Status

[Rule Hound]

For the Dark Ages setting status is not based off of age or potency, instead it is based off of High Clan or Low Clan and standing in Vampire Society.

This means that anyone can rise in rank within the allowances of High or Low Clan.

Return of Spent Status
Fleeting status is gone permanently when spent.
Abiding and Innate status refreshes at the start of the next game. This means status spent between games is not usable at the next game.
The status "Shepard" due to its special nature and mechanics is an exception, it refreshes at the start of a game.

Receiving and Loosing Status

An individual can only hold a single status from the same source (character and specific status together determine source). They may receive Loyal from one Baron's Titled status but may not receive another Loyal or Acclaimed from that same Baron expending their Titled status again. You may however receive another Loyal from a different Baron expending their Titled Status.

When you receive status it becomes effective immediately. If you are given the position of Reeve, the Abiding Status that goes with it comes into effect and is usable as soon as you get it. Granting of Status MUST be public and registered with the Chamberlain or announced before the Court or those present. If you receive a Loyal mid-scene you gain the benefits immediately. If you were granted it prior to the scene it must have been announced (to more than just your Dukedom – must be considered available common knowledge) prior to the scene to make use of it's benefits (no secret status surprises).

If you loose a position at game, are stripped of Status or use the Spent bonus that Status is gone immediately, including any passive benefits.

You carry ALL Abiding Status with you at game from all positions (except any spent between games). Deputies and most other positions will only gain one additional status.


Clans - See Character creation for more information.

The clans in the dark ages are slightly different to those presented in the modern nights. The original thirteen clans still exist, and division of loyalties is very different, as the Camarilla and Sabbat are still over two centuries away. The clans are divided by ideology into a semi-caste structure, being High and Low Clans. While status is the main game mechanic for dividing the two groups, one can expect others to behave a certain way towards you based upon whether you come from a High or Low Clan.

The High Clans are comprised of members of the following clans:
Brujah, Cappadocian, Lasombra, Toreador, Tzimisce and Ventrue

The Low Clans are comprised of members of the following clans:
Assamites, Followers of Set, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu and Tremere

Specialty Clans and Bloodlines (Available to players with a well written backstory that fits into the larger story as a whole)
Salubri, Gargoyle and Old Clan Tzimisce

Clans and Bloodlines Not Available 
Baali, Kiasyd, Giovanni, Caitiff, Daughter of Cacophony, Ravnos and Samedi

[Rule Hound]

INNATE STATUS
All innate status is granted by the ST for accomplishing certain game mechanics with the exception of High Clan and Low Clan. You can hold any number of Innate Status. If you feel you may be deserving of one you can ask the ST. This does not guarantee you will receive it as there are many things that can come into play. The ST may also revoke the Status at anytime.

Low Clan (Innate)
Passive:
- You suffer a Minor Status Ban (Always even when spent mechanic is used)

Spent:
- Once per game, you may openly and loudly declare yourself Low Clan. Doing so allows you to overcome any political or etiquette-related error you have made in the last five minutes (scene). The error did occur, but those who would be offended just curse and attribute it to your uneducated, Low Clan ways.

High Clan (Innate)
Passive:
- By default you suffer from no Status Bans (unless imposed)

Spent:
- A Low Clan (or someone suffering from a status ban) you target must physically leave a scene (small area or single room) for the next 10 minutes (entire thread of conversation/scene), effectively exiling them from a social situation. If they do not do so, they gain the negative status Warned. They may return if Combat starts (arrives in round three). Expenditures of Sworn or Pledged will allow individual to remain.



Builder (Innate) – The status builder gains the Passive benefit from the status Laird and the Spent bonus from Connected
You have dedicated enough time, energy, resources and influence to build something of lasting benefit in a Domain. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed and you have gained recognition for such. Such notice will generally involve holding a Gala upon completion to show off your work to the court. Such structures generally grant some bonus to the Domain it is in.

Passive: Laird (Innate)
- In recognition of your efforts you have been granted personal domain over the structure in question. Though it technically belongs to the Duke in the area you hold ultimate authority even over them in this structure (even if you move to another Domain). This authority stands even over the Duke while in this structure. You have the right to grant Sanctuary to any who reside within it. You can not be punished for anything you do while you are inside.

Spent: Connected (Innate)
- You can expend Builder at game to gain access to some standard item or commodity for the night (a crossbow, pile of torches, horse, tracking dog...)
- You can Expend Connected to use one Influence in another individuals Domain.

NOTE: The passive bonus of this status can be sold. The purchaser would gain ONLY the passive benefits and gains the status Laird. The Builder status itself is changed to Connected when the passive bonus is sold. A individual can hold more than one Builder, Connected or Laird status at a time. Spend bonuses improve effectiveness if more than one is spent at the same time.

Chivalrous (Innate)
You have shown yourself to stand up for the weak and innocent. You are known to defend the underdog when they are being railroaded.

Passive:
- You gain a +2 to resist any test that would cause to you to step back or leave a scene or prevent you from defending the weak.

Spent:
- You can expend Chivalrous to grant a free retest to the individual you have deemed needs protecting (they may not be the aggressor/instigator)

Connected (Innate)
You reach has expanded beyond your own Domain/territories. You have successfully caused events to occur in another characters domain multiple times or enacted your influences cross borders. Or perhaps you have built a Domain altering structure and sold the passive benefits of “Builder”.

Passive:
- There is no passive bonus.

Spent:
- You can expend Connected at game to gain access to some standard item or commodity for the night (a crossbow, pile of torches, horse, tracking dog...)
- You can Expend Connected to use one Influence in another individuals Domain.

Crusader (Innate-fleeting)
You have gone on a Crusade and as such have gained a certain amnesty and respect.

Passive:
- When granted, this status pardons up to two previous crimes or breaches of sect law. Any crimes you may have committed can still be learned through the normal methods but may not be talked about publicly.
- While you possess Crusader no one may publicly talk about your crimes prior to receiving Crusader. If they do so in-front of you, you may bestow Warned on them at no cost. If it is done behind your back, anyone may expend any status to declare the speaker Warned.
- While you possess Crusader you may not be banished from any scene. This does not give you the right to speak or from being penalized for doing so but you can not be forced to leave.

Spent:
- You can expend Crusader to break one law (except destruction) or escape one punishment without penalty.
- Once Crusader has been spent anyone may talk about your particular crimes but they can not be held against you publicly. You Permanently receive the first passive bonus of this status when relating to the two specified crimes.

