---
title: "Relationship States and Transitions"
description: "Five RelationshipState values, THE FRIEND contradiction arcs, KnowledgeState integration, and dialogue access tier filtering"
slug: relationship-states
category: concept
status: canonical
created: 2026-02-12
updated: 2026-02-13
concept_type: mechanical
tags: []
decision_refs: [D-041]
cross_refs: []
---

# Relationship States and Transitions

How `RelationshipState` (defined in `server/src/knowledge/types.rs`) evolves during gameplay, with specific patterns for THE FRIEND contradictions and KnowledgeState integration.

## Canonical States

From `server/src/knowledge/types.rs`:

```rust
pub enum RelationshipState {
    Unknown,    // Teal #4a9ebb
    Known,      // Soft green #6bc9a6
    Friendly,   // Soft green #6bc9a6 (same color, different semantics)
    PersonOfInterest,  // Amber #e8c547
    Hostile,    // Red #d45d5d
}
```

**Visual rendering**: D-033 entity color system. The client maps these states to colors. The knowledge graph determines the state.

---

## State Semantics

### Unknown

**What it means**: No prior knowledge of this entity. First encounter.

**Monologue tone**: Observational, neutral. "Who's that?"

**Dialogue availability**: Public-tier only. No trust-gated content.

**Color**: Teal — visually distinct from all other states.

**Typical duration**: First 30 seconds to 2 minutes of gameplay (until first direct interaction or lattice query).

---

### Known

**What it means**: Recognized, neutral-to-positive. Not a threat, not a close ally.

**Monologue tone**: Casual acknowledgment. "There's Drin. Maintenance tech."

**Dialogue availability**: Public + peer-tier (if appropriate). No insider/secret content yet.

**Color**: Soft green — "safe enough."

**Typical entities**: Coworkers (smuggler), routine contacts (detective), flat NPCs, bar regulars.

---

### Friendly

**What it means**: Positive relationship, trusted. Emotional connection or reliable professional rapport.

**Monologue tone**: Warm, personal. "Good to see them. Always reliable."

**Dialogue availability**: Public + peer + insider-tier. Trust-gated content unlocks. Some secret-tier content if relationship deepens.

**Color**: Soft green (same as Known — the distinction is semantic, not visual).

**Typical entities**: THE FRIEND NPCs, close colleagues, trusted contacts.

**Why same color as Known**: Visual simplicity in early implementation. Future refinement could add subtle shader variation (warmth, pulse, saturation).

---

### PersonOfInterest

**What it means**: Flagged. Something's wrong. Under observation or suspicion.

**Monologue tone**: Analytical, cautious. "{THE FRIEND}'s meeting someone I don't recognize. That's not normal."

**Dialogue availability**: Shifts. Trust-gated content may become unavailable. Confrontation options unlock.

**Color**: Amber — "pay attention."

**Typical entities**: NPCs caught in contradictions, suspects under investigation, people who've triggered tells.

**THE FRIEND trigger**: When THE FRIEND's contradiction is discovered, they transition from Friendly → PersonOfInterest. This is the emotional gut-punch moment.

---

### Hostile

**What it means**: Character KNOWS there is danger. Threat confirmed.

**Monologue tone**: Alarm, threat assessment. "That's security. They're moving toward me."

**Dialogue availability**: Hostile-tier only (threats, demands, final warnings). All trust content locked.

**Color**: Red — "danger."

**Typical entities**: NPCs who've turned on the player, authority figures during a confrontation gone bad, exposed ring members cornered by the detective.

**Rare**: Most NPCs don't reach Hostile. It's the endgame state for failed social maneuvering.

---

## Transition Paths

### Standard Progression (No Contradiction)

```
Unknown → Known → Friendly
```

**Triggers**:
- Unknown → Known: First direct interaction OR lattice query identifies them.
- Known → Friendly: Repeated positive interactions, shared drinks at bar, successful cooperation, trust-building dialogue.

**Example**: Detective meets a bar regular. Unknown (first visit) → Known (second visit, exchanged names) → Friendly (third visit, regular offers unprompted gossip).

---

### Investigation Progression (Detective)

```
Unknown → Known → PersonOfInterest → Hostile (if confrontation fails)
```

**Triggers**:
- Unknown → Known: Lattice query, case file match, first observation.
- Known → PersonOfInterest: Behavioral flags accumulate, tells observed, manifest discrepancy linked to this NPC.
- PersonOfInterest → Hostile: Confrontation attempt rejected, NPC realizes they're under investigation, escalation.

**Example**: Detective observes a cargo handler. Unknown (first sight) → Known (lattice query: "dock worker, logistics") → PersonOfInterest (observed in restricted corridor, evasive answers) → Hostile (confrontation: "I know you're involved. You need to cooperate." / handler: "Stay away from me.").

---

### THE FRIEND Contradiction Arc (Smuggler's Perspective)

```
Friendly → PersonOfInterest → [resolution: Friendly-but-contaminated OR Hostile]
```

**Phase 1: Friendly (baseline)**
- {THE FRIEND} is the smuggler's trusted colleague.
- Monologue: fond, casual.
- Color: soft green.
- Dialogue: insider-tier, warm.

