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What on Earth is this?
There's been some conversation recently about wanting more male love interests for APs. And, frankly, even if there were enough, different players and PCs need different things out of their romances.
As GMs, we add NPCs all the time. Nameless faces in the crowd become important parts of the plot, even in APs.
But adding a romantic interest takes a different sort of finesse, especially if the GM isn't part of the target audience.
So, I propose we start gathering some examples of ones that we've used that have worked. That way, even those of us who find the idea of being attracted to men faintly confusing, can drop them in like any other NPC.
Build a Beefcake?
Okay, maybe "beefcake" isn't exactly right here. Some people love their beefcake (generally defined as large-muscled dudes who can't keep their shirts on). Others are looking for pretty boys, cute boys, battle-scarred rogues, or older men.
You can't go wrong with the name, though. Thanks to Ashiel for the name :)
Keep in mind when you're showing off your creativity that these are for APs. Have a great romantic rival pirate captain you added for Skull and Shackles that inevitably led to romance? Did your PCs pair off with ambassadors from neighboring kingdoms in Kingmaker? Does your party keep inexplicably falling in love with shopkeepers?
Cheers!
Landon
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Oh, one last thing: be sure to use spoiler tags if you're talking about a specific point in the Adventure Path that people may want to play later.
Here's an example I've used that went well:
Telas Turtletamer
Natural Habitat: Rise of the Runelords, Turtleback Ferry
First Impression: Well-dressed gnome with a shock of bright green hair, directing a massive turtle with gentle words. Became very excited to meet another gnome and they rapid-fire chatted the whole way to town, mostly about how awesome turtles are and the situation in town.
Story: A gnome druid responsible for, as his title indicates, taming the turtles for use in the town's titular ferry. Considers the turtles, the lake they live on, and the nearby humans his responsibility.
He makes a good living as ferry-operator, but ends up spending most of it on the turtles and donating the rest. Has a vice for fine clothing, however, at odds with his work on the water.
How it played out: We had a gnome bard in the party; relationships between short and tall races weirded out the player. Telas helped them out at risk to himself and the turtles, resulting in a sorrowful parting when the party had to move on.
Cheers!
Landon
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Dotting, despite my minor distaste with the term "beefcake".
Tambien.
Dotting, despite my minor distaste with the term "beefcake".
Beefcake just sounds delicious! And the "Build a Beefcake Workshop" is actually a parody of the commercials targeted at girls for the "Build A Bear Workshop" where you go and pick out every aspect of your dream teddy bear. (^_^)
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And before you ask, they're not using the store's real name because "Bear" carries connotations they're not exactly looking for when used to refer to men.
Oh, and dotting out of sheer unbridled curiosity.
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Barlan Kelorn
Barlan was born in Sandpoint and spent the better part of his life learning swordplay from his mother Shara Kelorn, who was a former guard working in Korvosa before moving out of the city to retire with her husband, Barlan's father, Alexander Kelorn who was a successful fourth generation farmer who had established a good living for himself.
Barlan worked on his father's farm doing a lot of physical work in the sun which left the dark-haired Varisian with not only an even darker complexion that only seemed to draw more attention to his bright emerald-colored eyes, but also with a strong working man's build. As he got older he realized that despite having a pretty solid appreciation for farming it really wasn't for him, and as such he decided that he might be interested in going out for something more daring...
Depending on the campaign, Barlan can show up in a variety of adventure paths where he can become a friendly face to the party, a cohort, or love interest.
Rescue at the Fishery: Having crossed Gaedren Lamm, either by accident or intent upon trying to intervene after catching a child picking his pocket, Barlan was jumped by Giggles and Lamm and has been tied up inside the fishery, or may even be hanging up over the pool leading to gobblegut's waterhole, and just hasn't yet been killed when the party arrives. If the party rescues him, he is thankful for his rescue and his attitude is immediately helpful towards them.
Downed Griffin Rider: In Chapter 2, one of descriptions for the civil unrest includes a sable company rider who crashes into a statue and suffers a bloody demise as his companions continue their flights. Barlan could be the rider who suffers this ill fate, leaving him critically injured and left for dead.
Should the PCs stabilize his wounds with a DC 15 Heal check, or heal him with magic he will immediately consider them his heroes and his attitude to the strangers becomes helpful. The party may learn that he is a rookie sable company rider who hasn't been with the company for long, and if they treat him well and are friendly towards him, he may even abandon the company to travel with them and help them, feeling that he owes them more than the company who left him for dead.
Town Guard: There's a lot of guards in Korvosa, many of which have lots of reasons to give up on their jobs at the time. As a rookie guard who got a low ranking position pretty much instantly due to his mother's reputation and his physical skills, he is currently swept up in the civil unrest and is trying to keep the peace as best as he can. It's likely that he and the PCs cross paths during the civil unrest period during the campaign, or around the time the party is going to All The World's Meat. He's indifferent in this case towards the party but his attitude can be improved pretty easily.
Visitor/Adventurer: In this scenario, Barlan is visiting the city when all hell breaks loose and the roads are mostly clogged with merchant carts. Now stuck in the city that's tearing itself apart, he is looking for work and a place to stay, while trying to do as much as he can to help curb the struggles of people in their day to day lives.
Both brave and sure, he can easily find himself defending people from rioting mobs, or jumping in to help a band of adventurers from getting slaughtered by impossible encounters with Imps, or firing arrows against rampaging Otyoughs, or caught in a fight with some Hellknights who have mistaken him for a looter.
His attitude in such situations is usually indifferent or friendly as suitable. In general he's indifferent unless the PCs come to his aid or do something that he views as suitable heroic (such as putting themselves in danger to protect nearby citizens).
Caravan Jobs: Barlan can perform the caravan jobs driver, guard, guide, healer, passenger, or scout. At 4th level, Barlan can have the spellcaster job and gains an animal companion that can also serve as a guard or scout. At levels beyond 1st, Barlan may invest a rank into various skills to open up jobs such as cook, wainwright, merchant, etc.
