RP Workshop - Character Development 1

[Illysia]

In the spirit of boredom and procrastination, I present yet another thread.

The purpose of this thread is to help people develop their characters enough to be self sustaining. Most characters have interesting details. However, many still lack the consistency and completeness needed to exist beyond their usual circle of acquaintances. This leads to characters running out of story elements or motives to fuel RP. That, in turn, leads to dead storylines and dead RP.

It seems that the best way to fix the problem of flat or partially rounded characters is to use pointed questions to target weak aspects.  So, here are some questions for you to think about. Not every question will be relevant to your own characters but do consider if there is room to make them relevant. Further, please consider posting your answers here. Other people can read them and may get ideas for their own characters.

Also, even if I don't put it in a question here, always remember to ask and answer "why?". Just like with real people, character traits don't develop in a vacuum. Why did something have that affect? Why do they have that quirk? Why is a certain trait or event significant to the character? Why do you need them to have a particular experience? Why is as important a question to  answer as what.
__________________________

• Does your character have strong feelings about a topic, item, person, or thing? Why?

• Does your character have defining personality trait?
  
  • How does that affect their how they view or interact with other people, various ideologies, their social group, their larger community, the world they live in?

• Do they have a unique mannerism, such as a nervous twitch or biting their nails?
  
  • Is there a reason they have it?
  • Does it affect how they interact with others or how confident they are in interacting with others?

• Has your character suffered a traumatic event?
  
  • How did that happen?
  • How has it changed their outlook and behavior?

• Does your character have a highly visible item, scar, or mannerism that is connected with their backstory?
  
  • How can you make it more interesting to a fellow RPer without writing a novel to explain the backstory?

• Which aspects of your character’s life are more under the control of others?
  
  • How does your character feel about that?
  • Are they doing anything to change that?
  • What will happen to them and how they behave if they are successful in taking back control?

• What are your character’s current aspirations, big and small?
  
  • Are there several small term goals you can give them to keep them busy?
  • In a one on one conversation with a stranger, what is their immediate goal?
  • Why?

• Does your character prefer some people over others?
  
  • Who do they prefer?
  • Why?

• Does your character have a favorite place to be?
  
  • What do they do there?
  • Why?
  • Why is it their favorite place to be?

• What kind of current events does your character follow?
  
  • Why?
  • Can you think of “current event” kinds of topics for your character to talk about with others?

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Example: Zandral

Does your character have strong feelings about a topic, item, person, or thing? Why?
She hates magic because of having had her pride hurt and her heart broken in the past by a mage. She feels strongly that law is the solution to "rampaging" magic. Therefore, she feels that politics is a necessary means to an end. Though she is a polar opposite of her sister Illysia, she is very worried for her sister. She is worried because her sister died and against the odds returned from the death realm. She has both sentimental attachment and a strong dislike for a pair daggers given to her by Marqsaynt. She is still attached to them because she genuinely loved Marqsaynt. She dislikes the daggers because he left her and they are a reminder of the event.

Does your character have defining personality trait?
She is extremely intolerant of others.

How does that affect their how they view or interact with other people, various ideologies, their social group, their larger community, the world they live in?
It isolates her as she is generally abrasive to others. It leads to her often viewing others as foolish or stupid and it makes her withdraw from social interaction beyond what is necessary for her business.

Do they have a unique mannerism, such as a nervous twitch or biting their nails?
No, but I can create one. The end of her tail twitches spasmodically when she speaks to people as it is very difficult for her to interact with strangers.

Is there a reason they have it?
Yes, due to a variety of rejections and failures in her young life, she has mostly withdrawn from dealing with people. This gives her anxiety when dealing with strangers.

Does it affect how they interact with others or how confident they are in interacting with others?
It makes her hostile, defensive and insecure which is then reflected back at her by the people she interacts with.

Has your character suffered a traumatic event?
Yes. She was dumped, failed in her political career, and was left in an increasingly dangerous city. She had worked too hard to go back to her family with her tail tucked between her legs. Therefore she was forced to cope alone and it went badly.

How did that happen?
She was originally emotionally involved with a married man which turned to romantic involvement after his divorce. However, they eventually drifted apart as her drive to rid Yliakum of magic turned into a single minded personal war resulting in the neglect of her relationship. The necessity of magic and her extreme prejudice against it resulted in her eventually being weeded out of the political pool. Having been deprived of her chances in politics, her self esteem and confidence were shaken. She had been robbed of both a goal and her means to an end. The nature of the city changed due to the flight of many people, especially the more decent and respectable citizens. This resulted in a rise in crime and criminal elements which quickly overwhelmed the city guard and often left residents to fend for themselves. It was dark times and eventually Zandral fled Hydlaa.

How has it changed their outlook and behavior?
She has lost most of her charisma, fire, and will. Now she huddles among her potions and remedies hiding from the rest of Yliakum. She only bothers to look beyond her protective cocoon to make a living or inquire after family welfare.

