Character Profile Excercise

[McMurphy]

Several writing sources suggest that writers make sure that they can answer anything about their main character, regardless if the details would ever make into the story. Below is a quick template of a character profile sheet that I have whipped up. Fill it out for a character you are currently writing about, plan to write about, or simply make up a character on the spot.

CHARACTER PROFILE

Full Name:
AKA:
Age:
Birth Place:
Physical Description:
Nervous Habits:
Common Swear Words/Phrases:
Vocal Patterns:
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences:
Family:
Friendships:
Religion:
Dislikes:
Likes:
Habits:
Hobbies:
Professional History:
Educational History:
Social Class:
Prejudices:
Faults:
Attributes:
Origin (pre-existing story):

 

[littlemissattitude]

Thank you for posting this, McMurphy. I think it will be very helpful for the writers here on the board.

I learned to use this technique, with a template very much like this, about twelve years ago in a playwriting/screenwriting class I took. I find doing something like this, using a list like this or by writing a character sketch in a page or two, to be very helpful in getting to know my characters when I write fiction (which isn't as often as it should be these days, as I've been working more on my nonfiction lately).

 

[Esioul]

I've caused a bit of a fuss over at another fourm by trying out one of my new characters on them... It would probably be best for me to use this profile excercise instead, therefore!

 

[Vodstok]

Ooooo. Fun thread


Full Name: Garrison Stryker
AKA:N/A
Age:32
Birth Place:Rigel (Wood-harvesting planet)
Physical Description:Tall (6' 2"), Brown hair, blue eyes. Kind features. Very strong and alert.
Nervous Habits:Twirls pistols (if he has them on him)
Common Swear Words/Phrases:Ahhh, hell.
Vocal Patterns: Direct, Articulate speaker
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences:Heterosexual. Prefers blondes.
Family:Younger sister. Mother and Father recently killed in conflict
Friendships: Many. Has a close-knit group of freinds that he grew up with that fight toward a common goal
Religion: None
Dislikes: Arrogance, exterem selfishness, people who refuse to help those in need
Likes: Blue-green, guns, afore-mentioned blondes, old movies
Habits: Making jokes at freinds' expense
Hobbies: Sharp-shooting. Collecting old movie parephenellia
Professional History: Began as an escort for a smuggtling company before becoming a full-time gun for hire, later a soldier
Educational History: High-school education
Social Class: High. Parents run a planet-spanning lumber company
Prejudices:None. Maybe people with bad attitudes.
Faults: Very giving of himself. Extremely sensitive regarding freinds an family.
Attributes: confused: ?)
Origin (pre-existing story):
Garrison was born as the first and only son to the Stryker's Rigelian Corporate Empire. Initially, inteneded to be the heir to the family throne, that mantle was eventually adopted by his sister, Julie. At age six, Garrison was enrolled at a small school on the planet Flora. Graduated high-school, learned of his affinity for handguns. Became an escort for a smuggler name Charon Aramanth. After he amassed enough money, he became a "Benevolent Mercenary", performing mercy missions on various planets. Became a soldier at the onset of war.

 

[Brian G Turner]

CHARACTER PROFILE

Full Name: Shirine
Gender: Female
Age: 20
Birth Place: Korillion Metropolis, Omicron Prime
Physical Description: Dark haired
Nervous Habits: None
Common Swear Words/Phrases: Sh*t! (not common)
Vocal Patterns: Confident
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: Love of Sarridan as a father figure, but Jarian as a full lover.
Family: Mother - father is unknown excepting by name
Friendships: Few, no deep emotional attachments
Religion: Politics
Dislikes: The Imperium and its war
Likes: Freedom, democracy, and equality for all
Habits: Hacking Jewel channels to promote the Democrative Agenda
Hobbies: Political theory
Professional History: none
Educational History: Studying Xenobiology at Korillion Metropolis University,
Social Class: Primary Citizen (economic elite)
Prejudices: Dislikes authority
Faults: Sometimes unable to see the far and wider picture playing
Attributes: Fiesty and strong willed
Origin (pre-existing story):

 

[Brian G Turner]