Fervent (Innate) (Church equivalent - Pious)
Your standing and belief and support of Paganism has been noted and word has spread through the community. Due to regular prosecution there is something of a underground. You know the continually changing symbols and signs that allow you to locate a local Pagan if needed.

Passive:
- Due to your Fervent nature the local Pagans are willing to help you cover things up, they pass off near breaches as part of some Pagan activity. This means that if you do something that is borderline breaching the masquerade (in Pagan territory) then the Kine overlook it as part of some Pagan mystery that they are not knowledgeable of. Obvious breaches are not covered by this.

Spent:
- You can expend Fervent to have local Pagans hide you. This can be done even in Church territory. They will shelter you and arrange to smuggle you out of the immediate area. Be careful about using this to many occurrences of individuals being hidden can draw Church attention. The Church never likes to be thwarted.
- You can expend Fervent to gain a piece of Occult information or a accessible but uncommon spell component (not rare, just harder to get)

NOTE: There is a drawback, If you are ever captured, arrested or under direct suspicion in a Church held territory your heathen ways quickly become known. Near breaches become breaches with the good Church peasants pointing their fingers at you. It becomes more likely that someone will learn a piece of evidence that points in your direction.

Laird (Innate)
Passive:
- You have been bought or earned personal domain over a Domain benefiting structure. Though it technically belongs to the Duke in the area, you hold ultimate authority even over them in this structure (even if you move to another Domain). This authority stands even over the Duke while in this structure. You have the right to grant Sanctuary to any who reside within it. You can not be punished for anything you do while you are inside.

Spent:
- There is no spend bonus.

Influential (Innate)
You have reached a level of influence envious to most mortals. You now hold 5 points of influence.

Passive:
- You can assign one more name/group to your influence list. This does not add to your total level, it just adds another area you can call on.

Spent:
- You can expend Influential to learn the details of an Influences action that has been done against you or in your domain in the last two years (since two games ago).

Mighty (Innate) - when granted a area must be defined that it was granted for
You have gained a certain level of respect or power, it could be in the are of influence, physical, social... For some reason other characters display a level of caution when dealing with you in fear or respect of your “Might”.

Passive:
- While you possess Mighty you gain a +2 wild card bonus to tests relating to the area you received Mighty for.

Spent:
- You can expend Mighty to make a regular success relating to the area you received Mighty for an exceptional success.

Mariner (Innate)
You control a fleet of ships at least 3 strong (lvl 3 background). This could be legitimate trading vessels, pirate vessels, military vessels or a combination there of.

Passive:
- You can arrange passage for yourself or others reducing the standard risk of botches when travelling long distances.
- When individuals wish to travel long distances and pay a fair (boon) for such, there is a chance that they unknowingly paid you for the transport. If deemed appropriate the ST will do a test with you and rather than put their boon(s) into the deck you may receive one if you win.

Spent:
- You can expend Mariner to effectively blockade a port or trading route. This increases the difficulty of ships passing you by thus increasing a botch chance. (This directly counters/bypasses the first passive bonus of other Mariner's and in addition increases the standard botch chance). Other travelers/ships draw two cards from botch deck and the worst of the two is taken.
- You can expend Mariner and a downtime to commit Piracy/War upon/target another persons ships. If successful you can choose to either gain the cargo of their ship (and set it free), sink it or attempt to capture it. This reduces their resources and/or influences for a year. If sunk they will have to replace the ship.
- You can expend Mariner to send protection with your ships. If you are targeted or get caught in a trap you have a better fighting chance to get free (and a chance to sink or capture one of the aggressors vessels). Also, you have the option of fighting a blockade or chasing a poorly laid trap. If no Blockade or Piracy is encountered and a botch still occurs draw two cards from botch deck and choose which one you want to occur.

NOTE: Attempts to capture a vessel risk all ships involved. Also, when expending you must choose how many ships to assign in each group. Multiple piracy groups increase chance of catching your prey but may decrease your effectiveness if you encounter combat. Multiple protective ships will help your cargo and ship get through but may reduce your resources or influences in another area since they are not being utilized for cargo.

Test results
No defense mounted :
- Piracy/War upon/target another persons ships. Success on Win or Tie.

Defense mounted:
- Piracy/War upon/target another persons ships. Success on Win or compare ships involved on Tie.
- A Failure on the part of the aggressor and Successful defence means the defender can choose to either sink or attempt to capture one ship.

Run Blockade:
- Success on Win or compare ships involved on Tie.
- A Failure on the part of the aggressor and Successful defence means the defender can choose to either sink or attempt to capture one ship.

Pilgrim (Innate)
You have traveled to different courts or holy/educational sights or perhaps other courts as a emissary. You have gained enlightenment through your travels and are known for your pilgrimages.

Passive:
- You are an acknowledged traveler and have learned how to sustain yourself while travelling. You have learned how to garner the blood it costs to awaken without depleting the blood supply of the Domain you are in. This does NOT let you top up for free, it essentially lets you wake and regain the blood it took to awake only. If you feed cleanly then the Domain is not aware, if you botch then notice may still be taken.

Spent:
- Due to your travels you have gained a certain amount of basic knowledge, you may expend Pilgrim to gain a test for some esoteric knowledge. You gain a Lore test for one small bit of Lore that you do not hold on your character sheet or for knowledge concerning happenings in the greater world (mongols are said to be massing, assassination attempt in some other court and who is rumored to be behind it...)

Permanently Spend:
- You can speak to the ST and permanently expend Pilgrim to learn one dot (gain a specialization) in a Rare Lore, something you would not normally have access to (ie. real Garu Lore, Lore on another Clan...).

Pious (Innate) (pagan equivalent - Fervent)
Your religious fervour has been noted by the Church, when the Church wishes something done in the area and does not have the appropriate individual for the task, you are the one they approach. Your duty and Loyalty to the Church and God is unquestioned.

Passive:
- Due to your Pious nature you gain the benefit of the doubt when in Church territory. This means that if you do something that is borderline breaching the masquerade (in Church territory) then the Kine overlook it as if it never happened. Obvious breaches are not covered by this.

Spent:
- You can expend Pious to misdirect a Church official. Send them away from a gathering location, tell them that some “witch” or other heathen they are hunting went a different way, send them to the north side of town while you or others slip away out the south side, send the Church watchers from the stables they are watching to another one. Be careful how often this is used in the same location, if it is always being used the Church may begin to suspect that they are being manipulated.

NOTE: There is a drawback, it works in the opposite manner in Pagan territory. Unlike Pagans, Pious individuals see it as distasteful and find it hard to coverup their faith in the All-Mighty-God. In Pagan territory benefit of the doubt goes the other direction, it will be assumed that this Pious individual did something bad.

