For the Character

[Head Administrator]

For the Character

Alright! Another forum gave me the idea to make a workshop sort of thread to help people writing wise, whether it be sticking to their characters, or specific writing subjects, etc etc! Each couple days.. or week... or whenever I get to it, I will post up a NEW addition to the workshop, covering a different subject, and yada yada yada! If you have ANY ideas for future workshops, please, pm me your suggestions! When we, the admin team, run out of ideas, it's up to YOU guys to help us keep this going!

Want to get to a specific subject quick? Use the index!

Index
Evil Doers, and Just Plain Baddies
Good Vs. Bad
The Personality Trait Chart
The Quirk Chart
Relationships
Powers & Personalities
The Loners

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[Head Administrator]

Evil Doers, and Just Plain Baddies

I won't pretend that I know the top secret ingredients in creating a good Villain. But I do know some of the key components that a good deal of people seem to overlook when creating a character for the role. Though bear in mind, this is discussion, and I have no intention of telling you how to play your evil-doer.

Please consider this advice, not absolute fact. I've seen a lot of people struggle, and complain about various things in regard to Villains and Heroes. Most of it is in regards to Godmoding, and not having an opposition that they like. I'm going to address everything that I can in time.

Building a Better Machine - Of Evil:

One of the biggest things I've noticed people do, is rely on their being "Evil" as a crutch. You are playing an insane, baby killing cultist but that does not mean that you lack all the other things that a good character may have. Such as personality and feelings. While one can be practiced at dismissing their emotions, it's still very hard for even the most insidious Villain to be completely immune to them.

That does not mean you should be an emotional whirlwind that cuts themselves and cries themselves to bed at night.

But you should bear in mind that with everything your character does, your character is still a person and susceptible to real, human feelings. They have a personality, wants and needs and it doesn't stop at kicking puppies.. Even a Villain has to eat, and sleep (well.. Within reason, obviously Death Knights do not, but I'm sure that they have some upkeep.)

Does your Villain enjoy anything aside from killing and maiming? Think about it.

In most cases (and I don't think even Death Knights can be an exception to this) a Villain is not a drone of mass destruction. They should have all of the fullness of a regular character that is not evil.

Remembering that your character is not simply a name, race, class and job description is key. It's probably more essential for more controversial characters than not. But such things do apply to all characters really.

I want HENCHMEN!

Okay.. Every Villain wants them. While they are feasible, and a good silver tongued Villain can get them. You need to bear one extremely important thing in mind:
As a lone villain you control all of the information that goes out about your plans, and your characters personal information and reputation.

But as soon as you bring henchmen into the equation (especially ones you picked up on the guild recruitment channel) you no longer have that control. With any guild, or cult, your members reflect back onto you, and your guild with their actions. This is not always a bad thing, but as a Villain your image is perhaps more important on an OOC level.

People can think of your character as a terrible, brooding criminal. But to be successful, you really need to not be someone everyone rolls their eyes at behind your back. If your minions go off and start summoning demons in the Cathedral you are probably not going to have a very good reputation to go on with.

You may not godmod, you may not reveal your grand master plans or appear as anything more than an innocuous farmer in Westfall now and again. But keeping your flock in check is a must if you chose to have one, or it will (and in my experience, it always does) bite you in the ass.


So you've killed a man....

And no one is impressed, or interested. So you ask "Ismati, how can I be a good villain if I do not do evil things every day?!"

The answer is simple, intimidation. You do not have to advertise that you killed a family of five in their home and hung them up by their entrails to be thought of as a bad guy. You do not have to bully folks, or yell things like "Blast those meddling scarlets, if it weren't for them and their stupid hounds.." to be successful.

In fact, sometimes just standing rather innocently on a corner near some innocent bystanders will cause people to think you are up to something. Even if you aren't. -Watching- people gives them the creeps.

There are tons of ways to be creepy and insidious without murdering the families of characters you roleplay near. While not every way is suited to each character, I've found that routine use of eloquent language, and being charitable, and endearing works well.

While, a character may not know that I am actually a warlock (I keep that pretty secret, ICly) they do know OOC that I am one, and that it is obvious that my character tries to hide it. That may not be visible to someone looking her dead on, but if people are willing to play along with you, instead of being forced to watch you sacrifice lambs and virgins on the Cathedral steps, they are more likely to respect you, and continue roleplaying with you -later-.