Preferred Gifts: Music (various Perform checks, DC 15), Witty Jokes (DC 15 Perform [comedy]), any gift suitable for his animal companion (food, bones for canines, etc), being kind to his animal companions (brushing their fur, pruning their wings, playing games with them, etc), combat manuals (such as martial arts writings), charming conversation (DC 15 Diplomacy), impressing him with your survival skills (DC 15 Survival).
Hated Insults: Disdain for people of humble origins, serious insults about being a farmboy (friendly toned jesting is taken as witty joking instead), insulting his animal companion, insulting his skill in combat, insulting farmers, implying women can't fight, making spiteful comments about his education (or lack thereof).
Devotion Boon: Barlan is a hearty scout that's good with animals, and his traits have rubbed off on you. You gain the benefits of the Animal Affinity and Endurance feats.
Enmity Boon: Barlan's taken an ill temper with you, as have his animal companions. You've learned to not fear animals, and your resolve frightens them. Animals will no longer attack you unless they are trained to fight unnatural creatures (see Handle Animal skill).
When not doing anything in particular, he's prone to hanging out with Kroop in the kitchen, trying to distract him from drinking as much as he can, which usually involves the pair talking about raising chickens on a farm.
Barlan's Statistics CR ½
Medium humanoid (human) ranger 1; Init +2; Senses Perception +5; AC 20, touch 12, flat 18 (+6 armor, +2 dex, +2 shield); Hp 12 (1d10+2); Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +3; Melee longsword +5 (1d8+4/19-20), Ranged sling (rocks) +3 (1d3+3); Favored Enemy (animals) +2; Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 7; BAB +1; CMB +5; CMD 17; Feats – Iron Will, Persuasive; Skills – Diplomacy +0, Handle Animal +4, Heal +5, Intimidate +0, Perception +5, Ride +6, Stealth +8, Survival +7 (+1 tracking), Check Penalty -4; SQ – Wild Empathy (-2), Track (+1); Equipment (390 gp) – longsword, breastplate, heavy wooden shield, 3 slings, mwk tools (handle animal, stealth, survival), 20 gp worth of additional gear
Romancing Barlan
Barlan is very down to earth and accepting of other people, more interested in actions than words more often than not. He's got a soft spot for anyone who strikes him as a heroic sort, and by heroic that usually means non-evil as well. He's used to dealing with simple country folks, which includes people that like himself didn't receive a formal education, but he's a likeable enough sort and has never really been hampered too greatly socially (hence the Persuasive feat).
There's a number of things to keep in mind when romancing Barlan.
Using Diplomacy
Most characters when propositioning Barlan for intimacy will be using Diplomacy (hopefully not Intimidate). The DC is equal to his base attitude DC, the NPC charisma modifier (-2), and may have other modifiers as appropriate, such as those below.
Orientation: Barlan identifies as a straight male and is generally only interested in females. If a male character attempts to seduce him, increase all Diplomacy request DCs made to seduce him by +20. Characters that are capable of assuming different genders through shapechanging abilities (such as with alter self or change shape) only increase the DC when in a non-female form.
Preferences: Barlan is attracted to medium humanoids (and humanoid-shaped creatures) that are sentient. Each size category away from medium size increases the DC by +2. Creatures that are nonhumanoid in shape increase the DC by +4. These adjustments are cumulative (so a gargantuan dragon in its natural form would increase the DC by +10).
Jade Regent: These modifiers apply when making checks to begin romances in Jade Regent, wherever applicable.
Supporting Characters
Barlan's parents both still live in Sandpoint. His mother is retired and enjoying it, while his father is a successful farmer that earns about 7 gold pieces a week farming. His mother and father are particularly important to Barlan, and he will be anxious to bring any romantic interest home at some point to meet his parents.
Barlan is an only son and as a result his father and mother are particularly protective of him and may have other plans, especially if the PC isn't interested in settling down, or for some reason can't or won't have grandchildren, adding some noncombat encounters that may need to be resolved over the course of a campaign.
great job ashiel! although his stats are a bit min/max for my taste the rest is super rock solid (THATS WHAT SHE SAID!!!!)*
also what exactly does Beefcake look like? for some reason i get a picture of shepherds's pie only with stew meat(?) that can't be right
update: turns out its essentially meatballs in a cake like form lathered in gravy during the cooking process.
*Micheal Scott never questioned wether she said it, just exclaimed it loudly when she did:)
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Hollow Graves
AL: LN
Race and Class Human (Half Gebbite/Half Ustalavic) Necromancer
Appearance: Hollow has black hair to his shoulders which he usually keeps in a loose ponytail, his fringe often gets in his eyes. His coffee coloured skin, bright green eyes. He wears his beard in a small soul patch. He really wants a fancy moustache but knows his upper lip hair grows in patchy so he doesn't do it. He has a climber's body since has spent some time as a solo adventurer. He dresses well, in shirts and pants, with very nice (usually magic) boots. Hollow refuses to wear robes because: "It's daytime and I'm not just coming out of a bath."
Brief History
Hollow Graves is a member of the Pathfinder society, and adventures with a heavily armoured mute body-guard (secretly Hollow Graves' skeletal familiar. See: Unearthed Arcana). The son of a travelling Ustalavic lord, and a mother who was a cleric, Hollow was raised in Geb. His talent for necromancy was discovered at an early age and he was taken from his parents. He was a rising talent at the academy and his passion for history and magic were unrivalled. But Hollow hated the injustices in Geb, he wanted to see the dead work for the living not the other way around. He eventually escaped the academy, but returned home to find his parents had already escaped Geb. He has not seen them since. He joined the PFS because of a genuine interest in history and as an outlet for his unique talents.
