Guidelines:

Wealth, Status,
and Society

A MYTHRAS Gateway supplement

by Matthew Eager

Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)

 Guidelines:
Wealth, Status, and Society
A MYTHRAS Gateway supplement by Matthew Eager
Notes
This game aid is meant to transform the tracking of character
wealth from an accounting exercise that can feel rather
divorced from the rest of the game, to an integrated piece of
the narrative that many prefer to be the backbone of a cam-
paign. Using this system, the Games Master and players alike
might more naturally identify opportunities for further adven-
tures and character development.
In addition to material wealth, these guidelines address
related concepts of status, class, reputation, and societal orga-
nization. Building upon and synthesizing ideas and rules from
core MYTHRAS, its supplements, and other sources, Wealth, Sta-
tus, and Society presents a cohesive toolkit for addressing how a
character fits into the larger milieu of culture and civilization in
your game world.
You are free to use this material in your personal gaming
pursuits, for fun. If you use it to build a scenario or other
product for publication, please consider giving due credit. You
are welcome to write to old.bones.publishing@gmail.com con-
cerning the best form of attribution for your purpose.
Copyright © 2021 by Matthew Eager
All rights reserved. The purchaser is permitted to share
hardcopy prints of this document for personal use in nor-
mal gaming pursuits, but otherwise may not copy, record,
or distribute it in any form, in whole or in part, without the
written permission of the author. Excerpts may be cited for
reviews or scholarly discussion.
First edition: 2021, Old Bones Publishing
This product references the MYTHRAS rules, available from
The Design Mechanism at www.thedesignmechanism.com,
and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of
The Design Mechanism. Additional Authorized Material
within this product is reproduced with permission from
The Design Mechanism. The Design Mechanism makes no
representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or
suitability for purpose of this product.
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Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
Disclaimer
This supplement is not a scholarly essay on economics, soci-
ology, anthropology, history, philosophy, or anything else.
That said, its ideas about society and socioeconomic systems
are meant to be rooted in historical reality, not made up from
whole cloth. The background ideas and assumptions in this
supplement have accumulated organically from many sources
over years of amateur contemplation, not formal academic
research. The original work and added value of this game aid
are the translation of numerous existing ideas to MYTHRAS
game mechanics, and the unification of those mechanics.
In developing these guidelines, many sources have been
influential and helpful. These include the core MYTHRAS rules
themselves; its supplements Monster Island, Mythic Rome, and
Mythic Constantinople; and other d100 games, primarily Avalon
Hill’s RuneQuest, 3rd Edition and Chaosium’s Basic Roleplaying.
The goal here has been to synthesize existing ideas and extend
them, to create rules additions that are:
➢ useful, above all;
➢ simple, or at least straightforward;
➢ realistic, or at least suitably grounded; and
➢ flexible, for further adaptation.
Most of the inspiration for Wealth has come from Mythic Rome
and Basic Roleplaying, while most for Status has come from
Monster Island. Most of Society was inspired by RuneQuest, 3rd
Edition.
Society
To set the stage, we offer a background discussion about how
and why a society forms, and its structure described in terms
of settlements. The size of a settlement determines how its
people interact and how they organize themselves, which in
turn impact customs, laws, and economy. Readers more inter-
ested in cutting directly to game mechanics could skip ahead to
“Wealth”, but then may find themselves referring back later to
clarify the ideas underlying those mechanics.
In a modern world offering individual freedom, plenty, and
security, it can be difficult to remember where society came
from and why we should even be bothered with it at all. In
practical terms, society developed as a means to address
scarcity, danger, and survival in a much harsher world. The
The Moria font is used with the permission of its creator,
Russ Herschler. The TeX Gyre Pagella font is used per the
GUST license.
 from Primitive to Nomad to Barbarian to Civilized culture,
Real World, using the terms of the core MYTHRAS rules.
Game World Some of the terminology here is intentionally vague, espe-
cially regarding numbers. For example, when referring to mul-
The ideas herein about social groups and societal devel-
tiples of powers of ten in population counts, “a few” could be
opment are based on the history of our actual world, with
taken to mean “1 to 3”, while “many” could mean “7 to 9”.
humans starting off in relatively small familial groups. The
The size ranges of population centers feature some overlap.
reasons are rooted in our heritage from primate forebears
For example, a very large town may have more residents than
through evolution, but such reasons may not be relevant to
the smallest city. Population is not the sole defining feature of
your game world, especially if it has a more mythic flavor.
a settlement, nor always the most interesting.
No matter your specific creation story, if it can accommo-
Distances are mostly expressed in terms of the league, which
date the idea that in the dim past people were few and far
is how far a typical person can typically walk in one hour—
apart, but then learned how to join forces for survival and
about 5 km (3 miles).
grew more numerous and prosperous, then this supple-
In terms of religion and magic, in what follows “priest” gen-
ment’s view of societal organization can probably remain
erally could be replaced by “shaman”, “mystic”, or “sorcerer”,
useful for thinking about your game setting.
depending on the particular game world. Do consider whether
Humans may be weak and slow, but they are clever at
literacy is important to a particular magic tradition, and how
abstraction, and have hands that can grip and tongues that
likely the members of a settlement are to be able to read and
can speak. Thus they can plan, and make and use tools to
write. This can vary greatly, but in general one might expect
help them survive, and teach others to do likewise. In your
literacy to be more common in Civilized than in the other types
game world, humans may be just one of many species to
of cultures, and in cities rather than smaller population centers.
which these facts pertain—and just one of the species that
Considering common adventuring activities and motives, the
have developed societies. Relations between species would
Games Master may want to pay the most attention to under-
add yet another aspect to the complexity of the world,
standing and detailing the smallest population centers. In a
beyond mere culture or nationality.
realistic ancient agricultural society, the vast majority of people
to be met live in villages, out in the countryside. If your adven-
turers spend most of their time exploring the wilds to find
will to live is strong, and people always need protection from a things lost to time (i.e. those things that scavengers before them
host of threats, including starvation, exposure, injury, disease, have not already found and looted), then probably they deal
infirmity (in youth as well as old age), animal predators, and most often with frontier folk in villages or even individual
even other people. homesteads.
In the ultimate distillation of tribalism, the world consists of
Us and Not Us, the in-group and the out-group. The funda-
mental goal of society is to keep Us alive. Whether this is bet- Hearths
ter accomplished by competition or cooperation with Not Us is We begin with the hearth, a group of perhaps as many as a
frequently debated, case by case. In a world of scarcity, compe- dozen people, probably all belonging to the same family. The
tition can look good (especially to those who feel they have the hearth is essentially the humble fire (if not an actual structure
upper hand), but it only addresses short-term problems, one of brick or stone) at the focus of a home. Abstractly, it repre-
after another. The long-term, transformative solution is actu- sents the intimacy of sharing resources in a single household.
ally cooperation, which can relieve problems of scarcity or
threat through generosity and creativity. This is the answer
that leads to the development of society (civilization). Staying
in one place is a great way to conserve food energy and effect
better systems for coping with threats, but it requires the Scale and Intimacy
development of agriculture, and shared knowledge. Larger Hearth means intimacy, and probably family. Here shar-
settlements can survive threats and manage scarcity better, and ing is essentially unavoidable; hoarding is probably not
create more. even a consideration, never mind being unconscionable.
Within a family, in a world of scarcity there may be no con-
cept of private property at all; there is only Us, only Ours,
with no need for money or exchange rates or accounting.
Population Centers
Everyone works, everyone creates, everyone receives.
This background discussion offers context to keep a setting
When you all know everyone else, what is wealth, or sta-
feeling realistic and self-consistent, whether world-building in
tus, or reputation? Those concepts arise only when a social
advance or creating a settlement on the fly. It is also the basis
group becomes large enough for complexity to emerge in
for the thinking behind the rules developed in the rest of the
its structure. Also as a group grows, specialization occurs
supplement.
and work and goods become commoditized and abstracted,
There is a basic assumption that social structure increases in
rather than being valued in a more direct, personal way.
complexity and scale of population centers as one proceeds