**Phase 2: First Crack (still Friendly, but flags accumulating)**
- Behavioral flags: `lattice_checking,distracted`.
- Monologue shifts slightly: "{THE FRIEND}'s been quiet lately."
- State unchanged (still Friendly), but `EntityKnowledge.known_attributes["behavior_flags"]` updates.

**Phase 3: The Contradiction (Friendly → PersonOfInterest)**
- Trigger: Direct observation of {THE FRIEND} meeting an unknown contact off-route.
- `EntityKnowledge.known_attributes["contradiction_flagged"] = "meeting_unknown_contact"`.
- `RelationshipState` transitions to `PersonOfInterest`.
- Color shifts: soft green → amber.
- Monologue: "That wasn't anyone from our rotation. {THE FRIEND}, what are you doing?"
- Dialogue options change: confrontation unlocks, trust-tier content locks ({THE FRIEND} is evasive).

**Phase 4: Post-Confrontation**
- **Path A (understanding)**: Smuggler confronts {THE FRIEND} gently. {THE FRIEND} confesses: trying to exit the ring to protect someone close to them. `RelationshipState` remains `PersonOfInterest` but monologue tone shifts to conflicted sympathy. Color stays amber (still a problem), but dialogue reflects empathy.
- **Path B (betrayal)**: Smuggler reports {THE FRIEND} to ring leadership or applies harsh pressure. {THE FRIEND} turns defensive. `RelationshipState` → `Hostile`. Color → red. {THE FRIEND} avoids the smuggler, might actively obstruct.

**THE FRIEND pattern**: Friendly → PersonOfInterest is the emotional core. The player trusted {THE FRIEND}. Now {THE FRIEND} is amber. That color shift IS the narrative moment.

---

### THE FRIEND Contradiction Arc (Detective's Perspective)

```
Friendly → PersonOfInterest → [resolution: Friendly-but-contaminated OR Known-distanced OR Hostile]
```

**Phase 1: Friendly (baseline)**
- {THE FRIEND} is the detective's institutional contact and social anchor.
- Monologue: professional warmth, relief.
- Color: soft green.
- Dialogue: peer-tier, cooperative, helpful.

**Phase 2: Pattern Observation (still Friendly, but flags accumulating)**
- Behavioral flags: `avoidance_pattern` ({THE FRIEND} leaves when a suspect arrives).
- Monologue: "That's the third time. {THE FRIEND} leaves when that person shows up."
- State unchanged (still Friendly), but `EntityKnowledge.known_attributes["behavior_flags"]` updates.

**Phase 3: The Contradiction (Friendly → PersonOfInterest)**
- Trigger: Detective asks {THE FRIEND} directly about their avoidance. {THE FRIEND} deflects unconvincingly.
- `EntityKnowledge.known_attributes["contradiction_flagged"] = "avoidance_inconsistency"`.
- `EntityKnowledge.known_attributes["secret_held"] = "unreported evidence"` (detective's inference).
- `RelationshipState` transitions to `PersonOfInterest`.
- Color shifts: soft green → amber.
- Monologue: "They're not lying. But they're not telling me everything. {THE FRIEND}, what do you know?"
- Dialogue options change: pressing questions unlock, casual warmth diminishes.

**Phase 4: Post-Confrontation**
- **Path A (loyalty test)**: Detective confronts {THE FRIEND} about concealment. {THE FRIEND} confesses: sitting on evidence to protect a third party. Detective can choose: report {THE FRIEND} (Hostile), use the information without reporting them (PersonOfInterest → Known, relationship damaged), or protect {THE FRIEND} and accept the information gap (PersonOfInterest → Friendly-but-contaminated).
- **Path B (institutional)**: Detective reports {THE FRIEND} immediately. `RelationshipState` → `Hostile`. {THE FRIEND} is reprimanded or reassigned. Color → red. The detective loses their only local ally.

**THE FRIEND pattern**: The detective's trust in {THE FRIEND} is tested. Amber means "my contact is hiding something." The resolution determines whether the friendship survives.

---

## Contradiction Patterns: Smuggler vs. Detective Paths

Both THE FRIEND NPCs follow the same structural arc, but the **nature of the contradiction differs**:

| Dimension | {THE FRIEND} — Smuggler Path | {THE FRIEND} — Detective Path |
|-----------|------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| **Contradiction type** | Spatial deviation (meeting unknown contact) | Behavioral avoidance (leaving when a suspect arrives) |
| **Discovery method** | Direct observation in restricted area | Pattern recognition over multiple visits |
| **What they're hiding** | Attempt to exit the ring (protect someone close) | Unreported evidence (protect a third party) |
| **Sympathetic motivation** | Personal protection (someone they care about) | Friendship loyalty (mutual third-party connection) |
| **Third-party connection** | {THE FRIEND}'s personal life | {THE FRIEND}'s social network |
| **Color shift timing** | Single observation event (immediate) | Third occurrence (cumulative) |
| **Confrontation stakes** | Ring security vs. personal loyalty | Institutional duty vs. personal loyalty |
| **Resolution spectrum** | Understanding ↔ Betrayal | Protect friend ↔ Report corruption |

**Common structure**: Both contradictions involve a **shared third party** as the emotional anchor — someone both THE FRIEND NPCs are trying to protect, approached from opposite sides of the case.