Personality/Quotes: Hollow is an academic who enjoys throwing around three dollar words when one dollar words will do. He is aware of this and because of his genuine passion for knowledge is willing to "dumb it down" for low Int characters.
"Fascinating, it appears the ancient Elves here once worshipped the god who would later become Zon-Kuthon's herald. A forced anti-apotheosis that had profound impact on their culture and you're looking at me like I grew a second head. When their god was enslaved the Elves here went down with him."
Goals & Attitudes Hollow is interested in creating a non-evil variant of Create Undead, his dream is a land where zombies, skeletons and other mindless dead can perform menial labors freeing the living population to get educated and innovate a new world. He hates intelligent undead with a passion.
Meeting Hollow: When PCs are exploring a dungeon Hollow might be there too, with Sir Clackers his body guard, and perhaps with some dungeon denizens raised as zombies. If the players attack Hollow is quick to ask the PCs to: "Wait! Why don't we talk about this. You're clearly not with these dungeon denizens!"
Hollow explains he's with the Pathfinder society and is looking for a single particular item (something that the PCs wouldn't care much about anyway). He would welcome teaming up with the PCs, even allowing them to destroy the zombies but not revealing Sir Clacker's true nature. If the PCs prefer not to team up Hollow respects that decision but asks the PCs to bring him the Artifact when they get back to town he's willing to reward them handsomely.
Romance: Hollow is a romantic, he sees the beauty in many things including history, science and nature. If a particular Player is interested in a romantic sub-plot Hollow is quick to feel attraction to that character. When the characters return to town Hollow asks that character for coffee, if he's rebuffed he takes rejection with good grace, using prestidigitation to produce a bouquet of flowers with a card carrying his Arcane Mark: "Scry me if you change your mind."
If he is taken up on the offer, he makes no secret that he has an attraction to the character and hopes to see if there's an intellectual compatibility. He's open to talking about his past, but only tells the secret of Sir Clackers if he truly trusts someone.
If the characters hit it off Hollow shows his love in small but sweet ways, he enjoys writing (terrible) poetry, will occasionally buy the PC useful but unusual magic items. He is open in his affection, but always respectful, to Hollow love is a decision that must be made by two people.
great job ashiel! although his stats are a bit min/max for my taste the rest is super rock solid (THATS WHAT SHE SAID!!!!)*
also what exactly does Beefcake look like? for some reason i get a picture of shepherds's pie only with stew meat(?) that can't be right
update: turns out its essentially meatballs in a cake like form lathered in gravy during the cooking process.*Micheal Scott never questioned wether she said it, just exclaimed it loudly when she did:)
Thanks Captain Yesterday. His ability scores are a bit min-maxed (I gave him a 16, 14, 14, 7, 13, 7) in the sense that I was trying to make a 15 PB (he's a heroic classed character) and I figured country farmboy who was accepting of people and got on well with folks. His high physical stats show him as the hearty farmboy that he is, his Int represents his lack of formal education (but his ranger level shows he has lots of practical experience), and his low Charisma is actually helpful for representing that he's more inclined to help people and be easily approachable (because the -2 penalty reduces the DCs to ask him for help with things). To represent that he's not socially akward I gave him the Persuasive feat as his human bonus feat (+2 Diplomacy/Intimidate) which means he's effectively normal when it comes to dealing with people, though he's a bad liar (but he was raised to be).
I thought about where to drop the +2, and after a bit I decided to go with Strength because it makes him better at climbing, swimming, and rugged manly combat-stuff. Plus in the other thread some had pointed out that the power of a character was also important to them (because apparently my willingness to romance normal people in games is an oddity).
So overall you have a man who's comfortable on a farm, is rugged, handsome, easily strong enough to carry you around as you lean into his hard yet smoothly fuzzy chest as you gaze up into his emerald eyes, and he's good with animals, practical life experiences (the +1 from Wisdom means he's better at farming and sailing and stuff), and has reasonable skills for being on an adventure, and making sense for the GM to drop him where s/he will.
As for beefcake, I've never actually seen it. Now cheesecake is delicious, creamy, and is awesome with strawberries. Now beefcake I'd actually probably prefer eating in reality, since I'm usually not much for sweets, and I'd imagine it as kind of a ground or pureed meat that is baked in a spicy sauce in a thick bread, kind of like a cross between a meatloaf in a shell. Not a pie shell though. Maybe more like some unleavened bread or something that soaks up the juicy spiced goodness.
Some chili smothered on top would be extra cool.
...Now I feel like cooking. Damn it! (^~^)
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This thread needs pictures.
If you click the link in my NPC's statblock name you get a pic.
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Dig.
Gay drow refugee and punk rock rebel tiefling and unusually sensual Ouat dwarf inbound, after some other things get caught up on this weekend. :)
This thread needs pictures.
This is a good call, whether it's just art found online or quick commissions.
It might even be a good idea to build up a library of art and possibly spin some characters out of those, though perhaps a collection of images of appealing male characters might be more appropriate for its own thread. What do you think, Landon?
"Fascinating, it appears the ancient Elves here once worshipped the god who would later become Zon-Kuthon's herald. A forced anti-apotheosis that had profound impact on their culture and you're looking at me like I grew a second head. When their god was enslaved the Elves here went down with him."
:D
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Another character from my Kingmaker game, who ended up marrying our Barbarian Sarynn...
Althalos D'Montaigne
AL: NG (Except during a full moon)
Race/Class: Werewolf Human Expert
Appearance: Blonde, fair skinned and completely short-sighted without his glasses. Althalos has light blue eyes, full lips, no facial hair at all (ironically he just can't grow a beard). He has a fit nearly hairless body, slightly toned like that of a fencer. Something like This.
Brief History
Althalos D'Montaigne has never had to make a single decision of his own in his life, as the second son of a powerful banker he stood to inherit a large share in his family's fortune, he was betrothed to the daughter of another powerful trade family and everything was going great.
