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! |
ARTS
RANK 1
• Under Construction: There's a worker shortage in construction, and a few openings for work with the sewer maintenance. The money is too good to pass up, and with a bit of training you're ready to work! Things are relatively normal, albeit dank and smelly, though recently there's an overwhelming odor of dead fish, rumours of disappearing workers, and you caught sight of something huge lurking in the darkness before it slunk into the shadows. Needless to say, you resigned that day.
• House of Wax: You probably shouldn't visit wax museums, especially not ones in Aifaran, but the Dreamfolk who own this one had a sale on tickets and your curiosity overrode your common sense. The experience is… unpleasant. The place is hot and stuffy, and you constantly hear footsteps behind you, just to your right as though someone is following you, but every time you check, there's nothing there. Worse, the wax figurines seem to be staring at you. Do you dare attend a demonstration on how they're made…?
RANK 2
• The Evils of Fondant: One of the many traditions of the Shadow Nights Fairs is a cake decorating contest. Unfortunately for you, you're not looking where you're going when you bump into someone and their magnum opus of cake decor. They're upset to say the least, but you've never been covered in such delicious cake. And, unfortunately, fondant.
RANK 3
• The Mask: You found a unique, hand-made mask for sale, cheap. It's perfect for the upcoming ball. It really is striking, and the paint work is elegant. It also happened to belong to the merchant's deceased daughter and they cannot bear to have it in the house anymore. Nothing bad can come of that, right?
RANK 4
• Storebought is Fine: It's often traditional for the upper and middle echelons of Aifaran to make their own costumes for the Masquerade, and showing up with a storebought costume is considered rather gouche. The less creatively inclined, however, have found a way around this by commissioning others to make their ballroom attire. And guess who just got some sizable commissions? (Hint: It's you)
RANK 5
• A Little Light: Spirit Lantern decorating contests are definitely a thing in Aifaran this time of year, and your entry is top notch. The prize is a considerable sum of money as well as a big jar of candy. Happy Festival of Shadow Nights indeed!