Social Standing
Each character has a SOCIAL STANDING that defines where they belong within their Culture. Social Standing determines what kinds of RESOURCES a Character has access to, and what kinds of OBLIGATIONS they have to incur to obtain them.
Each character has a SOCIAL STANDING in their CULTURE. Choose one from the list below and note both the RESOURCE and OBLIGATION that come from choosing that standing. There are primary effects that your social standing has on your Character:
- ROLEPLAY: provides additional background and backstory for your character.
- RESOURCE: describes a kind of resource that your character can commonly acquire when dealing with others of the same social standing.
- OBLIGATION: describes what others of the same social standing expect when providing access to the resource.
The following social standing types are generally available to each Culture. Other social standing types may be created by your Referee to support specific cultures or styles of play - check with them to see if others are available.
| STANDING | RESOURCE | OBLIGATION |
|---|---|---|
| VAGRANT | REFUGE | NONE |
| PEASANT | RAW GOODS | TAXES |
| FREEMAN | FINISHED GOODS | REQUISITIONS |
| MERCHANT | CURRENCY | CARGOES |
| MILITARY | FORCE | COMMAND |
| CLERGY | SECRETS | STRICTURES |
| NOBILITY | INFLUENCE | COURT |
Resources indicate what you can easily gain access to by virtue of your social class, though this also assumes you’re in a settlement and not in the wilds. The resources you can access are:
| RESOURCE | DESCRIPTION | QUALITY |
|---|---|---|
| REFUGE | Able to locate shelter or hide from hostiles. | How secure, or hard to find, the shelter is. |
| RAW GOODS | Raw resources, like ore, grains, or animals. | Overall quality of the good. |
| FINISHED GOODS | Goods like smithied tools, clothing, or beer. | Overall quality of the good. |
| CURRENCY | Coin of the realm. | How much is on hand and available. |
| FORCE | Soldiers, armaments, and war materiel. | Overall quality of the unit. |
| SECRETS | Myths, legends, lost knowledge, forbidden lore. | How deep the rabbithole goes. |
| INFLUENCE | Cooperation of others from all walks of life. | How broad and deep the cooperation. |
You can attempt once per session to try to acquire RESOURCES applicable to your SOCIAL STATUS, so long as you have access to a settlement. To do so, you must:
- Define the RESOURCE you’re trying to acquire and the quality of that resource - a value from 2 (crude) to 12 (masterwork).
- Make a SAVE ROLL against that value, using MIND or LUCK to BOOST the roll if you desire. Note the number of successes:
| SUCCESSES | RESULT | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | BOTCH | No resources available. No further attempts possible this Session. |
| 1 | SACRIFICE | Resources available but at half Quality or double Obligation. |
| 2 | SUCCESS | Resources available at normal cost in Obligation. |
| 3 | TRIUMPH | Resources available without Obligation. |
OBLIGATIONS indicate what you owe or must otherwise provide in order to gain access to the RESOURCES your SOCIAL STATUS make available to you. The OBLIGATIONS you can owe are:
| OBLIGATION | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| TAXES | Coin of the realm, owed to its lords. |
| REQUISITIONS | Artisans must maintain membership in a Guild, which requires taking on work for masters. |
| CARGOES | Traders must maintain their distant relationships and obligations to bring cargoes to destinations. |
| COMMAND | Orders from higher up in the chain of command can require travel to faraway places. |
| STRICTURES | Ceremony and regulation from both Immortal and Belief may be required of the Clergy. |
| COURT | Demands from other Nobles, attendance, and politics on many levels are the burden of Nobles. |
You can meet obligations in one of three ways:
| METHOD | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| TRADE | You have already met your obligations due to prior tasks completed. You can exchange the obligation for your resource when you ask for it. |
| WORK | You have not met your obligations yet. You can acquire a completed obligation by completing a task or request, and then trade that obligation for your desired resource after you have earned it. |
| DEBT | You have not met your obligations yet. You can acquire the resource you want now, and then be indebted for your obligation. Usually only available to trusted sources, and consequences for failing to repay a debt can be serious. |
EXAMPLE: CHARACTER BUILDING
VAGRANTS: THE UNTOUCHABLES
Characters with the Vagrant social standing are often outcasts or wanderers with no fixed abode. As a result, their primary resource is Refuge, which represents their ability to find shelter and safety in a variety of locations. However, since they have no specific obligations, Vagrants must fend for themselves and rely on their own abilities to survive.
PEASANTS: THE LABORERS
Characters with the Peasant social standing typically work in agriculture or other manual labor. Their primary resource is Raw Goods, which they produce themselves or obtain through their work. However, they are also burdened with the obligation of paying taxes, which can be a significant drain on their resources.
FREEMEN: THE JOURNEYMEN
Characters with the Freeman social standing are typically artisans or skilled workers. They produce Finished Goods, which they can sell or trade for other resources. However, they are also obligated to belong to a guild, which sets certain standards and rules for their work.
MERCHANTS: THE TRADERS
Characters with the Merchant social standing are traders or businesspeople who deal in the buying and selling of goods. Their primary resource is Trade, which allows them to acquire a wide variety of resources from other regions or cultures. However, they are obligated to pay tariffs, which can be a significant expense and restrict their ability to move goods freely.
MILITARY: THE SOLDIERS
Characters with the Military social standing are members of the armed forces or mercenary groups. Their primary resource is their Force, which represents the soldiers under their command who can be used to exert power and control over their enemies. However, they are obligated to follow the chain of Command when called to, which requires them to make strategic decisions that align with their superiors’ objectives.
CLERGY: SERVANTS OF THE IMMORTALS
Characters with the Clergy social standing are part of a religious or spiritual organization. Their primary resource is Secrets, which represent the knowledge and influence they have within their organization. However, they are obligated to follow strictures or rules that govern their behavior and restrict their actions.
NOBLES: LORDS OF THE DOMAIN
Characters with the Nobility social standing are members of the ruling class or aristocracy. Their primary resource is Influence, which they can use to affect the actions of others and gain access to resources. However, they are obligated to attend court and participate in political and social events, which can be time-consuming and require significant resources.