Brief Character Descriptions

[Katzaniel]

DOUBLE EDIT: As per this explanation, this thread is really very out of date and you should stop reading now to avoid confusing yourself.


No, I am not even near done yet... but I have interviewed enough people to begin writing the actual descriptions now. My plan is to post the descriptions and, for those giving permission, the interviews too, in this thread, and then the creators of the characters will hopefully copy & paste what I post into their own thread. I encourage editting, as only the authors themselves can truly know what's most important about their own characters... for the same reason, I find myself quoting directly from the words of the interviewees more often than not. Anyway, please feel free to edit what I've done, and also please post the interview and description in two different threads. I'll come by and add a link from one to the other, but for what I'm planning with the Piazza I'd like everything to have its own thread, with titles as follows: "CharacterName - Brief Description" and "CharacterName - Interview", subtitles can be up to you. Thanks all!


EDIT: As many of you may already know, I was not sure until now how we were going to use this forum (as per the "Pseudo-Poll" thread). I figured it was easier to instruct separate threads and put them together if needed than vice versa... anyway, what I'd like now is for this to be part of your own character thread. Instructions will be put up if you need help with that.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Tanuchan
broken link

[Katzaniel]

Gwaihir is a verdant magician who can best be described by the words "clumsy", "peacemaker", "plant-loving" and "spacey".

 

He is a relatively young elf. He has brownish messy hair, blue eyes, thin build, and even for an elf is somewhat tall. He usually wears mismatched clothing, often covered in sap, paint, holes, and tape.

 

Gwaihir's mother died when he was young, so he grew up with a father who was just as spacey as himself. He got a love of plants from his father, and was apprenticed to a nature magician who taught him most of what he now knows about the plant world. For a while he wandered around but he was constantly getting hurt and having foolish problems. When he found the Pen, he was happy, because it's a sheltered place where he can belong.

 

He has the ability to talk to plants and makes things grow. Most of his skills are related to verdant magic, and though he has some other magical abilities, Gwaihir can only relate to peaceful minds, like that of a deer. He only particularly enjoys talking to plants. He is good with people when they can ignore his clumsy mannerisms, and tends to be patient, a peacemaker. Gwaihir also likes to write; he plays well the part of the spacey poet. Quiet and looking only for a way to express himself, he is usually too shy to show people the things he writes. Gwaihir does not carry any items, for he constantly loses what he does try to carry.

 

Gwaihir's goal in life is to learn everything there is to know about the vegetable world.

 

-----------------------------------------------------

 

Do you want to try doing it now?

sure

Okay, first I need the full name, your race and gender.

You're one of the reasons I needed to add the gender question #:]

lol

Gwaihir elf male

lemme look up last name

Okay, and if you had one noun that best describes you, what would it be?

It's allowed to be the same as your race if you want.

And you get 3-5 adjectives later.

clumsy

(That's an adjective, just making sure you realize...)

I'm looking for a general "Gwaihir is a ... who ..... " way to start the thing.

ohh

point

missed the 'noun'part of that

'verdant magician'

Pfft. I guess I can use that.

Although you're cheating #:]

* NoGwaHere bows and grins

Oh, do you have an age?

no last name it turns out, though I can make one up if it'd help

Nah.

age age age, not really

young but not Very

would be early 30s in human years

or late 20s

That's how old he appears?

Physical Appearance is next.

So clothing, hair, eyes, height, build, scars or other important features.

brownish messy hair

missmatched, clothing that shows it's owner does Not pay it any attention..covered in sap, paint etc and has holes

in a couple places even taped together

relatively tall even for an elf

blue eyes

Build?

relatively skinny

Okay. Does Gwaihir have a history?

Just the high points of what brought him to where he is.

mother died young, so he grew up with his dad who was just as spacey as he was and at some point he was apprenticed to a nature magician who taught him most of what he knows about plants. The love of them, however, comes from his dad

After a while of wandering around and constantl getting hurt/having foolish problems, Gwai found the pen

it's a sheltered place where he belongs happily

Hm. How about skills/ items?

talks to plants, makes things grow etc, beyond verdant magic ....well, some other magic, but Gwaihir can only relate to peaceful minds, he can't relate to attacking or killing, can communicate with deer but not tigers for instance. ONnly particularly enjoys talking to plants though. A distinct lack of all practical skills

writes

somewhat good with people...if they can ignore his spacey, clumsy manner

patient, peacemaker

no items

he loses them constantly

He writes?

yeah, but he's too shy to show people usually

sometimes in support of the pen

Hm. Interesting. #:]

It just sounded different from the rest of what I know of him.