Does your character have a highly visible item, scar, or mannerism that is connected with their backstory?
No.

How can you make it more interesting to a fellow RPer without writing a novel to explain the backstory?

Which aspects of your character’s life are more under the control of others?
Zandral actually has much more control over her life than most. She is only beholden to the laws of the realm. However she feels very much trapped and oppressed by others.

How does your character feel about that?
It makes her bitter and resentful but it also reinforces her self imposed isolation which in turn makes her more bitter and resentful.

Are they doing anything to change that?
No, but she should.

What will happen to them and how they behave if they are successful in taking back control?
She would probably be much happier, much nicer, and able to move on if she realized the power rested with her.

What are your character’s current aspirations, big and small?
Zandral's will is somewhat broken so she lacks for big aspirations. Most days she just wants to make enough money to eat, be left alone the rest of the time, not be forced to answer stupid questions, and to speak as little as possible.
 
Are there several small term goals you can give them to keep them busy?
Making inventory to sell, revising her catalog of goods, drinking ojavedan cider, write her sister, make sure Zalya is still alive, etc...

In a one on one conversation with a stranger, what is their immediate goal?
To end the conversation as soon as possible or at least make them buy something so she can hurry them along.

Why?
Talking to people hurts for her so she is eager to end the experience as soon as possible. Jarda regularly chides her for this but she is still not very inclined to change.

Does your character prefer some people over others?
She will deal with a handful of people that she is already used to but aside from them she hates everyone equally.

Who do they prefer?
She likes Zalya and (some characters whose names I forget now :S Been a while...), she has made some kind of peace with Illysia and to a lesser extent the rest of her family.

Why?
Zalya has always been nice to Zandral and seems relatively unaware or unconcerned about her flaws. Zandral has conceded that Illysia may have been right about certain things that had been points of contention between them in the past.

Does your character have a favorite place to be?
Huddled in bed with the covers pulled over her head.

What do they do there?
She hides from the world and relieves past failures but at least she doesn't have to deal with the present when she is there.

Why?

Why is it their favorite place to be?

What kind of current events does your character follow?
Reagent prices, illness trends, random chatter at the Amdeneir Tavern.

Why?
Business related information is about the most she can handle right now.

Can you think of “current event” kinds of topics for your character to talk about with others?
The price of golden ivy leaves fluctuating, increases in the occurrence of wing itch, research grants for curing the Burning, new medical technology.

[Rigwyn]

Only in America, do we try to make the dead dance.... only in America. >.>

[Zalya]

Aww, Illy , are you trying to make me log on again?

[Illysia]

Ha. Even I don't do that. No, this is just to get people thinking creatively and make sure I get my daily writing in even if I don't work on my personal stories.

[Thoss]

Only in America, do we try to make the dead dance.... only in America. >.>

Well, I was going to put together a post but Rigwyn's comment has sent me down the rabbit hole of of a several hours long revisit of Dead Can Dance on youtube.

[Aeghiss]

Woah, such an amazing idea. I absolutely approve it.

• Does your character have strong feelings about a topic, item, person, or thing? Why?
  
  • Aeghiss has been feeling an urge to create things with his own hands for ages. Perhaps because both his father and his mother were craftsmen. He especially loves practising Ynnwn traditional crafts, because he's so attached to his people.
    He has also a strong link to magic and its practisers, especially the Crystal Way. It may have a link with his father being an alchemist, and with the support Govell Mihdren gave him, but the most important point is probably the influence of the stories his father told him about Daxosh Morona when he was young.
    Though he almost never speak of them, Aeghiss also badly misses his twin sister and his dead parents.

• Does your character have defining personality trait?
  
  • Aeghiss is a very friendly and sociable Ynnwn. He also has a strong sense of justice and lawfulness.
  • How does that affect their how they view or interact with other people, various ideologies, their social group, their larger community, the world they live in?
    
    • N/A
  • The first point usually helps him make friends easily, but as a side-effect he feels lonely as easily unless he has work to occupy his mind when he is alone - which is the moment he misses his family the most. The second point make it impossible for him to bare outlaws and even borderline people as well as dealing with lawful but dishonest or unfair people.
    
    • N/A

• Do they have a unique mannerism, such as a nervous twitch or biting their nails?
  
  • N/A
  • Is there a reason they have it?
    
    • N/A
  • Does it affect how they interact with others or how confident they are in interacting with others?
    
    • N/A

• Has your character suffered a traumatic event?
  
  • Aeghiss' parents died some years ago, and lost sight of his sister at the same time.
  • How did that happen?
    
    • WIP.
  • How has it changed their outlook and behaviour?
    
    • WIP.

• Does your character have a highly visible item, scar, or mannerism that is connected with their backstory?
  
  • N/A
  • How can you make it more interesting to a fellow RPer without writing a novel to explain the backstory?
    
    • N/A

• Which aspects of your character’s life are more under the control of others?
  
