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affinity ranks;
✽ AFFINITY RANKS | ||||||||||
Areas of Repute Within Aifaran are some unofficial factions that represent some of the interests or aspects of the city life. These are not ICly recognized groups (that is, there are no guilds or formal organizations representing these areas that a character can approach ICly) in that they have no defined structure, but merely areas of general repute.
Upon application acceptance, each character will receive a randomized set of starter rankings totaling 20 points altogether, which are randomly distributed throughout all the factions using RNG when a character joins the game. This point cap will prevent anyone from being able to max out too many affinity factions at one time. OOCly, each faction has ranks from 1-5 (with 1 being the lowest, 5 the highest), with each rank producing multiple different types of interaction with that group throughout the month. Players can choose to have their characters experience one or more of these instances to happen, depending on what their rank standing is with that respective group. Characters will not be required to experience all instances for all factions in a given month. This Google Spreadsheet is kept current by the mods that can be viewed by the players at any time, so players will always have access to their various Affinity standings at a glance. EXAMPLE: CRIME Rank 1 • Slippery Fingers: You are targeted for pickpocketing on the street! • Get Trashed: Your property (home, work, etc) suffers vandalism. • Shakedown: Your preferred places of patronage are harassed for protection money. Rank 2 • Supply & Demand: You sense eyes on you frequently, and when looking to purchase your usual staples, you find them either out of stock or ridiculously marked up in price. If asked, the shopkeepers will avoid answering the questions, as if they've been intimidated into silence. Rank 3 • Swag Swap: You are targeted for a mugging, but you're offered a cheap set of crystal glasses in exchange for all you lose. • Insurance: You're offered an insurance policy against theft for the month, but if you don't pay up, you may be more heavily targeted. Rank 4 • Mistaken Identity: During what looks like it will be a mugging, the perpetrator seems to recognize you and breaks off the attempt. • Guardian Criminal: Alternatively, during what looks to be a mugging, ANOTHER mugger will intervene, successfully chasing the first offender away from you. Rank 5 • Sudden Windfall: An anonymous person mails you a package containing what is definitely stolen, but likely untraceable, money and luxury items, the contents of which are now yours to do with as you please! Affinity Rank Changes Each month as part of AC, players will be required to submit their rank changes, moving 4 points total per month in any combination of their choosing. An affinity cannot be ranked at 0 or over 5, and all the Affinity ranks must collectively total 20 points - so points being added to one rank must come from subtracting from another rank, etc. Part of the AC requirement is a (VERY) brief description of the character's behaviour that led to the fluctuations in affinity. EXAMPLE AC COMMENT: Character: Bugs Bunny AC Proof 1 (required): LINK AC Proof 2 (optional): LINK Allegiance Rank Changes: +2 Sci-Tech, -2 Faith Notes: Bugs offered to teach a class on network basics to some less-than-tech-savvy elders (+2 Sci-Tech) but flipped off some Ban Om devotees when they wouldn't take a hint (-2 Faith). Affinity FAQ What happens if my character gets randomized Affinity starting ranks that don't make sense? IE; my sweet cinnamon roll gets a high Crime ranking? That's half the fun! ICly, it's explained by characters arriving that don't have any background in the city yet. Since these aren't literal, recognized factions, it's a little bendable. Maybe they're going with a gut feeling. Maybe they just don't like your character's face. Who knows! These rankings aren't static either - they go up or down with each AC, depending on what you want for your character. What if I don't want to use any of the monthly instances for my faction rankings? You don’t really have to if there isn’t anything in there you’d want to play with. Or make up something (reasonably) within the parameters that would be better suited to your character. Why do I have to move Affinities rankings around every month? As your character interacts with the peoples of Khu Ioduan, they will naturally get along with some groups and people, but not others, just as in the real world. Adjusting Affinities rankings is based on how you think your character's choices have been viewed by the various factions in the city. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' standing with the factions, so don't worry about keeping a set number; every option has new opportunities! | ||||||||||
COMMERCE
RANK 1
• My Cabbages!: Earlier in the week, you tripped into someone's market stall while you were paying attention to something else. Unfortunately, no matter how you apologized, the stall owner is determined to hold a grudge, and you're not going to be welcome at this particular vendor. Or, in fact, in that entire area, until they've moved to a different location.
• Pyramids: A friendly, very cheerful Muin shows up on your doorstep. Did you know, he says, he has this great way to make money fast with very little effort! You just need to get two of your friends to buy into this program, and you should see the dividends…
It's a pyramid scheme. It's straight up a pyramid scheme.
RANK 2
• Rosemary and Thyme: A friendly acquaintance of yours among the native neighbors asked you to help them find something, but everywhere you ask, people stare at you like you're joking, or laugh politely. It's going to take some length of runaround before someone gently tells you it's an impossible item in their culture.
RANK 3
• Spare Change: Someone dropped an entire string's worth of rhinn! It's almost all cobalt pieces, too. No one immediately around seems to be missing something. You can opt to keep it, and there may later be a visit from some officers inquiring if you saw anything that day; or you can take it to the nearest Sentry station. In the latter case, expect a call some few days later with a reward-- half the string's value, plus a future favour from the Erol'a Crest who dropped it. Never know when you might need those connections.
• If You're Good to Mama...: Someone you've met a couple of times before offers to pull some strings and get you a job. It's… actually a pretty good job. There's got to be a catch.
(There's a catch. In exchange, they're going to want you to very occasionally look the other way so they can supply their contacts in the Kel'ghau. Worth it? Up to you…)
RANK 4
• You Look Just Like My Grandson: says the owner of the new clothing shop you decided to try. This seems improbable, since she is, in fact, an Arybar; it transpires that some years ago her family adopted a Dreamperson who looked very like you, but who no longer dreams in Aifaran. No matter your demurral, she'll insist on giving you the family-and-friends discount every time you come back.
RANK 5
• Presents from Home: Looks like someone thought you might be homesick. You get home to a present on your doorstep, with a note inside explaining that it was brought back from an expedition and they've heard you talking about your homeworld and they're pretty sure this is from there? The art piece inside is in a familiar-ish style, anyway, so if it's not from your world it's from somewhere close by. There's probably people who'd pay a lot for it if you don't want it...