Shepard (Innate)
Where most other Vampires shun the mortals as tools, weak and look at them as a source of food there are those precious few who dedicate themselves to helping the Kine. You are one of these individuals. The ST has noted you are repeatedly shepherding the mortals and helping them... good Samaritan for no ulterior motive.

Passive:
- You add one blood to you personal blood pool apart from what is allocated per game.
- You add one blood to the Domain's blood pool to be allocated by the Duke for the Domain you resided in for the majority of the last year.
- You add one to the Silence rating of the Domain you resided in for the majority of the last year.

Spent:
- You can expend Sheppard to take 10-20 minutes out from game time and return with 5 more blood in your blood pool.
- You can expend Sheppard to gain a silence retest on something that may risk the Masquerade (during game) or rouse the locals (if you are part of the scene).

NOTE: This status if spent at game does not refresh until the start of next game. As such you will not gain the passive bonuses during the following year. Thus you and the Domain do not add the blood bonus to the blood pools or add to the silence level where you reside.

Strategos (Innate)
You control a well trained military troop at least 3 strong (lvl 3 background). This could be legitimate soldiers, caravan guards or simply well trained highwayman. Either way they are loyal to you and your orders.

Passive:
- You can arrange a caravan and passage for yourself or others reducing the standard risk of botches when travelling long distances.
- When individuals wish to travel long distances and pay a fair (boon) for such, there is a chance that they unknowingly paid your military forces for protection during transport. If deemed appropriate the ST will do a test with you and rather than put their boon(s) into the deck you may receive one if you win.

Spent:
- You can expend Strategos and one Resources to allow your Military background to effectively blockade a port or trading route. This increases the difficulty of land based transport and caravans from passing you by, thus increasing a botch chance. (This directly counters/bypasses the first passive bonus of other Strategos and in addition increases the standard botch chance). Other travelers draw two cards from botch deck and the worst of the two is taken.
- You can expend Strategos, a downtime and one level of resources to commit Highway Robbery/War upon/target another persons Domain/Influence. If successful you can choose to either gain the cargo/benefit of their Caravan/Influence, hold it/them for ransom (and set it free), destroy it or attempt to permanently subvert (steal) 1 lvl. This reduces their resources and/or influences for a year or until replaced.
- You can expend General to send protection with your caravans. If you are targeted or get caught in a trap you have a better fighting chance to get free (and a chance to destroy or capture one of the aggressors Military units or other influences). Also, you have the option of fighting a blockade or chasing a poorly laid trap. If no Blockade or robbery is encountered and a botch still occurs draw two cards from botch deck and choose which one you want to occur.

NOTE: Attempts to subvert a influence risk much. Also, when expending you must choose how many Military Units to assign in each group. Multiple blockade or highwayman groups increase chance of catching your prey but may decrease your effectiveness if you encounter combat. Multiple protective units will help your cargo and caravan get through but may reduce your resources or influences in another area since they are not being utilized for cargo.

Test results
No defense mounted: (you are aggressor)
- Robbery/War upon/target another persons Influence/Resources/Domain. Success on Win or Tie.

Defense mounted: (you are aggressor)
- Robbery/War upon/target another persons Influence/Resources/Domain. Success on Win or compare ships involved on Tie.
- A Failure on the part of the aggressor and Successful defense means the defender can choose to either destroy one level of Military and force a botch draw or attempt to force one unit to join them/surrender.

Run Blockade: (protection detail for your Influences - you are defender)
- Success on Win or compare units involved on Tie.
- A Failure on the part of the aggressor and Successful defense means the defender (blockade runner) can choose to either destroy on unit and Resources of the aggressor or attempt to force one unit to join them/surrender..

[Rule Hound]

ABIDING STATUS

You will notice that Abiding status has many more passive benefits and spent options. This is because Abiding status is essentially what gives you the power of your position and gives you authority and standing.

Affirmed – Abiding Chamberlain
You enjoy complete control over your jurisdiction. You may issue praise and respect, or command punishment – corporal social or capital – to all those within.

Passive:
- While you possess Affirmed, you cannot be openly or effectively accused of lying unless the accuser possesses the status trait Regal or Affirmed. This does not mean other characters must believe what you say, only that they cannot publicly challenge its veracity.
- An individual who openly insults, threatens, or attacks you automatically receives the negative status Warned. Offences made entirely in private, or which are subtle enough to be obscured, do not trigger this passive effect. Characters that currently possess the Regal or Affirmed status traits are immune to this passive effect.
- You may name up to one lesser Harpy per Dukedome (they may each come from a different Dukedome, all from the same or any combination there in). They gain the fleeting Status Gaggle while so named.
- You may remove a lesser Harpy from power at any time or counter a Lesser Harpies judgement at anytime by transferring their punishment to them or by using the spent action. Once a judgement is declared in public it is not countered by removal of the character from office. Other mechanisms must be used to remove the punishment.

Spent:
- Expend Affirmed to pardon another character, removing the negative status Warned or Disgraced (minimum Major if forced).
- Expend Affirmed in conjunction with Discerning to cancel any Bloodhunt (or downgrade Forsaken to Disgraced or Warned – your choice) in the Ard Ri's Domain. (minimum Blood if forced to counter for one domain, two blood for all domains. This is an exception to Bloodhunted individuals using or paying a boon).
- Expend Affirmed make a Duke's bloodhunt cross ALL domains controlled by the Ard Ri (minimum Major if forced).
- Expend Affirmed to bestow upon another character, the negative status Warned (minimum Major if forced).
- Expend Affirmed to award fleeting status to up to three characters, either Acclaimed or Respected (equivalent minimum of a Major Boon per individual if forced)
- Expend Affirmed to award any individual the fleeting status Sanctioned (equivalent minimum of a Blood Boon if forced)

Deputized – Abiding Deputy to Reeve
Passive:
- Once per combat you gain a free Willpower retest when challenging to avoid any effect that would force you to leave combat.

Spent:
- You can expend Resolute to call five lvl 2 stock NPC's, three lvl 3 NPC's or 1 lvl 4 NPC (Thugs or Trackers) to serve you for 1 hr. They will arrive in 5-10 minutes and will fight and die for you.

Discerning – Abiding Chamberlain
You are society’s voice, and others listen to you on matters of propriety. You can determine which actions are proper social behavior and which actions are against the customs of your sect.