They are also much more willing to be victims.

Thank you, Ismati, for the wonderful coverage of bad guys! A fellow warlock on Wyrmrest accord, Wow.

[Head Administrator]

Good Vs. Bad

I did not write this, I got it from a woman named Holly Lisle, who's blog I follow. If you like, just click here to go to the website!

So this enormous gunslinger walks into a bar, black hat pulled
down low, six-shooters drawn. He's all muscle, he's mean,
his scars have scars, his tree-trunk legs sport bands of throwing
knives, and he has whiskey on his breath and death in his eyes.

He stalks up to the hero, shoves both guns against the hero's
chest, and says, "I have you now, Slim."

And Slim, who had one arm around Miss Bitty the Hooker With The
Heart Of Gold, and the other fist curled around a sarsparilly,
arches an eyebrow, puts down the salsparilly, and waves his
hand in a mystic pass...

...And the villain falls over dead.


This is an exaggeration.

Unfortunately, it isn't much of one.

Writers connect with their main characters. Empathize with them.
Cringe at the idea of them getting hurt.

So any time the hero is faced with some problem, some nightmare,
some villain, he or she manages to escape destruction by
superpower, deus ex machina, the hero's sudden and
we're-before-mentioned twin black belts in judo and jujitsu...
or the villain's previously un-described deathly allergy to
pollen.

When you write a story, you commit to hitting your hero where
it hurts. Skinned knees, broken hearts, the occasional
fractured skull or bullet wound.

The villain has to be bigger, badder, tougher, smarter, meaner,
better armed, better fed, and better backed.

Your hero can have a lot going for him or her---but for every
great new tool or nifty superpower he gets, your villain
needs a better, shinier, faster one.

Your hero has to win only AFTER he gets the crap beat out of
him. Maybe after Miss Bitty dumps him for the black-hatted
gunslinger. Maybe after the town turns its back on him
and makes the villain the new sheriff.

Because, quite simply, for winning to mean anything, your
character has to earn it.

Write with joy,

Holly

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[Head Administrator]

The Personality Trait Chart

Personality traits stem from your character's background. The things that shaped your characters life shape his personality as well. If you have done an extensive background on your character you probably already have a well developed personality formed. Use this list to give you a few ideas to further your established direction with your character.

As you develop your character's personality never forget to determine why your character is the way he or she is. Never just say he or she is mean. There MUST be a reason why he is mean. There is rhyme and reason to everything no matter that no one else will know why he or she acts that way. You must know why he or she acts that way to play him or her to the best of your abilities.

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1. Addict- Your character has an addictive personality making them prone to such things as alcoholism or being overly devoted to the wrong person. What ever the object of the addiction your character is almost obsessive

2. Aesthetic- A character with this trait will have a well developed sensitivity to beauty, especially art of any form.

3. Aggressive - An aggressive character may either have a great driving energy and initiative towards a goal, being aggressive in hunting or practicing magic for example; or he may be aggressive in the sense that he is bullying, and quick to fight. Some mixture of both is quite likely

4. Altruist - A character with this trait has an unselfish interest in the welfare of others. Beyond merely caring for other people this character would hold the welfare of others above his own interests as a principle.

5. Callous - Your character is rather hardened when it comes to emotions and even relationships. May not have much sympathy for other people.

6. Charismatic - A charismatic character will be able to influence people by sheer force of personality. Difficult to Role play it takes a lot of effort to be charismatic. Leadership and the ability to engender enthusiasm in others is a must.

7. Charming - A charming character has a personality that is pleasing to others. Being charming entails being well mannered and pleasant to others, perhaps a bit chivalrous if a male or demure if a female, though not necessarily

8. Chaste - A chaste character is innocent, modest and pure. Perhaps she led a sheltered life or a particular religious upbringing. It may even be a personal belief based on the manner in which she was raised. A chaste character might have very deeply ingrained

9. Chivalrous - A chivalrous character lives by a code of honor, is courteous, generous and honest. Most Paladins accept some sort of chivalrous code of honor to guide them through life, though you need not be a Paladin to believe or follow a chivalrous ideal.

10. Clumsy - A clumsy character may be described as accident prone. The character will trip over, bump into, and drop things

11. Composed - Your character is calm, cool and collected. Not even eminent danger of the worst kind can shake his reserve. He is not easily shaken or disturbed by the actions of others. The composed character rarely loses his self control or his temper.

