House Palpatine Report #3

Greetings, members of House Palpatine! Imperial Storm has ended, with the Secret Order saving the day (naturally) and preventing complete disaster in the Tkon Rift!

Now we shift our focus towards the events of the day, which include new platforms and new competitions, including one that opens up the playing field to... well, just about everything! Let us begin!

Thanks everyone for your participation in Imperial Storm: Secret Orders! I do not sugarcoat things when I say that the Secret Order's involvement was absolutely critical to the TIE Corps efforts, whether they realize it or not. Such is the cost of operating in the shadows...

Nevertheless, in this space, we can absolutely acknowledge and thank you for your contributions! Congratulations go out to the following!

• For single player Dark Brotherhood missions flown (score weighted by platform):
  • First places goes to WAR TheBlackxRanger with a total of 618 points, earning a Crescent with Diamond Star
  • Second place goes to MRD KEBLAOMEGA with a total of of 472 points, earning a Crescent with Ruby Star
  • Third place goes to ST Locke Setzer with a total of 66 points, earning a Emerald Star with Amethyst Star
  • Fourth place goes to MRD Vanguard88 with a total of 36 points, earning a Crescent with Sapphire Star
  • Fifth place goes to JUG Westric Davalorn with a total of 20 points earning a Crescent with Emerald Star
  • Sixth place goes to D Surgo with a total of 12 points, earning a Crescent with Topaz Star
• For creative works around battles during Imperial Storm (art and fiction):
  • First places goes to MRD KEBLAOMEGA with a total of 120 points, earning a Crescent with Diamond Star
  • Second place goes to ST Locke Setzer with a total of of 80 points, earning a Crescent with Ruby Star
  • Third place goes to NOV Hector von Ricmore with a total of 40 points, earning a Emerald Star with Amethyst Star
  • Fourth place was a tie, with the award going to both WAR TheBlackxRanger and MRD Westric Davalorn. Both had a total of 20 points, and both have earned a Crescent with Sapphire Star
  • Fifth place was a tie, with the award going to both NOV Vapen Van'an and INQ Taurus. Both had a total of 10 points, and both have earned a Crescent with Emerald Star
• For multiplayer (Clusters of Fire earned, score weighted by platform):
  • First places goes to WAR TheBlackxRanger with a total of 895 points, earning a Crescent with Diamond Star
  • Second place goes to JUG Habu with a total of of 630 points, earning a Crescent with Ruby Star
  • Third place goes to ST Locke Setzer with a total of 320 points, earning a Emerald Star with Amethyst Star
  • Fourth place goes to MRD KEBLAOMEGA with a total of 186 points, earning a Crescent with Sapphire Star
  • Fifth place goes to NOV Vapen Van'an with a total of 124 points earning a Crescent with Emerald Star
  • Sixth place goes to JUG Maston Dane with a total of 112 points, earning a Crescent with Topaz Star
  • Seventh place goes to MRD fr0Zen with a total of 90 points, earning a Crescent with Quartz Star
• And last but not least, awards of overall ranking went to the three following members with the most points overall:
  • First places goes to WAR TheBlackxRanger with a total of 1533 points, earning a Gold Nova
  • Second place goes to MRD KEBLAOMEGA with a total of 778 points, earning a Silver Nova
  • Third place goes to JUG Habu with a total of 630 points, earning a Bronze Nova

The Secret Order has announced two new gaming platforms this month: one (more or less) old, one quite new!

In alignment with the TIE Corps, Battlefront Classic is now being accepted again as an approved platform, in conjunction with the (admittedly troubled) launch of the recent remastered edition. For counting activity, screenshots of the results page can be submitted through the normal manner (website submission, with additional email to INQ Taurus for CoF qualifying PvP matches i.e. PvP win and in the top 50% of performers).

Additionally, the very popular Helldivers 2 has also been accepted as a new platform! This one is unique to the Secret Order for the time being, a first for a strictly PvE platform. Screenshots of the "Mission Complete" screen should be sent using the form here. Like any other submission, only one match per group needs to be submitted; multiple members playing together do not need to send in separate submissions.

To usher in both new platforms, the Secret Order is running a competition for each. From now until April 14th, 2024, the top seven members with the most CoFs earned from Battlefront Classic (classic Battlefront I or classic Battlefront II) will earn Crescents as acknowledgement of their accomplishment!

