Round 3: Begin!
Years 2040-2042 of the 99,803rd Era of the Imperial Calendar
Round 3 will close on Sunday, March 10th.
Announcements!
Be aware that images hosted on Discord will expire after 24 hours! This change was made a couple months ago (https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/discord-will-switch-to-temporary-file-links-to-block-malware-delivery/) and affects any file you’re using discord to host. If you need an alternative for banners and other such images, the GM team suggests uploading images directly to myth-weavers or using https://imgbb.com/.
Starting this round, there will be a mid-round post by the Faction Tracker GM (Aerin) detailing which Desired Imports have not been met and how long they can be unmet before unrest begins. This information is difficult to compile in time for the opener because it relies upon the tables being updated with the current round’s results. Thank you for your patience.
If your region's name on the Regional Tables is [red and in brackets], then it's a placeholder because the name was unclear - let a table keeper know the actual name to get it fixed.
Silent_Interim is taking a temporary leave of absence from the game. I do not have a timeline to provide, but I anticipate their return within the round. Some Org-related questions will have delayed answers for this reason.
Please be aware of the prerequisites of your actions, especially special actions! I've tried to be flexible since it's the start of the game and I've missed some illegal actions, but moving forward I will be able to keep a closer eye on them. Note especially for the near future that creating a technology requires you to own all of its prerequisites.
Stats for heirs must be assigned when the heir is rolled, not when they inherit. If you have an heir (especially a nondynastic heir) whose rolls are not explicitly assigned, please assign them as a non-action this round.
Discovery!
Explorations, prospecting, and other news from afar
Maps of Tekhum
Tekhum
Region numbers marked on the overall solar system map above indicate single-region natural and artificial satellites. New space stations and similar regions created during the game will be added to this map.
Badal
Sansar
Firmament
Not to scale.
Aridyin
Veehra
Mekhala
Distances not to scale.
Following reports of a failed U.N.N.C.L.E. expedition to the aerostat, the Biarbu move to survey the region from a safer distance. They find little to explain the previous explorers’ fates, as the region seems relatively peaceable and unremarkable, at least by the standards of Badal. The most dangerous threat to the survey team is an argument over whether the unique local fauna are properly considered “winged quadrupeds” or “hexapods.” BRB explores Region 7, discovering a region with a Majority of Conjunction Prophets, two Trade Posts of Winged Camels (Fauna), a Desired Import of Flora, and 3 units of native defenders!
With reliable space travel easily available, the White Pawns mount Tekhum’s first mission to Aridyin! Perhaps overly optimistic in their planning, the lunar explorers are fully equipped to make contact with any alien civilization they might encounter, but they find little of any substance on Sansar’s moon. Dust, regolith, and craters are the themes of the mission’s final report - though they note it would be perfectly feasible to colonize the region. WTP explores Region 103, discovering an uninhabited uncolonized region!
The Eucrus Alliance finds the lack of data on the strategically significant Badalian space stations galling, and dispatches a diplomatic mission to make contact with the inhabitants of one of them. Doing so is not difficult, as the station appears to be dedicated to the production of spacecraft, and though the locals lack Imperial drives they still manage to intercept the explorers for a guided tour of the station. TEA explores Region 105, discovering a zero-g region with a Majority of Thrinakrians, one Trade Post of Derzin Rockets (Spacecraft), a Desired Import of Fuel and Power, and 4 units of native defenders!
Seeking to retake Firmament and open a new era of interplanetary trade for Sansar, the Durats realize the first step is charting the ring’s interior. To that end, they send an expedition up the ruins of the nearest space elevator, entering the ring through the damaged elevator connection. Within, they are able to chart roughly a third of Firmament in each direction - drawing particular attention to the region’s groves of Stage Trees, a potentially totally unique resource indigenous to the orbital ring. RAT explores Region 110, discovering a region with a Majority of Minosians, one Trade Post of Stage Trees (Flora), a Desired Import of Specialists, and 4 units of native defenders!
Growth!
Expansion, development, unification, and similar forms of growth and prosperity
The United Houses of Senkar colonize Region 13! It gains a Desired Import of Precious Minerals.
Offers of automated pampering are apparently acceptable to the fashionistas of Region 86. C.A.S.S.I.O.P.E establishes a Confederation Claim on Region 86
Carefully sidestepping anything that might activate their northern neighbors’ xenophobia, Caipe Ushere establishes a Confederation Claim on Region 28
Past failures in one part of Sansar do little to dim the Dhaoine’s hunger for more. Eilif Dhaoine establishes a Confederation Claim on Region 43
The Glorious Purifiers’ overtures to their neighbors are well-received, but talks are cut short by alien invasion. The Glorious Purifiers establish a Confederation Claim on Region 45, but immediately lose it as ILU conquers the region
Statecraft!
Cultural events, diplomatic overtures, foreign relations, and domestic affairs
Without Trade, a Solar Trade Hub is a mere Solar Hub, and the Durats are more than capable of fulfilling their assumed title’s duties. The Durats of Burtzland develop a new Cultural Identity, which increases the die for Buyouts to 2d8
The savior’s Promise must be extended to all, even - no, especially - those who would refuse it. The Iron Masquerade develops a new Cultural Identity, which increases the die for Kidnapping and Assassination to 2d8
The Wicklund Salvagers have always been dependent on their deal-brokering ability, and it is a skill that will serve them well in the void. The Wicklund Salvagers develop a new Cultural Identity, which increases the die for Sway Faction rolls to 2d8
Eilif Dhaoine establishes an Embassy with The Eucrus Alliance. [renown reward]
The Llort Society Protectorate establishes an Embassy with The Arkhive Aeternal. [renown reward]
Illumined Utopian establishes an Embassy with The Black Cloud Coalition.
The Sorcerers of New Kildora establish an Embassy with the Soom-Clan Marauders.
Illumined Utopian hosts the Festival of Ability!
- BAF gives Wet Navy Ships to ILU
- ILU gives Badalian Megadirigibles to BAF
- ILU pays 1 Treasure to BCC and ISH
The Kingdom of High Ishtahnos hosts the The Millennial Jubilee of the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos!
