Everything has a level in MyS^amp;D. This especially includes executive positions in the hierarchy. For example your typical bishop of a mostly rural bishopric is 6th level in the religious hierarchy, whilst an ordinary king is 12th level in the aristocratic hiierarchy. So how can a ordinary person, who is at most 4th level, occupy these postions?
The answer is regalia.
Regalia
Regalia is essentially a special outfit that boosts the character's statsuslevel when worn. As such it is essentially conidered tp be +0 magic otems made by a tailor. As such they give the character a status boost in appropriate situations equal to the normal bonus that the craftsman procvides. Since these are normally drefined by custom the appropriate bonus are predetermined, but require finding a tailor of the appropriate level. Fortunateley an ordinary tailor is considered to be common, so they are easy enough to find in an appropriate location that supports their existence. Assuming one can pay the raw material cost (which,given the technology of the time, woukld be heavily weighted towards the labour as wella s the materials' embroidery is very time intensive).
| Regalia | Bonus | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Royal | +5 | Royal City (A+) |
| Princely | +4 | Large City (B+) |
| Noble | +3 | Medium City (C+) |
| Official | +2 | Small City (D+) |
| Uniform | +1 | Town (D+) |
For example a bishop is considered a noble of the church, so the standard bishop robes provide a +3 bonus to the character's leve;, meaning the bishop of a rural diocese is at least 3rd level, whilst one of a rich diocese is at least 4th level. Being a ubiform of sorts, if the character is of hiher level they still hav to wear the robes even if they are already of the 6th level or higher. It will just make them more notable attendee at a bishop's conclave (perhaps leading to the idea that they deserve a more presitiod diocese).
However the +5 status boost provided by a king's robes of state is generally not sufficient to propel a 4th level character to 12th level. For that we need to combine it with a crown, which is a special piece of regalia made by a jeweller. Again, a crown is a +0 magic item made by a jeweller this time, but unlike most jewellry, because it is considered a uniform of sorts it provides its status boost in addition to the special outfit. So a royal crown, combined with a the robes of state, can increase a characters level by +10.
Note that regalia only needs to be worn in the appropriate ceremonial situation to "secure" a character's position in a social hierearchy. The memory of such occaisions is generally sufficient to cement the idea in the populace that they have a right to occupy that position. Although it is not that unlikely for ambitious members of the hierarchy to "forget" when the character is not in their regalia. On the other hand a 12th level character would have a sufficiently majestic aura to renmind people that this is the king without any special clothes.
The main reason for this is to price the cost of the regalia required of a position in existing game terms.
Special Outfits
Special outfits are single use regalia (the potions of the clothing world) for special events, such as a ball or attending court. They generally provide a status boost for that event only, allowing the attendee to mix more freely with their social betters. Ballgowns are a prime example of a special outfit. Again, they may be combined with jewellry for the purposes of providing a status boost
Tailors
A tailor is a craftsman that can make and repairs clothing with portable tools (although often they will occupy a boutique to sell the clothes with attached sweatshop to do the actual swing). A tailor with a shop is able to make the materials from which clothes are made. particularly magical clothes. However most tailors are ordinary craftsmen, in which case their skill level normally only determines the status bonus, and they are unable to make magical clothing,
An extraordinary tailor is able to amke magical clothing in a shop, using a loom as the equovalent of a smith's forge in the process.
- A +1 outfit is a magically perfect outfit. It is perfectly comfortable to wear, tough, and generally stain and weather reistant.
- A +2 outfit is generally carries a number of enchantments. Immunity to charm is a quite common one for royal or judicial robes, for example.
- A +3 outfit must be produced on an elemental loom charged with the appropriate elemental energies and will have the effects appropriate to the energies embued in the cloth. For example investing a bishops robes with holy energies would oprovide the wearer with protection from evil and a degree of magical immunity at the very least. Supernatural creatures would burn when they come in contact with the robes and would have difficulty maintaining a glamour in their presence.
- A +4 outfit will have some magical effect. For example a Cloak of invisibility which provides the wearer with true invisibilty (rather than just the glamour that is embued by a +2 outfit with an invbisibility ernchantment. It would need to be made on a magical loom specially made for the task.
- A +5 outfit provides a major magical benefit, For example Death's Cloak from the haeey Potter franchis is not just a cloak of invisibily, but can allow the wearer to travel anywhere. On the other hand using this ability is quite liekely to attract the attention of Death who might want to collect the cloak that was stolen from her.
While an outfit might have multiple enchantments it is common to place the approprioate enchantments on the appropriate parts of the outfit. Thus boots carry mobility enchantments, gloves manual enchantments, and so on. These are normally considered seperate magical items rather tan being part of a single ensemble.
Normal Outfits
Normal outfits generally give the character a reaction bonus when travelling, according to their value. Note that sumptuyary laws may restrict a character to wearing an oyfit appropriate to their social level.
| Outfit | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Outlaw | -4 |
| Slave | -3 |
| Peasant | -2 |
| Freeman | -1 |
| Townsman | +0 |
| Guildsman | +1 |
| Gentry | +2 |
| Noble | +3 |
| Princely | +4 |
| Royal | +5 |
| Imperial | +6 |
Note that a magical outfit proviodes a status boost at least equal to the degree of enchantment.
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