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Example Hearth:
The Wayside Inn
In the southern reaches of Clewd Country near Long-
wood Forest, midway on the long stretch of road between
Hallach and Havenhold, a lone farmstead stands open to
travelers. The Wayside Inn, a fixture in these parts, is run
by the tough, loyal, and caring Hovryn, one of the most
powerful women in the region. She is warm, welcoming,
cheerful, and shrewd—everything her husband isn’t. That
taciturn farmer, Craddoch, seldom speaks, and when he
does it is rarely pleasant. Hovryn cleaves to Craddoch
despite his defects, and more than makes up for them, as
the motive force behind the success of the inn. The middle-
aged couple has five children, all married save the
youngest; all of them, plus spouses and their own small
children, live here and work together. This extended family
has kinship ties in all of the local settlements, and is well
respected.
The inn itself began as a large farmhouse with an
attached barn, typical for the area, and has been expanded
several times over the decades. Now one added wing holds
the guest rooms, while another is for the young families.
Though not a warrior, Craddoch has always been a seri-
ous participant in the local militia, which is strong out here
on the frontier. The stern patriarch is determined to defend
his family and home as needed. Thus when the beast-men
suddenly appear and infect the neighboring villages with
zombie plague, it is natural that the survivors flee to the
Wayside, to seek shelter and make their stand against the
oncoming hordes.
In terms of a “permanent” settlement, for the hearth we might
instead mean “ongoing”, as in what the group experiences day
after day as a lifestyle, not “permanent” as in returning to the
same stones or brick fireplace every day. The hearth might be
just a campfire to homeless Civilized folk in a great city, or
mobile hunter-gatherers of Primitive or Barbarian culture, or
Nomads. A hearth could also represent a lone homestead of
farmers or ranchers on the frontier, far from their nearest
neighbors (a league or more away, say). Whatever the culture
or circumstances, the hearth is the smallest social unit.
Villages
Neighboring hearths may coalesce into a village that is home
to tens of people, or even a few hundred. In the wilderness
there may be no larger type of settlement, and even in heavily
populated Civilized farmlands, most communities are villages.
In a Primitive society, the village is probably the largest type of
settlement. Nomads also tend to roam in mobile encampments
no larger than this, unless they temporarily gather.
Even villages that are close to one another are often mildly
isolated. Walking from the buildings at the center of a farming
hamlet, the tilled earth extends perhaps half a kilometer;
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Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
stretching twice as far beyond that is an intervening realm of
pasture and woods, before one treads on the fields of the next
village. Under optimal conditions, though, there may be no
isolation at all, with fields packed back to back.
In terms of crafters, merchants, and trade in a village, the
numbers and variety are limited. Residents mostly take care of
themselves, so there is little specialization, though some may
be found. Professions are truly mundane and may include e.g.
weaver, thatcher, carpenter, potter, and smith. A priest or
shaman may tend a shrine here, honoring a local god of agri-
culture or empire, or a spirit of place. Traveling salesmen (ped-
dlers) visit now and then.
Example Village:
Underwood
Underwood is one of several hamlets in a particular cor-
ner of the frontier of Grath Country. The border of this
land is marked by the great Longwood Forest to the north
and west; marching north through it for two days leaves
one in the territory of the rival Clewd people. The terrain
here is rugged but not totally inhospitable, featuring rolling
hills and some broken places, with soil that varies from
rocky to muddy. There are damp and boggy patches, and
sinkholes. Farming is not easy here, but some spots are
lush with native grasses, so herding sheep is a natural and
productive livelihood. Hunting and gathering in the dense,
deep Longwood Forest are also key to the success of the
local villages, though there is an air of mystery and fore-
boding among those trees. There are tales of folk disap-
pearing in there, never to be seen again. Dangerous ani-
mals such as wolves and bears are known, but seldom
encountered.
Like most small villages, Underwood is not unusual at
all, or at least it seems so to those who grow up there. The
codger known as Old Gorm scolds the children, but also
teaches and looks out for them. He gets along with the
the priestess Kala Sweetgrass, but not with Dolgram the
smith. The hunter Pohl Poggard brings his game to sell
each week. There is always beer and a tale to be had at the
public house. Everyone here knows each other—and each
other’s business. Most take comfort in this, or do not think
about it at all, but a few find it stultifying. Those odd folk
tend to leave at first opportunity, to seek adventure in the
wider world. Nevertheless, they do find occasion to return
to their roots here from time to time, and when they do the
reunions might be sweet, or bittersweet. Those folk might
be reminded of why they left in the first place. No, nothing
ever changes in Underwood...until it does.
 Towns
At least as large as the biggest village, and perhaps populated
Scale and
by a thousand residents, is the town. Here one definitely Social Distance
expects to find a smith crafting everyday metalware. One or Larger groups offer advantages to their members, but
more priests maintain shrines to the gods of agriculture and humans need space, and have finite attention to give. Per-
the state religion, and perhaps a deity special to the place’s haps there is a key length scale at which ”out of sight, out of
founders or patron; there may even be a small temple. A defin- mind” sets in. There may also be a key time scale, beyond
ing feature of a town is its weekly market, where traveling mer- which one forgets about someone whom one does not see
chants sell to the residents and each other, promoting exchange often. Perhaps there is furthermore a limiting count, a max-
of goods from distant centers of production. Towns are gener- imum number of associates to whom one can meaningfully
ally farther apart than villages—perhaps two leagues. relate, a set that starts with the people physically closest to
In some societies a town may include the domicile of a land- us and works its way outward in space and time.
lord, who offers leadership and protection in exchange for food At some scale, physical distance can amount to social dis-
and other material support, including taxes. This landlord is a tance, and social distance can lead to a perception that
minor noble, with a title along the lines of “knight”. some people in the larger group are no longer actually Us.
This is a redefinition of “Us”, essentially, and the phenome-
non behind the formation of cliques. Subsets of people
with common viewpoints, needs, or proclivities seem to
form spontaneously, through communication. These sub-
Example Town: sets may either interact or isolate themselves. To make
Crafton matters still more complex, an individual might belong to
Crafton is a large market town of about 2000 souls in the more than one such subset.
western foothills of Pied Peak. It is a regional center of
trade and manufacture, sending raw materials and finished
goods down the Green River to the Gartharis River and on
to Nor Port, or over land to Cylder or Nyren in the east.
Cities
The lush rolling plains to the west support quality agricul-
Farther apart than towns are the larger cities that, as focal
ture and grazing, so there are many farms and hamlets
points of knowledge, culture, and wealth, exemplify the crown-
within a day’s walk. The great West Wood provides abun-
ing achievements of civilization. Though cities come in several
dant lumber, game, and other natural products. Even the
sizes and vary a lot, every one has a permanent market in
poorest farmers here are not so badly off, compared to
which goods are bought and sold daily; this is a defining fea-
those in other regions. Crime is uncommon. The region is
ture. A city is where one may find an armorer in addition to
idyllic, and life here is good.
numerous simple smiths, along with a great variety of crafters,
Within its walls, Crafton hosts a permanent market that is
artisans, and merchants. Wares from across the region and
the largest in the region. Shops open onto a central square,
possibly beyond find their way here for sale; generally, all day-
where a hundred or more people haggle and trade all day.
to-day items for common folk are available. Following natu-
Peddlers and fancier traveling merchants gather here as
rally, cities are located along prominent trade routes with good
well, as do wandering purveyors of food, drink, and diver-
transportation, whether by road, river, or sea. Beyond these
sion. All common crafts are represented here, but armor
commonalities, every city is unique, and each one probably
and weapons of war are hard to find in this peaceful
features a particular point of pride, whether it be a holy site, a
region. Mounts, beasts of burden, and livestock are easy to
wonder of nature, a college, a military stronghold, or some-
come by. Specialty products include fine wool fabric and
thing even more unusual. Cities often arise at the sites of
clothing, good musical instruments and furniture of local
famous temples, and host numerous lesser shrines as well.
wood, and marble and other stone from the nearby quarry.
A small city, from many hundreds of residents up to a few
On the west side of town is a Minor Temple to the pan-
thousand, probably does not seem small at all to neighboring
theon that is worshiped throughout The Realm. This site is
folk, the vast majority of whom hail from picayune settlements
well attended but rather plain. On the east side of town is
in the countryside. Any trip to the city is a big deal to them. A
the lord’s mansion. It includes barracks for the constable
small city is usually 10 leagues or so (a long day’s walk) from
and his few soldiers, a tower with a panoramic view, and
the next city of any size. Importantly, the small city is the
something even more unusual: a dungeon, for tax evaders
largest type of population center that can be supported by
and the occasional bandit.
locally sourced food; beyond this category, additional proven-
There are several respectable inns around town...plus the
der must be imported to sustain the populace.
Dark Horse. This public house has no rooms to let, but
Although by definition Nomads do not make permanent
does feature a stage with nightly performances. This dive
homes, smaller bands may occasionally gather in a temporary
is also a brothel and gambling den. Its proprietor is a good
encampment the size of a small city. Such a gathering contin-
source of news and gossip. Many an adventure might
ues until business is concluded or local food supplies are
begin in the Dark Horse.
exhausted.

