Organization Actions
Round Five
The Imperial Court
[Opportunity] Fivefold in Silver - The Imperial Court believes it has made its point: defiance of the Emperor’s Will and ingratitude for his Generosity are utterly unacceptable, either by the Court or by the other Elect. The punishments will of course continue until their stated end - the Empire is not a soft liege - but should certain wayward subjects recognize the error of their ways and clearly demonstrate as much, perhaps there is a clearer path back to favor.
[Until the end of Round 7, any country which may be targeted for Tenfold in Blood may, as a non-action, pay 5 Treasure to the Empire to gain a favor. Alternatively, any such country with Renown 2 or higher may, as a non-action, broadcast a humiliating apology to the Emperor across Tekhum, reducing their Renown to 0 but gaining a favor. As usual, this favor will automatically be consumed to raise reputation if their reputation is negative; otherwise, this favor can only be used to remove the country from the targets of Tenfold in Blood (though it can be used in the same round it is gained) and will expire at the end of Round 7.]
[Request] High Culture Demands High Art - The small army of bureaucrats, advisors, and courtiers that occupies each Imperial Embassy to ensure compliance with Imperial Decrees and loyalty to the Emperor often attempts to mimic the latest trends of the Imperial Crown. Certain cultural materials have been difficult to procure given the great gulf of space between many Embassies and Ophon, causing bored courtiers to look elsewhere for inspiration from fine arts.
[The Imperial Court seeks Great Works from the Elect! Until the end of Round 8, nations with EMP Rep -1 or higher may take a Diplomacy action to give a Great Work to the Imperial Court for a reward of 1 EMP Rep and 1 EMP favor.]
[Decree] Extraordinary Research Grants Approval - The Imperial College of Sciences is putting out a request for… additional funding.
[For the next four rounds, any country with EMP Rep -1 or higher may spend an Economy action to donate any amount of Treasure to the college. For every 10 Treasure received, the College will attempt to create one new Technology. Some avenues may turn out to be dead ends in research terms, and some (like starting technologies) may have no appreciable mechanical effect. All donors will receive all technologies successfully created.]
The duration of this Decree has been extended for one round due to the lateness of Org actions this round, and, should it ever recur, it will last for three rounds, not four.
Non-actions
[Senate] Invite Queen Chalise and Archon Tangata Roa’s representative, Kaia Tareta, to join the Senate - An invitation, not just to be a member, but to be present in the halls of power.
Ongoing
Ongoing Decrees
Imperial Outreach Program - +1 to Raise Reputation with EMP until the end of round 5.
Close Astronavigational Data Breaches - All countries suffer -1 to all exploration actions during round 5.
Requests and Opportunities
[Request] Novel Novelties – The secret that the Imperial Courtiers poorly conceal is that they are, almost without exception, extremely bored. It seems that, at the top, there is not much to do, and so the finest distractions available are called for. Some simply look for the finest available leisure, while others plumb the deepest frontiers of science. Either way, there is an ongoing demand for raw material to stave off ennui.
[EMP is seeking TPs of Luxury Goods and Exotic Matter. Any country that donates a TP of either resource category to EMP as an Economy action before the end of round 5 gains 1 EMP Favour and 1 Treasure.]
[Opportunity] The High and Mighty - The Elect have begun to distinguish themselves from one another, and as the wheat is separated from the chaff, as the cream rises to the top, the Empire can begin to take an interest in the greatest of the great.
[At the end of round 5, any countries with Renown 4 will gain 1 EMP Rep, provided they do not have negative EMP Rep.]
[Opportunity] Tenfold In Blood - It has come to the attention of the Court that there are those who feel themselves above the laws and taxes of their Emperor. It is not the lack of lucre, but rather the sheer effrontery that has so offended the Court. But it would not do for the Armada to be deployed over such a petty thing. So instead, an awareness is circulated through back-channels that it would please the Court if there were... reprisals. And perhaps some of those so dishonoured could regain the Court's favour by the same means.
[Until the end of round 7, each country may gain 1 EMP Rep if they perform a public Sack or Theft action targeting a country which failed to pay the Elect Tax, provided they are successful. If non-hostile Sacks or Thefts are contrived, Rep will not be awarded. Each country can gain this bonus a maximum of two times, and a maximum of once per round. A list of those countries follows.
