With today being Valentine’s Day, let’s discuss love and romance in TTRPGs. Romance and love stories are a common part of literature as well as the performing arts that TTRPGs draw inspiration from. From Romeo and Juliet to Aragorn and Arwen, love in fantasy stories is nothing new.
Not everyone is going to be comfortable with having romance in their game, so as with almost all things, talk to your party before playing to see what their comfort levels are. And keep in mind, a love story can be appropriate for all ages and does not have to be exclusively about adult content.
Make sure that all parties involved, and everyone else at the table is comfortable with an in game relationship before it begins. Our table finds it helpful to establish comfort levels beforehand, and our general agreement is flirting is alright, but after that we utilize a fade to black. This is where either the players or the DM cuts the scene, picking up at a later time, giving the characters privacy so to speak.
Beyond those disclaimers, feel free to have your love story however you want it! Our games have seen characters who develop feelings for NPCs and other party members. My characters have several relationships. Tragically, my Bard’s love interest was struck down by a rich noble, causing him to flee and begin his life of adventure. Love and romance can be a wonderful experience for players once they and their party are comfortable with it. Just be nice to your DM, or they may have to flirt with themselves.
