I am trying to write a backstory for a Tiefling who becomes a vampire Spawn, but I am really struggling with it for some reason.
I had this idea that she would have been in love with an actual vampire, and that despite its undead nature, the vampire would also have loved her. The pair originated from the Shadowfell, but came to the prime material plane, in search of an artefact, where the vampire was killed by an Aasimar adventurer, after feeding on several people from the same town.
Driven almost insane with grief at the death of her partner/lover, she tries to “become” them. Seeking out a powerful vampire lord, and willingly offering herself to to him. Pledging her loyalty and service to him in exchange for becoming a vampire, and being given the strength and power to get her revenge, and complete her lovers quest to seek out the artefact that she desired.
The Vampire she pledged her service to accepts her life and her soul, and turns her into a vampire spawn.
Now under the control of her new master, she still seeks her revenge, and her master allows her to do this this. She also still seeks the artefact (which is an ancient vampiric artefact of great power), though unbeknownst to her, her master plans to take it from her, trading his blood, to make her into a true vampire, for the power that the artefact holds. Or taking it by force if she some how refuses him.
So, as a vampire spawn, she wants three things;
1. To find the artefact that her former lover wanted.
2. To become a true vampire.
3. To get revenge on her lovers killer by killing her.
I am struggling with this backstory though, because I can’t seem to get it to make sense.
Could anybody please help me try to make this idea of mine into an actual backstory?
Thank you all in advance for any help that you are willing to give me.
Honestly I would say read more Stephanie Meyer or maybe some Anne Rice novels because that kind of setting is the only place where this kind of thing would make any kind of sense, for certain uses of the word. You'd also have to get your DM to approve the character being a vampire spawn, with the associated abilities, and would have to deal with her master, controlled by the DM, having a hold over her. Were I the DM, my reaction would be "So you want to play a minion to a midlevel enemy?"
Honestly I would say read more Stephanie Meyer or maybe some Anne Rice novels because that kind of setting is the only place where this kind of thing would make any kind of sense, for certain uses of the word. You'd also have to get your DM to approve the character being a vampire spawn, with the associated abilities, and would have to deal with her master, controlled by the DM, having a hold over her. Were I the DM, my reaction would be "So you want to play a minion to a midlevel enemy?"
I see her more as a tragic character.
Driven mad by grief and twisted by undeath. Failing in every respect to live up to the memory of her lost love, yet unable to stop trying, even as all her thoughts and feelings as turned against her.
She wouldn’t just be a mindless undead minion. Although in the strictest sense, I suppose she would be a minion of her master. Being that Vampire Spawn are unable to resist the will of their the ones who made them, unless they are set free of that control.
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A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
It still sounds a lot further towards the NPC under a DMs control than a PC. However, if you get the go ahead then it's all good. This character definitely seems like an Evil one (whether by nature or not); and the backstory is more fleshed out than some other characters I've played with.
This artefact would probably be hunted after by a lot of adventurers and the like. Throw in a Van Helsing style vampire hunter as the one who killed the vampire lover and boom, you've got yourself a fun mortal enemy to fight against. Although now that I think about it, maybe you're better off just ditching D&D and playing Vampire: the Masquerade instead.
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
Although now that I think about it, maybe you're better off just ditching D&D and playing Vampire: the Masquerade instead.
The concept would definitely work in a Vampire: the Masquerade game. It would have to be tweaked a bit to fit into a modern setting as opposed to the typical high fantasy of D&D, but the core concept sounds very viable for a VtM character. A World of Darkness vampire could very believably take a mortal lover as a way of clinging to the vestiges of their humanity, which is a core focus of the system to the point that there is a place on the character sheet for it. And the nature of the setting provides myriad ways for her vampire lover to meet a tragic end, be it at the hands of other vampires, other supernatural beings (most werewolves in WoD wouldn't need much reason to tear a "leech" to shreds, given the opportunity), or even human monster hunters. It would also be feasible for her to seek out another vampire and convince them to embrace (turn) her, at which point she would be a proper vampire and not a thrall, and though her sire would retain some degree of influence over her she would have a lot more individual freedom of action. I'm only passingly familiar with WoD and most of my knowledge comes from a friend who's a big fan of it, but from my understanding her sire would be more of a parental figure motivated to guide and, if necessary, restrain her because other vampires would hold them responsible for her actions. Or her sire could be an anarch who says "**** you" to the Camarilla and anything else resembling a vampire government and just lets her go free into the shady supernatural underbelly of the modern world to fend for herself. Or somewhere in between, and the ideas you have for a manipulative sire would fit in just fine in a Vampire chronicle. Any further exploration down this line of thought would definitely be better suited to a World of Darkness and or Vampire-specific forum where the regular denizens could certainly provide you with better and more complete information, including possibly helping you find a game to play said character in.
