Courtly Love

Attributes: .................Charisma & Wisdom

Level: .........................DF: 3 BCS 40%; 500 Exp

Resisted ....................Willpower

The character has a knowledge of the complexities of engaging in courtly love. This is used more towards the period of high chivalry and is the charter of ways in which a knight can become the suitor of a noble lady and win her favour. In turn the lady has rules determining her proper response to the attentions of a suitor. This was a highly intricate game that had to be played out in exactly the correct manner.

The lady must always be aloof and reluctant to commit herself; however much she might find her suitor desirable. She must demand proofs of his adoration and constancy, these must be excessive enough to dissuade all except the most genuine, willing to risk anything to enter her favour. She must be cool, even haughty or cruel at times, for she is testing the depth and strength of her suitors devotion. To balance this she must offer semblances of kindness such as a smile or a walk in the garden, or a token of her that her suitor might carry with him as a token of her affection.

The knight must always be seen to be ardent and eager to please his lady in any way possible. The skills of Poetic Recitation and singing are crucial and playing a musical instrument too would be a bonus. Add +2 to crit die results in courtly love when successful with such skills while entertaining the lady.

Other tasks that can improve the crit die are things like: Offering himself as her champion, dedication of a tournament victory to her, taking a quest and doing great deeds in her name. When a knight performs deeds that may please his lady, make a courtly love roll. A great feat in the lady’s name will always be counted as a success, roll only the crit die to find the degree by comparing it to the table Courtly Love Results, below. In other situations make a full skill roll with the crit die and use the same Courtly Love Results table on a success.

Winning The Lady

To completely win over his lady a knight must have won her favour 10 +1D10 time without have made a critical failure at any point. A commoner must do this 20+20D10 times, low birth will always have it’s disadvantages.

However a commoner who woos a common girl would need 10+1D10 successes with no critical failures. A knight who woos a common girl must only get three successes to win her over, after all rank doth have it’s privileges.

Any critical success of 09-10 on the crit die will gain two favours towards his totals required.

To scorn the attentions of a suitor a lady must make a successful willpower roll, and should have good reason to spurn the advances of a character, or become hostile or belligerent.

In a society where women also have power then it could be that the lady initiates the courtship and make the courtly love rolls. Even then the lady would be expected to be subtle and flirtation must be done with great skill and the seeming of innocence at all times.