regions which have been out of grasp for so long, are now the homes of a true enemy who must simply be slain. There is no talking, no diplomacy, simply war.
And it seems The Severed Lords agree. It would not be Concordian boots marching into Baelags Holdfast that would start this war in earnest, but enemy boots marching into Windholme. The sound of thousands upon thousands of boots would fill the air, heralding the arrival of Adanoskr, and the view of far more warriors than ever thought possible would bolster around Haveeka’s Holdfast.
War has come to Windholme, and it has come in force.
My Blade Strikes Where Lightning Does Not - The War in Resinderholz
- The War Chamber / Greenweald Baronies / Kingdom of Bordevar
This past season the last Barony of the Weald held the line against the undead, the plague, and the heathen, sometimes all three at once. The Concord’s northern border is a place of danger and hope in equal measure. But over summer there have been far more victories than defeats. The Marble Gauntlet has met defeat against Bordevarian steel and the north remains firmly within the hands of The Concord.
Such is the nature of war that it can drag up pain from the depths, will the people of the Weald and of the Kingless Kingdom be happy with what they have found?
Formed the World Anew
- Andash
In The Tribelands, conversations of magic are as commonplace as conversations about the weather, or weekend plans; the arcane has existed in this place for longer than the people have, and while its history is shrouded in the sands, the endeavours of the Andashi School of Gifts often work to forge a new future.
But recent conversations of a magical ilk have not been those formed through historic research and essay upon essay. Instead, the gossip surrounding a Bordevarian mage fleeing into the desert after a fleeting visit, and the sudden appearance of a glittering mirage in the distance drips from the lips of mages and merchants alike. Quieter still, are rumours of those with the ability to speak to the dead - a blessing given by magic once thought cursed. How true any such rumours are is unknown, but such things must stem from somewhere, questionable origins or no.
No Coins in the World to Buy Peace
- Greenweald Baronies
For the people of the Baronies, life is much like putting out a brushfire; work that is equal parts dangerous, frantic, and tiring. This past season has been no different. Through the sun-dappled leaves of spring into summer into autumn, the people of Resinderholz have made what they can of their lot.
In Wolstad they attempt to excise a very human infection within their midst; criminal syndicate calling themselves ‘The New Butchers of Wolstad’ takes to the streets in combat against competition and Magistrates.
In Krezenberg they make difficult choices and watch death unfold both within and without. Like a loving pet, the Blasserstreit follows the story of Resinderholz at every step. In Krezenberg people die, but those deaths are ordained by the powerful.
In the Ravensreach Wilds they wander into the dark in search of answers - in search of victory.
We will endure.
'Poli': Meaning Many; 'Tics': Meaning Bloodsuckers
- Lerona Mere
In many ways, Lerona Mere is the nexus around which The Concord rotates. Geographically, it sits at the heart of the Concordian territory, defended by staunch allies and an uncaring sea. Governmentally, it is home to Passage and the vast apparatuses of government, many of which are based in Legend City. Economically, it is home to the largest port in The Concord, its gateway to the wider world.
While this land and its people are of such import, they are moreso known for the wild extremes to which their realm can swing. From pearl-clutching conservatism in the face of economic hardship to violent revolution when faced with international norms, Lerona Mere continues to be the dynamic, roiling heart of The Concord.
This past season has seen house-to-house raids in search of foreign agents, city-wide festivals in pursuit of great art, a gambling tournament that crosses The Concord, and the continued pursuit of a Concordian Throne. All of this wrought by mundane hands and human will; such is the vibrant nature of Lerona Mere.
I Will Kill You in the Street and Stand Over Your Corpse
- The Church of the Divine Spheres
The Concordian Church of the Divine Spheres reaches for new heights. Years ago its fledgling steps were followed by shouts of anguish and torment. With time it has gained power and poise, even if the shouts of torment still remain.
