5 years ago I took part in A 2nd edition WFRP Campaign were my character was A Mercenary that came from 1 of The Poorest Families in The Empire and her actions during the campaign resulted in her being elevated to the nobility
How do you think 1 A Very Poor Lower Class family that's 1 of The Poorest Families in The Empire would react to the news that by her own actions the female that's both the youngest of the families 4 children and the families only daughter would react to the news that by her own actions she had earned the honor of being elevated to the nobility
Social status
Initial
She was A very poor Mercenary that comes from A Very Poor Lower Class Family that's 1 of the poorest families in The Empire and she was born in A very small Hovel in Rural Norland
Current
She is A Mercenary Champion who is very powerful, very wealthy, very influential, widely admired and very popular and is very highly respected
Of her 8 closest friends 3 of them are minor Barons, 1’s a senior Baron and 1’s A Minor Viscount
By her own efforts she earned elevation to The Nobility, saying that though she is only A Very Minor Noble that doesn’t hold a title
Even though my characters newly acquired nobility didn’t come with a actual title it did come with the right to either buy herself A Noble Title or to earn herself A Noble Title
Normally it would be impossible for someone that doesn’t already have A Noble Title to buy himself or herself A Noble Title but in my characters case it will only(?) be very hard
Saying that though the cost of buying herself A Noble Title will definitely be at least 5,000 Gold Coins and it will almost definitely be at least 8,000 Gold Coins
Normally it would be very hard for someone that doesn’t already have A Noble Title to earn 1 but in my characters case it will only(?) be very difficult to earn myself A Noble Title
Saying that though she invested roughly 88% of the money she earned whilst she was A Mercenary in Land and Property and that's why she has a portfolio that’s worth 15,650 Gold Coins that earns her 1,206 Gold Coins per year
Also
A side effect of her elevation to The Nobility is that she has hundreds of thousands of fans and tens of thousands of admirers
Another side effect of her elevation to The Nobility is that almost every Commoner in The Empire looks up to her, idolizes her, admires her and hero-worships her
The reason why is because in their opinion if through his or her, her in this case, own efforts someone from 1 of the poorest families in The Empire can earn a elevation to The Nobility then they can also earn a elevation to The Nobility
Another side effect of her elevation to The Nobility is that almost every up and coming young Mercenary in The Empire looks up to her, idolizes her, admires her and hero-worships her
Yet again the reason why is because in their opinion if through his or her, her in this case, own efforts someone from 1 of the poorest families in The Empire can earn a elevation to The Nobility then they can also earn a elevation to The Nobility
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Comments
Ah social dynamics! So class conflicts are 'complicated' and a lot depends on your characters choices as to if they value 'wealth and position' or are using this to help others.
If the character used their position to help 'rise up' people of their class and support their family then I could see them supporting them - but likely there may be some conflict regarding the different social situations due to the power imbalances.
HOWEVER there would 100% be people this character knew early in their lie who will resent or even 'hate' them as a 'class traitor' - because you can't be a member of the 'nobility' without also allowing the social structure that requires a 'underclass of poor people to exist'.
A third 'path' is that of revolution! - By showing that a member of the lowest class can rise to the nobility it may well inspire others to 'rise up' - if so your character is most at risk not from the poor - but from the rich who risk losing their status/power.
You can see examples of this story in things like the Hunger Games - Katness becomes 'rich' but at a great cost to her family and community - she feels withdrawn/alienated due to her fame but her 'example' then leads to the fall of the capital - who were the ones who gave her the social status and had the most to lose.
DM of The Domains of Dread Council Meeting (...a Comedic Misadventure though the mists of a re-imagined Ravenloft! ) - COTM Feb 2023!
Yep, so if I was the DM I'd be thinking about if any nobles hated the PC enough to act on it?
I'd also be thinking about how others would see them - I could see people who knew that character in life talking about how they 'sold out' by accepting the title.
While others might try to recruit them into the fight to 'overthrow' the ruling class.
Some might beg money/help - and others might feel that character 'owes them' because of some prior charity/help given earlier in life.
Meanwhile there may be some Noble families (who are on the 'outer/lower end) who want change, and prefer your PC to the 'old blood' families who refuse to accept them as equals.
Remember a 'empire' is made up of people - and so while their actions might have helped 'the empire' as a whole - it may well have had a entirely different impact on the various individuals they come across?
DM of The Domains of Dread Council Meeting (...a Comedic Misadventure though the mists of a re-imagined Ravenloft! ) - COTM Feb 2023!
Can I ask how do people think my characters family would have reacted to the news that a relative of theirs has earned herself a elevation to the nobility?
Don't forget that the entire family is very poor, they are a working class family that's a member of the lower class and they are among the poorest families in The Empire, not to mention they are 1 of the lowest of The Empires very low families
Honestly.... it really depends on who your characters family is?
A younger sister for example is likely to have a very different view to their great-great-great aunts cousin.
So without knowing who the family is, or some more information about what life is like for them it's impossible to really tell how they would respond.
One thing I'd encourage is to try and think of your characters family as 'people' rather then a 'group' - as terms like 'poor and working class' mean different things to different people.
Remember that labels like 'poor or lowest of the low' are from the Empires perspective - it's highly likely that they would take offense to anyone calling them that, and may consider themselves 'better' then the empire who is far more remote, and clearly treats them badly - for apparently no reason?!?
DM of The Domains of Dread Council Meeting (...a Comedic Misadventure though the mists of a re-imagined Ravenloft! ) - COTM Feb 2023!