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zedturtle wrote:I'm a sucker for a happy ending, especially in regards to life-changing things like marriage, so I'm not too fond of the tragic options. Going to retrieve something special or securing someone to attend the wedding like Beorn or Radagast (which in turn might have requests of their own) sounds like fun.

Me too*! At the end of it, there should be a huge party with the whole community turning out, that'll be discussed for years to come!

*Although I did feel that the idea of a tragic wedding had an "epic" quality about it, but maybe use that for another time!

How about this for an interesting moral dilemma?

He's only just met the girl but over the coming adventures I build her into a great character. Not only a love interest but someone who vouches for him in meetings and builds him up. A great support and a great personality in her own right. After adventures he hears of her achievements. She is building up an amazing reputation within the community. An NPC that the players will really like.

Then the other love interest comes in. He (a notable character from DoM) is in a position of power and their wedding would help politically forge alliances to help the Woodmen and Beornings. Given the precarious nature of existence in that region this wedding could be vital to the very survival of the Woodmen.

Does the PC sacrifice his love and potentially doom the girl to a loveless arranged marriage in an attempt at political stability and safety in the region? Does he follow his heart but potentially doom his people? She will have an opinion and a voice in this of course but given that he's a PC it's important that ultimately the choice is his. The bittersweet nature of this choice seems very Tolkienesque to me.

Really difficult moral choice regarding an individual's will and desires balanced against their duty. Of course the character in question is Reckless so I pretty much already know which way it will go.

I dunno if that's bittersweet, I mean that seems a situation with a clear right choice to marry the woman, then do some impressive stuff to help the Woodmen and get them on your side anyway.

It's a motivation to do nice stuff for the Woodmen, not actually a difficult choice per se. Or that's certainly how my Beorning character would view it anyway (and he's actually a very careful guy). Of course, my Beorning has Radagast for a patron and Rhosgobel as a sanctuary, so relations between peoples may not be as strained in his particular universe as they are in the one this wedding is taking place in.

Still, it strikes me as a complication, but not like it's actually a difficult decision. Especially considering the Reckless.

Well the Casablanca ending would be to let her make the political marriage for the greater good. Believe me I can make the pressure very high. Without dropping DoM spoilers here the potential suitor in question would either be a potentially powerful ally or dangerous enemy. While the Beorning character may do nice things for the woodmen he is genuinely risking them losing settlements and certainly having some of them cut off from the others. The general political situation amongst the Woodmen will be divisive as well and many will disapprove of his wedding for that reason. The woodmen live in a particularly precarious situation and their long term survival is far from guaranteed. I wouldn't say the case is as clear-cut as you make it out to be. Heck the other PC is a woodman (yes it's a mere 2-player game) and even he may be directly opposed to the marriage.

Nevertheless I agree that the Reckless trait pretty much guarantees the outcome.

If it's who I'm thinking of, my players just managed to introduce him (Mogdred) to another thorn in their side, (Valdis). I guess I need to invite them to that wedding.

Yes you are right, zedturtle. Exactly who I meant.

Funnily enough I'm thinking of marrying off the Woodman PC to another character mentioned in the campaign Amaleoda who is directly at risk from the actions of said suitor. That should really enhance the conflict and sense of obligation. I've never been one for setting the characters against each other but this feels like a great opportunity for some genuine personal drama in the campaign.

As Deadmanwalking says, the only real choice is to marry the girl and try and mitigate the consequences but the consequences will be significant.

Of course from an RPG point of view that just give us all more to work with and in turn greater adventures!

Yep, that character is being courted by Ceawin, but is trying to get out of it. But my PCs didn't bite.

Zedturtle, this is the second time I'm getting a chance to run DoM. My other team ran through all of the wilderland-based adventures (The Marsh Bell, Words of the Wise, Tales From WIlderland and Darkening of Mirkwood).

Really great fun running it for a second time. The first fellowship were largely focused around Esgaroth but this fellowship is based out of the Vale of Anduin. I'm really enjoying seeing it from that different perspective. Also it's a great chance to pick up on ideas I missed the first time around.

What is this, JRR Tolkien or Jane Austen?! Everyone seems to be getting off with everyone else

Haha indeed. While the courtship can be fun, the other aspects of marriage and raising a family are great for the campaign. They really highlight the passing of time and also give the PCs dependents to protect, etc. Plus sons and daughters can eventually be replacement PCs while the first characters retire.

Definitely my biggest disappointments of the first run-through of DoM was that none of the characters married or raised a family.