CHARACTER PROFILE

Full Name: Nemestor
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Birth Place: Collective Farm on the Southern Continent, Sarine Prime
Physical Description: Black
Nervous Habits: None
Common Swear Words/Phrases: Does note swear
Vocal Patterns: Friendly and familiar
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: Wife: Ariola
Family: Ariola: Wife; 4 year old son: Tamerlin.
Friendships: Arrolyn: they studied at the Sarine Naval Academy together.
Religion: None.
Dislikes: Getting his uniform dirty; those ungrateful of Imperium beneficence.
Likes: Keeping his uniform clean; aspires to become a starship captain
Habits: Self-questioning, and sometimes uncertain
Hobbies: Overworking
Professional History: none
Educational History: Study at Sarine Navel Academy since childhood: strong scientific background
Social Class: Military, Officer Class - originally Third Class Citizen.
Prejudices:
Faults: Trying to aim for a career and family, but fixating one the former at the expense of the latter.
Attributes: Anxious about attaining goals; extremely grateful of the position of respect he has grown into.
Origin (pre-existing story):

 

[Myla Starchild]

Thanks McMurphy, this'll help me develop one of my newer characters I added a few - sorry, I couldn't resist!
~*~WARNING~*~ War Tiger fans (if indeed there are any) this may be a little spoilerific.

CHARACTER PROFILE

Full Name: Arachel Katarynne
AKA: Thistle
Race: Myrinian (a race I made up, hard to explain - sorta like drows. Think of her as drow if you like )
Gender: Female
Age: Fifteen
Alignment: Evil
Birth Place: The town of Keldiann in the Galen province Myrinia
Physical Description: Tall and slender, dark-skinned, below-shoulders white hair, sorrowful features
Nervous Habits: Fiddling with the oversised gold earrings she normally wears
Common Swear Words/Phrases: P*ssed, bl%%dy, several of my invented cusswords
Vocal Patterns: Usually confident, though sometimes lost and whispered
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: None
Family: One sister, Sylvren
Friendships: Fran Reetwyse (human) and Brim Goldenscale (dragon)
Religion: None
Dislikes: Amnesia, loneliness, her sister Sylvren, getting her overskirts muddy
Likes: Fran, Brim, her swords, looking important, sharing stories around the campfire, quests
Habits: Fiddling with earrings, attacking people, practising with her swords
Hobbies: Sword practise, quests, storytelling
Professional History: Amnesia has wiped any recollection from her memory
Educational History: Ditto
Social Class: Outcast
Prejudices: The society that rejected her, any aligned to Good, dragons
Faults: Hasty, tempermental, amnesiac
Attributes: Tough, agile, loyal, strong
Origin (pre-existing story): Cast from Myrinia for a crime she has no memory of committing. Wandered in Dragonkeep valley until she met Fran and Brim.

 

[polymorphikos]

Full name: Lucinda S. Carlton.

AKA: Amelia Parker, Melodie Hall, Cristophe-Jaques Debeaumarche, Caroline.
Age: 27.
Birth Place: Earth
Physical Description: 180cm, slim, athletic build, cafe-au-lait complexion and chin-length brown hair.Always wears a pair of sunglasses to hide her eyes.
Nervous Habits: Talking to herself, analysing locale she's in.
Common Swear Words/Phrases: Bugger, Damn.
Vocal Patterns: Well-spoken, careful, confident and sardonic.
Sexual Profile: Very little sexual activity, but prefers the dark-featured and unpretentious.
Family: No family. She keeps their whereabouts to herself, and may be an orphan.
Friendships: "Jane", a fellow mercantile; Cristopher, a potential, maybe, if she ever makes her mind up, lover.
Religion: Somewhere inbetween Christianity and atheism, without any belief in the divinity of Jesus and little in the existance of God. She works on the principle that anything could happen, but things would be better for her in the end if the heaven and hell thing was all a big misunderstanding.
Dislikes: The pretentious, and those who are clearly less intellegent than they believe. K. S. S. Vernonson, accountant.
Habits: Soliloquising, affecting disinterest
Hobbies: Writing her memoirs; drawing; amature zoology of the wetlants.
Professional History: Was picked up by the Debeaumarche family on Sirius, and became a small-time thief for them, gradually being moved into assassinations aswell. At the age of twenty-two, she bought her way out of the family and went free-lance from an uncertain location in the city of Schwartzstein, where she operates through a front in the form of a detective agency (which is occaisionally legitimate). She mostly works thefts and sabotages, but is sometimes forced to accept wet-work because she needs the money to stay concealed.
Educational History: None before age nineteen, except for primary school and one year of secondary. The Debeaumarches gave her Direct Neural Didact (DND) courses to make her more knowledgeable and therefore less conspicuous. Equivelant to a Bachelor of the Arts in Hitory and English, and an excelent grounding in Languages and Psychology.
Social Class: Initially very low, but elevated to a middle-class socialite status by association with the Debeaumarches.
Prejudices: Due to a vein of self-loathing for her former self, she is more likely to punch a drunk or high person than tolerated them.
Faults: Amoral at times, overly-judgemental.
Attributes: Personable, friendly, very fit, a master of short-range weaponry and hand-to-hand combat.
Origin: A prostitute on Earth, she killed a customer who over-stepped the mark, and fled to Sirius in the misguided belief of finding a new and better life. Here, she was bogged-down in the ghetto of Sangott until she found work for the Debeaumarches, who recognised her moral ambiguity and the fact that it was not marred by psychopathy, and her great intellegence. From here, she worked her way quickly up the ladder and left the clan after living as the adopted niece of Jean Debeaumarche, the clan head. From there, she left planet and established her successful buisness. She consistently attempts to phase-out the murder aspect, but is fighting a losing battle, and her notoriety recently brought her under scrutiny by the mysterious K S S Vernonson, accountant, who is trying to incorporate her into the Hydra Association with minimal success.

