Courtship & Wedding: Too Stingy or Too Generous?

[Arthur Fisher]

Take Your Chances Table

When a player doesn't want to spend any time courting, but is willing to get married to the first pretty face that will have them, they roll on this table.
This should be role played as a quick courtship and romance amongst the same culture and social status. A zero-sum marriage, as it were.
Sometimes things work out in their favour, and sometimes they do not.

12 - True Love
You don't know how it happened, but somehow you have stumbled upon the love of your life who loves you in turn. They may not be perfect, but they are perfect for you.
Add 1 to your Fellowship Pool.

11 - Touched by Shadow
Is your spouse cursed? Are they in league with the Enemy? Or are they just plain Evil?
Make a Corruption Test (TN 14) at every Year's End.

10 - Connected
You don't know how your spouse knows the leader of your culture. Are they related? Surely not! In any event, you have been gifted a small patch of land as a wedding present to begin your new life.
You receive a Holding with a Rating of 8.

9 - Affluent
Your spouse's family was wealthier than they let on and your wedding gift was something to behold.
Receive 3d6 Treasure.

8 - Comely
It may not appear so to everyone, but to you, your spouse is as fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain.
All Heal Corruption tests receive a free Attribute bonus.

7 - Lustful
Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge. If you know what I mean. There are worse problems to have, I suppose. Add +2 when rolling on the Childbirth table.

6 - Deft
Your spouse is skillful, wise and resourceful beyond measure. Or at least more than you are. You find that you have more, and want for less, than you ever did before.
Increase your Standard of Living by 1 rank.

5 - Wonted
It may not be love, but their smiles, their frowns, their ups, their downs, are second nature to you now. You've grown accustomed to their look. Accustomed to their voice. Accustomed to their face.

4- Enigmatic
Your spouse never talks about their past. When they do speak, they speak in riddles. But they seem to know things they should have no reason to know.
With the Loremaster's permission, you may spend a Fellowship phase to "Go See a Lore-master" and discover their secret. Though it might be best to let the past stay buried...

3 - Harsh Light of Day
You failed to notice it before, but you've come to realize your spouse is as plain as a mud fence and mean as a biting sow. It is difficult to see a bright future ahead.
All Heal Corruption Tests are at +2.

2 - Debtor
Your spouse's family has accumulated a great debt they failed to disclose before the nuptials. As the newest member of the family you are now obliged to pay this debt. Immediately.
Lose 3d6 Treasure.

1 - Dilettante
Your spouse has no skill with numbers or the labour needed for your Holding. In fact, the only skill they seem to posses is spending more than you can afford.
Your Standard of Living is decreased by 1 Rank. All Holding Tests are at +2.

[Arthur Fisher]

As a general principal, game choices should always have trade-offs. E.g., there should never be a "best" weapon or armour choice. Likewise the decision to marry (or the decision to narrate your character's decision to marry) should involve trade-offs. Love, Status, Money should all have pros and cons. Choosing more than 1 should likewise carry trade-offs.

Interesting.
What might you suggest?

[Fridokind Wargaug]

I really love your Courtship and Wedding system! It's awesome.

My only problem is, that after almost 4 years of gameplay, my players are so well-off and influential: one of my players - a barding - killed the gallows's king at celduin, received a title and became ban (in our game, dalish society is built on medieval Hungary) and therefore lord over the nether marches. This led to all kinds of noble people trying to get their daughters married to him (was a fun session ). Eventually, he married a dorwinian noble lady, who plotted to overthrow the dorwinian as well as the dalish king and he had to decide whether he goes along with his wive or his king...

Anyways, unfortunately, my players are far to advanced by now, to apply this system; several others have gotten "requests" by other influential leaders. Since my players are overpowered due to unbalanced house-rules (mithril-smithing e.g.^^), I really try to get them married and end their adventurer's careers, so we can play normal adventures with normal heros again