Affinity Guide - Guide for Dragon's Dogma

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                    DRAGON'S DOGMA AFFINITY GUIDE
                            
                            by ChibiLeen
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   I. Version History ---------------------------------------- [HIST]
  II. Introduction ------------------------------------------- [INTR]
 III. Core Mechanics ----------------------------------------- [MECH]
      - How to raise affinity
      - How to lower affinity
      - How to secure the love interest you want
  IV. Favored Items ------------------------------------------ [ITEM]
   V. The Arisen's Bond -------------------------------------- [BOND]
  VI. Character Specific Guide ------------------------------- [CHAR]
      - Quina 
      - Mercedes
      - Madeleine
      - Selene
      - Aelinore
      - Julien
      - Valmiro
      - Reynard
 VII. F.A.Q. ------------------------------------------------- [FAQS]
VIII. Unsolved questions and guide improvement --------------- [UQGI]
  IX. Disclaimer and Credits --------------------------------- [CRED]

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I. Version History ------------------------------------------- [HIST]

Version 0.75: 
------------
Most of the guide is done. I still need to fill in the F.A.Q. and the
Unsolved Questions section, and confirmation of some facts is still 
needed in the Character section.

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II. Introduction --------------------------------------------- [INTR]

Among the denizens of Gransys, you can choose someone who will become
your love interest. Although this may seem like a trivial pursuit at 
first, you will see as you progress in the main quest that it has an 
important impact on a specific element in the story. Quite a lot of 
players have had a very unpleasant surprise, and many are confused 
about how the game selects the Arisen's romantic partner.

Indeed, the affinity system can be somewhat frustrating, but if you 
follow a few simple guidelines, you will be able to romance the 
character of your choice. 

I will endeavor to keep this guide as spoiler-free as possible, but I
will mention quests by name, and I will need to go into further 
detail for some of the character specific guides.       

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III. Core Mechanics ------------------------------------------ [MECH]

The affinity level of an NPC towards the Arisen will rise and fall 
depending on how you interact with them. At a certain point in the 
story, the game will check who has the highest affinity level, and 
will lock that NPC as the Arisen's love interest. This will happen 
twice:

- After you complete "Deny Salvation", a story quest which appears 
  after you've done all other missions for the Duke (Chronicle 22).
- After you complete "Fathom Deep" and initiate the end-game 
  sequence. 

Yes, your love interest is chosen twice, and thus, the NPC you will 
end up with at the very end of the game can be different from the one
that was your loved one earlier on. 

There is no visible affinity stat, but it can be observed as a series
of stages when you interact with an NPC:

- The NPC flees when you approach (Lowest affinity stage)
  
  This can only be achieved by actively decreasing an NPC's affinity
  value (more on this below). The value will steadily increase over 
  time, until the NPC is back to a "neutral" stage.
|
V
- No particular reaction (Neutral stage)
|
V
- The NPC greets you when you approach
|
V
- A chime is heard when you talk to the NPC
|
V
- The NPC blushes when you talk to him/her
|
V
- The NPC has a pink halo when you talk to him/her (Highest affinity
  stage) 

Note that as the affinity increases, the previous "stages" stack: at
the highest stage of affinity, NPCs will greet you when you approach,
and when you talk to them, there will be a chime, a blush on their 
cheeks, and a pink halo around their head. 

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How to raise affinity
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The following actions will raise an NPC's affinity towards the 
Arisen:

- Talking

  Simply talking to the NPC will slowly raise his/her affinity. Be 
  sure to talk regularly to the NPC you're wooing!

- Giving gifts

  When you begin to talk to a NPC, you will see a "Present" option 
  on your contextual button menu. Press the "X" button, and 
  you will get to choose an item to give to the NPC from your 
  inventory (you have to have the item on you, your storage is not 
  taken into account). Giving an NPC his/her favored item will boost
  their affinity more than any other gift (for a list of favored 
  items, please check the corresponding section).

- Completing quests

  Some NPCs will give you quests. If you complete these quests for
  them, it will boost their affinity towards you. Be careful, though,
  because completing the quest line of some NPCs will make them leave
  the game, and you will be unable to interact with them further (if
  the NPC gets chosen as your first love interest, he/she will come
  back and will relocate to your house in Cassardis in post-game). 
  For detailed information concerning character specific quests, 
  please check the corresponding section.

