There are six factions in the game.


The Guild of Antiquarians was created as an informal information-sharing network within the Snow Alliance, composed of those explorers and scholars intrepid enough to study the Marches. Over the last couple of centuries, it has coalesced into a more-or-less formal organization that mimics the structure of a university.

Prominent members: Chancellor Hertha Gormsdottir, Halman Summer
Trader: Halman Summer in Caer Cyflen



The Arcaneum is the magical arm of the New Empire, descended from an Old Empire organization of the same name. It is run by powerful wizards who carry on traditions of ancient Imperial magic – and long to recover more.

Prominent members: Master Ilstar Keenmind, Heddlon Surespell
Trader: Heddlon Surespell in Caer Cyflen



The Circle was created in the Principality of Masgarth as a school for adventurers, out of a minor magic school from the Old Empire. It has a reputation for toughness and practicality which contrasts with the more scholarly outlook of some other factions.

Prominent members: Grandmaster Edvan Danantar, Joriel Foxeye
Trader: Joriel Foxeye in Caer Cyflen



Located close to a strategic pass into the Badlands, the Principality came under pressure from its neighbors. They demanded a share of the discoveries brought back, fearing that these material and magical riches could upset the balance of power in the Eastern Kingdoms. The Legacy Council was born.

Prominent members: Princess Ceiwad Silverflower, Captain Verissa Ironshell
Trader: Circe Gerardoirin in Manacalon Ruin



The Scavengers are a natural organization based in the Principality of Masgarth. They travel the Marches and the Badlands, visiting locations that have been cleared by adventurers and recovering any remaining loot. They resell mundane objects and negotiate with other factions over items of historical or magical value.

Prominent members: Annie Bagmordah, Milan
Expedition Boards: near Annie Bagmordah in Caer Cyflen, near Milan in Caer Lem



The Tower of Knowledge is based in the Kingdom of Gallivan. It began several centuries ago as a local effort to preserve and recover the lost knowledge of the Manacalon Empire, and has grown into a great seat of learning.

Prominent members: Dean Iolair Faisech, Maddy Greenisle
Trader: Maddy Greenisle in Caer Cyflen

There are five levels of faction relationship, each consecutive one providing more benefits. The main actual benefit is the ability to buy specific items from the traders, as some require a certain level of relationship to become purchasable. Better relationship levels also provide you with a store discount.

The “joins you in battle” benefit really seems to do nothing. Maybe it was a planned function that has been scrapped or maybe it will come to play in expansions.

The relationship level cap is 100.

• Indifference. Relationship: 0-10. Benefit: The faction does not care about you.
  
• Sympathy. Relationship: 11-30. Benefit: The faction will show you favor (Joins you in battle).
  
• Alliance. Relationship: 31-50. Benefit: The faction will actively help you (Joins you in battle. Store discount: 10%).
  
• Brotherhood. Relationship: 51-80. Benefit: You are important and influential in the faction (Joins you in battle. Store discount: 20%).
  
• Living Legend. Relationship: 81-100. Benefit: You are a key member of the faction, and a part of their history (Joins you in battle. Store discount: 30%).

There are several main ways of improving your relationship with a faction. Those are:

• The main quest. Your relationship with the Principality of Masgarth and the Scavengers will just steadily grow as you progress though the main quest. You cannot avoid it or screw it up.
  
• Doing side quests for specific faction. Those side quests will be unlocking as you progress through the game and can be found on the board in Caer Cyflen.
  
• Giving relics to the interested faction.
  
• Choosing proper conversation options during council sessions and making proper choices during some quests (See: “Other Ways” section of this guide).
  
• Having characters with specific background in your party (See: “Other Ways” section of this guide).

In this section, I will try to compile a tiny manual on how to grab the most relationship gains with all the factions in a playthrough. In other words, welcome to “How to Get the Highest Possible Relationship with All the Factions” section. It is impossible to get all the factions to Living Legend at the same time - you will always be missing one.

1. Have a character with Aristocrat background in your party, so you will have access to the Aristocrat background quest and can pick up Adria’s Journal (worth +3).
   
   
2. Have at least one character with Academic background in your party, so you can get easy +15 with Antiquarians at the start of the game. You get +15 for each Academic you have, to a maximum of +60.
   
   
3. First time you meet faction representatives, greet Maddy politely. That will give you additional +4 (on top of the standard 10 for that meeting, bringing your total gain to 14).
   
   
4. Make sure you succeed at History check when examining the minor gate at Caer Lem, so you can pick up the Imperial Gate Plaque (worth +6).
   