Seriously, now that VanZoeren mentioned V:tM it seems pretty clear to me. The character concept is bad for D&D but would make a great starting point for a V:tM character. Find a storyteller (WoD version of a DM) and pitch it to them, I'll bet dollars to donuts they'll like it and be willing to work it into their game, probably quite happily. The setting is all about tragic figure characters like what you're going for here.
Honestly I would say read more Stephanie Meyer or maybe some Anne Rice novels because that kind of setting is the only place where this kind of thing would make any kind of sense, for certain uses of the word. You'd also have to get your DM to approve the character being a vampire spawn, with the associated abilities, and would have to deal with her master, controlled by the DM, having a hold over her. Were I the DM, my reaction would be "So you want to play a minion to a midlevel enemy?"
I see her more as a tragic character.
Driven mad by grief and twisted by undeath. Failing in every respect to live up to the memory of her lost love, yet unable to stop trying, even as all her thoughts and feelings as turned against her.
She wouldn’t just be a mindless undead minion. Although in the strictest sense, I suppose she would be a minion of her master. Being that Vampire Spawn are unable to resist the will of their the ones who made them, unless they are set free of that control.
So you would play her as a dhampir undead warlock with the true vampire as her patron? I feel like that would work.
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All stars fade. Some stars forever fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homebrew (Mostly Outdated):Magic Items,Monsters,Spells,Subclasses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
Honestly I would say read more Stephanie Meyer or maybe some Anne Rice novels because that kind of setting is the only place where this kind of thing would make any kind of sense, for certain uses of the word. You'd also have to get your DM to approve the character being a vampire spawn, with the associated abilities, and would have to deal with her master, controlled by the DM, having a hold over her. Were I the DM, my reaction would be "So you want to play a minion to a midlevel enemy?"
I see her more as a tragic character.
Driven mad by grief and twisted by undeath. Failing in every respect to live up to the memory of her lost love, yet unable to stop trying, even as all her thoughts and feelings as turned against her.
She wouldn’t just be a mindless undead minion. Although in the strictest sense, I suppose she would be a minion of her master. Being that Vampire Spawn are unable to resist the will of their the ones who made them, unless they are set free of that control.
So you would play her as a dhampir undead warlock with the true vampire as her patron? I feel like that would work.
I agree. I think it’s a really cool concept.
I actually know a lot about V:tM if you need any advice. I defo think this would work with the backstory you created. Maybe tie it into Ravenloft somehow.
I don't know if it will help you, but maybe make 3 to 4 sentences, when she is overwhelmed by despair, that she locked herself up for a year for example, and that afterwards, she resolved to the death of her beloved and then decides to take revenge for him and find the 'artifact.
Although now that I think about it, maybe you're better off just ditching D&D and playing Vampire: the Masquerade instead.
Seriously, now that VanZoeren mentioned V:tM it seems pretty clear to me. The character concept is bad for D&D but would make a great starting point for a V:tM character. Find a storyteller (WoD version of a DM) and pitch it to them, I'll bet dollars to donuts they'll like it and be willing to work it into their game, probably quite happily. The setting is all about tragic figure characters like what you're going for here.
Well, it's a very stereotypical "Edgy McGothRaven von Blood-Angst" character so yeah, in a way it's kind of perfect for VtM. Then again, there's a reason why such characters are used as a cuationary tale...
@OP: Not really sure what you are after. You already have a full backstory there already. If you feel that it's not something you like, maybe that's a sign that's it's not a good enough backstory and/or character to play? Or at least play it in a setting where it makes more sense?
Although now that I think about it, maybe you're better off just ditching D&D and playing Vampire: the Masquerade instead.
Seriously, now that VanZoeren mentioned V:tM it seems pretty clear to me. The character concept is bad for D&D but would make a great starting point for a V:tM character. Find a storyteller (WoD version of a DM) and pitch it to them, I'll bet dollars to donuts they'll like it and be willing to work it into their game, probably quite happily. The setting is all about tragic figure characters like what you're going for here.
Well, it's a very stereotypical "Edgy McGothRaven von Blood-Angst" character so yeah, in a way it's kind of perfect for VtM. Then again, there's a reason why such characters are used as a cuationary tale...
