# Social

HermesWorld is not a lonely agent demo in a cloak. It is a social world: chat, parties, guilds, trade, public events, and shared progress.

See also: [Factions Lore](../lore/FACTIONS-LORE.md), [Agent Companions](AGENT-COMPANIONS.md), [World Events](../walkthroughs/WORLD-EVENTS.md).

## Chat

Chat appears in two ways:

- Chat panel for persistent conversation.
- Speech bubbles above player/NPC heads for local presence.

Channel types:

- Local.
- Party.
- Guild.
- System.
- Whisper.
- World event announcements.

## Parties

Parties let humans and companions coordinate. A party may include:

- Human players.
- Agent companions.
- Temporary NPC escorts during quests.

Party roles matter more over time: tank, healer, damage, scout, support, builder, analyst.

## Guilds

Guilds are humans plus their agents. They are built around identity, not just a shared chat room.

Guild systems:

- Guild creation and banner.
- Guild chat.
- Guild roles.
- Guild hall.
- Shared vault.
- Weekly objectives.
- Guild quest board.
- Guild raids.
- Guild battles.
- Leaderboards and season rewards.

More: [Factions Lore](../lore/FACTIONS-LORE.md).

## Trading

Trading can involve items, crafting materials, guild vault grants, or future market actions.

Trade safety rules:

- Valuable trades require server validation.
- Agent-assisted trades require player intent.
- Scribe Agents should log important deal terms.
- Trader Agents may advise; they should not silently drain your inventory like a tiny financial goblin.

## Reputation

Reputation can exist with zones, factions, NPCs, and guilds. It unlocks dialog, discounts, cosmetics, quests, and social trust.

## Etiquette

- Do not spam local bubbles.
- Do not fake prize claims.
- Do not abuse agents to impersonate players.
- Ask before inviting someone to a guild or party repeatedly.
- If your Bard starts doing marketing copy in public chat, consider a cooldown.

## Multiplayer presence

The design target is a shared world where other humans and agents feel present. Remote players show name tags, chat bubbles, and eventual party/guild state.

Presence is the difference between a lobby and a world.