Socio-Economic Class

Pauper     Poor     Trades     Middle     Upper     Noble

NOTE: You must be pre-approved to select Noble, see 'cg noble' for information.

If your family's Class changed during his life (his rich family lost their money), or she was born to people of one Class but raised in another, choose the class your character spent the most time in between the ages of 5 and 15.

Your class is used by the chargen system and is a tool to help you develop your character. Your character is NOT limited to playing within your chosen Class. Your status can change during game play - a rich family adopts you, you're promoted to an important job, etc. The Class you choose here defines your character's PAST only, not the present or future.

Your character's social class can have an impact on what he had an opportunity to learn and do in his youth, as well as her attitudes about life. Nobles and wealthy people tend to look down on the lower classes, while those in the lower classes often resent or envy the wealthy.

The social class you choose can also affect your options in the chargen system as follows.

Those of the lowest classes tend to work at hard labor, so they gain extra Statistic point(s). However, they have fewer opportunities in life, so it may cost them more to purchase an economic aspect like starting out with some armor and a weapon. Those of the highest classes have more opportunities so it costs less for them to select economic-related aspects, but they do not have the advantage of extra Statistic points.

The Pauper Class

NOTE: The following description is an overview of typical family life for people of this Class, your own character's family experiences are up to you.

Making ends meet was a constant challenge for your family. There were always times when there wasn't quite enough food or clothing, or where you might not even have had a place to live. All members of the family had to contribute something just to make survival possible, including the elderly and the children. Or perhaps your character had no family in his/her youth, and grew up as an urchin on the streets, begging for scraps.

Families with wage earners of these types would usually fall into the Pauper category: beggars, petty thieves/pick-pockets and farmers, fishermen, laborers and servants who have fallen on hardship or who live in Tear.

Statistics:
   Characters who grew up in the Pauper Class are given 2 additional
   points to spend on any physical Statistic(s). The physical Stats
   are Strength, Dexterity, Endurance and Quickness. These points are
   applied on top of the selections you make in the Statistics
   section of chargen.
  
Assets and Flaws:
   Pauper characters cannot select the Prestigious Family Asset or
   the Blacksheep Flaw.
  
Money: 
   Characters of Pauper heritage are given a sum of 15 coppers in
   chargen, which represents their life savings.

The Poor Class

NOTE: The following description is an overview of typical family life for people of this Class, your own character's family experiences are up to you.

Your family secured the basic necessities of life - most of the time. There was enough money for basic housing, clothing and food. The house was likely little more than a shack. Clothing had to last, and was handed down from child to child. There wasn't much food, and little variety, but no one starved. All able-bodied members of the family did what they could. The elderly cared for babies, and older children worked in the fields or family business. It was nearly impossible to save money for extras like buying a weapon.

Families with wage earners of these types would usually fall into the Poor Class: a lowly servant, thief or laborer. Or a fisherman, hunter, farmer or soldier who wasn't particularly successful. Those in the more common trades such as grocer, butcher, baker, miner, and tanner, and some other trades and businesses might also fall into this category if the business did poorly, the family had severe debt, or there was a particularly large family being supported by a small business or a single wage earner.

Statistics:
   Characters who grew up in the Poor Class are given 1 additional
   point to spend on any physical Statistic. The physical Stats
   are Strength, Dexterity, Endurance and Quickness. These points are
   applied on top of the selections you make in the Statistics
   section of chargen.
  
Assets and Flaws:
   Poor characters cannot select the Prestigious Family Asset or
   the Blacksheep Flaw.
  
Money: 
   Characters of Poor heritage are given a sum of 30 coppers in
   chargen, which represents their life savings.
   

The Trades Class

NOTE: The following description is an overview of typical family life for people of this Class, your own character's family experiences are up to you.

Your family was humble and had to work hard, but that work was rewarded with a comfortable existence. Your home wasn't very big, but it was well maintained. Children often had to wear hand-me-downs, but there was enough clothing to keep everyone warm in the winter. Sometimes the family might suffer a bad year of failed crops or poor business, but during good years, it was possible to save up a little money and afford small luxuries. Several of the family's members helped on the farm/business. The children were probably trained in the family trade or apprenticed with another crafter of similar class.