12. Courteous - Your character is well mannered, respectful, civil and polite. Usually very aware of what is proper and what is not.

13. Crude - Your character lacks social grace, taste, and tact. A character with this trait is likely to do or say inappropriate things. She may find herself insulting or offending people without meaning to.

14. Curious - Having a compulsive desire to investigate and learn. The unknown must be known, the confusing understood. If this character hears a noise in the dark or out of sight, smells something, sees a flash of light in the woods, hears a legend or rumor, etc. they will have an urge to investigate. This is of course not always very healthy for the character.

15. Cynical - Your character sees the worst in other people. Most of their actions will be attributed to selfish motives. He is not likely to be very trusting.

16. Dishonest - Your character is untrustworthy and deceitful, perhaps even corrupt. He may not care much for other people’s feelings or just lies as an easy way out of blame and to make himself look good.

17. Disloyal - A character with this trait is not committed or faithful to a government, cause, ideal, or person. This character will follow the road that best suits their personal needs in total disregard for the effects it has on any allegiance he may have spoken or were dictated to him through terms of service. Not the trustworthy type though somehow they usually get others to believe they are.

18. Dolt - Your character just isn't all that bright, to say the least. Some concepts may be very difficult for her to grasp, but other simple things she may understand just find. This goes way beyond a mere lack of intelligence. The dolt is a very simple and childlike person. Perhaps you may wish to play this further as an idiot savant where your character excels at one particular, sometimes useless skill.

19. Fanatical - When your character hooks on to something he hooks on excessively. Your character has a tendency towards this sort of behavior in general and there is usually one thing in his life to which he has an intense uncritical devotion be it a god a belief or the hunt.

20. Flamboyant - Your character loves attention and is more than willing to play up to it by being showy and colorful in their dress, speech and behavior.

21. Flippant - A character with this trait treats serious situations, people or events that are due respect lightly and with disrespect. May dismiss what others have to say with little regard for the other person or the situation, particularly if it does not affect him.

22. Folksy - Your character is sociable and friendly. Very informal in manner. May have been raised in a smaller town or village where such familiarity is common.

23. Fortitude - A character with this trait can meet danger or bear pain with courage. Often ignoring either or both. Not likely to run into the empaths guild screaming for healing when he merely has a minor wound.

24. Genial - Cheerful and kindly, your character is most gracious to others and a very friendly sort

25. Genius - Extraordinary intellectual power. Your character is far above the average adventurer in mental abilities. Such a trait may have made her feel isolated and different from others. Or, if she was raised in an environment more suitable for the young genius, may very well look down on those she considers her mental inferiors.

26. Impetuous - Impulsive in nature. Your character may make rash and emotional decisions. Your the girl who sees the lever and pulls it while saying, "What's this do?"

27. Impudent - Contemptuous of others, cocky. Your character may be described as being insolent as well as impertinent. Not the most polite person in Elanthia.

28. Inconsiderate - Careless of the rights or feelings of others. Your character is thoughtless when it comes to others, though not necessarily purposefully they still don't spend much time considering how the people around them are affected by their actions

29. Indifferent - Your character has no particular interest, loyalties or liking of anything. It may simply be a cultivated impartiality to most things or as deep as apathy where your character has a general lack of emotion or concern for anything,

30. Lackadaisical - Lacking life, spirit, or zest. Your character is sluggish in character and action.

31. Mad - Insane, not mentally stable. There are many levels to madness. Your character maybe slightly odd, to full blown schizophrenic. Perhaps she appears to be normal but has an underlying mental illness such as a form of sociopath behavior.

32. Maverick - Non conforming. Your character is an individual, almost to a fault, may find following his own path preferable to following the right path.

33. Mercurial - Your character tends to moodiness and unexpected changes in character and behavior. Usually there is an underlying cause to this, the changes are not random. Your character may be psychotically insane, manic/depressive or even trying very difficult to be something they are not and when their true character shows through others are surprised at the change.

34. Meticulous - Extremely careful in attending to details. Your character wants things done right and usually wants it done right the first time. Measure twice (or five times) and cut once is her motto.

35. Namby-Pamby - Your character is weak, indecisive, and cowardly, basically a Character that lacks character. She'll be ineffectual at reaching goals or sticking to any plans.