The Llort Society Protectorate hosts the Mekhala Mad Dash!
- LSP gives Arcane Amplification, Aclaustrophobic Psychiatry, Algorithmic Imagination, In Vivo Modification, Nuclear Fusion and Xenolinguistic Cataloguing to SCM and HOF
- GCC gives Vacuum Adaptation to SCM and Badalian Megadirigibles to LSP
- CAS gives 1 Treasure to LSP
CAS sways the Government in Region 86
CUS sways the Government in Region 28.
ELD sways the Government in Lassal (Region 24).
GLO sways the Government in Region 45.
ISH sways the Government in Region 67.
WIC sways the Government in Region 39.
BRG Sways the Media in Region 4
BRG Sways the Media in Region 34
BRG Sways the Media in Region 56
BRG Sways the Media in Region 86
WTU Impresses the Merchants in Region 28 using Union Crews as Specialists
WTU Impresses the Merchants in Region 66 using Atmospheric Scrubbers as Spacecraft
WTU Impresses the Merchants in Region 78 using Atmospheric Scrubbers as Spacecraft
Trade!
Buyouts, trade routes, and other economic shenanigans
Though some are confused at the reason for the project, the expansion of Hway proves not only a valuable economic boon but a valuable institution for the training of new agents. The Biarbu Society constructs an Arcology in Shiwa Yun (Region 6), Hway! (Bonus: Build Spy Network)
The southern pole of Dur-Shalkhir grows, urban and industrial sprawl creeping along the asteroid. Facilities for research, experimentation, production, and of course (and in the greatest numbers) weapons combine to form the heart of the House of Fire’s economy. The House of Fire constructs an Arcology in Dur-Shalkhir (Region 76), Gunzir Massif! (Bonus: Offensive Space Battles)
Lord Ziven, Speaker of the Houses, commands a vast new floating forum be constructed in Senkar, to further enable debate and the promulgation of the Forever Self. The United Houses of Senkar construct an Arcology in Senkar (Region 16), the Senkar Forum! (Bonus: Convert Region) UHS gains 1 Treasure from Project Sunrise!
Down the coast from Davis Port, a whole new city is growing, built around the analysis of strange and bizarre salvage. The Wicklund Salvagers construct an Arcology in Davis Port (Region 40), the Component Research Facility! (Bonus: Investigation) WIC gains 1 Treasure from Project Sunrise!
The Durats of Burtzland and the White Pawns form a Trade Route.
ALF buys out TP 2 in The City of Narsai (Region 69) for Hematite
ARK buys out TP 3 in Region 59 for Union Crews
BAF buys out TP 1 in Region 66 for Spellbooks
BAF buys out TP 2 in Voletha (Region 71) for Heavy Machinery
CAS buys out TP 1 in Region 86 for Haute Couture
CAS buys out TP 2 in al-Miraiya d'Hayeli (Region 88) for Crystal Weave
CUS buys out TP 2 in Caipe Ushere (Region 29) for Wine
ELD buys out TP 3 in Caipe Ushere (Region 29) for Wine
FBC buys out TP 3 in Region 10 for Exotic Heavy Metals
FBC buys out TP 3 in Region 14 for Yinasse Plants
FBC buys out TP 1 in Region 19 for Vernian Jewels
HOF buys out TP 2 in the Central Claims (Region 97) for Ice
LSP buys out TP 2 in The Khylosen Cluster (Region 89) for Unrefined Metallic Ores
MIR buys out TP 2 in The Masklands (Region 57) for Tungsten
MIR buys out TP 2 in Nadiratna (Region 68) for Polymorphite
RAT buys out TP 2 in Burtzland (Region 50) for Superconductors and Microcircuits
RRE buys out TP3 in Erisdor (Region 32) for Fell Iron
RRE buys out TP 3 in Davis Port (Region 40) for Salvaged Components
TWI buys out TP 2 in Vesper (Region 58) for Vesperite Rangers
WIC buys out TP 3 in Agbada (Region 52) for Sun-Kissed Maize
WTU buys out TP 2 in the Biron Crosspaths (Region 17) for Noble Metals
WTU buys out TP 2 in Region 37 for Assembly Line Robots
WTU buys out TP 1 in Region 78 for Voidspice
Treasure Gained
AVP hoards 1 treasure
UNC hoards 1 treasure
WTP hoards 1 treasure
HOB hoards 2 treasure
BAF gains 1 passive treasure
BRB gains 1 passive treasure
CAS gains 1 passive treasure
CUS gains 1 passive treasure
FBC gains 1 passive treasure and 1 additional passive treasure from last round (accidentally missed in the last opener)
HOF gains 1 passive treasure
MIR gains 1 passive treasure
MSQ gains 1 passive treasure
RRE gains 1 passive treasure
SCM gains 1 passive treasure
SEV gains 1 passive treasure
UHS gains 1 passive treasure
WIC gains 1 passive treasure
Faith!
Conversions, organization, and other such matters of faith
With the old codices found lacking, the Illustrated Prime officially reforms the cult of Illumination into a true faith, reflecting the practice of self-improvement that drives Jy’mar society. Illumined Utopian Organizes Illumined Primarch into Soul’s Expression, with a Size 5 bonus of +1 to Buyouts!
Human Paragonism seems to have been unnecessarily restrictive, and the religion of Paragonism (With Addendums) is formalized from the ancient texts. U.N.N.C.L.E Organizes Human Paragonism into Paragonism, with a Size 5 bonus of NOT SET!
From the dust of the desert and the sands of the ancient past, the Knights of Kildora are resurgent! The Sorcerers of New Kildora establish a Holy Order in Kildora (Region 73), founding the Knights of New Kildora!
Those non-Coedd sophonts remaining in Coedd are more pliable than those who fled the entity’s first display of power. COE launches an inquisition in Coedd (Region 33), raising Coedd to Sole status.
ARK expands Coedd to Plurality in The Moonsoul Mountains (Region 44), forcing Hundred Hands Of The Soul to drop to Minority status.