ALF, AVP, CBC, COE, DIC, ELD, FBC, GLO, RRE, UNC.
Countries on this list may, as a Diplomacy action, pay 1 Treasure and 1 EMP favour to be removed from it, provided they are at EMP Rep 0 or higher. They may not go into favour debt for this.]
Pan-Tekhum Worker's and Trader's Union
[Proclamation] Release Inspection Results The Union has collated the results of their workplace safety audits, and their final decisions are published across InterPlaNet - some surprising, others… less so. Rep loss and favor gain will occur at the end of the round.
An Anonymized Compilation of Inspection Report Summaries
The ArkHive is a very comfortable and welcoming place, and I feel that overall this is reflected in their treatment of their workers. However, I am concerned by the control offered by their government structure to outside interests, which could easily be employed to put their personnel into situations for which the ArkHive lacks protective measures.
The Biarbu have unusual biology by the standard of sophonts, which has led me to focus on the social and mental aspects of safety and welfare. By those metrics, I largely found their systems acceptable, but not particularly notable.
Overshadowing all internal labour practices when considering the political situation of the Moonsoul Mountains is the issue of their use of Corvee Labour. While I am hesitant to cast stones given our involvement in the region and our so-far gentle approach to reforming the area, I have serious concerns, especially given the outrage from our partners in the Black Cloud Coalition. I do not feel I can pass judgement, but neither can I offer outright approval.
In my time with the dwarves, I have found that while they are not overly concerned with safety, this is more a cultural point than a managerial one. Life is lived to the fullest, often while intoxicated, and there is a limit on how safe things can be. While I would prefer more robust safety protocols, hazard pay, and bereavement pay, overall I found their conditions acceptable after accounting for extenuating factors.
The Soom-Clan Marauders live a dangerous lifestyle, out in the desert. Still, I have found their culture to be solidly co-operative and generally equitable, if sometimes harsh. Given the factors that shaped their work culture, it is a wonder they have turned out as well as they have. The importance of community and clan loyalty does sometimes leave holes, and I definitely consider there to be room for improvement, but overall I am pleased with what I have seen.
It is unclear to me how to triage injuries to Durats, when so often they involve the permanent death of a pod member, but fortunately, labor conditions are not particularly noteworthy in either direction. I have no issues to denounce, nor specific recommendations to make, save to reiterate the importance of handling semiconductor etching chemicals with caution.
Industrial and agricultural conditions in Agbada are acceptable: a work culture of rule-following and diligence among both managers and laborers goes a long way towards ensuring safety, even if I must admit I find their religious mania somewhat unsettling at times.
A culture of bribery does not a good first impression make, but despite the oddness of the Glix I found little else to criticize on safety grounds in the Teivosk under inspection. PPE distribution and magical failsafes functioned within parameters. The similarity of this system to a “company town” does raise concerns for me, but I have referred these issues to biosocial experts better equipped to analyze them, whose conclusions are attached in Appendix A.
I am generally pleased with Caipe Ushere’s performance upon inspection. The only black mark against them is that I must protest my treatment by certain notable vintners, who claimed to believe I was spying on behalf of their market rivals and forcibly ejected me from their facilities. That said, most typically dangerous jobs are highly automated, and the monarchy seems to devote not inconsiderable effort to sustaining a high standard of living, reflected in general safety conditions and equitability.
Danger is the nature of labor in the upper atmosphere of Badal, but I cannot say I am fully confident in the Black Cloud Coalition’s ability to minimize it. While scoring highly in worker treatment, their current usage of cybernetics and PPE can only go so far. My recommendations include investment in remote hazardous environment drones and clearing out or at least increasing protection around hazardous “Violet Zones”. With a new Union Hall in their territory, we may be able to assist with these action items.
Though Al-Miraya is a highly hazardous environment, Llort biology goes a long way in ensuring worker safety in the vacuum of space, and many of the worst potential problems luckily require minimal PPE to ward off. Sunglasses are highly recommended.
Labor regulations among the Castaways are nonexistent, but in spite of this they seem to have managed an acceptable level of safety, with a high use of remote drones and little exploitation. However, I must strongly recommend we aid them in an immediate standardization initiative - the horizontal bonds between the 17 survivors of the Loop do not scale to the level of a state, and there is a great deal of potential for backsliding.
