Originally Posted by Backinstyle
According to Papercut_Ninja, on the SH thread:

"As much as you can find this inconsistent with the character, that's just what it is, something you feel plays out wrong in your story."

I guess the same could be said of Halsin.

I was under the impression we had an alliance, but I guess some ppl didn't get that memo.

You could have asked for some clarification in that thread. Me, personally, is not too bothered about whether the different romance and relationship outcomes around Shadowheart are consistent. Because the ones I find inconsistent, I can easily avoid. I only mean this in regards to the romance and relationship options that the player themself actively chooses!! Let me really emphasize this so there's no misunderstanding as we now move to other issues.

In contrast to Halsin, where there are no options or decisions that would make Halsin into the romance character that most people want him to be. Halsin is an entirely different problem to me in that regard, you have no choice but to have him treat you in a way that to most people feels manipulative. His portrayal of poly is a terrible representation, because to him it is only about casual sex, which isn't something exclusive or central to poly relationships at all. Monogamous people who are not in a committed relationship also engage in casual sex. What makes him any different from a monogamous person who just don't want to commit to a relationship? If he isn't any different in that regard, what's the point of calling it poly at all? Why not just fuckboy?

And then, the real heart of the problem. How he acts when people don't want to romance him and he turns into this horrible Steubenville frat boy character that harasses Tav and their companion about sex, refuses to respect consent, engages in gaslighting and thinking patterns where he convinces himself that he is entitled to sex and that it is unfair that everyone doesn't want to have sex with him. This is where Shadowheart comes into the picture and I support those who are romancing Shadowheart who find his unwelcome advances really cringy and disturbing. Not because it is consistent or not with Shadowheart's character, but because it is just gross and toxic. A fully consensual relationship between Halsin, Shadowheart and Tav is not an issue to me, if a player wants that - have your fill, it's not my game! But when this turns into a homophobic, creepy, rape-culture simulation to someone who didn't want anything to do with him, you just created a real problem with me. I am on your side in that I truly don't want such an experience for you and I will support you in asking for this to be changed. As for changing everything around the situations the player chooses themself, I am just not as invested.