   
5. During the “Caer Lem” main quest (when you have a choice of who to talk to), chose to talk to and successfully persuade Daliat Sunbird. This way you will get Silent Whisper Parchment as well as relationship gain with Antiquarians (+5) for getting Beryl out alive.
   
   
6. Make sure you succeed at Arcana check when examining the 3 statues at Manacalon Ruin (Library), so you can pick up the Archaeological Notes (worth +6).
   
   
7. During the “Gem Quest: The Dark Castle” main quest, fight and kill Aksha in her lair in the Bone Keep, so you can pick up Aksha’s Journal (worth +5).
   
   
8. During the “Path to Glory” main quest, at the council session, chose to respond with “Give us weapons" (Arcaneum +5, Antiquarians +3).
   
   
9. Do the faction-specific side quests. Those will give you:
   
   • +8 with Tower of Knowledge (Goblin Culture, Hickory Corner Wood)
     
   • +20 with Arcaneum (Bitterroot’s Treasure Map, The Collector, The Magister’s Amulet)
     
   • +12 with Antiquarians (Angbi’s Bones, Wartime Treasure)
     
   • +7 with Circle of Danantar (Runs in the Family)
     
   
   
10. Distribute the Faction Relics efficiently, taking into account your personal faction preferences. For example:
    
    • For the Tower of Knowledge: nothing.
      
    • For the Circle of Danantar: Encrypted Spellbook ×4 (+40), Myths of Solasta (+8)
      
    • For the Antiquarians: Ancient Manifest (+3), Archaeological Notes (+6), Poem (+3), Tirmarian Holy Symbol (+8), Tirmarian Inquisitor’s Journal (+7), The Elven Wars (+6), Imperial Gate Plaque (+6)
      
    • For the Arcaneum: Depleted Rune (+8), Adria’s Journal (+3), Aksha’s Journal (+5), Magic Weapon Request (+4), Silent Whisper Parchment (+8), Tirmarian Master Smith’s Memoirs (+8), The War of the Gods (+12)

LIVING LEGEND
All this brings your influence with the Antiquarians to 81 (Living Legend, assuming one Academic in the party), with the Arcaneum to 83 (Living Legend), with the Circle of Danantar to 65 (Brotherhood), and with the Tower of Knowledge to 22 (Sympathy).
Of course, if you would prefer to focus your relationship improvement efforts on the Circle or the Tower instead, you can always distribute the relics differently.

You will find various relics as you explore the world and do quests. Description of each relic specifies which factions are interested in acquiring it. Each interested faction will give you exactly the same reward for the relic (the same amount of relationship and gold). You need to give the relic to the faction trader through the proper conversation option (not just sell it through the store interface) to gain the rewards.


A personal journal with most of its pages torn out. The remaining ones tell a dark tale of falling under the dominion of Arivad.
Location: Tannerson Estate during the Aristocrat background quest.
Reward: +3 relationship, 10 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Arcaneum, Circle of Danantar, Tower of Knowledge


A locked book containing Aksha’s notes since her arrival at the Keep.
Location: Aksha’s Lair in the Bone Keep.
Reward: +5 relationship, 25 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Arcaneum, Circle of Danantar, Tower of Knowledge


This old piece of paper is dated before the Cataclysm. It’s a very mundane delivery document, but it might have some value for the Antiquarians, for instance.
Location: Fortress of the Shield, outside, chest near the entrance.
Reward: +3 relationship, 20 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Tower of Knowledge


Notes about a possible Manacalon master of magic, based on a statue discovered in the ruined tower.
Location: Successfully examine (History check) a statue in the Library, Manacalon Ruin.
Reward: +2 relationship, 1 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Tower of Knowledge


Notes about a statue of Lerithir Imradir, the last Emperor of Manacalon. This means the tower was active when the cataclysm struck.
Location: Successfully examine (History check) a statue in the Library, Manacalon Ruin.
Reward: +2 relationship, 1 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Tower of Knowledge


Notes about a strange statue found in the ruined tower in the Badlands.
Location: Successfully examine (History check) a statue in the Library, Manacalon Ruin.
Reward: +2 relationship, 1 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Tower of Knowledge


This magic rune probably harnessed an extremely powerful spell, whose secret has been lost with the Cataclysm.
Location: Teleportation maze in the Bone Keep (2nd floor), right after you go thought the “Stairs”.
Reward: +8 relationship, 1000 gold
Interested factions: Arcaneum, Circle of Danantar


