I allow my characters a lot of personal direction. One of the ways is to allow them to introduce a subplot that they wish to explore with their character. They can chose Sorcery, Nemesis, Romance or some other theme. The idea is that it is in addition to plot of the story, something on the side, some aspect of the game that they want to explore on the side. This seems to be very minor at first glance, but I request that they invest in the subplot some of their experience. So they have to save for something other than Character Development and they have to decide the level of the investment. They can invest 3, 6 or 9 xp in the subplot. Exact time the Subplot is featured, they get a dividend of 1, 2 or 3 xp and when the subplot concludes, they get the full investment back again.
A level one investment is a minor inconvenience. There might be a bureaucrat who feels snubbed and is generally unhelpful every time you meet up with them. At worst they could send you misinformation that results in an inconvenience for the character. Or a minor love affair on the side.
A level two investment represents equal power levels. Your enemy is of equal power and is a threat to you alone, but to the rest of your group is a minor threat. Or to complete this subplot you need to complete some arduous but mundane task. When you are finished you have accomplished something but have no lasting affects.
A level three investment is a major threat. Your enemy is a threat to you or your party. It is a quest that reaches across the world and when it is done, your character is changed in some way. Like a sorcery Quest, where the last stage is a sacrifice that alters the character. Or a nemesis, who threatens the entire party, forcing the character to change. A romance plot could evolve into a nemesis plot depending how it ends where the former love interests will not stop until they see their love dead.
So I need to construct a romance subplot. An epic love story. And there are themes that need to be told in Romance. It is not just about sex. It is about danger. Rescue. It is about the draw of non violent conflict, it is about love that crosses social lines and crosses borders and realms. Epic love stories are not Romeo and Juliet, that is merely a level two romance. We are talking Orpheus, who crossed into the underworld, wooed Hades and won the chance to take his lover home if he just not look backwards, but having looked backwards lost it all. It is about forbidden love that if mishandled would destroy a nation, like Sir Lancelot and Guinevere.
Off hand there are several themes that are viable. There is a love affair between a dynastic Dragon Blooded and Stalking Jaguar a Solar Anathema, a love that is forbidden and if word should get out, would bring down a Dynastic House, so the only solution is that he must kill his love for his Family to prove his loyalty and failing that, his house sends assassins to erase the forbidden love. Then the lover of Stalking Jaguar throws himself before the wrath of his house and dies protecting his lover. The rage of grief that the scion of that house should die in the attempt drives the Patriarch of the house mad with grief and vows that Stalking Jaguar shall be destroyed or else the House in ruins. Meanwhile the lover, dies for his love and his sacrifice is noted, just before he enters Lethe and is contacted by a Deathlord and is offered a second chance . . .. The new Death Knight is strong and ugly as sin, the effects of decomposition. Will the love survive this transformation, or will it fail, spiraling into yet another Nemesis!
That is one option.
A second option is that of … No. I really like that one I just painted. It is perfect. It has everything. I can even picture who this person is. Grandson of the Empress, the favoured son of Mnemon. A graduate of worthy of the Mnemon name. Trained as an immaculate priest, given special dispensation to leave the Immaculate Order to pursue House obligations and a trained in sorcery to boot. In Thorns after the Death of his long time wife a few years ago. Meets Stalking Jaguar, who is an odd woman, with white jade artifacts and small stature. What starts as a small dalliance quickly escalates over distance. It escalates to the point where he actually falls in love and her anathema nature does not matter. His mother is happy and summons his new love interest to her for an audience. To meet her. There is a dance about why she can't meet her and then there is an investigation. Perhaps she consents to come visit Mnemon. It becomes obvious that this relationship will not work. There will be second circle demon assassins. There will be a Sidereal Bronze Faction assassin. The Wyld Hunt will be involved. Mask of Winters may become involved if the lover is still in the city when he arrives. Lovers in a burning city at its fall—great motif. A battle Royal where the lover dies protecting Stalking Jaguar and then it gets messy
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