Relationship

"Levels, feats, experience, skills, gadgets, magic items… These are the things a power gamer craves.

They're missing out.

Connections. That's what leads to true power in a game."

- Darths & Droids

Shifts and Tiers
Contacts can more broadly be described as relationships. Here we present several options for you to flesh out your relationships, elevate their place in society, have more useful skills, be more available to you, and other ways to customise your contacts. All relationships broadly fit into the categories of associate, buddy, or companion. The following guidelines allow you to shift the strength of that relationship, their availability, their socioeconomic position in society, their talent, resources, location, and other factors. These shifts are represented by various tiers, with additional options presented thereafter. Some items will gain you a shift. These are things that reduce the relationship's position, capability, or usefulness. These shifts can then be spent on that tier or another one to increase the contact's abilities and merit.

Availability and the strength of the relationship
A new level of relationship is added: devoted. These are relationships even stronger than companions, and can be viewed as an upgrade to companions. Devoted companions are only available via spending shifts on this tier. These relationships are pretty much always at your side. They are twins, lovers, devoted handmaidens, guard dogs, sidekicks, and protective ghosts. Devoted contacts will typically do whatever you ask of them, but may baulk at something suicidal or especially heinous. Devoted companions can only be acquired by increasing the strength of the relationship via shifts or by roleplaying actions during game play. They are not selectable as a contact of 'any level' during character creation.

You can make contact with someone you have a relationship with on a roll of 10 or greater on a 1D20. Companions are easier to reach and are more willing to go out of their way. The roll to contact and sway them gets a +4 bonus. Associates are harder to find and convince, receiving a -4 penalty to this roll. Devoted relationships are automatically available: they're right there standing next to you. For most people, this is a straight 1D20 roll, but it can be an appropriate proficiency check, based on the nature of your relationship, and the type of help requested.

Note that different shifts can change this. Someone could be your bestest, bestest buddy, but is never around, always gained from shifts is ±2 from the above values. For example, a buddy could be adjusted to gain a +2 bonus on the availability check with one shift, or a companion could get a total +6 with one shift spent. There's a ceiling of automatic availability for devoted companions with a total +10 bonus (which costs three shifts), and a floor of no availability for associates with a total -12 penalty (gaining four shifts). Any lower and you'd need to substitute the default roll for some sort of skill check that has huge bonuses. (See business associate on the Competency tier.)

The strength of the relationship (whether they are a buddy, et cetera) and their availability are adjusted separately. You can gain two shifts by reducing them from a companion to a buddy, or a buddy to an associate. The converse is true as well: you may spend two shifts to increase this tier by one category. Availability is based on the strength of the relationship, which may then be shifted independently. A companion's willingness and ability to help can be increased to devoted with two shifts. Similarly, up to six shifts can be gained by decreasing the availability tier. You are really only screwing yourself this way, however. Other circumstances later on could reduce availability further, so be careful. A buddy can be shifted to a -2 availability penalty to gain a single upgrade shift on another tier, -4 (dropping them to an associate) for two, and -6 for three tier shifts. In other words, one shift alters the availability roll, a second shift alters the relationship category.

Please note that, as with most bonuses in the Midian Dark Fantasy Roleplaying Game, bonuses apply to the roll, rather than the target value you are trying to beat. Availability checks are typically once per session, but for an extended duration you can check weekly.

The strength of a relationship, and the associated availability, can degrade over time. This typically happens from lack of contact, but abusing the relationship can also be detrimental. After two years of no contact, a companion slips down to become a buddy. Buddies drop off to associate status after a decade of not seeing one another. These timelines may seem long, but remember the slowness of travel and communication in the Midian setting. Also, if the relationship is truly at an elevated level it will weather some distance just fine.

Competency
The base bonus for one of your contacts to perform occupational or class-related activities is a +6. This is on a 1D20 roll with a target value based on the difficulty of the task, much like a proficiency check, which, half the time, it is. This more or less represents three levels of skill, a +1 attribute bonus, and a final couple of points from a trait, better tools, or a synergistic skill. Unlike a regular skill check, this is abstracted. This is how well the contact can perform their job or do what it is that they do. As such, even if their job description is the same as a basic or apprentice skill (such as a carpenter) the same roll is made.

Most of the time you don't have to worry about the contact making a competency check. If you are asking your blacksmith buddy to make you a birdcage, or your cousin to put you up for a couple of nights, no roll is necessary. The availability check handles most mundane things just fine in one fel swoop. Getting ahold of them, and them saying, "yes," can be taken care of on the one roll. The competency roll is for unusual or difficult circumstances. They may be totally willing to help, but life doesn't always work out the way we want it. Examples of when a competency roll is needed would be having a diviner spy on an enemy, getting a necromancer to custom design an Undead minion for you, or asking your syndic friend to get you an audience with the duke.

