Level Title Tiers

So a feature of old dnd is level titles. At a certain level your fighter was a veteran or a hero. In modules and on tables you would meet six myrmidons and everyone know what level fighters they were.

In some senses, this is ok and good flavour but a bit overdone. Titles that change culture seem not so great. Titles granted by inheritance or class seem useless or misleading so I want that to be separated form these titles because I want experience-based titles rather than nepotism gained but both systems need to overlap at times. This did not always work so we have some different versions to at least give a choice between earned and given credit. 

Tiers of Power Levels
Tier 0 is for zero level characters starting out as greenhorn noobs
Tier 1 is for 1st to 4th level characters seasoned by conflict and adventure 
Tier 2 is for 5th to 8th level 
Tier 3 is for 9th to 12th level characters are
Tier 4 is for 13th to 16th level
Tier 5 is for 17th to 20h level

Some titles are from the hierarchical organisations may or not be competence-based. I found it hard to remove some of the ideas so tried to offer choices between say official crime guild vs gangs and bandits. Leadership is often expanded with level but I want room for incompetent zero level nobles leading a 4th lv sergeant and other foolish but plausible situations. But frequently titles imply someone is competent. I wanted these characters to have a variety of alignments too.

Possibly declaring you are emperor or king too early might upset the supernatural world and an angel might come to kill. I'm my game at 20th level supernatural beings and demigods facilitate a painful and tragic martyrdom and apotheosis for you if they can.

Professional competency-based titles granted peers within an occupational hierarchy
Giving someone a title before their time causes group schisms, mutinies, coups and worse
It can be done as an acting title and everyone knows it is temporary until a qualified applicant is found or the ruler grows into the roll. 

These are not really rules (but sometimes the public act on them anyway).

They are mostly lists of adjectives to describe levels of people through synonyms and for ranks in various hierarchies. Have fun with this don't bludgeon people with it.

Titles could be misleadingly applied to some people inappropriately for all kinds of reasons some of which are outright for deception.

Tiers
0 includes zero level characters
-the vast majority of common humans
-common person-of-arts d4 HP or person-at-arms has d6 HP
-players might choose to start this low for extra low thrill factor
1 includes 1st to 4th Level characters
-character going from risk-taking beginners to competent plunderers 

2 includes 5th to 8th Level characters
-character infamously dangerous fighter of monsters or armies
3 includes 9th to 12th Level characters
-character obtains land and title to buy their loyalty from the crown

4 includes 13th to 16th Level characters
-character renowned for supernatural enemies and travel to other worlds

5 includes 17th to 20th  Level characters
-character may plunder other worlds and face divine beings on the way to deification

Tiers I am using for some other reasons in gameplay so using them here like this kind of fits with other leveling benefits I have.

Partly from this at first, an upstart adventurer who has become rich and notorious and popular is offered land and title or job to settle them down and make them loyal and take oaths. Not accepting that land or using it makes the giver suspicious and insulted. After a while some adventurer has his plot grow like a goldrush town and more elites and the rulers may grow jealous or fearful of uppity adventurers. So factions against your character form and other factions think you would be a superior king and offer the help out because your 17th level and that guy who inherited the crown is only 7th level. So players have to play good nobles or risk becoming pariahs of those in power which can be tough. So maybe don't build a world wonder and outdo the current ruler too well. When they turn on you in fear you can smash their stuff and take it in retaliation.  

Assassins Guild
0 Butcher - cheap enthusiastic killer

1 Cut Throat - cold-blooded murderer

2 Killer - hunt enemies and kill in secret

3 Executioner - slay enemies of the crown

4 Death Lord - legendary slaughterers
5 Grandmaster Assassin - leader of the assassins guild                     

Bandit Gang
0 Desperado - people desperate enough to break law and risk their life
1 Ravager - professional plunderer
2 Marauder - roam the land and take what you please 

3 Outlaw - enemy of the crown or hero of the underdog
4 Highway Robber - flamboyant robber lord with grip on royal highways
5 Robber Prince - live like royalty and take what you want

Barbarian Horde
0 Thrall - servile workers who may become free
1 Warrior - wild independent  irregular
2 Berserker - fanatic enraged elite maniacs
3 Vanquisher - drives away enemies 

4 Destroyer - destroys enemies 

5 Conquerer - try and conquer the world

Beggers Guild

0 Pauper - someone lost home and family members desperate for charity

1 Scrounger - somehow eke out an existence according to guild rules
2 Vagabond - wander around and make people give you stuff
3 Master Begger - control the beggars of a trade town 

4 Beggar Lord - control the beggars of a city or region

5 Beggar King - control the beggers of the kingdom and press crown for charity

Craft Guild

0 Aspirant - underskilled labourer seeking training
1 Apprentice - student under a master to learn a trade
2 Journeyman - graduate who wanders and works trading their skills
3 Artisan - can operate own famous studio or workshop making royal goods  

4 Guildmaster - rules the local guild of a city or region

5 Grandmaster - rules over all the allied and united guilds of a kingdom

Cultist
0 Initiate - new recruits keen for thrills and excitement and power
1 Devotee - ready to spread the faith in secret and do as commanded 
2 Zealot - ruthless unquestioning follower of higher ranks commands
3 Occultist - expert in supernatural affairs by close proximity

4 Oracle - consults with the unseen cult masters beyond

5 Prophet  - bring the word of patron power at the head of your own cult

Diabolic Order

0 Hellion - has desperation , greed or desire to do anything
1 Vexator - rank and file of the cults elite robed kidnappers and guards 