  • As a student at the University of Yliakum, Aeghiss has some duties and some work to do. As a mage, he also has to follow the laws of the Circles he belongs to. That aside, the Octarchy laws are the only control people exert on him.
  • How does your character feel about that?
    
    • Though he sometimes feels the Circles laws too strict, the control others exert on him is mostly administrative, and he doesn't have much to say against it.
  • Are they doing anything to change that?
    
    • No, for the aforesaid reasons.
  • What will happen to them and how they behave if they are successful in taking back control?
    
    • N/A

• What are your character’s current aspirations, big and small?
  
  • Aeghiss is currently a student at the University of Yliakum and has to graduate. Otherwise, he is an absolute perfectionist and always feels like he could make his work better.
  • Are there several small term goals you can give them to keep them busy?
    
    • Aeghiss trains a lot to strengthen his skills and pass his exams.
  • In a one on one conversation with a stranger, what is their immediate goal?
    
    • The first thing Aeghiss will be interested in is the stranger's personality. He will most likely tacitly probe the stranger - way of acting and speaking, meaning of the sentences, etc. - and then react according to how he feels he can trust.
  • Why?
    
    • Cf : defining personality traits.

• Does your character prefer some people over others?
  
  • As many Ynnwn, Aeghiss is really open-minded regarding races and melts into populations without discrimination.
  • Who do they prefer?
    
    • Though he has no racial prejudices, Aeghiss is strongly attached to the Ynnwn, his own people, and otherwise feels the best with the Enkidukai, who is somehow his adoptive people, most people of Ojaveda being Enkidukai. Aeghiss also tends to get closer to scholars and crafters, the people whose interests are the closest to his.

• Does your character have a favourite place to be?
  
  • Aeghiss loves Ojaveda. It is a city in which he feels at home. The inhabitants were very welcoming when he first came there, and he now has many friends and acquaintances there. Otherwise, Aeghiss feels good in workshops where he can practise and exchange with others, in places highly related to magic, and finally, in holy places : though he doesn't worship any specific god, he has strong faith in each of them and likes the specific ambiance of their holy places.
  • What do they do there?
    
    • Nothing special, just what any people would do in such places.

• What kind of current events does your character follow?
  
  • Aeghiss doesn't follow news much except what directly concerns him : things related to crafts - materials prices, discoveries, inventions, etc. -, to the University of Yliakum, to Ojaveda or to his friends.
  • Why?
    
    • Aeghiss just doesn't have enough time to wonder about every subject on which he could find information.
  
  I'll surely do that for Melodria as well, but not now... It already took me some time, I have to work now... ^^
  
  PS : Please remember that you'll know what the other share here about their characters, but not necessarily your characters themselves.
  E.g.: People don't know about Aeghiss family.

[Thoss]

... Most characters have interesting details. However, many still lack the consistency and completeness needed to exist beyond their usual circle of acquaintances.

Thought:  Ok, well that sounds like the vast majority of the people I know in RL.

Then I got to thinking about myself and was like... day to day, do I run around knowing that information and using it to make decisions etc? I don't think so.. some of that I would have to sit and think about, and then I would get the feeling that I was kind of making things up so as not to feel like a weirdo because I was having hard time coming up with answers and may not "know thyself" all that well. A lot of those answers I'd be like... "I don't know... ummm.... I feel weird now..."

But then I suppose my "subconscious" does know all of those things.

So maybe that will help me... my character can just be a person, a person who doesn't think or perhaps even know a lot of those answers, but for me the player... this list will help me act as their subconscious...? or something.

[Illysia]

What I meant were characters that run out RP steam when forced to interact outside of their usual circle. What often leads to cliques in RP communities is the adjustment curve for branching out becomes problematically steep. This usually happens with character's that don't already know your character's backstory or haven't been in on the shared adventures. The new character's don't automatically have a place in your character's life. They aren't a part of the stories you have already created through RP.

However, one of the reasons you need to know so much, even if your character doesn't, is because you can direct your character not just react. So, yes... kinda like a subconscious but more like being an author. While there is a certain appeal to RP wild abandon, that is exceptionally hard to get in a community this small and spread out. You as the player will need to maneuver your character to make opportunities for RP. Knowing your character deeply will let you anticipate which situations will give you the best entertainment for your efforts.

For instance, if your character is the strong silent type that rarely approaches people, you will have a hard time RPing. However, if your character is silent but they have a keen interest in jewelry because a favorite uncle was a jewelrysmith, they now have an in. They can speak more extensively with characters who are smiths, who like or wear a lot of jewelry, with gem cutters and other related professions. It allows you to navigate hurdles through nuance.

Admittedly, character depth can be mind boggling to work out, but it saves you problems on the back end. It saves you from backing yourself in a corner too easily. Don't worry though, you don't have to answer every question right away. The answers to some questions will come to you as you RP your character more. You will eventually see places to add in useful details. Much of Illysia's story wasn't developed until I started to play her sister Zandral.