The Church is riven within nearly all issues. Be it foreign churches, the laws of The Concord, or the expenditure of Church funds, all matters that see considerable disagreement. But such is the great strength of an organisation of many voices.
What is agreed upon is a desire to heal, help, and honour. All in the Church see that their foremost duty is to those who they serve, we can only hope that this task is remembered as time marches onwards.
Make No Mistake, I Am What You Make Me
- The Iron Valley
The Iron Valley has developed its culture over more time than can be counted - like the stone structures that they surround themselves with, each Age has stacked upon the ones that came before, forming a great, complex history, stronger than could ever be dismantled. But, like any great hall, some parts had worn away until they were barely remembered. The Old Gods of The Valley, only recently uncovered, are one such keystone of Valley culture, as is the new fervour more recently evoked from them - that of the Bloodglass Inheritors.
The mentality of the Inheritors, spurred by the ardent endorsement of the Heroes of The Valley, is one that has continued to spread over Windholme and Bolsterlee, from those looking up at Baelags, to those overlooking the Bay of Promised Gold. From their sigils of scarlet antlers and cries of killing as one, the future of The Iron Valley seems to be one carved from bloody axes and conquered lands.
With a Spring Faery Ring
- The Senate / The War Chamber / Greenweald Baronies / Kingdom of Bordevar
Across The Weald there continues a never-ending conflict: a fight to rule over the forest and the denizens that dwell within it; to topple others from positions of power into oblivion without losing one's own footing. Satisfied to stay hidden in the shadows of The Greenweald Baronies for a time, this conflict seems to be rising again, spreading beyond Resinderholz’s borders: in Wolstad and The Madre Campo, Concordian blades clash with the Weald’s denizens, spilling Boghoffen blood onto the forest floor, and in Everguarde threats of fae invasions strike at the hearts of Commonfolk and Nobles alike.
Though not their war to win, it is up to the Heroes of The Concord to decide their temporary victors.
On the Sand, Half Sunk
- Andash
The landscape of Andash is a complex beast; it both harms and helps in equal measure, as likely to swallow up what is atop its sand without care, as it is to provide safety for those that need it in times of quiet contemplation. Though its undulated dunes and wind-swept scrublands may change from season to season, these alterations are taken in the stride of its people, utterly accepting of its whims.
Beneath the surface of the Tanebar, Priests and Delvers walk alongside each other, struggling to understand knowledge that has been swept away by the sands that now offer them entry.
In Abqala, despite the shadow looming, the Nomadic people gather to engage in a joyous resurrection, discussing the Shepherd of the Reeds in hopeful, contemplative tones, taking refuge in its cool waters.
And in The True Wilds, there is nothing worth remembering at all.
Much That Once Was Is Lost
- The War Chamber / The Senate
Mancante Terra is a place of mystery, more so than any other place within The Concord’s grasp - not only is it a place once beset by strange creatures and curses by The Drowned, but it also remains tainted by the worship of false gods. It is, therefore, a place that many of The Concord have not yet formed concrete thoughts upon.
Will it continue to be a warfront, passed back and forth in ownership between The Concord and their Drowned enemies? Will it become a home for those from across The Concord that have lost so much? Or will it be dragged back to the depths below, to leave a gaping hole in The Concord’s already wounded side?
Only time will tell.
Accept Your Consequential Fate, or Bend It to Your Will
- Kingdom of Bordevar / Greenweald Baronies
The three Duchies of Bordevar hold within them more than simple livelihoods. To cast your eye across Starscar is to see ash and remember flame. To cast your eye across Heartsgrave is to see the wounds of battle and remember the pain of loss. To cast your eye across Everguarde is to see gouged earth and remember sacrifice. Weiland has lost as much as the people who would call it home.
But a home is to be lived in, and wear is to be expected. To be hardy is to be Bordevarian, and to grow anew a crop once lost is key to surviving the winter. There are seeds of action to be laid across the Duchies of Weiland, and even now there are some that show signs of sprouting.