@OP: Not really sure what you are after. You already have a full backstory there already. If you feel that it's not something you like, maybe that's a sign that's it's not a good enough backstory and/or character to play? Or at least play it in a setting where it makes more sense?
Ravenloft would be a very good setting for this character. Or she might bring a little much-needed angst into a typical FR campaign.
This is more of a personal opinion on play style than a critique of anything, but I generally don't think angst is something that should go on a checklist of things any good game "needs," especially "much." Granted, on of my current characters has been acting a bit angsty lately and I've found it a fun challenge to roleplay, but that's a naturally positive and cheerful character trying to remain as such in a somewhat dark and often generally unpleasant setting/situation. I think angst works best when it's the result of a character's reaction to the situation they find themselves in, rather than a built in defining "feature" of the character themselves (and "I'm angstacular because of my horribly tragic past"is built in).
We disagree but ok. That being said, too much angst devolves into self-parody, so I agree with you there. Including angst and romance in fantasy RPGs is always a balancing act, and some groups definitely enjoy more of it than others.
Jokes aside, angst is seldom something that adds to any campaign since it inherently focuses on the internal state of mind of a single person, thus not promoting shared storytelling and roleplaying. Doubts, sadness and fears are all something that promotes inter-party roleplaying but as soon as it crosses the line to angst, you should probably rethink.
Jokes aside, angst is seldom something that adds to any campaign since it inherently focuses on the internal state of mind of a single person, thus not promoting shared storytelling and roleplaying. Doubts, sadness and fears are all something that promotes inter-party roleplaying but as soon as it crosses the line to angst, you should probably rethink.
I think we’re not talking about the same thing. Angst just means anguish. A sense of romantic tragedy. Or tragic romance. I don’t use it as the sole ingredient, I overlap it onto other plot lines and character motivations
Angst has absolutely nothing to do with romance. Merriam-Webster defines angst as "a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity." The University of Cambridge Dictionary says it's "strongworry and unhappiness, especially about personalproblems." While I hardly recommend Urban Dictionary as a solid source of scholarly reliable information, most people associate the word with connotations described by it's definition: "a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish that is commonly associated with the teenage years. And angsty teenager tends to wallow in these feeling melodramatically, wanting pity from others while also simultaneously wishing to remain tragically misunderstood, much to the annoyance of his friends."
"Romance" implies an enjoyable and desirable situation, which is normally mutually exclusive with angst. Unless an emotional masochist is involved, I guess. Everybody has their thing.
Angst has absolutely nothing to do with romance. Merriam-Webster defines angst as "a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity." The University of Cambridge Dictionary says it's "strongworry and unhappiness, especially about personalproblems." While I hardly recommend Urban Dictionary as a solid source of scholarly reliable information, most people associate the word with connotations described by it's definition: "a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish that is commonly associated with the teenage years. And angsty teenager tends to wallow in these feeling melodramatically, wanting pity from others while also simultaneously wishing to remain tragically misunderstood, much to the annoyance of his friends."
"Romance" implies an enjoyable and desirable situation, which is normally mutually exclusive with angst. Unless an emotional masochist is involved, I guess. Everybody has their thing.
Yes! And those feelings of angst are half the time caused by romantic difficulties and the other half by external factors which interfere with the person’s romantic life (often difficulties with parents, friends or siblings, or sometimes rivals or enemies, which leads to great star-crossed love crises).
"Starr-crossed lovers" comes from Romeo and Juliet which, to reference a meme that I've seen more than a few times, details a three day relationship that results in six deaths and nearly started a civil war before ending badly for everyone directly involved. The only way I would see that as being fun for a group based game like D&D would be either if the PCs include the "star-crossed lovers" or are somehow trying to help NPCs of that description. And if only one or two PCs are in that role you're angling for "protagonist syndrome" from the point of character creation as it would demand a lot of focus on those specific characters.
That’s why I like to run D&D more like Vampire the Masquerade: the party is a loosely knit friend group (a coterie) who support each other during the main plot lines of the adventure but otherwise spend a lot of time doing their own thing, including angst and romance. More like rl friend groups than a goal-oriented partnership. Allows for better character development that way.
Jokes aside, angst is seldom something that adds to any campaign since it inherently focuses on the internal state of mind of a single person, thus not promoting shared storytelling and roleplaying. Doubts, sadness and fears are all something that promotes inter-party roleplaying but as soon as it crosses the line to angst, you should probably rethink.
