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The duality of these brothers *chef's kiss*

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Behind the Scenes

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Romances

Not all gaming groups are comfortable with the concept of  PC/NPC  romance,  so  these  rules  are  more  optional  than most. Consult with your GM to determine whether romance is an option in your game.

Understand that you won’t be forced to have on or participate in one, but this is of course an option. 

Each significant NPC has a Romance Score known only to the GM. In order to begin a romance with an NPC, your Relationship Score with that NPC must exceed the NPC’s Romance Score. Once per level, you may attempt a Sense Motive check (DC equal to the NPC’s Romance Score) to determine whether an NPC is potentially interested in a romance with you. If the NPC is interested in a romance with  you,  you  must  make  a  successful  Diplomacy  check  (DC  equals  10  +  the  NPC’s  level  +  the  NPC’s  Charisma  modifier)  to  begin  the  romance.  The  romance  ends  if  your  Relationship  Score  with  an  NPC  ever  drops  below  that  NPC’s  Romance  Score.  Each  time  a  romance  ends,  that NPC’s Romance Score increases by 5.

Note that a PC can have a romance with an NPC with whom  she  has  a  competitive  relationship—opposites  do  sometimes attract, after all—but this kind of romance can be  more  diff icult  to  begin.  If  the  PC’s  Diplomacy  check  to  start  a  romance  is  successful,  the  romance  begins,  and  the  nature  of  the  PC’s  relationship  with  that  NPC  immediately changes from competitive to friendly. This change  does  not  necessitate  reducing  the  Relationship  Score by half in this case.

Romances  do  not  grant  additional  in-game  bonuses  or   benefits,   but   might   grant   situational   benefits,  opportunities, complications, or even dangers during the course  of  an  adventure,  usually  at  the  GM’s  discretion.  The  exact  detail  to  which  the  romance  is  played  out  at  the  table  should  be  determined  by  the  comfort  level  of  your  group—the  GM  should  make  sure  he  understands  what  this  comfort  level  is  before  proceeding  with  this  type  of  addition  to  the  campaign.  Unless  the  GM  rules  otherwise,  an  NPC  can  only  be  involved  in  a  romance  with one PC at a time.

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Relationship Levels

As  your  Relationship  Scores  with  NPCs  increase,  your  Relationship  Level  with  an  NPC  increases  as  well,  as  listed below.

Relationship Score------------------------------Relationship Level

5 or less

    (Association)

6-11

           (Friendship/Competition)

12-30

        (Fellowship/Rivalry)

31 or more

(Devotion/ Enmity)

Association: You and the NPC know each other, but not well enough to have formed a signif icant opinion about each other.

Friendship/Competition:  You  are  a  good  friend  or  known competitor of the NPC. The first time you reach this  Relationship  Level  with  an  NPC,  you  gain  400  XP.  Whenever you gain this Relationship Level with another NPC for the f irst time, you gain 200 XP.

Fellowship/Rivalry:  You  have  strong  ties  to  the  NPC,  either  through  deep  mutual  respect  and  admiration  or  through  a  strong  sense  of  competition  and  conf lict.  As  long as the other NPC is alive, you gain a +1 morale bonus on  all  Charisma-based  skill  checks.  The  f irst  time  you  reach  this  Relationship  Level  with  an  NPC,  you  gain  1,200 XP. Whenever you gain this Relationship Level with another NPC for the first time, you gain 600 XP.

Devotion/Enmity:  You  and  the  NPC  are  devoted  to  each  another,  or  are  actively  opposed  to  one  another.  If  you  reach  this  Relationship  Level  with  the  NPC  associated  with  your  Campaign  Trait,  the  trait  bonus  granted  to  you  from  your  Campaign  Trait  doubles.  The  f irst  time  you  reach  this  Relationship  Level  with  an  NPC,  you  gain  3,200  XP.  Whenever  you  gain  this  Relationship  Level  with  another  NPC  for  the  f irst  time,  you  gain  1,600  XP.  In  addition,  your  relationship  with  the NPC is strong enough to grand you a boon, whether your relationship is friendly or competitive. The nature of this boon differs for each NPC—your GM will inform you what kind of boon you earn at this stage. The effects of this boon last for as long as the NPC is alive and active in the campaign.You  cannot  gain  XP  bonuses  from  an  individual  NPC  more than once (such as if you decrease your Relationship Level with an NPC and bring it back up)

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Building Relationships

As the Jade Regent Adventure Path progresses, you can build relationships with all four of the NPCs mentioned in this document—Ameiko Kaijitsu, Koya Mvashti, Sandru Vhiski, and Shalelu Andosana (and with additional NPCs you’ll meet later on, during the course of the campaign). Building a relationship between your PC and one of these NPCs can eventually grant you unique advantages and boons—whether your relationship is of a confrontational or friendly nature. 

A relationship with an NPC can be friendly or competitive—you get to choose which kind you wish to pursue. Some in-game events can spontaneously change a relationship from friendly to competitive, or vice versa—if you want to deliberately change a relationship from friendly to competitive on your own, you can do so by reducing your Relationship Score by half. 

