aerin13

Faction Tracking Round 8 Rebellion danger Rules "At the start of each round, the GM will roll 2d3 for each region with a Unruly faction; if the result is less than or equal to the number of rounds that any faction in the region has been Unruly, an army will rise in rebellion against the current owner of the region." The following regions are in danger of outright rebellion unless their unruly faction is swayed or impressed: Region 15 (BCC) - unruly for 2 rounds Region 19 (TEA) - unruly for 1 round Region 61 (TWI) - unruly for 2 rounds (beware the -4 penalty to sway or impress due to lack of writeup) Region 65 (ISH) - unruly for 2 rounds Region 95 (DIC) - unruly for 1 round Region writeups Rules “Once you have taken over a region, you will need to write it up in the same manner as you did your first region. If you do not do so within 2 rounds of acquiring the region, barring extenuating out-of-game circumstances, the region's factions will progressively become rebellious due to your neglect, and Sway or Impress actions to bring them back to loyalty will suffer a -4 penalty until the writeup is complete.” The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 8 if not written up: Region 14 (BIR, writeup not approved - needs edits/additions) Region 59 (AVP) Region 75 (SCM) The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 9 if not written up: Region 21 (WTP) Region 80 (HOF) Region 83 (TEA) Region 96 (DIC) Region 100 (ALF) Region 103 (BCC) Region 107 (SNK) Region posts in the planets of Tekhum forum The following approved writeups need to be posted in the Planets of Tekhum forum, or else begin to suffer unrest at the end of round 8: Region 55 (Mraza, SCM) Region 110 (Craobhan Mòra, RAT) Media faction unrest Rules “If you do not have the support of another faction in the region, own a trading post in the region, or share the region's Majority or Sole faith, you will lose the media's support in the region after one round.” The following Media factions will become open at the end of round 8 if no action is taken: Region 75 (SCM) Mercantile faction unrest Rules and explanation If you possess the support of a region’s mercantile faction, “lacking the local Desired Import will cause you to lose the mercantile support after three rounds.” “If the Mercantile support in an owned region is Open and the region owner does not own a Trade Post that fulfills the local Desired Import, the Mercantile faction will become Unruly after a period of four rounds without their needs being met. These four rounds include any time during which the Mercantile faction’s support is given to another country, but that country cannot fulfill the region’s Desired Import.” Player nations are given two extra rounds of leniency upon starting play to acquire their capital region’s Desired Import. Being passed a resource through a Trade Route will fulfill a region’s Desired Import for a single round, but will not reset the timer to unrest. If you wish to avoid unrest, either be traded the necessary resource every round continuously or acquire a Trading Post of it yourself. The following mercantile supports will become open at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 8: Region 18 (WTU, Ores and Alloys) Round 9: Region 23 (WTP, Robots - if no longer supplied via TR) The following open supports will become unruly at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 8: Region 22 (TEA, Planetary Vehicles) Region 33 (COE, Industrial Machinery) Region 61 (TWI, Fuel and Power) Region 81 (HOF, Art and Cultural Products) Round 9: Region 43 (ELD, Fruits and Vegetables) Region 64 (SNK, Construction Materials) Region 70 (SNK, Industrial Machinery) Region 105 (TEA, Fuel and Power) Region 108 (ELD, Laborers) Round 10: Region 53 (CBC, Soldiers) Region 55 (SCM, Information and Data) Round 11: Region 8 (ARK, Laborers) Region 21 (WTP, Construction Materials) Region 83 (TEA, Beverages) Region 96 (DIC, Flora) Region 100 (ALF, Spacecraft) Region 102 (WTP, Computers) Region 103 (BCC, Fruits and Vegetables) Region 107 (SNK, Meats and Animal Products) Region 112 (CBC, Luxury Goods) The Faction Tracker GM is human (for now) and makes mistakes sometimes. Please ping or DM Aerin if you think your region should not be in danger of unrest.

The Iron Masquerade Round 8 1. Dip 5 - Embassy with ELD? I hope? 2. Mil - Raise a ground unit 3. Mil - Raise a ground unit 4. Int - Lay a trap for the space unicorn 5. Int - Secret

Faction Tracking Round 7 Region writeups Rules “Once you have taken over a region, you will need to write it up in the same manner as you did your first region. If you do not do so within 2 rounds of acquiring the region, barring extenuating out-of-game circumstances, the region's factions will progressively become rebellious due to your neglect, and Sway or Impress actions to bring them back to loyalty will suffer a -4 penalty until the writeup is complete.” The following regions have unruly factions that will return to open at the end of round 7 if a writeup is submitted: Region 61 (TWI) Region 106 (SCM) The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 7 if not written up: Region 13 (UHS) Region 26 (RRE) Region 43 (ELD) Region 64 (SNK) Region 67 (ISH) Region 70 (SNK) Region 75 (SCM) Region 99 (RAT) Region 104 (BCC) Region 105 (TEA) Region 108 (ELD) The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 8 if not written up: Region 14 (BIR, writeup not approved - needs edits/additions) Region 22 (HOF, writeup not approved - needs edits/additions) Region 59 (AVP) Region 81 (HOF, writeup not approved - needs edits/additions) Region posts in the Planets of Tekhum forum The following approved writeups need to be posted in the Planets of Tekhum forum, or else begin to suffer unrest at the end of round 8: Region 15 (Suaka Beruntung, BCC) Region 39 (Wikus Plains, WIC) Region 55 (Mraza, SCM) Region 110 (Craobhan Mòra, RAT) Media faction unrest Rules “If you do not have the support of another faction in the region, own a trading post in the region, or share the region's Majority or Sole faith, you will lose the media's support in the region after one round.” There are currently no Media factions in danger of unrest. Mercantile faction unrest Rules and explanation If you possess the support of a region’s mercantile faction, “lacking the local Desired Import will cause you to lose the mercantile support after three rounds.” “If the Mercantile support in an owned region is Open and the region owner does not own a Trade Post that fulfills the local Desired Import, the Mercantile faction will become Unruly after a period of four rounds without their needs being met. These four rounds include any time during which the Mercantile faction’s support is given to another country, but that country cannot fulfill the region’s Desired Import.” Player nations are given two extra rounds of leniency upon starting play to acquire their capital region’s Desired Import. Being passed a resource through a Trade Route will fulfill a region’s Desired Import for a single round, but will not reset the timer to unrest. If you wish to avoid unrest, either be traded the necessary resource every round continuously or acquire a Trading Post of it yourself. The following mercantile supports will become open at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 8: Region 18 (WTU, Ores and Alloys) Region 23 (WTP, Robots - if no longer supplied via TR) Region 46 (ARK, Compostables - if no longer supplied via TR) My mistake! This DI is fulfilled. The following open supports will become unruly at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 7: Region 19 (TEA, Chemical Reagents) Region 41 (ELD, Medicines and Drugs) Region 95 (DIC, Computers) Round 8: Region 13 (UHS, Precious Minerals) Region 22 (TEA, Planetary Vehicles) Region 33 (COE, Industrial Machinery) Region 61 (TWI, Fuel and Power) Region 81 (HOF, Art and Cultural Products) Round 9: Region 14 (BIR, Meats and Animal Products) Region 43 (ELD, Fruits and Vegetables) Region 64 (SNK, Construction Materials) Region 70 (SNK, Industrial Machinery) Region 75 (SCM, Medicines and Drugs) Region 99 (RAT, Soldiers) Region 105 (TEA, Fuel and Power) Region 108 (ELD, Laborers) Round 10: Region 53 (CBC, Soldiers) The Faction Tracker GM is human (for now) and makes mistakes sometimes. Please ping or DM Aerin if you think your region should not be in danger of unrest.