36. Narcissist - Beyond vain, your character is practically in love with himself. Nothing is too good for him, no one is more beautiful, attractive or charming. Your character is likely to be egotistical and self-centered as well.

37. Nefarious - Your character is fragrantly wicked. Most evil people aren't evil in their own minds but your character probably takes pleasure in being wicked and impious. A certain amount of style and charm usually hides the nefariousness of your character from the eyes of the common folk who happen upon him, but he plots and schemes with no regard for any but himself. Be sure other players are aware of your intentions before being too nefarious, of course.

38. Obsequious - Humbly or excessively attentive, fawning. Your character finds it much more agreeable to be in service to someone who will provide him with all his needs and is not against a bit of grovelling to make sure he gets all that he feels he deserves. A bit weasely, but if he plays his cards right, a comfortable weasel.

39. Opportunist - Your character tends to exploit opportunities with little regard for the consequences of his actions. He may not take principles or even other people into consideration either.

40. Ornery - Your character is quite irritable and easily aggravated.

41. Panache - Not quite as flashy as the flamboyant character, your character nevertheless makes quite a stylish sight.

42. Paranoid - Mental disorder marked by delusions and irrational suspicion. Your character has a hard time trusting anyone and is willing to leap at the slightest indication that people are not trustworthy.

43. Passive - Submissive, patient, non-violent. Your character may not be all of these things its up to you to determine how passive he is.

44. Pensive - Musingly or dreamily thoughtful. Your character may constantly muse over sad and depressing things. A rather introverted type.

45. Pious - Your character is marked by an extreme reverence for religion and the Gods. Your character is determined to do what is right by the gods. Generally not applied to those who follow the more evil aspects of the gods, but of those who follow the light aspects.

46. Pompous - Your character is arrogant, pretentious and/ or ostentatious. He is of the privileged and makes no bones about showing it off. He is not likely to think well of those of a lesser class.

47. Quick Tempered- Easily angered, your character has a hot temper and is easily provoked

48. Rambunctious - Undisciplined, unruly and marked by mostly uncontrolled exuberance. Your character is somewhat like a puppy, lots of energy, little direction and basically good natured.

49. Rapscallion - Your character is a little rascal, a little rogue and a little ne'er-do-well. She's likely to be very charismatic and maybe even playful and mischievous. Still she might just sell her grandmother if the price was right.

50. Rover- Your character has a touch of the wanderlust. She never likes to stay too long in one place and is much happier out on the open road living where ever she happens to stop rather than settled down in a home of her own.

51. Sadistic - Your character takes an abnormal delight in cruelty. He'll kick the smelly cat when no one is looking, push old beggars to their knees for the fun of it, and will feel no remorse while doing it. She cares only for her own pleasure and will lie and misrepresent their interest to hurt others both emotionally and physically. The overly sadistic character must be prepared to be hated by other characters, be sure other players are aware of your motives if you choose this path so it never hurts the player as well.

52. Short-sighted- Your character doesn't see the far reaching affects of his actions and decisions. May have a very narrow view of situations as well since they can't seem to discern any consequences in most things.

53. Steadfast - Firm in belief, determination, or adherence. Your character is very loyal. When he makes an oath he keeps it no matter what the cost to himself. Can be a tragic figure if he has married an unfaithful and cold-hearted woman, or be the basis for great heroics and commitment to a worthwhile cause.

54. Stoic - Your character may appear very cold to the outside world. He rarely shows feeling or passion in response to events especially in regard to pain and distress. He may just be indifferent or perhaps very self-controlled. Either way he can put up with far more than the ordinary person.

55. Subservient - Willing to serve in subordinate capacity. The subservient character balks at being placed in positions of leadership and power. He does not want that kind of responsibility. He may be deathly shy or just a follower by nature.

56. Valorous - Your character is a hero waiting to be. When courage and heroics are needed your character will step forward with no thought to consequence, only to what is right and noble.

57. Wayward - Your character is rather capricious. Impulsive and unpredictable in his actions. Follows his inclinations with no concerns as to what is right and wrong.

58. Wily - Your character is full of guile and cunning. If a bit of trickery is called for your character will not only think up a good one but carry it through to the end. He may have a touch of roguishness or could just be an astute and shrewd business man.
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this list is from Here.