2 Damned Fiend - leads a cult chapter and often has an imp

3 Diabolic Master - leads several cults over region may have hell hound or a hellcat

4 Adversary - unites cults to persecute and manipulate society, has incubus/succubus lover

5 Archfiend - working to establish hell on earth for masters and has guardian devil

Diplomacy Guild

0 Messenger - runner of messages and news
1 Agent - discreet and sometimes secretive and resourceful 
2 Herald - bear standard of a ruler and represent them
3 Ambassador - visitor to foreign rulers

4 Delegate - diplomat with voting powers in multinational asseblies

5 Minister - advisor and representative of the crown

Hunter Lodge
0 Survivor - someone with experience living in the wild, most don't survive alone

1 Scout - knows the land and beasts of local area and explorers 
2 Ranger - knows the land and beasts or a significant wilderness and its secret trails
3 Hunt Master - leads important hunts and rituals, master of a lodge

4 Beast Lord - master of all the beast in a vast domain 

5 Lord of the Wild - drives vast herds through hunting lands to feed the people   

Knight Order
0 Servant - begin early tests and live as a humble servant
1 Squire - assist your master in battle as a trainee knight
2 Knight - knighted by nobility to fight for the kingdom
3 Knight Errant - wandering knight performing quests and protecting a small fief

4 Knight Lord - manage an important territory for your liege and support them

5 Grandmaster Knight - command a grand order of knights

Mariner Guild
0 Sailor - basic crew of a ship responsible for many unpleasant dangerous chores

1 Mate - senior crew member good for beating new sailors into shape
2 Seafarer - experienced mariner for travel and war by sea
3 Master Mariner - worked in trade over a vast area 

4 Old Sea Dog - explored seas and many strange lands

5 Ancient Mariner - sailed to fantastic places and other worlds

Mercenary Guild
0 Recruit - basic training and guard duty
1 Soldier - professional military on the campaign, seen lots of blood 
2 Veteran - career troops for leading invasions with plenty of experience
3 Hero - mighty fighting folk who inspire whole units 

4 Champion - mighty fighting folk who inspire whole armies

5 Warlord - establish your own state where you want because nobody can stop you

Merchant Guild

0 Peddler - common mobile street sellers with a bag or pushcart
1 Shop Keeper - common store owner 
2 Dealer - trader in bulk good and trade caravans over a region
3 Master Trader -  trader in national and international goods

4 Patron - important influencer in a city markets and trade

5 Merchant Prince - so much wealth and influence you can live like royalty

Monastic Orders
0 Novice - new members learning basics
1 Disciple - accepted as student and formally take vows to ser
2 Adept - senior instructor or shrine tender
3 Master - senior teacher and leader of a small temple

4 Abbot - leader of order fortified chapter house size of a town

5 Grandmaster - leader of a whole order with wide influence

Noble Court 
0 Courtier - minor aristocrats mostly living as household and personal servants
1 Squire - assist and groom your master in the courts of important nobility
2 Knight/Dame - knighted for your deeds supporting nobility and crown
3 Lord/Lady -  rule a small fief and support your patron nobles

4 Duk/Duchess - rule an important territory and hold a state office

5 King/Queen/Prince/Princess - gain a royal title

Priest Order
0 Initiate - humble shaved beginner into the holy life
1 Acolyte - manage a small shrine or assist a priest
2 Priest - manage a temple with 
3 Bishop - manage a greater temple or region of small temples

4 Archbishop - manages a large region for the church

5 Hierophant - lead the religion from the holy throne

Public Notoriety
0 Unknown - you're known by the people you have lived with and a few locals
1 Noted - your name has come up with some impressive deeds sometimes
2 Renowned - your fame is growing and bards sing about you
3 Famous - name level and nobility have heard of you and invited you to court

4 Glorious - royalty now your name and seek your support

5 Legendary - people far away and even supernatural beings know of you

Scholar

0 Student - sworn to celibacy start a course or serve under a master

1 Undergraduate - well progressed in studies 
2 Batchelor of Arts - completed equivalent of 4 years study
3 Master of Arts - completed study and enter a specialisation like law

4 Doctor - considered an expert, often a famous teacher in university

5 Chancellor - manages a university and deal directly with the crown 

Sea Raider
0 Thrall - servile workers who may become free
1 Viking - raider on sea raiding vessel
2 Karl - personal retinue and sevant of Jarl
3 Jarl - leader of the local population

4 Thane - king over several territories

5 High Thane - king with distant trade and colonial reach

Street Gang

0 Runner - start off doing chores to impress a gang

1 Hoodlum - gang footsoldiers for enforcing and fighting
2 Mobster - leader of gang chapter over a few blocks
3 Boss - leads your own major city gang

4 Kingpin - control and influence city gangs and crime 

5 Overboss - control network of gangs that influence the nation

Templar Order
0 Convert - the new member has felt the holy calling
1 Brother/Sister - warrior clerical order soldiers
2 Knight - ranking officer with some responsibility on order
3 Master - command a chapter house of order

4 Marshal - command the battlefield army of the order

5 Grandmaster - command the whole order

Witch Coven

0 Maiden (Jack) - beginer awaiting tests to memberships

1 Sister (Brother) - begin to study orders secrets
2 Beldam (Warlock) - competant witch with own territory and small coven
3 Priestess (Priest) - leader of several covens in area

4 High Priestess (High Priest) - ruler of a circle of regional covens

5 Witch Queen (Horned King) - ruler of witches over a nation or region

Wizard School
0 Student - promising literate student being tested
1 Apprentice - serving a master to learn (some become adventurers instead)
2 Adept - a competant graduate able to take students
3 Sage - a great teacher with own tower or teaching post at university 

4 Magister - senior teacher and specialist in some feild
5 Magus - pinacle of power you can do as you please