Factions & Prestige
A character’s prestige is their standing among factions of the world. There are two types of prestige, trusted for allies and feared for enemies. The prestige of a character varies from location to location and faction to faction based on faction allegiances and hostilities. Raising trusted prestige with one faction can raise a character with a faction's allies to a maximum of member. Raising trusted prestige will also raise feared prestige with a faction's enemies to a maximum of dread. The factions available to a character are based on the character’s morality and interactions with the faction.
Each faction has an overall morality level associated with it. Not all the members of the faction are of this morality however, this is just the general mindset of the group and there may be double agents among them. Factions that are within two morality levels of the character’s morality are open to the character to befriend. Those that are beyond two levels are more difficult or impossible for the character to befriend. Characters of neutral morality are open to all factions as long as they maintain a balance of their morality. In turn neutral factions are also available to all characters. This does not however mean that you cannot make an enemy of a neutral faction.
Earning Prestige
Earning prestige takes place in two phases. The first of these is the meeting phase. In this phase every interaction with the faction gains you one prestige point with them. Depending on how that interaction goes determines whether or not the prestige gained is trusted or feared. If one alignment is at least five points higher than the other when you reach the alignment phase then your alignment choice is automatic. The alignment phase begins when you reach twenty combined prestige points with a faction.
In the alignment phase you become either a member of or are considered wary by a faction. If your character becomes a member then you gain trusted prestige points by taking on assignments for the faction, defending members you find in trouble, and striking out against their enemies. If your character becomes wary then you gain feared prestige points by attacking faction members and befriending that faction’s enemies. During the alignment phase prestige gains change depending on the deed accomplished.
Most prestige points gains are still one point, however, the gamemaster may award additional prestige points for feats of increased difficulties. Characters also gain additional points per assignments based on what rank of trusted and feared they are. Rank 1 gains an additional prestige point and begins at 10 points and rank 2 gains 2 additional prestige points and begins at 30 points until the character’s prestige is maxed out at fifty points. At fifty points of trusted prestige a character is considered a friend and gains access to special perks and items through the faction. At fifty points of feared prestige they are considered dread and the mere sight of the character is enough to send low ranking faction members running from them. The gamemaster may give additional prestige points to speed play at their discretion. This may involve a large story point such as saving the son of a faction leader.
Prestige Reward Types
Intel: Character gains a source of information for the realm the faction operates within. Intel can be used for additional information about quests or storylines that the characters are involved in and may be used to start a quest or storyline.
Safe House: Character is provided with a safe place to hide self, party, or guests from those outside of the faction. Safe houses can be compromised by the wrong people finding out about it.
Discount: The character is granted 10% price cuts on all goods purchased through the factions.
Fence: The character finds a place to sell stolen goods they have acquired.
Command Authority: Faction units recognize the character as a superior and will take orders from the character as long as they do not contradict orders from faction superiors.
Invite: The faction invites a character along for some type of mission that may hold a profit for all.
Access: Building prestige with the faction gives the character access to another faction or location.
Items: The character gains access to special rare items through the faction.
Follower: The character is granted a companion to aid them. Unlike profession subordinates these followers are fully combat ready. They level normally but join at two levels below the character.
Healing: Provides the character a place to heal the severely injured or recently fallen allies.
Faction Restrictions
Some factions have restrictions that may delay or completely restrict the character’s access to the faction. These restrictions may be based on a character’s profession, class, species, or status with other factions. Military factions gain a character loyalty to a nation and restrict access to factions outside of that nation. If a character joins a military faction the highest trusted prestige points it can gain with another military faction is 35. Going beyond and working for the Drosiayde Embassy or Enforcers is not restricted by this rule however. Gaining trusted prestige with a faction will also cause a character to become an enemy of the of the faction’s enemies. Being a faction’s enemy will restrict a character from gaining trusted prestige with the faction.