---

## KnowledgeState Integration

`RelationshipState` (social assessment) is **orthogonal to** `KnowledgeState` (logical validity).

### Active (default)

**What it means**: The knowledge is currently believed true.

**Effect on relationship**: None directly. A Friendly NPC with Active knowledge remains Friendly.

**Example**: Smuggler's knowledge of {THE FRIEND} as "trusted colleague" is Active until the contradiction.

---

### Contradicted

**What it means**: Conflicting information exists. Both the original belief and the contradiction receive this state.

**Effect on relationship**: **This is the trigger for Friendly → PersonOfInterest.**

When `KnowledgeState` becomes `Contradicted`, the system:
1. Sets `EntityKnowledge.state = KnowledgeState::Contradicted` on the conflicting knowledge entries.
2. Triggers a monologue event: "Wait, that doesn't match what I thought I knew."
3. Evaluates `RelationshipState` transition. If the contradicted knowledge is about a Friendly NPC, transition to PersonOfInterest.

**Example**: Smuggler's knowledge "{THE FRIEND} operates within ring protocol" contradicts with new observation "{THE FRIEND} meeting unauthorized contact." Both entries become `Contradicted`. Monologue fires. {THE FRIEND}'s `RelationshipState` → `PersonOfInterest`.

---

### Stale

**What it means**: Knowledge has aged beyond the stale threshold (default 3600 ticks = 6 game-hours).

**Effect on relationship**: Degrades confidence but doesn't change relationship state. A Friendly NPC remains Friendly, but positional knowledge becomes unreliable.

**Example**: Smuggler last saw {THE FRIEND} at the hub 7 hours ago. `last_known_position` becomes Stale. Monologue: "{THE FRIEND} should be off-shift by now. Probably at the bar, but I haven't seen them."

---

## Relationship State and Dialogue Selection

The dialogue system (D-028, D-035) uses `RelationshipState` as a filter:

| Dialogue `access` tag | Unknown | Known | Friendly | PersonOfInterest | Hostile |
|-----------------------|---------|-------|----------|------------------|---------|
| `public` | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| `peer` | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| `insider` | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| `authority` | ✓ (if detective) | ✓ (if detective) | ✗ | ✓ (if detective) | ✗ |
| `hostile` | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |

**Key insight**: `PersonOfInterest` **locks out peer and insider content**. When THE FRIEND transitions to PersonOfInterest, trust-gated dialogue disappears. The NPC becomes guarded. This is mechanically expressed through access-tier filtering.

---

## Monologue Tone Shifts per State

### Unknown → Known

- **Before**: "Who's that?"
- **After**: "That's the maintenance tech."

**Shift**: Identification. Observer now has context.

---

### Known → Friendly

- **Before**: "They're over there."
- **After**: "Good to see them. Always fixes things without making a fuss."

**Shift**: Warmth. Personal regard.

---

### Friendly → PersonOfInterest (THE FRIEND)

- **Before**: "There's {THE FRIEND}. Good — I was starting to worry."
- **After**: "{THE FRIEND}'s here. But they've been acting strange. What's going on?"

**Shift**: Doubt contaminates warmth. The fond observation is now analytical.

---

### PersonOfInterest → Hostile

- **Before**: "{THE FRIEND}'s avoiding me. Something's wrong."
- **After**: "{THE FRIEND} just signaled security. They've turned on me."

**Shift**: Assessment → alarm.

---

## Implementation Notes for Content Authors

- **Contradiction discovery** sets `EntityKnowledge.state = KnowledgeState::Contradicted` AND triggers `RelationshipState` transition if applicable.
- **Monologue lines** should reference `RelationshipState` in prerequisites:
  ```yaml
  prerequisite:
    relationship_state: PersonOfInterest
    subject: {npc_id}
  ```
- **Dialogue lines** filter on `access` tier, which is derived from `RelationshipState` + character type (smuggler/detective/NPC role).
- **Color shifts** are client-side rendering, but the knowledge graph determines the state. Content authors write to the state; the client handles the color.
- **THE FRIEND arc** requires:
  - Friendly baseline (relationship history)
  - Observable contradiction (spatial deviation or behavioral pattern)
  - `contradiction_flagged` attribute set
  - Monologue shift (analytical doubt)
  - Dialogue shift (confrontation options unlock, trust options lock)
  - Resolution paths (multiple endings based on player choice)

---

**Total states**: 5. **Load-bearing transitions**: Unknown → Known (universal), Known/Friendly → PersonOfInterest (THE FRIEND), PersonOfInterest → Hostile (confrontation failure). Other transitions exist but are less structurally critical.