When you first meet a significant NPC, the GM will inform you that you can build a relationship with that NPC. If you’re interested in building a relationship with that NPC, record the NPC’s name on your character sheet, followed by the current Relationship Score you have with that NPC, and whether your relationship is friendly or competitive. Your initial Relationship Score with a significant NPC is equal to your Charisma modifier (this can be a negative number), but you will have the chance to increase that score as the campaign progresses.

Improving Relationships 

You can increase your Relationship Score with an NPC in the following five ways. 

1) Charisma: Since your base Relationship Score with any NPC is equal to your Charisma modifier, when your Charisma score changes permanently, your total Relationship Score with NPCs changes as appropriate. Short-term changes, such as from ability damage, ability drain, or bonuses from spells like eagle’s splendor, do not alter Relationship Scores.  

2) Campaign Trait: You gain a one-time +4 bonus to your Relationship Score with the NPC associated with your Campaign Trait.

 3) Companionship: Every time you gain an experience level, you may increase your Relationship Score with one significant NPC still active in the campaign by 1 point. 

4) Gifts and Insults: A special gift can increase a friendly Relationship Score with an NPC, while a perfectly crafted insult can increase a competitive Relationship Score. Gifts and insults can’t be just anything—each significant NPC has three categories of gifts and three categories of insults that work particularly well with that NPC.

 You’ll need to learn what most of these are by  observing the NPC in play, but the GM will inform you of one gift or insult category for the NPC associated with your Campaign Trait once the campaign begins. You can give a gift or an insult to an NPC once per character level— when you think that you have the right kind of gift (be it an item you found, built, or purchased; in most cases, the cost of the item is irrelevant as long as it’s an honest gift) or have composed the right insult, simply inform the GM of what you intend to do, then make a Diplomacy check (for gifts) or an Intimidate check (for insults).

 If you roleplay the gift or insult’s delivery particularly well, the GM might award you a +4 bonus on this check, at his discretion. Likewise, if you roleplay the interaction poorly, or if you time things badly enough (attempting to give a gift in the middle of combat, for example), the GM could inf lict a –4 penalty on the check. The DC for this check is equal to your current Relationship Score with the NPC. 

If you succeed at the check, your Relationship Score with that NPC increases by 1 point. If you exceed the DC by 10 or more, your Relationship Score increases by 2 points instead. Giving a gift to a competitor actually reduces your Relationship Score, as does insulting a friend.

 You must still make the appropriate skill check (Diplomacy or Intimidate); a success reduces your Relationship Score by 1 or 2 points, as above. 5) Special Events: Certain events in the Jade Regent Adventure Path can alter your Relationship Score with some NPCs—the GM will inform you of these adjustments if and when they occur.   

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Your Stats

Stats: 15, 16, 16, 18, 12, 11,

Campaign Traits

Best Friend: You are best friends with one of the NPCs; you’ve grown up together, and while your friend has had a much more exciting life than you so far, you hope one day to follow in your friend’s footsteps and see the world—or perhaps even become an adventurer yourself. You’ve picked up a lot from your friend, but particularly his or her skill in interacting with others. If Ameiko is your best friend, you gain a +2 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks. If Sandru is your best friend, you gain a +2 trait bonus on Bluff checks. Whichever skill you gain a trait bonus on, that skill is always considered a class skill for you. In addition, in situations where your best friend is in danger, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls against foes that threaten your friend.

NPC Choices:Ameiko, Sandru.

Caravan Guard:You recently hired on to Sandru’s caravan to serve as a guard, but the job, while it paid well, gave you little chance to scratch the adventuring itch, since the caravan never really ventured into dangerous territory. You understand why Sandru avoided the more dangerous routes, of course, but that didn’t help assuage your urge to seek adventure. You’ve just told Sandru that you’re quitting the job in order to try your hand at adventuring—he seemed to understand, and even gave you some good tips on how best to survive potential challenges. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Survival checks, and Survival becomes a class skill for you.

NPC Choices: Sandru.

Childhood Crush: You’ve never had the guts to act on it, but for as long as you can remember, you’ve had a crush on one of the NPCs. Someday, maybe you’ll be able to earn the NPC’s love, but for now, you’re content to spend time in the NPC’s proximity, or even to do things for the NPC that might earn you a word of thanks or a smile. Once per day, you may attempt to earn a kind word or a smile from the NPC whom you have a crush on by making a DC 15 Charisma check. If you’re successful, the elation and joy at the attention gives you a +1 trait bonus on all saving throws for the remainder of the day. If you’re ever lucky enough to win the NPC’s love, this +1 trait bonus on saving throws applies at all times, as long as your relationship remains active. Note that gender isn’t an issue in the case of these three NPCs. Unless your GM says otherwise, all three of these NPCs are considered to be bisexual as far as this trait’s implications are concerned. Note that if you take this trait, you’ll likely want to coordinate NPC choices with any other player who chooses this trait as well, since choosing the same NPC could cause unwanted party strife. Of course… if that’s what you and the other player are looking for, go for it! In addition, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls against foes that threaten your crush.