CBC converts the minority of Cult of Free Will in the Region 56 to Cult of Avva
COE expands Coedd to Plurality in The Reserve (Region 25), forcing Anam Beathach to drop to Minority status.
ILU expands Soul’s Expression to Plurality in Anjahar (Region 11), forcing The Protean Paradigm to drop to Minority status.
LSP introduces a Minority of Imperial Cult to the Kish (Region 79)
SNK introduces a Minority of Cult of the Mother Serpent in the Great Western Waste (Region 62)
As civil war rages in the Crosspaths, a number of Loyalists gain a newfound appreciation for the mysteries of fate that allowed the Archknight to survive - an appreciation with striking similarities to the Biarbu doctrine of Fascination. A Minority of Fascination is introduced in the Biron Crosspaths (Region 17)
Wonder!
Miracles and inventions, ancient relics, and spectacular undertakings
Change is inevitable, and the Archknight’s blade will be the one to prove it. The Bironian Bulwark creates an Artifact, The Sword of Revolutions, which grants +2 to leader loss rolls when equipped by a character!
Rescued from the wrack of Kish, Archmage Zabir’s signet ring proves to hold not merely legitimacy but power. The House of Brimstone creates an Artifact, the Brimstone Seal of Authority, which grants +1 to Sway/Impress factions in regions where you have Merchant support.
Might!
Military matters of all kinds, be it warfare or strategic developments
Distinguished in battle, the young warlord Sigrid finds herself rapidly rising through the ranks. The Soom-Clan Marauders recruit a new General, General Sigrid of the Soom-Clan (Score 10)! Sigrid is able to deploy the tactical doctrine of Rust, Dust and Guts: +3 to battle rolls, +10% to own casualties.
Not content to be only a professional diplomat, The Hammer turns her might towards command of the Glic Armed Forces. The Combined Commonwealth of Glix recruits a new General, The Hammer (Score 7)! The Hammer is able to deploy the tactical doctrine of Hammer’s Vengeance: +4 to battle if an enemy is simultaneously attacking your own region.
Surprisingly experienced for a political candidate, Baron Amelie Beaufort is placed in command of Narsai’s defenses. The Iron Masquerade recruits a new General, Baron Amelie Beaufort (Score 8)! Baron Amelie Beaufort is able to deploy the tactical doctrine of Rapid Entrenchment: +3 to battle when defending.
Anna Kremhild rises from wargames to take leadership of the Glorious Purifiers' fleet. The Glorious Purifiers recruit a new Admiral, Anna Kremhild aka Cascade (Score 9)! Cascade is able to deploy the tactical doctrine of Avalanche: +20% enemy casualties.
The Black Cloud Coalition invades Region 15
“Ground units” is something of a misnomer when applied to warfare on Badal. In this case, the Black Cloud Coalition’s ground troops consist of a flotilla of small ships designed for boarding - these particular ones benefiting from premium fuel and extra ammunition supplies bought with piratical treasure. These troops, probably numbering around four companies if translated into standard military terms, are under the command of the Coalition Commander herself, Jie Meifeng (Mil 7) and advance on a battlefield already bombarded by spacecraft under the command of Hai Ping & Dao-Mao.
The native defense is under the control of an AI - optimistically named Supreme Integrated Command(M1). It has access to battle tactics collated from every major combat on Badal for the last fifty years and chooses its tactics perfectly. Sadly for the natives relying on its combat prowess it is more use as a library and expert system than as a real time commander and is unable to really implement its strategy on an ever-changing and oft-confusing battlefield.
Coalition Captain Jie Meifeng [BCC] succeeds in using Measured Advance (-10% casualties for both sides)
The battle opens unopposed as the Admiral’s forces unleash Electronic Bombardment on the defenders, greatly aiding the “ground” forces in achieving the slow measured advance they are aiming for. Coalition forces advance through the enemy dirigibles in a controlled move and fire, bringing reinforcements in as needed without having to force them through an orbital barrage. Jie Meifeng herself is never in any real danger given the coalition’s steady gaining of ground and the vast majority of the coalition boarders are similarly safe with only a token number falling in the final assault on the main dirigible’s bridge. By the time Jie Meifeng arrives there to survey the scene, the battle is essentially won.
BCC Victory! Natives Lose 1 unit! BCC gain control of Region 15!
The Eucrus Alliance invades Region 18
General Mata Vai(Mil 8) leads what could almost be called a humanitarian intervention onto the crippled remnant of the bulwark’s fleet. He leads two units of Eucrus Alliance troops in a boarding mission after Navarch Tuahine’s(Mil 5) ships have cleared the way. Troops have strict instructions to accept surrenders and many have medics attached who are to give equal priority to allied and enemy units. If an invasion can be humane, this one is.
That fact is lost on The Ace(Mil 7) - considerably more of a “champion” than a “general” and a terrifying prospect to face one on one in the aerial combat that precedes a boarding. His presence on the field greatly helps the defenders’ morale but he can’t be everywhere and as he moves from front to front the troops he departs lose a lot of their will to fight. He does his utmost to lead a steady advance on all fronts but his personality is unable to stretch the entire width of the front and too many places fall to point blank heavy ordinance fire from the Alliance.
General Mata Vai [TEA] (Mil 8) succeeds in using Point-Blank Ordinance (+2 battle, +10% enemy casualties)
The Navarch’s spaceships are unopposed and their measured advance sweeps a path clear for the remainder of the Alliance’s forces. By the time boarding actions on the crippled airships can begin the bulk of the native defenders are in disarray, those few pockets whose morale has survived have it swiftly broken by heavy weapons fire at zero range. As it becomes clearer to the native defenders that this need not be a battle to the death - a fact increasingly obvious from the field hospitals being set up in the twisted corridors, more and more surrender. A naive reckoning would put the defender casualties high, but the vast majority are walking wounded thanks to Alliance medics and will fight another day. Not as independents, though: Mata Vai reaches enemy control rooms in short order and the day is carried by the Alliance
TEA Victory! Natives Lose 2 units! TEA gain control of Region 18!
