Influencing Others

Death Before Dishonor!    Game Rules    Chapter III: Social Life      Influencing Others

A gentleman needs connections if he is to make his mark on the world. Influence is used to increase the odds of NPC's doing what you want. It can be used to gain money, power and position. Influence can only be used on non-player characters, as players make their own decisions for their characters; however, it may be used as an inducement or form of payment, as we shall see.

Influence

It is helpful to think of influence in terms of currency. Like money, influence comes in denominations, from one to nine. Higher levels affect more powerful nonplayer characters, as outlined on the Influence Level Table, below:

Position	Minimum
King	9
Crown Prince, Cardinal	8
Minister, Field Marshal	7
General	6
Lieutenant-General	5
Brigadier-General	4
Colonel	3
Lieutenant-Colonel	2
Major, Captain	1

Favors & Gifts

If influence is considered currency of different denominations, favors and gifts are the equivalent of coins or bills; in other words, a character may have a number of favors of various levels at any given time. Therefore, the favors are the number of discrete uses of influence available to the character. Since (as we will see) gifts are a subset of favors, when referring to "favors" in the rules, one may substitute either, unless specified in that rule.

The basic unit is the favor. Favors have four defining characteristics:

1. They are granted by one's Social Level and Office;
2. They are nonphysical, usually minor social actions or introductions;
3. Their value may change with changes to the SL or office; and
4. They persist for a single season (three game turns) of play, then disappear.

A gift is simply a favor with unique characteristics. Unlike favors, they are not earned but given. Influence given by paramours, for example, are gifted to their player character lovers. One character may gift another one of his favors, effectively changing it from favor to gift. Once gifted, it may not be revoked or reverted to a favor (see below)

The attibutes of a gift are these:

1. They are given from one character (PC or NPC) to another;
2. They sre represented by some kind of physical token (a letter of introduction, signet ring or blackmail letter are common examples)
3. They do not expire (although may be stolen or destroyed)
4. Their value is fixed, meaning that they retain the level they had upon being given; and
5. Are only usable by the character to whom it is given.

Acquiring Influence

As noted above, earned influence comes from two main sources: one's Social Level and the office one holds. Social Level automatically has a certain influence level associated with it. Having this prestige entitles you to a single favor of that level once per season. If not used, the old favor expires and a new one gained at the turning of that season.

Social Level	Influence
8 or 9	1
10 or 11	2
12 or 13	3
14 or 15	4
16 or 17	5
18 or 19	6
20 or 21	7
22 or 23	8
24+	9

Gifts are most commonly obtained by successfully courting and maintaining a paramour, or being given them by other characters. Being gifts, they are not transferable; on the other hand, being a physical token, they may be stolen or destroyed.

Gifts from paramours are received at two periods: once, immediately following a successful courtship, and then during Week Four of December (as a Christmas gift). While it is perfectly legal to court several paramours, it should be noted that as soon as the social correspondent of the Paris Gazette makes a note of it in that periodical, the offending character will suffer penalties in future attempts.

Social Level	Normal influence	Additionally, if Influential
18	9	9
17	8	9
16	7	8
15	6	7
14	6	6
13	5	5
12	4	5
11	4	4
10	3	4
9	2	3
8	1	3
7	-	2
6	-	1
5	-	1
4	-	1
3	-	1

How Influence Works

Favors are used to influence non-player characters in the game to act favorably on one's behalf. In practice, that means that a single favor of the appropriate level will raise or lower a die roll by one pip. In the case of the NPC providing a benefit on a roll of 7 or higher on 1d6, this means they will not do so without being influenced, for example.

It should be noted here that "in the favor of the player character" means the individual expending the favor. It is perfectly acceptable to influence an NPC to prevent another dharacter from gaining a benefit by applying a penalty to the die roll, for example.

The Influence Level Table shows the level of favor needed to get a die roll modifier of +/-1 to influence some decision by an NPC. Thus to influence a Colonel you will need a favor of influence level of 3, at a minimum, to apply +/-1 to a d6 roll. To gain more than a +/-1 die roll modifier to adjust a decision, you will have to expend a favor above the minimum required (see below). For each level above the minimum, we apply an additional +/-1 in favor of the user.

Example: Francois wishes to gain a +2 to a die roll for a decision made by his NPC Colonel. As the minimum requirement is a level 3 favor for +1, it will require a level 4 favor (3+1) to achieve the desired +2 result.

Variations on a Theme

Favors (and not gifts) may be combined for greater effect, but only two favors of the same denomination may do so. When combined, they become the next level favor; in other words, two level one favors become a level 2, two level 2 favors become a level 3, and so on.

Sometimes, due to a change in Social Level, a character will move to a different level of favor sometime during the season in which a previous favor had already been granted. In these cases the result depends on the status of that favor. If it has already been used, no new favor is granted until the beginning of the next season. If it has not been used, the existing favor is replaced eith the new value, which will expire at the usual time.

And, When All Else Fails, Bribery

If the influence you have is not enough you may resort to bribing the individual making the decision. You can only purchase a +/-1 to the die roll, and the cost is 50 * the influence level required to bribe the NPC. The GM will then roll 2d6 and on a 12 you have attempted to bribe an honest NPC, who will immediately reveal you to be the underhanded scoundrel you are and report you to the CPS. If the roll is a 10 or 11, you have attempted to bribe a particularly dishonest NPC and he will just keep the money and the die roll will not be modified. In all other cases you will succeed in securing your (modest) die modification.

Bribery is employed in the place of, and not in addition to, normal influence.

Contents

Chapter III: Social Life

Prestige

• Social Climbing & Status
• Influencing Others

Love

• Amorous Pursuits
• Love & Family

Social Life

• The Club
• Social Events
• Competitions
• Titles & Orders
• Disgrace & Dishonor
• Lackeys & Menial Work