For anyone from a major family – pretty damn taboo. Marriage is a key moment when the House’s status and wealth can be either compounded or put at risk; allying yourself with a commoner is admission of failure in the status game. A bit over a decade ago, I wrote:
As you’ll see in Irduin, a noble-merchant alliance isn’t totally unthinkable when the House is extremely small and not especially bothered about its relations and reputation beyond the local level. But even there, it’s not easily thinkable, either.
So for Abelard or Teren to have a romance with helot MC will be a big deal.
Yes – but you’re right that the intensive time you get with 1-2 in Metropolis will be a good chance to win over ones that might otherwise be put off by your public reputation.
