Spring war hooks

The Citadel Calls

House Speranza is recruiting mercenaries in the lead-up to Spring War season. The question is, why, and why in such numbers? Cartel Cachot wants the party to find out - and lay the foundations for the alliances and conflicts to come.

What is House Speranza like?

They are obsessed with magic. Instead of acquiring lots of territory in the early days of Ladinh settlement, Speranza turned all their attention towards their great citadel, which floats, enormous and impenetrable, in the middle of the Eastern Basin. Aside from Speranza's great citadel and its shoreward counterpart, Vella, House Speranza hasn't bothered to enforce its official claim to any territories. Instead, it produces a steady flow of cash for the recruitment of condottieri and the purchase of magical and historical artifacts. The mage initiaites of Speranza, protected by hired steel, can essentially move where they please.

What's going on?

Speranza is offering mineral wealth and magical 'blessings' to mercenaries, and is garrisoning and training them in unprecedented numbers in an enclave near Vella. Anyone trying to break in without authorisation has been killed or stopped with magic. So far, none of the mercenaries has accepted an offer to snitch.

Why is this scary?

Speranza tends to stay clear of the Spring Wars. This army is a new thing and it doesn't reflect what this usually predictable house has done in the past.

Sometimes Speranza will hire out its battle mages to support one or several factions, but it doesn't usually take the field as its own force. It has never turned down a request for help in the fight against Vestfal, Voyivod or other outward threats. A canny analysis of Speranza's actions indicates it acts in a way that will best preserve the integrity of Ladinh as a whole. Speranza hasn't bothered to ally itself with the other human Houses or with any elven factions.

The only act of aggression Cachot's spies can pin on Speranza dates back about a generation, when Speranza tried to take a hit out on Carabosse, the elven mage/advisor for Cartel del Flor. Not even del Flor knows what that was about.

Ways to infiltrate

Other than getting initiated as a mage, the two ways are through affiliated groups/gangs.

The Fratres are a secret society/drinking club full of regular condottieri, with close ties to Speranza. They are sure to know some military secrets!'

The Chimaera are magic dealers, and will pay good money for ancient artifacts and magical relics. Speranza use them as scouts, both for interesting talent and especially powerful magic items. Trusted trading partners even get to visit the citadel from time to time.

What to do about it

The party can begin negotiations to form an alliance between Cartel Cachot and any of the other Cartels or Houses. You'll be approached by reps from Cimmaron, del Flor, Otranto, Venere and Speranza themselves.