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Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)

Scale And Behavior
In a world of scarcity, people band together or perish, so
at the smallest group scales they do not dare mistreat each
other much. When one knows everybody else (and espe-
cially when they are relatives), one probably does not even
consider stealing from or otherwise harming them. Love
and respect aside, shame is a potent deterrent, and shun-
ning is a death sentence in a hard world. Crime, then, is
generally reserved for the Other (Not Us).
The first, most powerful steps to justifying mistreatment
of people are to successfully identify them as Not Us, and
then to dehumanize them. Once they are no longer objects
of moral concern, any indignity or crime may be perpe-
trated against them without compunction. This rationaliza-
tion is the basis of many -isms.
When a settlement grows large enough that some of its
members no longer know each other personally, its social
bonds weaken, and the concept of the Other makes crime
more attractive. The idea that harming one of your own is
tantamount to harming yourself gets relaxed. Suddenly the
distance between people creates the illusion of a nameless,
faceless victim, and why not steal from or harm such an
individual, who is not really even a person at all?
A medium city, hosting a few thousand to many thousands of
residents, is typically 15 or 20 leagues from the next center in
this tier. Following from above, a settlement this large cannot
be sustained by the immediate environment, and thus is forced
to import food from afar. The marketplace in a medium city is
well developed and sophisticated, with warehouses to store
any oversupply, and to assemble goods prior to bulk exporta-
tion or subsequent to bulk importation. Luxury items such as
weapons of war and fine clothing are made here.
Even more impressive is a large city, with many thousands or
even a few tens of thousands of inhabitants. In an ancient set-
ting, many nations will not contain a settlement larger that this.
The capital of a small kingdom, or the administrative center of
an imperial province, is of this scale. Although a Barbarian
culture might produce such an advanced urban center, at this
level one most often deals with a Civilized society. A large city
is a hub of manufacturing and import/export business, and a
source of luxury goods for those of especially refined taste and
means: the best fabrics and clothing, the latest culinary inven-
tions, superb musical instruments, fine art, etc. Such a splen-
diferous settlement might also feature great poverty, of course,
if the local potentate were indifferent. These major centers are
far apart: typically about a week’s travel, 60 leagues or more.
The apotheosis of civilization is the metropolis, which is at
least the size of a large city, but possibly much larger (some his-
torical examples were at the level of a million citizens). As
individualized as every city is, every metropolis is more so; no
two are alike in their details. The circumstances fostering the
evolution of a metropolis are just as idiosyncratic, but logistics
invariably demand massive resources of food and potable
water; wide avenues for high throughput of trade vehicles; and
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Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
a large, efficient government to manage those necessities. The
shore of a major river, lake, or ocean is a natural spot for a
metropolis. It becomes difficult to reckon how far apart two
metropolises might be, but tier by tier larger population centers
tend to have greater distances between them, which suggests
hundreds of leagues between centers of this scale.
In a modern setting, metropolises may sprawl so far that they
fuse into an even larger conurbation known as a megalopolis.
This sort of settlement is common in futuristic worlds (particu-
larly in the dystopian cyberpunk genre), but seems unrealistic
for a premodern setting.
Example City:
Tozer
The ancient city-state of Tozer, Gateway to the World, is a
metropolis teeming with fleshpots and corruption, a
tremendous, diverse, and vibrant city. During the day its
streets heave with countless thousands of people, animals,
and vehicles. Traders from distant reaches convene here,
bringing not just goods but also news and ideas from
across the world. Languages, cultures, foods, arts, and
philosophies clash, mix, and adapt. Scores of gods are wor-
shiped here, but no matter which others may be favored, all
citizens revere Tozer (or profess to).
Beyond reputable business and entertainment, every day
and night a small fortune changes hands among those who
truck in depraved pleasure, and its conjoined misery. Val-
ues and norms vary the world over, but at this crossroads
all manner of dissolute behavior has been sown, and has
flourished. If there is a bottom to these depths, it has not
yet been plumbed. In Tozer anything is available, for a
price—anything except perhaps justice, a capricious luxury
upon which not even the wealthy can rely.
The current emperor Hammurakt the Seventh is ruthless
about protecting and expanding his kingdom, but is far less
committed to its people, as long as the taxes keep flowing
in. He lusts for power and uses the state’s organized,
bureaucratic military to meet his goals. His soldiers and
priests publicly distribute small sums to a lucky few of the
poor, to keep them tame, while remaining coldly indifferent
to the omnipresent degradation. To the masses dignity is a
myth, but the elite enjoy a nearly carefree life of privilege—
unless something unusual happens.
Capital of the sprawling empire of the same name, Tozer
sits at the foot of Mount Ilsitob, at the southeastern edge of
Nurged’s Pass through the Mountains of the Gods. The
city lies close to the great River Tumesh, which floods its
banks each spring. Provinces consisting of conquered city-
states extend far to the south, east, and even north, where
the Border Hills form a natural boundary between the
Empire and the rival nation of Duresh. To the east and
south, relatively fertile farmlands stretch over rolling hills
and valleys; farther south is scrubland. To the west the ter-
rain is too arid for farming and soon gives way to desert,
and then a wide salt flat.
 Wealth
Our scale for a character’s Wealth has seven steps. There is a
Keeping Ideas
baseline assumption that these Wealth levels are from the point Straight
of view of a complex, stratified society (Civilized, or possibly This supplement addresses many ideas, such as Wealth,
Barbarian). The terminology we have chosen does not exactly Value, Purchasing Power, Social Class, Status, and Reputa-
match that used in the core rules or supplements, which them- tion. To avoid confusion, please refer to the notes below.
selves vary. In particular, our scheme expands both ends of the ➢ Wealth is attached to an individual person (character),
Wealth spectrum, with more emphasis on the poor. Even for a but could be extended to apply to a family, settlement,
game setting or character that has been developed using or any group of individuals. It describes a standard
another system with different terms, it should be rather of living, and replaces a SP tally on a character sheet.
straightforward to identify the Wealth level in our scheme that ➢ Value is attached to items (goods and services), and
corresponds to what the Games Master or player has in mind. replaces prices in SP from the core rules.
At the bottom, Destitute folk struggle just to survive every ➢ Purchasing Power is the intersection of Wealth and
day. In the wild, they rely on Survival or perhaps hunting Value. In this scheme it specifically answers the ques-
skills to eke out sustenance and shelter that may not even be tion, “Can my character obtain this item?”
enough to keep them alive for long. In a city, Streetwise is the ➢ Social Class refers to an individual’s membership in an
key to knowing where to find garbage to eat, or a safe overhang abstract group, a bit like belonging to a Cult or Broth-
to sleep beneath; using other skills may seem even more unsa- erhood. Requirements for membership might include
vory. In this tier, the food and drink might not be fit for ani- having enough Wealth, belonging to the right family
mals and is in very short supply, clothing is rags (but there may or cadre of families, practicing a certain profession,
not be any at all), and any shelter is temporary and barely pre- performing certain deeds, or taking oaths. Benefits
vents exposure (but, again, there may not be any at all). Desti- and restrictions could include Wealth, but are more
tute people own only what they carry, and that is usually of the generally expressed in terms of power and control, or
lowest quality. The only job of the Destitute is to find what is perhaps freedom and responsibility. Whether Wealth
needed to survive the day; they have no time to perform other begets Social Class, or vice versa, is left open.
work. Misery, privation, and desperation are the watchwords ➢ Status is attached to a person, family, or other group,
here. Almost by definition one does not reside in this tier for and could be a consequence of either personal distinc-
long, because continued existence here is absolutely uncertain; tion or group membership. Here Status is distinct
either one stumbles upon a way upward, or dies. Examples of from Social Class, and the two do not necessarily go
such individuals include the most neglected prisoners, escaped hand in hand. Status is handled like a skill.
slaves, the shunned, outlaws, and those who used to occupy ➢ Reputation, like Wealth, is attached to an individual
the tier or two above but now have lost everything. but could be extended to any group—or even to an
A Marginal existence features sustenance, shelter, and cloth- object, place, or event. Usually it is associated with
ing at the bare minimum to guarantee survival, or nearly so. individual distinction rather than group membership.
Even the lowest slaves and crudest unskilled laborers must be Reputation is handled as a modifier for skill checks.
kept alive for the next day’s work, and so they get the lowest- For maximum flexibility and generality, we mindfully
quality food and drink that still keeps them going; the crudest keep separate the concepts of Wealth, Social Class, Status,
and Reputation. The core MYTHRAS rules and those in
Mythic Rome, on the other hand, tie Wealth to Social Class
directly. The Games Master needs to decide which of these
concepts are interesting for a particular setting, and how
Eye of the Beholder they will interact. Our goal is to make this as straightfor-
While everyday folk living in Primitive, Nomad, or even
ward as possible.
Barbarian hunter-gatherer cultures might not have an
abundance of material goods, they should not be consid-
ered Destitute in the same way as Civilized folk would be,
and they generally would not see themselves in that same
tunic and shoes in cold climates (but perhaps just a loincloth
light. Such individuals might be (incorrectly) deemed Des-
and bare feet in a warm land); and a sheltered place to sleep at
titute by ignorant settled folk, but there are important dif-
night, possibly with a blanket or straw bedding, and probably
ferences: Among truly Destitute people there is almost
in flophouse-style shared quarters with no privacy. Personal
surely a sense of desperation that is absent from those who
possessions are very limited, and there may be no place to stow
are prepared for and dedicated to “living off the land”.
them while working. While there may well be a sense of des-
Thus the Destitute probably feel intense pressure to scrab-
peration or hopelessness among those at this level, there is also
ble to a higher Wealth tier as soon as possible, yet that sort
some sense of stability, and (bleak) expectations for tomorrow.
of concern is unfamiliar to those from societies with differ-
Poor people are the less successful among everyday folk.
ent norms (beyond the baseline commonality that nobody
Depending on the time and place, the majority of citizens will
wants to starve).
most likely be in this tier or the one above, and any switching