I hope that wasn't too dull. You've all got some pretty interesting characters yourselves. I'm just trying to avoid cliched "Future Bounty-Hunter" scenarios, myself. Goodluck to all in their endeavours.

 

[Crimson Ink]

CHARACTER PROFILE

Full Name: Jonah Bane
Nickname: Hoodwink
AKA: Jon Swifte, Paddy Jones, Aedan Night, Madame Rogue, Sir Xenon Arthur.
Age: 46
Physical Description: Medium build. Long black hair peppered with blue/grey eyes
Nervous Habits: Plays with his ear lobes
Common Swear Words/Phrases: "Well bugger me!" What the f*ck!"
Vocal Patterns: A kind of dorset accent
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: A womanisor (sp) With the exception of Madame Rogue, which he doens't talk about much!
Family: He was adopted
Friendships: Well each of his identities has a couple of friends...
Religion: None.
Dislikes: People clicking their fingers, chocolate, water, puppies.
Likes: Women, whisky, lie ins.
Habits: Drinking too much
Hobbies: Taking someone elses name
Professional History: *ahem*....
Educational History: Went to school until he was about 13
hehe

 

[McMurphy]

CHARACTER PROFILE

Full Name: Trevor Randloch

AKA: Emerald

Age: 28, born September 26, making him a Libra

Birth Place: He was born in a small mountain village named Sorsa located near the lower peaks of the Pennial mountain range, which is within the country of the United Merrean, which, in turn, is located on the world known as O’ Dia.

Physical Description: He is 6'1'’ and thin yet fit. He has bright green eyes that glow in darkness, reddish brown hair cut at a short but slightly unkept length, and tends to keep facial hair to a stubble. Typically, Emerald’s clothing choices consists of browns and tans associated with the rural working class, but he incorporates green overtones to his garment (such as a dulled green shirt). He wears hiking boots and travels with a common green cloak for warmth. He wears a waist sword sheath for his single handed sword, and has a concealed leather harness for the dagger hidden away up his left sleeve.

Nervous Habits: He tends to crack sarcastic puns and/or chew lower lip when nervous.

Common Swear Words/Phrases: Although he is not prone to using actual swear words or other vulgarness often, he does barb his sarcasm with irony and insults when angry.

Vocal Patterns: He speaks Common Tongue and has a limited vocabulary in the Celtic language. He often makes dry puns and keeps voice even; however, when his anger betrays him (which is uncommon), his speech becomes extremely emotional.

Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: He is heterosexual. Although he has had adult encounters of this nature, Emerald has only had one fully sexual relationship, which was with Samnha.

Family: He had an older brother and a father, but both died in the same hunting accident while Emerald was five years old. He was then raised by his single mother, and he has three cousins from his aunt and uncle (on his mother’s side) who still live in Sorsa.