Passive:
- While you possess Discerning, you may award any individual the fleeting status Gallant without expending this status.
- You may bestow upon someone the negative status of Vulgar for something you deem distasteful to proper society.
- While you possess Discerning, you may award the negative status Warned to anyone who does not respect the authority of your proclamations or for misrepresenting their social standing or ignorance of prestation and protocol. You may remove Warned if bestowed by yourself at no cost (min Major if forced).
- Award someone the negative status Disgraced in punishment for not having fulfilled a legitimate Boon, for misrepresenting their social standing or blatant/repeated ignorance or ignorance of prestation and protocol when they should know better. You may remove the Disgraced if bestowed by yourself at no cost (min Major if forced).
- Remove one status trait (permanently if fleeting or until end of next game if abiding) instead of naming someone Vulgar or removing two status instead of Disgraced.
- You may call a meeting of Duke's and “mark” up to two items on the agenda on behalf of the Ard Ri that must be discussed and resolved. Attempts to avoid discussing and resolving this topic cause the individual to automatically be declared Vulgar (without using spent bonuses).

Spent:
- Expend Discerning to pardon another character, removing the negative status Warned or Disgraced (minimum Major if forced).
- Expend Discerning to strip someone of ALL status until the end of next game.
- Expend Discerning to impose a status ban on someone (must include conditions for removal)
- Expend Discerning to remove a status ban on someone (up to their default standard)
- Expend Discerning in conjunction with Affirmed to cancel any Bloodhunt in the Ard Ri's Domain. (minimum Blood if forced – One domain, two blood for all domains. This is an exception to Bloodhunted individuals calling in a boon).
- Expend Discerning to remove a “marked” item from the agenda. Items so removed in this way may not be discussed until they are resubmitted as a “marked” item on a future agenda.

Empowered – Abiding Doge
Passive:
- You have been chosen as the leader of a “Free State”, only a Low Clan may hold this position or someone who has forsaken their clan and declared themselves such. You may issue orders to any individual sworn to you (directly or indirectly) and expect those orders to be obeyed (equivalent Trivial boon). Those who defy you or disobey a direct order are deemed Vulgar.
- You may swear up to three Individuals to your “Free State” and bestow Pledged on them at no cost per game session (end of one game to end of the next)
- You may openly disagree with anyone who holds Titled as though you also held that status.

Spent:
- Expend Empowered to declare something as truth. This statement may not be challenged by anyone without the expenditure of three Sworn's, two Titled's or one Regal or someone possessing Discerning. This statement becomes fact until such status is spent or someone with Discerning challenges it. Once challenged it is treated like any other statement/comment.
- Expend Empowered to request/force that an officer of the sect share her views or offer advice, publicly or privately (as you wish), about a subject that is pertinent to the Greater Domain or your Domain. This may be used to further political agendas or for personal gain, such as having a Duke speak about their Tithe contributions in order learn how they contribute or to manoeuvre a rival into saying something compromising.
- Expend Empowered to award any individual the fleeting status Defender or Informed (equivalent minimum of a Major Boon if forced)
- Expend Empowered to declare an individual of equal (Titled) or lesser station the negative status Vulgar. You can add your Empowered to expenditures of Titled to declare someone of higher rank Vulgar.

Enthroned – Abiding Ard Ri/Prince
You have been elevated above the other Dukes in your area. You command fearsome powers both social and martial.
Passive:
-You have the ability to impose boons upon those you feel have incurred debt. You make the guiding Laws for Gaul. Your laws can further refine the Ard Rhi's but may not counter them and the lesser Dukes may make laws in their domains as long as they do not run contrary to yours.
- You have the ability to veto one of their restrictions or impose punishment on anyone who is sworn to you through the lines of vassalage. All members of vassalage and down the line from highest to lowest are expected to include you in their blood oaths as first and foremost, followed by their Duke as second and to partake of 1 pt of your blood and maintain this bond.
- For those who are deemed to have failed in their fealty to you or the Ard Rhi or failed in preserving the Traditions you can impose punishment in the form of Prestation, handicapping or through further blood oaths (which are expected to be maintained).
- You may name a Reeve and a Hunter/Scourge for your territory (Prince only once Ard Rhi Gives permission
- The Chamberlain is still however still a check on abuse of power and answers to the Ard Rhi.
- Two expenditures of Regal can force you to name a new Reeve or Scourge or force a decision on an issue.
- You may not be openly questioned or called a liar by anyone Sworn below you.
- Those who wish to dethrone you have to be more subtle in their maneuvers or face possible blood bonding. Are able to call upon the powers of the Reeve and Scourge when needed and call Gaul wide bloodhunts.
-Your Dukes must swear all Vassals before you and if one domain gathers to many Cainites you can re-organize them. However, remember even though you are supreme and the only one sworn to the Ard Rhi pettiness can break Domains and Princedoms.
-You are expected to offer aid to your vassals and will carry the agreement with the freecity for the Ard Rhi.
-You can break the lines of vassalage to yourself, promote or demote all.
- You can initiate a Bloodhunt within your Domain on anyone not directly sworn to the Ard Rhi

Spent:
- Expend Enthroned to cancel any Bloodhunt (or downgrade Forsaken to Disgraced, Warned or to nothing) in your Domain. (minimum Blood if forced to counter for one domain, two blood for all domains. This is an exception to Bloodhunted individuals using or paying a boon).
- Expend Enthroned to award any individual the fleeting status Sanctioned (equivalent minimum of a Blood Boon if forced)
- You can expend Enthroned to award an individual the fleeting status Acclaimed, Dedicated or Defender, or the negative status Disgraced

Gaggle – Abiding Lesser Harpy - Granted by Affirmed
Passive:
- While you possess Gaggle, you may award the negative status Vulgar to anyone who behaves socially inappropriately or does not respect the authority of your proclamations when the Master Harpy is not Present

Spent:
- You may expend the status trait Gaggle to award someone the negative status Warned (may not apply alternate censure).