- Completing an NPC's escort quest

  When an NPC's affinity is high enough, an escort quest will be 
  available on the Notice Board at the Inn, either in Cassardis or in
  Gran Soren, depending on the NPC's location (if the Notice Board is
  full, clear a quest so that a new one can appear). This "escort" 
  quest is basically the game's equivalent of a date, and will raise
  the NPC's affinity level by a great amount. But until you reach 
  your destination and enjoy a romantic moment with your date, you 
  need to travel to said spot. And of course, you will need to keep 
  the NPC safe on the way there. However, the NPCs are rather fragile
  and will never get out of harm's way if you run into monsters. 
  Also, the destination of the escort quest is sometimes on the 
  furthest reaches of the map, and getting there might be impossible
  if your level is not high enough. To make your escort quest a 
  breeze, just place a portcrystal where you will need to accompany
  the NPC, and simply teleport there with your date in tow. It is 
  easier to do this during New Game +, since portcrystals are more 
  readily available (you will be able to purchase them at the Black
  Cat). But you will acquire a single portcrystal at the end of 
  "Griffin's Bane" as well (Chronicle 17). Finally, be advised that 
  once you accept an escort quest, you will immediately initiate it,
  and the NPC will join your party. So make all your preparations 
  before accepting the quest. 

- Giving an Arisen's Bond

  This is the game's equivalent of an engagement ring. It will raise
  an NPC's affinity to the highest level (the character will 
  instantly have a pink halo). The hidden affinity stat can still 
  grow beyond that, however, so giving an Arisen's Bond is not a 
  surefire way to secure the NPC you want as your love interest. You
  will find more information on the Arisen's Bond and how to obtain 
  it in the corresponding section.   

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How to lower affinity
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The following actions will lower an NPC's affinity towards the 
Arisen:

- Ignoring

  The affection of NPCs will slowly decrease over time if you do not
  talk to them regularly. Avoid talking to NPCs you do not want as a
  love interest.

- Jostling

  If you run past NPCs or outright bump into them, their affection
  will decrease. Run at full speed for a greater effect. If two or
  more NPCs are standing very close to each other, running into them
  will affect all of them.

- Threatening

  Unsheathing your weapon in front of an NPC will scare them. This is
  the most commonly used method to decrease an NPC's affinity level.
  Be careful when doing this, though, because it will affect every
  NPC standing near to you at that moment.

- Carrying and throwing

  NPCs do not like to be carried, and they certainly hate being 
  thrown. Do not attempt this in the Castle, it will get you 
  arrested.   

- Hurting and killing

  If you strike an NPC with your weapon or your bare fists, this will
  greatly decrease his/her affinity level. Killing an NPC is even
  more effective. A NPC killed by you will respawn after several
  ingame days. Physically harming an NPC is considered a crime, and 
  will get you arrested (unless you manage to flee from the scene of
  your crime quickly enough and without running into any guards). 

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How to secure the love interest you want
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By taking a few simple precautions, romancing the NPC you want can be
done without any fuss. The following rules of thumb will help you 
avoid any unpleasant surprises:

- A pink halo is the highest visible affinity stage, and will be 
  registered by the game as "maximum" affinity if you check the 
  "Gransys Denizens" tab in your History menu. However, the actual 
  affinity value will continue to increase if you continue to 
  interact with the NPC.

- Give your intended love interest an Arisen's Bond as soon as you 
  get one. Refrain from completing their escort quest and their 
  quest line (if they have one) until you give them an Arisen's Bond.
  Also, give ONE Arisen's Bond per game. Not only does this make more
  sense story wise, but giving multiple Arisen's Bonds only damages 
  your chances of getting the love interest you want.

- Be sure to lower the affection of any NPC you do not want as a love
  interest. Whenever you hear a chime from an NPC you wish to avoid, 
  bully him/her for a bit until you hear the sound which plays 
  whenever the affinity is decreased by a level. Doing this regularly
  will ensure you will not accidentally end up with an innkeeper or a
  merchant, for example.    

