Renown

To have Renown is to be known and spoken of by other people, from associates to strangers to foreigners in distant lands. The Renown system is used to indicate the degree of recognition for a character and how widely they are known. There is no distinction made between fame and infamy; and while a character only has one Renown level, the particulars of their reputation may be complex and even contradictory.

Renown Levels

Plebian: A Plebian is just an ordinary citizen, known among his family and friends and immediate circle of acquaintances, but completely unremarkable to the greater part of the populace. All PCs begin at this level, and must build themselves a greater reputation through RP. Plebian Reputation can be omitted from the character sheet.

Standout: A Standout character has begun to make a name for themselves among a specific community and sphere of influence. This could be their neighborhood, a particular faction or group, trade professionals, or even public officials. Outside that sphere, the character is hardly recognized. They may appear in greater news (or gossip) from time to time, but have yet to leave a lasting mark on public opinion. Characters who are Exceptional in their job skill are also eligible for Standout Renown.

Local Repute: One who has earned Local Repute is recognized around much of their polity; they are associated with particular events, a skillset, or a profession in the minds of many. If such a character were mentioned on the street, most residents would be able to say "oh, isn't that the person who…" However, they are little-known outside their own polity. This level of Renown applies to most public figures and to Masters of their trades. Characters who have Mastered their job skill (and are already at Standout) are also eligible for Local Repute.

Local Prominence: Someone with Local Prominence is a celebrity indeed; they are a household name within their polity, and they typically have a great deal of influence or standing. Anything they do may be scrutinized in the court of public opinion, and their actions are liable to provide gossip fodder for weeks. This level of Renown primarily applies to high government officials, celebrities, and others who have been acting under the public eye for an extended period. Such people remain little-known outside their home polity.

Wide Repute:

Wide Prominence:

Legend:

Gaining Renown

Renown may be earned in one of two ways: by spontaneous Storyteller award or by submitting a Special Request.

Awarded Renown

Storytellers may award a character with Standout Renown based upon actions and events in a moderated thread. This is granted solely at the Storyteller's discretion, and has no prerequisites.

Storytellers may also elevate a Standout character to Local Repute as an award from a moderated thread. This should only be given if at least two seasons have passed since they gained Standout, and if both player activity and character actions in the interim justify further increase to their Renown.

In both of these cases, the Storyteller will provide the player with a short paragraph describing their current reputation.

Requested Renown

Players may submit a Special Request to increase their character's Renown at any time. They must provide an IC justification, including threads in support that show the character developing their greater Renown; even if it is based on simple skill proficiency, the character must be doing something to build their reputation. The player also needs to supply a paragraph describing the desired reputation.

Renown requests are reviewed by a Senior Storyteller or Moderator on a case-by-case basis, and approval depends upon the character's skill proficiencies, time and activity at their current level, social and political position, and overall narrative developed through their threads. Higher levels of Renown may also require that the character have cultivated their reputation in multiple polities.

As a rule, any player aiming for more than Local Repute should already be working closely with staff regarding their character's position and ongoing plots. Requests for higher Renown levels should not come out of the blue from the staff perspective.

Losing Renown

tbd

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License