For Helldivers 2, from now until April 17th, 2024, you'll be rewarded 1 point per round submitted, with an additional ⅓ point per each EH (TC and/or SO) member you’re playing with, up to two points per round. However, to qualify for an award, you'll also need to submit one of the following creative works to Darth Surgo before the end of the competition:

• A fiction submission of 250 words or more describing one of your battles
• An art submission (digital or physical) depicting your character in battle
• Any other creative work approved by the Grand Master (song, movie, mission, etc.)

Both competitions may also award a Kaliburr Star if the top player has at least 50 matches submitted by the end of the month.

For more information about the Helldivers 2 competition (The Illumine Strike Back: Helldivers 2), please view the competition listing.

For more information about the Classic Battlefront competition (Get In, Trooper), please view the competition listing.

If you're looking to play other games besides Helldivers 2 or Battlefront Classic next month, you're in luck! Running from now through April 29th, the Frontier Expansions competition challenges all members of the Secret Order to submit screens from ANY game that is not an officially supported platform in the Secret Order or the TIE Corps.

That's right - for it to be accepted, it has to NOT be one of our platforms in the Emperor's Hammer!

Any game that is not an offically supported platform is fair game - however, there are some restrictions. Specifically, a screen needs to be provided that can demonstrate something measurable.

For multiplayer gamers, a screenshot must be submitted from a scoreboard with some of the following components:

• Player List
• Time Played
• Player Kills and Assists
• Numerical Score

For single player games, a screenshot must be submitted from some kind of results page that includes some of the following components:

• Time Played
• Kill Count
• Numerical Score
• Award given (like an actual trophy or medal)

Entries may be submitted by emailing qualifying screenshots to ehlegionx@gmail.com.

5 points will be given for each accepted submission. 5 additional points will be granted if the submission utilizes a Star Wars related mod; otherwise, only 1 additional point will be granted.

For more information, please review the competition listing or reach out to the competition organizer, JUG Legion Ordo (ehlegionx@gmail.com)!

Since House Palpatine was formed, we have all been under one banner, one crest... or at least in theory. In actuality, we do not have a crest to call our own!

As such, the Herald has announced a competition to design the House Palpatine Crest. Applications should consider history sources on heraldry and crests of the past (see examples here and here), and must also include a short written summary of why you have chosen specific elements on your crest design and how it relates to House Palpatine.

The Herald has provided a basic shield design to use as a starting base, but you are welcome to add expansions, filigree, mottos, or other extras as you desire.

Crescents will be awarded to the top seven entries. Competition runs from now through April 14, 2024. For more details, please view the competition listing.

The Grand Master is hard at work at the next Dark Voice issue, and he needs your creations!

Submissions for the next issue of the Dark Voice are open and will remain so until April 13th, 2024. As always, any submission is fair game, even (especially) if it was used in another competition like Imperial Storm. As long as it relates to the Secret Order, it should qualify.

Any member with an accepted entry will be awarded a Letter of Achievement (only one per member regardless of accepted submissions). This is a great chance to have your creations showcased to membership - I highly recommend submitting anything you've created or worked on since the last Dark Voice issue, especially if it was something for Imperial Storm!

Submissions should be sent directly to Darth Surgo via e-mail or Discord. Please review the competition listing for more details.

Additional Secret Order competitions that are currently ongoing that you may be interested in include...

• The Guard 32 ABY T1: Introitus - Ends April 30th, 2024! The Master-at-Arms has announced the formation of The Guard, a new iteration of the Royal Guard organization within the Secret Order! The six members of the Guard will be determined by a competition, in which the most active members of the Secret Order from January 1st, 2024 through April 30th, 2024 will be assigned to its ranks! Points are determined by PvP matches, Crescents/awards from Secret Order competitions, and completed SP missions (when flying DB missions specifically). Note that DB SP battles can only be completed once per month. Additional details may be found here. Please reach out to the MAA, INQ Taurus, with any additional questions!
• Galaxy of Heroes Territory Wars - Ongoing! The Secret Order is regularly running competitions for Territory Wars in Galaxy of Heroes! If you're interested in participating (or just want to know more about Galaxy of Heroes), I highly recommend jumping into the #galaxy-of-heroes channel on the Discord and asking for help where needed!