The Iron Masquerade Capital: Round 7 News and Rumors Jacques Vacquier, a minor priest of the Savior's Promise, is heralded as the Iron Monarch's Third Promise! His sudden elevation to the ranks of the Monarch's elite assassins surprises many, but all discreet inquiries as to whom the Third Promise kidnapped to earn his new role turn up nothing but sand. To my friends and former compatriots of the Knights of the Dhaoine: Your concern for me is touching. I have experienced a change of heart, of a sorts. I am no longer quite the man you knew, though the Reserve and the hardy people that reside there still hold a special place in my memories. Though my methods may be strange and alien to you, I am still working to further elevate the standing of the Dhaoine in foreign affairs. To this end, I would be delighted to establish a connection between my new subjects and my homeland, should you be amenable. Signed, Iron Monarch Eighbris, formerly of the Eilif Dhaoine OoC: Want an Embassy next turn? Hidden within the message is a second message in a cipher that only Eighbris and the Dhaoine would be able to decode. Actions [Economy 5] - Establish a Trade Route with the STAR RATS. Sub-action: Refer CBC. Designate CBC as our own referrer. Receive bonus 0.5 RAT points for altering our Coerce target. (+2.5 RAT points gained total) [Diplomacy 5] - Establish an Embassy with the Cloudburst Confederation. [Diplomacy] - Attend the First Pan-Tekhum Mageball Competition. - Accept Console-Elect Giovanni from ILU. - Accept Society Consul Hanyeo from LSP. - Accept Witch Ghaile from COV. - Give 1 treasure to COV. - Accept Hyperlight Transceivers from SEV. - Accept Tesseractic Storage and Pseudogravity Engineering from GCC. - Accept Thaumonuclear Reactor Cores from HOB. - Kidnap Core Seer Usun from HOB. - Accept Anti-Gravity Rails from MIR. - Accept Soom-Pattern Rayguns from SCM. - Give 1 treasure to SCM. - Contribute 1 treasure to EMP's Extraordinary Research Grants Approval. [Economy] - Buyout TP 79.2 for Brahmaguptite with HOB support. Sub-action: Thanks to Viewers Like You for a potential +1 to the roll from BRG's Seek Aid 2d6 + 5 Economy + 2 support - 1 distance; Roll = 11 If the Seek Aid is successful, then this action succeeds. [Intrigue] - Secret. Non-Actions Change hosts rulers non-dynastically to Iron Monarch Barun khysee-Guyu (he/him). Non-dynastic succession: +1 to any two attributes, Growths: +1 Diplomacy, +1 Economy. 3 + 1 + 1 Diplomacy, 3 Military, 3 + 1 Economy, 3 Faith, 4 + 1 Intrigue Resist and hinder all conversions in Narsai (Region 69). Hinder all buyouts in Narsai (Region 69), Agbada (Region 52), and Nadiratna (Region 68). Resist all buyouts of Iron Masquerade Trading Posts. Accept Embassy from LSP. Claim 1 Renown from Ties That Bind for reaching 3 Embassies (SEV, CBC, LSP). Reminders for myself Status and Extravagance: Writeup prestige things for +1 REN until end of Round 8 Coronal Catalogue of Duelists: Duel fluff for EMP until the end of Round 8, reward 1 treasure Thanks to Viewers Like You: Until the end of Round 8, and no more than once per round, Elect with at least BRG rep 1 may benefit from a Seek Aid attempt made by BRG on behalf of one of their actions. Actions benefiting from this Offer cannot involve opposed rolls against other Elect unless the opposed Elect is at BRG rep -1 or lower. Extraordinary Research Grants Approval: Until the end of Round 9, spend an Eco action to donate treasure and will receive any techs made Gather the Elites: Any elect with zero government supports at the end of Round 9 loses 1 REN "Quote." Iron Monarch Eighbris (he/him) Diplomacy: 5 Military: 2 Economy: 5 Faith: 2 Intrigue: 5 Ground units: 2 Space units: 1 Treasure: 3 + 2 per round EMP: 0 rep / 0 favors WTU: -1 rep / 0 favors BRG: 1 rep / 0 favors REN: rank 2

The Iron Masquerade Capital: Round 6 News and Rumors The coordinator who assigned the Workers & Trader's Union inspector to an above-ground room with a window is ejected from that very same window. The Iron Monarch politely responds to the Group of Seventeen's terraforming inquiry with a vote in favor of the status-quo, citing the disruption of butterfly migratory routes as the primary reason for the refusal of the opportunity. Congratulations and condolences are sent to the Ishtahnos royal family regarding the Book of Wonders and the loss of Prince Lauren respectively. Having heard of the carved hematite serpents adorning the Wonder's container, the Iron Monarch offers to personally supply Ishtahnos craftspeople with the highest quality mineral should they wish to futher work with the medium. Barun khysee-Guyu, the coordinator sent from the Khylokian Reign of Blood to keep the Iron Monarch informed of the status of his foreign prisoners, makes a stir in the social scene of the aristocracy. The trained diplomat begrudingly and admirably does his part in attending balls and afternoon tea gatherings with the Masque Barons, but sometimes resorts to violence when he loses his patience with all the frivolous posturing and pretty insults from jealous noblity. Thus far, every incident of blood spilled has been pardoned by decree of the Iron Monarch, but the nobility are getting unruly at being continually sided against by their Monarch. Actions [Economy 5] - Construct an Arcology, the Skyscrapers of Narsai. Bonus: Assassination/Kidnapping Sub-action: Gain 1 treasure from Project Sunrise The all-encompassing arched glass of the Apiforme Dome makes heavy infrastructure investment above ground level in Narsai feasible for the first time in the Iron Masquerade's 700-year long history. Greedily seizing subsidization from the Workers & Traders Union, the various mining Barons waste no time staking their claim upon the sky and competing to build the tallest skyscraper of gleaming black hematite. The Iron Monarch dips into the royal treasury to support two iron towers of his own. The Black Tower sees a substantial height increase, by royal decree becoming the tallest skyscraper in Narsai (though grumpy nobles privately argue that the long, thin spire on top is cheating). The second royal tower is gifted to the newly-minted Baron Seydoux, to be her estate and house her expanding labor force. Baron Verity Seydoux's success story sends ripples through Narsai's undercity. The former street rat's unconventional choice of soul vessel, a twisted iron dagger, is emulated by every Masque that one day dreams of becoming one of the Iron Monarch's private squad of kidnappers, the fabled Promises. While the sudden doubling of Narsai's housing capacity leads to a commensurate boom in population, only a third of that new workforce labors in the hematite mines. The rest melt, refine, hammer, temper, and sharpen a new industry: deadly bladed weaponry made from locally mined hematite. A new idiom is forged: Good fortune is only one slit throat away. [Economy] - Buyout TP 3 in Voletha (Region 71) for Heavy Machinery with support from the Bafatis Dynasty. Roll: 17 The expanded workforce provided by the skyscrapers requires heavy machinery in order to be effective in the hematite mines below the city. Unfortunately, ancient archeotech megadrills are in short supply. Modern technology will have to suffice. [Military] - Send 3 ground units, 1 space unit, and Johanne Faustine (Admiral 7) to aid the Cloudburst Confederation's campaign in Region 53. Baron Gilbert Faustine sweats profusely in anticipation of the private audience that the Iron Monarch has granted him. He has, perhaps foolishly, promised House Agbawo to use his full diplomatic pressure to sway the Monarch towards military intervention in the Confederation's ongoing conquest. Mentally, he reviews all the levers at his disposal: currently a full third of the Masquerade's ground army is composed of Faustine levies, his daughter is foremost admiral of the Masquerade's fleet, and the output of his Baronry's megadrilling operations produces nearly one-sixth of the Masquerade's hematite. Fortunately for the Baron, neither threats nor bribes prove necessary to convince the monster at the heart of the Masquerade to send forces in aid of the Confederation. The being inhabiting the former outstanding admiral of the Bironian Bulwark is strangely eager to test his fleet and newest commander in real combat conditions. Nonetheless, no matter how much the Baron might love his daughter and despise the head of state, his political influence is spent. [MSQ no longer owes CBC a favor.] [Intrigue] - Coerce TP 3 in Region 63 for Veehran Wheat, spending a treasure. Roll: 13 A growing population requires a growing supply of staple crops. The Iron Monarch is all-too aware that his control over his own city relies upon consistent and stable imports of food. [Intrigue] - Secret. Verity is fully occupied with administration of her new tower and all the social trappings that sudden elevation to nobility entails. It's time for a new Promise to kidnap the spotlight. Non-Actions Change hosts rulers non-dynastically to Iron Monarch Eighbris (he/him). Non-dynastic succession: +1 to any two attributes, Growths: +1 Economy, +1 Intrigue. 4 + 1 Diplomacy, 2 Military, 4 + 1 Economy, 2 Faith, 3 + 1 + 1 Intrigue The Iron Monarch is aware that openly wearing the body of one of the Dhaoine is likely to provoke retaliation ... but his greed gets the better of him. Hopefully, Eighbris's talents will make up for his nation's upcoming hostilities. Resist and hinder all conversions in Narsai (Region 69). Hinder all buyouts in Narsai (Region 69), Agbada (Region 52), and Nadiratna (Region 68) except BAF's buyout of TP 69.3, which is supported. Resist all buyouts of Iron Masquerade Trading Posts. Reminders for myself Status and Extravagance: Writeup prestige things for +1 REN until end of Round 8 Coronal Catalogue of Duelists: Duel fluff for EMP until the end of Round 8, reward 1 treasure Extraordinary Research Grants Approval: Until the end of Round 9, spend an Eco action to donate treasure and will receive any techs made Gather the Elites: Any elect with zero government supports at the end of Round 9 loses 1 REN "When you find yourself moving backwards, shift gears." Iron Monarch Kazi (he/him) Diplomacy: 2 Military: 3 Economy: 5 Faith: 1 Intrigue: 5 Ground units: 3 Space units: 1 Treasure: 1 + 2 per round EMP: 0 rep / 0 favors WTU: -1 rep / 0 favors BRG: 1 rep / 0 favors REN: rank 2