Friendships: He has many acquaintances through his youthful traveling, but few close friends. Of his childhood friends (who later take part in what becomes the focus of his adulthood), Alexander Hanfer, Cynder, Theresa, and Amoc make up the group. As an adult, Emerald gained Peter Kensey and Samnha as close friends.

Religion: Even though his cynicism is juxtaposed with lingering romantic and spiritual views of human nature and love, he is not a member of any religion.

Dislikes: He dislikes notions of empirical righteousness and noble crusades. Emerald has no interest in joining the present continental war, and is disgusted by the false sense of grandhood that snowballs the carnage.

Likes: He enjoys traveling and exploring life. He is also a fan of humor, a good social time, and poetry.

Habits: Later in his life, Emerald takes solace in frequent solitary walks for inner reflection. He once drank and smoked too much during his adventuring days but has since quit.

Hobbies:He is fond of writing about his thoughts and stories he has about the traveling he has done.

Professional History: As a youth, he helped Roland in building projects, and funded the start of his naive traveling with short spurts of being employed as a farmhand. He later, among other things, became an actor for a traveling troupe and faked his way into becoming a cook on a commercial trading ship. During his time of settling down with Samnha, he supported their union by becoming a carpenter.

Educational History: Formal schooling for Emerald only consisted of grammar and "middle school" level education delivered within the walls of the tiny one room school in Sorsa. After he received all the formal education that the village had to offer, Emerald was further taught by the artist and traveler, Roland, who Emerald, in his early manhood, emulated. Roland taught him about architecture, art, philosophy, and introduced him to several literary classics he had collected through his voyages that Emerald became engrossed over.

Social Class: He is considered within the rural working class.

Prejudices: Emerald is a bit of a "class warrior," and mistrusts the social elite and privileged.

Faults: He is cynical and, at times, overly defensive. He can also be indecisive, appear smug or self indulgent.

Attributes: On the personality or characteristic front, Emerald can have a quick tongue and able to talk himself out of dangerous situations. He is often found diplomatic, romantic, sociable, and even idealistic by others. He is, however, skilled at sword play. Other physical attributes include an enhanced healing factor (that of a superhuman level), and Emerald has enhanced eyesight at night due to his glowing eyes.

Origin (pre-existing story): Throughout Emerald’s childhood and early adulthood, he was known by his birth name, Trevor Randloch of Sorsa. His childhood was restricted to Sorsa, which was quite isolated, and playing with his tight circle of friends: Alexander, Theresa, Amoc, and Cynder. Cynder and Trevor, although never overtly close in their friendship, spent a sizable amount of time in each other’s households because Trevor had no father, and Cynder had no mother (a mother she never knew). Emerald, as an adolescent, looked up to the local artist and traveler, Roland, and spent a lot of time learning what he could from his mentor. After Cynder, who, through an incident, was forced to reveal that she could change into the shape of a woods wolf (for her mother was rumored to be a demon), fled Sorsa, Emerald decided he wanted to see the world as Roland had.

Emerald had spent the early part of his travels sleeping in doorways or working a day’s work for a night’s sleep in a barn. His travels continued to be of a nomadic nature when he signed on to becoming a stage actor with a traveling group of entertainers. It was within this time period that Emerald met Peter Kensey, who greatly enjoyed the attention from the opposite sex and had negatively influenced Trevor into taking part in his overly indulgent night lifestyle of drinking, socializing, and drugs. Becoming uneasy with the trappings of the lifestyle and the fact that the troupe was settling down in the city, Trevor convinced Peter to join the ranks onboard of a commercial ship.

It was then when Trevor became Emerald. The ship’s captain was fooled by a group of sirens to crash into the rocky seashore. Trevor’s body washed up on the beach, and his life was saved by one the sirens named Samnha by giving him some of her supernatural life energy, which caused the eye color change from blue to green and enhanced his healing ability. Emerald learned that the role of sirens was generally a state of slavery that had been taking place for generations on the Neitherplain.

Neitherplain, from what Samnha related, was the second plain of reality between the heavens and the physical world. It is from the Neitherplain that O’ Dia’s mythology of supposed supernatural demons and gods originated. Sirens were actually a race of women who had lost a great regional war against a male community hundreds of years ago on the Neitherplain. Because of this, she and others were born into the status of war slaves. While more and more have been bred and raised by their once oppressors to a degree where the women championed the vengeful duty of riddling O’ Dia’s fisherman with mayhem, Samnha was not a willing addition. Falling in love, Emerald and Samnha fled to live their lives in seclusion within a rural community on a small island.