NPC Choices: Ameiko, Sandru, Shalelu

Foster Child: Koya Mvashti might be old enough to be your grandmother, but to you, she’s always been your mom. Ever since your parents passed away, Koya’s been taking care of you as if she were your mother. You never really figured out why Koya took you into her care, but you do know she’s done this before—most recently with Sandru Vhiski, whom you think of as your brother. Growing up, Koya made sure that you had the best education possible, particularly in one particular topic. Choose any Knowledge skill—you gain a +2 bonus on skill checks with that Knowledge skill, and it becomes a class skill for you. In addition, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls against foes that threaten your adoptive mother.

NPC Choices: Koya.

Friend of the Family: Your family has been close friends with the Mvashtis for as long as you’ve been alive. Old Niska Mvashti’s recent death wasn’t all that unexpected—she must have been over a hundred years old, as far as you know—but it was a sobering moment nonetheless. What no one else in your family knows, though, is that in the weeks before her death, Niska must have known that her days were numbered, because she called you to her house one day and made you make a promise: If her daughter Koya ever went on a long trip, you would go with her to ensure her safety. Although the chances of Koya going on a long trip seem remote (she must be at least 60 years old, after all), you’ve made a promise to Niska to accompany her daughter if such an event comes to pass. Ever since you made this promise, you’ve felt a strange sense of destiny looming in your future—you might even think that Niska is now watching over your shoulder, just as she asked you to watch over her daughter. As a result of this eerie sense of being watched over, you’ve been able to react to dangerous situations more quickly than ever. As long as Koya remains alive, you gain a +1 trait bonus on Perception checks, and Perception becomes a class skill for you. In addition, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls against foes that threaten Koya.

NPC Choices: Koya.

Hero Worship: Everyone in town seems to admire Ameiko and Shalelu—they’re heroes, after all, and played key roles in the recent troubles that plagued Sandpoint. You, though, take this admiration to a new level—you practically worship one of these two. This could be because you saw one of them perform a particularly impressive act of bravery at some point in the past, or maybe they just happened to give you the exact right words of encouragement or a kind gift at some point a few years ago when you were young and impressionable. In any case, you’ve done your best to emulate your hero’s talents at spellcasting or combat. If your hero is Ameiko, you gain a +2 bonus on concentration checks. If your hero is Shalelu, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC against attacks of opportunity. In addition, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls against foes that threaten your hero.

NPC Choices: Ameiko, Shalelu.

Rescued: At some point in the past, you had a terrifyingly close brush with death. Maybe a goblin early killed you during an attack on the town, or perhaps a building struck by a giant’s boulder collapsed around you. Whatever the peril was, you would have certainly died if not for the swift actions of Koya or Shalelu, who intervened just in time to save your life. You’ve never forgotten this, and remain fiercely loyal to the NPC who saved you. Perhaps even more importantly, the method in which she saved you seems to have had an impact on your own skills. If Koya saved you, she did so by casting a healing spell on you just before you died, and as a result you gain a +2 trait bonus whenever you use cure spells to heal damage. If it was Shalelu who saved you, she did so by pulling you to safety while simultaneously defeating the peril that almost did you in, and as a result, you gain a +1 trait bonus on Acrobatics checks and Acrobatics is a class skill for you. In addition, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls against foes that threaten your savior.

NPC Choices: Koya, Shalelu

Student Survivalist- Although she is seen as something of a mystery to most of Sandpoint’s citizens, Shalelu has never really seemed all that mysterious to you. Of course, that’s probably because she helped raise you. You have never quite figured out why Shalelu decided to treat you as a younger sibling, but you certainly appreciated it—and you eagerly absorbed all of the survivalist tricks that she showed you over the years. As a result, you gain a +2 trait bonus on all Survival checks, and Survival is a class skill for you. In addition, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls against foes that threaten your mentor.

NPC Choices: Shalelu

Younger Sibling: You’ve lived your whole life in the shadow of your older sibling, a person who seems to have the adventure-filled lifestyle you’ve always wanted for yourself. While your sibling always took care of you, he or she never supported your desire to become an adventurer—your sibling never explained why, only saying, “Adventuring can cause a lot of pain just as easily as it can bring success and riches.” As a younger sibling to one of Sandpoint’s more inf luential citizens, you share some of that NPC’s innate talent and skill at adventuring. If you’re Ameiko’s younger sibling, your ferocious independence and self-confidence give you a +1 trait bonus on Will saving throws. If you’re Sandru’s younger sibling, your hearty constitution gives you a +1 trait bonus on all Fortitude saving throws. If you’re Shalelu’s younger sibling, your quick ref lexes give you a +1 trait bonus on all Ref lex saving throws. Note: Although you’re a younger sibling of an established NPC, this doesn’t necessarily lock you in to being the same race as that NPC—if you’re a different race or ethnicity than the NPC you choose as your older sister or brother, you were adopted into the family by your parents. In addition, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls against foes that threaten your older sibling.

NPC Choices: Ameiko, Sandru, Shalelu.