Faction Tracking Round 6 Region writeups Rules “Once you have taken over a region, you will need to write it up in the same manner as you did your first region. If you do not do so within 2 rounds of acquiring the region, barring extenuating out-of-game circumstances, the region's factions will progressively become rebellious due to your neglect, and Sway or Impress actions to bring them back to loyalty will suffer a -4 penalty until the writeup is complete.” The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 6 if not written up: Region 8 (GLO or ARK? - previous submitted writeup was not approved and needs edits) Region 22 (TEA) Region 37 (ILU) Region 39 (WIC) Region 55 (SCM) Region 61 (TWI) Region 81 (HOF) Region 86 (CAS) Region 106 (SCM) The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 7 if not written up: Region 13 (UHS) Region 14 (BIR) Region 26 (RRE) Region 43 (ELD) Region 63 (SEV) Region 64 (SNK) Region 67 (ISH) Region 70 (SNK) Region 75 (SCM) Region 99 (RAT) Region 104 (BCC) Region 105 (TEA) Region 108 (ELD) Region posts in the Planets of Tekhum forum The following approved writeups need to be posted in the Planets of Tekhum forum, or else begin to suffer unrest at the end of round 6: Region 15 (Suaka Beruntung, BCC) Media faction unrest Rules “If you do not have the support of another faction in the region, own a trading post in the region, or share the region's Majority or Sole faith, you will lose the media's support in the region after one round.” There are currently no Media factions in danger of unrest. Mercantile faction unrest Rules and explanation If you possess the support of a region’s mercantile faction, “lacking the local Desired Import will cause you to lose the mercantile support after three rounds.” “If the Mercantile support in an owned region is Open and the region owner does not own a Trade Post that fulfills the local Desired Import, the Mercantile faction will become Unruly after a period of four rounds without their needs being met. These four rounds include any time during which the Mercantile faction’s support is given to another country, but that country cannot fulfill the region’s Desired Import.” Player nations are given two extra rounds of leniency upon starting play to acquire their capital region’s Desired Import. Being passed a resource through a Trade Route will fulfill a region’s Desired Import for a single round, but will not reset the timer to unrest. If you wish to avoid unrest, either be traded the necessary resource every round continuously or acquire a Trading Post of it yourself. The following mercantile supports will become open at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 7: Region 23 (WTP, Robots - if no longer supplied via TR) Region 46 (ARK, Compostables - if no longer supplied via TR) Round 8: Region 18 (WTU, Ores and Alloys) The following open supports will become unruly at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 6: Region 2 (BCC, Superconductors) Region 15 (BCC, Fuel and Power) Region 65 (ISH, Spices) Round 7: Region 19 (TEA, Chemical Reagents) Region 35 (ALF, Industrial Machinery) Region 41 (ELD, Medicines and Drugs - if no longer supplied via TR) Region 42 (ELD, Entertainment) Region 95 (DIC, Computers) Round 8: Region 13 (UHS, Precious Minerals) Region 22 (TEA, Planetary Vehicles) Region 33 (COE, Industrial Machinery) Region 37 (ILU, Art and Cultural Products) Region 61 (TWI, Fuel and Power) Region 81 (HOF, Art and Cultural Products) Round 9: Region 14 (BIR, Meats and Animal Products) Region 43 (ELD, Fruits and Vegetables) Region 64 (SNK, Construction Materials) Region 67 (ISH, Conductors and Circuitry) Region 70 (SNK, Industrial Machinery) Region 75 (SCM, Medicines and Drugs) Region 99 (RAT, Soldiers) Region 105 (TEA, Fuel and Power) Region 108 (ELD, Laborers) The Faction Tracker GM is human (for now) and makes mistakes sometimes. Please ping or DM Aerin if you think your region should not be in danger of unrest.

Apologies for submitting this so late in the round! It's simply flipping around the bonus for an already-approved TacDoc (Rapid Redeployment), so hopefully it's okay mechanically. Tactical Doctrine: Forbid the Enemy Cast a Single Shadow (-2 to enemy's Orbital Superiority Bonus). After nearly a decade spent in Agbada, Johanne returns to the Iron Masquerade a changed woman. Her unhealthy teenage fixation with the Savior is long gone, replaced by a respectful reverence of Avva and all that the sun-god beholds. Despite Johanne's lack of faith in the Iron Monarch's spiritual calling, the young woman is nonetheless content to pivot her Agbadan-instilled talent in wet naval management to use in protecting her homeland via dry navy command. Admiral Faustine's stratagems revolve around denying her opponents the necessary orbital position to support troops on the ground. Foes of the Iron Masquerade find themselves constantly harassed by swarms of fighters specifically targeting weapons systems capable of reaching the planetary surface. Major engagements between fleets are manipulated to the best of the Admiral's ability to keep the brunt of the fighting away from optimal enemy troop landing positions. Naval officers serving under Admiral Faustine boast that their commander does not let so much as a single ship come between the light of Ophon and the region to be protected.

The Iron Masquerade Capital: Round 5 News and Rumors The being wearing Karla Marrone, former Druid and scientist for the Principality of Verdalfheim, contemplates the talents and the lingering traces of personality of her new form. She has the strangest urge to experiment with that unknown terraforming apparatus out in the desert? And then write down what happens? And all of the technical mumbo-jumbo surrounding the Peludo's recent invention of magnet-assisted rail transportation is suddenly much clearer. Perhaps there is benefit to be gained from investing in the project after all ... Actions [Economy] - Construct Rivoire Station from hematite in the City of Narsai (Region 69), and lay anti-gravitional rails throughout the region. Structures on the surface of the mostly-underground city of Narsai have always been expensive to maintain, at least until the construction of the Apiforme Dome made it tenable to be above-ground during dust storms. A grand structure of gleaming black hematite is erected by the Rivoire Baronry at the edge of the city with tracks heading out in nearly every direction. For now, only three spokes of the wheel are active - towards Union Central, towards Vesper, and towards Region 53. [Economy] - Connect Rivoire Station to the existing railway by laying track in Region 53. Peasants are contracted into labor crews, crude iron ore is smelted into rail, and the work of the masses is transformed into profit for the Barons. [Military 5] - Raise an Admiral, Johanne Faustine (she/her, Score: 7). Tactical Doctrine: Forbid the Enemy Cast a Single Shadow (-2 to enemy's Orbital Superiority Bonus). After nearly a decade spent in Agbada, Johanne returns to the Iron Masquerade a changed woman. Her unhealthy teenage fixation with the Savior is long gone, replaced by a respectful reverence of Avva and all that the sun-god beholds. Despite Johanne's lack of faith in the Iron Monarch's spiritual calling, the young woman is nonetheless content to pivot her Agbadan-instilled talent in wet naval management to use in protecting her homeland via dry navy command. Admiral Faustine's stratagems revolve around denying her opponents the necessary orbital position to support troops on the ground. Foes of the Iron Masquerade find themselves constantly harassed by swarms of fighters specifically targeting weapons systems capable of reaching the planetary surface. Major engagements between fleets are manipulated to the best of the Admiral's ability to keep the brunt of the fighting away from optimal enemy troop landing positions. Naval officers serving under Admiral Faustine boast that their commander does not let so much as a single ship come between the light of Ophon and the region to be protected. [Intrigue] - Investigate the terraforming equipment in Region 60. (Borrowing Inured to Strangeness CI from SEV Embassy, +1 from BRG rank 1) Roll: 15 A joint coalition of talented magical acolytes from the Iron Masquerade and mechanically-minded tinkerers (Todds) from the Castaways of the Loop attempts to discover what the machines in Region 60 will do to the planet without activating anything ... yet. [Intrigue] - Secret, spending a treasure. Fluff. Non-Actions Change hosts rulers non-dynastically to Iron Monarch Kazi (he/him). Non-dynastic succession: +1 to any two attributes, Growths: +1 Economy, +1 Intrigue. 2 Diplomacy, 1 Military, 3 + 1 + 1 Economy, 1 Faith, 3 + 1 + 1 Intrigue Despite his faction's overall defeat in the Bironian civil war, Admiral Kazi's personal performance was exemplary. He will make a useful host for the Iron Monarch, and the Order of Sodium's collapse means few are likely to care about the loss of his life. Resist and hinder all conversions in Narsai (Region 69). Hinder all buyouts in Narsai (Region 69), Agbada (Region 52), and Nadiratna (Region 68). Resist all buyouts of Iron Masquerade Trading Posts. Reminders for myself Project Sunrise: Any country that takes the Construct Arcology action before the end of Round 6 may gain 1 treasure as a sub-action Extraordinary Research Grants Approval: Until the end of Round 9, spend an Eco action to donate treasure and will receive any techs made Status and Extravagance: writeup prestige things for +1 REN until end of Round 8 You owe Mappy one favor "The worst villains live inside us." Iron Monarch Karla Marrone (she/her) Diplomacy: 4 Military: 5 Economy: 2 Faith: 2 Intrigue: 5 Ground units: 3 Space units: 1 Treasure: 1 + 1 per round EMP: 0 rep / 0 favors WTU: -1 rep / 0 favors BRG: 1 rep / 0 favors REN: rank 2

Faction Tracking Round 5 Region writeups Rules “Once you have taken over a region, you will need to write it up in the same manner as you did your first region. If you do not do so within 2 rounds of acquiring the region, barring extenuating out-of-game circumstances, the region's factions will progressively become rebellious due to your neglect, and Sway or Impress actions to bring them back to loyalty will suffer a -4 penalty until the writeup is complete.” The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 5 if not written up: Region 19 (TEA) Region 35 (ALF) Region 55 (SCM) Region 86 (CAS) Region 95 (DIC) Region 110 (RAT) The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 6 if not written up: Region 22 (TEA) Region 37 (ILU) Region 39 (WIC) Region 61 (TWI) Region 81 (HOF) Region 106 (SCM) Region posts in the Planets of Tekhum forum The following players need to post their nation writeup in the Planets of Tekhum forum on Mythweavers, or else begin to suffer unrest at the end of round 5: D&DFan (AVP) LadySerpentine (TWI) The following approved writeups need to be posted in the Planets of Tekhum forum, or else begin to suffer unrest at the end of round 5: Region 28 (Utattou, CUS) Region 51 (Grigialfheim, ALF) Region 56 (Alaari, CBC) Media faction unrest Rules “If you do not have the support of another faction in the region, own a trading post in the region, or share the region's Majority or Sole faith, you will lose the media's support in the region after one round.” There are currently no Media factions in danger of unrest. Mercantile faction unrest Rules and explanation If you possess the support of a region’s mercantile faction, “lacking the local Desired Import will cause you to lose the mercantile support after three rounds.” “If the Mercantile support in an owned region is Open and the region owner does not own a Trade Post that fulfills the local Desired Import, the Mercantile faction will become Unruly after a period of four rounds without their needs being met. These four rounds include any time during which the Mercantile faction’s support is given to another country, but that country cannot fulfill the region’s Desired Import.” Player nations are given two extra rounds of leniency upon starting play to acquire their capital region’s Desired Import. Being passed a resource through a Trade Route will fulfill a region’s Desired Import for a single round, but will not reset the timer to unrest. If you wish to avoid unrest, either be traded the necessary resource every round continuously or acquire a Trading Post of it yourself. The following mercantile supports will become open at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 5: Region 2 (BCC, Superconductors) Region 11 (HOB, Rare Metals - will likely be cleared when TEA posts their DI writeup) Region 54 (AVP, Laborers) Region 58 (TWI, Cybernetics and Prosthetics) Region 65 (ISH, Spices) Round 6: Region 17 (BIR, Fruits and Vegetables) Region 23 (WTP, Robots - if no longer supplied via TR) Region 46 (ARK, Compostables - if no longer supplied via TR) Region 73 (SNK, Crystals) Round 7: Region 77 (COV, Water) Region 89 (KRB, Efficient Fuel) The following open supports will become unruly at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 6: Region 15 (BCC, Fuel and Power) Region 41 (ELD, Medicines and Drugs) Round 7: Region 19 (TEA, Chemical Reagents) Region 35 (ALF, Industrial Machinery) Region 42 (ELD, Entertainment) Region 95 (DIC, Computers) Round 8: Region 13 (UHS, Precious Minerals) Region 22 (TEA, Planetary Vehicles) Region 33 (COE, Industrial Machinery) Region 37 (ILU, Art and Cultural Products) Region 61 (TWI, Fuel and Power) Region 81 (HOF, Art and Cultural Products) The Faction Tracker GM is human (for now) and makes mistakes sometimes. Please ping or DM Aerin if you think your region should not be in danger of unrest.

