The best implementation of intraparty romance I’ve ever seen is in the Dragon Age video game. Inspiring dialogue, decision points and elegant rules combine to create a wonderful model that can easily fit into your own D&D adventures, from whomever love or romance springs in your party.
NPC companion characters or party allies particularly make excellent potential romance options in D&D, whether they’re a good friend whose been with the crew since day one (perhaps filling out a small party and missing tactical roles in the process), or an unusual sort passing through for just an adventure with his or her goals temporarily or tangentially aligned with the rest of the party.
For example, maybe that lovely fire-haired lady is simply also headed for Winterhaven, and could both use and offer some company and protection along the way. Love and romance often begin in such incidental ways.
Consider the following three cornerstones of Dragon Age’s romance system to loosely track romance options in your D&D game. It’s much easier with NPC party members (as PCs-only romance can sometimes be awkward to roleplay and execute as DM), so be sure to use them as storytelling tools to add more romance to your adventures, giving your characters and campaign more weight and depth. After all, when is the last time you saw or read any fantasy epics that did not feature at least one romantic relationship?
Shared Values
In Dragon Age, you’re often faced with moral dilemmas, from a test of generosity and coin to one of mercy and life or death. When a party member’s personality and values tend to suggest a certain disposition to these decision points (see the PHB or Rules Compendium for more on decision points), and your choice aligns with what their choice would be, you gain a measure of favor with the party member. This favor is expressed on a numbered scaled (-100 to +100) with descriptors such as neutral, friendly, warm, and love.
As an example, if you play a very generous, giving character, some of the more mercenary and selfish party members may not be impressed when you float a beggar gold every time one tugs at your boots, while the party’s older, matronly healer might. Over time, Myranda, who still volunteers her time to educate and feed the poor and orphans in Fallcrest, becomes more and more impressed, developing a fondness for you – and that, of course, can develop into adoration or more.
Keep in mind some relationships may start or go sour and eventually completely break off. Some may also develop into no more than loyal, platonic love – not everyone wants or wants to be with everyone! Though that’s okay too, as both irritants and dear friends are relationships that enrich the D&D and RPG experience.
So the next time those decision points come up, pay attention as players and as DM to how other characters, whether PCs or NPC allies react and what they add to the dialogue. It’s an opportunity for getting to know someone, for great roleplay and is quite simply laying the seeds of loyalty, love and romance.
Gifts
Who doesn’t like presents? In Dragon Age, giving gifts that suggest something related to a character’s past, desires or personality often also inspire loyalty and gratitude. Rarely, you can go wrong and be a bad gifter – don’t be that person! Pay attention to other characters’ dialogue, background and motivations.
For example, if the NPC party ally defender, Tahrah, a wine-loving human sword-and-board fighter, has no interest in politics, don’t gift her with a tome that chronicles the entire history of the fallen kingdom of Nerath. She might take the book and strike you square in the face with it! You’re much better off buying her an extra round of drinks at each tavern, or finding an elven or eladrin merchant to see if they have some centuries-old wine bottle you can take off his hands as a gift for your special – and tough – lady.
Personal Favors
Everyone has their story, and every party member – PC or NPC – wants their dreams fulfilled, whatever they may be. Along the way, there are quests that are unique to their story and careabouts – this is another opportunity to win the undying love and gratitude of your friends and allies.
Perhaps this means going out of the way sometimes. For some personalities, you’re willing to do so, and for others? Not so much! That’s okay though, as it’s completely believable and part of what makes roleplaying enjoyable and certain friendships or loves stronger or more sincere than others.
Perhaps rumors of a stolen family heirloom, a once-might and magical sword surface. Whether it’s PC or NPC party ally whose silver family sword was stolen by murdering werebeasts in the night years ago, here’s a chance for the rest of the party to do something about it and help their comrade. One or more of you might be doing it out of simple affection, growing loyalty, developing love – or even aching, burning lust!
Love and Desire
Speaking of aching, burning lust and sometimes even true love, consummating your love can be exciting and done tastefully in your D&D game. While you won’t have subtle, short cut scenes for this in your game (and for the love of all things, do NOT LARP this!), a very brief mention of such a scene in the ongoing narrative of your D&D story and adventures is a wonderful bit of unique and compelling flavor to your game, bringing your characters more to life than ever.
The consummation of love is an expected part of life and the world – why wouldn’t the party experience such pleasures in their everyday adventuring lives? Especially as the rock star heroes that they are!
Once again, keep it brief, subtle and tasteful, weaving it into the narrative, moving quickly onto the next scene or encounter.
Brogos and Tahrah continue laughing as they carry eachother up the inn’s creaky stairs, drunk from both success in slaying the dracolich together as well as their six bottles of eladrin feywine. Soon after, there’s a lot more than the sound of laughter loudly coming from Tahrah’s room.
Your Love Story?
Who have you fallen in love with during your D&D adventures – or who has fallen in love with you? What was the love story surrounding any of the characters you’ve ever played or DM’ed? What was one of your favorite or funniest scenes or moments in the adventure surrounding this romantic love?
Kilsek
Currently myself and another player have a romance going in our 4E game. It started when his character saved my life after I got kidnapped. And then again. And then again. The funny part is I started the game LOATHING his character because our personalities were so opposed. Then as time went on I found things my character would like and eventually move all the way into finding him compelling and appealing. It happened very organically. Of course it’s D&D so there have been deaths, curses and all the good stuff you expect to have happen in a heroic fantasy. I think when the unique happenstance of characters falling perfectly in love happens, you need to take advantage of it. Without contrivence, a romance is something special indeed.
Will, thanks for your comment and welcome to Leonine Roar!
The organic and unexpected friendships – and especially romances – that develop are often the best, agreed! They really add to the depth and engagement of a campaign and story, and subtley add more stakes and meaning to your adventures together.
The irony of your particlar story is great – the love/hate thing is classic stuff!