Realm Actions are actions taken outside of regular play sessions by characters pursuing their own goals. All characters have their own personal motivations and every few weeks they may have the possibility to further their pursuit of their goals.
If the result of a realm action is public, they are likely to appear in a Meanwhile... post. Not all realm actions are visible here however, and perhaps only a version of the truth.
All realm actions are resolved at once, even if they occur at different times. When a wave of realm actions is about to occur, a roll is made to see which characters will pursue their goal this time. Certain characters are guaranteed to have a realm action each time.
A realm action is usually an action made in pursuit of a larger goal. For example, a character may have the goal of finding a home, with the realm actions of searching for a location and securing their land, each with a chance to fail or succeed.
Certain PCs may gain access to realm actions. In order to gain access, the PC must be in charge of some entity that may act independently of them or the PC must not be in the adventuring party.
Some ways to gain access are: owning a keep or castle, being in charge of a guild or business, having a group of followers, or retiring from the party. If you think you may be eligible, ask your DM.
If you have access to realm actions you must first define a larger goal which will have a number of success required to complete. When you are next able to take a realm action, you must decide a sub-goal, a way in which you are pursuing this goal. This is the realm action. A skill check is then taken to see if you gain a point in pursuit of your goal. A goal may look like this while in progress: Discover my father’s murderer (2/5).
In addition to realm actions taken in pursuit of your goal, you may also have access to more immediate actions always available to you. These actions will depend on what kind of character you are and on the entity that gave you access to realm actions. Some examples include: brew a potion, train a unit of soldiers in your keep, use your establishment to conduct espionage, travel to and explore an area, use your business to gain money. These actions do not further your goal and still require a skill check, but may gain you benefits. Ask your DM what actions you have or suggest some that make sense for your PC.