Sera's Contract

[Stradinius]

The character I play most often, Selena, is a kind one. Being a kind character, buying out Sera as a slave is... out of character. A part of me wishes that I could have bought out her contract, then proceeded to let her do business as she pleases, (eventually) resulting in a positive relationship between the two of us.

Throwing in a little credit kickback based on time between visits, and it becomes not only the "nice" way to go about it, but also becomes profitable, making it worth the PC's time.

Dunno, just a concept that was floating around in my head.

As a bit of an addition, Sera would definitely not be pleased with this at first, pointed out by Klaptrap. But, as the nature of contracts, Sera doesn't have a choice in the matter. Tough love situation, it's the nicest thing to do, even if the person in question doesn't want it.

 

[Evil]

Bear in mind that you can help Sub!Sera start a business on your ship and this time she's free from the crippling debt she was originally in. Which is in line with a Kind Captain Steele.

 

[Stradinius]

True, but the fact that you have to make her submissive to you in order to do so is... it just feels off, you know?

 

[Zavos]

If you become her sub and achieve the best or second-best ending for her party event, she will buy herself out of her contract.

 

[Stradinius]

Oh yeah, I forgot that was a thing. The question at that point is "Do I want Selena Steele to be a sub primarily?"

Considerations to be made, more character development to be done.

 

[Shura]

If you become her sub and achieve the best or second-best ending for her party event, she will buy herself out of her contract.

This. Just become her sub and eventually she'll bring up the party event and helping her build a good amount of reputation points will free her from her debt (If you go back to Sentient Acquisitions, she will no longer be mentioned). And if you get perfect or near perfect, she'll be willing to father (but not mother) children with you.

 

[Evil]

But there are some people who don't want to be a Sub. So that avenue is out for them.

 

[Stradinius]

But there are some people who don't want to be a Sub. So that avenue is out for them.

Exactly this.

 

[Evil]

In the end, it comes down to how you view buying Sera's contract.

Are you helping someone break some self-destructive habits and learning to be a better business person?

Or are you teaching someone a lesson by breaking them?

That's the handy thing about this game, the ambiguity allows for a multitude of perspectives.

 

[Stradinius]

If I wasn't so damned busy at the moment, I'd write something up myself and pitch it, but for now, I'll just have to leave the concept here. I may have time this weekend, who knows?

 

[XBoxMaster131]

If I wasn't so damned busy at the moment, I'd write something up myself and pitch it, but for now, I'll just have to leave the concept here. I may have time this weekend, who knows?

Fingers crossed, dude!

 

[Klaptrap]

And then Sera rejects it because fuck taking a handout from some rich kid who just wanders by and thinks their cash is going to magically fix everything.

 

[moobere]

And then Sera rejects it because fuck taking a handout from some rich kid who just wanders by and thinks their cash is going to magically fix everything.

I belive nonesuch said that they had idea for sera like that and said the same exact thing...

 

[Stradinius]

And then Sera rejects it because fuck taking a handout from some rich kid who just wanders by and thinks their cash is going to magically fix everything.

That's the magical thing about contracts. Sera CAN'T reject someone buying it out, even if it's to release her from it.

 

[Shura]

Touche on the lack of a non-subbing option for bailing Sera out without enslaving her. I definitely would like to see that if anyone's down for writing it. and maybe I just want more chances to actually play the switch instead of having to be either a dom or a sub

 

[null_blank]

If only there was a 4th personality type for Steele, where checkbook heroism was the norm and they saw all the non-rich as chattel, too stupid and inferior to be able to help themselves without the guiding hands of their betters.

 

[Ethereal Dragon]

If only there was a 4th personality type for Steele, where checkbook heroism was the norm and they saw all the non-rich as chattel, too stupid and inferior to be able to help themselves without the guiding hands of their betters.

That pretty much sounds like a self-serving narcissistic person with a superiority complex

 

[Aullama]

That pretty much sounds like a self-serving narcissistic person with a superiority complex

Sterling Steele

 

[Nonesuch]

I'd sooner you didn't do this.

As alluded to above, the question of Sera's debt is supposed to be a relatively tough one without a solution that allows the PC to wave their credit card at it and make it go away. I absolutely despise situations like that in RPGs and always aim to avoid them if possible.

As far as roleplaying is concerned, I actually like Sera's debt a lot because it asks you how nice you really are. If you genuinely want to help her in a way which isn't nakedly self-serving, well, you sacrifice a little pride to do it. If you maybe aren't as nice as you like to think you are... You come onto the forum and start asking if you can have your cake and eat it.