Until the bachelor party, which he can't remember very much of right now, there was... drinking... women of negotiable virtue... more drinking... a talking hatstand?... definitely too much drinking... howling?
Meeting Althalos
The PCs will first meet Althalos as he is naked, clinging to a mossy rock in the middle of a river, with no memory of the last three days, nor any ability to swim. The PCs can rescue Althalos with some rope, or some swim checks. Once they've rescued him they should see the very obvious bite mark, and once they talk to Althalos his predicament will become particularly clear.
Personality & Quotes:
Althalos may not be much more than a bank clerk, but he was raised in Restov and thus understands matters of honor and virtue. If the person he is attracted to is in danger he will nervously wield whatever weapon he can find:
"S-s-s-stand back, m-m-m-m'lady/m-m-m-m'lord. I'll handle these brig-bri-Badguys!"
Development:
As Althalos' predicament becomes clear, he realizes that he can't go home. He sends a letter back to Restov telling his family that he can't return, over time Althalos takes quite well to frontier life and even learns a measure of mastery over his lycanthropy (trading some of his expert levels for Shapeshifter Ranger levels).
Romance:
Althalos is not the kind of guy to make the first move, but if a strong PC comes on to him he will be open to their advances. He's nervous about the state he left things with his ex-fiance Tiffany and at a certain point in the campaign she should come around and complicate the relationship hilariously.
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Totally following this! Depending on how my Kingmaker campaign pans out, I might even have something to contribute...
DM, I'm already getting all kinds of ideas for Hollow Graves. Ideas that are filling my mind with all sorts of squee - I love the terrible poetry part!
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I am totally swooning for Hollow Graves right now.
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I am totally swooning for Hollow Graves right now.
I know, right? I need to set him up with the party's bisexual dhampir sorcerer, who happens to be the son of a Gebbite vampire noble. Seriously, it's like they were made for each other.
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@OP: I would contribute to a male-romantic-interest thread (Sir Jereth Rogare, Hellknight of the Nail, in my Curse of the Crimson Throne game was pretty cool, in a Judge Dredd/Robocop sort of way), only 'beefcake' is the male equivalent of female 'cheesecake', ie it's all about the visuals, and I can't get past the terrible thread title. If you weren't going for that, you should have chosen a better title. Sorry.
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@OP: I would contribute to a male-romantic-interest thread (Sir Jereth Rogare, Hellknight of the Nail, in my Curse of the Crimson Throne game was pretty cool, in a Judge Dredd/Robocop sort of way), only 'beefcake' is the male equivalent of female 'cheesecake', ie it's all about the visuals, and I can't get past the terrible thread title. If you weren't going for that, you should have chosen a better title. Sorry.
Given that attraction various excessively from person to person, literally every depiction of a man could potentially be beefcake as long as it is attractive to someone. Short of intentionally making them objects of absolute revulsion, being sexy is probably enough.
I mean, if Seoni is "cheesecake" then Valeros is "beefcake", which seems like a broad enough category to me. Plus the whole thing is a tongue in cheek jab at the silliness of such things. A parody of cheesecake, or the insistence upon it, if you will.
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Thanks Ashiel and Dudemeister! Keep up the good work :)
@OP: I would contribute to a male-romantic-interest thread (Sir Jereth Rogare, Hellknight of the Nail, in my Curse of the Crimson Throne game was pretty cool, in a Judge Dredd/Robocop sort of way), only 'beefcake' is the male equivalent of female 'cheesecake', ie it's all about the visuals, and I can't get past the terrible thread title. If you weren't going for that, you should have chosen a better title. Sorry.
The title was chosen with tongue firmly in cheek, but there's obviously more to it than just a joke.
As a GM, part of introducing a romantic interest is describing that NPC in a way that the player (or hopefully their character) finds attractive. In my experience, physical appearance plays a major role in that, particularly in the jump from "friendly NPC" to "romantic NPC."
Call it shallow pandering if you like, but I know if I mention how well-muscled the guy they just rescued is, he'll get more romantic consideration from my players. Similarly if I show a piece of NPC art that's a given player's "type."
That said, I apologize for causing offense. I know I'm playing with fire here, so that's on me. I obviously won't ask you to participate in anything that makes you uncomfortable.
Cheers!
Landon
As a GM, part of introducing a romantic interest is describing that NPC in a way that the player (or hopefully their character) finds attractive. In my experience, physical appearance plays a major role in that, particularly in the jump from "friendly NPC" to "romantic NPC."
Oh, sure - and I have had the occasional male 'beefcake' character in my games, eg Prince Konn of the Tigerclaw Uthgardt, played by Dolph Lundgren as 'He-Man' - http://frloudwater.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/2261480-karse.html :) - but he wasn't intended to be a serious romantic interest, just a short term 'engagement'... Longer term romantic-interest characters tend not to be so overtly physical, that goes for the female ones too - eg I think Ameiko Kajitsu catches players' interest more than NPCs who look like Seoni.
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Oh, sure - and I have had the occasional male 'beefcake' character in my games, eg Prince Konn of the Tigerclaw Uthgardt, played by Dolph Lundgren as 'He-Man' - http://frloudwater.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/2261480-karse.html :) - but he wasn't intended to be a serious romantic interest, just a short term 'engagement'... Longer term romantic-interest characters tend not to be so overtly physical, that goes for the female ones too - eg I think Ameiko Kajitsu catches players' interest more than NPCs who look like Seoni.
I'll take dalliances, really. Short term romances are certainly appropriate to many characters in particular and the adventuring lifestyle in general.
In my Rise of the Runelords game, one of the PCs is planning to propose to Shayliss if he survives the final confrontation. So sometimes weird things happen.
Of course, the PC in question is basically He-Man in platemail, so maybe they're a good match :)
Cheers!
Landon
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Longer term romantic-interest characters tend not to be so overtly physical, that goes for the female ones too - eg I think Ameiko Kajitsu catches players' interest more than NPCs who look like Seoni.