—6—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)

Starting Wealth
In the core rules for character generation (MYTHRAS, page
21), starting money is determined by Culture, Social Class
(for Money Multiplier as well as Background Resources),
and dice roll. To employ instead the scheme in this supple-
ment, first write up the character’s backstory, choose Cul-
ture and Career, and then simply choose the Wealth level
and corresponding starting equipment that seem appropri-
ate to the character’s concept. The tables on page 24 of the
core rules should still be helpful in choosing equipment,
once the Games Master has found what seems to be the
corresponding table entry. Determining that correspon-
dence would seem straightforward, but the details (e.g.
about the availability of armor and weapons) could vary
greatly from setting to setting, so we choose not to try to
spell them out in these all-purpose guidelines.
of the majority between these tiers is a pertinent indicator of
the society’s fortune (and perhaps of impending revolution).
This Wealth level features shabby clothing that is completely
functional, even if stained or dowdy or slightly frayed; housing
that is secure and perhaps drafty but occasionally cozy, with
privacy from neighbors; and adequate, nutritious food (though
it may not be tasty). Material possessions are not abundant,
but everyday tools and items are at hand, and shortages are
rare. Poor folk include farmers of inferior land or ability,
crafters of lesser skill or less valuable goods, skilled workers of
less significant or ubiquitous trades, midrank servants of
decent masters from the upper tiers, and many professional
thieves. Life at this Wealth level is not easy, but it is stable,
though there is naught to spare.
The Common existence is the first in which citizens normally
have enough all the time, and can even scrimp and save a bit
for rainy days or special occasions. Food is simple but good
and ample, tools are reliable, housing is snug, and clothing is
durable and nice. A commoner’s household may feature quite
a number and variety of possessions, almost all of a functional
nature, but possibly including a few that are purely aesthetic.
Folk in this tier include farmers of fertile land or superior tal-
ent, crafters and artisans of high ability or valuable products,
and typical merchants who move sizable shipments of goods.
This is the first Wealth level at which life is truly comfortable,
rather than merely tolerable or worse, and as its name indicates
is hopefully the tier enjoyed by many people. Again, the bal-
ance between the fractions of citizens in the Common and Poor
tiers is an indicator of the health of a settlement or society.
Above the commoners are the Affluent, the first group in
which members routinely have more than they need for con-
tented daily living, and thus may enjoy the pleasures of excess.
People in this tier may not actually have to work every day to
survive, or their “work” may be of a rather different type. Such
citizens could include master crafters, great artists, learned
scholars, well-connected merchants and moneylenders, power-
ful priests, cult heroes, and important nobles and politicians
—7—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
(dukes, senators, and the like). Among this crowd aestheticism
is a major concern; beautiful things are sought, even if they
have no particular purpose. Apparel is stylish and comfort-
able, and possibly luxurious. Homes are sprawling, and there
may be several. Food is delicious and superabundant, though
there may be additional mouths to feed, as the Affluent usually
retain employees, servants, slaves, devotees, sycophants, or
other underlings. Among its other “firsts”, this Wealth level is
where one may finally begin to access the levers of power, in
most societies.
Beyond mere affluence, the truly Wealthy experience levels of
splendor incomprehensible to fellow citizens even just two tiers
below. Such people can mobilize tremendous resources, at the
scale of an entire city (in the form of an army, say, or reserves of
cash or materiel). Beyond splendor, power is the watchword
here. In many societies this sort of wealth goes hand in hand
with the elite in government (queen, regent, archon, etc.) or
religion (high priest), although the mightiest in business or the
military or magic may also feature; indeed, there could be
strong overlap among these types. Directly or indirectly, indi-
viduals at this Wealth level control much of what happens in,
and to, the lower tiers. In a given society, there might be no
level of wealth and associated power above this one.
On the other hand, a particular civilization could include
those to whom even kings bow. Kingdoms are not empires,
and an emperor may have a host of kings as vassals. This
utmost level of Wealth is termed simply Unsurpassed. Under
these conditions it is possible that, by divine law or tyrannical
assertion, the few at the very top own everything in their soci-
ety. Such people have access to resources at the scale of an
entire province or kingdom, minimally. At this level, wealth
and power are inseparable and essentially synonymous.
Value
Our scale for an item’s Value also has seven steps. Again, the
following descriptions are primarily from the point of view of
a relatively advanced society, though they may be more univer-
sally applicable than the Wealth tiers.
Garbage is what people who are not Destitute throw away,
because it is deemed useless. Such food is spoiled or otherwise
repulsive; clothing is falling apart and irreparable; shelter is
not reliably protective and may fall down on its occupants; and
tools and other goods are broken or dysfunctional. Folk who
live off Garbage—scavengers, by definition—endanger them-
selves and live at the edge of Exposure (MYTHRAS, page 82).
For example, the Games Master may rule that subsisting on
such low-grade food induces permanent levels of Fatigue, or
runs the risk of contracting a disease. Using weapons or tools
of such low quality results in breakage at the worst possible
moment, perhaps with injury. Such items have a score of 0 in
the Item Quality Table (MYTHRAS, page 67), according to the
rules for Equipment Manufacturing.
One small step up, Shoddy goods are barely usable and nearly
worn out. They are not truly reliable and will soon need
replacing, but they are still better than nothing. These are
items scoring 25 per the Item Quality Table. Food of this qual-
 ity is stale, possibly moldy, off-tasting or flavorless, and of
dubious nutritional value. In this Value tier, clothing is torn or Invaluable Treasures
threadbare; furniture is cracked and splintered; and housing is A truly remarkable (and probably singular) item may be
drafty, leaky, sagging, and probably hosts vermin. so desirable that it does not change hands for long periods
Cheap items, while still usable, are not as good as one would of time. If it is not being traded, does the concept of Value
hope or expect. Old and well-worn, or perhaps simply of infe- apply? It is difficult to reckon the Value of unique precious
rior make from the start, these are items with a score of 50 or items; here the category Invaluable is reserved for them.
75 per the Item Quality Table. Tools and weapons are notched; For example, in our world, how much is the Mona Lisa
food is edible but definitely not good; clothing is worn and actually worth? In a literal, tautological sense the answer is,
frumpy but serviceable; and shelter is dingy and cracked, but whatever someone will pay for it at the moment of sale.
not too drafty or leaky. Until an item is actually exchanged, its Value is merely
As the name suggests, Typical is the Value standard for every- putative. This is true of all goods, but we tend to think of
day items made with the quality that one would expect in a mundane things only in terms of their utility, without
fair deal. These are goods that have been competently crafted becoming attached to them, and in principle we are willing
to a score of 100 per the Item Quality Table. In this tier, cloth- to sell them at any moment. However, when some sort of
ing fits well, is sturdy and protective, and may even look nice; a inherent value is attributed to a special thing, the sky’s the
house is shipshape and proof against the elements; and food is limit. The sentimental value of heirlooms may be beyond
fresh and healthful. reckoning to some, though to others the cash value is nil.
Expensive merchandise includes everyday items bearing In this case, one man’s treasure is another man’s trash. See
Enhancements (a score of 125 or 150 in the Item Quality Table), also the later discussion of access.
as well as things that are inherently more valuable than usual
because they are rare, of refined taste, or made of costly materi-
als. In many settings armor and weapons of war fall into this
category, as do objets d’art such as sculptures and paintings,
fancy jewelry (especially with gemstones), well-bred horses,
exotic food and drink prepared to high standards, and fashion-
able clothing cut from sublime fabrics. Shelter in a city might
be a townhouse with multiple floors, salons, and bedchambers,
plus servants’ quarters, while in the countryside it might be a
villa with a vineyard, orchard, or farm.
Priceless items are of inconceivable value to common folk,
and might be directly equated with the ruling class. Clothing
is marvelous, food is glorious, and living space includes walled
compounds and castle complexes as big as villages. Prized
personal possessions include crowns, scepters, religious icons
of utmost artistry, and basically the very best of everything.
Jewelry in this category is solid gold (unless there is a more
valuable material) with large or huge top-quality gemstones.
Finally, there are one-of-a-kind items that can only be termed
Invaluable, as their prices would be beyond reckoning, if they
ever were to change hands. Refer to the boxed text “Invaluable
Treasures”. Exchanging merchandise at this level could affect
the fortunes of an entire kingdom or empire. Probably only
durable—very durable—goods, not services, fall into this cate-
gory. Buildings include lavish great temples and palaces the
size of a town. The greatest magic items are Invaluable, natu-
rally.

