An Endeavor is any situation in which one or more characters attempt to act on a large-scale in a way which is likely to have significant consequences, but which is not necessarily opposed by another character. Building a superweapon, discovering a new form of physics, creating a generationally-defining work of art, anything and everything can be represented by an Endeavor. Unlike [[Combat]] and [[Negotiation]], any two Endeavors are likely to bear almost no resemblance to one another. While it can broadly be said that all Endeavors require significant, often massive, expense, the nature of that expense varies wildly. ## Endeavor Rules ### Discovering the Endeavor The line at which an action goes from narration to an Endeavor is fuzzy by design. Simple Endeavors can be hand-waved into existence by busy Facilitators, while players who are uncomfortable asserting their ideas into the game world can use this mechanism to internally and externally justify their role play. The single best way for a player to determine whether or not an Endeavor is necessary (that is, to "discover the Endeavor") is to ask two questions: 1. **Does my character have easy access to the tools and resources needed for this action?** If the answer is yes, then proceed to the second question. If the answer is no, then this will likely need to be an Endeavor, contact your facilitator. 2. **Will this action have significant consequences beyond my personal narrative, or the narratives of the other direct participants?** If the answer is yes, then this will likely need to be an Endeavor, contact your facilitator. If the answer is no, and you answered yes to the first question, then you probably don't need an Endeavor. > [!Note]- Examples: Endeavors vs narrative actions > ##### Endeavors Creating a class of ship undiscovered by your culture Building a superweapon or advanced battle platform Creating a culturally significant work of art Moving large refugee populations long distances >##### Not Endeavors Building a spaceship according to a common model Building a common weapon Creating a piece of locally popular art Organizing small-scale activities ### Setting Difficulty Once the player has discovered the Endeavor, the facilitator is responsible for setting the difficulty. Much like [[Combat]] and [[Negotiation]], Endeavors are rated numerically. Unlike those, however, Endeavors are not limited to a 1-5 scale. Instead, Endeavors are ranked based on the impact they are likely to have on the galaxy at large, going up to a rating of 10. In the case of crafting, whether weapons, ships, medicine, or any other thing, the way to set difficulty is based on the area in which that item is likely to be exceptional. In other words, if a given painting is the finest painting on an entire planet, the rating to create that painting is 3. If a given painting would compete for finest painting across a galactic [[Holding Sector|Sector]], the rating to create that painting is 8. Similarly, a weapon which would make its bearer a regional power on a single world would be rating 2 to create, while a weapon capable of fighting off an entire fleet (which span entire star systems) would be rating 5, and a weapon capable of fighting the Voidstalkers themselves would be rating 9. Based on the rating of the Endeavor, it will also bear some cost. That cost is set by the facilitator, and generally consists of [[Raw Materials]], [[Refined Materials]], and/or [[Fuel]] in proportions based on the specific goal. | Impact | Rating | Examples | | ------------------------------------- | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Local (a few people to a single city) | 1 | A successful but not noteworthy performance, a publication with limited distribution. Guns and armor.<br><br>Sample Cost: 1 Raw Materials | | Regional | 2 | A lauded performance, a widespread publication on a single world. Advanced weaponry.<br><br>Sample Cost: 1 Raw Materials, 1 Refined Materials | | Planetary | 3 | The defining art of a generation for an entire planet, one of the great works in a culture's canon. Orbital defenses.<br><br>Sample Cost: 3 Refined Materials | | Local Space | 4 | The single greatest work of a single culture. Drone fleets, fighters, and supersoldiers.<br><br>Sample Cost: 2 Raw Materials, 1 Refined Materials, 1 Fuel | | Star System | 5 | The crown jewel of an interplanetary empire. Frigate and Destroyer-class ships and the first recognizable superweapons. | | Nebula | 6 | A legend whispered throughout the galaxy, with citizens from local Holdings making life-defining pilgrimages to visit. Capital ships and the kind of superweapons that give even warlords pause. | | Constellation | 7 | The art defining a major trend across the galaxy, with imitators and franchises in most sectors. Generation fleets, immortality. | | Sector | 8 | Synonymous with an entire region of the galaxy, known to any member of galactic high society. [[Sagecraft]]. | | Arm | 9 | Central to the authority and legitimacy of a [[Great House]], influential even within the [[Voidstalker Corps]] and [[Imperial Bureaucracy]], known to every galactic citizen with the slightest wherewithal. [[Wendcraft]]. | | Galaxy | 10 | Acknowledged by the [[Celestial Empress]]. |