I would just like to say that while I understand your point, I think it is unfair to imply that a character like Seoni would be taken less seriously just because she has a more sexualized appearance than Ameiko. Same goes for male characters. Big muscles and a Malibu tan do not automatically make an NPC a shallow, silly creature unworthy of affection that extends beyong a one-night stand, unless the GM chooses to portray them that way.
Just for the record, when me and my party played Jade Regent, we found Ameiko profoundly irritating.
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Vierdin Sazadris
AL: CN
Race and Class: Drow Magus
Appearance: Vierdin is a young drow man possessed of "classical" drow beauty with his obsidian skin, snow-white hair, and bright scarlet eyes. His already slight frame has been developed over the past decades into a graceful dancer's build. At just over 5'2" in height, Vierdin does not present an imposing figure, but when he's willing to show it his lithe frame moves with a dangerous, fluid, and well-trained grace.
Vierdin keeps his long hair tied back in high, bushy ponytail spilling between his shoulders. While he is most likely to be introduced in tattered rags that were once fine drow clothing, if left to his own devices he dresses in a manner that both displays his physique and keeps his movements unhampered, typically soft leather breeches and loose, partially open shirts or the local equivalent.
While he may be half-starved when first encountered, Vierdin's features retain a dark elven beauty even then, with high cheekbones and full, sensuous lips. His eyes are a touch strange by drow standards, having inherited the slight mutation that has marked his family as lessers in Zirnakaynin for centuries: His irises and scalera are easily distinguishable, with the scalera only having a touch of pale red compared to the deeper hue of his irises. While this marks his family as imperfect, though exotic, in drow society it also makes his eyes seem more expressive and empathetic to non-elves. After realizing this, Vierdin will be quick to put it to use as yet another survival tactic.
History: Vierdin is a son of the Sazadris family, a lesser vassal-house that has found itself in subservience to multiple greater houses in Zirnakaynin over the millenia and now in service to House Rasivrein. Always servants and never movers and shakers, the Sazadris have long depended on subservience for survival and safety.
Thus did Vierdin's prospects for survival, let alone any measure of happiness, seem slim once he realized his exclusive attraction to his own sex. Seemingly lacking any martial ability or magical talent of note, he had little to offer his family's masters; House Rasivrein had a reputation for sexist power structures even harsher than the norm in Zirnakaynin, owing to their particularly fanatic brand of Zura worship. He soon came to fear that he would inevitably wind up as just another of House Rasivrein's exsanguinated sacrifices, with so little else to offer them.
However, Vierdin's fortunes took a turn for the better when he caught the eye of one of the few favored sons of Rasivrein, the young poet-mage Brynisif. Taken with the young Sazadris' beauty and relative innocence, Brynisif took him as his personal, and soon favored, servant. They quickly became secret lovers, Brynisif drawn to the younger man's beauty and innocence and Vierdin drawn in turn to his romantic allure and the safety and stability he offered. They both took shelter from their abuses and the horrors of their world in each other's arms, slowly developing that rarest and most dangerous of qualities for drow: Trust.
As a "kept" lover, Vierdin natural talents were slowly picked out and trained with greater funding and access to teachers than the lower-caste Sazadris could manage. Vierdin did have both martial and magical talent, but they tended towards performance. Even so, a spellblade dancer was still valuable as a bodyguard, especially when he was already established as a loyal servant of the family. Vierdin continued his training under Brynisif's guidance, knowing it would never be possible to be his equal but still eager to prove himself worthy and useful. Vierdin was fiercely loyal to his lover and protector, following him in all matters. They were not an equal pairing, but still Vierdin was content. Sometimes, in their most secret moments, they would whisper wild promises of leaving Zirnakaynin together to go to some undefined Somewhere Else that only grew more fantastic with each night they dared dream of escaping their current lives.
Their happy sanctuary was shattered once Brynisif's "indescretions" came to light. While he was hardly the only son of Rasivrein to dally with other men, he was the first to be so thoroughly exposed by his rivals. Brynisif assured Vierdin that he had a plan before being taken away to face his mother's wrath. Vierdin truly believed him.
He believed him so much that he could only obey in helpless shock as the preistesses of Zura came to claim him, a sacrifice freely given up by Brynisif to restore his good name with the family, to wash away his shame in blood.
Hurt and heartbroken in ways most drow knew to harden themselves against, Vierdin gave in to despair as he waited for his inevitable punishment, praying to Zura that it would be done and over with soon. It did not come as quickly as he had thought. When the cultists he was handed over to dragged him along, outside the city and upwards towards the surface for reasons he could only guess at, he began to feel enlivened by fear once more, because opportunity for escape that could soon be lost was presenting itself. Not knowing that his heart, freely and trustingly offered, was precisely the sacrificial component the head priestess in charge needed, Vierdin's mind quickly scrambled over plans for escape that seemed more like flights of fancy with each iteration. It was only when the group was ambushed just under the surface, during the confused chaos when the cultists let him out of their sight, that he had to make his fateful choice: Run back or run forward. He knew only certain death awaited him below. He could not return to Zirnakaynin. There was nothing there for him now. And he lacked the ability to survive the journey to any other drow settlements. But forward...he only knew the stories. Of the hateful light and the kinslaying elves who betrayed and continued to hunt his people, and all manner of strange brutish races that he had seen before only as slaves. If he went up to the surface, he would likely be enslaved himself at best. If he went below, at the very best...he would be able to see Brynisif one last time.
He ran for the surface, screaming as the sun blinded him and fleeing for shelter as far from the Darklands entrance as possible. He kept running as soon as he was able, heading towards the first settlement he could make out, hoping to approach at night. At least now, he had a chance at survival.
It was only when he gave in to exhaustion for the first time that it struck him: He was also entirely alone.
