Social Exchange is the structured system for navigating negotiations, debates, interrogations, and interpersonal conflicts. It treats social interactions like combat encounters — with Disposition as health, Influence as damage, and Scars as lasting social trauma.
Social Combat Analogy
| Combat | Social Exchange |
|---|---|
| Wounds | Disposition (attitude toward you) |
| Damage | Influence (shift in Disposition) |
| Physical Injury | Scars (social trauma, Umbra depletion) |
| Attack Roll | Social Path Roll (Umbra + Skill vs TN) |
| Defense | Insight check (to detect lies) |
When to Use Social Exchange
Use When
- • The outcome is uncertain & both results are interesting
- • The NPC has strong opinions, goals, or resistance
- • Multiple approaches are possible (logic, emotion, trust, lies)
- • The consequences matter (alliances, information, betrayal)
Don’t Use For
- • Simple requests or trivial conversations
- • When the NPC’s response is obvious
- • Information the NPC would freely share
- • Just roleplay those moments
Disposition System
Every NPC has a Disposition toward you on a scale of −5 to +5. This is the universal social currency — used for individual NPCs, domain entities, factions, and bastion relations.
Disposition Scale
| Value | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| -5 | Hostile | Will attack, betray, or sabotage on sight. Negotiation nearly impossible. |
| -4 | Enemy | Actively opposes you. May attack if provoked. Refuses cooperation. |
| -3 | Antagonistic | Dislikes you strongly. Won't help without significant incentive or coercion. |
| -2 | Unfriendly | Suspicious and unhelpful. Needs convincing for even minor cooperation. |
| -1 | Wary | Cautious but not overtly hostile. Will listen but remains guarded. |
| 0 | Neutral | Default starting Disposition. No strong feelings. Open to persuasion. |
| +1 | Friendly | Positively inclined. Willing to help with reasonable requests. |
| +2 | Helpful | Likes you. Will go out of their way to assist. Shares minor secrets. |
| +3 | Allied | Considers you a friend. Will take risks for you. Shares important information. |
| +4 | Loyal | Devoted to your cause. Will make significant sacrifices. Trusts you implicitly. |
| +5 | Devoted | Would die for you. Unshakeable loyalty. You've achieved your social goal. |
Starting Disposition
- Default: 0 (Neutral) for most NPCs
- Reputation: ±1 to ±3 based on reputation, Blessings/Curses, or past actions
- Context: Enemy factions start at −2 to −4; allied factions at +1 to +3
- Careers: Some careers (Diplomat, certain backgrounds) modify starting Disposition
The Four Paths of Influence
Each Path is a distinct social approach with its own roll formula, success/failure effects, and risks. The choice of Path shapes how you influence someone — and what happens when it goes wrong.
🧠 Path 1: Persuasion (Logic)
Roll: Umbra + Persuasion vs TN | Approach: Logic, evidence, reason
Risks: Ineffective against emotional/irrational NPCs. Can seem cold if overused. Doesn’t create deep bonds.
🔥 Path 2: Conviction (Passion)
Roll: Umbra + Conviction vs TN | Approach: Passion, rallying cries, force of will
Risks: Alienates moderates. Creates all-or-nothing outcomes. Can escalate to violence. Best for rallying crowds and inspiring action.
💚 Path 3: Sincerity (Trust)
Roll: Umbra + Sincerity vs TN | Approach: Vulnerability, empathy, genuine care
Requires genuine vulnerability. Ineffective against cynical NPCs. If they discover you lied later, Disposition plummets to −3 or worse.
🎭 Path 4: Mendacity (Deception)
Roll: Umbra + Mendacity vs TN | Approach: Lies, bluffs, misdirection, false identities
Contested by Insight. Builds paranoia. Even if you succeed, they may doubt you later.
The Mendacity–Sincerity Paradox
The One-Way Trust Gate
Once Mendacity has been used on a target,
Sincerity can NEVER be used on that target again.
Lying permanently closes the path of genuine trust. This is irreversible.
Contested Social Rolls
Mendacity vs Insight
When Mendacity is used, the target gets an Insight check to detect the lie. Both rolls are made simultaneously.
