Reputation, Renown, and Relationships¶
This system governs how characters are perceived, remembered, and pressured by the world.
It is not a replacement for roleplaying. It is a framework for making social consequences feel real and lasting.
Core Concepts¶
Reputation¶
Reputation is how a character is currently being treated by the people around them. It is fast-moving, local, and emotional.
Reputation reflects: - Recent actions and their visibility - Who witnessed something and whether they care - The mood of a community, faction, or individual toward the character right now
Reputation doesn't need a number. It exists on a simple spectrum:
Positive → Neutral → Negative
The GM tracks Reputation loosely, adjusting it based on what happens in play. Tags (see below) do the descriptive work.
Renown¶
Renown is how widely known a character is. It is slow to change and reflects lasting visibility—what people remember about you when they haven't seen you recently.
Renown ranges from 0 to 6 in either direction:
| Renown | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Unknown |
| 1 | Noticed |
| 2 | Known |
| 3 | Marked |
| 4 | Influential |
| 5 | Defining |
| 6 | Legendary / Infamous |
Renown doesn't modify rolls directly. It shapes what's possible—who will meet with you, who fears or respects you, and how seriously your words are taken.
Renown should only change when something significant and visible happens. A single fight, a single clever argument, or a single failure doesn't move Renown. A pattern of behavior, a public turning point, or an event that reshapes how people think of you does.
Tags¶
Tags are the most important part of this system.
A Tag is a short descriptive phrase that captures how a character is known in a specific context.
Examples: - "Trusted in the Shallows" - "Imperial Liability" - "Verdanni Ally" - "Unpredictable" - "Quietly Protected" - "Saved the Miller's Quarter"
Tags are: - Faction- or location-specific - Positive, negative, or mixed - Gained through play, not purchased - More expressive than any number
When Reputation or Renown would shift meaningfully, the GM should consider whether a Tag is gained, changed, or lost. Tags do the work that numbers can't.
Relationships¶
Relationships represent personal or organizational bonds that can soften, redirect, or absorb social consequences.
Relationships have Depth, tracked from 0 to 4:
| Depth | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Known |
| 1 | Trusted |
| 2 | Proven |
| 3 | Bound |
| 4 | Defining |
Depth reflects shared history, risk, and emotional investment.
When a social consequence would affect a character within the context of a Relationship, the GM may reduce the severity of that consequence based on the Relationship's Depth. A deeply trusted ally interprets your actions charitably. A recent acquaintance does not.
Relationships don't erase consequences. They soften interpretation.
How This Works in Play¶
Reputation Shifts¶
When a character does something visible and meaningful, the GM decides whether Reputation shifts and whether a Tag is added or changed.
Useful questions: - Were there witnesses? - Will this story spread? - Does anyone with power or stake care?
If the answer is no, the action may still matter fictionally without triggering any system.
If the answer is yes, the GM adjusts Reputation (positive, neutral, or negative within the relevant context) and considers whether a Tag captures what changed.
When Renown Changes¶
Renown changes rarely—only when something undeniable has happened that reshapes how a wide audience perceives a character.
When Renown changes, always add or update a Tag to capture what it means.
Relationships Advancing¶
Relationships deepen naturally through play. The GM should advance a Relationship's Depth when the fiction genuinely supports it—shared risk, kept promises, meaningful sacrifice.
At session end, a player may also spend Effort to advance a Relationship if the fictional basis exists and the GM agrees.
GM Guidance¶
- Let Tags do most of the work. They're more useful than tracking exact numbers.
- Reputation shifts should feel reactive and immediate. Renown shifts should feel earned and rare.
- A character with strong Relationships isn't protected from consequences—they're protected from misinterpretation.
- Renown creates pressure and opens or closes doors. It doesn't guarantee outcomes.
- Secret actions without witnesses don't create Reputation.
- Cities and factions are not machines. Knowledge spreads unevenly. Power reacts slowly.
Design Note¶
Reputation is reaction.
Renown is memory.
Tags are meaning.
Relationships are context.
Together they answer: What does the world think of you, and what does that cost or earn?