Post by Riku on Jul 3, 2010 15:03:40 GMT -4
This was taken from an awesome writer named Malamyn. Thank you so much for making this article! It helps out lots of other admins and role players alike!
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Human beings are inherently selfish, self-centered, quick to react, capable of minor changes, and can adapt to almost any environment. This is what defines our existence. The act of denying or ignoring any one of those elements is a conscious and deliberate act as influenced by one’s upbringing, personality, or some other easily explained factor.
We have certain needs, wants, ambitions, dislikes, motivations, as well as the crucial ability to understand one’s position in the universe as a direct result of decisions made in the past. One does not become a thief without first having stolen, one does not steal until there is a condition that proves thievery to be the necessary course of action (unless the reason is Kleptomania which is again a very specific condition which allows the ‘thief’ persona to exist).
When individuals seek out to create characters, they often focus only on what the RPer wants, and not what the character wants. “I need a powerful mage capable of taking on an army of dragons so that’s what I’ll create!” Even if one spends a few minutes deciding how that character became an all-powerful mage capable of fighting dragons he has still taken the backwards approach. One does not select a character off a shelf as one may select a can of soup! Some consideration must be taken in order to ensure that the character is as real and as separate from the RPer as possible.
That is not to say that the RPer need ignore his or her needs altogether, on the contrary it can be used as a sifter through which to find an appropriate character. The very act of participating in a RP thread is to manipulate a character into or out of a certain situation. But the more attention paid to the character, the more deftly a RPer may choose the situation and circumstance so as to progress the character through the story.
But first, how does one come up with the initial character? As all politics is local, so too is Character. It would be irrational to create an all-powerful mage to Captain a starship. One must look for the character within the environment in which the character will be interacting. A chaotic land suffering from political upheaval and dark magical forces would require a character capable of adapting to the turmoil and threat of magic. Next remember the rule of Character driven stories: they start at a point of change for the character. Change in job, location, or identity… anything to make this juncture in time unique for that individual. Why is this character entering the scene now. Is he or she returning from a long journey? Setting off from home for a new life? Changing names to escape a rocky past?
Now that the question of change has been answered, what does this character want to do? Return to the time before change? In which case what actions must this character do in order to make his or her old life possible once again? Or was this process of transition necessary to make way for a completely new life… in which case what is the character’s goal and what steps will he or she undertake to get there? All of these questions are a matter of needs, desires, ambitions and will be influenced by two things: Personality and History (heh, and you thought those sections on an Application were merely for show).
Let’s take a stereotypical character and see how she can be manipulated in this process: Roselle the Noblewoman Whore.
At this moment Roselle is what the court would call ‘promiscuous’ yet she hopes to change her reputation. She sleeps with any man in sight for security, power, or simply pleasure. Because we already know her reasons for sleeping with them now, we have insight as to what course of events led her to this position. One possible factor leading to her promiscuity would be a history of some sort of sexual abuse (history) and as a result, she would suffer from a low self esteem (personality), neediness (personality), and would not be able to maintain long term interpersonal relationship (personality). As it turns out, Roselle’s parents died when she was still fairly young which deprived her of a father figure (history) and thus has a problem understanding boundaries and saying the word ‘no’ (personality). Also with her social position and lack of a family, when it came time for her to marry she had very little choice in the matter meaning she would marry the most dominant of her suitors (history). In order to adapt to this situation she would have to become submissive if she were not already (personality). Her position in life depends on maintaining her status as Wife. She would be influenced by the duties of that position- whatever her husband wants, she will become or at least fake it. Here we have to pause and consider the personality of her husband, and here is where the RPer can come back in and let his or her own wants do the talking. If her husband is cruel, Roselle will take on more qualities of an abused woman, if he is kind then she will soften and more then likely not turn out to be a whore… so let’s go with cruel.
Roselle eventually becomes pregnant with a daughter. Her husband does not want a daughter and therefore kills Roselle’s child. Roselle in her fury (protective mother instinct- personality) kills her husband and therefore must flee lest she be held accountable. Now we have a woman who has: Always been dependent on men for her status and security in life, yet has had everything in her life taken away by men. Sounds like a pretty confused person doesn’t it? Roselle does not respect her own sexuality, she does not believe that her body is her own because she has never been taught to believe that. She also has the guilt of a murder upon her which not only lowers her self esteem but also makes her think that she deserves any bad luck that comes her way. So how can this girl, who wishes to become acceptable in the Court’s opinion, change her reputation? She does not respect her sexuality, yet as the only tool she has used to improve her situation, how can she change her reputation by not using it? If someone discovers that she is indeed a murderess, how can she defend herself? She has no social support network, no family, no resources but she is above all, a survivor. She has to survive, that is what defines her existence. And you thought she was just a whore… Tsk tsk.
Motivation is what fuels a character. It is how they can jump from one thread to another. If your character doesn’t want to be in a marketplace, you’re going to have a dang hard time getting the inspiration necessary for RPing in one. Yet if you know your character wants above all else to experience adventure, then maybe you can respond to a fight in a marketplace, forcing the situation without compromising the character’s desire. But you have to know your character! Ask questions, test out responses, and follow your instincts. You can randomly assign as many random characteristics as you like, but you must find the supporting situations that prove the logic of the character having those characteristics. But most importantly, your character must want something, not have it. In order to achieve that goal he or she must change, adapt, sacrifice. That is what makes a story interesting, what does a person have to give up in order to get what he wants. This is why all-powerful mages are dull; they have everything. Now make an all-powerful mage who doesn’t have an arm, wants one and must give up magic in order to get one, now that could be interesting.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Human beings are inherently selfish, self-centered, quick to react, capable of minor changes, and can adapt to almost any environment. This is what defines our existence. The act of denying or ignoring any one of those elements is a conscious and deliberate act as influenced by one’s upbringing, personality, or some other easily explained factor.