Events have transpired, which will be omitted from this story segment due to creative spoiler content, that has caused Emerald great heartache, a return visit to Sorsa, the reuniting with past close friends, a feud with Neitherplain demons, and a purpose that often puts him within the grasp of manipulating molders (both human and unhuman) of the current continental war.

Readers can get a better idea of Emerald’s story and personality by clicking the below link to a three year old writing exercise I was once did with another chatter. The parts I have written have a green background and are on every other page. It must be noted, however, that, because how it is written, the "blue" pages are skip-able without losing any of the coherency. Please keep in mind that it is only meant as an example of Emerald’s world and his personality, and not as a literal transcription of events. As you will surely notice, some of the details and names have been changed since that project.

Emerald Writing Excercise Draft​

 

[Estelthea]

I remember using something similar ages ago to keep track of my characters and their details, helps to get it all down really simply. Since she is my atavar I'll see what I can do - she's not the easiest to explain:

Full Name: Rhonwyn Nisréaval
AKA: Rhonwyn (her 'mortal' name), Niséaval (her 'immortal' name), Sevren (when people percieve her to be a boy), Sabria-Latharna (when she is pretending to be a princess)
Age: None, she's a goddess who has always existed - before Niséaval there was nothing at all. As Rhonwyn/Sevren/Sabria she appears to be in her mid-teens, the rule seems to be that she is physiaclly mature according to the people she lives with but is not quite of age in their society.
Birth Place: She comes from 'the place between worlds' , an empty space that exists where all the different realities join together, and she hops in and out of different worlds as she pleases. When she arrives on Midgard, where the story is set, she turns up at Estelisÿn - a hidden valley. Oh and according to mythology Nisréaval was made from starlight.
Physical Description: May vary depending on the observer, but see picture. She is small and slim with large silver eyes and pale translucent skin. Her hair is totally black and long. Rhonwyn wears a lot of purple. She manages to look attractive to almost anyone.
Nervous Habits: Random distruction, she has a lot of power and can't quite control it so it is best not to upset her. She does have quite a timid character and she will run away if scared, or she'll fight like a cornered animal.
Common Swear Words/Phrases: Unfortuantly there is not enough swearing in the book and she is not that good at oaths. Her favourite phrase is 'I'm Rhonwyn' because she sometimes gets sick of people trying to make her fit their own ideas. As Nisréaval she usues the word 'everything' a lot.
Vocal Patterns: She has a very plain style of speaking and can never quite manage tenses - to her time is not an issue so getting her to understand tense is a bit complicated.
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: Rhonwyn learns quite early on that people find her attractive and she has no morals (social concepts are alien to her) so she usually goes for it, especially as a way of . She has several significant sexual relationships and they all end up in trouble (a man who loves her finds her with his best friend - who he also loves in a really strange twisted love triangle way - and she is seduced by the man who is trying to pass her off as his daughter and all kinds of wrong situations). She falls in love, in her own way, with three different men in the course of the story, Haydain - platonically -, Asphodel - her 'true love' - and Torm - who is her shadow and the only other all powerful being.
Family: Mythologically speaking her father is Dhalcean, the king of the gods, and her mother is Thealashiad, the daughter of the second most powerful god. Rhonwyn is adopted/tutored by a nice young man called Haydain (the one with the friend she seduces) who does nothing to deserve the problems she causes him.
Friendships: She does not make close relationships easily and when she does they are very intense. Though she does pick up and abandon, or is abandoned by, various different people. The main one being Haydain.
Religion: For someone who is supposed to be a main player in mythology she makes a strange atheist but then she knows the truth.
Dislikes: Not getting her own way, people who say 'no', laws, time, being sensible, being worshipped.
Likes: Dressing up, playing, dancing, flirting. Her likes and dislikes depend on which 'personality' she is using, Rhonwyn is very playful and girlish and Nisréaval is atune to much bigger things that could not really be classed that easily.
Habits: Playing with her hair, curling up like a cat and sleeping.
Hobbies: Dancing, she tries to learn to use a sword but does too much damage, reading and other solitary activities, watching time pass around her.
Professional History: Goddess, legendary saviour of the world. When she becomes Sevren she works on a barge for a bit to reach a city and then she turns back into a girl and works in a brothel.
Educational History: She is taught by Haydain about legends and history and he tries to turn her into a sensible member of his society. Later she meets Torm and he tells her the truth she had been looking for.
Social Class: Variable but she spends most of her time around very important people at the centre of very important events. Class is another thing that takes her a while to understand.
Prejudices: People who worship Dhalcean, she thinls they are 'silly' and 'misguided', but other than that she is accepting of everyone.
Faults: Her faults are more reflective of the people she lives with than herself, immaturity, lack of responsibility, far too powerful.
Attributes: She has the potential to do anything, appart from die.
Origin (pre-existing story): Nisréaval is a being of great power, a force, who can reach into every possible reality. Her transition to Midgard goes wrong and she arrives without remembering anything about who she is and what she can do. The people she first meets decide that she is a goddess sent to save them as their mythology describes. So they try to help her re-discover herself based on who they think she is. Her origins are the same as those of the universe, nothing would exist without her or Torm - whenever they meet something catastrophic happens.

