Part of the plan is that there are at least three crimes not listed under losing Glory: Murder, the Taint, and Blasphemy. Commit those three and your Glory becomes Infamy, but it doesn't change your Rank. You're a famous villain after all. If any other act involving a Glory loss involves one of those three, you negate the loss by becoming Infamous. Don't quite know how you become Glorious again though. Should be hard but not impossible.
As for what use Glory should do? Well, besides the individual uses from various Disciplines (oh those mysterious Disciplines I keep hinting at... oh come on, we know they're just Schools with a fancy schtick; but who makes the cut?). Burn a Glory Point for a Social roll bonus, like the Honor roll. That's a good one. Also, useful for other Skills, like Sincerity, Etiquette, Oratory... And an Oratory (Bragging) roll can definitely give you a bonus in Warfare. But we still have those rules later, yes?
So, on to...
Glory
Glory is a measure of your fame, mostly from personal accomplishment. It is subjective and can vary wildly depending on a character’s location and deeds. A renowned duelist, for instance would have a greater amount of Glory than a minor clerk in the Imperial library, even though such a position would be one of high honor. High Glory does not impose obedience from others, but it does command respect. Glory can be a burden, though, as he will often find himself recognized when he doesn’t want to be. While Glory is independent of status, it can lead to higher status; Hachigoku loves its heroes.
Glory Ranks
Like Honor, Glory is measured in Ranks. Unlike Honor, Glory Ranks do not have a finite scale, but your Glory cannot go below Rank 0 (a complete unknown, or someone not worth respecting), nor can it exceed your highest Ring Rank. Your Glory must be not only earned, but deserved. Since your Rings represent a unity of physical, mental, and spiritual qualities divided into defined aspects, others instinctively assume that your worth (Glory) cannot exceed the general level of achievement you are capable, despite “spikes” in your magnificence.
Gaining Glory
Glory Ranks are even more fluid than Honor Ranks, and somewhat more capricious. They rise and fall not only according to your actions, but by their recognition. Who sees you commit honorable or glorious acts is important, even though Glory functions much like Honor. Like with Honor, you gain or lose Glory Points, although instead of this happening immediately the change does not occur until the end of the Story. Once you have more than 10 Glory Points, your Glory Rank rises and you lose all your Glory Points, resetting at the next highest Glory Rank. This occurs as stories of your achievements begin circulating throughout Hachigoku at the end of a Season. There is no limit to your Glory Rank other than your highest Ring Rank, but if you have already reached that limit your Glory Points do not vanish at the end of the Season, but carry over into the next. If you gain or lose Glory Ranks instead of Glory Points, these changes do not affect your Glory Points.
It is easier for a lower Glory Rank character to acquire Glory Points than it is for higher Glory Rank characters. What seemed more impressive for an unknown to perform appears commonplace for a legend. And it should be more difficult, as resting on the benefits of previous success would hardly motivate someone worthy of Glory to attain greater heights.
Recognition is important for Glory. People must be able to testify about your actions, either because they witnessed them or have the authority to proclaim them. Whenever you would normally gain or lose Glory Points, the gain or loss is affected by this. If those who witness your action are of the same caste and the same social status, the Glory Point award is not affected; you gain the normal amount. If someone who would be your superior but is of a different faction witnesses or proclaims your action, you gain additional Glory Points equal to your Glory Rank; this bonus is added at the end of the Story, and only once. If someone who is your superior and within your faction witnesses or proclaims your action, you gain additional Glory Points equal to twice your Glory Rank, and only once at the end of the Story.
There may be those who do not want their accomplishments and life to be known facts trumpeted throughout Hachigoku. This includes both those who believe that fame corrupts, and those who prefer their lives anonymous because renown would impair their ability to function, hampering their use to their daimyo or just themselves. Glory can become dangerous to both the body and soul.
If you wish to hide your worth, make sure to perform actions that affect your Glory away from witnesses. At least those who can affect it. If a heimin witnesses a samurai perform some action, either noble or shameful, not enough of those in the samurai caste will heed the story for it to affect your Glory. However, a daimyo's spies might hear the story, and pass it on to be used at the right moment. Usually the wrong moment for you. If others of your caste know, and you want no Glory, it depends on who it is. If they are of your wa, they can choose to keep it secret. If they are not of your wa or superior in status, such stories have a way of circulating regardless of your wishes. If the story is known only to someone of authority (whether in your faction or not), it is their decision whether to promote or ignore your actions publicly. Likely they will do whatever suits their purpose, hiding the acts of their spies and assassins (ad publicizing those of their enemies) while bragging about their generals and duelists (or ignoring the accomplishments of their enemies). Of course, they may simply view Glory as an impediment to purity in some fashion. Thus why so few Bayushi and Mirumoto samurai have high Glory Ranks, and why Akodo and Doji samurai often seem overinflated.
Another way to avoid Glory gains is to allow another to take credit for the action; they gain Glory Points as if they had performed the action. It must be possible for them to have performed the action, however, so you can't transfer credit for an event everyone knows they weren't involved in, or for things like increasing Discipline or Skill Ranks. You can even try to steal credit for another Glory gain with the Sincerity Skill, with the same conditions (and as an Act of Vice).
Ways to gain Glory include, but are not limited to:
Acts of Virtue: Whenever you gain Honor Points for an Act of Virtue, you may gain Glory Points equal to your Glory Rank.
