Concept

I'm interested in having some harem court drama and intrigue. The best part of the power fantasy is having women exert all their intellectual capabilities as well as to take big risks to fight over you. It's very nice to feel wanted.

The problem is that historically the court intrigue isn't out of love but to secure political position in a selfish way. Done historically, court intrigue can like the opposite of love, malice. Hurting the country and the king for herself.

Our goal needs to first and foremost focus the court intrigue plotlines on the ultimate purpose of empowering the protagonist.

Since we're not going to have any NTR, our court we first need to establish the loyalty of the important LIs that we need loyalty from, that is, the great characters that are readers are supposed to love. They should be written in such a way to be innocent and free from all blame. All the good characters may engage in plots only if: The plot is cleared to not harm the interests of the protagonist. This can and should be double checked thoroughly and stated as justification, not just to herself but to also the reader.

• The principle way to achieve this is to make sure she feels the rival she is getting rid of is unworthy or useless to the protagonist.
  • The rival cannot be a useful political tool that becomes useless after being attacked.
  • The rival can be a useful political tool that is de-risked as a romantic rival but more exploited though, this type of plot has some potential.
  • This kinda precludes us from the very common trope of a woman getting jealous at the rise of a potential rival who is more powerful and useful than she is, unless we deploy the second strategy.
• We can concentrate the negative aspects of the villainy into a couple of throwaway side characters who can be easily hated.
  • This way the good characters are inadvertently benefit from this while being innocent of the plot.
  • For example, introduce court ladies or harem girls who could advocate for her mistress.

List of "Good" Girls

These girls are prohibited from being written in such a way that they can be interpreted as betraying the protagonist.

Wife, R4, Cinean Sung, ArDau, Judge's Daughter, Old Whipping Girl, Rich Ex

List of "Bad" Girls

These girls don't have to be bad, just not protected from being good.

Major in your Army, Researcher, TV Producer, Archivist, Stalker

Arc Overview

In the hero route where we have no kingdom until the very end, the court drama will stay low level and rather simple.

In the political route the court drama expands alongside a vast court. Many girls who were previously just casual partners get added to the court in a big sexual melee.

Sample Ideas Harem schemes inspiration

• Poisoning of various types
• A musician in the harem might compose a love song tailored to the taste of the woman's rival, dedicating it to the rival but subtly hinting at the singer's true affections. The rival, believing herself to be the object of desire, would feel both flattered and threatened, driving a wedge between the women.
• False rumors of an affair.
• anonymous love letters, create tension and mystery, makes things more fun for the guy at the center.
• Manipulate a patron into supporting one over the other
• Fake gifts to gain the trust of her rival, then reveal her true intentions
• Crazy love potions and black rituals
• Put on a parody play or book in which Nell's character was portrayed as a vulgar and unrefined woman. This public humiliation was intended to damage Nell's reputation and standing with the king.
• A very high born royal woman wants to join your court as her country has several factions against her. A rival already in your court sees her as a threat for your attention and uses her spies to bribe the factions in her country overthrow her and kill her.
• Fake doctor who is actually a spy for a rival.
• Fake letters that criticizes you that appears to be written by a person but is actually by a rival.
• Fake pregnancy?
• Fake head to prove death
• pretending to be dead
• Rivals form alliance
• Fake illness for sudden surprise revival after letting a rival overplay her hand
• Fake illness for attention and sympathy
• Plot to send a rival away on a diplomatic mission
• fake promotion to trigger someone when it was revealed to be fake and cause her to act out.
• fake gift from you that was poisoned?
• She would often invite other women to tea, creating a sense of competition and jealousy among them using these gatherings as a platform to spread rumors and create discord among her rivals.
• Beautiful poetry while seemingly innocent, were often laced with hidden meanings and messages designed to undermine her rivals and elevate her own status.
• Secret rooms in the palace were used to hold clandestine meetings and gatherings, allowing her to outmaneuver her rivals and maintain her power.
• Fake distracting religious events and fears
• create elaborate jewelry pieces. These pieces, while ostensibly beautiful, were often used as a form of currency among the women in the harem. By controlling the flow of these gems, Nur Jahan was able to manipulate her rivals and maintain her own power.
• ordered her servants to pour cold water on the floor of Mei Fei's quarters in winter, causing her to slip, fall, and suffer a miscarriage.
• bribed the midwives to exchange the newborn with a stillborn baby, causing rival to fall out of favor with Jahangir.
• became jealous of a concubine named Artaynte. Amestris waited until Xerxes' birthday feast and then demanded that he give her Artaynte's mother, Masistes' wife. Amestris then mutilated the woman's breasts, nose, ears, lips, and tongue.