You crave power you can wield without drawing attention to yourself.

Prerequisite(s): You must have survived an encounter with a challenging foe without suffering significant harm by striking a deal (regardless of whether the deal was with the challenging foe or not), or have the Boss, the Liege Lord, or the Well-Connected Friend background.

Benefit: If you succeed at a Diplomacy check to make a request of a creature by 5 or more, the DCs of additional requests you attempt increase by 1 per request, rather than 5.

Goal: Either thwart or decisively defeat an appropriate number of challenging foes as a direct result of bargains you have struck or control at least three leaders of settlements of at least 2,000 residents or similarly influential administrators for at least 6 months without being publicly exposed.

Completion Benefit: If you succeed at a Diplomacy check to make a request of a creature, the DCs of additional requests you attempt increase by 1 per request, rather than 5.

1. You wish to control leaders rumored to be weak and vulnerable to magical manipulation.
2. Your family has suffered humiliation and economic ruin at the hands of a powerful family. You dare not confront them directly, but plan to see to it they believe they are assaulted by enemies on all sides, as you slowly whittle away their influence.
3. You want to manipulate the existing rulers to gain control of one of their kingdoms, either directly or indirectly.
4. Rumor indicates that a princess seeks a way to alter the law so she can ascend to the throne when her father dies. You plan to ensure that she achieves this, and gain her favor and trust in the process.