Personality/Quotes: Vierdin is currently wrapped in a shell of fear and loneliness that that is actually more deeply ingrained than anything caused by his recent circumstances. The young man is driven to be eager to please and gain approval, primarily to gain protection and affection.
While more than a bit selfish in his needs, Vierdin is ultimately a frightened young man with little self worth. He sees himself offering little more than what he had to offer Brynisif, and the nagging feeling that he could, or should, be something more pains him. Eventually, he might find the confidence and direction he needs to become his own person, but he'll have great difficulty doing it alone...and doing it with companionship will bring difficulties all it's own: Vierdin falls into the role of follower too easily. If someone accepts him as a companion and they come to trust each other, Vierdin quickly strives to become what he thinks his companion wants, regardless of his own wants and needs. Companions that challenge rather than coddle him will foster healthier relationships in the end.
While a relative innocent by drow standards, it should be noted that it is "relative". The Sazadris were a low-station family, and as such were a bit removed from many of the worst excesses of Zirnakaynin society. However, matters such as slavery and treachery are accepted facts of life to Vierdin, even if he himself desires no slaves and would not dare break a trust he has earned; he simply has a hard time why others might find it so shocking at first. (although while slavery has always been "something that happened to other people, coming face to face with the possibility of being enslaved himself can be a jarring does of reality) Having lived in the Rasivrein household with its compulsory mass rituals for so long, he's no stranger to the taste of blood either, though he detests the taste and the memory. As a rare benefit of growing up in Zirnakaynin, Vierdin has more empathy and understanding than most for those trapped in evil and oppressive societies such as Nidal, understanding all too well what it feels like to live in fear and feel trapped by your own homeland, and how dangerous it can seem to dare hope for anything better.
Vierdin has a closely guarded compassionate streak. He hides it unless he can be certain that those around him won't see it as a weakness, though some habits of survival die hard. Even so, ethics are not his strong point; Vierdin has difficulty letting go of certain drow social constructs, chiefly "us vs. them" attitudes once he's accepted by any group and a lack of appreciation for the consequences others have to deal with due to "harmless" crimes such as stealing. He's easily upset when these failings are pointed out, first out of fear that his companions' disapproval will lead them to abandon him, and secondly out of an increasingly uncomfortable feelings that he should be disappointed with himself.
"I didn't do anything wrong! ...did I?"
"I don't need their approval. I just want yours..."
Goals & Attitudes: Currently Vierdin's primary motivation is fear for his own safety and fear of being alone. As such, his immediate goal is to gain the trust and protection of anyone he feels is safe, even going so far as to offer himself, regardless of the potential companion's sex. Those who take that last offer and honor their agreement will find him loyal enough, but those who don't take advantage of his fear in this way and offer protection and companionship more freely may find him growing into a formidible ally in his own right.
Eventually, after some much needed personal growth, other motivations come to the forefront. Finally freed of his homeland, Vierdin comes to see the whole wide world of the surface spread out before him, waiting to be explored. Experiencing and witnessing wonders that his people fed him lies about becomes a balm for his soul, and eventually he may come to want to experience it all, but preferably with someone.
Vierdin tries to avoid drawing the attention of other drow as much as possible, fearing that the cult of Zura may find his trail. He also tries to steer clear of surface elves after growing up with tales of "lantern bearing assassins" murdering his kin whereever they could be found, though he can't be certain of the truth behind such stories anymore.
His current worship of Zura is casual at best, owing her no loyalty save that born from fear. He quickly abandons it if he senses his companion's disapproval, and quickly replaces her with their chosen deity in order to gain their approval. If he's encouraged to find his own faith rather than adopting that of others, he most likely finds solace in Desna and, in his lonelier moments, the Black Butterfly. (if he makes such a conversion, he may very well replace his family name with "Stardancer", and will likely become upset if anyone mocks the choice, as the words carry a much different weight for him)
While selfish, Vierdin is not cruel or truly wicked, and he can be guided towards good with relative ease so long as he is shown guidance, trust, and patience.
Meeting Vierdin: PC's are most likely to meet Vierdin after he has been scrounging and stealing food for survival for at least a month, wrapped head to toe in tattered rags to hide his race. He might be caught attempting to steal from them or a market stall, or he might be seen looking over his shoulder and being pursued by thugs or slavers. If he's cornered or rescued by the PC's, Vierdin quickly throws himself at their mercy, offering them anything to spare him or, if the PC's give him reason to hope enough, protection.
That rumors of drow cultists seeking out a runaway might be circulating might give them further reason to take the young man in and investigate further.
When discovered, Vierdin has neither a reliable weapon(a shiv at most) or his spellbook, as all his valuables were taken as soon as he was handed over to the cultists of Zura. If he is to put his skills as a magus to use, he will need to be given proper equipment.
Romance: Vierdin falls in love easily with men who show him affection and care, but the health of both the relationship and Vierdin itself depends greatly on what any potential partner puts into it. Vierdin will follow blindly if one lets him and only by getting him to be his own person can he grow enough for such a relationship truly flourish. Once he has gained some confidence in himself, he likely becomes a more considerate lover as well, recognizing his own clinginess but also being able to recognize and more freely discuss his own needs rather than burying them under blind, desperate devotion.
This will take time however. Anyone seeking a romantic relationship with Vierdin should be prepared to become a moral compass for the young drow, at least until he finds his own.
With new confidence comes newfound bravery, and if he is given proper equipment he becomes more than willing to fight alongside his lover and companions. While his training has left him less capable as a single combatant, his flashy, confusing fighting style makes him highly valuable as a partner in battle.
An elven male might gain Vierdin's affections, but it will take more to gain his trust after all the propaganda he has been fed thoughout his life. A drow PC would have even greater difficulty; while not impossible, the memory of his lover, the one drow he had learned to trust, heavily paints his perception of his own race. While he can find close friendship with women, he simply has no romantic attraction towards them.