The Iron Masquerade Capital: Round 4 News and Rumors None yet. Actions [Diplomacy] - Attend the . - Trade 1 treasure and 7 "prisoners" to KRB. Accept character from KRB. - Trade the Eye of the Storm (Artifact) and 1 treasure to TWI. [Diplomacy 5] - Establish an Embassy with the Castaways of the Loop. The soul synchronicity revealed by the magical adepts sent to the Great Western Waste is intriguing and will require further study. The Iron Monarch volunteers the rambunctious teenage heir to the Gratien Baronry, Francis Gratien, as well as a handful of high-ranking clergy from the Black Tower to research the Loop on a permanent basis. With the Group of Seventeen's permission, they are to reside in Dometown full-time. Unexpectedly, the Castaways also send residents to Narsai to further study magical techniques. Several ambitious Todds, including Todd 35348, have worked out that placing one's soul into a vessel makes one unappealing to the Iron Monarch's appetite. These volunteers have undergone soul surgery so as to feel secure in the heart of the Iron Masquerade. [Military] - Raise a ground unit. The Faustine Baronry, jealous of Baron Amelie Beaufort's elevation to the Masquerade's premier general, levies their own peasantry to curry favor with the Iron Monarch. [Intrigue 5] - Kidnap the Union's hazardous working conditions inspector sent to Narsai. (2d8 from Soul Snatchers CI, +1 from Savior's Promise size 5 bonus) Roll: 12 The Union representative sent to the Masquerade is given a full tour of the undercity's mining operations. They curate a long list of safety violations: lack of railings and fall protection, cargo lifts sans licenses, spoonlifts being operated by uncertified personnel, no break periods, lack of hearing protection, lack of adequate respirators, no emergency response training ... All fixable, the Iron Monarch decrees. In fact, to ensure that the hematite miners are given their due per the Union, the Inspector is invited to reside in Narsai permanently as a Safety Officer with a dedicated salary and protective guard force! Given the rumors of a massive anti-gravity railway project to be started soon, letting such a valuable official leave the Iron Monarch's employ is simply not an option. [Intrigue] - Secret, spending 1 treasure. Margaux doubles down on religious ceremonies venerating the Iron Monarch as the steady stream of consumed souls makes a visible difference in the Black Butterfly's appearance. For once, the Promises and prospectives are not on the prowl. Non-Actions Change hosts rulers non-dynastically to Iron Monarch Karla Marrone (she/her). Non-dynastic succession: +1 to any two attributes, Growths: +1 Diplomacy, +1 Intrigue. 3 + 1 Diplomacy, 4 + 1 Military, 2 Economy, 2 Faith, 3 + 1 + 1 Intrigue At long last, the missing researcher from Verdalfheim is revealed to have been kidnapped by the Iron Masquerade when she dons the Black Butterfly. Karla was a skilled and loyal Druid ... perhaps too loyal, even. Her scientific talents will surely be of use to the Iron Monarch. Support CBC's buyout of Polymorphite in Nadiratna (Region 68). Resist and hinder all conversions in Narsai (Region 69). Hinder all buyouts in Narsai (Region 69), Agbada (Region 52), and Nadiratna (Region 68). Resist all buyouts of Iron Masquerade Trading Posts. Welcome Union inspectors. Reminders for myself Any country that takes the Construct Arcology action before the end of Round 6 may gain 1 Treasure as a sub-action You owe Mappy one favor "In the clear daylight, you can see the truth with unbiased eyes." Iron Monarch Odo Intanran (he/him) Diplomacy: 5 Military: 3 Economy: 3 Faith: 3 Intrigue: 6 Ground units: 2 Space units: 1 Treasure: 3 + 1 per round EMP: 0 rep / 0 favors WTU: 0 rep / 0 favors BRG: 1 rep / 0 favors REN: rank 2

Faction Tracking Round 4 Region writeups Rules “Once you have taken over a region, you will need to write it up in the same manner as you did your first region. If you do not do so within 2 rounds of acquiring the region, barring extenuating out-of-game circumstances, the region's factions will progressively become rebellious due to your neglect, and Sway or Impress actions to bring them back to loyalty will suffer a -4 penalty until the writeup is complete.” The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 4 if not written up: Region 15 (BCC) Region 18 (TEA) Region 41 (ELD) Region 90 (DIC) The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 5 if not written up: Region 8 (GLO) Region 19 (TEA) Region 28 (CUS) Region 35 (ALF) Region 55 (SCM) Region 56 (CBC) Region 86 (CAS) Region 95 (DIC) Region 110 (RAT) Region posts in the Planets of Tekhum forum The following players need to post their nation writeup in the Planets of Tekhum forum on Mythweavers, or else begin to suffer unrest at the end of round 5: D&DFan (AVP) LadySerpentine (TWI) Media faction unrest Rules “If you do not have the support of another faction in the region, own a trading post in the region, or share the region's Majority or Sole faith, you will lose the media's support in the region after one round.” There are currently no Media factions in danger of unrest. Mercantile faction unrest Rules and explanation If you possess the support of a region’s mercantile faction, “lacking the local Desired Import will cause you to lose the mercantile support after three rounds.” “If the Mercantile support in an owned region is Open and the region owner does not own a Trade Post that fulfills the local Desired Import, the Mercantile faction will become Unruly after a period of four rounds without their needs being met. These four rounds include any time during which the Mercantile faction’s support is given to another country, but that country cannot fulfill the region’s Desired Import.” Player nations are given two extra rounds of leniency upon starting play to acquire their capital region’s Desired Import. Being passed a resource through a Trade Route will fulfill a region’s Desired Import for a single round, but will not reset the timer to unrest. If you wish to avoid unrest, either be traded the necessary resource every round continuously or acquire a Trading Post of it yourself. The following mercantile supports will become open at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 5: Region 2 (BCC, Superconductors) Region 3 (UNC, Psychotropics) Region 11 (TEA, Rare Metals) Region 23 (WTP, Robots) Region 44 (GLO, Symbol Printing) Region 46 (ARK, Compostables) Region 54 (AVP, Laborers) Region 58 (TWI, Cybernetics and Prosthetics) Region 65 (ISH, Spices) Round 6: Region 17 (BIR, Fruits and Vegetables) Region 70 (WTU, Industrial Machinery) Region 71 (BAF, Magic Talismans) Region 73 (SNK, Crystals - if no longer supplied via Trade Route) Round 7: Region 77 (COV, Water) The following open supports will become unruly at the end of the listed round if the desired import is not supplied. Round 6: Region 15 (BCC, Fuel and Power) Region 41 (ELD, Medicines and Drugs) Round 7: Region 19 (TEA, Chemical Reagents) Region 30 (RRE, Precious Minerals - changed from Rare Metals) Region 35 (ALF, Industrial Machinery) Region 42 (ELD, Entertainment) Region 51 (ALF, Medicines and Drugs) Region 55 (SCM, Information and Data) Region 56 (CBC, Magical Items) Region 86 (CAS, Ores and Alloys) Region 95 (DIC, Computers) The Faction Tracker GM is human (for now) and makes mistakes sometimes. Please ping or DM Aerin if you think your region should not be in danger of unrest.

Artifact: The Eye of the Storm (-2 to enemy leader loss when equipped by a character) An eyeball with a smooth titanium exterior containing a woven mass of intricate copper wiring and fiber-optic cable. Rather than a pupil and iris, the focal point of the eyeball contains a miniature swirling hurricane of dust mimicking the perpetual storm above Vesper. Lightning flickers across the tempest when the wearer focuses on someone with violent intent. When surgically installed into a humanoid's eye socket, the wearer can zoom in on distant objects with but a thought. This makes it trivially easy to pick out the enemy general on the dust-riven battlefield or the opposing admiral's distant flagship from amongst the fighter swarm.