Duels: While accepting a challenge gains you no Glory Points, actually issuing challenges does. You gain 1 Glory Point every time you issue a challenge to a duel legally. That legally is important; samurai who simply pick fights for the thrill of it are not seen as glorious, but reckless and willing to throw their lives away frivolously. A life that belongs to their daimyo, not to themselves. If you are victorious, you gain Glory Points equal to the amount of Honor Points you gained, plus Glory Points equal to the difference between your Glory Ranks if your opponent's was higher. If this is a group competition (such as occasionally happens at court), use the highest Glory Ranks on each side.
Quests: Whenever you complete a quest given to you by a superior worth Honor Points, that superior can choose whether to give you recognition in the form of Glory Points equal to his Glory Rank.
Gifts: Receiving gifts can be a glorious thing, but only if they are exquisite and given to the right people. To earn Glory Points, a gift must be of at least Fine Quality or magical. Also, it must be given publicly and with proper etiquette to someone by someone with a higher Glory Rank. You receive Glory Points equal to the Glory Rank of the giver.
Arts: If you make an object or performance worthy of being an artwork that would normally gain you Honor Points, you can make sure it is beheld publicly to increase your Glory. The product is worth Glory Points equal to the Rank of the Skill used. This is a single award, and it must have a wide circulation. A private performance for only a couple of guests or a work that is given as a gift to another does not qualify.
Bugei Skills: Bugei Skills are tools to increase the might and prestige of your uji, a glorious endeavor. Thus, increasing your Skill Ranks is seen as a glorious way to spend your time. Whenever you increase a Bugei Skill Rank higher than your Glory Rank with Season Actions, you gain 1 Glory Point at the end of the Season.
Discipline Okuden: The demanding dedication mastering a Discipline's Okuden requires is an incredibly glorious undertaking. Every time you gain a new Disipline Okuden, and your superiors publicly acknowledge and honor you for it, you gain an additional Glory Rank.
Promotion: As your status within an uji rises, the additional responsibilities and honors heaped upon you have their effect. Whenever you are given a significant promotion (such as a military one from hohei to nikutai, or an appointment as hatamoto) and your superiors publicly acknowledge and honor you for it, you gain an additional Glory Rank. Often a daimyo may not wish to make such a promotion known, such as if promoting you to being his spymaster. Unless he is clever, and wants you well-known as a cover for the real spymaster...
Warfare: Samurai are often referred to as “those who make war.” Engaging in warfare through battles is often considered by many to be the only “true” way to gain Glory. How, when, and how much Glory you gain is covered in the Warfare rules.
Restoring the Celestial Order: Whenever you earn Honor Points for “restoring” the Celestial Order, you may likewise earn an equal amount of Glory Points.
Losing Glory
The fall from Glory is a sharp descent compared to the long climb up. Word of your misdeeds also travels faster than stories of your former heroism. Whereas Glory Point gains do not affect your Glory Rank until the end of a Season, the losses affect you at the end of the Story. If you lose more Glory Points than you have at the end of the Story, you lose a Glory Rank. Your total Glory Points reset to 0, just as if you had gained a Glory Rank.
While Glory losses are more severe than Glory gains, however, your prestige does offer some protection. It's hard to believe that a great hero would engage in villainy. Whenever you are accused of an act that would cause you to lose Glory Points, you can make a Glory roll. Roll XkX, where X is your Glory Rank. The TN equals 5 x the potential Glory Point loss. This only aids against an accusation, not against an act extensively witnessed, or against anything shameful enough to result in a direct loss of Glory Ranks. If successful, you reduce the loss to 0 Glory Points.
Glory losses include, but are not limited to:
Acts of Vice: Whenever you lose Honor Points for an Act of Vice, you may lose Glory Points equal to your Glory Rank.
Low Skills: Whenever you use a Low Skill, you lose Glory Points if your Skill Rank is higher than your Glory Rank. The Glory Point loss is equal to the difference between them. While whatever you were doing probably also qualified as an Act of Vice, people are less willing to believe your culpability if your aptitude is less than your reputation.
Defeat: While defeat may not necessarily be dishonorable, it certainly is criticized. If you are defeated in combat, and the highest Threat Rating or highest Ring Rank of your opponents is lower than your Glory Rank, you lose Glory Points equal to twice the difference. Combat can include any competitive “duel” as well, including taryu-jiai or court competitions. If you are defeated by humans considered not of the samurai caste at all (ninja, heimin, gaijin, etc.), you lose a Glory Rank. You do not suffer any Glory loss if you are defeated by nonhuman creatures, such as nezumi or Shadowlands creatures. They are either beneath notice or considered horrors no normal samurai should have to face.
Demotion: If you lose an appointed position or drop in military rank by order of your superior for any shameful action that involves a loss of Glory, you lose a Glory Rank. If the demotion is accompanied by a public reprimand, you lose 2 Glory Ranks instead.
Ronin/Exile: If your uji exiles you from lands they control, you lose 2 Glory Ranks. If you are made ronin, either by decree or ill fortune, or exiled by Imperial decree from Hachigoku entirely, your Glory Rank is reduced to 0. You'll have to start rebuilding your Glory from the ground up.
Impurity: If you lose any Honor Points for impurity, you lose Glory Points equal to your Glory Rank. If you lose any Honor Ranks, you lose the same amount of Glory Ranks. If you an act of impurity would reduce you to Honor Rank 0, however, you lose no Glory. Instead, your Glory becomes Infamy.
Dark Whispers: If anyone you are connected closely with, such as a blood relative, sensei, wa member, or daimyo commits an act that costs them Glory Ranks (not Points) or leads to Infamy, you lose a Glory Rank.
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