Fun with Backstory... The Tease

[Guest Guest]

It might be possible to add a confrontation state, or a fight, or something, where he just flings a bunch of items down (all of these are also items so that i can mess with them if I want in other ways).

 

Would a sister send her brother's notes to a potential suitor? Not mine.

 

Hmmm. Have to think on it. The classic is setting it up so he drops the letters or leaves them someplace, and PC discovers it... but non-snoopy ones would not read them. Or he reads as he writes? But then you would have to disable these from the "snoopy" menu, as someone who mixes it up would be "hey, I already saw this letter. Why is he writing these over again?"

 

Just a thought, couldn't a non-snoopy PC save them from being read by someone else? I guess that might be a lot of extra work, but someone who respects the privacy of other people might just as well try to uphold it.

 

And since they've already heard the start of it...

[cmorgan]

Another good idea (not mine - one donated from PM by a person who felt shy about posting it) - perhaps in a fight, he might just dump all the letters on PC - kind of "You want the Truth? You can't handle the Truth", or "You want to know who I write to all the time? Fine. She's my blighted sister. Read 'em."

[Nightwoe]

Another good idea (not mine - one donated from PM by a person who felt shy about posting it) - perhaps in a fight, he might just dump all the letters on PC - kind of "You want the Truth? You can't handle the Truth", or "You want to know who I write to all the time? Fine. She's my blighted sister. Read 'em."

 

That sounds like a guy, alright... ^_^

[Miloch]

That sounds like a guy, alright...

Why? I mean why wouldn't a female NPC confronted by a jealous, snooping lover do the same thing?

[Guest Guest]

Another good idea (not mine - one donated from PM by a person who felt shy about posting it) - perhaps in a fight, he might just dump all the letters on PC - kind of "You want the Truth? You can't handle the Truth", or "You want to know who I write to all the time? Fine. She's my blighted sister. Read 'em."

 

That sounds like a guy, alright... ^_^

 

Not to put anyone down, since the idea's actually better than mine... but I still wonder whether a non-snoopy PC would read them even then? If it was me, specifically, I'd just throw the damn things back at the guy to make a point. Not that everyone would do the same, of course, but the thing about reading the letters is feeling (or not feeling) guilty about it afterwards.

 

Besides the content of the letters themselves, that's what's fun about it, right? Or maybe not, you tell me.

[Nightwoe]

That sounds like a guy, alright...

Why? I mean why wouldn't a female NPC confronted by a jealous, snooping lover do the same thing?

 

Good point, it just reminded me of my ex when he threw a temper tantrum.

I suppose I should have said instead "That sounds like something my ex would do"

[Ladile]

Just a thought, couldn't a non-snoopy PC save them from being read by someone else? I guess that might be a lot of extra work, but someone who respects the privacy of other people might just as well try to uphold it.

 

And since they've already heard the start of it...

 

 

I like this idea, but the question is which of the BioWare crew would be likely to snoop through Aran's stuff? The only two that come to mind right off would be Jaheira (she's just looking out for the PC, right?) and Imoen (out of curiosity or maybe she's wanting to play a joke). I doubt Mazzy, Valygar, Keldorn, Nalia, Minsc and Aerie would snoop or condone snooping. Edwin, Korgan, Viconia, Cernd, Haer'Dalis, and Yoshimo probably wouldn't have any real reason to want to snoop. Jan might, but even with the romance conflicts, I'm not sure I see Anomen snooping, either.

[berelinde]

If Anomen is also wooing the PC, I could see him snooping. He would tell himself that he was protecting her from a possibly-two-timing bastard, but I doubt his scruples would keep him out of Aran's knapsack. Sometimes, Anomen gets confused when it comes to what is right and what he wants.

[KIrving]

If Anomen is also wooing the PC, I could see him snooping. He would tell himself that he was protecting her from a possibly-two-timing bastard, but I doubt his scruples would keep him out of Aran's knapsack. Sometimes, Anomen gets confused when it comes to what is right and what he wants.

I'd agree with that. I tend to see Anomen as inexperienced and somewhat changeable with his emotional state. I could easily see him making a rookie relationship mistake by snooping and rationalizing the behaviour.

[Miloch]

I still wonder whether a non-snoopy PC would read them even then?

