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New Mechanic: Reputation Points
The clothes you wear, the places you go, the people with whom you associate, the family that gives you your name: all of these contribute to your reputation, but none of them are as important as the sum total. Reputation is everything.
Because of this, Regency HERO introduces a new mechanic: Reputation Points (RPs). RPs can only be earned during game play. New characters start campaigns with zero RPs.
Why would you want RPs, you might wonder?
Because you can use them to modify die rolls utilizing social skills. For each five RPs earned, a die roll may be modified by one.
Lady Anne Fox is performing in her first musicale, playing the pianoforte. Although her skill is high (a 16-), her player flubs the skill roll -- a 17!
It's important for Lady Anne to succeed here: the man she wants to impress more than anyone else -- Lord Hattenall -- is sitting right in the first row. What is a penniless -- but beautiful -- young woman to do?
Lady Anne has behaved impeccably in Society, and has five RPs built up. Her player is then able to modify the die roll down to a 16, and Lady Anne succeeds in playing her Nocturne flawlessly. Disaster is averted, and our heroine impresses her beau.
Reputation points are earned through acts of social daring, such as when a PC puts his reputation on the line to defend an ideal. Particularly spectacular Oratory, Persuasion, or (in very limited cases), Seduction rolls may all lead to RPs, especially when backed up with good roleplaying.
Lord Hattenall, a noted trendsetter, is attending a private party in honor of the Prince Regent. When Prinny arrives at the party, his cravat is carelessly tied. Not wanting the Regent to embarrass himself, Lord Hattenall messes his own, perfectly tied cravat -- and though no one is fooled, he's saved the Regent from needless embarrassment. His stock in Society rises.
RPs may also be earned through daring actions (or at least the stories of daring actions) which make it back to the ton. E.g., the Duke of Wellington earned many, many RPs for Waterloo.
Other ways: winning a duel, claiming an elusive mistress (although that won't get you much in Almack's!), or marrying well.
You can also lose RPs at the GM's discretion! This happens when a PC violates the social code or behaves dishonorably in public (or it becomes widely known). This can be giving someone the cut-direct for no good reason; engaging in trade (how gauche!), or insulting someone powerful.
GMs shouldn't take away RPs casually. If, for example, the PLAYER isn't familiar with Regency society and makes a faux pas (as opposed to the PC), then give the player the benefit of the doubt, at least the first time.
At a ball celebrating the debut of the Honorable Miss Barbara Hambledon, a wealthy, though homely, debutante, the dandy Robert Mahan-Wiglesworth sees the French spy ducking into Lord Barton's library, and he knows the fiend is after the plans! He rudely cuts short his dance with the guest of honor -- in front of everyone.
Because Society doesn't know Robert is secretly working for the Crown, it uniformly condemns him. Miss Hambledon is devastated and her father livid; when Robert again comes into Society, it will be with fewer RPs. [In the last example, the GM really ought to reward Robert with an extra EP for doing the "right thing," even when it will cost him socially!]
And be careful! If a character has a negative balance of RPs, he may be shunned (given the cut-direct) by members of polite Society.
Guard your reputation closely!
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Shelley Chrystal Mactyre, 2002
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