The Deck So Far 1. The Magician The Magician Round 2 Doomweaver Thalus of the Sorcerers of New Kildora "Someone always capable of rebuilding themself can never be kept down." 5. The Hierophant The Hierophant Round 3 Mortimer Red of the Arkhive Æternal "Knowledge that shines through to attract pupils like moths bees to a flame." 13. Death Death Round 1 Nathan L'Othaire of the Iron Masquerade "Transformation so complete you are left unrecognizable." 15. The Devil The Devil Round 5 Karla Marrone of the Fiorid Principality of Verdalfheim "The worst villains live inside us." 19. The Sun The Sun Round 4 Odo Intanran of the Cloudburst Confederation "In the clear daylight, you can see the truth with unbiased eyes."

The Iron Masquerade Capital: Round 3 News and Rumors Iron Monarch Mortimer Red sits alone in the royal chambers and considers his newest form. The former librarian had an obvious passion for facial attire, yes, but also a skill for written correspondence and a cultural disposition towards cooperation and alliance-building. Straightening his bow tie, the Iron Monarch siphons his host's soul and begins to pen a series of letters. Todd Stevens 35348 finds a letter in his InterPlaNet inbox. Please forward this message to the Group of Seventeen: While I have never had the pleasure of visiting Dometown myself, merchant caravans passing through Narsai have relayed tales of its beauty and the mystique surrounding its fiery, splintered demise. It has occurred to me that the results of the ultimate spidery cracks in the air reaching the outer glass bubble would result in dome fragments similar to those used in the construction of Narsai's own Apiforme Dome [see action 2 below]. While the Iron Masquerade recognizes the Castaways of the Loop as the premier investigative force on all of Veehra due to your constant exposure to the strangeness of the phenomena that has birthed your very culture, perhaps you would find merit in an outside perspective? Should the Group of Seventeen permit it, I would find the greatest pleasure in sending a small task force of my most magically talented subjects to examine the demise of the dome, and would even entertain a video-conference call to personally look at the matter from afar. Any intriguing results would, of course, be shared with the Group of Seventeen in hopes of solving the dilemma that has lead to ongoing tragedy for so many of your number. Respectfully, The Iron Monarch [OoC: I'm offering an investigation this round into the Loop-related phenomena of your choice, at 2d6 + 6 Intrigue + 1 BRG rank 1.] The Iron Monarch pens a letter to His Royal Highness, John IV, High King of Ishtahnos. A letter addressed to His Royal Highness, John IV, High King of Ishtahnos and stamped with the royal butterfly seal of the Masquerade is given to the first werewolf-lead skimmer crew to pass through Narsai on the way to Ishtahnos. A long-lost gift for Violetta of the Twilight League. For the eyes of Violetta, Herald of the Second Dawn, Esteemed Warlord of the Twilight League, I have recently rediscovered a valuable artifact [see action 3 below] that I believe belongs to the Twilight League, and am contacting you about how to best repatriate this priceless piece of cyber technology. While I have no doubt that you, fellow esteemed Elect, are impeccably educated and informed, please forgive me for wasting ink to elaborate upon Masque cultural practices for just one moment. I used to be quite the archivist in a past spin of the Wheel (so to speak), and I derive great joy from explaining the intricate provenance of historically significant materials! Narsai's most famous church, the Black Tower of the eponymous organization, doubles as a mausoleum. For centuries, followers of the Soulbound Dance have placed the soul vessels of their loved ones inside specially reserved alcoves to be cared for and preserved until the day comes that Paradise is reached. In my recent perusal of the older levels, closed to the public, I discovered a particular vessel that I believe to originate from outside of Narsai due to the high concentration of nanites within. My speculation is that the vessel belonged to a Vesperite ancestor that had immigrated to Narsai and adopted the Soulbound Dance roughly three hundred years ago, based on the object's placement within the Black Tower. Given how scarce the supply of nanites is in Vesper and how much the Iron Masquerade values Vesper's long history as our desert neighbors to the southwest, we would like to return this long-lost marvel to its rightful home. Please let me know at your earliest convenience how the Masquerade can best get this unique innovation back in Vesperite hands. Yours truly, The Iron Monarch [OoC: I'll be able to get this to you next round if we both attend the Elven Conclave of 2044 (Moos's event).] A letter of apology to Duke Itanran of House Agbawo from Gilbert Faustine. To his lordship, the Duke of House Agbawo, I regret to inform you that your son, Odo Intanran, has garnered attention from the highest authority figure in the Iron Masquerade, the Iron Monarch himself. I will attempt to plead ignorance and innocence on his behalf, but his ultimate fate is outside of my hands. The young Hyena has remained a devout follower of Avva even now, despite spending the last six years of his life under the tutelage of my Baronry. This has lead to an unfortunate misunderstanding: the reckless teenager considers all that happens in Narsai, an underground city obscured by frequent dust storms, to be outside of the watchful gaze of Avva. In his eyes, there is no law here. He has taken to life in Narsai much like a lion takes to the hunt, chasing the most succulent prey to be found and feasting deep of the carcass. His natural flair for leadership, exotic appearance, and charisma has lead him to gather a violent gang of misfits willing to follow his orders, the Maned Pride. Together with his natural talent for operating land vehicles, remote drones, and industrial machinery, the Maned Pride has been able to seriously disrupt economic activity in the city despite their relative youth. A week ago, the adolescent gang violently took over several of the central cargo lifts, mainly used by the aristocracy. They then proceeded to shut down nearly all vertical transportation in the city for a period of several hours by hacking the control system. Despite my prodigious power and influence, I could not keep the matter from reaching the ears of the Iron Monarch. The Maned Pride was violently dislodged from the elevator system and the few survivors have been retained under watch by the Black Tower. I will do my best to advocate for the young aristocrat, but ultimately I must bend to the inscrutable and often malevolent whims of the Iron Monarch, lest my own house be cast down. I can only beg you, from one noble house to another, to not let this misfortune carry forward to my darling Johanne. Should you return her to me, safe and in good health, I will consider myself to owe a life-debt to the House Agbawo. And should misfortune befall her, I shall ponder long and deep who deserves my unending retribution. With great sorrow, Baron Gilbert Faustine, head of House Faustine [OoC: You've got two options: 1. Return Johanne unharmed. Gilbert Faustine will use his considerable power and influence to aid the Cloudburst Confederation however he can. MSQ will owe CBC a favor, as long as you can justify it within the fluff. 2. Detain and/or murder Johanne. Gilbert Faustine will turn his anger toward the Iron Monarch, whom he already dislikes, as the ultimate cause of this misfortune. MSQ will take a future action against itself.] An offer of prospective employment for Baron (sic) khy-Oged. Addressed to Baron (sic) khy-Oged: I have contacted your esteemed noble lineage to request aid in the detainment and care of several prisoners who are to be exiled from the Iron Masquerade. The seven individuals in question were members of a dangerous and violent faction that aimed to shut-down commerce, transportation, and communication within the capital. Multiple deaths of nobility are attributed to their actions. As the Khylosen cluster is very far from the Masquerade and I judged your nation to be the one that they would least likely escape from (this is scratched out, nearly unreadable), I consider your noble house to be well-suited to holding these exiled individuals. As payment for services rendered, the Iron Masquerade would offer a lump sum of kroseid [1 treasure, to be delivered at ALF's event in round 4] and would create a salaried position for a Correspondence Agent in charge of maintaining communication regarding the exiles, to be stationed in Narsai and filled by yours truly or a skilled individual of your house. In order to make sure that the prisoners receive proper medical procedures while under your care, their blood types are as follows: A+, AB-, A-, B-, B+, O+, and Q-. Additionally, one of the individuals has a rare blood condition called "hemophobia." Eagerly awaiting your elegant reply, The Iron Monarch [OoC: I probably don't need to say this by now, but if you send me a character they will die. Horribly.] Actions [Diplomacy] - Attend the Second Hexenniel Conference for the Liberation of Knowledge and Fostering of Growth in Sansar, hosted by the Arkhive Æternal. - Offer 1 treasure as tribute to the glorious and eternal Emperor (and to pay his tax). - Accept 1 treasure from WIC. - Accept Badalian Megadirigibles from ARK. - Sign the non-aggression pact with ARK. [Military 5] - Raise a Fortress over the City of Narsai (Region 69), the Apiforme Dome. Narsai was built over a crack in the desert concealing the decaying remains of an archeotech mining operation. The Black Butterfly and the megadrills were recovered from the ruins, but the majority of the ancient technology lies ludicrously deep or cleverly concealed within the labyrinthine tunnels. Now, following the precise and inscrutable instructions of the Iron Monarch, crews of fanatics willing to risk their lives in the depths begin to excavate giant, jagged shards of a transparent strengthened-glass alloy. On the surface, these shards are welded together with molten hematite like one giant stained glass puzzle. After years of work, the result is life-changing for many in Narsai who have never before seen the sun. The formerly underground city is now protected from dust storms by a colossal hemisphere, appearing due to its height above the city to have the delicate veined structure of a bee's wing. The Apiforme Dome restricts ground access to the city to a few critical gateways, and military strategists speculate that it may be able to hold out under orbital bombardment long enough to allow the surface population to relocate further underground. [Faith 5] - Discover an Artifact, The Eye of the Storm (-2 to enemy leader loss when equipped by a character) - Pending approval. An eyeball with a smooth titanium exterior containing a woven mass of intricate copper wiring and fiber-optic cable. Rather than a pupil and iris, the focal point of the eyeball contains a miniature swirling hurricane of dust mimicking the perpetual storm above Vesper. Lightning flickers across the tempest when the wearer focuses on someone with violent intent. When surgically installed into a humanoid's eye socket, the wearer can zoom in on distant objects with but a thought. This makes it trivially easy to pick out the enemy general on the dust-riven battlefield or the opposing admiral's distant flagship from amongst the fighter swarm. [Intrigue] - Investigate the nature of the Loop, with permission and aid from the Group of Seventeen. (+1 from BRG rank 1, result: 12) The Iron Monarch sends a small task force of researchers and magical adepts to the Great Western Waste. They probe the temporally looping dome with their arcane manipulators, amplified by their soul vessels, and observe the results. All findings are shared with the Group of Seventeen and forwarded directly to the Iron Monarch, who even spends a day personally examining the dome using several aerial drones feeding to a remote Vroom call from Narsai. [Intrigue] - Secret. The Second Promise is announced and celebrated throughout Narsai for her contributions towards Paradise, though the Iron Monarch remains vague on precisely what those contributions are. Verity Seydoux, now elevated beyond her status as the bastard daughter of Amelie Beaufort with one of the foremen under Baron Beaufort's command, is a cuttingly clever cut-purse with a commitment to comeuppance. The successful kidnapper is a devil with the jagged twin daggers that she carries on her person constantly (one of which contains her bloodthirsty little emo heart). She has learned to tap her soul vessel temporarily to create a small zone of dampened noise around her person to great advantage. Now, she leaves Narsai on the hunt once more. Pray you do not become her prey. Non-Actions Change hosts rulers non-dynastically to Iron Monarch Odo Intanran. Non-dynastic succession: +1 to any two attributes, Growths: +1 Intrigue. 4 + 1 Diplomacy, 3 Military, 3 Economy, 3 Faith, 4 + 1 + 1 Intrigue To bring a nation to its knees, even if only for a few hours, is a massive accomplishment for a teenager. The Iron Monarch is intrigued by Odo's natural flair for leadership, exotic appearance, and charisma. Who better to implement security measures designed to thwart a repeat occurrence than the one that orchestrated it in the first place? Resist and hinder all conversions in Narsai (Region 69). Hinder all buyouts in Narsai (Region 69), Agbada (Region 52), and Nadiratna (Region 68). Resist all buyouts of Iron Masquerade Trading Posts. Gain 1 Renown for Raising a Fortress for the first time. Gain 1 treasure from the completion of Mytho-Historical Data Gathering. Reminders for myself All countries must pay 1 Treasure to the Empire by the end of round 3 or lose 1 Reputation with EMP, can pay as event subaction Gain 1 Renown the first time you Construct Arcology, Found Holy Order, or Raise Fortress Gain 1 treasure when Mytho-Historical Data Gathering is complete Any country that takes the Construct Arcology action before the end of Round 6 may gain 1 Treasure as a sub-action Hazardous Conditions Inspection next round "Knowledge that shines through to attract pupils like moths bees to a flame." Iron Monarch Mortimer Red (he/him) Diplomacy: 3 Military: 5 Economy: 4 Faith: 5 Intrigue: 6 Ground units: 2 Space units: 1 Treasure: 1 + 1 per round EMP: 0 rep / 0 favors WTU: 0 rep / 0 favors BRG: 1 rep / 0 favors REN: rank 2