A history book by the First Loremaster of the Manacalon Arcaneum. Very valuable.
Location: In the Major Gate room inside the Fortress of the Shield.
Reward: +6 relationship, 100 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Arcaneum, Circle of Danantar, Tower of Knowledge


A mysterious spellbook written in some obscure code. Maybe experts from the Circle of Danatar could use it.
Location: 1. In a locked room near Basement Entrance in the Bone Keep.
2. In a trapped chest in The Oracle.
3. In The Ego, chest on the right.
4. In the Sentharyllian Necropolis (Volcano), sarcophagus.
Reward: +10 relationship, 100 gold
Interested factions: Circle of Danantar


A silvered plaque from a pre-Cataclysm magical Gate.
Location: Successfully examine (Arcana check) the minor gate at Caer Lem.
Reward: +6 relationship, 50 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Arcaneum, Circle of Danantar, Tower of Knowledge


This request was placed by an Iron Legion officer to obtain a warden sword from the magical workshop of the Tower of Abjuration. It refers to a major component that should lower the crafting price.
Location: In a trapped chest in the Laboratory, Fortress of the Shield.
Reward: +4 relationship, 20 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Arcaneum, Circle of Danantar, Tower of Knowledge


A book written in Dwarvish.
Location: On a desk in the Library, Manacalon Ruin.
Reward: +8 relationship, 50 gold
Interested factions: Circle of Danantar


This might have been a love letter, or simply a poem, dedicated to a Lady Adrasteia. It was clearly crumpled then salvaged and stored safely.
Location: In the Long Rest room, Fortress of the Shield.
Reward: +3 relationship, 40 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Tower of Knowledge


An old parchment, written in some kind of elvish cypher.
Location: During "Caer Lem" main quest, when you have a choice of who to talk to - you have to chose to talk to and successfully persuade Daliat Sunbird.
Reward: +8 relationship, 25 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Arcaneum, Tower of Knowledge


This amulet looks like it’s a Holy Symbol from the pre-Cataclysm era, which means it’s of Tirmarian origin. Judging by its shape, it belonged to a priest of Arun.
Location: In the Tower in Caer Lem, small hollow hidden behind a movable rock near Sorak Camp.
Reward: +8 relationship, 50 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Tower of Knowledge


A leather-bound book, hand-written in the Tirmarian language.
Location: In the Tower in Caer Lem, on a Tirmarian corpse near Secret Caves.
Reward: +7 relationship, 25 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Tower of Knowledge


A leather-bound book, hand-written in Tirmarian language.
Location: In the Tirmarian Ruin, crate behind the Cemetery.
Reward: +8 relationship, 50 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Arcaneum, Circle of Danantar, Tower of Knowledge


You noted this from the scriptures on the temple’s wall. It seems to be the ancient story of Arivad’s fall, on Tirmar, before the Cataclysm.
Location: In Caer Elis, on the wall of the Temple of the Lost God.
Reward: +12 relationship, 25 gold
Interested factions: Antiquarians, Arcaneum, Tower of Knowledge

The Sorr-Akkath have attacked the outpost of Caer Lem in the Marches. They must have left traces, weapons, something. Search the camp in the caves. Bring back any piece of equipment that could be of Sorr-Akkath origin.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you explore the tower in Caer Lem.
Faction: Principality of Masgarth (The Church of Einar)
Relationship gain: Principality +2, Scavengers +3
Other rewards: Vial of Stardust.


You encountered goblins in the caves at Caer Lem. There are scholars at the Tower of Knowledge who believe that the goblins have evolved a written language, so go back there, find a potential example of goblin writing, and bring it back to a quest board.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you find a Goblin Camp in the Caer Lem Outpost.
Faction: Tower of Knowledge
Relationship gain: Tower of Knowledge +4, Scavengers +3
Other rewards: 5 level-3 scrolls, 1 gem worth 300 gp


Find three groups of Angbi’s bones. When you have them all, you can take his remains to Caer Cyflen.
Unlocked: Acquired by talking to the Dwarf Ghost in the Cemetery.
Faction: Antiquarians
Relationship gain: +6
Other rewards: Gauntlets of Ogre Power


Return to the tower of magic where you found the crown. Make note of every piece of writing on the Crown's pedestal for research.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you return from the Manacalon Ruin.
Faction: Principality of Masgarth (The Legacy Council)
Relationship gain: Principality +3, Scavengers +3
Other rewards: Handy Haversack