And if only one or two PCs are in that role you're angling for "protagonist syndrome" from the point of character creation as it would demand a lot of focus on those specific characters.
It might just be my opinion/ feelings, but saying a player can't act a certain way (in this case, angsty or brooding) because you think it makes them an attention hog seems odd. Of course the game will focus more on certain characters at certain times. Sure, I understand if a character tries to take the spotlight that's one thing, but you can do that with any emotion or character trait; angst has nothing to do with it. I've played in and seen plenty of games where a character had angst and other characters interacted with them and it was by no means "protagonist syndrome".
Tldr I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with angst in a game. What's wrong to me is when other players write-off that character type as being "edgy" or vying for attention instead of interacting with them.
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
Angst has absolutely nothing to do with romance. Merriam-Webster defines angst as "a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity." The University of Cambridge Dictionary says it's "strongworry and unhappiness, especially about personalproblems." While I hardly recommend Urban Dictionary as a solid source of scholarly reliable information, most people associate the word with connotations described by it's definition: "a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish that is commonly associated with the teenage years. And angsty teenager tends to wallow in these feeling melodramatically, wanting pity from others while also simultaneously wishing to remain tragically misunderstood, much to the annoyance of his friends."
"Romance" implies an enjoyable and desirable situation, which is normally mutually exclusive with angst. Unless an emotional masochist is involved, I guess. Everybody has their thing.
Yes! And those feelings of angst are half the time caused by romantic difficulties and the other half by external factors which interfere with the person’s romantic life (often difficulties with parents, friends or siblings, or sometimes rivals or enemies, which leads to great star-crossed love crises).
Well, no. There is literally no need whatsoever for "angst" to have anything to do with romance. It's like saying sadness has to be connected to hunger. It can be, but it could also be a million other things. You've basically decided on your own definition of the word. And, especially the kind of exagerated "woe is me" kind of angst that often pops up in VtM it seldom leads to good roleplaying.
Jokes aside, angst is seldom something that adds to any campaign since it inherently focuses on the internal state of mind of a single person, thus not promoting shared storytelling and roleplaying. Doubts, sadness and fears are all something that promotes inter-party roleplaying but as soon as it crosses the line to angst, you should probably rethink.
And if only one or two PCs are in that role you're angling for "protagonist syndrome" from the point of character creation as it would demand a lot of focus on those specific characters.
It might just be my opinion/ feelings, but saying a player can't act a certain way (in this case, angsty or brooding) because you think it makes them an attention hog seems odd. Of course the game will focus more on certain characters at certain times. Sure, I understand if a character tries to take the spotlight that's one thing, but you can do that with any emotion or character trait; angst has nothing to do with it. I've played in and seen plenty of games where a character had angst and other characters interacted with them and it was by no means "protagonist syndrome".
Tldr I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with angst in a game. What's wrong to me is when other players write-off that character type as being "edgy" or vying for attention instead of interacting with them.
Well, what's being said is basically "don't be an attention hog" since that's seldom fun for the other players. That's not the same as being in the spotlight for a session or three. The problem (as I mentioned) is if you're making a character that is intetionally attention hog-y. Also, no-one has said that there has to be zero angst in a game, just that you need to do it in such a way that you avoid "edge" and attention hogging.
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Hi,
I am trying to write a backstory for a Tiefling who becomes a vampire Spawn, but I am really struggling with it for some reason.
I had this idea that she would have been in love with an actual vampire, and that despite its undead nature, the vampire would also have loved her. The pair originated from the Shadowfell, but came to the prime material plane, in search of an artefact, where the vampire was killed by an Aasimar adventurer, after feeding on several people from the same town.
Driven almost insane with grief at the death of her partner/lover, she tries to “become” them. Seeking out a powerful vampire lord, and willingly offering herself to to him. Pledging her loyalty and service to him in exchange for becoming a vampire, and being given the strength and power to get her revenge, and complete her lovers quest to seek out the artefact that she desired.
The Vampire she pledged her service to accepts her life and her soul, and turns her into a vampire spawn.
Now under the control of her new master, she still seeks her revenge, and her master allows her to do this this. She also still seeks the artefact (which is an ancient vampiric artefact of great power), though unbeknownst to her, her master plans to take it from her, trading his blood, to make her into a true vampire, for the power that the artefact holds. Or taking it by force if she some how refuses him.
