Manipulating Reputation Tables
Things that can manipulate your players’ reputation tables (usually NPCs, sometimes monsters). Usually their manipulations will be local to their area or settlement.
The Slanderer
If offended, the Slanderer adds a lie on the party’s table. If egregiously offended, they add 1d6 lies over the next several weeks or months. These can be removed of the Slanderer is made to publicly retract them.
The Gossip
Roll on the reputation table upon meeting the Gossip. A result rolled is duplicated to another entry. There is a 3-in-6 chance this new entry is mutated. On a 1 it “explodes” adding yet another copy.
The Bard
Similar to the Gossip, but with a profit motive. Roll on the reputation table when the party enters a settlement. On a result the party’s reputation proceeds them, and the Bard has already spread their deeds adding another entry to the table. There is 4-in-6 chance the deed is exaggerated, becoming more heroic or scandalous.
The Bard can spread this reputation wider than most: any entries added also go on neighboring reputation tables (or larger tables).
The Bard can be paid to spread your renown. They can also act as a supercharged Slanderer if crossed.
The Renown Thief
Eager to claim your glory for themselves. Roll on the reputation table, if the result is positive or neutral but impressive, make a note next to that entry with the NPC’ name. They are claiming that deed for themselves and denounce other claims to it as lies. Clever renown thieves will fabricate some evidence of their completing the task.
The Starry-eyed Fan
Usually young and naive, or easily impressed. Roll on the reputation table; on a result that is positive or impressive they become enamored with the party. They add a lie to the reputation table in the party’s favor. There is a 3-in-6 chance this deed is something obviously beyond the party’s capabilities. On a 1, this explodes, and the fan adds yet another false entry.
The Historian
The historian is interested in setting the record straight for posterity. Or a record anyway. Bring corroborating evidence of one of your deeds to them and they will record it in their official record. This spreads the deed to other locales / adds them to bigger tables.
There is a 4-in-6 chance the deed recorded is slanted in such a way as to favor the local authority or power structure (make a second entry in the table with this altered form). The lower the roll the more egregious these changes are.
The Repairer of Reputations
Likely supernatural and/or magical. The Repairer of Reputations does not require a roll on the reputation table; they keep a ledger of all deeds in the area. They can strike a deed from your table — for a cost. This may be coin, or a nefarious quest (probably in the service of repairing someone else’s reputation). If you are caught performing this second deed not to worry, the Repairer can help with that too. Just one more little task…
If the Repairer of Reputations is killed their manipulations start to come unraveled, and striken deeds are again associated with those who committed them. This not only affects the party but the wider area, creating chaos as people’s ill actions come to light.
The ledger contains the truth of all deeds in the area.
The Eater of Memories
Definitely supernatural. Can eat deeds given willingly, removing them from the reputation table and all memories in the world. This may leave inconsistencies and gaps in the history of events.
The Eater of Memories doesn’t discriminate between good and bad deeds, but does prefer more widespread ones. More memories to eat are more filling. However, if fed once it will become attached to the party as a source of food, and it’s always hungry. It follows them begging and whining incessantly to be fed growing louder and more insistent as time goes on. If killed it just returns the next day or whenever it is inconvenient. It can be driven away by feeding it lies, which makes it retch and flee. It is forever your enemy afterwards.