Faction Reputation Quests

“Every faction wants something. Help them get it, and they’ll remember. Refuse, and they’ll remember that too.”

Overview

Faction quests build reputation with the Aetherium’s major power groups. Each faction offers unique rewards, access, and story opportunities based on your standing.

Total Faction Quests: 8 (2 per faction)
Factions Covered: Sky-Guild, Constellation Clergy, Outland Clans, Rot-Touched

Implementation Status

Sky-Guild Quests

Trade Route Establishment

File: data/vignettes/eos/guild_trade_route.json
Location: Skyport Eos → Various
Difficulty: Medium

Synopsis: The Guild needs new trade routes mapped and secured. You’ll survey potential passages, assess risks, and negotiate with local settlements.

Objectives: 1. Survey three potential routes 2. Assess dangers (pirates, Rot, weather) 3. Negotiate passage rights with settlements 4. Report findings to Guild Factor

Skill Checks: - Cunning DC 24: Optimal route planning - Cunning DC 22: Negotiation with settlements

Rewards: - 200-350 gold (based on success) - +15-25 Sky-Guild reputation - Access to new trade opportunities

Debt Collection

File: data/vignettes/eos/guild_debt_collection.json
Location: Skyport Eos, Various settlements
Difficulty: Medium-High

Synopsis: A merchant owes the Guild significant debt and has fled. Track them down and recover what’s owed—by negotiation or force.

Objectives: 1. Track the debtor across multiple locations 2. Confront them about the debt 3. Choose resolution method

Resolution Options: 1. Negotiate payment plan (Cunning DC 26) - Partial recovery, debtor survives 2. Seize assets - Full recovery, debtor ruined 3. Let them go - No recovery, -10 Guild reputation 4. Help them escape - No recovery, -20 Guild reputation, debtor grateful

Moral Complexity: The debtor fled because their child was sick. The debt was for medicine. Do you enforce the Guild’s contract or show mercy?

Rewards: - 150-400 gold (based on recovery) - +10-20 Sky-Guild reputation (or negative) - Potential future ally (if helped)

Constellation Clergy Quests

Pilgrimage Escort

File: data/vignettes/spire/clergy_pilgrimage_escort.json
Location: Skyport Eos → Constellation’s Reach
Difficulty: Medium

Synopsis: Escort a group of pilgrims to Constellation’s Reach Observatory. Protect them from bandits, weather, and their own foolishness.

Objectives: 1. Gather pilgrims at Eos chapel 2. Navigate to Constellation’s Reach 3. Protect pilgrims from threats 4. Deliver them safely

Encounters: - Bandit ambush (Strength DC 22 or Cunning DC 24) - Aether-storm (Endurance DC 20) - Pilgrim crisis of faith (Piety DC 18)

Rewards: - 150 gold - +20 Constellation Clergy reputation - Free blessing at journey’s end - Possible Clergy contact

Heretic Hunt

File: data/vignettes/spire/clergy_heretic_hunt.json
Location: Glimmering Spire, Murky Chasm
Difficulty: High

Synopsis: The Clergy suspects Serpent worship has taken root in a remote community. Investigate, identify heretics, and decide their fate.

Objectives: 1. Infiltrate the suspected community 2. Identify signs of Serpent worship 3. Locate the cult leader 4. Choose resolution

Resolution Options: 1. Report to Clergy - Inquisitors arrive, harsh justice 2. Confront cult directly (Courage DC 28) - Personal resolution 3. Attempt conversion (Piety DC 30) - Return them to faith 4. Protect the cult - Betray Clergy, help heretics escape

Moral Complexity: The “heretics” are desperate people seeking hope. The Serpent worship offers them community and purpose. Is it truly evil, or just different?

Rewards: - 200-300 gold - +15-25 Constellation Clergy reputation (or -20 if betrayed) - Theological insights - Potential cult contacts (if protected)

Outland Clans Quests

Supply Run

File: data/vignettes/windmere/clan_supply_run.json
Location: Windmere Farms → Remote settlements
Difficulty: Medium

Synopsis: Remote clan settlements need supplies before winter. Deliver food, medicine, and tools to isolated communities.