Judicial – Abiding Reeve
Passive:
- You may name up to one deputy per 10 Kindred in the territory you control (they may each come from any source within the territory assigned to you – including a free state). They gain the fleeting Status Deputized while so named (you may remove this at any time or change who your deputies are).
- Call upon forces a Duke controls to enforce the will of the Ard Ri
- If you deem someone to have broken the Ard Ri's Laws or one of the Traditions you can issue Judgment on them and name them Malefactor. In addition to the typical censure of Malefactor you may issue additional conditions and restrictions. Anyone found breaching the censures/conditions of Malefactor automatically become Forsaken.
- While you possess Judicial, you can issue orders to any member in your territories who does not possess the status Regal or Affirmed in pursuance to prosecute/enforce a Law or Judgment and expect to have those orders obeyed (even those who hold Regal will usually follow your order to some degree). Those who defy you or disobey a direct order have all fleeting status traits they possess expended without effect. If they have no fleeting Status remaining or continue defiance then all Abiding and Innate Status are the considered spent. If they have no remaining status you can name them Warned at no cost. Fleeting traits or Innate/Abiding status lost in this manner are lost temporarily and return at the end of next game. Your target cannot gain any further fleeting status while under this effect.
- You may call and chair a meeting of the Duke's and Doge's on the Ard Ri's behalf. Only your agenda is to be discussed and resolved. Attempts to avoid discussing and resolving this topic cause the individual to automatically be declared Warned. Only the expenditure of three Regal's and/or Empowered's can remove a item from the agenda or force the meeting to be postponed until next gather.
- May break the Ard Ri's rules or the Traditions in service to the Ard Ri (if they do so they will be held accountable by the Ard Ri and possibly the Chamberlain)
- You are immune to the passive and spent effects of the status Discerning.

Spent:
- Expend Judicial to cancel any Bloodhunt (or downgrade Forsaken to Disgraced, Warned or to nothing) in the Ard Ri's Domain. (minimum Blood if forced to counter for one domain, two blood for all domains. This is an exception to Bloodhunted individuals using or paying a boon).
- Expend Judicial to award any individual the fleeting status Sanctioned (equivalent minimum of a Blood Boon if forced)
- You can expend Judicial to award an individual the fleeting status Veteran or Resolute, or the negative status Cowardly or Disgraced
- You can expend the Judicial status in order to command someone who is Sworn or Pledged directly or indirectly to the Ard Ri to expend a status on your behalf, give you a piece of equipment she possesses, or utilize her powers as you direct, so long as that order does not cause them to break one of the Ard Ri's Laws. If they refuses to do so, she gains the status Warned. Individuals holding the Discerning status are immune to this effect.

Pledged – Abiding Doge, Freeman
Passive:
- You are Pledged yourself to a Doge State. You may feed in any territory directly controlled by your “collective”. The exact details of the oath to the state vary depending on the collective itself, usually joining manifests itself in the form of a oath/boon. Due to the nature of the members it is uncommon for a Doge to force a blood oath. If you are sworn to a Free State you suffer from a Minor Status ban if you do not already.
- You may attend gatherings in the Greater Domain of the Ard Ri that your “Free State” is nominally sworn to.
- Once per game, in addition to the Low Clan benefit, you can overcome any political or etiquette-related error you have made in the last five minutes (scene). The error did occur, but those who would be offended just curse and attribute it to your uneducated, Low Clan-Free State ways.

Spent:
- Expend Pledged to award the fleeting status of Gallant to any individual.
- Expend Pledged to call a ANYONE a liar for an entire scene. You may claim that a statement or situation relating to a statement is a lie without becoming Warned. You may contradict them on this one statement topic so long indefinitely so long as it is known that you expended your status to do so. This does NOT grant anyone else the ability to call them a liar without their own expenditure (if required).
- Expend Pledged, so long as low clan outnumber high clan in the current scene, the individual you target must physically leave the scene (small area or single room) for the next 10 minutes (entire thread of conversation/scene), effectively exiling them from a social situation. If they do not do so, they gain the negative status Warned. Cannot be expended in combat but can be just before combat is initiated thus banishing an individual from combat (but who will argue it if you loose?).
- Expend Pledged or Sworn to remain in a scene you have been banished from.

Regal – Abiding Duke, Reeve, Ard Ri
Passive:
- While you possess Sovereign status, you control the praxis of a domain. You are expected to host gatherings in you Dukedom in rotation as determined by the Ard Ri.
- You may not be called a Liar by anyone who does not possess Regal, Affirmed or who expends their Titled or Enlightened status (or expenditure of two Sworn).Those who do receive the negative status Warned.
- You may call a meeting of Duke's and “mark” one item on the agenda that must be discussed and resolved. Attempts to avoid discussing and resolving this topic cause the individual to automatically be declared Vulgar (without using spent bonuses).
- An individual who openly insults, threatens, or attacks you automatically receives the negative status Warned. Offences made entirely in private, or which are subtle enough to be obscured, do not trigger this passive effect. Characters that currently possess the Regal or Affirmed status traits are immune to this passive effect.

Spent:
- Expend this status to swear up to two new Baron's to your service and bestow Sworn and Titled on them.
- Expend Regal to award fleeting status to up to three characters, with either Defender or Enlightened (equivalent minimum of a Major Boon per individual if forced)
- Expend Regal to award any individual the fleeting status Sanctioned (equivalent minimum of a Blood Boon if forced)
- Expend Regal to punish or pardon another character, giving or removing the negative status Warned or Forsaken (equivalent minimum of a Major Boon if forced)
- Expend Regal to table a “marked” item until next gather/meeting without being declared Vulgar. Doing this to many times may bring the wrath of the Harpy upon you. This may be countered by the expenditure of two Regal's (All spent actions cause Regal to be spent, it does not come back even if the action was countered).
- Expenditure of three Regal's is enough to remove a Harpy from office (though the Ard Ri could grant them the position back between games or anytime after) or force a decision onto the Ard Ri (ie. bloodhunt an individual in all domains).

Sworn – Abiding Knight, Baron, Duke, Ard Ri, Harpy
Passive:
- You are Sworn to a Liege Lord and have undergone the Blood Oath. You may feed in any territory directly controlled by them or yourself.

Spent:
- You can expend Sworn to overcome any political or etiquette-related error you have made in the last five minutes (scene). The error did occur, but those who would be offended by it must accept your apology, and may not hold the error against you or bring it up publicly again.
- Expend Sworn to call a Titled individual a liar. You may claim that a statement or situation relating to a statement they made is a lie without becoming Warned You may contradict them on this one statement topic so long indefinitely so long as it is known that you expended your status to do so. This does NOT grant anyone else the ability to call them a liar without their own expenditure (if required).
- Expend Sworn, an individual you target must physically leave a scene (small area or single room) for the next 10 minutes (entire thread of conversation/scene), effectively exiling them from a social situation. If they do not do so, they gain the negative status Warned. Cannot be expended in combat but can be just before combat is initiated thus banishing an individual from combat (but who will argue it if you loose?).
- Expend Sworn or Pledged to remain in a scene you have been banished from.

