I Don't Believe In Fairytales
I understand that there are many horror stories about the GMs who drag a Significant Other to the table and conspire to keep them there through blatant preferential treatment. I've been witness to just such a situation. But I get really tired of the lump stereotype.
I was not a gamer. I met my husband in a Marvel RP chat, but I was drawn in because I was a fan of comics. I didn't know what the hell RPGs were. I got into it, sure, but it was free form - no character sheets, no rules beyond the hopeless pass/fail die roll - so I still really didn't know what it was all about until we moved in together and I played my first AD&D game. I was, for all intents and most purposes, the GM's SO.
Did he walk me through those first few sessions? Of course. There's a learning curve, folks. Did he give my character a baby dragon? Yup. But he gave the cleric at the table an in person chat with his god in the first game, and said god reached out and personally blessed the cleric's warhammer. My Bear likes his stories big. I did not get anything that everybody else at the table did not also get. (Except sex after.)
Hell, I get uncomfortable if I feel like he's even unintentionally being overly kind to me or forgiving of something stupid I did, because I'm utterly paranoid that people will think it's a case of SO favoritism. Sometimes I have argued against my character's interests to try and keep that paranoia quiet. (I've done this in other areas as well. When Bear was directing a play, I specifically requested one of the smaller roles with only one scene. I did not want us to look like the other theatre couple. Whenever He directed, She got a lead.)
So, when I read "But there is one thing worse than the GMPC. The GM’s SO’s PC," on a forum, it ticks me off just a bit. I am the GM's SO. I don't frackin' need his help, thank you. Deal.
I was not a gamer. I met my husband in a Marvel RP chat, but I was drawn in because I was a fan of comics. I didn't know what the hell RPGs were. I got into it, sure, but it was free form - no character sheets, no rules beyond the hopeless pass/fail die roll - so I still really didn't know what it was all about until we moved in together and I played my first AD&D game. I was, for all intents and most purposes, the GM's SO.
Did he walk me through those first few sessions? Of course. There's a learning curve, folks. Did he give my character a baby dragon? Yup. But he gave the cleric at the table an in person chat with his god in the first game, and said god reached out and personally blessed the cleric's warhammer. My Bear likes his stories big. I did not get anything that everybody else at the table did not also get. (Except sex after.)
Hell, I get uncomfortable if I feel like he's even unintentionally being overly kind to me or forgiving of something stupid I did, because I'm utterly paranoid that people will think it's a case of SO favoritism. Sometimes I have argued against my character's interests to try and keep that paranoia quiet. (I've done this in other areas as well. When Bear was directing a play, I specifically requested one of the smaller roles with only one scene. I did not want us to look like the other theatre couple. Whenever He directed, She got a lead.)
So, when I read "But there is one thing worse than the GMPC. The GM’s SO’s PC," on a forum, it ticks me off just a bit. I am the GM's SO. I don't frackin' need his help, thank you. Deal.