The Radiant Republic of Erisdor invades Region 31
The Radiant Republic surge across the sea with little warning. Aíne Uistein (Mil 9) leads a massive invasion force of four republic companies into purpose built naval transports while ships under the ultimate control of Cathal Oirbsiu (Mil 7) streak far overhead in a bid for space supremacy.
The naval advance catches the native defenders unprepared and control of the initial engagement falls to a relatively inexperienced subcommander, Pathfinder Dibbux (Mil 2) leads a citizen militia numbering in the thousands as he frantically sends for aid. Despite their numbers, they probably are equivalent in military strength to the Radiant Republic’s troops, given their poorer equipment and training.
General Aíne Uistein [RRE] (Mil 9) succeeds in using Boot of Liberty (On a TM success, may attempt one Impress action in the region where the battle takes place as a subaction of the battle)
Cathal Oirbsiu’s ships take up a geosynchronous orbit without meeting any real resistance and use their supremacy to provide support for the naval landing. With pinpoint orbital barrages taking out particularly stubborn knots of defenders, General Uistein’s troops manage the dangerous landing with acceptable losses and the war is joined in earnest. The Radiant Republic’s troops prioritize town halls and the other apparatus of government, slowing down and eventually negating Pathfinder Dibbux’s increasingly desperate attempts to get someone else to take command of the defense. With major population centers under the Republic’s boot, his troops become more of a guerilla resistance force than an army in short order and his local knowledge manages to inflict some genuine tangible losses on Republic forces before he is, inevitably, defeated. He did well, and perhaps some veterans still drink a toast to him, but within the year the region is in Republic hands - though fewer return home than left.
RRE Victory! Natives Lose 2 units! RRE Lose 1 Unit! RRE gain control of Region 31! RRE Impresses Government in Region 31!
Fiorid Principality of Verdalfheim invades Region 38
Arni dei Fiori (Mil 9) is given control of the Florid Principality’s smaller front this year and given control of an elite group of veterans in an attempt to counteract the smaller absolute number of troops, only the one company. Kilometers above him, Hinrik dei Fiori (Mil 5) is in charge of Verdalfheim’s space fleet, splitting his attention across the two fronts the elves are fighting upon.
The going will be tough in region 38, though, Colonel Beldhan (Mil 10) is a seasoned campaigner and his various missing limbs and subsequent cybernetic replacements make him a powerful melee combatant in addition to his undoubted tactical prowess. He leads three companies, all hardened in the crucible of war and proud to have this chance to defend their homeland against the elves.
Colonel Beldhan [NPC] succeeds in using Measured Advance (-10% casualties for both sides)
With neither Colonel Beldhan nor The First Fisherman on the other front deploying space based units, Hinrik dei Fiori enjoys unopposed control of the orbit - by mutual agreement the three Sansar based elect’s fleets do not interfere with one another - and they are able to advance slowly and surely into a position they can offer orbital support. And that’s where success for the Elves runs out. Beldhan’s highly trained troops move and fire through their homeland before melting back into the lands they know so well. Improvised traps fire and maim elven soldiers. Artillery set up on the commanding heights in the south of the region necessitated a long and costly detour to avoid the killing field. It seems every stratagem Arni dei Fiori attempts has been predicted and negated by the experienced Colonel and eventually they call a retreat before the situation degenerates further.
Native Victory! Natives retain control of Region 38!
Fiorid Principality of Verdalfheim invades Region 51
On the elves’ other front, Chancellor Eydis (Mil7) leads a numerically superior but less experienced task force of two companies while Hinrik dei Fiori (Mil 5) above is more than equal to the task of ensuring space dominance on both of Verdalfheim’s fronts.
The fishing and coastal communities they are targeting have no established military but a village elder - The First Fisherman (Mil 3) is co-opted as leader in a radical departure from his normal duties as an advisor and fishing expert. He’s out of his depth on land, ironically, but his expert knowledge of the local tides and currents mean that the three units he can command pull more than their weight on the sea. His innate avoidance of overfishing means he commits heavily to reserves as well, a fact the elves will come to regret…
Chancellor Eydis [ALF] (Mil 7) succeeds in using Measured Advance (-10% casualties for both sides)
With unquestioned space dominance, Hinrik dei Fiori targets the jetties and piers of the land, attempting to disrupt the naval defenses of the region and convince the First Fisherman that the war will be solely naval, causing him to neglect the land border. The tactic works more than it doesn’t, but a great number of small vessels had already been deployed and harry elven landing craft the whole way in, inflicting disproportionate casualties. When the landing craft make landfall though - and even more when they are able to link with the land based armies coming from the opposite direction - the battle rapidly becomes one sided. The First Fisherman’s lack of experience on land shows and Chancellor Eydis is able to keep a measured advance on major population centers without incurring too severe casualties. The articles of surrender are signed in short order and Verdalfheim forces move to consolidate their hold on the area while Chancellor Eydis retires to the Ovis, her flagship.
And then the reserves strike. They had been harbored under overhanging vegetation and (perhaps forgivably?) out of sight of the reconnaissance satellites above. In blatant violation of the terms of the surrender they strike at night, running amok through the anchored fleet and throwing small improvised explosives with cries of revenge. A shot, lucky or well aimed, who knows, catches an ammunition dump on the Ovis. A confused response exacerbates the problem. Eydis makes it to a lifeboat but most don’t and in an instant Elven victory becomes something akin to a loss. Eydis is easily picked up and captured, many elven soldiers drown. The province is controlled by the Florid Principality but at great cost.
ALF Victory! Natives Lose 2 Units! Chancellor Eydis is Captured! ALF gain control of Region 51!
Eilif Dhaoine and Coedd invade Region 41
The opportunists of the Elif Dhaoine were never one to look a gift horse in the mouth and while Giamd of Fairnead (Mil 8) may have been surprised when animated trees first joined in the attack on his enemies, he wasn’t one to turn down this unlooked-for aid. His own company was joined by forces sent by Coedd forming another and Podrick Ceave commanded the Reserve’s fledgling space fleet above.