Faction Tracking Round 3 Region writeups: “Once you have taken over a region, you will need to write it up in the same manner as you did your first region. If you do not do so within 2 rounds of acquiring the region, barring extenuating out-of-game circumstances, the region's factions will progressively become rebellious due to your neglect, and Sway or Impress actions to bring them back to loyalty will suffer a -4 penalty until the writeup is complete.” The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 3: Region 24 (ELD) The following regions will begin to become rebellious at the end of round 4: Region 15 (BCC) Region 18 (TEA) Region 31 (RRE) Region 41 (ELD) Region 45 (ILU) Region 51 (ALF) Region 90 (DIC) Region posts in the Planets of Tekhum forum: There is no mechanical consequence (yet) for not moving your nation writeup from the Giant in the Playground forums to the Mythweavers forum, but you will make the GMs very grumpy. The following players need to post their nation writeup in the Planets of Tekhum forum on Mythweavers: Lumaeus (ARK) D&DFan (AVP) Xanxost (CAS) MappyPK (CBC) Dawsnow (NDR) LadySerpentine (TWI) Government faction unrest: “If your claim to the region is revealed to be fabricated, the regional government will immediately distance themselves from you, and you will lose their Support.” Government faction unrest happens rarely, and will be revealed in an opener as a consequence of a deliberate player action to uncover a fabricated claim. This section is included here for completeness and transparency, and may be omitted in faction tracking posts in future rounds. Media faction unrest: “If you do not have the support of another faction in the region, own a trading post in the region, or share the region's Majority or Sole faith, you will lose the media's support in the region after one round.” There are currently no Media factions in danger of unrest. Mercantile faction unrest: If you possess the support of a region’s mercantile faction, “lacking the local Desired Import will cause you to lose the mercantile support after three rounds.” “If the Mercantile support in an owned region is Open and the region owner does not own a Trade Post that fulfills the local Desired Import, the Mercantile faction will become Unruly after a period of four rounds without their needs being met. These four rounds include any time during which the Mercantile faction’s support is given to another country, but that country cannot fulfill the region’s Desired Import.” Player nations are given two extra rounds of leniency upon starting play to acquire their capital region’s Desired Import. Being passed a resource through a Trade Route will fulfill a region’s Desired Import for a single round, but will not reset the timer to unrest. If you wish to avoid unrest, either be traded the necessary resource every round continuously or acquire a Trading Post of it yourself. The following mercantile supports will become open at the end of the listed round. Round 5: Region 2 (BCC, Superconductors) Region 3 (UNC, Psychotropics) Region 11 (TEA, Rare Metals) Region 23 (WTP, Robots) Region 32 (RRE, Fuel and Power) Region 44 (GLO, Symbol Printing) Region 46 (ARK, Compostables) Region 50 (RAT, Exotic Matter) Region 54 (AVP, Laborers) Region 58 (TWI, Cybernetics and Prosthetics) Region 65 (ISH, Spices) Region 73 (SNK, Crystals) Region 79 (HOB, Fissile Materials) Region 84 (GCC, Food) Region 89 (KRB, Efficient Fuel) Region 97 (DIC, Booze) Round 6: Region 17 (BIR, Fruits and Vegetables) Round 7: Region 49 (TAV, Lumber) The following open supports will become unruly at the end of the listed round. Round 6: Region 10 (ILU, Protein Heavy Foods) Region 15 (BCC, Fuel and Power) Region 18 (TEA, Ores and Alloys) Region 41 (ELD, Medicines and Drugs) Region 90 (DIC, Conductors and Circuitry) The Faction Tracker GM is human (for now) and makes mistakes sometimes. Please ping or DM Aerin if you think your region should not be in danger of unrest.

