Fame

Fame & Infamy Fame is of great importance in the Pirates world, as it separates the heroes and villains from the masses. To be a hero, one needs to be noticed. Fame is a catch-all term, covering wealth, social standing, reputation, and anything else that gets a hero noticed by society at large. A hero’s Fame reflects not only his position in society, but the esteem in which he is held, and his ability to affect those around him. Your hero’s Fame starts at zero, but can be affected by Edges and Hindrances as well as by his or her actions during the course of the game.

Fame or Infamy? Fame can be positive or negative, depending on whether you wish to dabble in heroic or larcenous activities. Negative Fame is referred to as Infamy, and such a character is described as Infamous. Of course, Infamous characters don’t have to be bloodthirsty murderers. They may be a victim of circumstance, or a gentleman pirate whose activities are deplored by the powers that be. However, there is a fine line between gentleman piracy and outright villainy. A player character may gain Infamy, but if he drops below the threshold on the table on page 93, his character becomes a true villain. The player forfeits his character, who becomes an NPC under the GM’s control.

Fame vs. Charisma While Charisma is based on appearance and personality, it can also be modified by Fame. People are more likely to take notice of a famous person, regardless of his physical appearance or manners.

Fame vs. Rank A hero’s Rank is a measure of his experience, although it does incorporate a degree of fame. Rank is a by-product of earning Experience Points, which aren’t always linked to heroic (or despicable) deeds. Sure, the hero may rescue the governor’s daughter and gains fame, but if he commits acts of torture in doing so, shouldn’t he be punished as well? Using Fame allows a character to shape his own destiny by deliberately performing heroic deeds. Even a character who doesn’t earn many Experience Points can still become famous by getting himself noticed.

Do I Know You? Famous characters are well-known, and even in an age without rapid communication, their description and deeds are common knowledge throughout the Spanish Main. To see if a character is recognized, either by accident or by bragging about himself, have the other person make a Smarts roll. There’s a +1 bonus for every 10 points of Fame or Infamy a character has (rounded down).

Example: Jack Hawkins (with a Fame of –35) is walking through Cartagena when he bumps into a squad of Spanish soldiers. They make their Smarts roll, and add +3 for Jack’s notoriety. Jack had better hope the guards haven’t been reading the wanted posters recently.

Gaining Fame Fame is measured with Fame Points, in exactly the same way experience is measured with Experience Points. Characters can rise to become famous heroes or infamous villains, or else they can slip into ediocrity. Exactly what earns a character Fame, or reduces it in the case of Infamous characters, is up to the GM and should be based on a character’s background. For instance, a noble will lose more Fame if found cheating at cards than a scurvy pirate. However, a few bonuses remain constant, as shown below. Positive bonuses always make a character more Famous and move him upward from zero or negative totals. A character with –20 Fame who gets a +5 bonus moves to –15 Fame. Likewise, negative Fame modifiers lower the score. The same villain would move to –25 if he earned –5 Fame. Fame or Infamy requires an action to be noticed and become common knowledge. Murdering someone in secret doesn’t cost the character any Fame, but neither would secretly rescuing the governor earn him any.

Fame Event

• 1-3 For completing an adventure. This can be a positive or negative modifier, depending on the character’s actions and the goal of the adventure.
• +X For taking certain Edges or Hindrances.

Using Fame Being famous or infamous has its perks, as well as its drawbacks. A hero may use his Fame to influence other people, as shown on the Fame Benefits Table. The table entries are described below.

Fame Benefits Table

• Fame................Benefit
  • –40............Character becomes a villainous NPC under the GM’s control
  • –39 to –30.....Reward
  • –29 to –20.....Connection
  • –19 to –10.....+1 to Intimidation and Streetwise rolls
  • –9 to +9.......None. The character is unknown to the world at large.
  • 10-19..........+1 Charisma
  • 20-29..........Connection
  • 30-39..........Reward
  • 40-49..........Minor Enemy
  • 50-59..........+2 Charisma
  • 60-69..........Followers
  • 70-79..........Connection
  • 80-89..........Major Enemy
  • 90-99..........Sidekick
  • 100............+4 Charisma

A character only benefits from the bonuses of Fame or Infamy—not both.

Example: Peg Leg Dave finally reaches 30 Fame. He now has +1 Charisma, a Connection, and a Reward. He doesn’t gain the +1 Intimidation Infamous characters have, however.