While you cannot gain multiple shifts by having grossly incompetent friends, you can spend shifts to increase this tier. Each one upgrades the competency roll by +3. One level of incompetence can be gained, but no more. You can trade a shift at the cost of no competency bonus at all. That means that even mundane tasks require a ten or better on a skill check, and the extraordinary ones cannot even be attempted at all.

Additional skills or capabilities can be given to your contacts. Each shift spent adds one skill. More difficult or highly specialised abilities may cost extra. I'm afraid we're going to have to let the Game Master work out the cost for the truly unusual stuff on her own. A martial artist instructor who is also a syndic (the better to run their school) might cost you two shifts, three if it's more than a single level of syndic. For another example, giving your pocket-picking rogue buddy telekinesis and non-detection would cost you one shift for each skill, but having a high-level necromancer who is willing to show up at a moment's notice and drop army of the damned on your enemies would cost 1.2 metric fucktons of shifts. These additional skills start out with no bonus, but may be upgraded independently. That is, the aforementioned rogue could gain +9 on the telekinesis competency checks for three additional tier shifts.


 * Authority: This relationship is with someone with some measure of official authority.  They may have law enforcement powers, privileges of a knight or noble, import authority on the docks, or may be a tax official.  They might not have people under them (authority in that sense) but have rights and power in accordance with their jobs.  This costs one shift.  There is likely to be limits to the authority, as well as obligations.


 * Business associate: Also applicable to any level of a relationship (including devoted companions) this one is contacted via a skill check.  The upside is that you can add in your skill levels and other applicable bonuses.  The downside is that you have an inherent -4 penalty on the availability check, and must roll against this skill everytime.  The skill used with this option depends on the nature of the relationship; administration is most likely, but diplomacy, or distinguished expertise, even predation, are possible.


 * Courtier: Just by hanging out with a witty, popular, and attractive person, you might learn some of their secrets… okay, you might get a few makeup tips at least.  For two shifts you gain an additional social skill or upgrade.


 * Drill sergeant: This contact taught you something about taking care of yourself.  For every three shifts spent, you learned a new martial skill or upgrade from this contact.


 * Inhuman: Not all relationships are with people; this one, for instance.  You have an animal partner.  This could be a stray cat that hangs around (while keeping all of the rodents, snakes, and spiders away) as long as you don't mind it sometimes leaving mouse heads on your doorstep.  It could be the owl that you sometimes see (never hear) keeping watch over you at night, no matter where in the world you travel—the owl that you could swear was the reincarnation of your grandmother, or possessed by her ghost.  Maybe it's the wolf that follows you every time you leave town, keeping a respectable distance, but attacking any other predators that may threaten you.  Or, maybe you just took this option to get a warhorse on the cheap.  There are no shifts involved with this option:  the benefits and downsides pretty much even out.  Keep in mind that animals are not very bright; they pretty much do whatever they want.  A successful availability check means that the wolf from the example above is shadowing you, not that you can command it in combat.  If you want a pet that is always available when you need it, like say, a guard dog, buy availability shifts up to Devoted, or just buy the damned thing with cash.  See also the pet option under the Resources tier.


 * Intractable: It's not that they can't do something, it's that they often won't.  Relationships with this person can be difficult.  In exchange for one shift on this tier, and one shift on any other, you need to make a separate Availability check to see if you can convince them to help.


 * Sorcerer's apprentice: Not only is your contact a mage of some power, but they taught you one of their tricks.  For every four shifts spent on this option you have learned a new mystic skill or upgrade.  Note that you do not need this option to have a spellcaster as a contact.  That's a regular job for our purposes.


 * Technical techniques: You have learned a technical skill from this contact, or reduced the cost of a skill suite by one skill, at the cost of three shifts.


 * The Jimi Hendrix Experience Points: Most people—half of them, in fact—are first level.  Without this option, your relationships will be with people of fourth level or lower.  Trading in one shift makes this contact fifth level.  Two shifts is ten levels.  Three shifts is fifteenth level, and so forth, adding five levels with each successive shift spent.  For multi-class contacts, you can divide these levels up as desired.

Groups
For contacts who have groups under their control, see big boss and sovereign under the Position tier.

Other names you can use for your retinue include: attendants, band, cabal, cabinet, camp, cartel, clan, clique, club, council, courtiers, crew, cronies, entourage, escort, fellowship, gang, groupies, horde, host, inner-circle, league, mob, posse, retinue, sodality, staff, thayn, thegn, toadies, tribe, or vassals.

I doubt that this will ever become a factor, but there is a limit to the number of relationships a character can have. Yes, we're talking about the monkeysphere. In game terms, the maximum number of contacts that a character can have is twelve times their Personality or Knowledge, whichever is higher. The strength of these relationships (associate, buddy, et al.) do not matter. There are only so many relationships you can track at once. The reverse is not true: there is no limit to how many people could consider you a contact, in a non-reciprocal relationship. That is, you are their contact, but they are not necessarily one of yours.