Conditions in the Masklands are strange, in my opinion. Miners are paid well and protected to a higher standard than one might expect, but surface industry seems to be rather neglected by the Counts and left distressingly exposed to dust storms. Though I cannot in good faith suggest a full censure, I must recommend we push for significant expansion of the privileges enjoyed by the miners’ guilds to other industries.
I have no particular criticisms to levy at the Bafatis Dynasty. Voletha’s heavy industrialization raised some initial concerns, but labor protection laws a) exist, b) are relatively strong and c) are generally well-enforced.
Ishtahnos’s eagerness for inspection was refreshing, but I found no issues their own Ministries were not already aware of. The most significant safety issues were in the butchery industry - Veehran Aurochs are evidently testy creatures - but I was satisfied with the protocols in place to avoid actual injury.
I report no notable problems found in my inspection of UNNCLE. Although conditions are generally hot and cramped, they are not significantly more so than other aerostatic industrial sites, and welfare falls within acceptable parameters.
I was highly pleased with my findings in the Radiant Republic. Truly, they have lived up to their name. This seems to be an unparalleled era for worker's rights and protections in their territory. RRE gains 1 WTU Favour!
Labor conditions on the island of Coedd are highly dubious; I personally observed multiple deceased workers, killed in training-preventable accidents, in my short time here. Coedd’s disregard for its inhabitants rises to a level of callous malice that would be unacceptable in any government, while local employers seem too concerned with profit to avoid blatantly obvious health hazards. COE fails inspection and loses 1 WTU Rep.
Kanmarra biology makes an inspection of Anjahar difficult. That being said, safety standards are acceptable and the government seems to maintain a reasonable level of concern for its citizens. I was struck by their willingness to discuss rampant labor issues in Uhra, as well as the action plans they presented, and I see no reason to recommend censure at this time, though periodic re-inspection would be reasonable.
While outward-facing labor conditions among the Sorcerers are acceptable, if not standout, the thrall system of New Kildora disgusts this inspector. Debt slavery is sufficiently cruel without custom-building new thinking beings to condemn them to that fate. SNK fails inspection and loses 1 WTU Rep.
The Bloodlord made poor excuses for his refusal to allow access to any areas beyond my brief tour, and even on what must presumably have been their “best” behavior, I observed multiple work-related injuries. I cannot recommend censure heartily enough. KRB fails inspection and loses 1 WTU Rep.
If we are to judge Kish by its lowest point, it fails utterly; by its highest, it passes with flying colors. This inspector’s opinion is that we cannot reasonably consider a one-size-fits-all response; we must encourage and assist the Archmage in establishing some acceptable form of standardization first.
I have few positive things to report from my time in Neo-Guleum. Although safety failures appear uncommon, general welfare is near nonexistent. Workplace discipline appears to be enforced by various forms of torture carried out through mandatory cybernetic implants. FBC fails inspection and loses 1 WTU Rep.
The Wicklund realm is so small by the standards of other Elect that it is difficult to compare them on the same scale. However, I can note that the local mono-industry of desert salvaging is relatively well supported, especially with magical temperature control preventing environmental conditions from becoming too taxing.
It is difficult for me to offer an unbiased opinion on anything within Narsai, following the Iron Monarch's attempt to detain me. What little I saw was not, however, encouraging. MSQ has already lost 1 WTU Rep.
To my surprise, I found the facilities of Senkar met a reasonably high standard for worker safety. Nevertheless, I have concerns; given the delays in their inspection, it is difficult to be certain what they might have swept under the rug. I cannot offer any unreserved praise.
It is unsurprising that what little labour occurs under the watch of the custodial units of C.A.S.S.I.O.P.E. is done with the utmost concern for safety. I am very pleased with everything I observed during my inspection.
Inspection within Vesper proved... complicated. Even with the respect we received as representatives of the Union, this is not a safe place for anyone, even the nanite-infused Vesperites. It is difficult even to assess what "safety standards" mean in this environment. I believe the Twilight League is putting forward its best efforts, but unless circumstances radically change, it is difficult for me to call their best efforts genuinely good.
The Neon Syndicate has been friendly with the Union, and I appreciate the efforts the Bironian government has put towards aiding the Union. Still, I am not completely contented with what I witnessed in the Crosspaths, and I have concerns over the class system and conditions for workers.