Will they grow to be crops worthy of harvesting, or shall they wilt beneath the pressure of actionable existence?
Monuments of More
- The Senate / Andash / Lerona Mere
As the Season continues to pass, the words and minds of many unite once more under the creative banner of Senate Appraisals. The Liberartistes of Legend City come together with plans for buildings that truly express their culture, while Delver’s above the Kodiri ruins gather in droves to see a Foundation marked for their future. The Assessors of The Civil Service have compiled the best of the presented options, and their costs, for the consideration of The Senate and wider Concord.
It is the opinion of The Civil Service that these estimates would remain accurate for a year, requiring reappraisal by Autumn 226. The Senate is welcome to commission any or none of the following options, and the projects mentioned in ‘On the Value of Ignorance’ also remain available. The following Appraisals are no longer available for commission;
- Dredge Rickons Tier
- Rebuild the Royal Winter Gardens
- La Barrera Hafez
- La Bandar Ponta
To Simply Explain Is to Remove Any Mystery
- Iron Valley
The highs and lows of The Iron Valley hide within them far more than simple mysteries, built upon over the ages. There are secrets with depths, faith and knowledge, arcane blades and mystic armours; a great many things that even the most dedicated of Sagites would weep to find. Much of these lay in the lands lost during The Long Retreat, and until they are within Valley hands once more they are but lost history. Still, there are yet mysteries, new and old, to be found within current territories, and it is no hidden fact that Windholme and Bolsterlee are not strangers to such modern strangeness.
Masks, coins and an exclusive festival of shrouded origins once again finds its place in Bolsterlee. Whispers of a place of calm lead many to Windholme, to a place of ever expanding influence. All of The Valley hear of the final echoes of a broken cult, as if carried by the strongest of gales.
Perhaps these happenings are little more than simple wonders, or perhaps they hide within them a deeper meaning yet to be unearthed and turned toward greater purpose. Regardless, there would be questions that need answers, and Heroes to seek them.
To Understand More, so We Fear Less
- The Shardcircle
The Concordian forefront of learning, the frontier of knowledge and understanding, the battlefield of ideas. While all of these are concepts that the Shardcircle would likely apply to themselves, much to the chagrin of others, there is some truth at their heart. Between new great enchanted works and the grand powers of the Arcline and Precipice, there is significant power within its arcane halls.
Over the Summer the Shardcircle has pushed the envelope of Concordian knowledge through the creation of two new artisan crafts, it has worked to overcome the damages wrought by the Crystal Maw, and it has supported the Iron Valley and Exchange in the pursuit of new unknown resources.
All of this while preparing for another Summit, another Shardcircle Challenge, and another opportunity to change the very fabric of existence.
Don't Fear the Trees, Fear What Lurks Behind Them
- Greenweald Baronies
Change is a good thing, such as the saying goes. Change brings growth, it brings new life, it brings opportunity. But for many in the Weald, things growing, new life emerging, opportunity, these are all dangers. These are all chances for the maliciously fickle nature of the Weald to sweep the soil from beneath your feet and tumble you into darkness.
But these changes can also be boons. As new dangers emerge in the Hunters Gap, so too does the Eisen College of War from slumber. As the Gravetree draws strange fortunes, so too does the hopes of the people of Resinderholz. It is in their hands that these changes will become boons or curses.
Heavy Hands Scupper Best Laid Plans
- Lerona Mere / The Church of Divine Spheres
The relationship between Lerona Mere and The Divine Spheres has always been a complex one - though the Artebazzani Church was once wielded like a gallows, determining the peoples’ fate, the Concordian Church now acts as a platform from which they can change the world. Though the light of The Spheres illuminates so much knowledge and life, it also exposes the ignorance and death some would rather leave shadowed and buried. Though the flames of Anarch burnt away the oppressor’s rope from around their necks, the same flame now divides the people from within and without.
