Our new season is now open: Spring 1677 !
Romance
This is an Opt In article.Also see Rules of Realism
Romance plays a great part in our game. Here are some thoughts for you to consider.
Contents |
Prince Charming is going to be hard to find, just as in real life
We do not make characters black or white. Every character (NPC or PC) is shades of grey. Some are closer to white and some are closer to black.
There are characters that are noble and kind, but they may not be as strong and witty as others. Some are witty, but are rogues and blackguards. Everyone has strengths ... and weaknesses. To find a perfect man or woman is ... difficult (present company excluded of course). Remember the saying "the enemy of the good is the perfect." To seek the perfect can mean that one becomes blind to the good.
Beauty
It is a tremendous benefit for our ladies. It means that you are readily noticed when you enter the room. It means that men will be happy to do something gallant for you at the merest mention. Men want to impress you with how wonderful they are. Men will fall in love with you even though they do not know you. If used correctly, it can be the most important benefit to select.
However, it has some drawbacks too. It sparks jealousy in other ladies. It may make men think the beauty is air-headed. Sometimes it is a bother to have men throw themselves at you, and can lead to bad results. You will see. Last, but not least, it attracts rogues and blackguards that wish to seduce every beauty.
For men, beauty seems to be a bit less important. Though it may cause some women to likewise fall in love with you readily, and notice you whenever you enter a room, it is not as critical to finding love. Ladies often look for more in their dream lord. Men, you will find in contrast, tend to be far more shallow.
Blackguards
They are attracted to debutantes, as much as they are drawn to beauty. There is a certain heady intoxication for debauching innocence, especially if she or he is a beauty. Rogues target innocents because they don't yet have the experience to see the men (or sometimes even women) for what they are.
So, if your lady seems to draw more than her fair share of rogues, don't be surprised. They promise romance to a lady who has dreamed of such things back at her estates. What they deliver might be something else entirely.
Of course, some players welcome the fun in writing the loss of innocence of their PCs. It forces them to mature quickly, and lose their idealism. It can be one of the most potent things to write.
Love
Love, lust, and even true love can be found in this game. As in real life, it is often difficult to tell them apart. That is some of the fun.
The other fun thing about this period is that romantic love often existed outside of marriage. Marriage was entered into for alliances mostly, but one can certainly marry for love. Yet, the 17th Century found (both in London and Versailles) that men and women in loveless marriages often sought satisfaction elsewhere. This led to secrets and scandals uncounted. It also plays well in our game of intrigue. Not every intrigue is for political power. Some is for petty things like revenge, or it could serve to further a scandalized love. Intrigue is little more than manipulating persons and events to suit your preferences.
If you want to find love, you will likely encounter it one day. For some it will happen sooner than others. It depends on many variables. Just as in real life, it helps to have something loveable about yourself. Being kind, witty, friendly, dependable, upbeat, courageous, smart, discreet, etc. are more likely to attract strong feelings from members of the other gender.
As moderators, we take this into account when deciding which NPCs you will meet. But, don't be surprised if we throw an NPC at you who is wholly unsuited. It is often a challenge for a player.
Anything worth having is worth fighting for
If everyone could find their Prince Charming or Princess without trying, this game would become as boring as those "free form" games often do. Everyone needs a challenge to get them out of bed in the morning. The search for love is a powerful motivator.
This does not mean that we will always pull it away from you every time you get close, but expect us to make it seem very hard to get. To do less would be to do you a disservice.
Player to Player
Some of the best romancing is done between players. It is fun to get to know a character so much better than an NPC and it gives you an active ally on the boards. It is also fun to see when one PC might tire of the other and cheat on the other. We've not seen much of that, but it will be great fun reading one day.