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Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
 Purchasing Power in Terms of Value and Wealth

Value/Wealth Destitute Marginal Poor Common Affluent Wealthy Unsurpassed

Garbage yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Shoddy maybe yes yes yes yes yes yes

Cheap no maybe yes yes yes yes yes

Typical no no maybe yes yes yes yes

Expensive no no no maybe yes yes yes

Priceless no no no no maybe yes yes

Invaluable no no no no no maybe yes

Purchasing Power Treasure

These Wealth and Value scales are steep, especially at the top,
and one’s Wealth level sets a threshold of purchasing power
beyond which one may not venture far. In the corresponding
table above, the threshold of financial stability is marked with
bold “yes” entries that lie along the diagonal. Below each bold
“yes” is a “maybe”, indicating that a purchase is at the limit of
affordability. Beyond that, the answer to “Can I afford this?” is
simply “no”.
When a character wants to buy something, check the Value of
the item against the character’s Wealth level in the table of pur-
chasing power. An entry of “yes” indicates that the character
has the means to obtain it, period. An entry of “maybe” means
that a successful Haggling contest (MYTHRAS, page 56) is
required. This contest could be affected by the character’s
Social Class, Status, or Reputation; see the later discussions.
Situational Modifiers may apply, in which obtaining a sack of
treasure or some other dramatic turn of events (detailed in the
following sections) temporarily shifts the Wealth level of a
character—or the Value of items—by some number of steps, for
some span of time (which could be “permanently”). In terms
of standard of living (food, clothing, shelter, and any leisure
activities; daily lifestyle), the character may enjoy what the new
Wealth tier offers, for as long as it lasts. Afterward, the higher-
level services and consumables are no longer available. For
example, fancy clothing can no longer be kept in good repair
and so becomes soiled and tattered, and suddenly impecu-
nious tenants are evicted from posh rentals.
Instead of enjoying a relatively extravagant lifestyle based on
consumable goods and services, the player may ask the Games
Master for one durable item (or possibly several, depending on
the details; a standard adventurer’s kit, for example) of the cor-
responding Value tier. Again, items of a Value marked “yes”
are simply obtained, while those marked “maybe” require
Haggling.
In this scheme, a pile of loot from an adventure is defined by
the following parameters: narrative description, Value, num-
ber of Recipients, and Duration. Specific items of interest may
be detailed individually. Rather than specifying fixed values,
dice rolls could be used to spice things up. When the Games
Master knows how many characters might share in the spoils,
setting the number of recipients is easy; if the number is
unknown, a dice roll can be used to indicate the range. Keep-
ing things vague can help, especially if writing a scenario for
sale. Some examples:
➢ Just as the treasure map promised, an adventurer finds a
box of gold coins buried behind the old tree at the corner
of the graveyard. This trove is Expensive, and could sup-
port a family of 4 for 2 years.
➢ Defeating the band of raiders that has been terrorizing
the region for months yields a cache of stolen goods com-
prising textiles, tools, pots and pans, rope, oil, salt, and
cheap wine. The cache is of Typical value and could sup-
port 6 people for 2 months. In addition, the bandits’
armor, weapons, mounts, cash, and jewelry are an Expen-
sive collection and could support those 6 people at that
even higher standard of living for another 3 months.
➢ A band of small-time thieves has mere moments to shovel
as much loot as they can from the County Treasury into
their burlap sacks. In that brief time, each robber can
grab enough silver and copper coins to represent a Typi-
cal haul that could support 1 scoundrel for 4d6 months.
➢ Slaying the ancient firedrake under the mountain rewards
the few survivors with a tremendous hoard of silver,
gold, gems, jewelry, weapons, armor, and countless items
of marvelous craft. Its value would be Priceless to an
entire clan of 100 or more, for generation upon generation
(i.e. permanently). In addition, buried somewhere in the
piles is the largest ruby in the world, the Heart of God,
which by itself is Invaluable. (If only it were not cursed...)
The Value of treasure bestows upon its recipients the same
purchasing power as if they were of the corresponding Wealth
tier, for as long as it lasts. In the table, find the row for the trea-
sure’s Value, then move across to the bold “yes” value that
marks the threshold for a Wealth tier. Thus a character spend-

