SEX & ROMANCE IN D&D: ADULTERY

      Illicit affairs are the bread and butter of common stories, such as soap operas, and are expressly forbidden in many societies.  While some places enact fines for affairs, others call for harsh punishments or even death.  Chaotic places are the most likely to leave any retribution to offended spouses; otherwise, if no one is hurt, who cares?  Evil societies may or may not have laws against adultery, but it's likely they'll allow the bloodier punishments for trespassing.  And since affairs are not precisely uncommon, and adventurers have a penchant for stumbling across the secrets of others, it's likely that they'll make for interesting story fodder.  It is easy to weave adultery into the backgrounds and plots of NPCs; it makes for a ready motivation.  Player characters might have personal experience, however, when they encounter intoxicating married people along the way.  What's more, PCs might go home to find their spouses have not been waiting; loneliness and a breakdown of communication are major reasons for affairs, after all, and adventurers are gone a lot.  Magical intervention can make detection easier, but do people really want to know?  While many games never use affairs, they can make excellent story seeds.