Eventually, after Vierdin has returned to his proper place by his side, the newly risen vampire might even fully forgive the young drow for causing him so much trouble. But first there's the matter of his current lover...
And Brynisif will not tolerate anyone claiming what is his by right.
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Name: Shepherd Grim
AL: LG
Race/Class: Halfling Paladin of Erastil
Appearance:
A wide-brimmed hat usually covers Shepherd's thick brown hair. He has crows feet at the edges of his blue eyes from squinting into the distance for trouble for many years. His jaw is square, and covered in stubble and he's often found chewing a piece of straw. He's muscular for a halfling, from a lifetime of riding hard and wrestling angry rams back into their pens.
History:
Shepherd was young when he felt the call of Erastil, a simple shepherd living in a halfling community called Threehills at the border of Isger and Cheliax. Shepherd always had strong feelings about right and wrong. Lived by a certain code, most days he'd be found herding his flock of sheep taking them from pasture to pasture and solving the little problems that would come up in town. Considered handsome by most, many found it odd that Shepherd, so dedicated to Erastil hadn't taken a wife. Shepherd always claimed he was too busy, but the truth of the matter was Shepherd was a romantic, just hadn't met the right person yet.
When after a long drought the village had trouble paying the Isgeri government's increasingly steep taxes Steward Hedvend VI declared all the halflings in the village debtors, and declared they would repay their taxes with 10 years of slavery in Cheliax.
Shepherd wouldn't stand for it, and before long the Battle of Threehills began. Those who could hold a weapon would stay back and fight, while those who were vulnerable, the elderly, the sick, pregnant women and children were secretly evacuated through the old Enderhill Mine.
The Hellknights were brutal in their attack, killing many and capturing others. Eventually it was Shepherd and a priestess of Milani standing alone in the town's temple. Shepherd was willing to fight to the last, but the priestess, a fiesty brunette named Germina demanded that Shepherd escape and do his duty by guiding the escapees to the River Kingdoms: "There's real freedom there, nobody can be kept a slave there. Find them a new home and Shepherd them there. I'll rescue everyone who's been snatched today and find you. I promise."
So it was that Shepherd escaped while the Priestess used her magic to distract the attackers. He caught up with the evacuees on the back of his trusty steed Ralph the Sheepdog. He guided them on a long journey through Isger, Druma, Kyonin and eventually the River Kingdoms. Where he eventually settles in the PC's kingdoms with the survivors of his long journey.
Personality/Quotes:
Shepherd is the nicest, most genuine person there ever was. His past has some tragedy to it sure, but it's also got hope, he found a new home for his folks after all and he'll see to it that they remain safe.
Modest almost to a fault, whenever someone thanks him for his help, Shepherd usually deflects the gratitude by turning it into a compliment.
Eg: "Thanks for helping us fight back those trolls."
Shepherd: "Least I could do, to be honest I was jus' followin' your lead. Couldn't have finished 'em if it weren't for your quick thinkin' with that fire."
Brave, capable, handy with a lasso, hammer or crossbow. Shepherd is eternally the heroic farmboy. If you're waiting for another shoe to drop you'll be waiting a long time, because Shepherd is a genuinely good guy.
Goals and Attitudes
Shepherd wants to build a new home for the halflings of Threehills, a safe place free from the fear of slavery or oppression that infect Isger and Cheliax. He wants respect for the halfling people first and foremost.
If he's given the opportunity to start a township in the player's kingdom eventually he'll petition the king or queen to perhaps "purchase" the enslaved members of Threehills and see them come to the player's kingdom. This could be a diplomatically tricky and possibly costly request that the players will need to consider carefully. If his request is refused Shepherd might work in secret to see the slaves smuggled out of Cheliax. A tricky situation that might see him fall from Paladinhood not because of a lack of goodness, but an inability to work within the bounds of the law.
Meeting Shepherd:
Introducing Shepherd is a simple matter, sometime around book 3 have a soldier present a report to the Duke/Duchess, Warden or Spymaster about a group of halflings crossing the PC's southern borders.
Assuming the PCs go out to greet Shepherd and his halflings in exile, Shepherd explains what a long journey he and the others have been on, and "if it ain't too much trouble we were perhaps wonderin' if we might find ourselves a home here in your fine kingdom?"
Romancing Shepherd:
Shepherd is primarily a romantic interest for short characters, halflings, gnomes, even dwarves might interest Shepherd.
Shepherd is open to romance, and his good nature lends itself to accidental flirtation.
"Why that swordplay of yours is as piercing as those eyes."
"I reckon I only met one person brave as you, and she stood up to a whole damn army of Hellknights so that's sayin' somethin'."
If a character makes overt moves of flirtation, or romance then Shepherd gets a little flustered, mostly because he doesn't really think himself worthy of such affection.
It may be some of the kids in town try and set a PC up with Shepherd, and they extol his virtues with the ballad of their journey:
TO THE TUNE OF THE BALLAD OF CACTOID JIM
"He were born a simple shepherd,
way out west, born tall, handsome and slim,
called by his god to be a sheriff and hero
that's the legendary Shepherd Grim.
Well those Hellknights were headin' towards our town,
our future lookin' mighty dim
well he fought them off so we could get away,
that Hellknight fightin' Shepherd Grim!
[Banjo Solo]
Exiled from home, we didn't stand a chance,
with goblins fillin' forests to the brim,
well our hero kept us safe from the Chitterwood scum,
that goblin slayin' Shepherd Grim!
Well the road was long and the dangers many,
there were dragons, and wolves and men,
but our hero lead the way on his trusty hound
that people herdin' Shepherd Grim
(Yes Lord)
That Hellknight fightin'
Goblin slayin'
People Herdin'
Shepherd Grim."
Any mention of the ballad causes Grim to turn bright red, and he says: "I'll tell you what though, those kids got themselves a talent for songwriting. I'll bet they'll be the envy of bards across the land once they figure out lyrics that rhyme with your name."
