Status & Politics

What is status?
Status is the term that shows how respected a member of Court is in relation to the other Kindred. This is shown in game by a number of brown beads worn by each character.

How is status calculated?
Your status is directly related to other Kindred that support or disfavour you. Also taken into account when calculating where you stand in Court are Titles of Office, previously held Titles of Office, Blood Potency, Resources and Blood.

Support
Each member of court is allowed to allocate up to 3 support to other Kindred, and 1 of those supports can be substituted for 3 favour. This means you can support 3 kindred, or support 2 kindred and favour 3 kindred. A favour holds a third of the weight of your support.

Disdain
Each member of court is allowed to allocate 3 levels of disdain. Disdain is the opposite of favour and works to reduce Kindreds standing. Disdain comes on 3 levels, disdain, scorn and wrath.


 * Disdain can be expressed simply by stating that the Kindred holds your annoyance or displeasure. Disdain carries the same weight as a favour but against the Kindred rather than for.
 * Scorn can be expressed as contempt of despise, which indicates a more serious dislike. This counts as 2 of your levels of disdain.
 * Wrath can be expressed as hate or open war with the Kindred and indicates nothing would please you more than to see their head on a pike where you can gaze upon it and smile. This counts as all 3 of your levels of disdain.

Support, favour and disdain from higher status Kindred holds more weight than that of lower status Kindred.

The Harpies
You must tell a harpy of all support and disdain changes!

The Harpies Court triumvirate can decide, upon majority agreement to allocate the Harpy's disdain, scorn or wrath. This is usually for breaches in etiquette and other serious misdemeanours. This can have a dramatic effect on your standing when other people are disdaining you as it mulitiplys the effect.

You may approach a Harpy at any appropriate time with Harpy business regardless of standing.

Supremacy
The strength of your clan and covenant both effect your standing within court (called Supremacy) and provide a percentage boost to you status.

The relative strength of your clan or covenant is a function of kindred numbers and the standing of those members within Court.

Politics
It is polite to announce your status changes toward equal and higher standing Kindred in Court, however is not a requirement.

Skill in Politics allows you a more detailed breakdown of how your status is built up dependant on skill level.

Boons come in the form of major and minor boons. These are usually an agreement between two Kindred, such as an exchange of blood, money, resources, personnel or support and favour. They can also be used to indicate a debt to be paid. For example for the critical piece of information a kindred offers another they may offer a minor boon in return for that information. All boons should be reported to a Harpy.

Going back on a boon or not fulfilling it is a serious breach of etiquette and can be punished by the Harpy's disdain or worse depending on the seriousness of the breach.