[Head Administrator]

The Quirk Chart

Quirks are generally not meant to be a driving force in your character's personality. Though for certain character's one or more of these quirks very well may be a large part of their personality, these are intended to be "on top" of what you have already established.

Keep in mind when selecting Quirks and Personality Traits that you should toss out combinations that won't work together. Clownish and Stoic for example.

On the other hand, some things that at first appear at odds with each other it may make an interesting combination. Musically Inclined and Tone Deaf, for instance. A big Tog happily singing off-key may be an interesting thing to role play
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1. Accent- Your character has an accent. Decide whether it is a regional accent or if your character originally spoke another language. Determining how heavy you want to play it.

2. Allergies- Your character is allergic to one or more things. Decide what things and what the reaction is. Magic? Cats? Do they make you itch? Sneeze? Sniffle?

3. Animal Lover- Your character loves animals. Determine how far this love extends. Will your character refuse to hunt animal like creatures? Will your character pounce lovingly on familiars and companions paying little heed to their affects on the poor creatures?

4. Bald- Obviously, if you choose this and your character is not already bald you may want to visit the hair shop in Leth. Play it as if your character is going bald by selecting Thinning at first if you want to make a big deal of your character going bald.

5. Blind- Your character cannot see at all. This is difficult to play with any consistency. Try squelching all the room descriptions at first to learn how to ignore game descriptions when you first

6. Clownish- Much like the class clown, your character is always looking for a way to make people laugh. Though, she may cross the line at times when it comes to appropriateness.

7. Deaf- Not able to hear a sound, your character wouldn't hear other players words or any sounds from the environment as well. Maybe he would be able to read lips to a certain degree, but you would have to be careful to remain consistent with this one.

8. Drunkard- Drinking to excess is something your character is well practiced in. Always carries a handy flask or bottle to indulge his taste for the drink at a moments notice. Your character might be a happy drunk or a melancholy one depending on his character. Note also that some people are exactly opposite in personality when they have been drinking.

9. Egotistical- Your character thinks very, very highly of herself, to the point that she probably dismisses other peoples beliefs or ideas if she doesn't happen to agree with them. She may be a bit opinionated as well

10. Fetish Item- Similar to a remembrance item, but your character also attaches some magical qualities to it. A good luck charm or a warder of evil influences. The item probably holds some significance to the character beyond the magical qualities as well.

11. Food Fetish- There is one particular food item your character can just not pass up. Be it chocolate, tarts or even spicy sausages. He might take silly risks or go miles out of his way to procure a fresh backed tart. Your character probably tends toward other addictive behaviors as well.

12. Facial Tick- An annoying little spasm that can cause some embarrassment. Maybe brought on by stress or nervousness. Perhaps its in one cheek or the forehead its up to you to decide why, where and also how noticeable it is.

13. Gaudy- When it comes to over done your character corners the market. Garish colors, too much jewelry and accessories as well. Your character may not be aware of how gaudy she is, or perhaps she is well aware and uses it to suit her purposes as a gypsy might swirl her skirts and flaunt her colorful beads to distract an unwary traveler while she dips into his purse.

14. Glutton- Your character loves to eat, and he'll eat to the point of excess. Too much is never enough if your character likes something. Perhaps it stems from a childhood where food was scarce and now that he has it he eats as if it will be taken away again.

15. Habitual Liar- If one lie will suffice ten are even better. Sometimes your character may lie just for the sake of lying. This does not necessarily mean that your character is a cruel to others. The lying may be limited to the "tall tale" type of lie. Telling a young adventurer still wet behind the ears that Trolls are good place to start off hunting is a liar with a will to hurt and not your run of the mill habitual liar.

16. Hobby-Alchemy- Almost everyone has a hobby you enjoy, your character loves alchemy. The mixing of potions and drying of herbs makes him beam with delight.

17. Hobby-Origami- Another hobby one might pursue. Folding bits of paper into little shapes is a pastime your character loves to indulge in. He may find it a relaxing change from the hectic days on the battle field. Or perhaps it is a way for him to express his artistic side.

18. Illiterate- Unable to read. Perhaps the Common tongue is your characters second language and he never learned to read it, or maybe your character was never educated at all. Whatever the reason, most catalogs, road signs, scrolls, etc are beyond the understanding of your character.

