Regency Romances and Social Mechanics: Part 2

So, what does all this have to do with Regency Romances?

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies showed up on my On Demand recently which reminded me of a series of Wine and Savages posts about using Savage Worlds to run Regency style romances where were collected here. The social interactions in novels like Pride and Prejudice may be unfamiliar to a modern reader, as may be the  more regimented and hierarchical social structure of that period. Therefore a some social mechanics that support that style of interaction may be useful in the same way that Pendragon's Passions and Traits are useful for emulating characters like those in Mallory's Le Morte d'Arther. 

The swashbuckling and cape and sword novels and films that are the inspiration for Honor+Intrigue include romance similar to the sort of romantic and social struggles seen in Austen or newer Regency period romances. Most of the Boons and Flaws in Honor+Intrigue will also fit a Regency Romance. Depending on the amount of combat desired or expected, some of the combat oriented boons should be ignored and while some of the flaws may and should still be included, the GM may not want to allow combat oriented flaws to allow the selection of an extra boon. The following boons and flaws are particularly appropriate either for PCs or NPCs.

 

Existing Boons and Flaws (affect on Charisma in parentheses)

Boons: Attractive (+2), Beguiling (+1), Fearsome Looks (+2 Fear of Intimacy check for others), Knighted or Noble (+2)*

* Optional Rule with Social Ranks: Add 1/2 the difference in Social Ranks as a modifier to Charisma.

Flaws: Arrogant (-2 to target population), Braggart (-1), Infamous (-2),  Primitive (-2), Unsettling (-2), Untrustworthy (-2), Zealot (-1)

Added Boons (from Savage Worlds)

 

Charismatic

Requirements: Flair 1+

Your hero has learned how to work with others, even those who might be somewhat opposed to him or his goals. This adds +2 to his Charisma.

Very Attractive

Requirements: Attractive

Your character is drop-dead gorgeous. His or her Charisma is increased by +4 total.

New Boons

Casanova

Requirements: Flair 1+ or either Daredevil or Laugh in the Face of Danger

Your affections are easily given. You do not suffer the usual Charisma-based penalty to your Fear of Intimacy check (see Setting Rules), but your reputation has suffered for it. Instead of the GM rolling for an initial reaction table, targets of your seduction attempts always begin at Uncooperative (-2) -- or Hostile (-4) if they have personal reasons to dislike you.

Soul Mate

Requirements: Flair 1+ and character must have previously succeeded on a Fear check against Fear of Intimacy with subject (see Setting Rules). Cannot have the Flaw: Young.

There is one person in the universe with whom you can really speak your heart. You do not roll Fear checks when facing a situation that would call for a Fear of Intimacy check with this character. This soul mate may be a player or non-player character, but the benefits of this Boon are lost if the character dies (and is not resurrected by a Genesis Device or the Phoenix Force or something like that). At the GM's discretion, the Boon may apply to alternate universe versions of the soul mate. This Boon may be taken again to apply to a new character upon the death of the original soul mate (or if the setting is just into that kind of thing). 

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