 

[Nonesuch]

Switches, by nature, really only mesh with other switches. Not surprisingly, BDSM-inclined individuals with a singular, internalized preference aren't usually fans of doing the exact opposite of what they're into on a whim, so writing actual switch content that is still dedicated D/s content (because the argument can be made that a lot of loss/win scenes are dominant or submissive and wind up being rather switch-esque, but I wouldn't say they cater to those sexual alignments in the "proper" fashion) is more than a little tricky.

Like... I don't see why Sera would ever submit to the PC "just because" or "just to try it." She's a dominant, she's intimately familiar with what submission entails, and she doesn't enjoy it. It wouldn't make any sense. It's why her existing sub content is really just emotional manipulation/abuse to the point where she changes as a person on a fundamental level.



I agree to an extent, though I will say that (echoing the point I made above), people that have one defined preference aren't usually going to be huge on the idea of opposing that preference on a whim. I don't really see being Sera's sub as a "sacrifice" the player makes from a narrative PoV. When the PC does it, they're not even aware of Sera's debt situation IIRC. Becoming her sub solely to help her out of her debt and not from any kind of actual desire to submit to her is a very meta thing, imo, and isn't really something someone that's just well-meaning would ever logically do, especially not if they're naturally a dominant themselves.

So I guess what I'm saying is I wouldn't be opposed to an alternative way to help Sera out of her debt, one that doesn't rely on buying her contract or submitting to her, something more creative and "friendly." There's a lot of untapped opportunity to be explored with Sera interacting with a dominant PC, imo. Two dominants together don't always have to butt heads. In fact, two dominants with a solid friendship injecting a bit of "sexual competition" into things (especially when it comes to using their respective subs, or even each other's subs >_> ) can be quite good... just saying

Obviously such a thing would basically entail writing an entirely new arc for Sera that's on par with her existing PC-sub one, so it's no small task and not one I'd recommend for... anyone other than Nonesuch at this point, heh. And considering everything else Nonesuch has going on, I doubt the idea is even in the realm of possibility at this point.

The issue is that I always see this discussed (understandably) within the meta of "do you enslave her or do you sub for her", so feel it necessary to respond in kind.

Of course the scenario you've outlined would be great to see - PC Dom in that kind of framework is very unexplored. As you say though it's not going to happen. The more you flesh out a character, the more avenues of potential reveal themselves, so you're in a situation where the more you feel you're rounding off an NPC the more people are saying "OK, so now why don't you do this with them? Why can't I fuck them that way?" At this point Sera is one of the most well explored NPCs in the game, and barring one or two dream-wishes I don't really want to do anything more major with her.

 

[Klaptrap]

Sera doesn't need somebody to save her. She's doing fine as long as you don't intentionally sabotage her.

 

[zero point sixty]

So I guess what I'm saying is I wouldn't be opposed to an alternative way to help Sera out of her debt, one that doesn't rely on buying her contract or submitting to her, something more creative and "friendly." There's a lot of untapped opportunity to be explored with Sera interacting with a dominant PC, imo. Two dominants together don't always have to butt heads. In fact, two dominants with a solid friendship injecting a bit of "sexual competition" into things (especially when it comes to using their respective subs, or even each other's subs >_> ) can be quite good... just saying

Obviously such a thing would basically entail writing an entirely new arc for Sera that's on par with her existing PC-sub one, so it's no small task and not one I'd recommend for... anyone other than Nonesuch at this point, heh. And considering everything else Nonesuch has going on, I doubt the idea is even in the realm of possibility at this point.

There was a suggestion at one point that there might be new content to provide a resolution to the Jade/Sera plotline. What if that was folded in to this idea, so say you reconcile them somehow (if you want a path for nice doms, maybe through Jade submission?), convince them to work together (referrals etc.) and not cannibalise each others' business? Then Sera does well enough out of that that her debt isn't a problem.

I know Nonesuch has just said that Sera is basically done, and its not something I'm crying out for since my inclination as a PC is to sub anyway, I just thought I'd throw it out as an idea that might not require a ton of new content, at least for Sera alone.

 

[ThetaSigma]

Honestly I feel like if you have her restart her business what you could do is just let her pay you back, first for the investment (which she already does) and then for the contract. If youryo actually an asshole you can reject the payment and maybe increase how much she misbehaves, or you can accept it and either have her retake the chrysalis or decide she doesn't mind being on the ship and long as you respect her autonomy. Maybe have her identify as a switch now and recycle existing Sub and Dom scenes?