It is complex, assessing the conditions of the Illumined Utopian, in light of their cultural and biological needs compared to other sophonts. On balance, I believe conditions are acceptable but not exceptional; their attempt at bureaucratic runaround does not incentivize me to give their perhaps overly ambitious name the benefit of the doubt.
[Reform] The People Want Action - The findings of the First Committee indicate that the trajectory of the Union should be active, not passive, and that they should not be afraid to pick fights with the grandest targets available. Tonight, the question of Corvée Labour. Tomorrow, all the unfree peoples of Tekhum.
[The Union is embarking on a project to reform the resources of Region 70. Any interference with this project will result in the loss of WTU Rep. For now, only the administrative groundwork is being laid, and no outside assistance is possible, but the project will be ongoing.]
[Economy] Buyout 64.2 Davisonian Paints, 91.3 Gold, 38.3 Joint Stock Companies - The Union focuses on securing the luxury resources necessary to keep Union HQ running smoothly after disruption by Arvax agents, but a short digression into formalizing contracts with Sansarian businesses never hurt anyone.
Non-actions
Resist HOF buyout of 83.1 Space Opera - Though the Union has no qualms with free trade on the international level, the House of Fire is not a partner they view as sufficiently trustworthy to enter the market.
Ongoing
Loans Available from the new First Union Bank of Tekhum - One of the first moves Union made in the process of centralization was to begin work on a new, labour-backed currency. In order to encourage adoption and use of it, a bank was formed, and loans are being offered to states among the Elect at highly favourable interest rates, provided they accept it in the form of what is being called the "Union Solid".
[Until the end of round 3, any country may (as a non-action) accept a loan of 3 or 4 Treasure from WTU at the cost of 1 favour with WTU. Until the end of round 5, any country that has spent at least as much treasure as they borrowed may repay that favour with the same amount of Treasure initially borrowed as a non-action, and additionally gains one WTU Rep if they do so. If the country fails to spend enough treasure or repay the debt in that time, it must be repaid at standard favour repayment rates and no Rep will be granted.]
[Offer] Project Sunrise - Analysts predict that the future of commerce lies in arcologies, and so the Union predicts that their future lies with them as well. Stimulus programs to encourage the proliferation and opening of new arcologies are approved by near unanimous acclaim among the members of the Union, alongside lucrative offers for those.
[Any country that takes the Construct Arcology action before the end of Round 6 may gain 1 Treasure as a sub-action. Also until the end of Round 6, any country may offer a Mercantile Support they control in a region with an Arcology to WTU as an Economy action in exchange for 2 Treasure and 1 WTU Rep.]
Basu-Rahman Group
[Retribution] A War Footing - The Basu-Rahman Group has always accepted criticism. No one is perfect all the time! Mistakes happen, and a calm and polite acceptance, acknowledgement, and remediation is the best way to deal with them. Not this outburst of senseless violence… this must never happen again. The Group has dealt with problems of this nature before: the quickest way to a government’s heart is through its people.
BRG Incites Treason on BRG Media Support in Region 55. BRG Sparks Rebellion on Unruly Merchant Support in Region 55.
[Offer] Emergency Schedule Revisitation - Unfortunately, given our analysts’ strategic misjudgment regarding unanticipated hostility towards our services throughout Tekhum, Badal seems much less safe for the Group than previously. The Maharaja’s Dream will not be setting down next quarter, even if resupply will be needed soon™ - in fact, management will have to revisit our entire outreach plan. Bidders will be appropriately compensated for the inopportune closure of this opportunity.
[Opportunity] Head In The Clouds is temporarily canceled; it will become available again once BRG has bases or once resupply becomes unavoidable. The location of the Maharaja's Dream remains unknown, but may still be uncovered through investigation.
BRB receives 1 Treasure as compensation for the negation of their bid. The first country which builds a BRG base in a region on Veehra, requiring three Economy or Intrigue actions in any mixture, will receive 2 BRG rep and 1 BRG favor.
[Intrigue] Secret -
A field reporter’s best friend is the knowledge of when to wave his microphone in someone’s face and when to rely on the microcamera hidden in the brim of his hat.
