Need help w/ potential love between my PC and an NPC

[Elf Witch]

I agree with the idea that the GM shouldn't force things on my character, though given some of the things he's done in previous campaigns he's run (wherein he basically took my character and made it his own), this is actually a improvement for him. Still, I've already spoken to him about it (mentioning my initial plan for the Leadership feat, of course), and he's pretty much said that it's this or nothing. That said...



I dunno... I think that the GM is expecting me to actively pursue the relationship first, since at this point in the campaign, he's basically stated that the relationship is only a possibility, as opposed to being something established. That is to say, life-saving aside, Vikki isn't really all that attracted to Jesse yet, and I'll have to have Jesse actively try to change that. But there's a problem with that...



The way I see it, Jesse would have a lot of pity for Vikki given her lot in life, but beyond that, I think Jesse wouldn't really like Vikki that much. Vikki's constantly picking the pockets of just about everyone, including not only innocent people but also potential and even established allies, which Jesse would see as selfish and wrong. Jesse would, perhaps, catch Vikki in the act, were it not for the abysmal spot checks I make.

In fact, Jesse has no reason to believe that Vikki is compatible from the perspective of sexual orientation. Vikki has performed "services" for female NPC's in exchange for favors, but Jesse doesn't know about that, and even if she did, there'd be no reason to think it was anything but business.

The fact that your DM has taken over a previous character before and is now not listening to you I have all kinds of warning bells going off.

What your DM is doing is railroading. As a DM I sometimes limit the leadership feat because I think that the party is to big. I will sometimes limit class of a henchman. But to say okay you can do it but you have to use this NPC because I want you to role playing out redeeming her is over stepping his role as DM. If you are not interested in role playing this out the DM needs to accept it.

 

[System Ufera]

I'll add my 2 coppers to this post, cause I found it an interesting situation.

What I read is:
- DM wont grant me a cohort for taking the Leadership feat, unless I don't try to change the alignment of the NPC.

Opinion:
- That the DM won't allow another cohort is valid IMO, cause in the end the DM has to allow the player to take the feat in the first place.
- In addition, ask the DM if you would befriend another NPC, could that count as a cohort? Or is he limiting the cohort solely to this NPC?

The fact that your DM has taken over a previous character before and is now not listening to you I have all kinds of warning bells going off.

What your DM is doing is railroading. As a DM I sometimes limit the leadership feat because I think that the party is to big. I will sometimes limit class of a henchman. But to say okay you can do it but you have to use this NPC because I want you to role playing out redeeming her is over stepping his role as DM. If you are not interested in role playing this out the DM needs to accept it.

Actually, it's more like he's giving me the chance to have Jesse pursue a relationship with Vikki, with no option for anyone else, regardless of whether or not I take the Leadership feat. My idea was that I would take the feat as a means of Jesse getting a chance with someone else, but while the GM is allowing me to take the feat if I want to, he's saying it won't change the fact that Vikki is Jesse's only option.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Your DM's insistence that "It's Vikki or nobody" is a rather metagamey railroady sort of red flag. I've never heard of a DM making this particular kind of ultimatum, and I'm curious what his motivation is. If you happen to ask him about it, or better yet ask him to read this thread, I'd be very interested to know his thoughts.

 

[jholt5638]

Your DM's insistence that "It's Vikki or nobody" is a rather metagamey railroady sort of red flag. I've never heard of a DM making this particular kind of ultimatum, and I'm curious what his motivation is. If you happen to ask him about it, or better yet ask him to read this thread, I'd be very interested to know his thoughts.

I second this, I see no way game wise why this would the case she certainly isn't on person in this world
from the way the world has been described. The only way I can see is that this NPC is a plot hook not yet used.

But even in that case I see no reason for a forced relationship to occur. The only other thought I have is that the DM is trying to have a fantasy of his be roleplayed out. That or he has feelings for you and having a romatic relationship between you and a NPC he has some if not total control over is
a way he can act on them in a world he controls and not across the table.

 

[System Ufera]

I just communicated with the GM on Facebook. Basically, the reason he's not allowing another potential love interest is the amount of work he's already putting into the campaign, what with the custom setting, the subplots for each character, and the main plot, in addition to life in general. He's also afraid that, even if he did have the time and energy to make more characters for this purpose, that I'd keep judging them as being "not good enough." Even though the latter point is a bit blown out of proportion regarding the way he sees it, the former point is perfectly valid.