19. Insomniac- Your character has trouble sleeping. Difficult to play up in DR, but still possible. Your character may appear to be haggard and worn out much of the time.

20. Limp- Your character walks with a limp. Whatever the cause, an old wound a birth defect it will affect your characters behavior and perhaps a good deal of his background.

21. Musically Inclined- Your character has a love of music and at least some ability to back it up. Though, it may require training in the skill to get there. She may prefer singing to an instrument.

22. Nervous Habit- Your character is afflicted with some form of nervous habit be it biting her nails or playing with a strand of hair. Decide what the habit it is and work it into your characters daily activities. She would probably not be all that conscious of doing it.

23. Opinionated- Arguing with your character is like arguing with a brick wall. Your character is set in his ways and will happily try to convince everyone of the veracity of his point of view. You probably enjoy arguing and may not realize how frustrated others are with you.

24. Phobia- Some kind of irrational fear lurks within your character. Is it spiders? Deep water? Strangers? Determine how overpowering it is and stick it to it. Its not always fun to back out of an activity, but if your character knows of the wolf spiders beneath Therein Keep he sure isn't going to be up for a trip down there with his friends. Unless of course he's putting up a facade of nonchalance, but he should break into a cold sweat at the appropriate times nonetheless.

25. Picky Eater- There are just some things that will never cross the lips of your character. In fact, there are a lot of these things. Your character may make bones about how he feels either. He'll turn his nose up at anything if it doesn't suit him, and may not care who's feelings get hurt in the process.

26. Remembrance Item- A special item that your character treasures and always has near him, or perhaps keeps it under lock and key in his home or vault. Its a reminder of some past event that left a mark on your characters life. It might be the personal possession of a dead friend or parent; some token from a lost love; perhaps a flower from the garden of the women you loved who married another when you chose a life of adventure.

27. Refuses to Wear Glasses- Perhaps its vanity perhaps its just refusing to admit age or weakness, either way your character doesn't see well, and won't wear glasses to correct the problem. You need to decide if your character is near-sighted or far-sighted and how bad his vision is.

28. Restless- Your character can't sit still for too long before he starts fidgeting and looking for something else to do. She wouldn't be the type to listen to long classes without annoying her instructor to death. Wandering maybe just the sort of life style this character is born to.

29. Sickly- Your character suffers from some kind of illness or disease, or just has an overall lack of good health. There may be overt symptoms or perhaps your character just tires easily. Perhaps he has periods where he gets better and then once again descends into illness.

30. Sloppy Appearance- Your character may be a plain old slob, or maybe just an absent-minded sage type. Messy hair, worn and stained clothing are the norm. The shop in Shard will surely be the best place for you to pick up a wardrobe.

31. Smokes Cigars/Pipe- Nothing like lounging around with a good smoke. Does your character prefer a particular type of tobacco or cigar? Does he just smoke or does he like to blow rings and such?

32. Squeamish- Your character cannot stand the sight of blood or gore. Hanging out with the empaths is probably their least favorite past time. Hunting for a living isn't going to be their first choice, or probably their second, either.

33. Superstitious- There are many superstitions you can choose from, or even make one up. In fact, come up with a lot of them. A superstitious person doesn't usually stop with one strange belief. What might your character think is good luck? Bad luck? Any Omens, portents or signs they may believe in?

34. Tone Deaf- When you start to singing the dogs start to howling. You can't sing, though you probably don't recognize the fact that your painfully off-key.

35. Unlucky- When bad things happen, they happen to you. You lose things, drop things, fall down, miss the ferry etc. Though some of this really is bad luck, you can play up the many misfortunes of your characters and make up some of your own.

36. Vain- If there is a mirror around guess who is standing in front of it? You're character may tend toward a lot of primping and may look down on other characters they don't feel are as attractive as themselves. Your character does necessarily have to be attractive themselves though.

37. Vegetarian- Your character does not eat meat, or perhaps only eats fish. Is there a moral reason why she won't eat meat? Cultural? Health?

38. Wears Glasses- Is your character far-sighted or near-sighted? Your character may not be able to afford glasses right away so play it accordingly. Losing your glasses on occasion can be fun as well.
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this list has come from the same place as above.

[Head Administrator]

Relationships

Please remember guys, I’m not an expert when it comes to relationships, I don’t think anyone really is, but I’ve seen plenty of them! I know what works, and what doesn’t.

