Reputation representation refers to four criteria or relative rankings, embodying the accumulated "reputation" and "ideals" attained - as a whole - by all members of a particular Divine Order. This results in each God having an ever-changing rank (in any city or town wherein their followers are found) relative to the other divinities in each of the four criteria of representation. Guilds have a similar tally (see HELP REPUTATION and HELP IDEALS) but this does not potentially impact the future of a city's political landscape!
The four criteria of "reputation representation" are:
i. reputation-and-ideal accumulations
ii. skillworth and professional attainments
iii. fightworth, combatrank and altruistic-demonstration
iv. numbers and Order active presence: home-and-abroad
Since it is usual for deity realm and divine role to be naturally closer to the ideals and precedent of one city over another, the Order of the divinity tends to rank higher in one or more of the "reputation representation" criteria in those sympathetic cities. This tends to have a knock-on effect and most cities end up with up to half a dozen Gods well-represented and typically a consensus between the deities to defer to the city's chosen patron as the only God able to exert direct influence/involvement in the city's day to day affairs. City patron is chosen by the Prince (see HELP PATRONAGE) and usually appoints the Cardinal, through whom the God enacts divine mandate and - when necessary - influences flow of city affairs.
The Prince, as representative of the Crown, is able to type REPRESENATIONS to gain insight into the reputation representation of all divine Orders, across the entire pantheon, for his/her homeland.
High Priest privilege confers REPRESENTATIONS ALL and REPRESENATIONS HOME, two commands to keep tabs on the reputation of the Order in Avalon. The former gives an overall idea of the highest ranked Gods in the various representation categories in all towns and cities wherein the Order has a follower; the latter provides detailed insight into all Order representations by reputation (amongst other categories) in the home city of the High Priest.
The Cardinal rank is bestowed - usually - by the city patron (see HELP CARDINAL) since the patron of a city is often dominant in terms of Order represenation reputation or retains, at the very least, sufficient rank to be 'in the mix' with other divinities whose Orders are large and influential in the citizenry. If the city patron falls dormant, however, or if a single God attains top rank in all four "reputation representation" criteria then this deity inherits the privileges otherwise reserved for the city patron: including the Cardinal appointment. The precise criteria vis-a-vis city patron and most-reputation-represented deity is a matter for the Gods and will not be discussed here.
See also: HELP REPUTATIONS, HELP GOVERNMENT, HELP PATRONAGE and HELP CARDINAL.
