Love is in the air, and Josh Sawyer is here to talk us through the ins and outs of relationships within Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.

Announced as the current stretch goal locked behind a $3 million paywall, it's a feature fans have been asking for since the original Pillars of Eternity hit shelves back in 2015. With 9 days left of the clock, we're $300,000 short of having it included for launch.

So how do they work? Well, as lovingly demonstrated through Mr. Sawyers handy infographic during a romantic picnic, characters work much like people; in that they have likes and dislikes. The finest example being that if you're out killing fauna around an animal lover - don't go expecting any brownie points there. If fact, upon reaching a 'breaking point', a character who disagrees with your intentions or attitudes will certainly call you out on it. Likewise, those who commend your actions or just loves how you're treating them will make it known, too.

Maia Rua and Serafen

Introduced through the 13th Kickstarter update, these two interesting fellows represent two of the newest romancing opportunities. Maia Rua - pictured right - is a loyal Rauataian of the Huana ancestry. If you're into loving her and her animals, she's fondly attached to her scouting bird - Ishiza.

If you're looking for a strong man on your side, however, Serafen might be the one for you. Though obviously not the tall, dark and handsome fellow you might - or might not - have expected from his photo, his small stature has him doing all the dirty jobs others were too tall to manage. Later becoming a talented cipher, he's a cunning member of the Príncipi sen Patrena pirate organisation.

Relationships

Much like general human nature, viable companions within Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire have a long list of likes and dislikes when it comes to their own interests and personality preferences. If these are met in a positive way, the character in question will eventually build up to a 'breaking point' in which the relationship will progress through natural conversation and, eventually, character-specific quest chains.

Of course, it works the other way, too, with characters looking to call you out on attitudes and actions that don't fall in-line with their personal views leading to detailed confrontations. Within either, dialogue choices are still present. Choosing to say more or less will effect the outcome of each individual moment with the player having the opportunity to intervene in social situations, do nothing or let nature take its course.

The official announcement over on the game's on-going Fig page makes examples of these with the held of Edér from the original Pillars of Eternity release mentioning how he isn't too fond of zealots and will occasionally come out with racist remarks. While some will just shrug these off, others might choose to get a little more mouthy upon hearing such questionable quotes eventually leading to the conversation and confrontations you can expect through any meaningful relationship.

Pillars of Eternity is scheduled to release later next year. Its $1.1 million Fig goal was reached in near-record time meaning there's no way it isn't happening. Delays are possible, of course, but each Stretch Goal only brings us closer to a stronger title.