Social Standing.....Monthly Costs.....Spending Multiplier
Lower Class
Luckless Bum.....150 gil.....x0.5
Average Bum.....300 gil.....x0.5
"Successful" Bum.....600 gil.....x0.5
Poor Adventurer/Merc.....800 gil.....x0.75
Poor Farmer/Countryman/Failing Merchant.....1000 gil.....x0.75
Poor Townsman.....1300 gil.....x0.75
Middle Class
Average Merc/Adventurer.....1500 gil.....x1
Average Farmer/Countryman.....1700gil.....x1
Average Townsman/Poor Merchant.....2000 gil.....x1
Well-to-do Farmer/Average merchant.....2500 gil.....x1
Upper Class
Rich Merc/Adventurer.....3000 gil.....x1.25
Poor Noble/Landholder.....3500 gil.....x1.25
Rich Townsman/Gentry.....4000 gil.....x1.5
Average Noble.....5500 gil.....x2
Rich Merchant.....7500 gil.....x3
Rich Noble.....10000+ gil.....x4
Monthly Cost: How much member of this class must pay a month to survive and (if applicable) keep up appearances. At the lowest levels, it represents getting enough food to survive. As one moves up, things such as home maintenence (or inn fees), taxes, and such are worked into the equation. At the higher levels, 'necessary' frivolities are factored in for the sake of keeping up appearances.
Monthly cost only considers the necesities of survival, bills that much be paid, and things to maintain status. There are a number of things that aren't necessary that can be added on top of it. Extra clothing for personal use, weapons, ammunition, potions and magical items, foodstuffs above and beyond the norm, and suchforth.
Many factors can raise or lower monthly costs; the values above are a general guideline, not absolute limits. It comes down to what a person deems necessary. A rich yet miserly merchant may eat coarse, low quality food to save money. A bum may well have a weakness for high quality wine (Perhaps he was an average townsman before the drink ruined him?). A rich noble may well inflate his costs by retaining a band of actors.
Spending Multipier: This is how much a member of a social class must spend to obtain extraneous goods (those not in monthly cost) that are befitting of that social class.
For example, if a luckless bum wants to purchase a dagger, one befitting his imporvished state (and likely all he can afford) will be a crappy one that will easily break, or one that is very old and damaged. However, such a weapon will not befit a rich noble, whose dagger will have to made of fine materials and be properly engraved to properly reflect his status and wealth. An average noble's dagger will be slightly less ostentatious.
It is important to note that high quality does not mean master work. A rich noble's cost inflation comes from extra work to make the item aesthetically pleasing, not super effective. The two are mutually exclusive (Though most masterworks are made to be of noble quality anyway.)
However, nothing save lack of money prevents one from buying an item that is above or below their station. Were a bum to somehow scrape together enough to buy a dagger made with a rich noble in mind, he certainly can. However, a bum with that kind of weapon is going to stand out. Conversely, a duke may well buy a dagger intended for a farmer and keep it about his person. But if there isn't an immediate reason (And maybe if there is), this will be regarded as rather gauche by other nobles, while commoners may wonder if the Duke is going broke.
Brief Class Explainations
Lower Class: In general, they have no expectations from society.
-Luckless Bum: A beggar who does not scrounge enough to eat as often as needs be. Their monthly cost reflects the minimal amount of food needed to survive. Failing to meet this cost may well result in death from starvation or malnutrition. They may well die if the elements become too harsh.
-Average Bum: A bum who manages to eat fairly regularly, thanks to the generousity of others; or eats poorly and can afford cheap liquor.
-"Successful" Bum: Their begging is successful enough that it allows them to not only eat well, but also to get a cheap room at an inn if needs be. Or to eat somewhat better and live in the streets all the time.
-Poor Merc/Adventurer: Only a step away from poverty, these sorts are looking at eviction from their inn or hostel soon.
-Poor Farmer/Countryman/Failing Merchant: Something of a catch-all poor rural class living in homes roughly put together or falling apart. Poor farmers barely grow enough to keep themselves fed, and may maintain a couple of animals. What little profit they turn, if any, is quickly eaten by demands for new equipment and repairs. Poor Countrymen are those who live outside of towns without farming (rangers, druids, hunters, and the like) and have fallen on hard times, but still have a roof over their heads. A failing merchant is no longer turning a profit, and about to go out of business.
-Poor Townsman: Ranging from the slum-dweller to the oppressed lower class. These urban people make more per month than their country counterparts, but pay more for food and possibly taxes, as well as rent.
Middle Class: These are, in general, expected to not look poor. Eating like a hobo, enjoying bum wines, and using crappy equipment will seem out of place.
-Average Merc/Adventurer: They have no home, but are in no danger of being evicted from their current residence. They can afford good food, and are expected to have decent equipment.
-Average Farmer/Countryman: This farmer can turn a small profit, is no real danger of starvation (barring bad weather), and will normally have a decent home. The average countryman will be able to forage and/or hunt enough to eat, while living comfortably in whatever they call home; be it a log cabin, a cave, or something else entirely.
-Average townsman/Poor Merchant: The Average townsman is generally skilled laborer. Normally, they will know at least something of a specialize trade. Other times, they may just be very successful at plying a more mundane trade, such as a well-loved waitress or a shop employee who works with a successful store. Sometimes, an average townsman will own his or her own home. The poor merchant is equivalent to an average townsman, making only a small profit on average.
-Well-to-do Farmer/Average Merchant: Blessed with good land, good weather, and/or a hearty dowry or inheritance, the Well-to-do farmer seldom worries about starvation, and can usually get a significant profit each season; often they will own large herds or fields and may employ fieldhands. The average merchant can match that prosperity, often getting a profit and gaining a lot of respect and a fair deal of jealousy from the classes beneath her.