Families with wage earners of these types would usually fall into the Trade Class: farmer, soldier, guard, small merchant, wisdom, carpenter, smith, miller, entertainer, miner, butcher, and baker. Those in the luxury trades or larger merchants might fall into this category if the family business isn't particularly successful, the family has large debts or a single wage-earner is supporting a large number of people.

Money:
   Characters who grew up a part of the Trades Class are given a sum
   of 45 coppers in chargen, which represents their life savings.
   

The Middle Class

NOTE: The following description is an overview of typical family life for people of this Class, your own character's family experiences are up to you.

Your family's economic life was secure. You lived in a comfortable home with sturdy furnishings and a few luxury items like a piece of art or a fancy piece of furniture. You were clothed well, and while you might not always have been on the cutting edge of fashion, you were never dressed in out-of-date clothing for other children to mock. You ate well and there was always enough food left over for seconds or to entertain guests. You probably had to learn the family trade and help out from time-to-time, but you had time to play or pursue other studies. When business was good there was money available to buy luxuries or pay for one of the children to apprentice at another trade or study with a scholar.

Families with wage earners of these types would usually fall into the middle class: merchants, shopkeepers in a big city, officers in an army or guard, artisans and other crafters of luxury items such as clocks, jewelry, weapons, successful criminals, etc.

Money:
   Characters who grew up a part of the Middle Class are given a sum
   of 45 coppers in chargen, which represents their life savings.
   

The Upper Class

NOTE: The following description is an overview of typical family life for people of this Class, your own character's family experiences are up to you.

Your family lived well, and rarely had any financial worries. Your home was large, and well-appointed. Your clothing was tailor-made and always in style. You ate the best of food and your family could entertain lavishly. Your family could afford one or more servants to take care of the laborious and tedious tasks of living. There was no need for the children to work in the family business, although your parents probably made sure you received training for your duties as an adult. Your family could easily afford tutors and trainers in whatever you desired to learn. Your family could afford everything it needed and almost everything it wanted.

Families with wage earners of these types would usually fall into the Wealthy class: the head of a large and successful merchant house, high level advisors and staff to a ruler, successful artists, and acclaimed scholars.

Money:
   Characters who grew up a part of the Upper Class are given a sum
   of 75 coppers in chargen, which represents their life savings.
   

The Noble Class

You cannot play a Noble or select the Noble Class in chargen unless you have been pre-approved by a Noble House head or area admin. Noble Houses have been created for some of the unopened areas, so you are not limited an open area for your Culture. This approval is OOC, it doesn't mean your character must begin play as an accepted member of the family, or even knowing s/he is noble born. Your character can be an orphan or an outcast from the family ICly. Whatever your IC circumstances, any sort of nobility must be pre-approved.

If an area admin or Noble House head approves your character, they will use a command to set something on him/her. Only those that have this information set are permitted to purchase the Noble Class in chargen. In addition, characters from certain Cultures are not able to play Nobles, as nobility does not exist in some Cultures. See 'cg culture' for more information on Culture effects. See NEWS NOBLE for more information on policies and IC information related to the nobility.

The social aspect of nobility is as important as the economic one. Minor noble houses might live little better than the middle class, while major noble houses would be considered wealthy, but all nobles are set apart by their nobility. In this world, the vast majority of people, including the nobles themselves, consider the nobility to be "better" than other folk - they have positions of power and wealth because they are the product of superior bloodlines.

Those who decide to play noble characters should be prepared to play them as people who are set above the common people. The young men and women of the house might go slumming down at the local inn, but it's pretty unlikely that the older members will spend much time there. Romances between nobles and commoners may be tolerated in some families, but rarely are they encouraged or allowed to pass without negative comment.

Skills:
   Characters of Noble heritage begin with Level 1 in the Heraldry,
   Old Tongue and Politics Skills.
  
Money: 
   Characters of Noble heritage are given a sum of 60 coppers in
   chargen, which represents their life savings.