Titled – Abiding Baron, Duke, Ard Ri
Passive:
- You may issue orders to any individual sworn to you (directly or indirectly) and expect those orders to be obeyed (equivalent Trivial boon). Those who defy you or disobey a direct order are deemed Vulgar.
- You may not be called a Liar by anyone who does not possess Titled, Affirmed or who expends their Sworn or Enlightened status. Those who do receive the negative status Warned

Spent:
- You may swear up to three new Knights to your service and bestow Sworn on them. (I would be careful about doing this without your Duke's permission.)
- Expend Titled to call a Regal individual a liar. You may claim that a statement or situation relating to a statement they made is a lie without becoming Warned You may contradict them on this one statement topic so long indefinitely so long as it is known that you expended your status to do so. This does NOT grant anyone else the ability to call them a liar without their own expenditure (if required).
- Expend Titled to request/force that an officer of the sect share her views or offer advice, publicly or privately (as you wish), about a subject that is pertinent to the Greater Domain or your Domain. This may be used to further political agendas or for personal gain, such as having a Duke speak about their Tithe contributions in order learn how they contribute or to manoeuvre a rival into saying something compromising.
- Expend it to award any individual the fleeting status Dignified or Dedicated (equivalent minimum of a Major Boon if forced)
- Expend Titled to award an individual of equal or lesser station who has caused offence the negative status Vulgar. You can name someone of higher rank Vulgar by having two Titled (or Empowered) per rank higher expended. (The Harpy would be considered equal station to a Duke)

[Rule Hound]

FLEETING STATUS
There is still the typical cap of 5 fleeting status allowed. Modified by status bans and merits.

Most fleeting status is granted from only one source. This means that if you desire a particular status you have to find a way to get if from the Cainite who is capable of granting it. Role-play it out work in game towards gaining their favor so that you can get what you want.

Fleeting status are far more limited in scope having fewer passive bonuses (if any) and usually only one or two spent uses. But they can be VERY powerful if used right.


Acclaimed – Fleeting Granted by Affirmed or Enthroned
Passive:
- There is no passive bonus to Acclaimed

Spent:
- You may expend Acclaimed to remove and grant one of your own status to another for the evening. This allows someone to go above their max fleeting status cap. The “lent” status returns at the end of the evening. If it was spent it returns spent, if it was not spent then you are still able to use it as normal.

Dedicated – Fleeting Granted by Titled or Enthroned
Passive:
- There is no passive Bonus to Dedicated

Spent:
- You may expend Dedicated to counter another character’s use of the Subterfuge skill to redirect blame for the use of a supernatural power. For more information on the Subterfuge system mechanic, see Chapter Three: Character Creation, page 97. By expending Dedicated in this manner not only is it openly known the individual used a power but that they deceitfully also tried to blame another individual for it.
- You may expend Dedicated to gain a retest on a action or test that directly affects any territory in which you are Sworn or Pledged.

Defender – Fleeting Granted by Regal, Enthroned or Empowered
Passive:
- Once per combat you can use a combat manoeuvre without expending a Willpower.

Spent:
- Expend Defender to gain a free retest in any challenge.
- Expend Defender to make any success a Exceptional Success.

Dignified – Fleeting Granted by Titled
Passive:
- While you possess Dignified, you may approach any officer or individual at gather without a formal introduction, without social penalty. This includes approaching individuals under censure.

Spent:
- You can expend Dignified to overcome any political or etiquette-related error you have made in the last five minutes (scene). The error did occur, but those who would be offended must accept your “Dignified” apology and not hold it against you.

Enlightened – Fleeting Granted by Regal
Passive:
- If you receive the Warned status while you possess Enlightened, the status of Enlightened is stripped without expenditure rather than applying the status Warned.

Spent:
- Expend Enlightened to remove Warned from another individual (min Minor value).
- Expend Enlightened to call someone with Titled or Regal a liar. (does not bypass expenditure of Empowered)

Gallant – Fleeting Granted by Discerning or Pledged
Passive:
- There is no Passive bonus to Gallant

Spent:
- Expend Gallant to immediately regain a spent abiding status trait or in place of the expenditure of a fleeting status trait.
- Expend the Gallant status to remove Vulgar from yourself or another character (returns lost fleeting).

Informed – Fleeting Granted by Empowered
Passive:
- You essentially hold the favour of a Doge. Low Clans are everywhere and hear everything. While you hold this status the ST at times may choose to feed you rumoured information. (not guaranteed)

Spent:
- You can expend Informed to gain information relating to one specific topic from the ST.

Praised – Fleeting Granted thru Cowardly
Passive:
- There is no Passive bonus to Praised

Spent:
- You can expend Praised to overcome any political or etiquette-related error you have made in the last five minutes (scene). The error did occur, but those who would be offended by it must accept your apology, and may not hold the error against you or bring it up publicly again.
- Expend Praised to remain in a scene you have been banished from.

Respected – Fleeting Granted by Affirmed
Passive:
- While you hold Respected you receive some basic knowledge of visitors that may be attending Gatherings in addition to what is commonly known. This may be part of their agenda, rumours or details about them that is not commonly known.

Spent:
- May be spent to expend another character’s Sworn status
- May be spent to increase ONE Domain stat for one year

Resolute – Fleeting Granted by Judicial
Passive:
- While you possess Resolute, you have a +3 wild card bonus to resist fear frenzy.

Spent:
- You can expend Resolute to gain a free Willpower retest when challenging to avoid any effect that would force you to leave combat. Only one Resolute can be spent to retest against an individual per combat scenario.
- You can expend Resolute to call five lvl 2 stock NPC thugs, three lvl 3 NPC thugs or 1 lvl 4 NPC thug to serve you for 1 hr. They will arrive in 5-10 minutes and will fight and die for you.

Sanctioned – Fleeting Granted by NPC/Ard Rhi/ST
Passive:
- When granted, this status pardons one crime or breach of sect law. The specifics of the crime can be learned by the use of Leadership.
- While you possess Sanctioned no one may publicly talk about the specific crime you were Sanctioned for. If they do so in-front of you, you may bestow Warned on them at no cost. If it is done behind your back, anyone may expend any status to declare the speaker Warned.

Spent:
- Expending Sanctioned allows a specifically defined breach of one sect law. You can expend Sanctioned to break that law without incurring punishment. This action is a exception to the specific law, allowed by an Regal personage of a domain. Once Sanctioned has been spent anyone may talk about what you were Sanctioned for and openly hold it against you. But you are exempt for punishment for that particular crime.

Veteran – Fleeting Granted by Judicial
Passive:
- You know how to handle yourself and carry yourself with a certain confidence. While you possess Veteran, your Intimidate skill affects Stock NPCs with a rating of up to 3, rather than 2.

