Affection

Overview

Affection levels are a measurement of your character's attitude toward all other characters they've met. This includes all NPCs of note (obviously, a random named soldier from a quest that serves no purpose outside of it is not necessary).

Your affection levels, due to the fact that they receive bonuses, must be justifiable. You may not choose you love or hate a character without good or reason. Note that, in many cases, characters do not feel exactly the same way toward each other. It is perfectly possible for one character to love someone that hates them.

Not all characters are equal at affection tiers, so place the characters you dislike most at the top and the ones you like most at the bottom. Explanations are not necessary for affection levels that offer no bonuses, but you may put them there if you want. It is in your best interest to keep this updated. If you see a character missing on someone's list, feel free to bring it up. They may have forgotten. These ratings are, of course, dynamic.

Levels/Effects

• Despise (1*): You absolutely despise this character. You can't stand anything about them, and they've most likely screwed you over time and again. You would enjoy nothing more than to see this character dead. When targeting them, you gain 10 extra stamina each turn. When fighting them, you're 10% harder to KO and kill. However, you're 10% more susceptible to status ailments aimed at you due to stress, and you suffer a -25 penalty to Willpower when it comes to being goaded into a fight with them.

• Hate (2*): You see very few redeeming qualities in this character. They may have done a few things that have rubbed you the wrong way or even flat out screwed you. Characters such as this often conflict with your ideals. When targeting them, you gain 5 extra stamina each turn. However, you're 5% more susceptible to status ailments due to stress, and you suffer a -15 penalty to Willpower when it comes to being goaded into a fight with them.

• Dislike (3*): You don't like this character. They may not have necessarily done anything wrong to you, but they may be annoying or do things that conflict with your ideals. Every now and then you may feel the urge to give them a good slap, but you're unlikely to do so without provocation.

• Neutral (4*): You don't feel much of anything for this character, good or bad. You most likely have little experience with them, or find them boring and dull. This is the default setting that is applied to new acquaintances.

• Like (5*): You like this person and consider them a friend. You don't necessarily agree with everything they do or see everything eye-to-eye, but you enjoy their presence and have some degree of trust in them.

• Cherish (6*): You consider this person a close and cherished friend. This is most often the bond observed between best friends and siblings or similar relatives. You feel a very close bond of trust with this person, and may even be willing to die for them. Guarding for a character you cherish gives you a 5% defense boost. When fighting against said character, your reactions are 5% less effective due to letting your guard down. Charisma or Speechcraft rolls made by this character are given 5 extra points when performed against you.

• Love (7*): You love this person, and almost certainly are willing to do anything for them. They come first for you, and all else come second (including yourself). Your KO and death thresholds are lowered by 10% if they are in danger, even if they dislike you. Guarding for a character you love gives you a 5% defense boost and can be done from two spaces away. When fighting against said character, your reactions are 10% less effective due to letting your guard down. Charisma or Speechcraft rolls made by this character are given 10 extra points when performed against you.

Sample

Here is an example of how affection levels are recorded by one of our members' characters from Old Epic. Note that this is an example and shows only the characters with which he is familiar in some way.

Zatenrai Seijun Jr.

Weapon (*): Weapon represents everything Seijun can hate in a person. He's seriously injured him several times, and constantly taunts him and the woman he loves. He has raped and seriously hurt Siliya. If there were a 0* affection level, he'd be at it.

Zatenrai Seijun Sr. (*): He is Seijun's estranged father, the man who pulled the strings of his youth to corral him into the trainwreck it became. He is a cruel and malevolent man, whose ruthlessness knows no boundaries. He has killed Siliya and tormented him countless times.

Drago (*): Drago is his father's lap dog, and a perhaps even more ruthless killing machine. His spurts of sadistic violence sicken Seijun, and blowing off his legs on more than one occasion does not help matters either.

Sandarga (*): Sandarga, to him, is a ruthless backstabbing old woman that he wouldn't trust with a sandwich. Hearing that she may be interested in, even from an unreliable source, possessing Siliya's body or killing her if she deems her unworthy was more than enough to set him off. Representing any significant threat to her puts you on the kill list.

Marius (*): Marius is the vampire that turned Siliya, and Seijun has heard countless stories of his cruelty and abuse. Although he has not met him personally, he knows well enough what a threat he poses and wouldn't hesitate to kill him on sight.

Bane (**): Bane, while certainly a threat, has never actually done anything serious to him or Siliya except spy on them and constantly taunt them. Seijun is as of now still uncertain as to what exactly he intends to do or how much of a threat he poses, but he's on the border of despising him.

Sailerius (**): For a while, Seijun considered Sailerius somewhat of a friend. However, since his recent regaining of his sight, his dark powers, his infernal transformations, and alliance with Sandarga (as well as possibly spying on Siliya for Sandarga)...he's taken a bit of a hit in his eyes. He distrusts him immensely, and it takes him a great deal of effort not to call him out for it (or punch him in the nose).

Rotegen (**): Rotegen's dead, who cares?

Bordeaux (**): She's a total bitch and she killed him.

Dez (***)

Bii'jou (***)

Lorana (***)

Haseo (***)

Frank Jones (****): Burritos.

Anarym (****)

Haruko (****): She holds her guitar with her nads. He thinks that's cool, I guess.

Chloe (****)

Zoro (****)

Yusuke (****)

Edge (****)

Aaron (****)

Remington (****)

Kachina (*****)

Luffy (*****)

Eraae (*****)

Oujou (*****)

Elentra (*****)

Seth (*****)

Joshua (******): Joshua was, to him, almost like a younger brother. Although he was often annoyed by his naivete, he watched over him closely and came to like him far more than Rotegen. He worries constantly about his safety now that he's on the run.

Laaik (******): He's dead, several times over.

Hiei (******): This is most certainly a one-sided friendship, considering Hiei has no memories. At one time, they were considered closely matched rivals. Somehow, they developed a friendship and respect for each other, most likely due to their likewise reserved natures.

Siliya (*******): Seijun welcomed Siliya into his house when she fled from his father, offering her sanctuary in hopes at least someone could redeem themselves of a life in his service. Through watching over her and facing conflict alongside her, he came to know her better and fell in love. There is no one he cares for more, and there's nothing he wouldn't do for her.