Lifestyle
To cut down on bookkeeping, each month the player chooses the lifestyle his player lives. This covers room & board, drinks, clothes, hansom cabs, tents and draft animals when traveling, and so on. GM discretion is required - an occasional night out is covered, for example, but it should be appropriate to the lifestyle. A peasant might have a pint or two at a tavern; a merchant might have a dinner party, royalty might have a ceremonial feast. Each level has a certain influence on how people see the character. Individual NPCs may have a different attitude towards the PCs than the default, and PCs are in charge of their own attitudes. The names of each category are meant to give a feel for the type of person that typically lives that lifestyle, but aren’t prescriptive. A character could totally be a down-on-her-luck princess living a Poor lifestyle.
To increase a lifestyle level, the player must pay a one-time investment of 10x the desired lifestyle’s monthly cost. This represents buying that dream house, bribing authorities, updating his or her wardrobe, investing in businesses, attending the right parties, and so on. If the player can’t pay the cost for a month, the player drops by one level. If the player's organization loses money that the player can't cover, the player drops one level. To avoid this, the player must secure a loan, typically a large favor, from someone who can cover it.
If a character has a budget for retainers, total the monthly expenses for all retainers. For example, a Merchant has 45 silver/month, which would be one Working Poor or three Poor retainers. The PC cannot choose to not have a retainer and pocket the money. If the character is also connected to a revenue-generating organization, there are certainly other people working for the PC, but they have full-time jobs and are not always at the PC’s disposal.
A PC can emulate a different lifestyle through the use of disguises and social skills and talents, but may require spending up to the monthly cost of the desired lifestyle, at the GM’s discretion, and the effect lasts only for one social situation, such as a party or criminal trial.
Poor - 15 silver/month.
- Lives a nomadic lifestyle, in slums, or flophouses, or as subsistence farmers.
As a retainer may be a porter or housekeeper
Travels with only the stuff on his or her back.
All NPCs have a starting view of Unfriendly. There is a 10% chance each month of being robbed, either by pickpockets, brigands, or burglars.
- Lives in neighborhoods, villages or on small farms in rented properties, or in a nomadic tribe.
As a retainer may be a cook, driver, butler, or simple guard.
Travels with only the stuff on his or her back.
All NPCs except for poor have a starting view of Unfriendly. There is a 5% chance each month of being robbed.
- Lives in neighborhoods, villages, on small farms, or a part of a successful nomadic tribe. Either owns property, or is protected by long custom against eviction.
As retainer, is skilled labor - accountant, mercenary, blacksmith, etc.
Travels with only the stuff on his or her back.
Merchant, Wealthy and Royal NPCs have a starting view of Unfriendly. Working Class, Working Poor, and Poor NPCs have a starting view of Neutral.
- Lives in towns & cities, or is an elder, council member, etc of a village or tribe. Owns property.
As retainer, is a guard captain, expert chef, caravan master, half-adept, or even 2nd circle adept.
45 silver/month budget for retainers.
The character is considered connected to a business or other income-generating organization. It maintains itself so that the character can adventure, but can be a source of contacts, favors and adventure hooks.
When the character buys into Merchant, choose a common magical item and add it to his inventory.
Travels with a beast of burden and tent.
Poor & Working Poor have a starting view of Friendly. Working Class, Merchant, and Wealthy are Neutral. Royalty is Unfriendly.
- Lives in towns & cities, or is a chief or council member of a major tribe. Owns property.
Includes 180 silver/month budget for retainers.
The character is considered connected to a business or other income-generating organization. It maintains itself so that the character can adventure, but can be a source of contacts, favors and adventure hooks. If the budget for retainers is spent on an NPC that runs the business, the retainer can make a skill check DN (6) each month to generate income for the PC. For each success, the PC gains 100 silver. On a rule of 1, the retainer has lost 1d10 x 100 silver that the PC must cover in addition to the normal monthly cost. If the PC is focused on the organization, he or she can make a skill check to earn 500 silver per success. On a rule of 1, the PC has lost 1d10 x 500 silver.
When the character buys into Wealthy, choose 1d4 common magical items and add it to his inventory.
Travels with a wagon & pavilion. Must spend 180 silver on extra retainers (drivers, cooks, guards), or be treated as a mere Merchant while traveling.
Poor, Working Poor, Working Class, Merchant, and Wealthy have a starting view of Friendly, and Royalty have a starting view of Neutral.
- Lives in cities. Owns property.
Includes 360 silver/month budget for retainers.
The character is considered connected to a business or other income-generating organization. It maintains itself so that the character can adventure, but can be a source of contacts, favors and adventure hooks. If the budget for retainers is spent on NPCs that runs the business, the retainers can each make a skill check DN (6) each month to generate income for the PC. For each success, the PC earns 500 silver. On a rule of 1, the retainer has lost 1d20 x 100 silver that the PC must cover in addition to the normal monthly cost. If the PC is focused on the organization, he or she can make a skill check to earn 1000 silver per success. On a rule of 1, the PC has lost 1d10 x 1000 silver.
When the character buys into Wealthy, choose 2d4 common magical items and add it to his inventory.
Royalty travels with a wagon train and pavilion tent. The PC must spend an additional 360 silver on additional retainers (drivers, cooks, guards), or be treated as merely Wealthy.
Poor & Working Poor have a Loyal Attitude towards Royalty. All others treat them as Friendly.