- If the NPC you want to court has a personal quest line, do not 
  complete it straight away. Some NPCs will leave the game once 
  you're done with their quests, so wait until you're ready for "Deny
  Salvation" (Chronicle 22). For more details about specific 
  characters, see the related section.

- If the NPC you were romancing has already left, take heart : all is
  not lost, provided their affinity was high enough, or if you have 
  given them an Arisen's Bond. Simply take care to lower the affinity
  of any other NPC who is getting a bit too friendly. 
 
- It is possible to complete all the side quests in one playthrough, 
  and still get the NPC you want as your love interest (I have done 
  it myself, and can testify for this). If you lower an NPC's 
  affection to its minimum (i.e. they are running away from you) 
  after accepting a quest from them, completing the quest will not 
  give them a high enough affinity boost to threaten your wooing 
  plans.

- If it is possible for the NPC you're after (check the Character 
  section), do not do their escort quest as soon as it becomes 
  available. Wait until you're ready for "Deny Salvation". If you 
  wish to do some other escort quests (for the reward), be sure to 
  lower the NPC's affection afterwards, and save the escort quest of 
  the NPC you're romancing for last.

- Concerning post-game: as I mentioned it before, the game will lock 
  your love interest a second time, to determine who appears once 
  you've completed "The Great Hereafter" in post-game. Just be sure 
  to take the same precautions you took during the main story before 
  you complete "Fathom Deep". Right before you initiate the endgame 
  sequence, visit the NPC you have chosen (I repeat: it does not have 
  to be the one who was previously chosen as your love interest) and 
  interact with them. Give them gifts, talk to them, and be sure that 
  you do not greatly increase anyone else's affection afterwards.

- Concerning New Game + : affinity levels carry over to New Game + 
  just like your level, skills and items do. So if you wish to go for 
  another love interest this time, be sure to lower the affection of 
  your previous one.    

To sum things up, order is key: romancing your chosen love interest 
should be the last thing you do before completing "Deny Salvation", 
and before completing "Fathom Deep". If that is impossible for the 
NPC you covet, take extra care until you reach each of those two 
quests. 


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IV. Favored Items -------------------------------------------- [ITEM]


             Aelinore - [ White Orchid        ]
                        [ Windmill Flower     ]
               Aldous - [ Ancient Scroll      ]
               Julien - [ Festival Pie        ]
            Fournival - [ Bronze Idol Forgery ]
                        [ Silver Idol Forgery ]
                        [ Gold Idol Forgery   ]
            Madeleine - [ Magick Medal        ]
           Maximilian - [ Quill               ]
             Mercedes - [ Cloudwine           ]
                Quina - [ Godsthrone Blossom  ]
                        [ Noonflower          ]*
              Reynard - [ Reminishroom        ]
               Selene - [ Toadstool Sitter    ]
               Symone - [ Jasper Blossom      ]
                        [ Thornflower         ]
              Valmiro - [ Devilwort           ]


       Cassardi Males - [ Beast-Steak         ]
                        [ Kept Beast-Steak    ]
                        [ Ambrosial Meat      ]
                        [ Kept Ambrosial Meat ] 
     Cassardi females - [ Grandblossom        ]
                        [ Capeflower          ]
    Men of Gran Soren - [ Large Fish          ]
                        [ Kept Large Fish     ]
                        [ Giant Fish          ]
                        [ Kept Giant Fish     ]
 Ladies of Gran Soren - [ Loneflower          ]
                        [ Lava Flower         ]
              Bandits - [ Skull               ]
 Members of the Faith - [ Ancient Ore         ]
                        [ Cursed Carving      ]
             Soldiers - [ Foreign Knife       ]
                        [ Antique Panoply     ]
            Travelers - [ Harspud Juice       ]
                        [ Harspud Sauce       ]


* A single Noonflower can be found on a cliff near the Bloodwater 
Beach, and it doesn't grow anywhere else. See the section on the 
Arisen's Bond for more details.

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V. The Arisen's Bond ----------------------------------------- [BOND]

There are two ways of obtaining an Arisen's Bond in the game, both of 
which are tied to certain side quests. 