 * Any friend of Rick Loper's is a friend of mine: Sometimes relationships can involve small circles of people.  Getting ahold of this one typically means getting in touch with another contact first.  You must first make a successful availability check with another contact before rolling for this relationship.  However, the bonus is that you can pick any convenient contact, and it doesn't have to be the same one each time. One shift is gained to be used on any tier.


 * Band of brothers: Only applicable to companion level contacts, you can trade two shifts for three existing relationships to be with members of your retinue.  These are devoted companions, constantly at your side.  These are your best mates, perhaps even closer to you than your fellow player-characters.  Even if you are not the de jure leader of this group, you are at least the first among equals.


 * Delayed gratification: Once you have achieved high level, you are by definition an experienced character with many battles under your belt. Bands of followers will now flock to your banner, pledging their allegiance. You get your very own cult of personality, loyal army, or throngs of groupies. By waiting until ninth level for these fans to appear, you double their numbers. This doubling is after any other additions from this tier. See also torchbearer for another type of delayed contact.


 * Ensign: Rather than a junior naval officer, these are your banner-men, cornets, khorunzhyi, signifers, and standard-bearers.  These contacts have sworn allegiance and carry your pennant or symbol into battle.  They are members of your extended retinue.  This option is a combination of henchman and alliance.  Any relationship strength can be used, and availability is not altered with this option.  The cost is one shift, but in exchange a shift is gained on this tier as well as the position tier.  You do not pay your ensigns, and only need to share spoils with them in battles or other events in which they directly participate.  These relationships are also long-term and formal, as with other alliances.


 * Family: Ties of blood, marriage, or adoption define this relationship.  The chief advantage of family is that you are stuck with one another.  Even when you burn that relationship, you are still related.  You are still family, and still have other relatives in common who can bridge that gap in your network of contacts.  Then again, the obvious chief disadvantage of family is that you are stuck with one another…  Family gains you a shift; immediate family is worth two.  This isn't so much a 'family sucks' joke as instead it represents that you have more to spend on upgrading those relationships.  Kin are often the strongest relationships, especially in less civilised areas.  The likelihood that a particular type of contact can be made is stronger in relationships forged in blood, marriage, and adoption; and they are more willing to assist you.  After all, you're family.


 * Followers: Minions, baby!  You have a cohort of soldiers, cultists (or a cult of personality), dedicated guildmembers, a gang of thieves, a knightly lance, a faithful congregation, maybe even a praetorian guard.  Like Andre, you have a posse.  You have a crew; you got people.  These are your retainers; you are in charge of this group.  You have a strong degree of responsibility to this group.  Depending on the nature of your relationship, this could include financial support, maintaining the group's honour, bailing them out of jail, or saving their souls from the flames of Hell.  Some followers expect a paycheck (a garrison of soldiers for your castle) while others do not (cultists don't, and a street gang only expects a fair cut).  Unlike regular employees, they are loyal to you, not just their paycheck.  To start with this contact option is expensive.  Two shifts are spent just to purchase this option.  The number of minions gained is the number of additional shifts, cubed.  That is, for four shifts you get eight followers (two, then two cubed).  For five shifts you get 27 in your retinue.  Six shifts merits you 64, and so on.  If only three shifts are spent a single minion is gained, making this option not economic in this instance.


 * Henchman: This relationship is a close ally and loyal companion, a sidekick.  This option only applies to companion contacts.  At the cost of just one shift their availability and the strength of the relationship increases to devoted.  These retainers expect a fair wage, or at least a half-share of any spoils.  You are responsible for their upkeep and well-being, in any case.  This is in the Group tier because you are adding this contact to your adventuring group, and because most people who want more than a single sidekick tend to gather at least a half-dozen in their personal retinue.


 * Host: You want a whole crapload of people at your beck and call, don't you?  Well, we all do, but you have made it happen.  This option stacks with the followers option above.  The differences are that you get three times as many people, don't know them all personally, and there is a solitary reason why they are part of your extended retinue.  While they may be somewhat more loyal than simple hirelings, if you stop paying them (soldiers under your banner) handling their spiritual needs (your congregation) get arrested (if you are a mob boss) or providing lots of plunder (your horde) then your host will ghost.


 * International: For three shifts the group with whom you have a relationship—or the contact with control of their own group—has an international presence.  You can get in touch with them pretty much anywhere.  As it's hard for people who live on other continents to know one another's faces fulfilment of a request may take up to a month.  This is especially true if your contact is the leader of the group, rather than the group itself.


 * Occult: The true nature of this group contact is hidden from the world-at-large.  It may be completely hidden—like a pack of Vampires—or it may have a public face with a secretive agenda—such as the Brotherhood of the Pact.  If you are a Companion of the aforementioned guild of hidden lycanthropes, you can publicly admit such, but cannot divulge their true nature or what goes on in closed meetings.  It's a secret to everybody.  These groups tend to be widespread (gaining one shift on the Location tier) but are inherently lacking in prestige (dropping the group a level on the Position tier).  The added stress of keeping your contact's true nature (or even existence) a secret, and the benefits of having a relationship with such a shadowy organisation, pretty much cancel out.  No additional shifts are gained or lost.