Nonactions
[Flavour] Your Regularly Scheduled Programming -
ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴀᴅᴠɪsᴏʀʏ: ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ʙʀᴏᴀᴅᴄᴀsᴛ ᴍᴀʏ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀɪɴ ᴍᴀᴛᴇʀɪᴀʟ ɴᴏᴛ sᴜɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ sᴇɴsɪᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴇɴᴄᴇs. ᴠɪᴇᴡᴇʀ ᴅɪsᴄʀᴇᴛɪᴏɴ ɪs ᴀᴅᴠɪsᴇᴅ.
What you are looking at here is satellite imagery of the wreckage of the offices of Agnai Incorporated, a Basu-Rahman subsidiary based within the holdings previously located near other Veehran offices. What remains tells us little of what came before- this wreckage, for all the money that it represents, shows none of the human cost of the brutal Soom-Clan assault. The blood, the sweat, the tears- all gone, all wiped away, just a few short years later. Forensic examination can tell us a great deal about the fate of this building and its inhabitants, but it can tell us next to nothing of the reasons for it.
Some believe that there is an afterlife, good or bad, that awaits all those killed during that dark event. Others believe they have been, or will have been, re-incarnated. Still others believe that this was their one mortal life, and those brief flames are now extinguished permanently. Regardless, what happened here was a senseless slaughter. Good people died, terrified and confused. Civilians died who did not choose this, who worked to bring truth and joy to all of Tekhum. Hard-working, honest Veehrans died, all for the basest urges and fears of marauders who loathed and resented them over petty tribalism.
It's a lot to take in. Even years after the fact, the echo of the attacks still resonates in our offices, in our homes, and we fear a people we never wronged, fear what they will do next in their madness and rage. It's hard to overstate the damage done, not just to flesh and blood, to mortar and concrete, but to the very spirit.
[Flavour] Brought To You By - Coming soon to an asteroid cluster near you: The Khylokian Rain of Blood!
[The screen flashes black with stark, bright red splashes across it, mimicking blood splattered across the ground. Canned, tinny rock music plays at a volume almost-but-not-quite sufficient to drown out the narration.]
Want to see the stark beauty of Mekhala in person? Need to keep up with the Spacejoneses? Do you need a place to take the family on a slow Ophonsday evening? Do you want your shot at striking it rich through extremely legal gambling? Are your kids talking about Arterial Tear and Gorge Gnasher and you are slowly growing more aware of your age and mortality but aren't quite sure how to connect with your progeny emotionally so you need to find shared interests to earn their respect and buy their love while you still can?
DO YOU LOVE BLOODSPORT???
[Three young kids scream and cheer in excitement while their parents smile unconvincingly behind them]
Then come on down to the Khylokian Rain of Blood! We've got it all: blood, sport, gambling, and bloooood!
[Several gruesome deaths are shown in quick succession as combatants circle each other in zero G]
Admission cheaper than mud on Sansar, redder than dirt on Veehra, and infinitely more memorable than that other planet!
Wagers are taken at the door. Don't like your odds? Donate blood to your favorite competitor or team! There's no feeling quite like watching your own life-giving fluid turn a man into a RUTHLESS. KILLING. MACHINE!!!
[A massively engorged Khylokian screams directly into the camera, then swings a gruesome battleaxe downward, seeming to cut the broadcast in half. A quick stream of words flies by. Careful viewers may note how frequently the wall of text warns that the event organizers are NOT liable for injuries of any kind.]
[A brief interval of static….]
[A figure in the traditional garb of Eilif Dhaoine stands looking out over the ocean towards the horizon at dusk, while narration plays over the scene.]
Sometimes, the simple things in life are best. Ocean sunsets...
[The scene cuts to a laughing family, filmed in subtle slow-motion to capture the tears of joy in the eyes of a proud father as he spins his child in the air.]
Time with those important to you...
[Another cut, this time to a fireworks display, dashing colours against a black sky filled with stars.]
The joy of something beautiful and fleeting...
[A final cut shows a gleaming and unreasonably large rifle, displayed on a plush red cushion perched atop a pedestal, spotlighted.]
And a big gun to defend it all. Arman Armaments: Bigger Is Better. Only in The Reserve.
Ongoing
[Offer] Updates Down To The Minute - It's a cutthroat world out there. Knowledge is power. Can you afford not to know what your rivals are up to? Basu-Rahman journalists will do whatever is necessary to keep you up-to-date on the activities of other members of the Elect. Within the limits of Imperial law, of course.