They were met by the forces of General Veldoon (Mil 2), an impressively dressed and even more impressively mustached fool commanding two units of equally impressively dressed but correspondingly unimpressively trained defenders. He pompously demanded the unconditional surrender of the attacking forces in a number of words totally disproportionate to the message conveyed and, when that failed, appeared totally blindsided.
Giomad of Fairnead [ELD] (Mil 8) succeeds in using Bleed Them Dry (+1 battle, +10% enemy casualties)
Podrick Ceave, the Elif Dhaoine subcommander in charge of their space forces, encountered only a recorded message demanding his surrender by way of resistance. Treating this with the contempt it deserved he paused only to confirm some details with other Sansar fleets in play before beginning his measured advance.
The Elif Dhaoine troops then began to bleed the native defenders dry. Coedd troops were slow and difficult for humans to coordinate with but were tough and all but unbreakable. Giamad of Fairnead used them exquisitely as mobile walls, using their skill at moving through the forests to position them behind enemy lines and then his own troops to force the defenders inexorably backwards in a series of hit and run raids that had them disorganized and easy prey for the sudden ambushes of the trees. Whatever time had been budgeted by the reserve for this battle was totally over-estimated and General Veldoon was soon stood in front of the invaders pompously declaring his unconditional surrender and sadly taking off the many rows of medals he had previously worn.
ELD Victory! Natives Lose 1 Unit! ELD gain control of Region 51!
The Illuminated Utopian invades Region 45
Console Prisca Calpurnius(Mil 6) herself leads the Illuminated Utopians on a surprise interplanetary raid into Sansar’s northern regions. With the natives of this region not amongst the elect there was no need for secrecy in preparations - how would they know what was happening on far Badal after all? - and so the 101st Pretorians are loaded onto spacecraft in an unhurried manner and Admiral Legate Victolus (Mil 7) is able to perform the thorough safety checks such a long space journey deserves.
They are met by a defense under the control of the Wyrmseer (Mil 10). Or so it is assumed, this mystic figure is never seen by his subjects as he spends his time meditating on the flames surrounding him and divining the future in their shifts and changes. It failed him this time, though, and his two units scramble to meet the unexpected invaders.
Ground Front:
The Wyrmseer [NPC] 10 succeeds in using Measured Advance (-10% casualties for both sides)
Once the Utopians pass whatever mystical border his precognitions end at, though, he is able to bring his visions to bear and the native defenders advance in measured, almost stately manner to meet the aliens. Sadly, for him at least, the lack of space units scrambled to distract Admiral Victolus costs him dear and space-based superiority is transformed rapidly into ground based support by the adept Admiral. He uses his craft to swiftly redeploy troops across the battlefield and soon the Wyrmseer finds himself in the strange position of having won almost every battle and yet be losing the war - the Jy’mar are simply too mobile for any of the victories to take hold (and, embittered veterans will tell you, too small to aim at properly). When the Wyrm’s Home - the mighty volcano where the Wyrmseer makes his home - is surrounded there is no choice but to surrender.
ILU Victory! Natives Lose 1 Unit! ILU gain control of Region 45!
The Cloudburst Confederation invades Region 53
The Cult of Avva seeks to expand its influence as two units led by General Olodolo (Mil 10) advance under Avva’s Watchful Eye into the lush lands of Region 53. Flying overhead, a minor Lieutenant(Mil 3 Subcommander) in newly founded Agbadan space forces has his chance to bask in Avva’s glory.
They are met by The Grandmaster (10). Political prestige in these lands is conferred by mastery of a complex strategic game and the Grandmaster has earned his title over numerous victories. Now aged, he acts as a coach to the next generation but his strategic skill has not deserted him and his five units are certain of victory.
The Grandmaster [NPC] 10 succeeds in using Measured Advance (-10% casualties for both sides)
This close to Avva, victory is all but assured in space and it comes as no surprise to the Cult that they stand unopposed in Avva’s rays. The lieutenant takes up a geosynchronous orbit and is able to deploy his craft with enthusiasm and, at times, skill.
Perhaps, whisper it, the invaders should have spent less time on preaching the word of Avva and more on defeating their enemy. The campaign will be studied in military academies for years to come though as a masterpiece of defensive war and the Grandmaster proves worthy of the trust his people have placed in him and the reputation he holds. Every Agbadan move is countered, wheels within wheels, schemes within schemes. Feigned retreats leading into unexpected counterattacks, masterly diversions. General Olodolo certainly brings no shame to Avva in his actions and his victory at the Battle of Green Ridge Beach will similarly live in posterity. But The Grandmaster holds him to a stalemate.
TIE! Natives retain control of Region 53! CBC gain a foothold in Region 53!
The Soom-Clan Marauders invade Region 55
A vast convoy of warwheels heads into the verdant lands to their west, and Yaki Soom(Mil 5) has spared no expense in outfitting the four units she leads. There are scores to settle and with Palu Soom (Mil 3 Subcommander) in control of the ships overhead and her in charge of the ground forces she has no doubt they will be.
The Thotron, the ruler of this region, performs ancient rituals and speaks archaic words of power. A blend of magic and bioengineering unsuspected elsewhere on Veerha begins and he takes his becomes his own violent reflection, the Antithotron (Mil 7) - as warlike as the Thotron is peaceful, as skilled in war as the Thotron is in diplomacy. It has been long since that ritual was invoked and his four units know that doing so is a precursor to a war for their survival.
Antithotron [NPC] succeeds in using Measured Advance (-10% casualties for both sides)
The forces of the Thotron, now the Antithotron, do not number in the Elect and have not developed their own space based warfare so Palu finds themselves unopposed in orbit - only a brief accidental stand off with a CBC craft from wars elsewhere on Veerha slowing him from assuming full space superiority.