GM Notes:
Shepherd Grim is obviously a cowboy fantasy, shared by women and gay men the world over. His halflingness is just because that's a niche that needs filling.
Also if you don't know who Cactoid Jim is edify yourself.
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Okay, that there's a mighty appealing paladin of Erastil. I can't not imagine him like a half-sized (and law-abiding) John Marston, with that same voice. :D
Wonder...is there some intention that he might be pining for that MIA(possibly KIA) priestess, at least just a bit? Could introduce a bit of a gentle hurdle to overcome, that romantic lingering over what could have been...
his trusty steed Ralph the Sheepdog
OH YOU
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Okay, that there's a mighty appealing paladin of Erastil. I can't not imagine him like a half-sized John Marston, with that same voice. :D
Wonder...is there some intention that he might be pining for that MIA(possibly KIA) priestess, at least just a bit? Could introduce a bit of a gentle hurdle to overcome, that romantic lingering over what could have been...
his trusty steed Ralph the SheepdogOH YOU
Nathan Fillion as Cactoid Jim, but John Marston works too. It's basically cowboy voice. ;)
And yes, there's hooks for any sexuality the GM chooses for Shepherd Grim.
There's Germina as a possible love lost.
There's his confirmed bachelorhood, and the fact he's a Paladin of Erastil and some "conservative" (read: Wrong) folks might take issue to that.
As a further note: I'm avoiding choosing canon sexualities for the characters because I'd like them to be as broadly useful to GMs as possible.
Finally: Thank goodness this is just fan expansions, because otherwise I'd be hard pressed to avoid dropping Easter Eggs when they present themselves.
Dotting. Great idea for a thread - I will be back to read more.
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As a further note: I'm avoiding choosing canon sexualities for the characters because I'd like them to be as broadly useful to GMs as possible.
Totally understood on the reasons, and agreeing with the principle. I believe that's the AP standard, actually. For Vierdin, he just kind of worked out as exclusively one way as he took shape in my head* and the origin built off of that. I guess if one wanted to keep him available as a love interest to female PCs, the scandal that nearly got him killed could be entirely an inter-class thing instead.
*And I kind of wanted a definite, set-in-stone gay NPC in the mix, since all of my others are probably going to be Schrodingers.**
**But mostly it was drow yaoi on the brain.
And considering how many Easter Eggs still find their way into official books, I'd say you're in good company. ;)
Longer term romantic-interest characters tend not to be so overtly physical, that goes for the female ones too - eg I think Ameiko Kajitsu catches players' interest more than NPCs who look like Seoni.I would just like to say that while I understand your point, I think it is unfair to imply that a character like Seoni would be taken less seriously just because she has a more sexualized appearance than Ameiko. Same goes for male characters. Big muscles and a Malibu tan do not automatically make an NPC a shallow, silly creature unworthy of affection that extends beyong a one-night stand, unless the GM chooses to portray them that way.
Hm, I think on average what I said is true. But there are certainly exceptions; eg in my Rise of the Runelords campaign Titus Scarnetti has a sister Alicia, who is a very sexy character indeed, but she's also taken seriously (to the extent that one PC is engaged to marry her), I think because she's also very smart and capable, in her own way. The PC was attracted to her by her brains as well as by her looks and demeanour, and by their similar natures, both being roguish bad boy/bad girl types. IME that's very common - intelligence is probably the most important single attribute.
Bumping for relevance.
Hmmm, it looks like people weren't that interested afterall. Props to Dudemeister, Mikaze, and Landon Winkler though. Great stuff folks. :)
maybe people are tired of being labeled as food:) i know i find it distasteful, but then again in HS i was almost kidnapped by couple on PcP so they could try to eat me (true story!)
maybe people are tired of being labeled as food:) i know i find it distasteful, but then again in HS i was almost kidnapped by couple on PcP so they could try to eat me (true story!)
*flexes* I'd love it if someone considered me to be a great 'cake. :P
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another question: how do you keep it from devolving into a romance novel type situation? or is that what you're going for? also how is it i've never even read a romance novel before? are the] as cheesey as tv shows make them out to be?
Most of them are brain candy. I however was recently surprised by how some classic pulp books would be classified as romance stories on my shelf.
For me, the main way to keep it from getting cheesy is to remember that neither PCs nor NPCs should be one or two dimensional. My NPCs that have lives of their own outside of the PCs storyline are the ones that tend to interest my players esp when the players get to see the effects of those lives.
... and the post i was responding to seems to have disappeared... odd
I deleted it, i decided i wasnt going to do that
I dunno. A few PCs in the campaign I've been running on MapTools have been involved with some NPC romances. One of which makes me cringe a little bit. The Paladin has a bad time when it comes to love. Monsters, demons? Those things are simple. Women on the other hand? That's where the real challenge is. :P
He was into Klari, a templar sorceress (kineticist) with a penchant for fire and electricity (she's pretty handy with a sword too 'cause of her templar training) that he spent a lot of time with as friends during his training. They were just buddies, y'know? However, later he decided that he wanted to try to woo her, and then discovered that she was already in a relationship with their mutual friend Myriel, a Templar Inquisitor (a telepath) and suddenly they were in a love-triangle. Eventually, Myriel and Klari suggested that they split the difference since Klari's grandmother had two husbands, but the Paladin's kind of scared of that idea 'cause he's not really interested in sharing or being shared, essentially.
He eventually apologized to Klari for trying to make their relationship into being more than friends and causing confusion and uncertainty between him, her, and Myriel.
Of course, he's also sort of involved with a vampire named Miranda. She's kind of a wuss as far as vampires go (we use a toned down vampire template and she's only a 2nd level adept) but he helped to free her from her sire, and she's enamored by the heroic stories of the Templar, so she finds him quite awesome. Thing is, dating a vampire that he was protecting against the will of his order might complicate things in big ways.
