[Basic] Social Stigmas

jacobmuller · 07-13-2013, 06:04 AM

A plague wiped out most humans. A wizard created a cure but there was a price. She had also created chimera of several beasts: semisapient, widely used as menials. She was a victim of torture and mutilation by cruel men. Her plague cure uplifts her "children" and alters humans. Magery becomes more common. Some new "Magi" decide they should rule. Many die in the Magi Wars.
So Humans are a minority but revered; and not men as we know them. Chimera are majority but low class. Some are carnivores so feared. Magi must be licensed to practice but are suspect.
Not sure where to go with Status and Stigma.
Can you have multiple specific Minority or Second Class Stigmas?
Thank you in advance for wakeup calls:D

Humabout · 07-13-2013, 09:52 AM

Humans sound like they have Social Regard, not Stigma.

I would probably make a Social Stigma (Chimera) and a Social Stigma (Mage), both akin to Second Class Citizen. I've done multiple minorities before, but I rename them to represent why the person is a minority (by ethnicity, "foreigner," race, etc.). This lets you bundle in any other social stigmas that a member of that group also has. I don't think I'd ever let a person take two Minorities, though. If anything, I'd just increase the reaction penalty on the prominent one by -1 and give him an extra [-5] points for it. Now, if the stigma from belonging to a certain group doesn't arise from their relative rarity in the reference society, then by all means, tack on Minority, too; it represents somethign other than what is already being accounted for.

For your example, an uplifted carnivorous menial might be Social Stigma (Monstrous, Uplifted) plus Low Status and Low Wealth. One member could also have a really good Reputation, and a splash of Social Regard that nets them a +0 reaction modifier or better, too. The social modeling in GURPS is beautifully capable of hitting on the intricacies presented by society. If you don't have GURPS Social Engineering, get it.

jacobmuller · 07-13-2013, 02:12 PM

I have Social Engineering but haven't had the time to do it justice in reading.
You reckon it's okay to use the Stigma effects and just change the name? That'd be good enough.
There will be instances of Chimera+Carnivore+Mage. As for chimera+carnivores, they are a minority but not monstrous, maybe just Quirk OPH.
Second Class Citizen = Chimera and Minority = Carnis might do.
The Mages are really Second Class Citizen+License to Practice or Secret: Unregistered Mage {discovery will add the second class plus Criminal Record).

Revered humans might be right. Though there are "trailer trash" humans. Is Revered plus Bad Reputation doable?

Humabout · 07-13-2013, 05:58 PM

Should work. Rather than directly equate each stigma to an existing one, consider how much impact it has on reaction rolls. Each stigma you're making is essentially original. It can incorporate other things, if you need it to.

Magic requiring a license to practice legally is a campaign feature, although having the license is a Perk. Not having the license could certainly be a [-5] Secret.

Humans are revered for what they are - humans. This wouldn't interfere with a particular human having a bad Reputation. Especially since Reputations don't always come into play. When his does, he'll have a lower reaction modifier, but it might still be +0 or better, depending on how many levels of each he has. Think of an elderly person with a reputation for being bitter and nasty. He might have +1 Social Regard (Venerated) in some cultures plus from -1 Reputation (Pain in the Butt).

David Johnston2 · 07-13-2013, 10:02 PM

Well if the stigma is more severe for carnivora chimarae, then that's a separate stigma in its own right. "Chimera Carnivore"="Monster" rather than "Minority". SInce there are no carnivores who are not chimera, the two combine. the However being "feared" isn't necessarily a worse modified then being held in contempt. You could end up with Social Regard as a result of feared after all.

It is possible to have more than one stigma though. One can be black, and a woman. A gypsy and an ex-con. An illegal alien and a mutant.