I think the point is your PC would have to "snoop" to get to that dialogue - to get Aran to take offense and dump the letters on you. Similarly, I don't think another NPC would have that option from what I read, though that might make it more interesting. That is, inter-party conflict not involving the PC, as long as it doesn't happen during combat, whilst buying supplies, etc. (something some mods don't always check for so well).

 

Edit:

I suppose I should have said instead "That sounds like something my ex would do

Why, did you snoop into his stuff? Because that's what Aran is reacting to, and in this case, he's got nothing to hide, so the PC is the one in the wrong.

 

I had a gf once who burrowed into some really old files - mostly just news clippings and similar junk I was saving to put in some of my satirical newletters or the like. But one was a photo of me at an, um, gentlemen's club, getting uh, "regaled" with a pole dance or some such. But it was from ten years previously, and some 8 years before I even met her... on top of that (if I had to justify it), my friends dragged me to this place for a "surprise" birthday party. And that was about the extent of it. You'd think she'd've noticed how young I was in the photo. Anyway, she was livid when she found it and burnt it in the fireplace. Eventually, I found some odd ashes therein and asked if she'd burnt something, at which point she confessed. Of course I was appalled, not just at the unwarranted snooping but the destruction of even so petty an item of mine, and she was mortified mostly at her own actions, but it's an example of what unreasonable jealousy can do, and I think I understand where cm was coming from with this. [/long and pointless but somewhat relevant digression]

[Elizavet]

I think the point is your PC would have to "snoop" to get to that dialogue - to get Aran to take offense and dump the letters on you.

 

True. But that would basically mean that non-snoopy PCs would not get to see the letters, period.

What if she's Really annoying and naggy?

 

(I got annoyed at my bad eyesight and the blasted prove-you're-not-a-bot colorblindness tests. Hello all.)

[berelinde]

Not that I'm advocating the invasion of privacy, but maybe a word might be said in defense of the snooping PC. Aran has given her no reason to trust him. He has made no secret of his adventurous past, he has not even attempted to conceal his experience with women of all shapes and sizes, and his relationship with the PC is hardly monogamous. It's possible that she's developing feelings for Aran and is concerned that she's nothing more than a passing distraction to him while he pours out his heart to Elena.

 

Granted, a PC who's that insecure would really be better off getting involved with anyone but Aran, but just like Aran can't help falling for a PC who might just be bad for him, women don't always make the wisest decisions. And you can't reason with libido. This might be a good time for them to talk about whether the PC's ambitions might be unreasonable. Or, if the goal here is to keep the relationship going despite the PC's blunder, Aran can say something like "So, let me see if I've got it right. Ye went rummagin' through my gear because ye think I've not played straight with ye. Ye got upset by what ye found because ye've gone a bit soft for me and don't want to be neglected. So, instead of sittin' me down and talkin' 'bout yer cares, ye invent a lover for me and sulk about it. Ye're daft, woman. Sweet, but mad as a fur-lined coinpurse."

[cmorgan]

The cool thing with writing him is that practically everything can be expanded in every direction!

 

So, ideas yet to be integrated so far:

 

Integrated already: PC can sneak off and rummage through his stuff if he has headed for a steam/pond or if he is sitting at the bar (or, he/she can go visit him and interact with him in several different ways - with females, each of these can lead to flirting/romance if they want, but anyone can have regular peer-to-peer interactions).

 

Integrated already: PC (during the "silent" loveltalk) can see and snag a single letter from his backpack.

 

Ideas not put into play:

 

PC rescues letters from snoopy NPC (Jaheria, Anomen, possibly Jan, possibly Imoen). The "Downton Abbey" motivation is jealousy, the "Bronte/Gothic Romance" motivation is misunderstanding, etc.

 

PC finds cache of letters or rescues them from unscrupulous messenger.

 

PC has fight with Aran and he throws letters in her face and storms off.

 

Aran gives letters to PC as proof he isn't messing about (problemmatic - I can't see a dude leaving a letter/email in which basically he is saying "I have the hots for her, but I am so confused - I can't figure out if I am good enough for her" - unless he is playing games with her head. And Aran doesn't play games)

 

Letters become available as part of his gear, so that roleplayers can give them back to him unread or not snoop, but can read them Deus Ex Machina.

[Luridel]

What about 'Aran gives the PC a letter... and he accidentally gives her the wrong one'? Or 'somebody leaves a letter in PC's inn room and she thinks it's for her, but it's not'?

[cmorgan]

Cool!