A character's relationship status tells partners where they stand romantically right now, from Single or Married to Pining, Wary Truce or Mutually Assured Destruction, and hints at the stories they're open to.
Every character on RPL has a Relationship status field, and partners can search for characters by it. Here's what each option means, and how to pick one that works as a hook.
Available and looking
| Status | What it says |
|---|---|
| Single | Not attached. Says nothing about whether they want to be. |
| Available | Single and open to something. A clear invitation to romance plots. |
| Looking For Trouble | Wants excitement more than commitment. Expect flirting and bad ideas. |
| In Pursuit | Actively chasing someone, who may or may not know it. |
| Pining | In love from a distance and not doing anything about it. Perfect for slow burns. |
| In Lust | Attraction first, feelings maybe later. |
Early days
| Status | What it says |
|---|---|
| Courting | A formal or old-fashioned romance in progress. Great for historical and fantasy. |
| Dating | Seeing someone, not yet serious. |
| It's Casual | Involved, without commitment. Both sides know it, or say they do. |
| Confused | Feelings they can't sort out, often for more than one person. |
| Making Bad Decisions | Involved with someone they know is wrong for them. |
Committed
| Status | What it says |
|---|---|
| In A Relationship | Together and serious. |
| Committed | Devoted to one person, even if it isn't official. |
| Engaged | Planning a wedding. |
| Married | Married, happily or otherwise. |
| Open Relationship | Committed, with room for others by agreement. |
| Polyamorous | In loving relationships with more than one person. See Multiship and Polyamorous Ships. |
| Multi-Ship | Paired with different partners in different threads or universes. See Shipping Types in Roleplay. |
Bound by fate or promise
Especially useful for fantasy, supernatural and historical characters.
| Status | What it says |
|---|---|
| Betrothed | Promised in marriage, often by someone else's choice. |
| Promised | Pledged to someone, formally or privately. |
| Oathbound | Held by a vow: celibacy, service, or loyalty that comes before love. |
| Fated | Destined for someone, whether they like it or not. |
| Bonded | Magically or spiritually linked to someone. |
| Mated | The shifter and supernatural version of a lifelong bond. |
After it ended
| Status | What it says |
|---|---|
| Separated | Apart, but not officially over. |
| Divorced | Officially over. |
| Widowed | Lost a partner to death. |
| Broken | Hurt badly enough that love feels impossible right now. |
| Bitter | Burned before, and not shy about saying so. |
Complicated
| Status | What it says |
|---|---|
| Wary Truce | Former enemies, or exes, keeping the peace for now. |
| Mutually Assured Destruction | Locked in with someone in a way that could ruin both of them. Enemies to lovers territory. |
Not interested
| Status | What it says |
|---|---|
| Unavailable | Not open to romance, for whatever reason. |
| Uninterested | Romance isn't part of this character's story. A good choice for aromantic characters, or for writers who simply don't write romance. |
Choosing a status
- Pick what's true at the start of most threads. You can change it whenever the story changes.
- Use it as a hook. "Betrothed" or "Wary Truce" makes partners ask "to whom?" That's a conversation starter.
- Explain it in the bio. One line about who they're married to, pining for, or bitter about saves partners guessing.
- Match it to your shipping setting. A character marked "Available" with shipping set to "None" sends mixed signals.
For writing the relationships themselves, see Writing a Relationship Your Readers Will Ship and Trope Prompts for Roleplay.