Attacker: Umbra + Mendacity vs TN
Defender: Anima + Insight vs separate TN
Example: Interrogation Under Pressure
Mira rolls Umbra + Mendacity (TN 14) = 16 (success).
Cultist rolls Insight (TN 10) = 8 (fail — doesn’t detect the lie).
Result: The lie succeeds. But when it’s discovered later, Disposition drops to −3. Sincerity is permanently blocked with this cultist.
Social Attacks (Tactical System)
Beyond the Four Paths, the DROP system supports tactical social attacks using the same dice mechanics as physical combat. These directly impose effects on enemies.
Social Attack Effects
| Action | Difficulty | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Make enemy hesitate | Hard (~20) | Target loses their next action |
| Undermine confidence | Moderate–Hard | Impose Disadvantage on target |
| Force retreat (Rout) | Very Hard (~24–26) | Target flees or surrenders |
Social Defense TN: Based on Social attribute + defense skills (Self-Control).
Scars & Umbra Depletion
Social Harm Track
Scars are social harm, analogous to Wounds (Forma) and Fractures (Anima). They reduce Umbra and track social destruction.
Scar Capacity: Umbra + 5 (e.g., Umbra 3 → 8 Scars max)
Caused by: Social defeat, betrayal, public humiliation, or rolling 1s on Reached Umbra dice
At −5 Umbra: You’re exiled/outcast — completely socially destroyed.
Reputation & Domain Disposition
Reputation Effects
Reputation modifies starting Disposition by ±1 to ±3:
- • Past actions and deeds
- • Domain Blessings/Curses
- • Faction standing
- • Career effects (e.g., Infamous: −2 dice on trust rolls with authorities)
- • Reputation can carry between domains
Domain Disposition (Bastion System)
Bastions track Disposition with each nearby domain separately (−5 to +5):
| Domain Disposition | Effect |
|---|---|
| +3 or higher | Blessing: +1 Population, +1 Prosperity, or −1 Threat |
| +4 to +5 | Blessing becomes permanent |
| −3 or lower | Curse: −1 Stability, +1 Threat, or −1 Prosperity |
Social Skills Reference
Social Skills (Umbra)
| Skill | Function | Path |
|---|---|---|
| Persuasion | Convincing others through logic or charm | Persuasion |
| Conviction | Inspiring allies through passion | Conviction |
| Sincerity | Building trust through honesty | Sincerity |
| Mendacity | Deception, lies, disguise, forgery | Mendacity |
| Performance | Acting, music, oratory | — |
| Intimidation | Coercing through fear | Social Attack |
| Subterfuge | Misdirection, sleight of hand | — |
| Insight ★ | Reading emotions, sensing motives | Defense vs Mendacity |
★ Insight is governed by Anima, not Umbra — it’s the counter-skill to social deception.
Group & Crowd Influence
Crowd Persuasion
Conviction is the designated path for mass influence — rallying crowds, dominating through presence, inspiring action. No separate “mob” subsystem exists; Conviction handles group influence naturally.
- • The Trickster may set higher TNs for larger or more resistant crowds
- • Morale: Umbra + Conviction tested weekly to prevent morale loss in groups
- • Political Coups: Social Exchange can resolve large-scale faction conflicts
Supernatural Social Effects
Taint & Disposition
Certain magical powers impose permanent social penalties:
Fire magic (10+ uses): Unrecognizable — Disposition −2 with strangers
Soul magic: Eyes turn black — NPCs with Insight sense it — Disposition −3
Worked Example: The Merchant’s Deal
Multi-Round Social Exchange
| Round | Path | Roll | Result | Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Persuasion | Umbra + Persuasion vs TN 12 → 14 | Success | 0 → +1 |
| 2 | Conviction | Umbra + Conviction vs TN 14 → 18 | Critical! | +1 → +3 |
| 3 | — | Narrative resolution | Deal struck | +3 (Allied) |
Outcome: Bram secures the exaltation for 300 silver now + 200 silver debt. The merchant becomes both an ally and a creditor — creating a quest hook.
“Words are the only weapon that cuts deeper the second time.”
— The Count, On the Art of Influence