The Antithroton’s magics provide powerful artillery barrages to help the slow and steady approach he has ordered his troops to take - the Antithroton is berserker, true, but he is also tactician and today he plays that role. The first of the icy cold blasts takes out a small group of Soom warwheels and Yaki Soom could perhaps have been forgiven for calling off the invasion after that first display of power. She’s no coward, though, nor foolhardy enough to believe that the first blood determines who wins the war. She makes use of her troops’ greater mobility to carry the battle where it is least expected and, now she is aware of the destructive bolts, holds them in looser formations to avoid a repeat of that first attack. They are, perhaps, beginning to win - though it is still inconclusive, when Veerha’s deadly winter draws a (perhaps temporary) end to hostilities.
TIE! Natives Lose 1 unit! Natives retain control of Region 55! SCM gain a foothold in Region 55!
The Arvaxine Populate invades Region 70
It was a bad sign when the priests of the Arvaxine Populate announced that the omens were wrong but President Edrajek chose to allow one of his Colonels (Mil 3 Subcommander) to lead a large invasion force into Region 70, detailing a newly minted Captain to provide space support.
It was a worse sign when a literal god, Demigod En-Sha-Nerat (Mil 10) rose to meet them. Perhaps En-Sha-Nerat isn’t a true god, but telling that to the two units of near naked frenzied flagellants who vow to defend His holy land would be unwise. If everyone believes he’s a god (strictly, his frothing mouth priests would tell you, the son of a god) then the difference becomes academic.
Demigod En-Sha-Nerat [NPC] 10 succeeds in using Overwhelming Tempo (+2 to own battle roll, +10% own casualties, -10% enemy casualties)
Whatever deific powers the demigod may have had did not extend to creating a navy and the Arvaxine captain found himself unopposed in space. With little else to do but maintain communication with the numerous other fleets circling Veerha he was able to provide as much air support as his ground based colleagues could wish. However, unused to combat, lacking the divine aid he had sought and facing a foe that threw itself into battle with the soon-to-be-feared name of En-Sha-Nerat on their lips, he found himself outclassed. The demigod controlled the tempo of the campaign and that tempo was fast. His fanatics slammed into Arvaxine lines faster than they could be rebuilt, paying no heed to their own casualties. The Colonel’s attempts to use what he had learnt in studying battles against less…dedicated foes couldn’t hold against these attacks and he was soon forced to make a retreat in good order (with only parts of the army being a headlong rout) to report his lack of success to the President. Piles of dead flagellants littered the land, but no Arvaxine soldiers remained.
Native victory! Natives Lose 1 unit! Natives retain control of Region 70!
The House of Fire invades Region 81
The newly crowned Duke Esarhaddon III is eager to show his strength to the rest of the asteroid belt and tasks Turtanu-Ziqpu Ra'ima (Mil 8) to lead forces into another section of the belt, two units of spacecraft with an additional unit of spacesuited infantry.
They catch the natives, presumably deliberately, at a time of internal turmoil. With their previous head of state dead and elections not yet held for the new one their constitution specifies that the head of the judicial branch assume command in event of an emergency. And so the reluctant Litigator Prime (Mil 6) takes command of his nation’s army to go down - either way - in the annals, his two units with him.
Initial maneuvering leaves no clear winner:
Litigator Prime [NPC] 6 succeeds in using Overwhelming Tempo (+2 to own battle roll, +10% own casualties, -10% enemy casualties)
Turtanu-Ziqpu Ra'ima [HOF] (Mil 8) succeeds in using In the Light of Chastising Stars (+2 to battle)
And “no clear winner” is the motto of the whole campaign. While Litigator Prime is no general, he is adept at research (and has a small army of clerks to aid him) enabling him to usually choose halfway decent tactics. While Turtanu-Ziqpu Ra'ima is a general, the rapid tempo of the defenders gives him little time to focus his better trained and armed troops on potential problems. The war swings back and forth for the best part of a standard year with small gains by one side being countered by equally small gains by the other. A turning point could have come late in the war when Litigator Prime is captured by a daring raid led by Turtanu-Ziqpu Ra'ima himself, dragged from his office as clerks wring their hands uselessly. But even that is not sufficient - the Litigator is now more folk hero than living being and his capture inspires the populace to redoubled efforts. When the House of Fire retreat to lick their wounds, the natives begin work on a series of statues for their heroic chief justice.
Native victory! Natives Lose 1 unit! Natives retain control of Region 81! Litigator Prime is captured!
The Dwarven Industrial Coalition invades Region 90
If we believe Dr Horace Thorne (Mil 10), he leads a great space fleet of four units to secure necessary resources. From the outside, though, the difference between the Dwarven attack and a drunken group of spacemen smashing stuff up is hard to determine.
If only one could say that Brewmaster Flux (Mil 6) led a more coherent and disciplined force, but one cannot. His two units, armed in the main with improvised weapons, are just as unruly, just as loud and, truthfully, just as smashed as the invaders they hope to fight off.
Dr. Horace Thorne [DIC] (Mil 10) succeeds in using Engineered Onslaught (+1 to battle, +10% enemy casualties)
This…What to say. Usually wars aren’t decided by a single battle. Usually that battle isn’t fought with smashed pint glasses, table legs and (onlookers vow) at least one traffic cone of uncertain provenance. Usually war cries are more thought out than “I’ll ****in’ chin ya’, ya’ ******” Usually, usually, usually. Dr Thorne’s forces make asteroidfall unopposed and easily make their way to the large drinking hall that serves as the barracks, seat of government, temple and most other administrative buildings of the Brewmaster’s people. There’s a brief stand off while both sides ask the other if they (the other side) are looking at them (their own side) and if they “want some”. A beer glass is thrown. A pool cue is smashed over a knee. Unbiased accounts of what follows are rare as no sane, sober onlookers stayed to observe events. What’s certain is that considerably more dwarves remained standing (albeit swaying) at the end of it and the traumatized bar keepers were filling dwarven mugs with sweet frothy ale.
DIC victory! Natives Lose 2 units! DIC gain control of Region 90!
