Core Aristocrat
A scion of one of the Core's old families -- bloodlines that predate the Nine and survive by making themselves indispensable to the Nine.
A Core Aristocrat is a member of the old families: bloodlines that held wealth and influence before the Nine consolidated power and survived by adapting. They are the social layer above the corporate structure -- the families that own the land the corps build on, the names on the hospitals, the seats on the Confederation council that the Nine cannot buy because they were never for sale.
An Aristocrat is an elite social encounter: charming, connected, and utterly convinced of their own superiority. They are not fighters; they are the people who hire fighters. The lever is their reputation -- an Aristocrat who is humiliated in public loses the one thing they cannot buy back.
Rules Reference
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Abilities / Cha | 20 |
| Abilities / Con | 10 |
| Abilities / Dex | 12 |
| Abilities / Int | 16 |
| Abilities / Str | 8 |
| Abilities / Wis | 12 |
| Armor Class | 15 |
| Base Attack Bonus | 3 |
| Creature Type | Humanoid |
| Flat Ac | 14 |
| Hd Count | 4 |
| Hd Sides | 8 |
| Hit Dice | 4d8+4 |
| Hit Points | 22 |
| Hp Bonus | 4 |
| Initiative | 2 |
| Morale | Unsteady (8); the Aristocrat flees at the first sign of real violence; will negotiate from any position if cornered |
| Psionics | None |
| Role Tags | Face, Leader, Political |
| Saves / Fort | 3 |
| Saves / Ref | 4 |
| Saves / Will | 7 |
| Senses | Normal human vision; social awareness grants +6 to Sense Motive in social situations; passive Perception 14 |
| Size | M |
| Skills / Bureaucracy | 11 |
| Skills / Deception | 14 |
| Skills / Intimidation | 13 |
| Skills / Knowledge Corporate | 11 |
| Skills / Notice | 8 |
| Skills / Persuasion | 15 |
| Skills / Sense Motive | 12 |
| Skills / Streetwise | 7 |
| Speed | 30 |
| Threat Rating | 3 |
| Touch Ac | 12 |
| Xp | 400 |
| Dialogue Path | game/dialogue/npc-core-aristocrat.yaml |
Notes
Full Attack: Holdout slug pistol ranged +4 (1d6 energy; range 30 ft; concealed) or Ceremonial Blade melee +2 (1d6 slashing)
Habitat: Core worlds, glitter-world enclaves, orbital stations, and the private clubs and gardens where the old families gather. Found at social events, in private negotiations, or visiting the Nine's boardrooms. Roll 1d6: 1-2 = Aristocrat at a social event (charming, untouchable), 3-4 = Aristocrat in a private negotiation (calculating, dangerous), 5-6 = Aristocrat in the Rim on some personal matter (out of their element, nervous).
Languages: Core Standard (formal, accentless); Trade Cant (conversational); two Family trade dialects; Confederation council cant; one alien trade language
Resistances: Social protection (attacking an Aristocrat in a Core social setting triggers immediate security response), Family name (+4 to saves against intimidation from anyone who knows the family)
Tactics: The Aristocrat does not fight. They delegate. They use Social Gravity to control the room, Patronage Network to bring in muscle, and Reputation Destruction to destroy the most dangerous social target. If violence becomes inevitable, they use Entitled Insistence to buy time and retreat behind whoever they brought. An Aristocrat who is physically cornered will offer anything -- money, influence, a favour -- to survive.
Treasure: Ceremonial blade (family heirloom; 2,000 rek as artefact, 5,000 to the family as ransom), jewelled holdout slug pistol (500 rek), aristocratic clothing and jewellery (1,500 rek), family signet ring (priceless to the family; 500 rek to anyone else), encrypted personal datapad (social intelligence, family secrets; 2,000-10,000 rek to the right buyer), 5d10 rek in personal funds.
Vulnerabilities: Non-combatant (the Aristocrat has no combat skills; a physical fight is a death sentence), Reputation-dependent (humiliation in public is worse than death; the Aristocrat will capitulate to avoid exposure), Isolated (outside Core social settings, the Aristocrat's influence evaporates)
Attacks
Holdout slug pistol
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
bonus | 4 |
category | ranged |
damage | 1d6 |
damageType | energy |
name | Holdout slug pistol |
notes | Jewelled, concealed; the Aristocrat has never fired it |
rangeFt | 30 |
Ceremonial Blade
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
bonus | 2 |
category | melee |
damage | 1d6 |
damageType | slashing |
name | Ceremonial Blade |
notes | Family heirloom; worth more than most ships |
Special Abilities
Social Gravity
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
actionCost | passive |
name | Social Gravity |
description: The Aristocrat's presence reshapes any social encounter. All Charisma-based checks gain +4 in Core social settings (parties, courts, negotiations). The Aristocrat can make or break reputations with a word; NPCs with social standing will defer, fear, or curry favour. Player-visible: the room changes when the Aristocrat walks in. Conversations pause. People straighten.
Patronage Network
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
actionCost | Swift (1/encounter) |
name | Patronage Network |
description: The Aristocrat calls in a favour from their network. Choose one: a Legion officer arrives in 1d4 rounds with a fireteam, a corporate Executive intervenes with a legal shield, or a socialite creates a distraction (all Perception checks at -4 for 1d4 rounds). Player-visible: the Aristocrat makes one call. The response is immediate and professional.
Reputation Destruction
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
actionCost | Full-round (1/encounter) |
name | Reputation Destruction |
description: The Aristocrat targets one creature's reputation in a Core social setting. The target must make a DC 16 Will save or suffer permanent social damage: -4 to Persuasion and Deception in Core settings until the target spends 1,000 rek and 1d4 days on damage control. Player-visible: the Aristocrat leans to the person beside them and whispers. By tomorrow, everyone will know.
Entitled Insistence
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
actionCost | Standard |
name | Entitled Insistence |
description: The Aristocrat demands compliance from one creature. The target must make a DC 15 Will save or comply with a reasonable request (step aside, reveal information, allow passage). The Aristocrat genuinely does not understand refusal. Player-visible: the Aristocrat stares at you as if you have misunderstood something fundamental about the universe.