- Completing "The Dragon's Tongue":
  --------------------------------

  Pre-requisites: 
  
  * "Lost and Found" completed. It is triggered when you
    complete "A Rude Awakening" and walk out of the Encampment. Speak
    to Chief Adaro to receive the quest.
  * "Witch Hunt" completed. It is triggered at the Fountain Square in
    Gran Soren, after meeting the Duke (Chronicle 17). Three people
    will be standing near the fountain, gossiping about a witch hunt.

  Obtaining the Arisen's Bond :
  Once you have completed "Witch Hunt", leave the Witchwood, and go
  back in again. Return to the grave you just left, and an Ancient
  Tablet should be lying right on it. Pick it up, and take it to 
  either Geffrey in the Cathedral of Gran Soren, or to Clemente in 
  the Church of Cassardis. You will then need to take it to the 
  Dragonforged. Once you talk to the Dragonforged with the Ancient 
  Tablet in your inventory, you will obtain the Arisen's Bond. 

- Crafting:
  --------

  The Arisen's Bond can also be crafted from a Noonflower and a 
  Love-In-The-Rough.

  Obtaining a Noonflower:
  It only grows in one spot, and there is always just one flower at a
  time. It can be found on one of the ledges overlooking Bloodwater 
  Beach (when looking at the map, it is in a small cove-like area on 
  the western mountain wall, just north of the beach itself). You 
  will need to jump a few times to reach it.
  
  Obtaining a Love-In-The-Rough:
  It is the reward for "Duchess In Distress".

  Pre-requisites: 

  * "Arousing Suspicion" completed. Once you meet the Duke for the 
    first time, be sure to exit the Castle through the main exit. The 
    camera will move towards the garden, and show you the Duchess. Be 
    sure to talk to her. Once you do that, find Aelinore's lady in 
    waiting, Mirabelle (she is walking around in the castle) and talk 
    to her to receive the quest.
  * "Duchess in Distress" completed. Once you have completed "Reward 
    and Responsibility" (Chronicle 22), Mirabelle will be waiting for 
    you by the Castle's entrance. Speak to her to trigger the quest.

  Obtaining the Arisen's Bond :
  Once you have gathered both items, just craft the Arisen's Bond out 
  of them in your item menu or through your item storage.


The first method is the most convenient, because Selene will not 
leave the game once you complete "Witch Hunt", while Aelinore will 
disappear once you're done with "Duchess in Distress". This means you 
will be able to lower Selene's affinity once you complete her quest 
line, thus taking no risk whatsoever if you do not wish her to be 
your love interest. However, completing "Duchess in Distress" will 
not do any harm either, provided you lowered Aelinore's affinity to 
it's minimum before accepting the Duke's reward.

As I mentioned before in the Core Mechanics section, you do not need 
to give multiple Arisen's Bonds. One Arisen's Bond per NPC is more 
than enough. Also, avoid giving an Arisen's Bond to multiple NPCs in 
a single playthrough. If you do that (to expand the inventory of the 
merchants, for example), be sure to lower the affection of any NPC 
you do not want as a love interest afterwards. 

Finally, if you give an Arisen's Bond to an NPC, you will get it back 
once you complete "Deny Salvation". Keep it in your storage, and you 
will have a free Arisen's Bond for your next playthrough when you 
start a New Game +. 
    
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VI. Character Specific Guide --------------------------------- [CHAR]

Some of the main NPCs are rather tricky to get as love interests: 
some leave during the main story and some require a series of quests 
to keep them in the game and/or to romance them. Here you will find 
information about the quest lines of these NPCs, and the additional 
precautions you will need to take to woo them. This section contains 
spoilers concerning each NPC's storyline, so proceed at your own 
risk.  

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Quina 
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Leaves: 
------
- If "Lost and Found" is not completed before reaching Gran Soren
- After completion of her quest line, when you finish "A Parting 
  Gift"

Where to find her:
-----------------
Provided you complete "Lost and Found", Quina will stay in Cassardis 
until you meet the Duke. She will then move to the Abbey. 


Escort quest: Prayer Falls
------------
Quina's escort quest will be available for a fairly short amount of 
time, and is easy to miss. It will not appear on the Notice Board of 
Cassardis until completion of "Lost and Found", and will vanish once 
you meet the Duke. 