Units Raised
AVP raises 1 ground unit
BAF raises 1 ground unit and 1 space unit
BIR raises 2 ground units and 2 space units
CBC raises 1 ground unit
DIC raises 1 ground unit
ELD raises 1 ground unit
GCC raises 1 ground unit and 1 space unit
MIR raises 1 ground unit
SCM raises 1 ground unit
KRB raises 1 ground unit
SNK raises 1 ground unit
MSQ raises 1 ground unit
SEV raises 2 ground units
ISH raises 1 ground unit and 1 space unit
WTP raises 1 ground unit and 1 space unit
Schemes!
Coercion, betrayals, and spycraft
For reasons best known to themselves, the Biarbu publicize their process of gaining informants in the Bironian Civil war. BRB gains 1 Contact in BIR
BRB coerces TP 1 in Region 18 for Uhrayan Planes
COE coerces TP 1 in Region 37 for Assembly Line Robots
MSQ coerces TP 3 in Nadiratna (Region 68) for Polymorphite
Salvagers in the Moonsoul Mountains whisper of threats from unknown sources, hewing closer to the region’s new ruler. GLO gains control of TP 3 in Region 44 for Unblemished Wreckage
Terror!
Violence, upheaval, murder, and destruction
Fiorid agents searching [Region 51] for the guerillas responsible for Chancellor Eydis’s capture are met with a disappointing and (perhaps to some) distressing lack of results. No evidence even of her existence is found for some years after the conquest, until 2041. The new Fiorid Chancellor receives a deliberately garbled voice message from an unidentified party, claiming to have “acquired” Eydis from her previous “unworthy” captors, and offering to return her unharmed… for a price. As proof, the message ends with a brief (and notably unscrambled) plea from Eydis to her family. Chancellor Eydis’s captors demand a ransom consisting of interplanetary vessels (equivalent to 1 Space Unit) and a private dossier containing complete, current, and accurate knowledge of the nature of the Fiorid Elder Blood, to the extent that such information is known to the Fiorids themselves. The ransom may be delivered to a specified dead drop point in Sansar orbit using an Intrigue action during Round 3 (allowing Eydis to resume rulership at the start of Round 4). This seems to be a limited-time offer….
The string of Elven disappearances in the last three years continues, as high-ranking Druid Karla Marrone has been abducted from her Verdalfheim home! With her absence noted at several conclaves, her fellow Druids investigate, discovering that her house has clearly been broken into. Signs of a violent scuffle are found throughout her bedroom, but no evidence of her captors or ultimate fate can be found….
Organizations!
The Imperial Court
The Imperial Court thanks all those who have contributed to the current project of the Imperial College, both in access to records and more substantial research assistance.
ALF has contributed one fluff piece and one action.
BAF has contributed one fluff piece.
BCC has contributed one fluff piece and one action.
CBC has contributed one fluff piece and one action.
COE has contributed one fluff piece.
CUS has contributed one fluff piece and one action.
ELD has contributed one fluff piece.
GCC has contributed one fluff piece.
GLO has contributed one fluff piece and one action.
HOB has contributed one fluff piece.
HOF has contributed one fluff piece.
ILU has contributed one fluff piece.
ISH has contributed one fluff piece.
LSP has contributed one fluff piece and one action.
MIR has contributed one fluff piece.
MSQ has contributed one fluff piece.
SEV has contributed one fluff piece and one action.
SCM has contributed one fluff piece.
TEA has contributed one fluff piece and one action.
UHS has contributed one fluff piece and one action.
UNC has contributed one action.
Once again, the Dwarves promise the legend of the Progenitor. Once again, it does not eventuate.
The project is now at (11?) out of 5 actions.
The Empire appreciates the diplomatic outreach of the following…
BCC rises to EMP Rep 1.
CUS rises to EMP Rep 2.
TEA rises to EMP Rep 2.
WTP rises to EMP Rep 2.
The following members of the Elect are thanked for their payments. They have been dutifully logged by the Imperial Tax Collectors.
CAS has paid the Elect Tax.
GCC has paid the Elect Tax.
ILU has paid the Elect Tax.
RAT has paid the Elect Tax.
SCM has paid the Elect Tax.
SNK has paid the Elect Tax.
TEA has paid the Elect Tax.
SEV has paid the Elect Tax.
KRB has paid the Elect Tax.
BCC has paid the Elect Tax.
HOF has paid the Elect Tax.
LSP has paid the Elect Tax.
Although the United Houses of Senkar have shown themselves willing, without a formal diplomatic meeting to co-ordinate, no payment was able to be received. UHS has not paid the Elect Tax.
Pan-Tekhum Worker’s and Trader’s Union
A loan for 4 Treasure is extended to RRE.
A letter is returned to the Moonsoul Mountains. A loan is not.
The request from the Durats has been acknowledged, and the Union will attempt to Buyout TP 79.3 on their behalf this round.
The new base in Vesper may come as a surprise to the Union, but it is far from an unwelcome one. The Union is accustomed to helping people in far worse working conditions. TWI gains 1 Favour and 1 Rep with WTU, bringing them to Rep 1. Vesper (region 58) now contains a WTU base.
The Basu-Rahman Group
Envoys from the Twilight League are entertained, and a back-room deal is struck. TWI goes into one favour debt with BRG.
The Basu-Rahman Group opens its offices to certain interested parties…
DIC rises to BRG Rep 1.
Renown
The first steps towards a Greater Alfheim resonate across Tekhum. ALF rises to Renown 1.
There is a certain undeniable romance to the figure of the pirate. BCC rises to Renown 2.
An air of mystique surrounds the new arcology of the Biarbu. BRB rises to Renown 2.
Never stand between a Dwarf and their booze. DIC rises to Renown 2.
The House of Fire is home not only to literal fire, but to the flames of culture and civilization. HOF rises to Renown 1.
The Jy’mar may be small of stature, but they still stand large over Tekhum. ILU rises to Renown 3.
It is difficult to understate the persuasive power of a whole pod of Durats. RAT rises to Renown 1.
The Radiant Republic shines as a beacon of hope and martial prowess. RRE rises to Renown 2.
