Our group is running through a campaign setting where, among other things, Inquisitors are universally feared persecutors of magic users. (Shocking and original, I know.)
The GM's girlfriend has just joined, playing an Inquisitor character, with the twist that she herself is a sorceror who is only pushed to magic use by dire straits. Due to the fact our group was trapped in a purgatorial dungeon realm for a period, you can guess she began slinging spells immediately. She joined the adventure at the start of the last session of our escape from the dungeon realm, so there was lots of exploration, preparation, and boss combat.
At our first out-of-character snack break, she complained to me that she was disappointed that nobody had RPed with her character at all, or voiced fear, or investigated this or that about her, etc.
I noted to her some observations:
- due to the rush to finish the arc this session, RP had probably fallen by the wayside
- she didn't talk to anyone else to involve them in her character or focus on the aspects of her character she wanted to highlight – most people are usually thinking about their own character or strategy, and thus need prompting to think or talk about hers
- I had a hard time involving her character using my own, because he's written as a fanatical and spaced-out cleric who cares little for worldly affairs
I recommended that she try to get involved in other RP interactions as they're happening, or start them herself, if what she wants is to be noticed and characterized as a paradoxical inquisitor, rather than waiting for other people to do the legwork for her. But, she's maybe a bit shy, maybe a bit hoping that such things would happen naturally, and is not desiring to initiate interactions.
My character is clearly a weak point, because if I could think of a way to interact with her PC, this wouldn't be an issue. I also have too much experience trying to give people advice to believe that anyone will actually take it. But I'm not convinced IC is the only way to help.
With all of that in mind: assuming that she does not change her behavior, how can I help get this player involved?
Best Answer
Prompting roleplay doesn't have to involve starting a conversation
Let's assume you are well aware that you and your PC are not the same person, and while your PC doesn't have much interest in getting to know this new member of the team, you as a player would like to. That's what I get from your question anyway.
To achieve that, you have to leave for a moment the actor stance (as described in the GNS theory).
Maybe your cleric literally bumps into this inquisitor while walking back from his morning prayer? Just describe how careless he was, how easily he loses his balance... Maybe he doesn't have money on him, he needs to borrow some, and the inquisitor is the only one around? Describe how he seems more nervous than usual, like he has something to ask but feels too guilty to actually do so.
Now, if that's not enough (for example if she doesn't follow on those prompts), you can plan it directly with her as a player. You can do that during breaks, outside of sessions, or whenever the GM is taking someone outside aside: work together to find a setup that would give her a good occasion to interact. Maybe she lost a trinket and you found it?
As you start knowing each other's characters better, it should become easier to find good occasions to involve each other in more scenes.