Like in all complex relationships, it is up to the people to decide their fate - to grow in knowing and belief, brought together in challenge, or to fracture into a people shattered by ignorance.
One Crown Before All Others
- Kingdom of Bordevar
‘The Kingless Kingdom’ is both an indictment and a morose statement of fact for all of Bordevar exists in the shadow of their long-dead monarch. Decades ago this was but a temporary morning, but in the ensuing dragging years it has become shame, hope, and frustration fused into one. While the great defeat at the blades of the Onyx Aristocracy has certainly occupied the minds of the Bordevarian people, humanity requires hope for the future as surely as it requires air for the lungs.
For some Bordevarians, their source of hope has never changed: the crown and the monarch. When the Platinum Crown once again rests upon a righteous brow then all will be well. For others there is truth in the Spheres, in the strength of the journey, in the hope of divine salvation. For others there is truth in death, in war, in the clash of steel on steel and the spilling of blood.
Regardless of what colours you fly in the Kingless Kingdom, hope is a precious commodity to be shepherded and spent carefully, with the greatest return for your risk.
Save Me From Your Consequence
- Andash
The grass plains of Mukarrem have felt the presence of friend and foe alike, struggling beneath the weighty impact of ambitions both national and personal. Wounds and scars have laid claim to the land itself, let alone the bodies and minds of those that inhabit it willingly. No matter what part is torn away from it, no matter what parasites worm their way into its very being, Mukarrem exists at the whim of people.
And it is these people that determine whether it shall live well, or die horrifically. The actions of all within its borders build its future, each carefully placed metaphorical brick as likely to be ripped from its foundation as to strengthen it. It is those that live and now dwell within its towns. It is those that seek to remedy and learn of The Lost Plane. It is those who find haven in their life of piracy.
There is much happening within Mukarrem, and a future that holds more to come.
Beyond Our Coasts Lay Opportunity and Adversity Arm in Arm
- News from the Sea
There is often no greater thing than the happenings within one’s nation, and the way that such things can viciously affect one’s very way of life. For The Concord, this is felt near every Season, with conflicts both external and internal. Yet even in the face of such conflicts, there are those who look even further beyond their own borders, seeking to explore and learn of what lies beyond Southern Esterra.
The world is vast, filled with more monsters, machinations and mysteries than any single person could ever discover in one simple life. Yet this does not stop the curious from trying, from traders to pirates, marines to diplomats, those of all walks gather what they can from beyond their own coasts.
What is brought back are stories and rumours, perhaps tainted by time and travel but nonetheless telling more of the wider world to those who would listen.
Sever the Hand that Praises You
- Visitors to Passage
Passage, the heartland of The Concordian Summit. Located firmly within Lerona Mere, the end of a journey for many, in more ways than one. All manner of folk travel from great distances to see and be seen, to act as heroes or revel in the results of other’s actions. Warriors, priests, mages, researchers, civil and legal officials, merchants; there is no end to the variety of people who find themselves present in one of the most influential places in Southern Esterra.
Allies and enemies alike find themselves present at Passage, and this coming Autumn Summit proves no different from those before it.
Cutting-Edge Bureaucracy
- Title Changes / Quartermasters Report / Treasury Report
Once the dust has settled, the hundreds of concerns are answered, and the fear of the future abates, The Concord remains an empire of logistics. A nation of business. A land of bureaucracy. And while this is hardly exciting to many of the Heroes of the land, it is this basis that forms the bedrock of The Concordian system. It is what underpins the world we live in.
It is our bedrock, firm, immutable, and dull.
We Choose to Be Heroes, For Better or Worse
- Previous Conflux Results
Yet again would the heroes of The Concord throw themselves into the pointed conflicts of Southern Esterra, striving to earn the victories that they so crave. The portal of Passage perhaps saw some of its most constant use this past year, and the Summer Summit became no stranger to the echoes of sorrow and cheer alike. The results of last Season’s Confluxes can be found within, roughly summarised.