New Kildora is a holy place indeed. Step into the embrace of the Mother Serpent. SNK rises to Renown 3.
The fearsome prowess of the Eucrus Alliance strikes equal parts admiration and terror into hearts. TEA rises to Renown 2.
The Wicklund Salvagers may not be as flashy as others, but sometimes solid performance is more important. WIC rises to Renown 2.
Though other contenders to system-wide fame emerge, ultimately the rapid steps of Eilif Dhaoine and the Llort have kept them in the limelight. ELD and LSP remain at Renown 4.
Despite their best efforts, C.A.S.S.I.O.P.E.’s mechanical nature proves offputting for some. CAS drops to Renown 1.
A cloud has eclipsed the light of the Cloudburst Confederacy’s fame. CBC drops to Renown 1.
Though Coedd enjoyed brief fame, the disinterest shown in public affairs causes their fame to wither on the vine. COE drops to Renown 1.
Psycho-Capitalism may be impressive, but it is also complicated and difficult to understand. FBC drops to Renown 1.
The insular and strange Glix find that their isolationism is mutually exclusive with ongoing notability. GCC drops to Renown 1.
As exciting as werewolves are, their novelty rapidly wears off when they don’t do anything exciting to the general public. ISH drops to Renown 1.
It’s difficult to keep your fame when you always wear a mask. MIR drops to Renown 1.
Despite the multi-cultural and diplomatic nature of Nadiratnans, their absence on the interplanetary stage sees a lack of interest. NDR drops to Renown 1.
Detective Todd may be clever, but he’s not exactly pleasant to be around. SEV drops to Renown 1.
Bonus Renown is no longer available on Badal for the Organize Faith or Construct Arcology actions. Bonus Renown is not available for countries on Badal that win a battle.
Bonus Renown is no longer available on Sansar for the Create Cultural Identity, Construct Arcology, or Organize Faith actions. Bonus Renown is not available for countries on Sansar that win a battle.
Bonus Renown is no longer available on Veehra for the Create Cultural Identity, Organize Faith, Construct Arcology, or Raise Fortress actions.
Bonus Renown is no longer available in Mekhala for the Create Cultural Identity, Construct Arcology, or Organize Faith actions. Bonus Renown is not available for countries in Mekhala that win a battle.
Other…
The Union of Eskor withdraws from the world stage as realizations brought on by the Emperor’s gift of space travel call the legitimacy of the Cult of the Fallen Star into question. Religious turmoil seizes the region, and the orchards are closed. The Union of Eskor ceases to be a player country. Region 30 becomes an unowned region with 3 units.
Sansar continues to spin, but the Cerulean Kingdom seems to spin more slowly. A quiet life in the Flowering Lands means that stellar history tends to pass one by. The Cerulean Kingdom ceases to be a player country. Region 42 becomes an unowned region with 2 units.
The unsurveyed lands north of Burtzland have long been mysterious to many on Sansar, but no longer, as the Old Tavisham Academy joins the ranks of the Elect! They gain 1 new player bonus action.
Khylokians everywhere are taken by the tales of the space unicorn, and the Bloodlord takes advantage of the fascination to send search parties out into the vastness of Mekhala. But no matter where or how long they search, they seem always to be two steps behind the mysterious creature in its ethereal journey through the asteroid belt.
The rumors of the Veehran Triangle are a pressing matter for the Castaways of the Loop, prioritizing safety of travel on the desert planet. A thorough investigation unites the skills of all 17 Loopborn in chasing down leads across Veehra. What they find is somewhat bizarre: though the rumors originally lead them southeast of the Loop, towards uncharted desert, Castaways in other regions of Veehra report that the tale has spread there too, and that the name refers to totally different geographical areas than the minor crater they originally investigated. Months of work leads the investigators to believe that the Triangle in fact does not refer to a single location at all, but multiple separate “danger zones” in uncharted areas of the deserts, which were conflated together by travelers and rumor telephone.
...And the story would have ended there, if not for a breakthrough data association study by Todd 34096 and Jeremy 40211, which discovered an icon or emblem of a barred triangle associated with every “danger zone” in some way - badges found among wreckage, logos painted on tractors, in one case even lines cut into the bedrock with a high-powered mining laser.
Even stranger, the disappearances seem to stop shortly after this discovery.
The Arkhive dispatches ships to the ocean crater southeast of Burtzland, following up on the initial reports. They discover little of substantial immediate interest, beyond confirming the crater’s existence (and radioactivity), but return with some new findings on the impactor. It seems clear from a geological and radiological analysis that the impact occurred after the War of Eternal Bombardments, though not long after, and so the most obvious explanation is rendered much less likely. Some still hold that it must have been a lost or somehow delayed weapon from the War, but others turn towards a natural (if uniquely radioactive) asteroid impact, magic-gone-wrong, or even activity by extrasolar entities as explanations. Unfortunately, no decisive evidence on the question seems forthcoming, especially as some of the flotilla’s data banks are found to be corrupted, most likely from radiation exposure.
A sizeable meteorite is spotted over Sansar, trailing fire through the night sky! It lands in the Moonsoul Mountains, crashing quite close to a small village near a mountain cave, but fortunately injuring nobody. Bizarrely, historical space object tracking data does not include the meteorite, and inspection of the wreckage reveals a massive stockpile of the recently introduced Union currency that was apparently concealed within the rock. While the actual motives for the “gift” remain a mystery, the Glorious Purifiers see no reason not to make use of the resources. GLO gains 1 Treasure!
A man calling himself Count Federico, seemingly a minor noble from Region 56, appears on airwaves throughout the Empire. He claims to be fleeing political persecution by the tyrannical overlords of his home region and promises his son or daughter’s hand in marriage to any of the Elect who intervene on his behalf.
In unexpectedly viral local news, a notable Usheret novelist publishes his latest book, a speculative story exploring a distant alien planet which is in fact a single planet-spanning organism. His family are apparently not particularly accepting of Coedd or anything with similarities thereto, and, fearing for his independence and sanity, accidentally set fire to much of their village while attempting to dispose of his houseplants.