The Iron Masquerade Capital: Round 2 News and Rumors A letter to his superiors at the Arkhive Æternal from Mortimer Red, resident Librarian to the Iron Masquerade. My reception in Narsai has been nothing but warm and welcoming. The Masquerade sent ample help to transport my fifteen large suitcases to my new quarters, and they even had a room full of mannequin heads prepared for me to display my mask collection! Everyone has been extremely polite to me, even the Barons that I've met at dinner parties (the Iron Monarch keeps insisting that I go to those!), calling me "Soulbound Heir" and once even "your highness." I keep having to explain to them that while the Arkhive has a Queen, I am not royalty myself! I've made plenty of progress on my research into facial attire, thanks to the generosity of many Black Tower priests who have kindly allowed me to interview them. I hope to send a first draft of a new treatise on masks back with my next progress report. It will contain descriptions and sketches of Iron Monarch Thalus's golden glory: the gilded serpentine headdress that is one of the most beautiful things I have ever been privileged enough to behold. Your Æternal servant, Mortimer Red A thank-you note is mailed to High Lord Karim-12 and High Lady Petra, alongside a polite request for High Lord Karim-12 to be reassigned to the Veehran orbit. The letter is signed by the Iron Monarch and stamped with the royal butterfly sigil of the Iron Masquerade. Included are two cloak pins of carved, polished black hematite in the shape of a butterfly. Baron Gilbert Faustine sends a progress report on Odo Intanran back to Agbada. The Hyena preteen is adapting surprisingly well to life in Narsai despite the lack of bodies of water for him to engage in House Intranran's primary pastime: sailing. The rambunctious adolescent has quickly pivoted his skills at handling ship rigging to instead managing the complex system of pulleys and chains that form the backbone of the underground city's elevator shafts, mining belts, and cargo lifts. Baron Faustine is generally happy with his progress, but does note an unfortunate tendency to play hooky from his noble tutors to adventure with unsavory peers in the undercity. Actions [Diplomacy 5] - Create a Cultural Identity, Soul Snatchers, for 2d8 to Assassination/Kidnapping. This one is long but important! The problem with starting a cult around yourself leading the masses to Paradise is that, well, the masses expect to be lead to Paradise. Not the true, diehard fanatics, though. All it takes to maintain the loyalty of the upper clergy is a little special attention from their Savior and a steady drip of the supernatural, flavored as the divine. Alexandre Margaux, diehard fanatic and head priest within the cult of the Savior's Promise, kneels before his deity in private audience. Iron Monarch Thalus stands before him, the Black Butterfly on his face glimmering in the dim candlelight and his forked tongue snaking out to taste the crisp desert air. If the intricate carved veins of the mask's wing cells hinted at an allusion to circuitry before, the occasional sparkle that now flits from one nexus to another enforces the motif. "Your Majesty, I can see that the child's holy sacrifice has restored a fraction of your divine power. Please, I beg you to allow me this one question of your sacred will!" Margaux fully prostrates himself upon the floor. "How many more until Paradise can be reached?" A pause, no longer than it would take an entity to do rough mental math involving the lifespan of the man prostrated before him and the optimal speed of soul consumption, as the Iron Monarch slowly blinks his snake-slitted eyes. "Twenty more excluding the child and the magician. Twenty-two in total." Instantly, Margaux throws himself upon his Savior's feet, crying, "Take me! Let me be one step towards Paradise!" Iron Monarch Thalus reaches down and gently tilts Margaux's face up. Slowly and intimately, the Kildoran removes the priest's simple black mask from his face, until he is holding the other man's very soul in his palm. If the Iron Monarch secretly wishes that it were even possible to consume Margaux in this form, it does not show on his face. Addressing the mask instead of the body, the Iron Monarch responds, "You have done well to emulate me, young one. Your very essence is preserved, ready and waiting for the final call to Paradise." "I do not accept your sacrifice." "Bring me those who have yet to grasp my divinity. Outsiders still lost in the dark, waiting for my saving touch. I demand the talented schemers, the magically gifted, and the martially proficient. Let me absorb their skills so that one day I might more aptly carry your soul to beyond." Iron Monarch Thalus kneels to reaffix Margaux's mask, staring his deepest devotee in the eyes. "Do this for me, Alexandre, and you shall be the First to reach Paradise. This I Promise." Margaux, newly christened as the First Promise, leaves the audience chamber to disperse the word and will of his god with a lurid, fervent light in his eyes and a manic, contagious energy. The Promises have been founded, and they are coming for you. [Military 5] - Recruit a General, Baron Amelie Beaufort, with the tactical doctrine of Rapid Entrenchment: +3 to battle when defending. (She/her, score: 8) The Iron Monarch deftly juggles the domestic power struggle between various Baronries by giving outstandingly loyal supporters highly coveted positions within the military and economic sectors. Amelie, as head of the Beaufort Baronry, has decades of experience handing the logistics and planning of expanding Narsai's underground megadrill operations. When it comes to efficiently constructing entrenchments, none are her equal. [Military] - Raise a ground unit. The difference between operating life-threatening industiral mining machinery for pittance wages and wielding life-threatening energy weaponry for pittance wages is trivial. At least joining the army has a chance of letting one experience sunlight. [Intrigue] - Coerce TP 68.3 for Polymorphite. 13, SUCCESS The nobles demand their luxuries and the Savior provides. [Intrigue] - Secret. Fanatics, mercenaries, and thieves who wish to join the ranks of the Promises stalk into the night. Non-Actions Change hosts rulers non-dynastically to Iron Monarch Mortimer Red. Non-dynastic succession: +1 to any two attributes, Growths: +1 Military, +1 Intrigue 3 Diplomacy, 4+1 Military, 4 Economy, 4+1 Faith, 4+2 Intrigue Thalus was already an old sorcerer, and his soul doesn't take long to suck dry. The Iron Monarch doesn't understand why Mortimer Red is willing to put on the Black Butterfly of his own volition, but he isn't going to question it. Mortimer's archival knowledge, cultural expertise, and impeccable fashion sense will be an asset to the Masquerade as the Iron Monarch slowly wears his new host thin. Resist and/or hinder all conversions and buyouts in Narsai (Region 69). Support the buyout of TP 69.2 for Hematite by the Fiorid Principality of Verdalfheim (ALF). Support the buyout of TP 52.3 for Sun-Kissed Maize by the Wicklund Salvagers (WIC). Reminders for myself All countries must pay 1 Treasure to the Empire by the end of round 3 or lose 1 Reputation with EMP, can pay as event subaction Gain 1 Renown the first time you Construct Arcology, Found Holy Order, or Raise Fortress Gain 1 treasure when Mytho-Historical Data Gathering is complete Any country that takes the Construct Arcology action before the end of Round 6 may gain 1 Treasure as a sub-action "Someone always capable of rebuilding themself can never be kept down." Iron Monarch Thalus (he/him) Diplomacy: 5 Military: 5 Economy: 2 Faith: 2 Intrigue: 5 Ground units: 1 Space units: 1 Treasure: 0 + 1 per round EMP: 0 rep / 0 favors WTU: 0 rep / 0 favors BRG: 1 rep / 0 favors REN: rank 2

Round 1 Event - The Coronation of Nathan L'Othaire Summary: As has been tradition for hundreds of years, the Masquerade hosts an elegant coronation ceremony and grand banquet for the ascension of the Iron Monarch. In a twist that seems to shock everyone except for the local cultists, when the young heir dons the Black Butterfly, an ancient and regal artifact in the form of a mask, his personality is completely overwritten by that of the entity lurking within. The adult-minded toddler then proceeds to continue with the revelry, ordering the murder of his adoptive father and the abduction of the insolent ruler of New Kildora. Also, some foreigners trade technologies. The Savior's Promise - Organized Faith If the Soulbound Dance was a collection of unique cultural practices and shared superstitions with the occasional cult-like fanatic hanging on at the fringes of society, then the Savior's Promise is a Cult, capital C, permeating daily life and enforced by those in power. The belief that the god-like Iron Monarch will lead their followers to a mythical Paradise is all-consuming and has devoured any previous nuance to the faith. Prayer to the Monarch is strictly enforced for all citizen twice daily, with mandatory longer sermons one per week. Many devout have small shrines of incense and heated water (a frozen desert luxury) in their homes for private worship. To many followers, the Iron Monarch's new personality and the elevation of the Iron Masquerade to the Elect are confounded and intertwined occurrences. Groups of missionaries roam the tunnel-streets of Narsai's deepest slums. Convinced that any who have not stored their souls within a soulbound vessel will be lost forever when the Savior carries all vessels to Paradise, they wield their own soul vessels with arcane prowess to forcibly "convert" any holdouts in the name of "saving" them. These vigilantes have become quite adept at hunting down individuals who do not wish to be found and sneaking into the underbelly of the city where they wouldn't normally have access. Structurally, the ordained of the Black Tower encourage this practice by seeking out (preying upon) talented criminals from the poorest classes of the city to elevate to priesthood. Size 5 Bonus: +1 to Assassination/Kidnapping Cultural Identity - Soul Snatchers (Assassination/Kidnapping) The problem with starting a cult around yourself leading the masses to Paradise is that, well, the masses expect to be lead to Paradise. Not the true, diehard fanatics, though. All it takes to maintain the loyalty of the upper clergy is a little special attention from their Savior and a steady drip of the supernatural, flavored as the divine. Alexandre Margaux, diehard fanatic and head priest within the cult of the Savior's Promise, kneels before his deity in private audience. Iron Monarch Thalus stands before him, the Black Butterfly on his face glimmering in the dim candlelight and his forked tongue snaking out to taste the crisp desert air. If the intricate carved veins of the mask's wing cells hinted at an allusion to circuitry before, the occasional sparkle that now flits from one nexus to another enforces the motif. "Your Majesty, I can see that the child's holy sacrifice has restored a fraction of your divine power. Please, I beg you to allow me this one question of your sacred will!" Margaux fully prostrates himself upon the floor. "How many more until Paradise can be reached?" A pause, no longer than it would take an entity to do rough mental math involving the lifespan of the man prostrated before him and the optimal speed of soul consumption, as the Iron Monarch slowly blinks his snake-slitted eyes. "Twenty more excluding the child and the magician. Twenty-two in total." Instantly, Margaux throws himself upon his Savior's feet, crying, "Take me! Let me be one step towards Paradise!" Iron Monarch Thalus reaches down and gently tilts Margaux's face up. Slowly and intimately, the Kildoran removes the priest's simple black mask from his face, until he is holding the other man's very soul in his palm. If the Iron Monarch secretly wishes that it were even possible to consume Margaux in this form, it does not show on his face. Addressing the mask instead of the body, the Iron Monarch responds, "You have done well to emulate me, young one. Your very essence is preserved, ready and waiting for the final call to Paradise." "I do not accept your sacrifice." "Bring me those who have yet to grasp my divinity. Outsiders still lost in the dark, waiting for my saving touch. I demand the talented schemers, the magically gifted, and the martially proficient. Let me absorb their skills so that one day I might more aptly carry your soul to beyond." Iron Monarch Thalus kneels to reaffix Margaux's mask, staring his deepest devotee in the eyes. "Do this for me, Alexandre, and you shall be the First to reach Paradise. This I Promise." Margaux, newly christened as the First Promise, leaves the audience chamber to disperse the word and will of his god with a lurid, fervent light in his eyes and a manic, contagious energy. The Promises have been founded, and they are coming for you.