 * Patrons: For every contact that you spend on this option (note:  full contact, not just a shift) you get four patrons, and this doubles with every subsequent one.  That is, one contact is four patrons, two gets you eight, three contacts is sixteen patrons, four contacts spent merits you 32, and so on.  However, these contacts care about you for only one thing.  These are the fans of your band, the drunks at your bar, or the repeat customers for your leg-breaking service.  They can still be big supporters.  A companion level fan of a band might travel scores of miles to see a performance, or act as a free roadie.  This fan is pretty much just interested in your musical talent, moreso than you as a person.  This can change over time, however, and this is handled per individual rather than all the patrons collectively.  Contacting your patrons can be problematic; they are usually the ones seeking you out, albeit for a rather specific and recurring purpose.


 * The Verek Clanguilds are your friends: This relationship is with an entire clan, guild, or other sizeable group.  You're a friend of the family.  You and the leader of this organisation (if there is such) know one another at least somewhat, but your relationship is with the group as a whole.  That is, unless you can claim that leader as a separate contact.  You are on friendly terms with most members—maybe even on a first-name basis—and are at least recognised on sight by pretty much all of them.  Any given member counts as a free contact at one level lower than the strength of your relationship with the group proper.  That is, if you are the buddy of a guild, each guildmember is effectively an associate.  It's a sort of pseudo friend-of-a-friend thing.  Group contacts are useful; they cost three shifts.  If you are a member however, like if the relationship is with your extended family, this only costs a single shift.

Location

 * Active: Some people are hard to find. They may be constantly busy &/or mobile, always on the go. These dynamic and itinerant people are usually willing to help their friends (part of why they're always so busy) and typically quite good at their jobs.  One shift is gained on the Competency tier, and one to be spent however you wish.  Unfortunately, you need to make a second Availability check just to see if you can get ahold of them.


 * Calling: You do not need a summoning circle to conjure your contact; you can do so with a word.  This is generally only applicable to major or greater entities.  The word or phrase need not be their true name, nor does it have to be some long and unpronounceable word of power.  It can be anything that the entity chooses.  The word only works for you, though.  Having the ability to instantly transport a powerful being of magic to you costs six shifts, in addition to any costs for the entity itself.  As with summonable, the entity isn't fully controlled by you, and in that regard acts as a regular contact.  The availability roll does not need to be made.  Also see outlander under the Other Options tier.


 * Girlfriend in Canada: This relationship is with someone in another country or province.  You do not need to be more specific than this, though other options of this tier may require a more precise location.  You gain a shift for this tier or any other.


 * Hard to get ahold of: The strength of the relationship shifts up one higher, but they might be hard to find; availability shifts down one category.  For example, a buddy becomes a companion, but are only as reachable as an associate.  They are almost always willing and able to help, but getting ahold of them to ask is the tricky part.


 * Hard to reach: You know where they're at, you just can't always get to them.  There may be guards or secretaries who don't like you, your contact might always be busy, or they spend too much time blackout drunk.  You need to specify their location at least to the city, diocese, governance, or similar, and have a -4 on the availability check.  You gain three shifts in exchange, usable on any other tier.


 * Homebody: This contact is easy to find.  You know right where they'll be, and can pretty much always get ahold of them if you need.  You need to at least narrow their location down to a city, diocese, governance, or equivalent area, but gain a +5 on the availability check.


 * In a galaxy far, far away: Your contact is in a distant town, at least a month's journey away.  To help you maintain this long-distance relationship, you gain two shifts to be used in any tier.


 * Landed: Your mate owns some property.  They might have a large chunk of land out in the country without close neighbours, or at least older folk with poor hearing and eyesight who don't complain much.  Maybe your contact has a spare bedroom and doesn't mind you staying over for a few weeks.  Or, you might know someone with a big farm, who will feed you and your buddies as long as you don't mind sleeping in the barn and helping out around the place.  This option costs one shift.


 * Mobile: Not only is your contact able to travel, they are willing.  Regardless of the time it takes for you to get in contact with them, and for them to come to you, this person will go that distance.  This costs two shifts.


 * Next town over: Your relationship lives in another town.  Getting ahold of them may take a few days.  You gain one shift for this inconvenience.


 * On a boat: Your relationship is with someone with access to transportation.  They may own their own ship, have free access to a Pony Express type route, or operate a caravan escort service.  (Read into that what you will.)  Regardless of the nature, they are willing to transport you for free, or at least for a greatly reduced rate.  This costs one shift.


 * On the road: You can always leave a message for them at home, it just may be months before they come back to get it.  This is a reliable contact, but that's part of the reason why their time is in such high demand.  Shift up three levels in any one tier, but the response time is 1D12 months.  But hey, they always get back to you that year!  That's something, right?  As a subsidiary bonus, this relationship takes three times as long to degrade.


