## Example: the default relationship stages (used when a world defines none)

```json
{
  "relationshipStages": [
    {
      "name": "Nemesis",
      "minScore": -100,
      "maxScore": -81
    },
    {
      "name": "Antagonist",
      "minScore": -80,
      "maxScore": -61
    },
    {
      "name": "Hostile",
      "minScore": -60,
      "maxScore": -41
    },
    {
      "name": "Unfriendly",
      "minScore": -40,
      "maxScore": -21
    },
    {
      "name": "Cold",
      "minScore": -20,
      "maxScore": -1
    },
    {
      "name": "Neutral",
      "minScore": 0,
      "maxScore": 0
    },
    {
      "name": "Warm",
      "minScore": 1,
      "maxScore": 20
    },
    {
      "name": "Friendly",
      "minScore": 21,
      "maxScore": 40
    },
    {
      "name": "Confidant",
      "minScore": 41,
      "maxScore": 60
    },
    {
      "name": "Ally",
      "minScore": 61,
      "maxScore": 80
    },
    {
      "name": "Devoted",
      "minScore": 81,
      "maxScore": 100
    }
  ]
}
```

## How it works

Every NPC carries a relationship score from -100 to 100 that reflects how they feel about the player. Negative scores mean dislike, distrust, or opposition; positive scores mean warmth, trust, or attachment. `relationshipStages` maps score ranges to the labels shown to players and handed to the AI as context, so NPC behavior can reflect your world's own terminology (a romance world's `Fond` or `Soulbound`, a rivalry world's `Threatened` or `Sworn Nemesis`).

- Each stage is a `{ name, minScore, maxScore }` object with a unique `name` and whole-number scores. If you define this section, the stages **must cover every score from -100 to 100** with no gaps and no overlaps, so any score resolves to exactly one stage.
- Omit the section entirely to use the default set shown above; a present-but-empty `[]` is rejected, so cover the full range or leave the section out.
- This section only names the bands. How fast scores move is plain-language pacing you write in the `relationship_change_updates` block of [NPC Updates](/ai/generateNPCUpdates), not a field here.
- Triggers read a score with the `npc-relationship` condition and a stage name with `npc-relationship-stage`, and change a score with the `npc-relationship` effect (see [Triggers](/mechanics/triggers)). A changed score stays clamped to -100..100.

## Fields

### name

The label shown for this score band, in the player-facing UI and in AI context. Rename it to your world's terminology.

### minScore

Lowest score this stage covers, inclusive. Keep it within -100 to 100 and at or below `maxScore`.

### maxScore

Highest score this stage covers, inclusive. Keep it within -100 to 100 and at or above `minScore`.