Quest line:
----------
- "Lost and Found"
  Triggered after "A Rude Awakening": when you leave the Encampment, 
  go speak with chief Adaro to receive the quest.

- "Talent Bloom" ("Lost and Found" required)
  Triggered after meeting the Duke (Chronicle 17): go to the Abbey, 
  in the western reaches of the Wilted Forest, and Quina will be 
  there. Talk to her to receive this quest.

- "A Parting Gift" ("Talent Bloom" required)
  Triggered any time after completion of "Talent Bloom", until right 
  before "Deny Salvation". Speak to Clarus in the Abbey to receive 
  the quest.
        
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Mercedes - big spoilers ahead
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Leaves:
------
During the main story, after completion of "Pride Before a Fall". 
This is the quest where Aldous asks you to assist Mercedes. Accepting 
this quest is a point of no return, so be sure to have properly 
courted Mercedes before accepting that quest. Since there will still 
be a couple of story missions to go through between this quest and 
"Deny Salvation", be extra careful during this interval.

Where to find her:
-----------------
You will first meet Mercedes at the Encampment. She will stay there 
until you trigger "Off With Its Head" and accompany her to Gran 
Soren. Once you reach Gran Soren, you will not be able to see 
Mercedes until you meet the Duke (Chronicle 17). You will then find 
Mercedes wandering around in the Castle.

Escort quest: Shadow Fort
------------
When her affinity is high enough, Mercedes' escort quest will be 
available on the Notice Board of the Gran Soren Inn, and will 
disappear once she leaves after "Pride Before a Fall". 

Quest line:
----------
Mercedes does not have a personal quest line, but your behavior 
during "Pride Before a Fall" will greatly influence her affinity. 
First, when she speaks to you at the Castle gate, tell her you will 
let her handle this mission. If you do not let her take charge, it 
will upset her. Also, during her duel with Julien, do not interfere 
with her fight. Doing so will only hurt her pride more. She will not 
die if you do not help her, so you do not need to intervene. 

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Madeleine
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Leaves:
------
- Whether she leaves if "Guard Duty" is not completed before reaching 
  Gran Soren needs to be verified
- After completion of "Pride Before a Fall", when "Bad Business" 
  becomes available. Be wary: at this point, Madeleine will leave 
  regardless of whether you complete her last quest or not.

Where to find her:
-----------------
When you first meet her, she will be at the Inn in Cassardis. She 
will relocate to the Encampment once you complete "Guard Duty". Once 
you reach Gran Soren, she will hang around at the Inn, until you 
complete "Chasing Shadows". She will then move into her new shop in 
front of the Black Cat. If you have completed her quest line, she 
will be at the Inn in Cassardis in post-game if she is not your love 
interest.

Escort quest: Bloodwater Beach
------------
Once her affinity is high enough, her escort quest will appear on the 
Notice Board of the Gran Soren Inn. It will stay there until "Bad 
Business" becomes available. 

Quest line:
---------- 
- "Guard Duty"
  Triggered once you reach the Encampment for the first time. Return 
  to Cassardis, and Madeleine will be at the Inn. Talk to her to 
  receive the quest. This is very similar to an escort quest: 
  Madeleine will follow you as soon as you accept the quest, so be 
  prepared for it.

- "Chasing Shadows" ("Guard Duty" required)
  Triggered after reaching Gran Soren and completing "A Matter of 
  Myrmidons". Find Mason (who is usually hanging around at the 
  Fountain Square), and talk to him to receive the quest.

- "Supplier's Demand" ("Chasing Shadows" required)
  Triggered after meeting the Duke. Talk to Madeleine in her shop to 
  receive this quest.

- "Bad Business" ("Chasing Shadows" required)
  Triggered after completing "Pride Before a Fall". Go to Madeleine's 
  shop to activate the quest.

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Selene
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Leaves:
------
If you complete "Lost and Found" and "Witch Hunt", Selene will never 
leave the game. Whether she does leave if these quests are not 
completed still needs to be verified.
  
Where to find her:
-----------------
She will be in her hut in Witchwood when you first meet her. When you 
complete "Witch Hunt", she will permanently relocate to your house in 
Cassardis, whether she becomes your love interest or not. 