 * Stable address: A shift can be gained for added detail.  Specifically, you know the exact location of your contact's home &/or office.  For example, your relationship is with the Aerenidae LIII (pronounced 'Lilly').  She lives on the second floor of Henhouse I in Citadel.


 * Summonable: Most relationships are with other people.  For this one, the term is used rather loosely.  You know an Extrinsic, Fae, or similar being, as well as the necessary summoning circle.  This allows you to bring them to you within a few moment's time.  This costs four shifts.  Note that all such magics require some sacrifice as part of the ritual, at least some small token.  The being isn't any more likely to do what you tell it than any other contact, but take a look at bound under the 'other' tier.  The availability roll does not need to be made.  It's automatic.


 * The strangest places: For some odd reason, you and your contact keep running into one another in odd places.  Though you both may be drinking buddies back home in Argent, you still run into her when escaping slavery in a salt mine in the southern edge of the Byzant Empire.  This costs three shifts.


 * Visa: This relationship can and will go anywhere, and frequently does.  However, the two of you have managed to stay in some form of contact so that you can get ahold of one another across vast distances.  At the cost of three shifts, your contact can be anywhere in the world convenient to you.


 * Warden: A feodal option, you are charged with the protection and maintenance of some small land.  If you are noble, this may be as large as a barony.  Otherwise it will be some form of subinfeudation, as small as a single farm or even a sole tower in a grand castle.  Protected forest land commonly has a warden watching over it.  It is certainly possible for noble characters to have multiple non-contiguous domains this way, in addition to their actual holdings.  Note that you do not actually own the land—it is not directly heritable, nor may it be sold—but you may in many ways do with it as you wish.  Think of it like owning a condo:  you can do pretty much whatever you want to the interior, but have to keep the exterior view looking nice, and you have to keep up with the maintenance fees.  You do not need to pay rent.  This option does not allow you to tax other residents (if any), nor are you responsible for their collection, but see also the troth option under the Position tier.  Mostly because of the free rent, this option costs one shift.  The contact tied to this shift is the actual owner of the property.

Position
The default socioeconomic class of a relationship is equal to or one step below your own. Princes have contacts among the dregs of society just about as often as the reverse is true. Of course, logically speaking, each one of those rare beggar-spies of the prince have the aforementioned royal son as a contact, just as they are his. Each shift spent on this tier can move that position up or down the ladder by one level. As an example, an aristocrat could spend two shifts to have a relationship with either a duke (greater nobility) or a street rat. Note that this is a cost both ways: you don't gain shifts to be used elsewhere just because your friends are all poor. The various position levels are on the following list.


 * 1) Royal (sovereignty is a separate issue)
 * 2) Greater noble, internationally famous celebrity, head of a major faith, autarch, ruler of a small principality (sovereignty is still a separate issue)
 * 3) Lesser noble or lord, commander of armies or navies, someone with immense personal power (such as a high-level character or a major Demon); default for nobility
 * 4) Knight, guildmaster, merchant captain, landless noble, office holder, cult leader for one of the largest cults; default for upper class or aristocracy
 * 5) Wealthy merchant, officer, landlord gentry, mob boss, squire, specialist; default for middle class
 * 6) Craftsman, yeoman farmer, spearman, successful thief, musician; default for lower class, labourer, or freeholder
 * 7) Serf, beggar, slave, street rat


 * Big boss: At a cost of three shifts, your contact is the head of their organisation or social position.  This isn't the captain of the local militia, this is the captain of his own mercenary company.  These are the company owners, lords of the manor, and captains of their ships.


 * Coercive: This could be paying off a significant debt, magical summoning or other control, higher military rank, unspoken threat of violence, owing of a great favour (especially in Formour), owning them as a slave, holding their child hostage (even in a voluntary Heldannic model), or you have the ear of someone they'd really rather not have angry with them.  In any event, you have some forced control over this relationship.  They cannot refuse you.  Increase the availability tier by one category in exchange for a great deal of bitterness and resentment.  They'll do what you want, but they don't have to like you.  In fact, they probably hate you.  Most often you have a higher social position than them, but can be used for other situations such as a conjured minion.  No additional shifts are gained or lost with this option.


 * Management: This relationship is with someone who has some measure of authority in their position.  It could be the lieutenant of a street gang, a middle manager at a large business, or the seneschal of the marquis.  This costs two tier shifts.  They have a great deal of autonomy and power, even be the one in charge day-to-day, but ultimately still have a boss.


 * On the payroll: Hirelings care about you mostly because you sign their checks, but this is an employee worth keeping happy.  They automatically start out one social level lower than you (determined by this tier) and are shifted up one level on the Competency tier.  A second Competency tier shift can be gained for two more levels dropped on this tier.  No other shifts are spent or gained with this option, but you are expected to provide a fair wage for services rendered.


 * Own man: Your relationship isn't with someone in charge of anyone but themselves.  They don't have minions, but they don't answer to anyone, either.  They are the one and only of their own affairs.  This is the default position for most people, and costs no shifts (but none are gained either).  But that's okay, being your own man means you don't have to give a shift.