This is going pretty quickly. Just a few more official questions.

well, he's the spacey poet

Before I forget, do you mind if I post this interview?

not particularly talented but he's a quiet fellow so he likes to express himself

not at all

And you get 3-5 adjectives. Did you want to use "clumsy"?

wha'ts the last thing you got?

You get 3-5 adjectives. Did you want to use "clumsy"?

That's all you missed.

clumsy peacemaker plant-loving spacey

Awesome. Here's the "one more" point #:]

What's your life goal? Aim? Motivation for living, if you will.

To know Everything about the vegetable world

Alright. Anything else that you think needs to be said?

hmm...honestly Gwaihir is rather a comic character so I wager he's somewhat less complex (and interesting) than some people's

I can't think of anything that's been left out though

Oh, he's interesting enough.

Less complex I'll give you.

If I think of anything else I need, I'll PM you. Meanwhile, thanks!

yays

[Katzaniel]

Orlan is a sorcerer who is best described by the words "Confident", "Sexy", "Arrogant", "Realistic", and "Dependable".

 

An Eternal appearing as a human, Orlan chooses his appearance but his Sexiness is above and beyond that. Orlan is tall, lean and well-toned with black hair, shaven face and eyes that change colour. His dress depends on the occasion but is most often either a big black cloak or a well-tailored suit. The general impression of anyone seeing him is usually "What a sexy sexy man." He appears arrogant to others but is still able to see himself from the outside in.

 

Orlan was a Man of Terra, a long time ago, and that's where the title Sexy Sexy Man came from. He was an Archmage for a while, just for the enjoyment and the interaction with other fun people. Orlan is a Priest of the Great God and Pharaoh Nanotoknonnen, SuperMummy, which is a long story that involves a lot of beer and laziness. Now he resides in the Pen, going where things are interesting and fun.

 

Orlan has shapeshifting and illusion magic. Like a manifestation of willpower, whatever Orlan thinks he can do, he can. He is something that has always been and will always be, uncaring about the overall flow of mankind, Orlan lives only to enjoy life, have fun, spend time with people and laugh. He would rather crack a joke and avoid seriousness altogether.

 

-----------------------------------------------------

 

So you wanna be a guinea pig?

I haven't read your character description yet, if you have one.

* QQKatz goes to check

I actually don't so you don't have to worry

At least I'm pretty sure I don't

Excellent!

* QQKatz rubs hands.

Okay, first order of business, do you mind if I copy this interview into a post somewhere and have it linked from the main description for anyone who wants to read it all?

Not at all. You want me to respond in 1st or 3rd person?

It's your choice. Some questions might not lend themselves to 1st though.

k

I mean, I'd only get what your char thought of themselves, not what they really are...

...but it would be a lot more interesting, and I'd learn a lot more, if you answered in 1st, if only occasionally.

We'll wing it and you can ask for more if you want.

Okay.

You are my first, so I intend to think of more questions as we go.

Second order of business would be which characters do you want done?

Do you just have the one?

I had a few a long time ago but it's just Orlan

Alright then.. let's start with Orlan #:]

If you had only 1 or 2 nouns to describe Orlan, which ones would you use?

Confidently Sexy

I knew you'd get around to that.. but those are more like adjectives.

You get 3-5 adjectives later #:]

lol

Nouns then?

hmm

I mean, like "ranger", "tigertaur"...

that's tougher then it looks

Sorcerer is about as close as I'd get

Okay.

And his race is "Man", right?

He's not human in any sense of the word other then appearance and mannerisims

Ah.

So does he have a race?

I'd say "Eternal"

For the layman... that's a spirit, right?

Close enough description.

Okay. So why does he want to appear human?

It's more fun to be a human

And people also treat you better

And to the average observer, he's just like a human? He's solid?

Yup

Does he always appear as the same man?

Yes

Does he have an obvious "country"? I guess this would depend on time period.. but I mean like, French or Scottish, y'know. Accent and clothing and stuff.

No obvious country, no.

So the general impression of anyone seeing him is just "What a sexy sexy man."

Of course.

Is he tall? Thin? Facial hair? Or does the sexiness drive away all other thoughts? #:]

lol, tall, lean, no facial hair. Black hair, eyes change color alot.

Heh.. so a clue to his otherworldliness does remain.

* OrlanBED winks

IC question: Have you ever met anyone who didn't appreciate your sexiness, who (God forbid) may have had other tastes?

Appreciation is something that rarely comes from the jealous. I get respect from it alot. Though it's not really something I can control, I just am.

But people are invited to have thier own opinions....even be they wrong

Okay.. now I'm ready for those adjectives. Do you still want to use "confident" and "sexy"?

Confident, Sexy, Arrogant, Realistic and Dependable would be a good 5

Arrogant *and* Realistic?

Please explain the apparent inconsistency.

