On the overdoing of tropes (or not)
I'm sure I'm forgetting a number of characters, but these are mostly from longer-term games where relationship stuff had (or might have had) time to blossom. If that's the right word. Perhaps "erupt" is a better one.
Anyway ... Ederyn's background. I've been busily turning what at first was a throw-away line (the one about the Lady of the Oak) into an important part of his backstory, but I'm debating whether or not to make it a romantic part of his backstory. I’m sure that as a young man, he married a nice girl and settled down, just like everybody else - not knowing that he was not going to grow old. Very sad and all, but he rarely thinks of it any more. The more recent options I’m thinking of (besides dropping the notion entirely) are:
Whichever version I decide on, it’s unlikely they’ll ever settle down together - however much he loves her, there are quite a few things he doesn’t like about her, and they are very very different people. It would be best for him to find somebody else to be in love with - and that’s probably the best argument for dropping the notion entirely: what’s the point of dealing with any of these other possibilities if it’s all just going to wind up in the past tense?
Of course, the potential drama/plot stuff with any of those romantic subplot notions could be quite entertaining, if you like that sort of thing (which apparently I do, at least in role-playing games). On the other hand, he’s got quite enough going on in his life right now without throwing romance in. And on yet another hand, the whole issue could lurk quietly in the background for quite some time before it actually comes up.
So I guess I’ll just keep thinking about it.
Anyway ... Ederyn's background. I've been busily turning what at first was a throw-away line (the one about the Lady of the Oak) into an important part of his backstory, but I'm debating whether or not to make it a romantic part of his backstory. I’m sure that as a young man, he married a nice girl and settled down, just like everybody else - not knowing that he was not going to grow old. Very sad and all, but he rarely thinks of it any more. The more recent options I’m thinking of (besides dropping the notion entirely) are:
- They’re both deeply in love with each other, but can’t live with each other (for practical and personality reasons). (My least favorite of the options - too boring.)
- He’s in love with her, and she finds him entertaining (but the living together thing still doesn’t work).
- He’s in love with her because she’s enchanted him, and she finds him entertaining and/or wants something from him (same not living together thing).
- He’s in love with her and she’s enchanted him, and she finds him entertaining and/or wants something from him (same not living together thing).
- He’s in love with her and she’s enchanted him, and she loves him (same not living together thing).
- He’s in love with her and she’s enchanted him, and she loves him and wants something from him (same not living together thing).
Whichever version I decide on, it’s unlikely they’ll ever settle down together - however much he loves her, there are quite a few things he doesn’t like about her, and they are very very different people. It would be best for him to find somebody else to be in love with - and that’s probably the best argument for dropping the notion entirely: what’s the point of dealing with any of these other possibilities if it’s all just going to wind up in the past tense?
Of course, the potential drama/plot stuff with any of those romantic subplot notions could be quite entertaining, if you like that sort of thing (which apparently I do, at least in role-playing games). On the other hand, he’s got quite enough going on in his life right now without throwing romance in. And on yet another hand, the whole issue could lurk quietly in the background for quite some time before it actually comes up.
So I guess I’ll just keep thinking about it.