Escort quest: Healing Spring (the one way up North)
------------
Once Selene's affinity is high enough, the quest will become 
available on the Notice Board of the Gran Soren Inn. It will 
disappear after meeting the Duke (Chronicle 17), when "Witch Hunt" 
becomes available.  

Quest line:
----------
- "Lost and Found"
  Triggered after "A Rude Awakening": when you leave the Encampment, 
  go speak with chief Adaro to receive the quest.

- "Witch Hunt" ("Lost and Found" required)
  Triggered after meeting the Duke. Go to the Fountain Square in Gran 
  Soren: three people will be standing near the fountain, gossiping 
  about a witch hunt. Listen in to activate the quest.

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Aelinore
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Leaves:
------
- It needs to be verified, but she will probably not appear in the 
  game at all if you do not talk to her in her garden right after 
  your meeting with the Duke (you need to exit through the main 
  door).
- After completion of her quest line, when you finish "Duchess in 
  Distress". Be wary, though: once this quest becomes available, 
  Aelinore will leave, whether you complete the quest or not.

Where to find her:
-----------------
After you meet her in her garden, she will be in her chamber in the 
tower of the Castle.  

Escort quest: Healing Spring (the one way up North)
------------
Once Aelinore's affinity is high enough, the escort quest will appear 
on the Notice Board at the Inn of Gran Soren. Its time limit needs to 
be verified, but I believe that if you did "Arousing Suspicion", the 
escort quest will disappear after receiving the Duke's reward 
(Chronicle 22) 

Quest line:
----------
- "Arousing Suspicion" 
  Triggered after you meet the Duke for the first time. Be sure to  
  exit the Castle through the main door and talk to Aelinore. Once 
  you do that, find Aelinore's lady in waiting, Mirabelle (she is 
  walking around in the castle) and talk to her to receive the quest.
- "Duchess in Distress"
  Triggered once you have completed "Reward and Responsibility" 
  (Chronicle 22). Mirabelle will be waiting for you by the Castle's 
  entrance. Speak to her to trigger the quest.


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Julien - big spoilers ahead
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Leaves:
------
During the main story, after completion of "Pride Before a Fall". 
This is the quest where Aldous asks you to assist Mercedes. Accepting 
this quest is potentially a point of no return, and unless you do 
something about it, Julien will permanently leave. This is how you 
prevent it: before accepting "Pride Before a Fall", make sure that 
you have a Wakestone in your inventory. During Julien's duel with 
Mercedes, strike him down. As soon as the cutscene of him dying plays 
out, quickly go to his body and use your Wakestone on him (press the 
X button to "Aid"). He will accept defeat, and will turn himself in, 
thus staying in the game. 

Where to find him:
-----------------
After meeting the Duke, he will wander around in the castle, mostly 
sitting at the desk in the guest room. After you revive him, he will 
stay in the Castle dungeon (you will need a Skeleton Key each time 
you wish to visit him).

Escort quest: Greatwall Encampment
------------
Julien's escort quest will appear on the Notice Board of Gran Soren 
Inn after he turns himself in. You would think that escorting him out 
of his prison cell would be the equivalent of breaking him out, but 
he will return to the dungeon after your date.

Quest line:
----------
Like Mercedes, Julien does not have a personal quest line, and your 
behavior towards him during "Pride Before a Fall" (described above) 
will greatly affect his affinity towards you. If you do not revive 
him after you kill, he will obviously not be eligible as a love 
interest.

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Valmiro
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Leaves:
------
- If "Dying of Curiosity" is not completed before meeting the Duke.
- After completion of his quest line, when you finish "Farewell, 
  Valmiro" (the name of the quest is self-explanatory, this time).

Where to find him:
-----------------
He will walk around in Cassardis, provided you complete "Dying of 
Curiosity". Once "Farewell, Valmiro" becomes available, Valmiro will 
be standing near his house, looking at the sea, and will not budge 
from that spot at all until you complete his last quest. 

Escort quest: Warrior's Departure (east of the Encampment) 
------------
Once his affinity is high enough, his escort quest will appear on the 
Notice Board at the Inn in Cassardis. Whether there is a deadline to 
complete this escort still needs to be verified, but it will probably 
disappear if you complete "Farewell, Valmiro".  

