Aslan vs Human SOC

[Jump Dave]

The Mongoose 1st and 2nd versions of Aslan character generation provide a slightly different take on SOC, that defaults to the territory (TER) a character (or, in the case of females, their father/husband/eldest brother) has.

Die rolls are used to generate TER, SOC defaults equal to TER, and statistically the average TER/SOC is 3.17, although the most common value is SOC 0 (!); I wrote a program to calculate this:
https://js.do/ddyson/230259

SOC 2 corresponds to "average" status in Aslan society, with a ownership of a small home. By the time you get up to TER/SOC 6-8 (average in normal terms), an Aslan would be considered a minor noble. This all works fine for Aslan society, but imho it creates problems when humans are trying to do SOC-based tasks in Aslan space, or vice-versa.

There's no indication (that I've found) that an ordinary human would be treated as minor nobility in Aslan space, nor would an average Aslan be treated like a gutter rat in human space. It's especially problematic if you consider an Aslan from human space (i.e., generated using the Core rules) compared to one generated using the Aslan rules. With that in mind, I've created a table that maps Aslan SOC to human-space (Core rule) SOC:

Aslan SOC 0 = Human SOC 1-2
Aslan SOC 1 = Human SOC 3-5
Aslan SOC 2 = Human SOC 6-8
Aslan SOC 3-5 = Human SOC 9-11
Aslan SOC 6-8 = Human SOC 12
Aslan SOC 9-11 = Human SOC 13
Aslan SOC 12-14 = Human SOC 14
Aslan SOC 15 = Human SOC 15

This provides a way for dealing with these situations.

For example, an average Hierate Aslan with SOC 2 would be treated in human space like they had SOC 6-8 (DM 0), and vice versa.

Thoughts?

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I just leave things as is. Humans and Aslan are alien to each other. Not everything between them is understandable. No anthropomorphism of any kind.

 

[NOLATrav]

I like how T5 handles this. Aliens have “alien” stats sometimes, like Vigor instead of Endurance, Charisma instead of Social Standing and so forth. In all cases, the stat is divided by two to determine the sophont’s effective stat. So CHA 8 = SOC 4, or SOC 8 = CHA 4.

Regarding Aslan TER, I think the /2 formula still works in terms of perceptions and acceptance, interaction and expectations and the like. Seems like some good role playing opportunities could be found in the misunderstandings.

 

[steve98052]

I'm late to the party here, but there's also the matter of inter-species acculturation: humans who learn Trokh and habitually wear artificial dewclaws, Aslan who acclimate into a human culture, and even those who grow up in a mixed species society.

"Excuse me. I am a Dewclaw Darrian, not Aslan. My seven patents are the 'lands' that satisfy my pride. I speak only enough Trokh to calm foolish hostilities. But if you must have a fight, may I suggest a paintball duel?"

 

[Old School]

may I suggest a paintball duel?

Taking 'limited' war to a whole new level.

 

[Jump Dave]

The "divide by two" formula would work if both species' SOC had the same distribution curve, but Aslan SOC is heavily weighted at the low end - so this would put Aslan at even more of a disadvantage compared to characters generated via the Core Rules.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Thoughts?

Aslan and Human SOC are not the same thing. See aliens.