Objectives: 1. Load supplies at Windmere 2. Navigate to three remote settlements 3. Distribute supplies fairly 4. Return with news and requests

Challenges: - Weather delays (Endurance DC 20) - Bandit encounter (Strength DC 22 or flee) - Supply shortage (must choose who gets what)

Moral Choice: You have supplies for three settlements but only enough for two and a half. Who gets short-changed?

Rewards: - 100-200 gold - +15-20 Outland Clans reputation - Free lodging in clan territories - Survival supplies

Clan Mediation

File: data/vignettes/windmere/clan_mediation.json
Location: Windmere Farms, Clan territories
Difficulty: High

Synopsis: Two clans are feuding over water rights. Mediate their dispute before it becomes violent.

Objectives: 1. Meet with both clan leaders 2. Understand the dispute 3. Investigate the water source 4. Propose a solution

Resolution Options: 1. Compromise solution (Cunning DC 28) - Both clans share, neither happy 2. Side with Clan A - Full rights to one, enemy of other 3. Side with Clan B - Full rights to one, enemy of other 4. Find new water source (requires exploration) - Both clans satisfied

Rewards: - 150-250 gold - +10-30 Outland Clans reputation (varies by outcome) - Clan alliance (if sided with one) - Mediator reputation (if compromise)

Rot-Touched Quests

Rot-Shard Delivery

File: data/vignettes/chasm/rot_shard_delivery.json
Location: Various → Murky Chasm
Difficulty: Medium-High

Synopsis: The Rot-Touched need Rot-Shards for their rituals. Acquire them and deliver to the Chasm—discreetly.

Objectives: 1. Acquire Rot-Shards (purchase, steal, or harvest) 2. Transport without detection 3. Deliver to Rot-Touched contact 4. Avoid Clergy attention

Acquisition Methods: 1. Purchase from black market - 100 gold, safe 2. Steal from Clergy storage (Cunning DC 28) - Free, risky 3. Harvest from corrupted site (Endurance DC 24) - Free, corruption exposure

Rewards: - 200 gold - +15 Rot-Touched reputation - Corruption exposure (minor) - Access to Rot-Touched rituals

Warning: This quest increases your Corruption stat. High corruption opens new paths but closes others.

The Communion Invitation

File: data/vignettes/chasm/the_communion_invitation.json
Location: Murky Chasm (Deep Chapel)
Difficulty: Very High

Synopsis: Your service to the Rot-Touched has earned an invitation to witness their most sacred ritual: communion with the Voice Beneath.

Requirements: - Rot-Touched reputation 40+ - Corruption 30+

Objectives: 1. Travel to the Deep Chapel 2. Participate in preparatory rituals 3. Witness the Communion 4. Make your choice

The Communion: You witness Rot-Touched communing with something beneath the Aetherium. Whether it’s divine, parasitic, or hallucinatory is unclear. But it offers you a choice: embrace transformation or remain as you are.

Choices: 1. Embrace the Voice - Begin transformation path (high corruption) 2. Observe only - Witness without participating 3. Reject the Voice - Leave the Rot-Touched 4. Attempt to understand (Piety DC 32) - Seek truth without commitment

Rewards: - Unique abilities (if embraced) - +30 Rot-Touched reputation - Significant corruption increase - Access to Arc 3 transformation ending

Faction Reputation Effects

Sky-Guild

Constellation Clergy

Outland Clans

Rot-Touched

Faction Conflicts

Building reputation with one faction may harm standing with others:

Related Topics

• Quests Overview - All quest categories
• Character Quest Chains - NPC-specific quests
• Story Arcs - Major narrative threads

Document Status: Complete
Last Updated: December 3, 2025
Implementation: All 8 faction quests implemented

“Choose your allies carefully. In the Aetherium, today’s friend may be tomorrow’s enemy—and vice versa.”