Social Standing

SOCIAL STANDING (SOC)

The sixth (of six) characteristics or attributes in a Universal Personality Profile (UPP) expressed in standard hexidecimal (base 16) notation (0-9, A-H).

Social Standing attribute 9 (nine) and above indicates imperial, royal, noble, aristocratic, or similarly high-level standing.

(Tables for 3I Social Standing can be found in T5, p. 67.)

Social Standing is a function of several factors, beginning with circumstances of parentage and upbringing, education, professional advancement, and service to the RI.  Personal virtues, accomplishment, and reputation can increase it and disgrace and failure will diminish it. 

SOC indicates standing in the interstellar community, whether 3I, RI, or other.  In the RI, the official final arbiter of SOC is the Crown, however in practice it is delegated as a part of the protocol function performed by the Lord Chamberlain and the Executive Office of the Crown (EOC), whose published guides to protocol include formal precedence.


RI Social Standing

SOC Equivalent
0   Underclass, Fugitive
1   Convict, Ex-Convict
2   Indentured
3-5 Lower Classes
6-8 Middle Classes
9   Lower Upper (Low Gentry)
A   Middle Upper (Gentry)
B   Upper Upper (Sub-Peerage)
C   Baronial/Baronetage
D   Vice-Comital
E   Comital
F   Ducal
G   Principal
H   Imperial

Appointment to crown office, award of a university degree, and guild mastership are deemed sufficient under crown protocol for an individual to arrive at the port of gentility/gentry (i.e., grounds to apply for a common grant of arms), which is a minimum of SOC-6.

Characters with SOC below 6 (six; Low Middle Class) who are commissioned (or warrant) officers of the IN, IA, IM, or other RI military and naval forces; 
OR who complete a university undergraduate degree; 
OR who are rated Master of an official guild; 
receive +1 SOC.  Only one of these modifiers will apply to any one individual.

Characters with SOC below 7 (seven; Mid Middle Class) who are promoted to Field Grade officers of the IN, IA, IM, or other RI military and naval forces; 
OR who complete a university graduate degree;
receive +1 SOC.  Only one of these modifiers will apply to any one individual.

Characters with SOC below 8 (eight; Upper Middle Class) who are promoted to Flag or General Officers of the IN, IA, IM, or other RI military and naval forces;
receive +1 SOC.

Characters invested into RI orders of knighthood (IKM, IKC, or CKR) are raised to SOC "B" (Upper Upper Class, Knightage).

Characters invested with the prenominal "The Honorable" (Hon.; NM, MM, CM) are raised to SOC "b" (Upper Upper Class, Esquirage).


RI Nobility
SOC Equivalent
a   Gentry 2d degree
A   Gentry 1st degree; 3I Gentleman
b   Hered. Sheriff (Esquire/Esquiress); Hon.
B   Hered. Magistrate (Knight)
c   Hered. Marshal (Baronet/Baronette)
C   Hered. Prefect (Baron/Baroness); Life Baron; Magnate
D   Hered. Proconsul (Viscount/Viscountess); Imperial Viscount; High Magnate
E   Hered. Governor (Earl/Countess); Imperial Count; Grand Magnate
F   Hered. Viceroy (Duke/Duchess)
G   Crown Consort; Prince/Princess
H   Hered. Crown (Imperator/Empress)