Arrogant is how other see me and I'd definately adopted that to myself. Realistic because I can look from the outside in.

So you act arrogant, even though you're able to see beyond that?

Good way to look at it

Okay...

My next point of interest is what sort of stuff he usually wears.

I guess I should move the adjectives down in my list, since I'm still on physical description.

lol, no prob

What I wear depends on the occasion but most often it's either a big black cloak or a well tailored suit. Nary a person alive who dosen't look good in a well tailored suit.

.

. Brief interlude

.

Heh... finally just read your last answer..

Women don't always look good in well-tailored suits.

I beg to differ

But that's just my own taste

Alright. #:]

Next question, then, is pretty encompassing, so feel free to break it down.

I'm wondering about the "history" of your character.

What are the major events that have shaped him?

Possibly, when did he first decide to take the appearance of a man?

hmm, Orlan's always just "been" so it's hard to find a history. Orlan's a Man of Terra, which was from a rather long time ago, so that's where the Title Sexy Sexy Man came from. He was an Archmage for a while, just for the enjoyment and the interaction with other fun people. Orlan is a Priest of the Great God and Pharaoh Nanotoknonnen, SuperMummy, which is another long story that involves alot of beer and laziness.

That brings to present time with the Pen. Orlan goes where things are interesting and fun

I think that I may just quote you directly there.

"Orlan is a Priest of the Great God and Pharaoh Nanotoknonnen, SuperMummy, which is another long story that involves alot of beer and laziness."

Definitely deserves quoting.

So he had the same appearace during all of this?

Yup

Can he change appearance if he wanted?

Sure, but does not often

So he chose to be sexy?

No, he just happens to *be* sexy

So what can he change?

Full range. Shapeshifting and Illusion magic are apart of his skill set.

But he can't stop being sexy?

If he tried REALLY hard.....maybe

So it's sort of something in his manner, more than his looks?

Sexy is more then looks.

Usually you need the looks too though.

It dosen't hurt

Is he well-muscled?

Not really. More just lean.

Okay. But does lean imply muscles or not? I don't mean like bulging muscles, I mean like firm and well-formed.

Lean is more well-toned. Not extra meat, just a good use of what's there

Okay.

So the sexy kind of muscled #:]

lol yup

Now, you mentioned skills...

* QQKatz adds this to her list

Can you expand on that?

Whatever Orlan thinks he can do, he can do. Sorta like a manifestion of willpower

This is common to Eternals?

Orlan's never met anyone akin to himself before. And Eternal is not something like a group or a race....it just is what Orlan "is"

Think something that's always been and will always be....but dosen't really care about the overall flow of mankind....like a negligent uncle God

I think maybe I was thinking "infernal".

Yes, I think I understand. You put it well there, if you don't mind me quoting you again, I just may.

Not at all

I had one last thing that I wanted to be sure to cover, though I think I've got a pretty good idea by now what the answer will be.

What is Orlan's goal in life?

Fun. Just fun. Orlan enjoys like, he wants to have fun, spend time with fun people and laugh and not really care about it all.

Excellent.

Anything else you want to say to the masses?

Anything anyone should know before, for example, they try RPing you?

lol, RPing Orlan is hard for most people, I've been told. Orlan would rather crack a joke and avoid the entire seriousness rather then react seriously. Serious is not something Orlan does often. That's hard to do apparently

Hmm. I'd never thought about that.

I can see how it would be hard while trying to get something done...

heh. Orlan's an Uber-Man, and most people get upset when you RP a character like that. I like Orlan so I never put him in a serious RPG

Complete and utter control over everything and anything makes RPing useless in the normal sense.

So Orlan stays in fun RPGs

Ah, godmoding.

And never really gets overly involved

Yup

I guess when you're Uncle God that might be a problem #:]

Orlan's beyond Godmoding. So I never play Orlan in a serious role

So.. I think that about covers it.

"That's a wrap", or so they say.

heh

The difficult part will be cutting this down to one paragraph.

lol

Good luck with that

Orlan is anything but terse

All right. I'll probably PM you if I think of anything else.

[Katzaniel]

Please note the edit (in red) of my original post. Thank you.

[Katzaniel]

Okay, I've rethought this whole thing again. Of course the original intent was to write very brief descriptions that would give people a good idea what a character was like, without spending the time to read the longer descriptions. There are, after all, oh so many of us.

 

That, and the fact that the area I most need to improve is brevity. I intended for this quest to help me grow, and so I've tried again, and, lo and behold, actually left some things out! I'm not sure yet what I'm doing about posting them, since in the end it will be 3 parts - the interview, the quasi-brief and the brief. Ideally they can go in each person's own thread and then I can post a sticky that gets updated when I add one, the search results from Brief Character Description.