Spent:
- You can expend Veteran to automatically resist the effects of any currently active emotion-based power,
or any form of blood bond, for the next five minutes (Presence, Dementation some Quell the Beast...). Can be expended after you loose a test to make it a win.
- You can expend Veteran to perform a combat manoeuvre, rather than expending a Willpower. You cannot apply both a combat manoeuvre purchased with Willpower and one purchased with Veteran to the same action. This bonus is not cumulative, even if you possess more than one status trait of Veteran.

[Rule Hound]

NEGATIVE STATUS

Negative Status Traits
Each negative status trait has a censure, a prohibition placed upon the holder’s activities. These prohibitions are not magical or supernaturally enforced; they are social restrictions that the character is expected to obey for the period she holds this negative status. If a sect officer discovers that a character is in violation of a censure, the censured character suffers the penalties assigned by the trait’s mechanical systems.

Remember, punishment is always subject to bribes before being issued. If you did something bad, bribe the one who can punish you before they speak up. Call them aside and have a private meeting and come to some arrangement. Find a scape goat. Once the punishment is announced there are very few ways to get rid of it early. If you can jump into action as soon as it is announced you have until the end of the scene to change the verdict (role-play, role-play, role-play - think of an old Schuster in the movies).

Once given and the scene ended, unless it is removed using the spent power of a status, you will have to suffer it for a minimum of 1/2 game before the character who gave it to you can remove it. This is so other characters have time to react accordingly and take advantage of your shame.

Also, Roleplay! If you can turn the scene around when you are given a negative status or punishment and flip it upside down and make it a great scene, you can slimy lawyer your way out of it, place blame elsewhere or manipulate perceptions the Character punishing you is more likely to go lenient or dismiss the charges.

In the Dark Ages there is no such thing as “hard” evidence. It is about inferences and loopholes. Actual evidence is only important if you can make it such through dramatics and lawyerey. Facts are only peripheral it is how well you argue, manipulate the details and interpretation and make loopholes that decides a case 

ie. OJ Simson's glove. He puffed up his hand and stiffened it, then made it look difficult to get into glove. Obviously bloody glove is not his.

Counter to this: give another set of gloves to OJ and tell him to put them on and demonstrate how he would hold his hands if he were strangling someone. Take gloves back and then compare it to the bloody one holding them up in such a way as they appear the same size. Obviously OJ did it as the glove was on his property and as shown it is the same size as the other gloves he just had on.

Cowardly (Negative) Granted by Judicial
Censure:
- Cowardly remains until the end of next game.
- Anyone who causes a Cowardly character injury (but not death) or defeats that character in a Symbel or Monomacy gains the fleeting status trait Praised.

Punishment:
- While you possess Cowardly you do not gain passive bonuses that relate to combat, retests, intimidation or you being threatened, insulted or attacked.
- While you hold the Cowardly status, your maximum Willpower is reduced by 2. Once this status is removed, your Willpower returns to normal.

Disgraced (negative)
Censure:
- You may not carry weapons or actively use any power in the presence of an officer , Duke or Doge, unless you receive the express permission from every one present.
- You may not feed within any Dukedome or Barony (you can try the free states if you can come to an agreement).
- A character gains no benefit nor can they receive status while they possess Disgraced.
- Other characters are not required to repay boons owed to a character possessing this status. But you are still required to repay your boons.
- If you are found in violation of this censure by a sect officer, you can avoid punishment by apologizing and offering the officer a major boon.
- Anyone who publicly insults a Disgraced character gains the fleeting status trait Praised. Multiple characters can gain status for insulting a Disgraced individual, but no character can hold more than one Praised benefit from a single individual’s Disgraced at one time.
- The Disgraced status lasts as long as you would hold one or more Warned negative status traits, at the end of this duration Disgraced is downgraded to Warned and you must live out the duration for how ever many Warned's you received prior to becoming Disgraced.
- If you do not possess a Warned negative status when you are awarded Disgraced, then the negative status lasts until the end of next game.
- Alternate Duration: If granted by Discerning then the duration becomes end of next game for not fulfilling a Trivial or Minor boon + 1 game per level of boon above Minor (2 full games for Major, 3 for blood...)

Punishment:
- If a character with the Disgraced status is found to break the censure of this status, she gains the additional status trait Forsaken. A character does not lose the negative status Warned or Disgraced when she receives Forsaken.

Note: Can be directly granted by Discerning or Judicial. Can be removed by the granter, through Affirmed or Discerning.

Forsaken (negative)
Censure:
- While you hold the Forsaken negative status, you are no longer allowed within the Ard Ri's Domain.
- You hold no status or position, and you may be destroyed without repercussion from your sect.
- Society’s laws prohibiting your Final Death no longer apply to you.
- A character who possesses the Regal status trait may allow you to visit or reside within her domain (not feed on Kine though), but cannot remove the Forsaken negative status without an expenditure of their Regal status.
- A Forsaken character retains this status permanently until removed.

Note: Can be directly granted by Regal. Can be pardoned by Regal, Judicial or the combination of Affirmed and Discerning together.

Malefactor (Negative) Granted by Judicial

Censure:
- Malefactor remains until removed by the Reeve or for three game (2 months) or alternate conditions are met.
- While you possess Malefactor you may not approach or speak to anyone above the rank of Knight or Freeman without first offering a Minor boon
- While you possess Malefactor you may not offer any advice bordering on domain security or issues without directly being asked.
- While you possess Malefactor you gain no passive benefits from your status and abiding and innate status do not refresh once spent.

Punishment:
- If a character with the Malefactor negative status is found to break the censure of this status, they become Forsaken.

Alternate Censure/Punishment:
- A Reeve may impose a alternate Censure such as removing sword hand, branding... for duration of punishment.
- The Reeve may also assign conditions for removal or a larger punishment if Censure is broken depending on severity of crime committed.
- Alternate conditions must be determined or negotiated (bribe, boons, blackmail...) by the end of the evening Malefactor is granted and registered.
- A Reeve may remove Malefactor anytime after equivalent 1 game has passed at no cost. Once granted the target must suffer the negative status for a minimum of 1/2 game (giving other characters a chance to do things).

Vulgar (negative)
Censure:
- All fleeting status traits you possess are expended without effect.
- Fleeting traits lost in this manner are lost temporarily and return at the end of the game session.
- You cannot gain any further fleeting status while under this effect.
- The Vulgar trait lasts only for the night in which you are given the status.

Punishment:
- If you receive a second Vulgar, this negative status automatically upgrades to Warned.

Note: Vulgar can be assigned by a few sources. By trying to avoid effects of other status or assigned directly from uses of Discerning, Empowered, Gaggle and Titled. The only way to remove Vulgar and regain your fleeting status before the end of game is through the spent effect of Gallant.