I suppose I should have made it clearer earlier when this line of discussion within the thread started, but the reason I made this thread was to get advice on how to deal with what I'm being given, not to complain about it.

On another note...

The only other thought I have is that the DM is trying to have a fantasy of his be roleplayed out. That or he has feelings for you and having a romatic relationship between you and a NPC he has some if not total control over is
a way he can act on them in a world he controls and not across the table.

He told me I'm "not his type." We had a good laugh about it. Either way, I'm the one who brought up my character's sexuality in the first place, and it's not too far-fetched to go from mentioning a character's sexuality to making the character's sexuality have some relevance.

 

[jholt5638]

I tend to let streams of ideas and thoughts just spill out onto the page with not much filtering so to speak
I think it comes with running 3.5 games that allow all official materials you have examine very which way for possible abuse by players

 

[Grogg of the North]

Yes, there are rules on forcing alignment shifts in BoED. Though they're written and intended more for redeeming villains you've captured. The situation for Jesse and Vicki calls for more roleplaying than dice rolling and number crunching, as many have already pointed out.

Having had PC/NPC relationships as both a player and a DM, I have to say that every time it's come up, it's been player driven. The fact that the DM has basically said "It's her or no one" is a red flag.

Now, with all that being said, if you're not interested in having a romantic relationship with vikki, then don't. There's no reason why you two can't just be friends.

 

[System Ufera]

Now, with all that being said, if you're not interested in having a romantic relationship with vikki, then don't. There's no reason why you two can't just be friends.

Well, I am interested in a romantic relationship for my character. Given that Vikki is the only option, I'll have to figure out how to do some things in game which I don't know how to do.

First, I'll need to figure out why Jesse would be attracted to Vikki in the first place. I've already explained why Jesse wouldn't be attracted, which means that those obstacles need to be overcome, but so far, the only aspect of Vikki that Jesse would be attracted to is that she's the only other female in the group, and even then, she only might be available (again, Jesse isn't aware of whether or not Vikki is compatible in terms of orientation).

Then, assuming those problems get fixed, I have to actually roleplay the relationship, and I don't even know how to begin to do that, or even what, specifically, to ask for in terms of advice.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

First, I'll need to figure out why Jesse would be attracted to Vikki in the first place. I've already explained why Jesse wouldn't be attracted, which means that those obstacles need to be overcome, but so far, the only aspect of Vikki that Jesse would be attracted to is that she's the only other female in the group, and even then, she only might be available (again, Jesse isn't aware of whether or not Vikki is compatible in terms of orientation).

Earlier you mentioned that you yourself have limited (no?) experience with romance, so as someone who does have a bit of experience under my belt, I'm going to leave you with this suggestion: You're overthinking this.

Attraction is not rational; there's a reason that throughout the majority of human history, and even in many parts of the modern world, love is literally considered to be a form of madness. Real attraction doesn't exactly conform to all of the Hollywood-isms, but real people can and often do become attracted to others for subtle and completely illogical reasons. So quite honestly, you can simply decide that Jesse is attracted to Vikki for absolutely no apparent reason, and nobody will blink an eye.

 

[System Ufera]

Earlier you mentioned that you yourself have limited (no?) experience with romance, so as someone who does have a bit of experience under my belt, I'm going to leave you with this suggestion: You're overthinking this.

Attraction is not rational; there's a reason that throughout the majority of human history, and even in many parts of the modern world, love is literally considered to be a form of madness. Real attraction doesn't exactly conform to all of the Hollywood-isms, but real people can and often do become attracted to others for subtle and completely illogical reasons. So quite honestly, you can simply decide that Jesse is attracted to Vikki for absolutely no apparent reason, and nobody will blink an eye.

Well, I have been seriously attracted to one individual in my life so far, and it was due to her personality traits and intelligence, which seems to me to be, at the very least, not inherently irrational. I was referring more to the aspect of actively pursuing a romantic relationship, which I have not done and probably won't do, given my oaths of chastity and celibacy (not for religious reasons, mind you; I just hate myself).

Still, I understand that, for most people, attraction is seemingly irrational and arbitrary, and given that my brain can only understand things if there's anything to be understood, it'll be rather hard for me to roleplay an arbitrary attraction. If it has to be, so be it, but I'd rather roleplay something I am at least capable of understanding.