Steve Arnott

And that's it. Maybe they're a sex worker and they see you and they're like, hello, sailor. That's flirting and that is romance in RPGs. And I think understanding where different types of interactions fall on that spectrum and understanding... people's comfort levels on that spectrum is a really important part of it.

And that's it. Maybe they're a sex worker and they see you and they're like, hello, sailor. That's flirting and that is romance in RPGs. And I think understanding where different types of interactions fall on that spectrum and understanding... people's comfort levels on that spectrum is a really important part of it.

And you have to be able to kind of vibe check as well, because someone might not be able to articulate where they fall on that spectrum.

And you have to be able to kind of vibe check as well, because someone might not be able to articulate where they fall on that spectrum.

Exactly. So you've got to, whether you're the GM or you're the person that's involved in that, you need to... be able to kind of keep an eye on the situation and see how it's evolving, see how comfortable the other person is. And the beautiful thing about romance in TTRPGs versus romance in real life is that it's not weird to then afterward just be like, so how did you feel about that?

Exactly. So you've got to, whether you're the GM or you're the person that's involved in that, you need to... be able to kind of keep an eye on the situation and see how it's evolving, see how comfortable the other person is. And the beautiful thing about romance in TTRPGs versus romance in real life is that it's not weird to then afterward just be like, so how did you feel about that?

You can have a really transparent conversation. Is that weird to do in real life? It shouldn't be, Jess. It shouldn't be. But sometimes people feel a little bit weird doing that.

You can have a really transparent conversation. Is that weird to do in real life? It shouldn't be, Jess. It shouldn't be. But sometimes people feel a little bit weird doing that.

It is, but also you want to, again, you want to make sure that you're not using it as a gateway in an exploitative way. That, you know, if you're easing your way up that spectrum, that everyone that's involved, not just... the DM, not just the PCs involved, but also every other character that's there, their players are all comfortable with what's happening. Like Jess said, it's like horror.

It is, but also you want to, again, you want to make sure that you're not using it as a gateway in an exploitative way. That, you know, if you're easing your way up that spectrum, that everyone that's involved, not just... the DM, not just the PCs involved, but also every other character that's there, their players are all comfortable with what's happening. Like Jess said, it's like horror.

One person might be really, really uncomfortable with cannibalism. in horror, that's now a no-no for the whole table. And similarly, there might be people at your table that are uncomfortable with certain types of romance interactions, regardless of who they're happening with. There might be some people who are only uncomfortable with that happening with their characters.

One person might be really, really uncomfortable with cannibalism. in horror, that's now a no-no for the whole table. And similarly, there might be people at your table that are uncomfortable with certain types of romance interactions, regardless of who they're happening with. There might be some people who are only uncomfortable with that happening with their characters.

In the campaign that I'm running at the moment, the Lines and Veils spreadsheet that I created, and I've got a survey that goes along with it that I actually make my players retake every six months, it incorporates that. So it really, really details all of the possible types of romance interactions. I mean, I'm never going to personally run anything explicit in my games.

In the campaign that I'm running at the moment, the Lines and Veils spreadsheet that I created, and I've got a survey that goes along with it that I actually make my players retake every six months, it incorporates that. So it really, really details all of the possible types of romance interactions. I mean, I'm never going to personally run anything explicit in my games.

You might have DMs that are open to that, but I think that's going to be the exception.

You might have DMs that are open to that, but I think that's going to be the exception.

over the line for me i wouldn't do that it'll be over the line for me and that's you know what i do for a living is write romance novels but yeah it's different when you're kind of acting it out with a person i would say like the level of detail that i go to tends to be you know um first of all you separate it into pc on pc or pc on npc because those are two very different

over the line for me i wouldn't do that it'll be over the line for me and that's you know what i do for a living is write romance novels but yeah it's different when you're kind of acting it out with a person i would say like the level of detail that i go to tends to be you know um first of all you separate it into pc on pc or pc on npc because those are two very different

dynamics at the table um and then within that you've got to break it down to what are the actual things that you're comfortable with the flirtation are you comfortable with that the stating of we did x we

dynamics at the table um and then within that you've got to break it down to what are the actual things that you're comfortable with the flirtation are you comfortable with that the stating of we did x we