 * Power behind the throne: These are the major domos, spouses, 'retired' former bosses, and hyper-efficient secretaries who really run things.  Ostensibly, this contact has little or no power on their own, but they have the ear of the one technically in charge, and can most often make things happen just on their say-so.  This costs two tier shifts.


 * Sovereign: This relationship is with the lord and mistress of all she surveys.  They answer to no one, save perhaps their own conscience.  This costs five shifts, but your contact's word is law.


 * Troth: You have pledged your loyalty and service to another, typically a liege or warlord.  You receive privileges in exchange for performing some duty.  For example, a trades guild may be granted a legal monopoly over their specific craft in an area, but in return they guarantee that all guildmembers produce quality goods at reasonable prices.  As part of the basis of the feudal system, nobles and knights are given lands and jurisdiction over them.  They may tax residents, compel peasant labour, and raise troops. But in return they must ride into battle when called, provide soldiers and materiel, and keep themselves and their forces properly equipped.  As the benefits commonly outweigh the obligations, this option costs two shifts.  However, if coupled with the warden option (under the Location tier) the two together cost but two shifts in total.


 * Witless minion: You actually gain a tier shift with this one.  Your relationship is with someone on the bottom of the totem pole.  They have a boss, or a chain of superiors, regardless of their social position.  That doesn't mean that they can't or won't help you.  It just means that if it isn't something that they can do for you on their own there'll be some red tape involved or some wheels to grease.  I think that's enough metaphors for one write-up, don't you?

Resources

 * Armourer: This contact is an armourer, weaponsmith, fence, provisioner for a mercenary unit, or can otherwise get you a deal on some quality weapons and armour.  The equipment you normally start with depends on your social class and skills.  This lets you start with another couple of weapons, better armour, or free weapon features.  You can either have a free feature for each weapon or armour, or you can have one really nice item with three features.  This option costs two shifts.


 * Bling: Though they won't give you any, this contact has money, lots of it.  The amount depends on their place in society (using the Position tier) and they have more than most at that socioeconomic level, maybe even twice as much.  Loans and gifts from this relationship aren't really possible with this option, but sending jobs your way or spending money to help out a mate (that's you) is a different story.  This costs one shift.


 * Generosity: Some people seem to love giving gifts, and won't allow you to refuse.  They act hurt or insulted if you don't want what they offer.  They frequently give you some small token of their affection, even if you are contacting them to ask for a big favour; they're just that way.  Having such a relationship costs you a shift, but you start out with a free item of equipment that they gave you.  Run your suggestion by the Game Master; she might just want to make the freebie even cooler.


 * I'm an artist, art art art: You are friends with an artist who just can't wait to decorate your [object of choice].  This costs one shift, but you can have any starting equipment arted up for free.  An availability check can get you free or greatly reduced costs on arting up later equipment.  Choose the style of your artist's expertise, such as engraving, painting, embroidery, or inlaying with gems and jewellery.  Be careful with that last one though, it's an attractive nuisance and thief magnet, not to mention that rough handling (like what all weapons and armour get) is guaranteed to ruin it.  If anything happens to your art, your artist friend will be pissed.


 * Moneymoneymoneymoney Money: This relationship is with someone with ready cash.  The amount of silver that they have available to loan to you is based on their social status.  Use the Position tier for this, ignoring the extra options such as sovereign, big boss, witless minion, et cetera.  Every subsequent level of the Position tier adds a zero to the amount, starting with one silver for serfs (the very definition of 'poor') to ten for craftsman, a hundred for wealthy merchants, and so on.  This borrowing option costs two shifts.  Note that this is the maximum available at any one time; you don't have to borrow their maximum, especially as you have to pay it back.  A second successful availability check will let you borrow without interest.  In any event this contact will eventually want their money back; the higher spots on the Position tier quickly scale to higher amounts than anyone can forgive even their dearest friends and family.


 * Pet: Whether this is literally a pet (like a dog, cat, or horse) or metaphorically so (like your young apprentice or squire, or an elderly, invalid relative) you are responsible for the upkeep, welfare, and safety of this contact.  Even if they're sentient you probably don't pay them, but you still have to feed, house, clothe, et cetera.  One shift is gained for your trouble.


 * Tribute: This relationship is with someone who routinely sends money your way.  They may be your vassal, you may be a major investor in their business, they might be giving you hush money, or maybe they're paying interest on a debt that can never fully be repaid.  The amount is equal to the Resources background, 2D12x10 florins.  One level of this background is gained for every level of your contact on the Position tier.  And, since this isn't really a thing among the bottom rungs of society, one level is gained for free on that same tier.  As your tribute probably isn't your biggest fan, they drop two levels in the strength of the relationship.  Optionally, instead of a monthly dice roll, you can instead choose to receive a flat 1600 annually per level of Resources.