With a few new arrivals this past month to the Secret Order and new platforms to debrief on as well, I believe there's still value in a monthly drop of current guidelines and expectations for members of the Secret Order. So please find this month's updated section below, with some additions to account for new platforms and guideline clarifications.

EXPECTATIONS

The expectations here are pretty simple: participate with the Secret Order! That sounds obvious, but it's worth stating. Participation comes in many forms, of course - whether it's participating in a Secret Order competition, playing one of our many supported platforms, creating fiction or art, or simply hanging out in the Discord channel, the base expectation is that you're here to engage with the Secret Order. There's a lot of different avenues to participate in, and sometimes that can be overwhelming. But if you're having trouble finding something to do, please reach out to me directly and we'll work something out.

For our TC-dedicated members, there is an expectation that you do more than simply sign up for the Secret Order and forget about it. Yes, much of your TC activity will count here as well, but for rewards and progress, we'd still like to see some SO-specific participation - whether that be with the type of activities (CoFs, DB SP missions, Shadow Academy, etc.), SO-specific platforms (GoH, Helldivers 2, STO, JA), or simply engaging in the Secret Order Discord channel with your fellow House Palpatine members. Please reach out if you have any questions!

CLUSTER OF FIRE

Clusters of Fire (CoFs), the DB medal for victory in PvP matches, are still submitted via a manual process. You must e-mail the screenshot of your MP winning match to our Master-At-Arms INQ Taurus (themadbull99@gmail.com) and (optionally) to myself, ST Locke Setzer (locke.f.setzer@gmail.com).

As a quick refresher, for all platforms except Galaxy of Heroes (which just requires winning a round in a Grand Arena Event), CoFs are earned not just by winning a PvP match, but by placing in the top 50% of all participants. Or, in other words, placing in the top half of all participants (not just your team members). For example:

• In matches with 3 or less players on each team, only the 1st place player (according to score/kills/efficiency) would be eligible.
• In matches with 4-5 players on each team, only the 1st or 2nd place player (according to score/kills/efficiency) would be eligible.
• In matches with 6 players on each team, only the 1st, 2nd or 3rd place player (according to score/kills/efficiency) would be eligible.

RANKS

Promotions are granted to individuals who have engaged in Secret Order related activities for the minimum specified time period for their current rank (at least). There are, however, three ranks that require an additional action to achieve.

• Acolyte - In order for a Novice to be promoted to Acolyte, they must complete the DB:CORE exam, located here.
• Stalker - In order for a Juggernaut to be promoted to Stalker, they must complete a creative work demonstrating how their character acquired the parts to make a lightsaber. Fiction is the common route, but there are many other options available. Please consult with the Herald (along with your House Leader) to identify if your desired creative work will be accepted before proceeding.
• Knight - In order for a Stalker to be promoted to Knight (and be granted the ability to wear a lightsaber openly, including on their TIE Corps uniform), they must complete all Shadow Academy courses regarding lightsaber construction, as well as a creative work demonstrating how their character assembled their lightsaber. Fiction is the common route, but there are many other options available. Please consult with the Herald (along with your House Leader) to identify if your desired creative work will be accepted before proceeding.

TRACKING ACTIVITY

As your Quaestor, I want to ensure that you are properly rewarded for everything you do. Keep in mind, however, that I can only see the things that appear in the database (SP/MP submissions, IU courses completed, competition awards granted, fiction submissions posted to your account, etc.) or submitted through a SO-approved form (such as the Helldivers 2 submissions form). I do keep an eye on Discord (especially for things in #artworks-and-writing), but if you participate in a competition, game, or perform any kind of DB approved activity that doesn't include a submission or award through the website, I'll only know about it if you tell me. So please do so!

At the very least, as we come to the end of the month, if there's something you think I should know about that you participated in that I otherwise wouldn't, please drop me an e-mail or message on Discord so that I can include it. I want to make sure you're getting full marks for everything you do here, but I can only account for the things I can see. So please help me to see more, when needed!

With that stated, this report is at an end! With two new platforms and a large number of competitions running to boot, we have enough going on to cover just about any kind of activity under the sun! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions, and don't hesitate to jump into whichever of these activities speaks to your interests!

In Service,

ST Locke Setzer