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

[System Ufera]

(WARNING! The potential love that this thread will focus on is between two members of the same sex, so if this bothers you, please leave.)

Okay, so the GM in the campaign I'm in has decided to give each of his players' characters sort of a special "thing" that the characters are to have obtained/developed over the course of the campaign, and in the case of my character, Jesse Redfield, that would be a relationship with the NPC Vikki Filch. Having never been in a relationship myself, I'm quite unaware of what to do regarding the development of said relationship - and personally, I disagree with some of the GM's views regarding this situation, but it's what I'm getting, so... yeah.

My character, Jesse, is a blacksmith's apprentice (class: barbarian) from a small farming community. She's naturally gifted in most areas (in other words, I rolled excellent stats), but the slow pace of the life she's lived so far has inspired little in the way of curiosity. While she never really had much of an interest in the local boys, and would occasionally idly consider what it would be like to be in a relationship with a girl, it wasn't until about a year ago that she actually realized that these things might not just be coincidences. Having only heard of heterosexual couples, she didn't want to alienate herself by opening up to someone about this subject, and so she simply left this area of her identity unexplored.

All of this changed when the threat of an invasion of goblins and other nasty things caused her and the others in the party to seek aid for her village from the larger cities. Having reached the first city, Annobarr, the group encountered a pickpocket almost immediately after entering. Having chased down the thief, Vikki, Jesse was immediately told all about how difficult life was as a young pauper... Jesse had immediately taken pity on Vikki, deciding to cover the cost of her ally's stolen gold, but here was an outsider to Jesse's life, someone Jesse could afford to open up to without risking losing friends or family, and even better was the fact that this young woman was probably more world-wise than Jesse was, and thus could possibly answer a question that Jesse refused to ask anyone else:

"Do you think, maybe, that girls only like guys because we're expected to?"

Long story short, Vikki ran off. Later on, the city of Annobarr faced its own invasion, and the party was given horses to send for aid from Morrkova. Upon escaping the city, who else tries to catch up to the party but Vikki? Jesse, still feeling pity, slowed down to allow Vikki on the horse. A few sessions later, and now the party is trying to find artifacts from the world's creation to try to stop the world from being eaten by darkness. Anyway...

The problems I'm seeing, specific to this situation, are that, first of all, Jesse is Neutral Good, while Vikki is Chaotic Neutral. I was initially going to abandon pursuing that relationship, instead taking the Leadership feat when I could to get a more compatible NPC, but the GM basically said that it's either Vikki or no one. He did say that I could try to change Vikki's alignment through roleplaying (I'm assuming there are actual rules for doing this, which is why I'm posting in the DnD 3.5 section), but I'm not very good at that, and my character isn't exactly the type to manipulate others.

Second of all, there's the whole "world ending" thing going on, which might make things inconvenient for my character to try to pursue a relationship. Either way, I'm looking for help on how to actually go about roleplaying this sort of thing.

 

[NuSair]

I can see this as a rather touchy subject. And while I don't object to the story line itself, I don't like the idea of it being forced upon the character/player. And in general, that doesn't sit well with me.

I don't want to give out too much of my personal life, but I will say that I am completely open and accepting of same sex relationships and support anyone who loves another, regardless of sex. And that I am straight.

The motivation of the DM is something I would question and honestly, no offense, if you were in my group, I wouldn't put you in this situation.

It's one thing to challenge players, to make things interesting and make the story come alive. It's entirely another to make the person uncomfortable in this way.

 

[Mouseferatu]

What NuSair said. Nothing as personal as a relationship--regardless of the specifics of participants, gender, or whatnot--should be forced on a player.

 

[Elf Witch]

The idea of redeeming a person through love is a great story. And I don't think you need formal rules for it. Basically if I was DMing this I would handle it as Vicki watching you be good falling in love with you inspires her to become more worthy of your love. I don't know if you ever watched Buffy but Spike's whole redemption from villain to champion was his love for Buffy and his desire to be a man that was worthy.

I have to ask you do you want this? If not you need to tell your DM that this is not what you want. This is not like asking a DM for a vorpol sword and him saying no. And if you want romance but not with Vicki again talk to the DM.

 

[evileeyore]

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

Use protection!