—9—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
 ing a bag of gold coins with a Value of Expensive has purchas-
ing power as if she were Affluent. A person trading a pig of Settlement Size
Typical value has the purchasing power of a Commoner; at first and Pricing
blush this may not seem interesting, but it is if that person usu-
A more complicated scheme might have different Values
ally leads a Marginal existence. One man’s trash is another
for an item in different markets, with the distance (and
man’s treasure.
steps of difference in settlement size) between an item’s
Treasure of the same Value as one’s Wealth level does not
point of manufacture and point of sale shifting its Value
change that level, but does render Easy any Haggling check at
upward. This is how merchants earn their wealth, after all.
the “maybe” tier. Treasure of a Value below one’s Wealth level
While this could lead to players attempting to game the
does not increase purchasing power in any noticeable way. For
system to amass easy riches for their characters, “easy” is
example, a king who obtains another herd of sheep is hardly
the key word here, and that behavior could be used as a
any richer at all, relatively. In this sense the idea of “treasure”
source of drama and plot hooks.
is truly in the eye of the beholder, and one man’s treasure is
The Value scale in this supplement is not fine enough to
another man’s trash. Acquiring treasure never leaves one
account for the modest changes in price that arise from
worse off, but it may not make a real difference to one’s stan-
transporting goods over moderate distances. Here all
dard of living.
goods that have traveled far enough to be deemed “exotic”
are simply Expensive. It may be more productive to con-
sider instead availability (scarcity): In the “wrong” market,
Dramatic Turns of whether that is due to distance or temporary circum-
stances, shift an item’s Value up one or more steps, and
Events
make any attempt to get a “maybe” item one grade harder.
To provide excitement and verisimilitude in play, a charac-
This is the equivalent of shifting every local’s Wealth down,
ter’s life ought to have ups and downs marked by notable hap-
for the purpose of that specific purchase. If world-building
penings, even aside from adventuring. Throwing a wedding
in advance, the Games Master might want to make notes
celebration, for example, might diminish one’s Wealth for
about availability of goods in certain markets at certain
months afterward. To account for this in our scheme, define
times, but it might be more fun just to let matters develop
such a Dramatic Turn of Events just like Treasure. Indeed,
during play and record precedents then.
acquiring a bag of treasure is just one example of a Dramatic
A side benefit is that this approach should enhance the
Turn of Events. It may be easier to describe the temporary
narrative aspects of the game. Indeed, shortages and gluts
change in Wealth in terms of steps of difference, rather than an
are examples of Dramatic Turns of Events.
absolute Wealth tier. Realize that, as in the example of a costly
wedding, the new Wealth level may be lower than the usual
one. Living beyond one’s means can never last, and hard times
may displace kinder days. Wealth raise, but do obtain food that is one Value tier bet-
One benefit of using this more narrative-oriented scheme for ter; e.g. for now, the Poor can afford Typical food.
reckoning Wealth is that it can be tied seamlessly to campaign ➢ The gods are displeased, and famine stalks the land. All
milestones, either as an effect of storyline development (spoils farmers and their landlords across the region suffer a
from adventuring), or a cause (plot hooks and scenario seeds). Wealth cut of two levels, which lasts until this time next
These game mechanics could also be handily integrated with year. Others in the region do not take this Wealth cut, but
Background Events (MYTHRAS, pages 17–20). can obtain only food that is two Value tiers worse; e.g. for
Some examples: now, the Affluent can get only Cheap food. Everyone
➢ While the company is off adventuring, the village’s cattle who was Poor has now become Destitute, in terms of risk-
are raided by a rival tribe. All villagers have their Wealth ing starvation.
reduced by two steps, which means everyone is now
➢ A character receives an unexpected inheritance, which
either Marginal or Destitute. This penury will last until
lifts her and her immediate family’s Wealth level to Afflu-
some brave souls steal the cattle back.
ent for a year. Among the many heirlooms is a mysteri-
➢ War shortages reduce the Wealth level of the characters, ous dagger that apparently can cut anything; it may be
their families, and everyone else in the kingdom by one Invaluable.
step. Belts will remain tightened for as long as the con-
➢ A nemesis pulls strings to have a character’s property
flict lasts. For those not off participating in the fighting,
reevaluated, and suddenly new taxes are due. The vic-
there is no more natural moment or motivation to earn
tim’s Wealth is diminished by one step for 1d3+3 months.
extra cash through risky propositions. Another way to
This affects the character’s entire family, and taking extra
restore the status quo would be to end the war.
care of them may distract him from the villain’s larger
➢ The gods are pleased, and this year’s harvest is a bumper plans...but should this treachery come to light, the discov-
crop. All farmers and their landlords across the region ery could instead preoccupy him with a lust for revenge.
enjoy a Wealth raise of one level, which lasts until the
next harvest season. Others in the region do not get this

—10—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
 Unintended Usage that she can buy (or rent) an item on the spot for use today, and
sell (or return) it tomorrow. This is the key function of cash: It
Dividing a treasure hoard among fewer recipients increases
is a portable, abstract, convenient medium of exchange.
its yield per person, in terms of either its Value or Duration,
On the other hand, a character might choose not to be bur-
while dividing it among more recipients decreases its yield.
dened by carrying his own food or drink when poking around
For a given Value level, to reckon a change in Duration sim-
a well-stocked town, as long as he has a few coins. Out in the
ply rescale using this formula:
wild, though, those coins cannot be eaten or drunk; they
DActual = DListed × RListed / RActual
become useless when they no longer grant access to the
in which each D is a Duration and R a number of Recipients.
desired goods. (Then the Survival skill becomes, one might
Thus a trove (of any particular Value) that was imagined to last
say, worth its weight in gold.)
4 months for 5 recipients would for 3 recipients last 4×5/3 =
There are also other situations in which a particular type of
almost 7 months. Meanwhile, a hoard that would last 9 weeks
currency might be useless. If chieftain Gragor the Grim has no
for 6 recipients would for 10 recipients last only 9×6/10 =
use for gold and will only trade the legendary Sword of Slayers
about 5½ weeks.
for the head of his hated enemy, then that head is the only
Reckoning a change in Value is trickier. To shift one notch up
“currency” granting access to the sword of interest. This sort
on the Value scale, and thus increase purchasing power, a pile
of unconventional, specialty currency—which might instead be
of treasure either will not last as long or will support fewer
favors, for example—could be the basis of access to not just a
recipients, so we need to divide DListed × RListed (which measures
unique transaction, but an entire class of transactions, or even
the total amount of treasure) from the formula above by some
an entire economy. Such access requirements allow for story
scale factor. A factor of 5 seems about right, but for easier
hooks galore. The use of specialty currency is essentially
arithmetic the Games master might instead choose 4 or 6 or
Barter, and the Games Master may prefer to invoke those rules
some other value. Thus an Expensive trove that was imagined
(MYTHRAS, pages 55–56) in such a case.
to last 4 months for 5 recipients while providing an Affluent
Does it matter whether you have your own ladder, if your
lifestyle could instead provide a higher Wealthy standard of
cousin who lives a short walk down the road has one, and is
living for 4×5/5 = 4 person-months, i.e. 1 person could live that
willing to lend it to you at a moment’s notice? Does it matter
way for 4 months, or 2 people for 2 months, or 8 people for ½
whether you own a book, if there is a library in town? Access
of a month, etc.
also encompasses the idea of borrowing. This may be narra-
On the other hand, cheapskates might prefer to live a less
tively more interesting than plain ownership, especially in the
extravagant lifestyle for a longer period of time. In that case,
context of the “maybe” tier of relatively high-value gear that
we multiply by 5 instead of dividing. Thus the same Expensive
might be just out of reach. In that case, failure in the Haggling
trove above could provide a Common lifestyle for 4×5×5 = 100
contest could be interpreted by the Games Master as a “no,
person-months, i.e. 1 person could live that way for 100 months
but” result: No, the character cannot acquire the desired object
(over 8 years!), or 2 people for 50 months, or 4 people for 25
outright, but she can borrow it for the time being—and that
months, or 20 people for 5 months, etc.
will come at the explicit cost of a favor to the owner. This idea
Be careful, though, about reckoning changes in Value and
could also be used to address a Dramatic Turn of Events in
spending treasure. If a character already gets to live at a given
which purchasing power is temporarily reduced due to short-
Wealth tier, even in the absence of windfall treasure, then there
age. “Terribly sorry, old chum, but I’m all out of rope; every-
is no point in spending that Expensive trove above to keep liv-
one is, these days. I suppose I could lend you my own coil, if
ing the same Common lifestyle—unless the character intends
you bring it back in a week, and promise to help me shear the
to stop working altogether (retire). When a character plans to
sheep then.” Borrowing is an excellent basis (but not the only
resume her usual career during downtime from adventuring
one) for establishing an economy of favors.
and does not want to raise her standard of living, then it seems
The concept of ownership is not central to all societies. Per-
better to just keep the trove in reserve as savings, to pay for a
haps in some culture nobody can own the land, or all tools are
one-off expense like a funeral or celebration, if ever needed.
community property belonging to the group as a whole, yet
not to any individuals, including the crafters who created
them. In such a culture thievery would not be a crime, as the
Access idea would make no sense; probably there would not even be a
The concept of access expands the idea of material wealth, word for it. Characters from that background might make
particularly in the contexts of travel, specialty currency, owner- troublesome gaffes in a foreign land...
ship, and societal relations. Even in the absence of private ownership, access could still
Sure, your character owns a farm, and with it a ladder and be an issue. Perhaps a clan member of higher status could
buckets and a table and chairs and a larder full of food—but demand use of a tool, even if another were already in the mid-
does she have any of that stuff right here and now? This illus- dle of a project, or a chieftain could deny access entirely, as a
trates why an accurate personal equipment roster is important legal punishment (or even just out of spite). “You have sinned
during play. If a character has been separated from the things against our village; go till the earth with your bare hands.”
she needs, then it is as if she did not own them at all, for the
moment. Fortunately her Wealth level dictates the amount of
money or portable valuables she happens to have with her, so