The Iron Masquerade (MSQ) Capital: The City of Narsai, Region 69 Summary Capital: The City of Narsai, Region 69 Demonym: Masque Starting Faith: The Soulbound Dance (Majority level, no Minorities), now organized into the Savior's Promise Capital Region Resource: Hematite, a black iron ore (Ores and Alloys, Conductors and Circuitry) Desired Import: Staple Crops Starting Technologies: Arcane Amplification, Dust Hardening Faction Support: Government: The Iron Masquerade Media: The Iron Masquerade Mercantile: The Iron Masquerade Pitch: Aristocratic mining Barons form a kidnapping cult to procure hosts for their masked deity, the Iron Monarch, after it consumes the former ruling bloodline. Geography The city-state of Narsai is a metaphorical oasis in the middle of the vast Veehran dust desert, if not a literal one. The presence of the L'Bernon mountain range blocking access to the Great Southern Lake corrals trade caravans into a relatively narrow north-south corridor. Narsai is planted firmly in the middle of this corridor. It is a nearly necessary resupply point for travelers. Outside of the city, the sandstorms rage and the land is frozen over. The only fools brave enough to weather the storms are bandits lurking to prey upon the trade route or nomadic tribes wandering in from adjacent territories. The garrison of the city is occasionally mustered the curb the former. The city itself boasts no artificial atmosphere dome or climate control. The smooth black bricks of the L'Othaire royal castle form the tallest and grandest structure, followed by the Black Tower and the expensive manses of the Barons and lesser nobles. Only the rich live where sunlight can reach their dwellings on a rare clear day, because only the rich can afford to maintain secondary residences while continually repairing the sands' abrasion of their surface dwellings. In the depths of the city where the pelting sands cannot reach, the laborers and common folk live in a labyrinthine network of tunnels and rooms created and leased at remit of the Barons. To live closer to the surface is a sign of wealth. One can roughly estimate the status of an individual by what level they reside upon. Though stairs exist, the intense verticality of the city and the mines below necessitate the existence of cargo lifts and elevators. Though all such devices are owned by the various Barons, they vary in their accessibility, fee, size, and safety. History Veehra is littered with the rusting machinery of bygone ages. Centuries ago, the raider who would become the founder of the Iron Masquerade ventured deep into abandoned mining shafts in the foothills of the L'Bernon Range in hope of procuring salvage from the derelict mining rigs. A sudden dust storm had trapped him in the tunnel system for weeks. His edible provisions were gone and ice supply reduced to tight rationing, but most importantly: he was beginning to doubt his sanity. He had delved the deepest tunnels in a futile effort to find ice, and instead unearthed a sealed chamber of polished black crystal. "Wear me," demanded the voice too svelte to be human. "And I will lead you to paradise." The raider was cunning and resourceful (you had to be in order to prey upon the heavily armed supply caravans between the planet's twin oases), but he was desperate. Staring at the intricately carved black lattice of a monarch butterfly mask, he decided that he had little left to lose, even should this be another hallucination. "Honored spirit, my lowly visage is not a worthy resting place for one such as yourself," the bandit challenged. "Teach me how to activate the mining drills, so that I might bring you to the surface." This was not what the mask had asked for, but it was also desperate. Untold millennia of isolation had taken their toll upon the ancient personality. It could not survive another millennia without a power source. The mask agreed. It taught the brigand what levers and buttons to push, but not why. How to navigate the maze tunnels one turn at a time, but never the full map. How to operate, but not repair. The bandit, though clever, was greedy. He rented the use of the megadrills to other raider bands, charging a premium for access to the mask's knowledge. He never wore the mask, nor allowed anyone else to talk to it. The mining city of Narsai was born. When the first drill broke down and his newborn aristocracy grew unruly, the petty king of Narsai begged the mask for the knowledge of how to fix the contraption. The mask refused. "Wear me," challenged the sophisticated voice. "And I will lead you to paradise." Even after decades of collaboration, the former bandit remained untrusting of the suspicious artifact. He devised a series of oaths that the two of them would swear, and ultimately refused to wear the mask himself. "I promise that all heirs of my bloodline shall wear you when they ascend to rule," swore the king. "Starting with my own eldest daughter and heir." "I promise that no harm shall come to any of your bloodline by wearing me," lied the mask. "And that I shall truthfully answer all questions from the ruler of Narsai, starting with how to repair the mining apparatus." The shrewd king took an additional precaution. He dipped into his coffers to hire a Sorcerer from New Kildora to remove the soul of his daughter, placing it within a signet ring that she would always keep upon her person. Thus, he reasoned, the mask would never corrupt her true essence. (Like many expensive and unnecessary medical procedures, the trend of relocating one's soul to an object was wildly popular among the megadrill Barons. When the methodology to do so became accessible enough to reach the peasantry through arcane amplification, the ritual gained religious significance.) When Marie L'Othaire was coronated and donned the mask, she became the first true Iron Monarch of Narsai. The mask, finding its attempts to feed upon Marie's soul thwarted by the cleverness of her father, was equally clever. It continued to provide answers to the rulers of Narsai, despite slowly dwindling power reserves. Humans were malleable, fickle creatures. It had centuries to spare before its battery finally depleted. Eventually, one of its wearers would have a soul to suck dry. (This is the true history, but it is lost to time or warped by perspective. This version is not taught in Narsai.) Government, People The Iron Masquerade is a centuries-old monarchy lead by the Iron Monarch, who can be recognized by the distinctive butterfly mask they wear. When the current Iron Monarch dies or wishes to retire, the title is passed to their eldest offspring regardless of gender. Subservient to the monarchy, there are various Barons that each pay taxes to the Monarch in exchange for the permission to use a handful of ancient megadrills. The megadrills break down frequently, reinforcing the Barons' reliance upon the Monarch for assistance with repairs. They are ancient devices that cannot be replicated or understood given the current technology of the Masquerade. At the outset of the game, the previous Iron Monarch has died suddenly and unexpectedly to disease, leaving a four year old son as the last remaining member of the L'Othaire bloodline. Coronation will proceed as usual, including all the traditional regalia and ceremony, but the realm will be ruled by regent until such time that the child reaches the age of majority and chooses an appropriate soul vessel, a traditional coming-of-age ceremony for followers of the Soulbound Dance. When the ceremonial black butterfly mask of the Iron Monarch is placed upon the child's face during the coronation, the mask consumes him! Come to my round one event to learn more! The peasantry of Narsai include some traders and artisans, but the majority are simple machinery operators in the enormous megadrills that produce the city's black wealth. They are plagued by the traditional illnesses and woes of an impoverished mining workforce. The vast majority of residents of Narsai are human, with the few exceptions being among the merchant class. Trading caravans that travel between Veehra's two oases almost always pass through Narsai, and pay a fee to do so. These taxes are collected by the Iron Monarch, and a large chunk of the revenue is in turn used to pay tribute to the Emperor. Aside from continuing to pay what is due, the small city-state of Narsai merits little attention from the Emperor. Resource Regional resource: The primary output of the Narsai mines is hematite, a highly conductive form of iron ore. The high-quality mineral is a black, brittle crystal, occasionally interspersed with streaks of rust-red banded iron. While some of the produced crystal is carved into decorative figurines by city artisans, the majority is exported to foreign buyers for use in conductors and armaments. Desired import: The profits from the backbreaking labor of the drillers feed the lavish lifestyles of the Barons, affording them every luxury. The peasantry must save every penny to afford basic grains, the gold of the Veehran oases, to compliment their diets of recycled protein. Staple crops are imported to feed the masses at exorbitant rates. Faith, Culture Followers of the Soulbound Dance believe that one's soul only persists as long as its vessel does, and thus they relocate their souls to physical objects. All other elements of the faith are optional, or practiced differently by various factions, but this is the core tenet. The choice of object is deeply personal. The traditional, orthodox choice endorsed by the clergy and followed by the Barons is a masquerade mask, though fierce debate exists surrounding the inclusion or lack of an attached stick to manually hold the mask up. Narsai's nobility wear their soulbound masks to go about everyday life to flaunt their wealth and power. The peasantry often choose simpler, more practical objects (though the particularly devout or ambitious still elect for masks). Rings, necklaces, simple tools, and small carved figurines are common choices. The vessel is always something small and lightweight enough to carry on one's person, as it is commonly believed that spending too long too far from one's soul vessel weakens the link between the soul and the vessel, eventually leading to the complete loss of the soul. The ceremony to relocate one's soul is a coming-of-age ritual for most believers. It is never performed on children, as their souls have not fully developed, but the exact age of majority can vary. In order to perform the ceremony, another individual (usually a cleric) that has already relocated their soul must tap into their vessel as a power source for Arcane Amplification. The recursive nature of this process and the precise technique used has lead some scholars to speculate that the first arbiters of the ritual followed the practices of the sorcerers of New Kildora, but this is merely speculation. The modern practice bears little resemblance to the works of the snake sorcerers, and unlike the sorcerers, Masques perform very little other magic despite having their own souls easily available to tap for energy. Holy sites of the Soulbound Dance double as both churches and mausoleums, with the most famous example being the Black Tower. The floors of the Black Tower are filled with nooks and alcoves holding vessels of all shapes and sizes. Masquerade masks are typically displayed upon a carved hematite bust of the deceased, if the deceased can afford to commission such a luxury. The bodies of the deceased are of no import, and thus are recycled for protein. Not everyone can afford to reserve mausoleum space for their vessel, and some religious factions even prefer to pass down vessels among family lines as heirlooms. It is taboo to layer multiple souls within one vessel. Stealing a soul vessel is punishable by death by decree of the Iron Monarch, regardless of the intrinsic worth of the object. In recent decades, there has been a growing cult-like obsession with the Iron Monarch. The clergy of the Black Tower preaches that the Monarch will one day release all souls stored in vessels and guide them to Paradise. This belief has always been popular among the workforce, for whom the promise of a savior to lead them out of brutal working conditions and abject poverty is a breath of fresh air among the constant dust, but now it is followed by several of the Barons as well. For this reason, the bottom floor of the Black Tower is open to all Masques for quiet contemplation and prayer to the Monarch, as well as daily sermons from the priesthood. At the center is a two-story tall black sculpture of a butterfly, wings spread wide. Though the L'Othaire line has always been devout followers of the Soulbound Dance, the head priest of the Black Tower was recently appointed to be one of the late king's personal advisors in an unprecedented admission of the church's rising influence among the populace.

Is there any way to spoiler an image that you've uploaded through the "Drag files here to attach" function? Asking because the map file is very large.

Round 2 annotated map.