Upper class: Society has a lot of expectations of the Upper class. They are expected to dress well, eat well, and quality homes and possessions. Having less than this will seem odd, and doing so for too long will normally result in losing face in one respect or another with society. The higher ranks of the upper class may well spend much more than their monthly maintainence.
-Rich Merc/Adventurer: A wanderer whose work has paid off well. They almost always have some form of permanent residence. Typically, they will opt for finer clothing, foods, and possessions, wanting to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
-Poor Noble/Landholder: The Poor Noble belongs to a titled family that was once wealthy, but has fallen upon hard times. These nobles struggle to keep up appearances whilst dealing with the financial reality; generally other nobles regard them with degrees of disdain. A landholder is a farmer, or descendant of a farmer, who has done well enough he no longer needs to farm at all; others do so for him on his land.
-Rich Townsman/Gentry: The rich townsman is a professional, be it a white mage of skill, a learned scholar, or a blacksmith who makes items befitting noblity, whose craft has made them quite wealthy. They dress well, almost always own their house, they eat high quality foods, anc can probably retire comfortably. The Gentry are just a step below nobles; often they have some measure of local power as mayors, councilmen, and suchlike.
-Average Noble: In some places, they hold political power. In others, they are essentially a line of successful merchants with a title. The average noble is expected to maintain the appearance of wealth through living and eating very well, entertaining guests, and perhaps sponsoring a skilled artist. Nobles who fail to live up to this are often disdained by their peers.
-Rich Merchant: Through guile, skill, luck, and/or inheritance, the rich merchant has risen to a position of wealth that rivals that of the noblity. Sometimes accepted by the titled classes, and sometimes snubbed, the rich merchant's power and wealth cannot be denied in the end. While they usually lack true political power, they can wreak enough economic havoc to get their way much of the time. Because of this, rich merchants are often blamed, fairly and unfairly, for the troubles faced by the lower classes.
-Rich Noble: Often, the only difference between a rich noble and a rich merchant is a title and political power. Rich nobles often stand just below the ruling powers of the country in wealth and influence. They are expected to maintain a very high standard of living, as well as social responsibility. All eyes are upon these nobles, making certain they maintain standards.
Perception of Wealth, Social Mobility and Intermingling of Classes.
The perception of one's general class (Lower, middle, or upper) is based upon how wealthy the person seems to be. A noble can disguise as a hobo, and if they're good, they can pull it off. A hobo who somehow gets enough money can pose as a Duke; with the same qualifier for acting skill. Generally, one is expected to act as wealthy as they seem. If one is dressed like a poor farmer, people will expect this person to act like and be a poor farmer. However, if it is revealed this farmer happens to have a million gil, people are going to be very suspicious for this person not making an effort to live better.
One can also ignore the social norms, if they are willing to deal with the social consequences. As such, should one buy items above or below their social class too often, they will be percieved as being odd and usual. Depending on how they act, they may be seen as social pariahs, exceptionally lucky/unlucky, miserly or wastrel in the extreme, or pleasantly quirky; it all comes down to the individual and the situation.
Failing to meet monthly costs very quickly causes a loss of status. It may well cause loss of property,luxuries, and social respect; or could result in homelessness, or even starvation. The reason for missing the cost may well invoke pity or derision of society in general; a member of the Gentry going suddenly broke and losing her house may been seen with pity, while a merc who goes homeless due to buying ammunition rather than paying rent will likely be disdained and mocked. However, personal charisma and convictions may well guide society's perception in a different way. Should the bankrupt gentry member be a known scoundrel, there will be much less pity. Should the mercenary be a resolute, moral, and/or generally friendly person, his poverty may well earn him a sort of respect.
It is noteworthy that some Maintainence Costs, like taxes, carry legal repercussions if not paid.
Generally, one can change social class (Though society may frown on it and not acknowledge it). Nothing stops a rich townsman from going suddenly bankrupt due to a disaster and taking to the streets as a bum. A poor merc may well find a spectular treasure and use it wisely to become a rich merchant. Usually, it is easily to move from higher to lower, rather than the other way around. It is usually expect
A change in social class may take time to be noticed. It'll take months for society to recognize a poor adventurer becoming an average townsman. Conversely, people are going to notice very quickly should a poor farmer suddenly buy a manor house and live as an average noble.
In some places, such as Doma, there is no real social stimga for differing classes to mix. It's not considered stange for a nobleman to drink with the lower class (Though it may not be considered wise, either). A beggar may not be denied audience with a noble simply due to his status; though the situation will be considered very unusual. Without a very good reason to be there, the beggar may be chased away.
In other lands, notably Therney, the rift between the upper and lower classes is very present. In such places, it is considered very gauche for the upper class to mix with the lower class; doing so even once may result in general shunning. It will be dangerous, possibly illegal, for the lower classes to try and mix with the upper classes.
Conclusion
In general, the chart is a suggested guideline. Costs can vary from individual to individual, and from situation to situation. RPed characters often defy social norms, and may not fit into the chart neatly. A noble may well live like a commoner out of disgust with the noblity, if nor for the sheer hell of it. Generally, if one defies a class norm to live another, he or she will be viewed as the lower of the two classes; and as an odd duck in general.
Use the chart to enhance characters, not confine them behind numbers. Use it to get a general idea of how much they spend and how much they need to earn to live as they do. Use it to get an idea of how society percieves them. Don't distort them to accept a social norm for thier class that is OOC. The point is to make characters better and more believable, not warp them into something else. <p>-------------------------------------
</p>Edited by: Uncle Pervy 
at: 10/13/04 10:56 pm
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