—11—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
 Status
Across the core rulebook and supplements, concepts involv-
ing status and social class seem to be thoroughly blended, and
the terminology is not so consistent. For example, Mythic Con-
stantinople even uses the mixed term “Social Status” (page 14).
In the core rules, a character’s standing in society is addressed
by her Social Class (MYTHRAS, page 21), which sweeps up vari-
ous aspects into a single abstract metric: “Social Class mea-
sures the prosperity, resources, and social position of charac-
ters.” However, rather than being intimately related, a char-
acter’s status, social class, wealth, and reputation might be
totally independent in some campaign settings. Once again,
we intentionally keep these terms separate, to help the Games
Master focus on each one as cleanly as possible.
For an independent metric of Status, we adopt the approach
used in Monster Island (pages 21–23, 27, and 32) and Mythic
Rome (page 132), in which Status has a score like a skill and
functions rather like a Passion. In play this score could be used
in many different ways:
➢ to Augment a skill check, especially of Influence or Com-
merce as in Haggling (and see more on that below);
➢ in place of another social skill, especially to assert rank or
compel action by a social inferior (or even a superior,
potentially), in an act of public shaming or “saving face”;
➢ as a tie-breaker in an Opposed Roll of social skills (Mon-
ster Island, page 23, “Ritual Challenges”);
➢ as a skill cap (MYTHRAS, page 50); or
➢ as a general indicator of reputation, much as the Lan-
guage skill indicates fluency (and see the related discus-
sion of Reputation).
In our scheme, Status can boost a character’s chance to obtain
items at the limit of affordability. In the Haggling contest for a
“maybe” entry in the table of purchasing power, consider the
Status scores of the opponents, and use that score to Augment
the Haggling roll for the character with the higher value (who
may in fact be the seller). This is probably most suitable for a
game in which Status and Wealth are not intimately conjoined;
read on. In a game where they are closely bound together and
Wealth dictates Status (or vice versa), then the Games Master
may prefer to skip the extra arithmetic in any Haggling check.
Status, Social Class,
and Wealth
The core rules consider that Social Class determines a charac-
ter’s familial wealth, starting money, and standard of living; see
the Social Class tables (MYTHRAS, page 24), the Minimum
Maintenance Costs table (MYTHRAS, page 55), and the related
text. In Mythic Rome, Social Class is discussed on page 123, and
there is a table that relates a character’s Wealth to the dice roll.
Later on pages 125–130, the entry for each Profession (i.e.
Career) gives a bonus or penalty to a character’s Status and
describes the appropriate Wealth level. Similarly, in Mythic
Constantinople the tables on pages 59 and 60 directly connect
Culture, Career, and Social Class.
Tying Wealth to Status and Social Class may make the most
sense when imagining Civilized societies with large-scale man-
ufacturing and specialization of labor, yielding a large quantity
and variety of goods, complex economies, and greater wealth
disparities. To a lesser extent these conditions may also arise in
Barbarian societies, but among Nomads and Primitive peoples
material prosperity is comparatively limited, and the difference
between the most humble and most exalted in a society may be
much smaller.
Game mechanically, the simplest scheme would be a direct
relationship between Status, Social Class, and Wealth in which
a single roll of 1d100 during character generation determines
all three aspects. This is essentially what the core rules do,
although there the concepts of status, social class, and reputa-
tion are handled rather differently. Thus we create a modified
table of purchasing power, with rows above for Status score
and Social Class that map directly to Wealth categories.

Status, Class, Wealth, and Purchasing Power

Status 01–05 06–20 21–70 71–95 96–99 100 > 100

Social Class Outcast Slave Freeman Gentry Aristocracy Ruling Supreme

Value/Wealth Destitute Marginal Poor Common Affluent Wealthy Unsurpassed

Garbage yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Shoddy maybe yes yes yes yes yes yes

Cheap no maybe yes yes yes yes yes

Typical no no maybe yes yes yes yes

Expensive no no no maybe yes yes yes

Priceless no no no no maybe yes yes

Invaluable no no no no no maybe yes

—12—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
 To match the scheme for Wealth, we consider more Social
Classes than in the tables on page 24 of the core rules. In our Status Versus
scheme, by design the topmost Social Class corresponding to Wealth
the ultimate Status scores cannot be obtained randomly during
How exactly are Status and Wealth related? Does Status
character generation; either the Games Master would have to
come from Wealth, or vice versa? Does some category of
allow it explicitly by hand, or it would need to be attained later
Status actually prohibit great Wealth, such as when holy folk
during play.
are sworn to poverty? In some (perhaps unbelievable)
Note that in our table above the most likely Status result cor-
game worlds, wealth and status could be inversely related:
responds to the “Freeman”, with a Wealth level of only Poor,
While the wealthy may enjoy their material existence today,
not Common. This is correct. While in some settings one
they will find it impossible to enjoy the eternal peace of
might expect a Freeman to be able to afford goods of Typical
spiritual enlightenment, which is attained only by those
Value, in our example system this is not guaranteed, though it is
who live as ascetics and are revered. In such a society,
still possible. In this harsher social structure, only Cheap items
though, if most people were serious about spiritual health,
can be obtained reliably by our Freeman; Typical goods have
they would quickly give away their wealth to benefit the
only a “maybe” rating, and some luck is required to be able to
poor, raising the standard of living of everyone around
eke out a purchase. Expensive goods are out of the question,
them and leveling that standard for the whole nation—
unless a Dramatic Turn of Events unfolds.
which, incidentally, would remove the need for Wealth and
Variants of this simple scheme could be constructed; the most
Status systems.
obvious would be to alter the 1d100 range for each category, to
reflect a different societal Wealth/Status distribution. One
could also use fewer Social Classes, with multiple Wealth steps
included within the same Social Class. (Using fewer Wealth
categories would entail more profound changes to the entire
Changes to Status
Like a Passion, the Status score may rise or fall during game-
scheme, though, and is not advised.)
play. With the agreement of the Games Master, a player may
The next page presents three such variant schemes. These
spend Experience Rolls to change Status in the same manner as
tables are for the Greek and Frankish Social Classes and the
a Passion. Note, however, that the rules for deepening and
Turkic and Arab Social Classes described on pages 59 and 60 of
waning of Passions allow for large changes of as much as
Mythic Constantinople, and for the classes comprising Tozerian
1d10+10 per occasion; for this reason, the Games Master might
society, as described primarily in the Old Bones scenario The
prefer to treat Status as a regular skill with a 1d4+1 change.
Unapproachable. In that adventure, the protagonist Samal is
Some range bands for the Social Classes are narrow, and if it
from the House of Beboutor, one of the High Families of Toze-
should be difficult to change Classes, then large swings in Sta-
rian society, which renders her unthinkably wealthy and privi-
tus are probably undesirable.
leged, from the point of view of the everyday folk of the city.
The Games Master might also like to call for changes in Sta-
tus according to in-game events, either at will or according to a
list of well-defined situations and point values. See the lists of
accomplishments and situations that contribute to Status on
pages 22 and 32 of Monster Island, for example. Such changes
due to the results of gameplay would not cost Experience Rolls,
and could be assessed either on the spot during a scenario, or
at the end during the reward phase.
Determining an initial value for Status during character gen-
eration might be handled in a number of ways:
➢ with a Random 1d100 roll, as mentioned;
➢ with a list of well-defined situations and point values
(again, pages 22 and 32 of Monster Island may inspire);
➢ according to the character’s particular family history (but
here consider Status versus Reputation); or
➢ by tying Status to membership in a Cult or Brotherhood.
Conversely, sufficient Status might become a requirement
for advancement in an organization.

—13—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
 Greek & Frankish classes in Constantinople

Status 01–15 16–17 18–70 71–95 96–99 100 > 100

Social Class Outcast Slave Poor Freeman Wealthy Free. Aristocracy Royal Emperor

Value/Wealth Destitute Marginal Poor Common Affluent Wealthy Unsurpassed

Garbage yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Shoddy maybe yes yes yes yes yes yes

Cheap no maybe yes yes yes yes yes

Typical no no maybe yes yes yes yes

Expensive no no no maybe yes yes yes

Priceless no no no no maybe yes yes

Invaluable no no no no no maybe yes

Turkic & Arab classes in Constantinople

Status 01–05 06–20 21–90 91–95 96–99 100 > 100

Social Class Outcast Slave Freeman Prof./Ruling Aristocracy Royal (Unattainable)

Value/Wealth Destitute Marginal Poor Common Affluent Wealthy Unsurpassed

Garbage yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Shoddy maybe yes yes yes yes yes yes

Cheap no maybe yes yes yes yes yes

Typical no no maybe yes yes yes yes

Expensive no no no maybe yes yes yes

Priceless no no no no maybe yes yes

Invaluable no no no no no maybe yes

Status, Class, and Purchasing Power in Tozer

Status 01–10 11–30 31–80 81–95 96–99 100 > 100

Social Class Outcast Slave Common Folk Aristocracy High Families Emperor

Value/Wealth Destitute Marginal Poor Common Affluent Wealthy Unsurpassed

Garbage yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Shoddy maybe yes yes yes yes yes yes

