Originally posted by Tom Schoene:
The way I read it, each Rank Promotion earned during the Noble Prior History should elevate the character to the next title up in precendece. That means a +2 to Social Standing. So a Baron (SOC 18) will go to Marquis (SOC 20). But as a referee I'd have to watch that vry closely. It's theoretically possible for a Knight to be promoted all the way to Emperor.
In betweem I'd let Nobles use their Ability increases to improve SOC by single steps, so that a SOC 19 charcter is a "senior" baron, for example. No real game mechanical effect, but they get more respect amongst the nobility than "regular" barons.
The way I've pretty much decided to run this (which might change given some actual 'in-game' playtesting) is to have each increase in SOC be a single-point increase, but let that indicate that the title is commuted to being a hereditary title, the character has become the heir-apparent for their parent's title (usually one level above the SOCial position rolled), or the character is granted membership in a noble order along the lines of the British Order of the Garter, etc. The choice of which to grant the character will be based on roleplaying through moments of the PCs Prior History, but I seriously doubt I'm going to allow any PC to advance more than one or two titled levels beyond what they rolled up; they'll get additional knighthoods and Orderial memberships instead. And NOONE will be going higher than Count/Margrave.
Related to this, how do people feel about allowing Ability Increases from levels gained to increase SOC above 15? I know the text on page 35 says you can't, but it seems natural for a naval oficer (for example) to be able to boost their SOC to 16 (Knight) while in service.
This would definitely have to be something roleplayed out, but it will probably result in admission to an Imperial Order or Imperial Service Organisation without actually resulting in being granted a noble title.
Let me explain: In the same fashion that old religious orders such as the Knights Templar had both noble (Knights-Banneret, or Banners) and non-noble (Lay Brothers, or Sergeants) members, I'm going to (and, in previous games, have) run Imperial Orders and Imperial Service Organisations as allowing both noble and non-noble membership. This can sometimes result in a non-noble PC being given preferential treatment over a noble PC or NPC where the former's membership in such an organization is known by the person reacting to the party. This can be very fun to game out, especially if the Noble, non-order-member is a hard rival of the PC party and they can make him suffer without incurring immediate retribution.
But I really doubt I'm going to allow any PC to just slide their way into nobility like this. I might make them famous, such as a rock star or actor, but it's definitely something to roleplay.
Addendum:
Another take on the two-step SOC ladder is to conside the lower step a local nobility, gained from the Planetary Count/Sector Duke for whatever reason, while the next step up indicates Imperial recognition. This could rationalize why a Knight (SOC 17) can wield considerably more influence than a Knight (SOC 16).
Simon Jester