The problems I'm seeing, specific to this situation, are that, first of all, Jesse is Neutral Good, while Vikki is Chaotic Neutral.

There's a problem here? Why? Sounds fairly compatable.

He did say that I could try to change Vikki's alignment through roleplaying (I'm assuming there are actual rules for doing this, which is why I'm posting in the DnD 3.5 section)...

There aren't.

...but I'm not very good at that, and my character isn't exactly the type to manipulate others.

Then don't. Either lead by example or just accept the loved one as they are.

Second of all, there's the whole "world ending" thing going on, which might make things inconvenient for my character to try to pursue a relationship.

"The World's Ending" is the perfect excuse to pursue love when and where you can.



Heck, I've played characters who used the [false] excuse "The World's Ending" as a pick up line in. Yes, they were terrible people.

 

[GMMichael]

The problems I'm seeing, specific to this situation, are that, first of all, Jesse is Neutral Good, while Vikki is Chaotic Neutral. I was initially going to abandon pursuing that relationship, instead taking the Leadership feat when I could to get a more compatible NPC, but the GM basically said that it's either Vikki or no one. He did say that I could try to change Vikki's alignment through roleplaying (I'm assuming there are actual rules for doing this, which is why I'm posting in the DnD 3.5 section), but I'm not very good at that, and my character isn't exactly the type to manipulate others.

Second of all, there's the whole "world ending" thing going on, which might make things inconvenient for my character to try to pursue a relationship. Either way, I'm looking for help on how to actually go about roleplaying this sort of thing.

-1 GM point for saying it's Vikki or no one.
+1 GM point for saying you can try to -roleplay- your way to a solution.

The D&D rules for changing alignment are: when the GM says so, the alignment changes. In a nutshell.

There are, by the way, zero D&D (core) rules regarding how well romantic relationships work between characters of different alignments. So don't worry about being a good manipulator. And no, the world ending doesn't make things inconvenient; it just makes things more Hollywood.

So how do you roleplay it? The short answer is "what would your character do?" You should consider two important factors though: can your GM handle romantic roleplaying, and does your group want to watch?

 

[System Ufera]

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...

The idea of redeeming a person through love is a great story. And I don't think you need formal rules for it. Basically if I was DMing this I would handle it as Vicki watching you be good falling in love with you inspires her to become more worthy of your love. I don't know if you ever watched Buffy but Spike's whole redemption from villain to champion was his love for Buffy and his desire to be a man that was worthy.

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...

There's a problem here? Why? Sounds fairly compatable.

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.

 

[evileeyore]

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.

My comment was about "alignment incompatability".

If you were LG and she were CN, then I could see the Lawful and Chaotic natures being frictious. But NG and CN can get along fine.

She isn't compulsively picking pockets because she's Chaotic (Neutral can do that as well), but because it's ingrained. If your character knows about the pocket-picking then you have a footing for gentle confrontation to figure out why (if your party has the funds to not worry about next meal and shelter, but if your party is poor...) and work on changing that aspect of her from there. But like you said, your character would avoid manipulation so be direct but mild. Let her know such behavoir isn't something people do to each other in a community, they help one another, not steal from one another. Blah, blah, blah, after-school special.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

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.

Someone like Jesse might see Vikki as a redeemable deviant. "She steals because she's had a hard life, and has had to do a few wrong things to survive. But I make her life easier and show her a better way to live, she might reform, and wouldn't that be great?!"

And it could end up great. Or it could end with a horribly codependent relationship.

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.

I'm guessing you've heard of romantic chemistry, and 'gaydar'? While I can't vouch for these being real things, they are very much Hollywood story kind of things. So if you do want Jesse to pursue Vikki, it would very much fit within the kind of dramatic story that your DM seems to be offering.

 

[Ragmon]

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?

On the relationship:
- In the end you PC + NPC can always be friends. Keep it simple that way, its easier to keep away from the romantic relationship.
- GREAT EXAMPLE, sort of like in video game relationships... in the old ones not the Mass Effect or Dragon Age ones, more like Temple of Elemental Evil and Fallout (1 and 2), you can resolve the relationship at the end of the campaign after you save the world and the characters choose to settle down. As part of a montage.

I hope I got my point trough. Cheers.