Quest line:
----------
- "Dying of Curiosity"
  Triggered after you complete "Call of the Arisen" (Chronicle 7). 
  After creating your pawn, go back to Cassardis. Find Merin, and 
  talk to him to receive the quest. 
- "Farewell, Valmiro" ("Dying of Curiosity" required)
  Triggered after meeting the Duke (Chronicle 17). Return to 
  Cassardis, and talk to Valmiro to receive the quest. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Reynard
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Leaves:
------
- If you do not save him from the Goblins during "Upon a Pawn", he 
  will permanently leave the game. Be sure to stay on the road when 
  you leave Cassardis, and trigger the cutscene before you reach the 
  Encampment.  
- After completion of his quest line, when you finish "Search Party".

Where to find him:
-----------------
He is the trickiest character to find. Since he is a traveling 
peddler, he will wander around all Gransys. Here are the locations he 
can be found at:
- Cassardis, walking from Aestella's shop to the village's entrance.
- Gran Soren, at the Fountain Square.
- Greatwall Encampent
- Rest Camp in Devilfire Grove
- Rest Camp near the Blighted Manse
When you begin the story quest "Trials and Tribulations", Reynard's 
location will be indicated by a quest marker. He will also be 
indicated by a quest marker at the final stage of "Search Party". 

Escort quest: Greatwall Encampment
------------
Once Reynard's affinity is high enough, the escort quest will appear 
on the Notice Board at the Inn of Gran Soren. Whether there is a 
specific deadline to complete this escort needs to be verified, but I 
surmise it will disappear once you complete "Search Party".

Quest line:
----------
Reynard has only one quest, but it requires a bit of work to 
initiate. First of all, it cannot be initiated right away. The 
accurate timing still needs to be verified, but in my experience, 
"Search Party" will not trigger until after you meet the Duke. To 
receive the quest, you will need to conduct transactions with 
Reynard: buy items from him, enhance your equipment through him, sell 
him items. The exact amount of transactions still needs to be 
verified, but I believe that it is simply tied to his affection level 
(the higher the level, the lesser amount of transactions required). 
Once initiated, "Search Party" will progress in several stages: after 
you give him the item he asks for, you will need to do business with 
Reynard again to proceed to the next stage. In order to complete 
"Search Party" once you've reached the final stage of the quest, you 
will need to give Reynard the pages from his father's journal. Here 
is a full list of their locations:

- First page  : in a chest in the Encampment
- Second page : in a chest in the Catacombs (you will come across it 
                during "Seeking Salvation")
- Third page  : in a chest in Gran Soren, near the Black Cat, in a 
                place only accessible from the rooftops
- Fourth page : in a chest in the abandoned campsite in the Miasmic 
                Haunt
- Fifth page  : in a chest in Soulflayer Canyon, near the west 
                entrance
- Final page  : in a chest in the Ancient Quarry

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VII. F.A.Q. -------------------------------------------------- [FAQS]

[To be added]

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VIII. Unsolved questions and guide improvement --------------- [UQGI]

[To be added]

If you wish to contribute to this guide in any way, if you have found 
a mistake or have evidence that conclusively disproves something that 
is mentioned here, please contact me through a private message on 
GameFAQs. 

Also, since this is my first guide, any advice that would help me 
improve this and any future guides will be most welcome.

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IX. Disclaimer and Credits ----------------------------------- [CRED]

"Dragon's Dogma" is the property of Capcom Co., Ltd.

This guide was written for the sole purpose of helping people who are 
having trouble with the affinity system, and no money is being made 
out of it.

Most of the material in this guide is the result of my own 
observations and tests, but I owe a great debt of gratitude to the 
kind people of GameFAQs' Dragon's Dogma board, through whose 
testimonies and active participation I was able to gather further 
evidence to support my theories. So even though I am the writer, this 
guide is also a collective effort.

I do not intend to publish this guide anywhere else, so if you have 
not found this on GameFAQs, please let me know. If you wish to 
publish this guide on your website, please send me a private message 
through GameFAQs. There is no reason why I should not accept, 
provided you ask first. I will then add your site to the Credits 
section.

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Thank you for reading!