So, as a vampire spawn, she wants three things;
1. To find the artefact that her former lover wanted.
2. To become a true vampire.
3. To get revenge on her lovers killer by killing her.
I am struggling with this backstory though, because I can’t seem to get it to make sense.
Could anybody please help me try to make this idea of mine into an actual backstory?
Thank you all in advance for any help that you are willing to give me.
Thanks
XD
A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
Honestly I would say read more Stephanie Meyer or maybe some Anne Rice novels because that kind of setting is the only place where this kind of thing would make any kind of sense, for certain uses of the word. You'd also have to get your DM to approve the character being a vampire spawn, with the associated abilities, and would have to deal with her master, controlled by the DM, having a hold over her. Were I the DM, my reaction would be "So you want to play a minion to a midlevel enemy?"
I see her more as a tragic character.
Driven mad by grief and twisted by undeath. Failing in every respect to live up to the memory of her lost love, yet unable to stop trying, even as all her thoughts and feelings as turned against her.
She wouldn’t just be a mindless undead minion. Although in the strictest sense, I suppose she would be a minion of her master. Being that Vampire Spawn are unable to resist the will of their the ones who made them, unless they are set free of that control.
A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
It still sounds a lot further towards the NPC under a DMs control than a PC. However, if you get the go ahead then it's all good. This character definitely seems like an Evil one (whether by nature or not); and the backstory is more fleshed out than some other characters I've played with.
This artefact would probably be hunted after by a lot of adventurers and the like. Throw in a Van Helsing style vampire hunter as the one who killed the vampire lover and boom, you've got yourself a fun mortal enemy to fight against. Although now that I think about it, maybe you're better off just ditching D&D and playing Vampire: the Masquerade instead.
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
The concept would definitely work in a Vampire: the Masquerade game. It would have to be tweaked a bit to fit into a modern setting as opposed to the typical high fantasy of D&D, but the core concept sounds very viable for a VtM character. A World of Darkness vampire could very believably take a mortal lover as a way of clinging to the vestiges of their humanity, which is a core focus of the system to the point that there is a place on the character sheet for it. And the nature of the setting provides myriad ways for her vampire lover to meet a tragic end, be it at the hands of other vampires, other supernatural beings (most werewolves in WoD wouldn't need much reason to tear a "leech" to shreds, given the opportunity), or even human monster hunters. It would also be feasible for her to seek out another vampire and convince them to embrace (turn) her, at which point she would be a proper vampire and not a thrall, and though her sire would retain some degree of influence over her she would have a lot more individual freedom of action. I'm only passingly familiar with WoD and most of my knowledge comes from a friend who's a big fan of it, but from my understanding her sire would be more of a parental figure motivated to guide and, if necessary, restrain her because other vampires would hold them responsible for her actions. Or her sire could be an anarch who says "**** you" to the Camarilla and anything else resembling a vampire government and just lets her go free into the shady supernatural underbelly of the modern world to fend for herself. Or somewhere in between, and the ideas you have for a manipulative sire would fit in just fine in a Vampire chronicle. Any further exploration down this line of thought would definitely be better suited to a World of Darkness and or Vampire-specific forum where the regular denizens could certainly provide you with better and more complete information, including possibly helping you find a game to play said character in.
Seriously, now that VanZoeren mentioned V:tM it seems pretty clear to me. The character concept is bad for D&D but would make a great starting point for a V:tM character. Find a storyteller (WoD version of a DM) and pitch it to them, I'll bet dollars to donuts they'll like it and be willing to work it into their game, probably quite happily. The setting is all about tragic figure characters like what you're going for here.
So you would play her as a dhampir undead warlock with the true vampire as her patron? I feel like that would work.
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall.
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Homebrew (Mostly Outdated): Magic Items, Monsters, Spells, Subclasses
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If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
I agree. I think it’s a really cool concept.
I actually know a lot about V:tM if you need any advice. I defo think this would work with the backstory you created. Maybe tie it into Ravenloft somehow.
Maybe make Strahd von Zarovich her patron?
I don't know if it will help you, but maybe make 3 to 4 sentences, when she is overwhelmed by despair, that she locked herself up for a year for example, and that afterwards, she resolved to the death of her beloved and then decides to take revenge for him and find the 'artifact.
Well, it's a very stereotypical "Edgy McGothRaven von Blood-Angst" character so yeah, in a way it's kind of perfect for VtM. Then again, there's a reason why such characters are used as a cuationary tale...