A fun, and sometimes challenging aspect of roleplaying is romantic relationships. Now, don’t you go laughing at me because I said it was challenging! Because it really can be, given certain situations! But no matter how challenging they can be, relationships are always fun!

There are going to be a few things you want to look out for when searching for a prospective mate for your character. First, the most obvious question. What gender does your character prefer? If they prefer men, they won’t go falling for women! If they prefer women, they won’t go chasing men! And if they have no preference? Well, more options for them! Remember, your character is only going to fall in love with the gender they prefer! They won’t accept advances, or start advances on their own, with someone that they aren’t attracted to!

Next, what type of person would your person fall for? Do they like blondes? Brunets? Favorite eye color? Personality? You have to take all of this into consideration. If they like blondes, why are they going to chase after a redhead? If they like a serious person, why are they going to ask out a class clown? It’s important to have these questions answered before starting your search for a partner.

So you know what they like now! What about they’re hates? What type of person would they never in a million years be with? Do they hate black hair? They wouldn’t be caught dead on a date with her/him then! Are they so goofy that a serious person would only irate them? This is where you have to start thinking about your characters personality. What type of person could your character stand and who couldn’t they?

REALLY TAKE THEIR PERSONALITY INTO CONSIDERATION! Some personalities just don’t mix! Extremely similar personalities can sometimes clash and cause a lot of problems! Sometimes there will be a few things about a person that your character just won’t be able to stand! If they can’t get along, they definitely can’t be together!

Last, but not least, Relationships are more than just physical attractions! Sure, it’s going to help start one, because you’re not going to pursue people you aren’t attracted physically to! But there is more than just…. The physical stuff! A relationship can only go so far when the only passion comes from what a person looks like! And as soon as that physical passion wears off… What are you going to do?

On a different relationship subject, there are three stages every couple is going to go through, whether they are short or long, they will always go through all three.

The first: Infatuation. When a couple first starts going out, they are going to be completely infatuated with each other. They will text all day long, they will call each other just to say ‘I love you’, they will give each other cute nicknames, and will be nearly inseparable! Completely lovestruck! They will be on a love high, simply put, and feel like they are on top of the world, and nothing will ever go wrong with their new lover.

The second: Jealousy. When they finally come down from that love high, things will be pretty different. One of the two will grow a little distant, spend more time with their friends and not their lover. They won’t call as much. And here is when jealousy comes in! One, or both of them, will freak out if their lover even talks to a person of the gender they prefer! This is always going to be the stage where they fight the most, and when most couples will break up.

The third: Love. Finally that wave of jealousy will have passed! They’ll be content with each other. They will be willing to part to spend some time with their friends. They won’t be overly affectionate. And they won’t go freaking out over other people flirting with their partner! This is almost always the stage when couples will really spend time on their relationship. They will want to know everything about their partner, and will most often move in together, or pop the marriage question!

Be warned! These stages can sometimes jump around in order! Which can lead to plenty of complications in a relationship!

[Head Administrator]

Powers & Personalities

Okay, I don’t want to hear you guys saying that I’m completely nuts for thinking this. IT IS TRUE! A mutant’s power WILL affect their personality. Don’t argue. Go with it. I’m the expert. Now, why does it affect your personality? Let me explain!

Now, not only will I be explaining three types of personality-power clashes, but I’ll be using canon mutant examples to make it a little easier to understand!

The first example, is Ororo Munroe, also known as Storm. Now, what is her power? She controls the weather! Does her power harm others without her meaning to? No. Do people know about her power if she doesn’t use it? No. Not only that, but where was she before she joined the school? Africa, where she was treated like a Goddess. Over all, Storm has always benefited from her power! She’s going to be very prideful when it comes to her power, not even able to comprehend why someone would want to get rid of their power!

Rogue, on the other hand isn’t quite as lucky at Storm. She absorbs energy, memories, and abilities of anyone she comes in contact with. Not to mention, those people are going to get hurt! Okay, that’s really bad! Even worse? She can’t stop it! You touch her, it happens! Now think of it logically, how is this going to affect Rogue? It’s going to make her really paranoid! She’s always going to be making sure she knows exactly where everyone is, so that no one gets close enough to accidentally touch her. She’s hurt a lot of people in the past, so Rogue’s going to be really withdrawn as well. You see how her power affected her personality?

