Can I Circle the NPC standing next to me?

[xenomouse]

In our main campaign, our party is dealing with a story arc that has most of us competing with a set of fleshed-out NPCs. My character has a belief about trying to establish a relationship with one of those NPCs. The belief affects this story arc by creating conflict between my party and me, and the goal in creating the relationship is to enable my character to more effectively affect our setting after the arc is over.

I thought that this would just occur naturally, since whenever that NPC (Caspa) is in a scene, I'm in the scene helping her work against my party and currying favor with her by rolling social tests. However, the GM was thinking that I should Circle her, which also makes sense because that's the mechanic one would use to create a relationship.

So, Caspa is in a scene with other PCs, and I enter. I want to do something towards completing my belief of creating a relationship with her, so I ask to Circle Caspa. The GM and other players say "no" because Caspa is standing right next to me. So then I ask the GM and other players how I'm supposed to create a relationship with Caspa, and much shrugging and head-scratching ensued.

So how does one create a relationship with an NPC when the NPC is already fleshed out and standing right next to you?

[Thor]

A few of thoughts in response to this:

1. A character brought into play through your Circles is someone from your past. It establishes that you guys knew each other in one of your lifepaths. I do think it's fair, however, to use the Circles to bring someone in once you've met them in the fiction of the game.

2. You don't have to use the Circles to establish a relationship with someone. It could be your Statement of Purpose in a Duel of Wits (or even a compromise). GMs can also award relationships to you as a result of the circumstances of play. I had a character who won two guys as relationships after I rescued them from a slave galley.

3. Aside from whether a character is actually available or not, the other purpose of a Circles test is to determine that character's disposition toward you. I don't have a huge problem with you Circling up someone right next to you. I'd make the Ob fairly high because you are talking about a very specific person. However, my preference would be for you to use Persuasion or Seduction or the like to engage the person (depending on your exact intent). Maybe you should even start off with Conspicuous to get the person to notice and think about you.

[xenomouse]

Okay, so I can roll Circles for an NPC standing next to me. I was originally aiming for something along the lines of #2 or #3. I've been doing tons of social tests (usually Oratory with a Conspicuous FoRK) with Caspa's favor as the stakes, and I've succeeded at almost every roll (about 2 per session for the last 4 sessions). So I'm trying to get a feel for when I've hit the finish line.

[Thor]

Okay, so I can roll Circles for an NPC standing next to me. I was originally aiming for something along the lines of #2 or #3. I've been doing tons of social tests (usually Oratory with a Conspicuous FoRK) with Caspa's favor as the stakes, and I've succeeded at almost every roll (about 2 per session for the last 4 sessions). So I'm trying to get a feel for when I've hit the finish line.

Cool. One thing though: Keep in mind that Oratory is for making speeches. It's good for swaying groups to your way of thinking. You don't want to use it for one-on-one type stuff (or even one on two or three). That's what Persuasion is for!

[xenomouse]

That's what Persuasion is for!
*sigh* I better start working on opening persuasion. I've got me a B3 Will and a -1D injury penalty for the next two months. :o

[Thor]

*sigh* I better start working on opening persuasion. I've got me a B3 Will and a -1D injury penalty for the next two months. :o

AWESOME! You'll get so many good Will tests!

I love injuries!