To me, titles and SOC are independant.
SOC is the Fame of the character, combined with the Social Skills of the character, nothing more. If you can talk your way out of a tight situation, time and time again, you'll become famous in your own circle. If you're in the public eye, that SOC applies both to your own circle and that of the general public (if it's too high, expect adoring fans, right when you're trying to sneak in through customs with those illegal weapons or drugs).
Titles, you're either born to or you earn... doesn't matter if you're a SOC 12 rogue - you'll not be a nobility unless your father was or unless you have a damned good reason for it. If you want to play a noble, either you're going to be cut off from your funds or you'll be playing a Dilattente, in my book... a naval character will have probably either done so behind their parents back (involking a cutoff clause) or will have parents who "earned it the hard way, so he can damned well do so too", in which case he'll likely be cut off in any case.
Reynard: you're quite right to point out that high level businessmen and politicians are, as far as they're concerned, nobility (they don't get the land grant, but for all the other perks...) which makes me baffled why someone earlier said that the UK grants too many titles - all the title is, is an acknowledgement from the Queen that someone has served their country and deserves some recognition... they can't pass it onto their children these days, so I fail to see the problem. Historically, though, titles were passed out among the nobility like sweets to kids - partly as a way to keep them happy and from thinking how great it would be to be king... nowadays we live in a "classless society" so the upper class is supposedly gone (it's not, but it is starting to drift into the US-style celebrity/businessman upper class where money is all that matters).
I'd use the table in the MRB as a guide as to how much the player can get away with, eg "Do you know who I am?", rather than expecting the title, land grant (and hence income) and duties from being a noble. Being a noble, a player would likely be tied down to a family home or palace for most of the time administering the lands he was granted in the name of the next-highest noble - hardly fun, which is why most nobles are disowned, cut off or younger siblings in RPG games.
A quick note - younger siblings, historically: The eldest son inherited the lands, so was groomed to be the successor. The second-born was traditionally inducted into the church. Later sons were, basically, spares and had no inheritence. This pretty much filtered down through the classes, but with fewer and fewer going to the church as you get lower (the lack of ability to read was likely one reason). Daughters were expected to cement alliances and treaties by marrying.
Of course, in the 3rd Imperium, with equal rights being what they are, you may find that you have a high SOC character. Fine - just tell them that they're the 4th child of whatever noble they rolled up, so aren't entitled to a thing, but have an arranged marriage to some backwater noble's daughter (or son), so took to their heels. That's where noble-born rogues come from - no money, used to a high class of living and a good reason to try to make themselves scarce.
Oh and since they wanted the title, despite a lack of income, you'll expect them to keep themselves at a level befitting their rank, or their SOC rating will drop at the rate of 1 per month that they're living at a sub-standard and to keep the approriate standard will be expensive. You might be surprised at just how quickly some players will drop the idea.
SOC is the Fame of the character, combined with the Social Skills of the character, nothing more. If you can talk your way out of a tight situation, time and time again, you'll become famous in your own circle. If you're in the public eye, that SOC applies both to your own circle and that of the general public (if it's too high, expect adoring fans, right when you're trying to sneak in through customs with those illegal weapons or drugs).
Titles, you're either born to or you earn... doesn't matter if you're a SOC 12 rogue - you'll not be a nobility unless your father was or unless you have a damned good reason for it. If you want to play a noble, either you're going to be cut off from your funds or you'll be playing a Dilattente, in my book... a naval character will have probably either done so behind their parents back (involking a cutoff clause) or will have parents who "earned it the hard way, so he can damned well do so too", in which case he'll likely be cut off in any case.
Reynard: you're quite right to point out that high level businessmen and politicians are, as far as they're concerned, nobility (they don't get the land grant, but for all the other perks...) which makes me baffled why someone earlier said that the UK grants too many titles - all the title is, is an acknowledgement from the Queen that someone has served their country and deserves some recognition... they can't pass it onto their children these days, so I fail to see the problem. Historically, though, titles were passed out among the nobility like sweets to kids - partly as a way to keep them happy and from thinking how great it would be to be king... nowadays we live in a "classless society" so the upper class is supposedly gone (it's not, but it is starting to drift into the US-style celebrity/businessman upper class where money is all that matters).
I'd use the table in the MRB as a guide as to how much the player can get away with, eg "Do you know who I am?", rather than expecting the title, land grant (and hence income) and duties from being a noble. Being a noble, a player would likely be tied down to a family home or palace for most of the time administering the lands he was granted in the name of the next-highest noble - hardly fun, which is why most nobles are disowned, cut off or younger siblings in RPG games.
A quick note - younger siblings, historically: The eldest son inherited the lands, so was groomed to be the successor. The second-born was traditionally inducted into the church. Later sons were, basically, spares and had no inheritence. This pretty much filtered down through the classes, but with fewer and fewer going to the church as you get lower (the lack of ability to read was likely one reason). Daughters were expected to cement alliances and treaties by marrying.
Of course, in the 3rd Imperium, with equal rights being what they are, you may find that you have a high SOC character. Fine - just tell them that they're the 4th child of whatever noble they rolled up, so aren't entitled to a thing, but have an arranged marriage to some backwater noble's daughter (or son), so took to their heels. That's where noble-born rogues come from - no money, used to a high class of living and a good reason to try to make themselves scarce.
Oh and since they wanted the title, despite a lack of income, you'll expect them to keep themselves at a level befitting their rank, or their SOC rating will drop at the rate of 1 per month that they're living at a sub-standard and to keep the approriate standard will be expensive. You might be surprised at just how quickly some players will drop the idea.
