Renown & Infamy

Renown

These rules are intended to add flavor to long campaigns and are optional.

Just as important as wealth and level, fame plays a big part in adventures. Players can earn points of renown or be penalized with points of infamy.

What earns renown? Simple, doing heroic deeds. Help an old widow to defend her home from bandits? That’s renown. In contrast, join the bandits to rob the old lady, that’s infamy.

Renown is very useful. Having renown can earn discounts in stores, help convince people in conversation, and earn favor with town guards.

By contrast, Infamy has serious penalties. Having a high score in infamy can mean being barred from entry into towns or shops, or even being attacked on sight. An infamous character will draw the attention of bounty hunters and Witch hunters. Of course, it may benefit you if you are trying to work your way into a criminal organization and help in intimidation.

The GM is going to want to award points often but in small quantities. Something like threatening an innocent might earn 1 point of infamy while giving a few crowns to a beggar might earn 1 point of renown. If a character commits a serious crime then the points of infamy should reflect this as well. Something like 50 points for open murder or attacking a town guard.

Likewise, great and noble deeds will earn large rewards. Saving a town from bandits could earn 20+ points. Defeating a dragon or slaying a warband 30+ points.

The renown and infamy tables will show how these points affect the character. The points are counted in two ways. A group earns points collectively. These can be both Renown and Infamy on separate scales of 100. Players individually have a single scale which ranges from infamy to renown of 200 points. 100 Renown and --100 Infamy. Doing good deeds earns points, doing evil loses points, moving you into infamy. Group points are earned by significant deeds or crimes attributed to the group. The GM should decide when this occurs.

Group renown and infamy affect the story. The GM should track the effects of these points. There are no specific effects in general, but they should be counted more as story motivations. For example if trying to infiltrate a dangerous gang the group my wish to commit minor infractions to build infamy. Likewise, gaining trust with a settlement may require completing a heroic feat. This will be dependent on the GM.

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Losing points

Like any reputation, inaction costs you points. Every month, in game time, players automatically shift towards zero on the scale by half (rounded up) the total points. So if a player is currently at -50 points and therefore infamous, at the end of the month, the points reduce to -25. Likewise, if a player is currently at 70 points and therefore a hero, there fame diminishes by half, making them 35.

This can be altered more significantly if they have completed a particularly heroic deed or committed a particularly heinous crime. Some actions are more significant than others. When this is applicable, decided by the GM, points may remain permanent or even be locked until the GM deems otherwise. For example, if the player character murdered someone, and they were caught doing so, they may need to complete some heroic deed to redeem themselves in the eyes of others. The severity of the crime, or heroic nature of the feat should be taken into consideration. This especially applies to group renown and infamy.

Points should be awarded often by the GM to the players. Every good deed, or evil deed given a point or two.

Concealing identity

On occasion, players may wish to avoid being affected by their positive or negative reputation. This can be accomplished with disguises or any other means that makes sense. When in disguise, the bonuses or deficits of their reputation no longer apply. This will not stop the authorities hunting them if they are criminals but could allow some measure of freedom.

Should their true identity be found, they gain the bonuses or deficits that implies, for good or ill.

Player Renown Rating