We have certain needs, wants, ambitions, dislikes, motivations, as well as the crucial ability to understand one’s position in the universe as a direct result of decisions made in the past. One does not become a thief without first having stolen, one does not steal until there is a condition that proves thievery to be the necessary course of action (unless the reason is Kleptomania which is again a very specific condition which allows the ‘thief’ persona to exist).
When individuals seek out to create characters, they often focus only on what the RPer wants, and not what the character wants. “I need a powerful mage capable of taking on an army of dragons so that’s what I’ll create!” Even if one spends a few minutes deciding how that character became an all-powerful mage capable of fighting dragons he has still taken the backwards approach. One does not select a character off a shelf as one may select a can of soup! Some consideration must be taken in order to ensure that the character is as real and as separate from the RPer as possible.
That is not to say that the RPer need ignore his or her needs altogether, on the contrary it can be used as a sifter through which to find an appropriate character. The very act of participating in a RP thread is to manipulate a character into or out of a certain situation. But the more attention paid to the character, the more deftly a RPer may choose the situation and circumstance so as to progress the character through the story.
But first, how does one come up with the initial character? As all politics is local, so too is Character. It would be irrational to create an all-powerful mage to Captain a starship. One must look for the character within the environment in which the character will be interacting. A chaotic land suffering from political upheaval and dark magical forces would require a character capable of adapting to the turmoil and threat of magic. Next remember the rule of Character driven stories: they start at a point of change for the character. Change in job, location, or identity… anything to make this juncture in time unique for that individual. Why is this character entering the scene now. Is he or she returning from a long journey? Setting off from home for a new life? Changing names to escape a rocky past?
Now that the question of change has been answered, what does this character want to do? Return to the time before change? In which case what actions must this character do in order to make his or her old life possible once again? Or was this process of transition necessary to make way for a completely new life… in which case what is the character’s goal and what steps will he or she undertake to get there? All of these questions are a matter of needs, desires, ambitions and will be influenced by two things: Personality and History (heh, and you thought those sections on an Application were merely for show).
Let’s take a stereotypical character and see how she can be manipulated in this process: Roselle the Noblewoman Whore.
At this moment Roselle is what the court would call ‘promiscuous’ yet she hopes to change her reputation. She sleeps with any man in sight for security, power, or simply pleasure. Because we already know her reasons for sleeping with them now, we have insight as to what course of events led her to this position. One possible factor leading to her promiscuity would be a history of some sort of sexual abuse (history) and as a result, she would suffer from a low self esteem (personality), neediness (personality), and would not be able to maintain long term interpersonal relationship (personality). As it turns out, Roselle’s parents died when she was still fairly young which deprived her of a father figure (history) and thus has a problem understanding boundaries and saying the word ‘no’ (personality). Also with her social position and lack of a family, when it came time for her to marry she had very little choice in the matter meaning she would marry the most dominant of her suitors (history). In order to adapt to this situation she would have to become submissive if she were not already (personality). Her position in life depends on maintaining her status as Wife. She would be influenced by the duties of that position- whatever her husband wants, she will become or at least fake it. Here we have to pause and consider the personality of her husband, and here is where the RPer can come back in and let his or her own wants do the talking. If her husband is cruel, Roselle will take on more qualities of an abused woman, if he is kind then she will soften and more then likely not turn out to be a whore… so let’s go with cruel.
Roselle eventually becomes pregnant with a daughter. Her husband does not want a daughter and therefore kills Roselle’s child. Roselle in her fury (protective mother instinct- personality) kills her husband and therefore must flee lest she be held accountable. Now we have a woman who has: Always been dependent on men for her status and security in life, yet has had everything in her life taken away by men. Sounds like a pretty confused person doesn’t it? Roselle does not respect her own sexuality, she does not believe that her body is her own because she has never been taught to believe that. She also has the guilt of a murder upon her which not only lowers her self esteem but also makes her think that she deserves any bad luck that comes her way. So how can this girl, who wishes to become acceptable in the Court’s opinion, change her reputation? She does not respect her sexuality, yet as the only tool she has used to improve her situation, how can she change her reputation by not using it? If someone discovers that she is indeed a murderess, how can she defend herself? She has no social support network, no family, no resources but she is above all, a survivor. She has to survive, that is what defines her existence. And you thought she was just a whore… Tsk tsk.
Motivation is what fuels a character. It is how they can jump from one thread to another. If your character doesn’t want to be in a marketplace, you’re going to have a dang hard time getting the inspiration necessary for RPing in one. Yet if you know your character wants above all else to experience adventure, then maybe you can respond to a fight in a marketplace, forcing the situation without compromising the character’s desire. But you have to know your character! Ask questions, test out responses, and follow your instincts. You can randomly assign as many random characteristics as you like, but you must find the supporting situations that prove the logic of the character having those characteristics. But most importantly, your character must want something, not have it. In order to achieve that goal he or she must change, adapt, sacrifice. That is what makes a story interesting, what does a person have to give up in order to get what he wants. This is why all-powerful mages are dull; they have everything. Now make an all-powerful mage who doesn’t have an arm, wants one and must give up magic in order to get one, now that could be interesting.