@OP: Not really sure what you are after. You already have a full backstory there already. If you feel that it's not something you like, maybe that's a sign that's it's not a good enough backstory and/or character to play? Or at least play it in a setting where it makes more sense?
Ravenloft would be a very good setting for this character. Or she might bring a little much-needed angst into a typical FR campaign.
This is more of a personal opinion on play style than a critique of anything, but I generally don't think angst is something that should go on a checklist of things any good game "needs," especially "much." Granted, on of my current characters has been acting a bit angsty lately and I've found it a fun challenge to roleplay, but that's a naturally positive and cheerful character trying to remain as such in a somewhat dark and often generally unpleasant setting/situation. I think angst works best when it's the result of a character's reaction to the situation they find themselves in, rather than a built in defining "feature" of the character themselves (and "I'm angstacular because of my horribly tragic past"is built in).
We disagree but ok. That being said, too much angst devolves into self-parody, so I agree with you there. Including angst and romance in fantasy RPGs is always a balancing act, and some groups definitely enjoy more of it than others.
I like both Stephenie Meyer and Anne Rice.
Well, there's your problem right there... ;)
Jokes aside, angst is seldom something that adds to any campaign since it inherently focuses on the internal state of mind of a single person, thus not promoting shared storytelling and roleplaying. Doubts, sadness and fears are all something that promotes inter-party roleplaying but as soon as it crosses the line to angst, you should probably rethink.
I think we’re not talking about the same thing. Angst just means anguish. A sense of romantic tragedy. Or tragic romance. I don’t use it as the sole ingredient, I overlap it onto other plot lines and character motivations
Angst has absolutely nothing to do with romance. Merriam-Webster defines angst as "a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity." The University of Cambridge Dictionary says it's "strong worry and unhappiness, especially about personal problems." While I hardly recommend Urban Dictionary as a solid source of scholarly reliable information, most people associate the word with connotations described by it's definition: "a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish that is commonly associated with the teenage years. And angsty teenager tends to wallow in these feeling melodramatically, wanting pity from others while also simultaneously wishing to remain tragically misunderstood, much to the annoyance of his friends."
"Romance" implies an enjoyable and desirable situation, which is normally mutually exclusive with angst. Unless an emotional masochist is involved, I guess. Everybody has their thing.
Yes! And those feelings of angst are half the time caused by romantic difficulties and the other half by external factors which interfere with the person’s romantic life (often difficulties with parents, friends or siblings, or sometimes rivals or enemies, which leads to great star-crossed love crises).
"Starr-crossed lovers" comes from Romeo and Juliet which, to reference a meme that I've seen more than a few times, details a three day relationship that results in six deaths and nearly started a civil war before ending badly for everyone directly involved. The only way I would see that as being fun for a group based game like D&D would be either if the PCs include the "star-crossed lovers" or are somehow trying to help NPCs of that description. And if only one or two PCs are in that role you're angling for "protagonist syndrome" from the point of character creation as it would demand a lot of focus on those specific characters.
That’s why I like to run D&D more like Vampire the Masquerade: the party is a loosely knit friend group (a coterie) who support each other during the main plot lines of the adventure but otherwise spend a lot of time doing their own thing, including angst and romance. More like rl friend groups than a goal-oriented partnership. Allows for better character development that way.
It might just be my opinion/ feelings, but saying a player can't act a certain way (in this case, angsty or brooding) because you think it makes them an attention hog seems odd. Of course the game will focus more on certain characters at certain times. Sure, I understand if a character tries to take the spotlight that's one thing, but you can do that with any emotion or character trait; angst has nothing to do with it. I've played in and seen plenty of games where a character had angst and other characters interacted with them and it was by no means "protagonist syndrome".
Tldr I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with angst in a game. What's wrong to me is when other players write-off that character type as being "edgy" or vying for attention instead of interacting with them.
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
Well, no. There is literally no need whatsoever for "angst" to have anything to do with romance. It's like saying sadness has to be connected to hunger. It can be, but it could also be a million other things. You've basically decided on your own definition of the word. And, especially the kind of exagerated "woe is me" kind of angst that often pops up in VtM it seldom leads to good roleplaying.
Well, what's being said is basically "don't be an attention hog" since that's seldom fun for the other players. That's not the same as being in the spotlight for a session or three. The problem (as I mentioned) is if you're making a character that is intetionally attention hog-y. Also, no-one has said that there has to be zero angst in a game, just that you need to do it in such a way that you avoid "edge" and attention hogging.