[Until the end of round 6, any country with at least BRG Rep 0 may pay 1 BRG favour to request BRG take a Build Spy Network action on their behalf. You do not have to publicly state that you are requesting this favour, but you must publicly note that you are requesting a BRG favour.]
[Offer] Brought To You By: You! - Do you have a service or product that you're sure will sell, but it's just not reaching its target market? Get in touch with the Basu-Rahman subsidiary Comet Consulting to see if we can help you to share your gifts with Tekhum. Comet Consulting: For A Truly Meteoric Launch.
[Any country with at least BRG Rep 0 may pay 1 BRG favour as a non-action to insert an advertisement of your choice into the Brought To You By segment of the Basu-Rahman actions in the following round. This can either be a text submission, ideally no longer than a few hundred words, or a prompt submitted to the org GM to be written up as marketing copy. Either way, this has no mechanical effect. All submissions are subject to approval, and BRG may refuse to run advertising that contradicts its interests.]
[Offer] Guiding Lights - Sometimes, authors with truly great material can struggle to get published. At Guiding Lights, we seek to help those authors to get the recognition they deserve. In consultation with our editors, we can help you to get the status appropriate to your work. Guiding Lights Publishing: Editors To The Stars.
[Until the end of round 7, any country with at least BRG Rep 0 may spend 2 BRG favours and a Diplomacy action to gain the benefits of an Exhibit Great Work action. The nature of the Great Work must be in the form of a manuscript or similar literary item. This does not count as taking an Exhibit Great Work action for the purposes of the Rising Stars opportunity under Renown.]
[Request] Dirty Secrets - Nothing sells like scandal. Everyone has dirty little secrets, but the biggest ones are hidden away where even the most intrepid reporters can't get at them. But the wonderful thing about a patron is that sometimes, they can open doors for you.
[Until the end of round 7, any country with at least Renown -1 may open up their secrets as an Intrigue action, trading 1 Renown for 1 BRG Favour. Each country may do this a maximum of two times.]
International Renown
Renown opportunities that specify a country "may" gain Renown for an action will only grant Renown if it is explicitly noted in their action post that they wish to do so. This applies to previously offered opportunities.
[Opportunity] Status and Extravagance - As the resurgence of the Elect makes Tekhum an interplanetary melting pot once more, status symbols are becoming more important than ever. Those cultures whose unique signs of a person’s importance, power, wisdom, and wealth are easily recognizable are certainly the most renowned.
[Until the end of Round 8, any country may submit a fluff writeup describing local status symbols, sumptuary laws, or other cultural traditions relating to personal prestige and cultural expectations surrounding powerful figures. A sufficiently detailed writeup (at the judgment of the Org GM) will grant that country 1 REN. This Renown can only be gained once.]
[Showcase] Flaunting Stolen Wares - Sometimes the secure and secret ownership of a fine work or magical relic is less important than the message sent by its sudden absence.
[Any nation may take a Diplomacy action or Host an Event the round immediately following their successful secret theft of an Artifact or Great Work to publicly flaunt their stolen item. If they do, they gain 1 REN, and impose -1 REN upon the target of the theft, to a minimum of -2.]
[Excellency] A Grand Army - Philosophers reserve violence as the exclusive right of the state, and it is those states who are most prepared to do violence who gain respect on the world stage.
[At the end of Round 7, the country with the most powerful army and the country with the most powerful navy will gain 1 REN. How powerful an army/navy is will be calculated as the following sum: number of ground/space units + highest score of General/Admiral - 6.]
Ongoing
[Culture] Rising Stars - The face of Tekhum is changing, and so are the hearts and minds behind it. As ideologies spread and take root, as new titans of the age begin to stand astride the worlds and declaim their truths, as priceless cultural artifacts are unearthed or created, the whole system takes notice.
[Each country may gain one Renown the first time they take one of the Create Cultural Identity, Exhibit Great Work, or Organize Faith actions. The first country in each orbit to take each of these actions may gain one additional Renown. Simultaneous actions will result in both countries gaining the Renown.]
[Might] Blood, Ash, and Plasma Residue - Some say war never changes. Some say war is change. Either way, war is coming to Tekhum. Walls rise, bodies fall, and nothing will ever be the same again.
