Editing Tradition Politics (section)

==RANK AND REPUTATION==

When the Council of Nine formed, one of the first initiatives that the Order of Hermes took on was to establish a standard system of ranks and titles, so that mages would have a universal means of recognizing magical accomplishment. Mages tend to be rather highly competitive by nature, so keeping up a strong public image is a point of both pride and necessity for many wizards.

Reputation is the game measure of a mage’s standing among others of her kind, and it is measured in Traits. It usually stems from a proven level of magical accomplishment, although it can also be a function of holding some official position in the magical community, such as a Chantry head or faction leader. A mage may also gain Reputation Traits by being influential in a city’s business community, pulling off impressive magical feats, foiling the plots of rival groups or by simply catching the right eyes at the right time.

Anyone taken into a Tradition immediately receives the Trait: Accepted. Those without this Trait cannot be subject to Tradition justice save for the most serious crimes, but they also cannot expect aid, shelter or even civil treatment from proper Tradition mages either. Different Traits are bestowed at each rank, as shown in the following chart.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|+ RANKS AND REPUTATIONS
|-
! Rank !! Reputation Trait
|-
| Apprentice || Accepted
|-
| Initiate || Devoted
|-
| Disciple || Promising
|-
| Adept || Respected
|-
| Master || Visionary
|-
| Archmage || Enlightened
|}

A character who has earned both the Apprentice and Initiate levels of a Sphere qualifies as an Initiate. She becomes a Disciple when she earns the first Disciple level in a Sphere, and she becomes an Adept when she earns the first Adept level in a Sphere, and so on. A character can earn each Reputation Trait only once, upon attaining that level of mastery of a Sphere for the first time. Therefore, if a character earns Promising for his advancement in the Life Sphere, he will not earn it again if he demonstrates the same degree of mastery over the Prime Sphere. He has already proven that he possesses that level of enlightenment.

Troupes should feel free to invent Reputation Traits to suit their own stories and the deeds of the characters receiving the Traits. For example, a mage who turns back a terrifying Nephandi assault might earn a Trait like Fearless or Noble. A Chantry leader might be considered Trusted or Revered by the local cabals, and a wizard who establishes a homeless shelter to give hope to the downtrodden might receive one such as Wise or Understanding.

Here are some common uses of Reputation:

===Reputation Uses===

* You may add your Reputation Traits to your Social Traits during an applicable Social Challenge. (Note: You may not do so in casting a magical Effect unless the Storyteller specifically approves of such usage in advance.) You must announce such a usage before resolving the challenge, however, since the target can choose to ignore your Reputation and force you to rely on your normal Social Traits. Since most Reputation Traits derive from accomplishments rather than social acclaim, such a snub is a serious insult in Awakened society. Even if he wins the challenge, the offending character can expect lasting enmity and possibly even some form of formal punishment. Someone who ignores the Reputation Traits a bully is using to intimidate him might get away without too much trouble, but a mage who disregards another’s Reputation for no good reason can expect some serious consequences.

* Reputation is a measure of a character’s credibility, as well as the general I regard her opinion receives in magical circles. In any formal debate between two characters that pits one mage’s word against another, in which no clear resolution presents itself, Reputation is the tie-breaking factor. In all such cases, the character with the most Reputation Traits is the one whose word is more likely to be accepted. However, those who get caught making false charges and relying on their Reputation Traits to save them lose face quickly and usually suffer other punishments as well. Reputation is also typically the deciding factor in determining which plan of action a cabal or Chantry takes when multiple valid plans are on the table and there’s no other way to determine which one to pick.

* One character may give Reputation Traits to another to show his favor, although the individual to which he gives the Reputation Trait must return it immediately upon the asking. This system is the basis for scenes in which lowly characters get by guards or gain audience with a powerful being because they’re acting on behalf of a more respected character. However, if the bearer loses this Trait in a challenge, it is gone for the duration of the story, so be careful about whom you support. You can use loaned Reputation Traits exactly as you would use your own, but you can give only one Trait of Reputation to any one person in this fashion.

* Anyone may remove Reputation Traits from characters of a lower rank than themselves at a cost of one Reputation Trait per Trait to be removed. Removing Reputation Traits also involves performing an appropriate smear campaign in character. Only mages of the same Tradition may remove a character’s Accepted Trait. Removing Reputation Traits is a costly but effective way of showing one’s disdain for a less experienced wizard and letting him know who really runs the show.

* Alternatively, a group of characters of lower rank can remove the Reputation Traits of someone higher up the ladder than them, provided that they all have more Reputation Traits between them than their target has. Accepted Traits do not count toward this total, unless all of the characters are of the same Tradition as their target. This system provides younger mages a way to fight back when more experienced wizards try to rule them through force of Reputation alone. They had best beware their own success, though. No mage is going to suffer in silence as a bunch of young upstarts give his image a black eye.

* Reputation Traits cannot be granted by any particular system of game mechanics. A mage must earn these Traits through great deeds, honorable conduct and exemplary actions in pursuit of their Tradition’s goals. Character input figures into the process as a measure of public opinion and approval, but only the Storyteller gives out Reputation Traits. Reputations are fragile things that are hard to build and all too easy to lose, so mages who play the status game had best be ready for a long and difficult road. Even still, the potential rewards are worth the effort for those who pursue them.

* Orphans, Hollow Ones and other Disparates begin with no Reputation Traits, and they cannot gain any from Tradition mages. On the flip side, they suffer no tangible consequences if they choose to ignore the Reputation Traits of a Tradition mage either. They might actually gain respect in the eyes of their fellows for a well-timed snub of this nature. Of course, they must still watch out for any revenge plans the slighted mage might be cooking up, because being shown up by a lowly Orphan really sticks in a Tradition mage’s craw.

* A t the Storyteller’s discretion, Hollowers and others like them may receive Reputation Traits in regard to their own kind, which function just like normal Reputation Traits in even way. However, they never apply to Tradition mages, just as Tradition Reputation Traits do not apply to them. The social ~ games the Disparates play can be just as vicious as any Tradition politics, and this system adds another level to games with a substantial Orphan presence.