I've been working on the complicated and fraught relationships for Hearts of Wulin PbtA. I want these to be the bread & butter of the melodrama. Each entanglement represents a complicated connection with a person, group,
or institution. They're all triangles, with a third party creating problems. I hope to work these like Flags in other games, with players being able to highlight them.
Characters will begin with three entanglements, one of which must be romantic.
I've created examples, but I hope players will make up their own or remix these.
ROMANTIC
Note that love here can be strong & passionate or a passing
infatuation.
- I cannot choose between [object of affection] and [other object of affection].
- I disguised myself to get close to [object of affection], but [their romantic partner] suspects and hates me.
- I disguised myself to get close to [object of affection], but [their romantic partner] is falling for me.
- I fled from [object of affection] because of the heartache, but their [romantic partner] has called me back with a debt I owe them.
- I know [a person] loves me, but my actual [object of affection] loves them.
- I lost to [a rival] in order to maintain or increase the affection of [someone close to them].
- I love [a childhood friend/someone I overlooked] but I waited too long and now they love [a person].
- I love [object of affection], but my [clan/faction/order] has forbidden it.
- I love [object of affection], but my [parent/teacher/sibling] is their sworn enemy.
- I love [object of affection], but our two [clans/factions/orders] are at war.
- I love [object of affection], but their [parent/teacher/sibling] is a villain.
- I love [object of affection], but their [parent/teacher/sibling] is a sworn enemy.
- I love [object of affection], but their [person of Authority (mentor, senior sibling, parent)] hates me.
- I love [object of affection], but they are engaged to [someone I respect/care for/owe a debt to/hate].
- I love [object of affection], but they are wed to [someone I respect/care for/owe a debt to/hate].
- I pursue [object of affection] despite knowing that [my friend/peer/sibling] pines for them.
- I rejected [a person], but my [object of affection] loves them.
- I still pursue [someone who rejected me] despite the interference of [someone with an unrequited love for them/s someone with an unrequited love for me].
- My [friend/rival/sibling] and I both vie for the attention of [object of affection] despite their indifference to both of us.
- There is an unrequited love between my [object of affection] and I because of the wishes of or duty to [a person].
GENERAL
- A [rival or sibling] disparages me, and [Person of Authority (mentor, senior sibling, parent)] won’t condemn them for some reason.
- A [rival/person in authority] knows about some shady business I did to a [friend/peer/mentor/lover] or their family.
- A [rival] has sworn to kill me, but I have promised [a lover/their sibling/a friend/a parent] that I will not harm them.
- I brought my [friend/lover/peer]’s [sibling/parent] to justice.
- I have been ordered [by my clan/person of authority] to undercut [someone I love/respect].
- I have been passed over by my [school/clan/teacher/family] in favor of [my rival].
- I have been promised to [a person] and their [romantic interest] wants to get rid of me.
- I have been promised to [an awful person] but they have a [sibling/friend] who is much more interesting.
- I have discovered that my [friend/lover/sibling] has been hiding their true power from me but has told [another friend/sibling].
- I have discovered that my [friend/sibling] has been consorting with an [enemy/enemy clan].
- I have hidden my true identity from [friend/peer/teacher] because of my duty to [clan/their enemy].
- I have learned that my [friend/lover]’s [family/clan/teacher] has lied, betrayed, or fooled them, but they will never believe me.
- I have promised my [teacher/sibling/clan/parent] that I will destroy my [friend/lover].
- I helped hide away [a person] who is a threat to or wanted by [a friend/mentor/lover].
- I helped hide away [a person] who is a threat to or wanted by [your clan].
- I learned that my [friend/lover/sibling] has been learning techniques from an [enemy/enemy clan].
- I made a promise to [someone I respect/love] to aid [a rival/troublemaker/fool].
- I owe loyalty to my [elder sibling/parent/sensei] despite how they treat my [friend/lover/sibling].
- I rejected [a person] and now they have sworn vengeance against me and especially [my friend/lover].
- I suspect [a person] of evil, but [someone I respect/love] believes in them.
- I swore to [someone I respect/love] to protect [a person] who would be deeply offended if they knew.
- I was involved in a crime against [a friend/mentor/lover/sibling]’s [friend/relative/lover].
- I’m the heir to your [school/clan/teacher] but [a person] I’ve known a long time resents it.
- My [boss/parent/mentor] treats me badly but I give them loyalty despite my [friend/lover/siblings] disapproval.
- My [clan] suspects [someone I love/respect] is working against them.
- My [friend/lover/peer] is an agent for my [enemy/enemy clan] but I do not know it.
- My [friend/peer/mentor] has rejected my [sibling]’s love.
- My [friend/sibling] has been exiled from my [clan/school/family] but no one will tell me why.
- My [mentor, senior sibling, parent] disapproves of me, and [sibling, lover, friend, peer, parent] agrees with them.
- My [mentor, senior sibling, parent] disapproves of me, but [sibling, lover, friend, peer, parent] won’t stand up to them.
- My [peer/friend/rival] and I defeated [a person/agent of a clan] but only I gained credit and now they resent it.
- My [sibling] and I were separated at birth and an [enemy] raised them to destroy my clan.
- My [sibling] loves [a rival/enemy].
ANY CLASSICS I'VE MISSED?