[Each country may gain one Renown the first time they win a battle.]
[Industry] Built to Last - Not every act of glory is something bright and shining and brief. Sometimes, glory is found in something that will outlast the builder.
[Each country may gain one Renown the first time they take one of the Construct Arcology, Found Holy Order, or Raise Fortress actions. The first country in each orbit to take each of these actions may gain one additional Renown. Simultaneous actions will result in both countries gaining the Renown.]
[Connection] Ties That Bind - It's not just what you know, it's who you know. Fame brings new opportunities for connection and trade, and then it circulates back to those who have connections and the social capital to exploit them.
[The first five countries to reach each threshold of holding 3 Embassies, 6 Embassies, and 9 Embassies may gain 1 Renown.]
[Envy] Tough At The Top - For every set of eyes looking to the great with wonder, another looks with jealousy and greed. And of those, many look with cunning calculation- what can be more impressive than tussling with one of the greats and winning?
[Any country with at least Renown 0 may, as a sub-action of any non-secret action they take contested by a country with higher Renown, attempt to steal Renown from them. If they are successful, the target loses 1 Renown and the country taking the sub-action gains 1 Renown. No country can lose or gain more than one Renown in this way per round, but multiple countries can steal Renown from a country with higher Renown.]
[Wickedness] Hives of Scum and Villainy - Across Tekhum there are places that sensible folks fear to tread. Some of them are simple dive bars; some are the size of entire regions and countries. They are not pleasant places to visit, but there are men, women, and genderless rodent-things of ill repute who can assist with unsavoury activities... for those who pay, and who don't mind being associated with such unsavoury folks.
[Until the end of round 6, any country at Renown 1 or less may, as a sub-action of a single hostile Intrigue or Military action, reduce their Renown by 1 for a +1 to that roll. This cannot be done for secret actions or battles. Each country may do this a maximum of once per round and a maximum of three times total, and may not do it while at Renown -3.]
[Science] Wonders of the 99,803rd Era - The future of Tekhum and the future of technology are deeply entertwined, and the work of luminaries in engineering and science will have a powerful effect on the shape of politics going forward.
[The first time each country takes the Invent Technology or Research Military Technology action may gain 1 Renown. The first five countries to take each of these actions may gain 1 bonus Renown.]
[Ascension] Higher Powers - Some people hold that all are created equal, but on the stage of grandeur, certainly not all remain so. The most powerful will always draw eyes towards themselves.
[Any country that takes the Elevate Status, Consolidate Holdings, or Exalt Domain actions may gain 1 Renown. The first country to take each of these actions may gain 1 bonus Renown.]
[Victimization] Terror in the Shadows - There are terrible things, out in the dark of the void. But there are terrible things closer to the light, too. It is difficult to maintain grandeur when gripped by fear, death, disappearance and betrayal.
[Any country that is the target of a successful Assassination/Kidnapping or Incite Betrayal action will lose 1 Renown, to a minimum of 0.]
[Illumination] In (Or Out) Of The Spotlight - Great deeds continue to resound across Tekhum, and fame circulates rapidly. As fame becomes more common, it becomes easier for notable occurrences to slip through the cracks- by choice, or by accident.
[From now on, Renown opportunities that specify a country "may" gain Renown for an action will only grant Renown if it is explicitly noted in their action post that they wish to do so. This applies to previously offered opportunities.]
[Calumny] Everything Not Nailed Down - In the game of nations, there is little that is taboo. If you cannot keep something, ownership is often nothing but an idea enforced only by norms. Even so, there are damages that can be inflicted that may mar opinions.
[Any country taking a Sack or public Theft action may lose 1 Renown as a sub-action. This must be declared before rolling. In the case of a Sack, if successful, this will cause the target to lose 1 Treasure and the sacker to gain one additional Treasure. In the case of a successful Theft, this will cause 1 additional Treasure to be stolen, up to the usual maximum if the action was already stealing Treasure. This may not be done while at Renown -3.]
[Vision] Eyes in the Skies - From great heights come great views. Whether that is literal or merely metaphorical, those who see the furthest will often see their own fame among the vistas they view.
[The first time each country takes the Create Space Habitat or Establish Espionage Agency action, they may gain 1 Renown. The first five countries to take each of these actions may gain 1 bonus Renown.]