Other options

 * Accountant: A good friend is someone with whom you no longer keep track of who owes whom.  A best friend is the same, but each of you is certain that they owe the other one more favours than they have received.  This is not that sort of relationship.  This person keeps a ready account of exactly who has helped them, and by how much.  If they do you a favour, they fully expect you to aid them when the time comes.  If you don't, they will hold it against you forever.  On the other hand, this person will move mountains to repay a favour or other debt.  As this sort of dickery is far more common among the upper crust, this relationship gets a free shift on the Position tier.


 * Alliance: The ties that bind this relationship are born of political necessity and convenience.  They don't necessarily like you, but are at least civil in public.  As alliances tend towards the upper end of society, they gain two levels on the Position tier, and one shift to spend anywhere on the Resources or Groups tier.  As an ally isn't necessarily a friend, the strength of the relationship slides down one category.  Finally, as alliances are often formalised in some manner—if not written down or solidified in marriage, then at least with a drunken oath—they typically last much longer.  The timeline for the relationship to degrade is increased by about five times.  That is, a companion level alliance (if you brought it back up through shifts or game play) becomes equal to a buddy after a decade.  Buddies become associates after a generation or two.


 * Annoying friend: We all have at least one.  If you don't then you are probably the annoying one to your mates.  This contact bugs the hell out of you sometimes, and most of your mates can't stand them.  Be that as it may, there is a reason why you keep them around.  I don't know why, but you have two free shifts to help you figure it out.  These can only be spent on this contact, however.


 * Audacious: Costing only one shift, this contact is willing to endanger their skin and livelihood for you.  This goes beyond normal career-based tasks.  For example,  soldier takes normal risks on the battlefield—as part of a large unit—but a relationship with a soldier using this option would cause them to go toe-to-toe with a berserk Troll in order to help you escape.


 * Boon: You owe people favours.  For every two relationships you select for this option, you gain one shift.  You must repay your debt of honour to them without expectation of compensation, at least this once.  If you do not, then the relationship suffers; this will cause the strength of the relationship to downgrade one level.


 * Bound: This relationship is with someone who is obliged to serve you, even at great cost.  They must obey you in all things, and defend you even at the cost of their own lives.  As the availability check represents both getting in touch with your contact and convincing them to help you, the strength of this relationship is shifted upwards one level as you get to skip the convincing part.  This option costs four shifts.  You also have no reciprocal obligations to your contact.  Your bound relationship can be with a summoned entity, a magically compelled beast, or a rare mortal of true honour who swore fealty to you.


 * Burning Reed's hair: Have you ever known someone who always calls or shows up right whenever you are talking about them?  Your relationship is with that person.  They are the sort where you have to check to see if they're standing right behind you before you relate an embarrassing tale.  Your contact might just show up any time you mention their name, even just during table-talk.  In exchange, this option gains you one shift.


 * Casper: Sometimes when you really, really need someone, they ghost.  This modifies options such as bound, calling, henchman, or summonable.  Instead of the availability being automatic, you must now roll, just as you would with any other contact.  Devoted relationships are effectively available on a two or better with this option, after bonuses are accounted.  It's not that they won't do as you ask, it's just harder to find them in the first place.  This option offers one shift to be used on any tier.


 * Dependent: Your relationship relies upon you, far more than most.  You are responsible for this person.  This exceeds the responsibilities to a henchman or band of brothers (see the Group tier for these).  This contact depends on you for their very survival.  Typically this is family of some sort:  your kids, spouse, or elderly parent, or perhaps you are now responsible for the upbringing of a dead sibling's children.  On the other hand, this option could be used for the victims you have imprisoned in your basement.  This option is worth two shifts, in addition to those gained via the Family option under the Group tier, and automatically increases the strength of the relationship by one level.


 * Details: You can gain shifts to use in any tier just for a little bit of detail that fleshes out the relationship.  These details can include:  a good physical description, shared history, their nationality or ethnicity, their manner of dress, their ethics and morals, their religious beliefs, or something about their personality (like roleplaying notes or even a catchphase).  You get one shift for just one detail, two shifts for three details, or three for five bits of information.  That should be enough, right?  You should be able to build some hella good contacts with a little work describing them.


 * Forgiving: Your relationship is with a very easy-going sort.  They don't hold grudges easily or for long.  They readily forgive the occasional unwitting slight, and over time can overlook all but the most egregious insults.  This is worth two shifts.


 * Frenemy: This is an odd relationship:  you don't really like one another.  At best there may be a grudging admiration.  You may be rivals, you may be on opposite sides politically or on a key issue, or maybe you just rub one another the wrong way.  However, you share many interests, and your goals may frequently coincide.  Or, maybe you both just get a sick thrill out of having the other owe you one.  In any case, you and your frenemy are sometimes in a position to help one another.  You don't have to like it, and you might be entirely opposed some other time, but on occasion one of you helps out the other for your own interests.  This costs only one shift, and the relationship is automatically an associate, with a -3 penalty on the availability check, but you gain an additional contact on the cheap this way.