07-13-2013, 06:04 AM	#1
jacobmuller Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Not in your time zone:D	[Basic] Social Stigmas A plague wiped out most humans. A wizard created a cure but there was a price. She had also created chimera of several beasts: semisapient, widely used as menials. She was a victim of torture and mutilation by cruel men. Her plague cure uplifts her "children" and alters humans. Magery becomes more common. Some new "Magi" decide they should rule. Many die in the Magi Wars. So Humans are a minority but revered; and not men as we know them. Chimera are majority but low class. Some are carnivores so feared. Magi must be licensed to practice but are suspect. Not sure where to go with Status and Stigma. Can you have multiple specific Minority or Second Class Stigmas? Thank you in advance for wakeup calls:D __________________ "Sanity is a bourgeois meme." Exegeek PS sorry I'm a Parthian shootist: shiftwork + out of country = not here when you are:/ It's all in the reflexes

07-13-2013, 09:52 AM	#2
Humabout Join Date: Aug 2008	Re: [Basic] Social Stigmas Humans sound like they have Social Regard, not Stigma. I would probably make a Social Stigma (Chimera) and a Social Stigma (Mage), both akin to Second Class Citizen. I've done multiple minorities before, but I rename them to represent why the person is a minority (by ethnicity, "foreigner," race, etc.). This lets you bundle in any other social stigmas that a member of that group also has. I don't think I'd ever let a person take two Minorities, though. If anything, I'd just increase the reaction penalty on the prominent one by -1 and give him an extra [-5] points for it. Now, if the stigma from belonging to a certain group doesn't arise from their relative rarity in the reference society, then by all means, tack on Minority, too; it represents somethign other than what is already being accounted for. For your example, an uplifted carnivorous menial might be Social Stigma (Monstrous, Uplifted) plus Low Status and Low Wealth. One member could also have a really good Reputation, and a splash of Social Regard that nets them a +0 reaction modifier or better, too. The social modeling in GURPS is beautifully capable of hitting on the intricacies presented by society. If you don't have *GURPS Social Engineering, get it.* __________________ Buy My Stuff! *Free Stuff:* Dungeon Action! Totem Spirits My Blog: Above the Flatline.

07-13-2013, 02:12 PM	#3
jacobmuller Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Not in your time zone:D	Re: [Basic] Social Stigmas I have Social Engineering but haven't had the time to do it justice in reading. You reckon it's okay to use the Stigma effects and just change the name? That'd be good enough. There will be instances of Chimera+Carnivore+Mage. As for chimera+carnivores, they are a minority but not monstrous, maybe just Quirk OPH. Second Class Citizen = Chimera and Minority = Carnis might do. The Mages are really Second Class Citizen+License to Practice or Secret: Unregistered Mage {discovery will add the second class plus Criminal Record). Revered humans might be right. Though there are "trailer trash" humans. Is Revered plus Bad Reputation doable? __________________ "Sanity is a bourgeois meme." Exegeek PS sorry I'm a Parthian shootist: shiftwork + out of country = not here when you are:/ It's all in the reflexes

07-13-2013, 05:58 PM	#4
Humabout Join Date: Aug 2008	Re: [Basic] Social Stigmas Should work. Rather than directly equate each stigma to an existing one, consider how much impact it has on reaction rolls. Each stigma you're making is essentially original. It can incorporate other things, if you need it to. Magic requiring a license to practice legally is a campaign feature, although having the license is a Perk. Not having the license could certainly be a [-5] Secret. Humans are revered for what they are - humans. This wouldn't interfere with a particular human having a bad Reputation. Especially since Reputations don't always come into play. When his does, he'll have a lower reaction modifier, but it might still be +0 or better, depending on how many levels of each he has. Think of an elderly person with a reputation for being bitter and nasty. He might have +1 Social Regard (Venerated) in some cultures plus from -1 Reputation (Pain in the Butt). __________________ Buy My Stuff! *Free Stuff:* Dungeon Action! Totem Spirits My Blog: Above the Flatline.

07-13-2013, 10:02 PM	#5
David Johnston2 Join Date: Dec 2007	Re: [Basic] Social Stigmas Well if the stigma is more severe for carnivora chimarae, then that's a separate stigma in its own right. "Chimera Carnivore"="Monster" rather than "Minority". SInce there are no carnivores who are not chimera, the two combine. the However being "feared" isn't necessarily a worse modified then being held in contempt. You could end up with Social Regard as a result of feared after all. It is possible to have more than one stigma though. One can be black, and a woman. A gypsy and an ex-con. An illegal alien and a mutant.