High StatusOne of the most important dynamics in relationships between characters is status. Status dictates how different characters view and treat one another. It can be based on concrete factors such as social standing, material wealth, physical power, and age, or it can be determined by subtle factors like character motivation, personal history, or physical attraction. This section will help you unpack some of the methods you can use to play with status.
Imagine everyone in your character’s party has a number between one and ten floating over their heads. This number represents their status. Here are some examples of what might give someone a high status or a low status. Read through them and assign what you believe the status to be for your party’s social dynamic.
High Status
This person is trustworthy.
This person is strong.
This person is wise.
You would not want to risk upsetting this person.
There is an advantage in keeping this person happy.
This person possesses valuable skills.
This person is attractive.
This person is charming.
This person has shown courage.
This is someone you want to impress.
Her opinion matters.
He holds power in society.
Low Status
This person is weak.
Her opinion is uninformed.
They cannot be trusted.
When push comes to shove, she will back down.
There is much this person cannot see.
This person is a deviant.
This person is likely to embarrass himself and others.
Upsetting this person carries no real consequences.
This person is ugly.
This person does not express herself well.
This person is a coward.
Based on those statements, try picking a number for each character in your party. This does not tell you if a character is good or bad, but it does give a clue as to how other characters treat her, him, or them.
One of the most difficult things for new players to negotiate is which character in a given scene has high status. In a game all the players are protagonists, and for the most part, we are conditioned to expect protagonists to overcome obstacles. That means it’s pretty common for PCs to approach every situation as though they have high status, even when it makes storytelling more difficult. When everyone in a scene agrees who has high and low status, it can make it easier to choose how to play out that scene.
Imagine an adventuring party is making a purchase from a merchant. The scene has different possibilities based on who has high status.
High-Status Party/Low-Status Merchant
The party can make extra demands for its purchase.
The merchant will attempt to keep the party in the shop.
The merchant may offer unprompted gifts or compliments.
The party reasons with logic in the interest of “fairness.”
Every flaw in the merchandise provokes an emotional response from the merchant.
High-Status Merchant/Low-Status Party
The merchant can request additional and unusual forms of payment if the party has insufficient gold.
The merchant may be dismissive, impatient, or openly hostile as the party continues to shop.
The party uses emotional appeals and asks for exceptions in the interest of “kindness.”
Every flaw in the merchandise is ignored or dismissed by the merchant.
A transactional scene can affect the story in one of two ways: either the party will make a purchase, or it won’t. Attempting a high-status move in a scene where your party does not have high status can be fun, but it won’t move the scene forward. For example, asking a merchant to add more to a purchase he already insists you cannot afford won’t get you closer to completing the transaction. Playing into low status by bursting into tears might. Recognizing what status you bring to the table in any situation will help you avoid roadblocks in storytelling.
Status is not set in stone and can evolve as a story progresses and characters grow. The captain of the watch who originally dismissed your party members as rabble-rousers may grow to respect them after they save the town from danger. A troublesome vizier might become accommodating and demure if he worries you have compromising evidence against them. Your party might treat the fighter differently once it discovers she is the princess in disguise.
Transformation can play out slowly as major elements of the story unfold and your party grows in strength. It can also shift quickly within a scene when new information is revealed. To change status, you have to introduce information that changes the scene. Referring back to our example of the merchant, let’s look at actions that would or wouldn’t change a party from low to high status.
Actions That Would Not Change Status
Threats that the merchant believes could not reasonably be carried out
Attempts to appeal to qualities the merchant has not displayed
Offers of goods the merchant has no need for
Promises of fame or renown that mean nothing to the merchant
Actions That Could Change Status
Realistic intimidation based on actions the merchant knows you are capable of
Directed emotional appeals based on information you have about the merchant’s personality
Offer of a specific item the merchant wants
Revealing of titles or accomplishments that the merchant respects
Being aware of your status lets you control the momentum of social scenes by knowing how to move forward.