Cheap no maybe yes yes yes yes yes

Typical no no maybe yes yes yes yes

Expensive no no no maybe yes yes yes

Priceless no no no no maybe yes yes

Invaluable no no no no no maybe yes

—14—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
 Reputation PERSONAL PHYSICAL OR DIFFICULTY
Finally, aside from any Status that might be due to member- SCOPE SOCIETAL SCOPE OF CHECK
ship in a group, a character’s personal Reputation may be of Close siblings,
interest. The MYTHRAS rulebook includes tables for Reputation Essentially no
best friends, Very Easy
and Connections on page 25, but otherwise does not have separation
loving spouses
much to say on it. By slightly extending the core rules, we may
use the Customs score (or Culture, for a foreign group) to
address whether one character knows another by reputation. Immediate family Household Easy
Customs represents all cultural knowledge, “what everyone
knows” or could be expected to know from growing up in a All of a small village;
certain place and era. In this sense it is like Locale, but for Close neighbors, neighborhood in a
social information, rather than information about the natural extended family large village or bigger Standard
world. (normal relations) settlement; kin in the
With this in mind, in our scheme a character’s Reputation is next settlement
quantified in terms of how many bonus grades are applied to
such a check of Customs or Culture, or to the Haggling roll Outside neighbor-
that is required by a “maybe” entry in the table of purchasing hood in a large village
Distant neighbors,
power. or bigger settlement; Hard
estranged family
next settlement over;
kin in a far settlement

Common Knowledge Strangers,

To reckon a character’s command of common knowledge, we
set up a table of “cultural fluency” akin to that for Linguistic
Fluency (MYTHRAS, page 47) to furnish a general sense of what
a member of a community knows based on Customs or Cul-
ture score. The table below keeps the same breakpoints as in
the core rules, but of course for a given setting the Games Mas-
ter might prefer different ranges, or even a different number of
categories (rows in the table).
CUSTOMS
COMMAND OF COMMON KNOWLEDGE
OR CULTURE
(CULTURAL FLUENCY)
SCORE
Knows only the basics, cannot recognize or
1–25%
interpret subtlety
Understands everyday behavior and social
26–50%
mores, including some humor and sayings
Has complete common knowledge as if a
51–75%
native, including history, fables, and adages
Has deep knowledge beyond most natives,
76% +
from ancient to recent events, if not hot news
This table suffices for many situations; we only call for a dice
roll when it is interesting to establish whether a specific piece
of information is known. When calling for a check of cultural
knowledge (for example, to see if a character is recognized due
to Reputation), the Games Master may prefer to apply a bonus
or penalty grade according to how far removed the person is
from the subject, in physical or social terms. Recall “Scale and
Social Distance”. In a hamlet everyone knows each other, but
already in a town of a few hundred there will be some folk
who have little or no contact.
Far reaches of the
same city; distant Formidable
shunned relations
settlement
Settlement at the
Distant strangers
farthest reaches of the Herculean
from afar
land, or beyond
Changes to Reputation
It would be most natural (but not essential) to have every
character begin with a Reputation of zero, with bonus grades
being the result of in-game events. For a character to earn a
reputation, allow a payment of 5 Experience Rolls plus a corre-
sponding amount of cash (which may be out of reach) and time
to raise Reputation by one grade. The cost is akin to that for
learning a new magic tradition. Paying a traveling troubadour
to sing tales of one’s glory, or buying rounds of drinks at every
tavern across the countryside, or launching a whisper cam-
paign at every market stall in the city, are examples of how
such news gets converted to common knowledge.
Alternately, for notable deeds the Games Master might opt to
include a +1 Reputation raise as part of the reward at the end
of an adventure, aside from any Experience Rolls or treasure.
This could become a regular part of designing adventures in a
particular campaign: Did any changes in Reputation occur as a
result of this scenario’s events?
What about a bad reputation? Nobody would pay to be
known for notorious deeds (or would they...?), but their actions
might lead to infamy anyway, at the Games Master’s discretion.
This fits well with the above idea of a direct award at the end of
the adventure, whether a player wants it or not! In such a case,
a character could spend 3 Experience Rolls to change the sto-
ries about her to whatever she prefers, without actually chang-
ing the grade of her Reputation. Keep suitably detailed notes
on the character sheet as the campaign develops.

—15—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
 Is all publicity good publicity? In some situations the Games
Master may opt to use the character’s Reputation as a penalty
rather than a bonus. For example, a famous character trying to
sneak out of the city unnoticed might have a Formidable time
of it. Likewise a person who is infamously dishonest may find
two grades of Reputation a hindrance rather than a help in
purchasing a chariot, or winning a lawsuit. A person who is an
infamous killer, however, may still get a bonus rather than a
penalty to buy that same chariot. Deciding which way to use
Reputation is situational.
Can a character erase his Reputation? Even if the Games
Master prefers not to allow this, it is always possible to spread
disinformation, by spending 3 Experience Rolls and Wealth as
suggested above. A character may start a rumor that he has
died, or retired, or sailed to a distant shore. Some say he killed
the Duke of Arsy in cold blood, while others insist it was self-
defense. Actually erasing a Reputation should be more costly;
consider 5 Experience Rolls plus cash, per step—the same as the
cost to acquire the current level.
Perhaps the only way to truly dissociate from one’s Reputa-
tion is to take on a new identity. This could be handled in
purely narrative terms, but if game mechanics are desired, con-
sider a one-time charge of 5 Experience Rolls along with the
associated costs and inconvenience, such as moving a long way
to a place where (probably) the character is unknown. Appear-
ance-altering magic or surgery, crude or refined, could also
play a part. Even so, the past does have a way of catching up to
us, especially when it serves the larger narrative.
Specialized Knowledge
All of the preceding refers to common knowledge. There are
nonetheless secrets, news, and uncommon or forgotten lore. It
takes some time for news, gossip, and other information to
become common knowledge; determine this case by case, and
according to distance and connectivity. In a small village,
urgent news being actively spread might reach everyone in
mere minutes; whether it is significant or enduring enough to
be retained as common knowledge is another matter. In a
metropolis, meanwhile, it might take weeks for news to perfuse
the community. There is still room for Professional skills like
Lore (News and Gossip of the City), or Lore (Clan History).
These can respectively cover things that have not yet had time
to become common knowledge, or those that have passed out
of everyday reckoning.
Taking a broader point of view, a Reputation score could be
assigned not only to an individual, but also to an event, arti-
fact, place, or other object of cultural or historical significance.
This is just another expression of an aspect of scenario or cam-
paign design that the Games Master may already be using.
While all villagers remember the local conflicts of the last few
generations, the famous Battle of Muddy Hill has a grade of
Very Easy associated with it. Likewise, obscure events that
have faded from the public’s mind could carry penalty grades,
in which case Lore (History) might be a more useful skill.
—16—
Justin Farquhar (Order #31536937)
Combining Reputation,
Status, and Wealth
These mechanics may all be used together: When a Haggling
roll is required according to a “maybe” entry in the table of
purchasing power, Augment it using the character’s Status, and
then apply the bonus grade due to Reputation. In extreme
cases this essentially improves the character’s purchasing
power by one notch in the table, when the final skill value gets
raised above 95% or the bonus grade climbs to Automatic (if
the Games Master allows that grade in this situation).
Conclusion
The preceding discussion has yielded independent yet inte-
grated game mechanics for handling Wealth, Status, and Repu-
tation in MYTHRAS. Use all, some, or none of these ideas as
desired, in the context of your particular game. Keep in mind
that rules of any kind should facilitate and enhance your role-
playing experience, not complicate it or otherwise diminish it,
and that the simplest approach is always just to use the rules as
written. For example, money truly is a convenient, abstract
measure of wealth, and some gamers might prefer just to
assign values in SP to prices, incomes, and treasures. The basic
premise of this work, however, is that alternatives and exten-
sions to the core rules may be of interest, especially when there
is a desire for less bookkeeping and better integration with the
narrative of a campaign.
As when establishing how magic will work in a particular
setting, for best results this game aid probably should be con-
sulted during the planning stage, before play begins. With
care, though, its rules could be introduced at any stage.
Finally, although these rules have been designed specifically
for MYTHRAS, they probably could be helpful in other gaming
systems as well.
Acknowledgment
The author is grateful to Lawrence Whitaker and especially
Pete Nash for an encouraging, helpful critique of this material.