 * Friend of a friend: Okay, this is a cheap way to get additional contacts.  You know this person only through another.  You must first get ahold of your original relationship, and get them to contact this second person.  The second relationship is reduced in strength by at least one level.  That is, the companions of your companions count as buddies for you; companions of buddies are only associates by extension.  Associates of buddies, or companions of associates are so far removed as to be effectively strangers.  You're better off using the influential option in these cases.  No additional shifts are required for this option, but if anything happens to the original relationship you lose all of these secondary contacts as well.  In other words, if you lose the connecting contact, you lose everyone down that chain.  That is, Angie's Gal Friday is Brunhild.  Brunhild's sidekick is Cathy.  Though the three of them are frequently found together, and Angie can essentially use Cathy as a buddy relationship, if something happens to Brunhild Cathy's gonna bounce.  She may think that Angie's a nice person, but she doesn't want to hang out with someone who's just going to constantly remind her of her dead best friend.  It is possible for Angie to develop an independent relationship with Cathy, but that will take time and effort.  Plus, Cathy secretly thinks Angie is kind of stuck-up.


 * Friends in high places: You may not have a whole lot of relationships, but you do know the coolest people.  You can trade one of your relationships for three shifts to be used anywhere else.  You cannot burn contacts gained from backgrounds or classes this way, but you can use the shifts gained to improve those relationships.  You also may not gain shifts for downgrading the relationship prior to trading it in.


 * Great favour: Mostly this is a Formourian thing, but Heldanns (at least the Dwarves) have something similar with their debts of honour, or those from the Association with their strong belief in fate.  You owe this contact, and you owe them big.  This is on par with them saving your child's life.  Until you pay back this life-debt—so called because it's worth a person's life—you must do as your contact asks.  They may be willing to do you the occasional favour, but those debts count against you.  That is, what you owe them grows ever greater with every such favour.  The reverse is not true, however.  It takes an infinite number of small favours to equal one great one.  That doesn't mean you aren't obligated to still try.  You really cannot refuse a request by this contact, and are expected to frequently do nice things for them.  This option gains you two shifts.


 * Influential: A quality contact has contacts of their own.  For two shifts, this contact can use their web of relationships to further assist you.  However, this does involve a second roll for availability.  The first roll is to determine if your contact is willing and able to help; the second is if their contacts are available.  For convenience, you can use the same relationship strength if you haven't yet mapped out these secondary relationships.  For example, if the influential contact is your companion, then the second roll has a +4 bonus as well.  Use the base levels, even if you have spent shifts to increase (or decrease) the availability of your contact.


 * Make friends easily: While you may not always have the time you want to spend with your friends, that's partly because you have so many of them.  Trade three upgrade shifts for an additional associate relationship.


 * Needy: This person asks you for favours pretty often, maybe even way too much.  They often ask you for something even as you are asking them.  It's not a quid pro quo thing:  they were looking for you already.  This contact is also more likely to look you up to help them much more often than another contact would.  Though they frequently ask for your help, they are pretty reliable otherwise; add two shifts to any tier.  However, unlike with most options these shifts can only be used to beef up this contact.


 * Obligement: This option is sort of a one-shot.  You owe this contact a favour.  When you call them to pay off your marker, your contact will be easier to reach; they are eager to even the scales.  Shift the availability up one category.  After the debt is paid the contact slides back down one step.


 * Outlander: This relationship is with an Extrinsic, or fantast as they are called in Formour.  They are from another world or plane of existence.  Demons, Elementals, Minerans, and others from another reality fall into this category.  This costs you one shift, as much for the novelty factor as anything.  This contact is subject to things like the Rebuke ability of necromancers, but they may also be summoned if you know the proper ritual or magic circle (such as by picking the appropriate options under the Location tier).  Calling and summoning assume that the contact is a fantast, so the additional cost for the outlander option is already included in their costs.


 * Overactive: Some people are just in high demand.  This is because they are really great, and always help their friends.  You gain a +3 on the availability check for their willingness to help you, but are frequently off helping someone else.  Once you get in touch with them, it'll be another 2D12 days before they are able to assist.


 * They booped your nose: That establishes their dominance.  In this relationship they are the leader, the one who usually calls the shots.  This could be because of the strength of their personality, their position above you or in society, or because of circumstances of your shared history.  Imagine a puppy brought into a home with an adult cat; even though the dog is much larger as an adult, it is still pushed around by the cat.  You gain two shifts, but you're kinda their bitch.


 * Torchbearer: Once you are gaining fame (or infamy) some young tagalong wants to be your squire, apprentice, shieldbearer, shoeshine boy, or just your buddy. You may gain three shifts by delaying this relationship until you are fifth level. You can spend the shifts now however you like, and your new shadow will come into your life later. See also delayed gratification for another example of delaying relationships.


 * You know me: This option is only available if you have at least half a dozen contacts fleshed-out.  You can spend shifts for statuses; select one status of choice for every two shifts spent.  It takes about that many well-connected people to start referring to you in a specific manner.