Hello! I have noticed a few people wondering how to create conflict within this game, so I decided to compile a list of ways to add a bit of spice, if you should wish to do so.
Addictions:
Drinking, gambling, drugs (tobacco, laudanum, opium), too much time at brothels/too many paramours
Cheating:
Rigging races and matches, cheating at games, being unfaithful to ones spouse
Personality problems:
Getting into fights, lying, cruel gossiping, petty theft, spending too much money on fashion, being too self absorbed, being sloppy, selfishness, arrogance, rudeness, bluntness, childishness, etc.
Work Drama:
Business failing/going bankrupt, fight between two co-owners of a business, workers on strike, conflict between rival business owners, funnelling company funds into private accounts
Family Drama
Illness/death, not having enough money to keep up with society, parents don't approve of ones career aspirations (or lack of), inheritance dispute, child out of wedlock (regardless of gender), marrying below ones station, marrying for reasons other than love, your sibling/cousin is marrying/courting/being courted by your old flame/someone you don't approve of, divorce, remarriage (LOTS of options here)
If you're wealthy enough to have servants, they can also have their own drama for you to write about!
External problems:
War, famine, drought, classism, no access to education/higher education
These problems can be your own, or the real or perceived problems of others! Put any of your own suggestions in the comments below.
A conflict I am still lacking in that I would like would be any business deals or arrangements made by Nicholas' late father, Edward Howard, that Nicholas may still be needing to sort through/catch up on/figure out. These could be deals that have become complicated/delayed/confused due to Edward's death and the estate's change of hands, or perhaps just a reason for Nicholas to have to contact a character he typically wouldn't (especially if they may not particularly see eye to eye, but have to tolerate each other for the sake of bringing an arrangement to its conclusion), and could even be somewhat to Nicholas' detriment or exasperation (I am not in it to win it, please stress my boy out, I thrive on suffering).
This could be further complicated by the fact that in his later years Edward probably never so much as mentioned having a biological son, and so characters may or may not have even really been aware of Nicholas previously.
Religion, religion, religion.
(Seeking anyone wanting to plot about Catholicism related things)
I've been thinking a lot about this and I'm so grateful that you put this up! I'm not going to post in public, but I have been working to define my character's flaws so that I'm not a total Mary Sue, and I'm inviting anyone whose character knows mine to reach out to me in DM so I can share things you'd likely have observed about me and see how it might impact our particular tie without skewing my general first-impressions and overall reputation.