Our last example is going to be Hank McCoy, aka Beast. Now, his power doesn’t hurt people, but it certainly affects the way he’s treated! He’s different. Covered in blue fur, with animal like strength and speed. Now, that’s useful but people definitely don’t like it. He doesn’t look or move like normal people. He might not outcast himself like Rogue does, but he’s definitely been outcast. You have to take his age into account though, unlike the others. He’s learned to accept his ability. But think about when he was a kid, a teenager? He would NOT have been a social butterfly!

You see what I mean? Powers affect personalities in several ways! And just think, those are only a few examples! People with the same power can be affected in several different ways as well. Someone that is persecuted their whole life can either become withdrawn from society, or they can grow to hate all things not them, and start a war against humanity! Sound familiar? It should! A lot of times, Mutants will grow a hatred for Humans, and that can lead to them growing unusually violent towards anything that isn’t mutant.

There is a lot more I could say, but I’m going to cut it off here, and let the rest of you figure out ways to play with these! Have fun!

[Head Administrator]

The Loners

I did not write this, a fellow World of Warcraft character did, hence why some of the terminology doesn't apply to forum rping!

You're hunched over at a bar, dangerous, dark, brooding. Your body tells a tale of woe, loss, rage. Everything from the giant, jagged weapon on your back to the single scar over your right eye says "don't mess with me, I play by my own rules." The first person to approach you is met with a glare. The second, a snarl. The third, a duel to the death (which you doubtlessly win).

You are a badass. You are a loner.

And you're wondering why everyone has you on ignore and is talking trash about you in brackets.

Presumably, you didn't join an RP server to be antisocial, but you want to play an antisocial character. That's fine. They're popular for a reason: they're mystical, intriguing and they capture the imagination pretty well.

They're also unpopular for a reason: they tend to be standoffish, they're often rude and they leave one with the vague idea that they came into the roleplay just to be a jerk.

So, here is my advice (not rules) for playing an antisocial character.

1. Why are you antisocial? No, that's not "why are you a jerk." The question is: why are you antisocial. Is your past tragic? Do you not trust people anymore? Are you just particularly hard-up for people skills? There's many flavors of antisocial, surprisingly, and it can be fun to pick one up and experiment with it.

But you should give a lot of thought as to what makes you antisocial, preferably with a logical pattern. For example: your family was killed by orcs. That's pretty tragic. But is it enough? No! What were you like before that? Were you a happy, outgoing kid? Did the sudden loss of your family make you withdraw terribly? If so, do you often find yourself drawn to happy-looking people out of a need to return to that time? And what happens when they realize you're not right?

Explore your character's motives!

2. Why are you here? Antisocial people, in general, are antisocial. They don't like other people. They don't hang out in bars of their own volition, waiting for someone to notice them. They need something at that bar. This ties back to motive, of course, in figuring out what has brought you to that space. Who you are dictates how you act, which makes it easier to figure out why you're there.

From there, though, you need a reason to interact with people, preferably in a way that won't make them think you're a huge jerk. So, consider carefully: you're antisocial, you're rough around the edges. Are you aware of this? Do you approach a pretty gnome and force your best smile through a mouthful of broken teeth? Or are you unaware of this? Do you have a hard time figuring out why people don't like you? If so, does that make you angry? Depressed? Does that drive you to drink? Is that why you're at a bar?

3. Motive + Reason = Conflict! And conflict equals story. What conflict does NOT equal, however, is fisticuffs. Nor does it even have to be threatening, menacing or with an undertone of violence. We're not interested in how you can decapitate a man with one swing of your Sword of the Anime Hero, we're interested in how you interact with your conflicts and how you interact, overcome or fail to overcome them.

To that end, I'd suggest even being mindful of the other person's level instead of their IC powers versus yours. If you can't solve a problem with violence, it becomes a lot more interesting for everyone. If the lady you're trying to talk to is behind the level 85 warrior with a giant sword and shield and your an admittedly-tough Gilnean thug of 30 levels, you need to think of new ways to get to her that don't involve violence. Can you outwit the guy? Can you bluff him into thinking that twenty of your best mates are right around the corner? Can you see that he's been through the same stuff as you and you don't want to bring up the same memories for him?

[Head Administrator]

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