Warned (negative)
Censure:
-You may not speak to any officer of your sect in public unless that officer first speaks to you.
- You may not contradict an officer of your sect.
- If you speak inappropriately, or contradict an officer, you can avoid breaking this censure by apologizing and offering the officer a minor boon.
- Lasts until the end of next game another game is added to the duration for each application of Warned.

Alternate Censure:
- If Warned is granted directly (not as a effect of game mechanics... ie. Not leaving a scene when forced) the imposing officer may impose alternate restrictions/censure.
- Alternate conditions must be determined or negotiated (bribe, boons, blackmail...) by the end of the evening Warned is granted and registered.
- These might include cutting off the offender’s finger and ordering the Warned character not to regrow it until this status is removed or forcing the offender to bear a visible mark of failure for the duration of the status Warned. These alternate restrictions cannot be used to significantly handicap a character or to force a character into a dangerous situation. If the Storyteller believes this status is being abused, she may overrule the alternate restriction and impose the default censure instead.

Punishment:
- If a character with the Warned status is found to break the censure of this status, she gains the additional status trait Disgraced. A character does not lose the negative status Warned when she receives Disgraced.

Note: Warned can be applied from many sources. Game mechanics such as calling the wrong persona a liar, public threats, insults or attacks, disobeying orders from those who have the status to issue them, receiving two Vulgar the same night... There are a few status that can directly assign Warned to you and also impose the alternate censure option if desired. These are Affirmed, Discerning and Regal. Expending Gaggle may apply warned but not alter censure. Can be directly removed by Affirmed, Discerning, Regal or by expending Enlightened.

[Rule Hound]

Note: Once a Prince is chosen Regal will be changing slightly to reflect that they are now expected to work through the Prince.

[Rule Hound]

Builder (Innate) – The status builder gains the Passive benefit from the status Laird and the Spent bonus from Connected
You have dedicated enough time, energy, resources and influence to build something of lasting benefit in a Domain. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed and you have gained recognition for such. Such notice will generally involve holding a Gala upon completion to show off your work to the court. Such structures generally grant some bonus to the Domain it is in.

Clarification: This is a status given by the ST's and as such from Didaskalos as it is his greater domain these locations fall within. To earn this status you have to spend a minimum of 4 downtime actions.

When boosting a Domain stat, which now that Dukedoms have all risen to a reasonable level, will take 1 downtime per level something will be raised to. If your Defence is at lvl 6 then It will cost 7 downtime actions plus other requirements to raise it.

The person seeking the Builder status has to do it all on their own. This means that no one can help them just because. They can use their own retainers or those of others that have been bought and paid for. They can force someone else to help them with a downtime action only through calling in boons and forcing someone to work for you (considered your effort by forcing someone against their own will).

Your coterie members can however assist you by letting you utilize their influence (if they have it in the area you are building), or by giving you non-tangible things. They just can not put downtime cations towards helping build or reducing the downtime actions required.

This is a acknowledgement of a sacrifice a player/character is making. They could be doing a lot of other stuff but have chosen to develop their personal character story through this. Expenditure to make a new Haven within is also required.

This also has to further the greater story, setting or your characters story in some way, not just be “because”.

Upping a Domain stat using personal xp is a player choice. Yes you get to say what it is but it really isn't character development. As such purchasing Domain stats with XP does not qualify someone to gain this status. Also, Building something as part of a punishment does not qualify.

Time frames may change based on story and ST factors. Good story reasons why something is needed may help or excess influences or other things may help.

If you feel you have done all this and were accidentally overlooked please speak to us.

These structures are to benefit the MORTAL populace and are generally under their sway. As such you need to find a way to implant yourself there. You either need a bunch of influence over the particulars or need part of it to be yours (A haven in it's midst).

A Library, College or University may have a section that is a private area and residence for you but the rest of the building is run and operated by the mortals it was built for. You can swing enough pull to shut it (or part of it depending) down for a night or two here and there if you wanted to use the library as a gathering point.

A Market is populated by Mortal Merchants. Without influence you are not really able to simply shut the entire thing down even if you built it. But within or adjoining the Market there are usually several buildings. One of these or part of one of these would be the Haven private portion. A area that you could use for gatherings and close down for such keeping Mortals away.

There are few things that you can actually own that still gives benefit to the Domain (and Mortals) but that you can also hold Domain/Laird over. Inn and it's surrounds such as the Shield of Safety or Jaak's Inn. It is a way point that draws caravans and business directly to the location it is on. Usually surrounding it other businesses open up. The catch is that once it is fully open to the public your resources or those of the Domain will take a hit if it is shut down.

Another example is a Castle. Something Large Scale that can house a good number of Domain Defence troops. In a case like this you would need it to be a large size Haven (purchased during it's construction not transferred from before), Guards, Staff.... Also, in order to be the Lord who owns the Castle you would need a mortal Identity. This can be got though different ways, the easiest is Alternate Identity. Or perhaps you have a retainer that is dedicated to just this, running it and being the Lord over it and you are the “shadow lord”

This is a EXTREEMLY powerful status and it gets harder to get as Domains become stronger. It shows an investment of character into it and generally becomes a defining part of the character. You are The Master in your own Domain, only beholden to those above you in Domain. If your domain is in Trento/Tridentine then the Duke of Lombardy, the Prince of Gaul and the Ard Rhi.

You are granted this by the Ard Rhi. But it can be taken away. A Prince can strip it for a Valid Reason. Failure to upkeep/maintain it, protect it and Treason are among some reasons. Taking what the Ard Rhi has given or forcing someone to do it... well, that is something political the think about.

Oh, and as for the Laird Status (part of the Builder Status), both the Ard Rhi and a Prince can grant it in their greater domains without all the effort to build something.


Passive: Laird (Innate)
- In recognition of your efforts you have been granted personal domain over the structure in question. Though it technically belongs to the Duke in the area you hold ultimate authority even over them in this structure (even if you move to another Domain). This authority stands even over the Duke while in this structure. You have the right to grant Sanctuary to any who reside within it. You can not be punished for anything you do while you are inside.

Spent: Connected (Innate)
- You can expend Builder at game to gain access to some standard item or commodity for the night (a crossbow, pile of torches, horse, tracking dog...)
- You can Expend Connected to use one Influence in another individuals Domain.

NOTE: The passive bonus of this status can be sold. The purchaser would gain ONLY the passive benefits and gains the status Laird. The Builder status itself is changed to Connected when the passive bonus is sold. A individual can hold more than one Builder, Connected or Laird status at a time. Spend bonuses improve effectiveness if more than one is spent at the same time.