Proof has been found of the presence of Tirmarian inquisitors near the tower at Caer Lem. Return to the tower and search the library for a book titled Chronicles of the Inquisition.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you return from the Monastery.
Faction: Principality of Masgarth (The Church of Einar)
Relationship Gain:
Other rewards: Ring of the Lightbringers


Bitterroot gave you this map and told you the Arcaneum wanted the place to be explored as it used to be a Silent Whisper base. It’s now up to you to search this area. Return any archeological items that might be of interest to the Arcaneum. You don’t know how they’d reward you exactly, but it would definitely improve your relationship.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you talk to Bitterroot when leaving Coperann.
Faction: Arcaneum
Relationship Gain: Arcaneum +6, Scavengers +3
Other rewards: Three Rings of Poison Resistance


Scavengers have reported that the sigil of the Imperial First Legion has been found on the ruined outpost you found near Coparaann. Return there and find any equipment that might have been part of a soldier of this legion.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you visit Coperann.
Faction: Arcaneum
Relationship Gain: Arcaneum +6, Scavengers +3
Other rewards: pearl worth 100 gp, Bracelets of Sparkles
​

Lord Damantar wants you to retrieve an item from the ruins around Adrasteia's Fortress. He believes one of his ancestors lived there. Find anything that proves this and bring it back.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you return from the Monastery.
Faction: Circle of Danantar
Relationship Gain: +7
Other rewards: pearl worth 100 gp, 3 level 5 scrolls


The Arcaneum experts believe an amulet belonging to the Magister might be located inside the Manacalon ruin where you found the crown. Search the tower's library and return the amulet.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you return from the Monastery.
Faction: Arcaneum
Relationship Gain: Arcaneum +8, Scavengers +3
Other rewards: 4 gems worth 50 gp, a ring of resistance to necrotic damage.


The lava forest you described deep in the Badlands might be located on the front line of the First Expansion era of the Manacalon Empire. You might be able to find remnants of pre-Imperial dwarven culture somewhere. Return there and search the ruins of buildings, and bring back anything tied to this era.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you explore the Lava Forest location and get the related gem.
Faction: Antiquarians
Relationship Gain: +6
Other rewards: a gem worth 500 g, Dagger +2


In the Cradle of Fire, you saw an ancient map of the Manacalon Empire, showing the place that is now known as Hickory Corner Wood. There is a military building there. Find out if any archaeological treasure remains and bring it back for the Tower of Knowledge to study.
Unlocked: Quest appears on the board after you visit the Volcano location and look at the map in the Necropolis.
Faction: Tower of Knowledge
Relationship Gain: +4
Other rewards: Gloves of Missile Snaring.

1. You get +10 relationship with Antiquarians, Tower of Knowledge, Arcaneum and the Circle of Danantar when you first officially meet their representatives during the main quest. Greeting Maddy politely the first time you meet her will give you additional +4 (to a total of +14 with the Tower).
   Please, see "Important Note" below for some addition info about Maddy and how to exploit her to get your Tower relationship to 100 :).
   
   
2. For each character with Academic background in your party you get easy +15 with Antiquarians at the start of the game (to a maximum of +60 if you have four Academics).
   
   
3. You can improve your relationship with Antiquarians or Arcaneum during the "Caer Lem" main quest. During the quest (when you have a choice of who to talk to), chose to talk to and successfully persuade Daliat Sunbird. This way you will get Silent Whisper Parchment as well as relationship gain of +5 with one of the two factions:
   
   • with Antiquarians for getting Beryl Stonebeardout alive. You will get the relationship bonus when you come back to Caer Cyflyn and chose to talk to Beryl;
     
   • with Arcaneum for getting Daliat Sunbird out alive. You will get the relationship bonus when you come back to Caer Cyflyn and chose to talk to Daliat.
   Note: Getting Robar out instead and chosing to talk to him nets you +5 relationship gain with the Principality of Masgarth, and there is plenty of that to gain from other quests. So, saving Robar (or Lisbath) is worthless when it comes to relationship gain.
   
   
4. You can improve some of the relationships by choosing proper conversation options during the council session that takes place after you return from the Fortress of the Shield ("Path to Glory" main quest). You get to speak once during that meeting and you have four options:
   
   • "Give us weapons": Arcaneum +5, Antiquarians +3
     
   • "We'll continue the quest": Circle of Danantar +4, Tower of Knowledge -4, Antiquarians +3
     
   • "You should trust us more": Arcaneum +4
     
   • "Crown is ours": No bonuses
   The "Give us Weapons" option seems to be the best.