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Message: <blockquote data-quote="5Shilling" data-source="post: 6882338" data-attributes="member: 6849897">An interesting discussion and I think the OP definitely has a point. Implicit sexuality - or the fear of it - is absolutely a part of the gothic horror. Looking at all the major works from Wuthering Heights to Jekyll & Hyde, they all have undertones of dysfunctional lust and passion. At the same time as the dysfunction though there is often the thrill of forbidden curiosity - watch the excellent The Company of Wolves based on the Angela Carter stories for ways that werewolves can be a powerful metaphor.I think it is best applied as hints and metaphors rather than straight out, even more so at the game table (where real romance is either goofy or awkward).Having said all this I think there are several cases already in CoS. they are just not highlighted much. As well as  Strahd's various consorts already mentioned, we have Lady Wachter sleeping with her dead husband (if she tries to seduce a Ismark or a PC she could make an excellent female version of Bluebeard!) and we have Izek's "unwholesome" obsession with Ireena.It might be nice, amongst all that, to have at least one "pure" romance that the players want to see work out (maybe Ismark and Ireena if they discover they are not related?). Of course such a pure romance in Ravenloft will, ultimately, be completely doomed...</blockquote>