 

[Anjana]

I'll try out a demon character I made. For the sake of avoiding spoilers for my friends, I'll not answer a few of these.

Full Name: Abyss
AKA: The Pseudodemon
Age: over 70
Birth Place: N/A
Physical Description: A tall, imposing man with short black hair, tanned skin. His eyes glow an unnatural red. He mostly wears black.
Nervous Habits: He becomes very silent. If he's extremely agitated, he works up a faint sweat.
Common Swear Words/Phrases: He always comes up with new things to say, and he doesn't really swear.
Vocal Patterns: He speaks in an imposing, educated manner that can change instantly into a deep growl of hatred and anger.
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: He has a history with a woman known as Riven. For his preference, I don't think he's picky at all.
Family: N/A
Friendships: He's 'friends' with another demon known as Samuel, and he's forming a slightly friendly relationship with a boy named Gideon.
Religion: None
Dislikes: Things interferring with his plans, other people hurting Gideon, and rashes
Likes: Orange sherbert, smoking, drinking, blood
Habits: He sleeps in late. He also has a thing for staying clean.
Hobbies: Seeking revenge against those who imprisoned him, coming up with new ways to annoy Gideon.
Professional History: No professional career.
Educational History: No formal education.
Social Class: He's an elite class of demon known as 'high demon' if that counts
Prejudices: He thinks of humans as silly, short-lived things that exist in a perpetual rat race that they refuse to leave.
Faults: Has a perchance for killing people without qualm. In fact, he has very few morals.
Attributes: He's good-looking, and extremely strong.
Origin (pre-existing story): A high demon, Abyss was captured and imprisoned fifty years ago in St. Mary's Control Facility. I can't say more without giving spoilers to my friends who are actually reading this story.

 

[Hesh]

Full Name: Bobby(last name unkown)
AKA: B
Age: 11
Birth Place: Fallen Metropolis, Earth
Physical Description: Brown hair, green eyes. Relatively short, and skinny.
Nervous Habits: N/A
Common Swear Words/Phrases: N/A
Vocal Patterns: Always positive.
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferencences: Hetero sexual. No sexual relationships.
Family: Sick father.
Friendships: None.
Religion: Omnious Humanitus(a religion that believes man will rise again)
Dislikes: Negative people, machines
Likes: Father, home
Habits: Getting into trouble on accident
Hobbies: None.
Professional History: None.
Educational History: None.
Social Class: None.
Prejudices: Machines.
Faults: Disobeys his father often
Attributes: Very clever.
Origin (pre-existing story): "B" was born 50 years after the fall of man.
His father, a very wise man, told him stories of a promised land, where
humanity could live without fear of machine-kind. After his father became
very ill, he sought out to find this place. Only 11 years old, he has joined
a group of travelling rebels that refuse to submit to machine-kind.

 

[Whitestar]

CHARACTER PROFILE

Full Name: Myn Okia Saecere
AKA: callsign: Tapper
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Birth Place: Earth III
Physical Description: tall, dark, and clean
Nervous Habits: bites lower lip, taps finger
Common Swear Words/Phrases: f**kwad, prick, dangkok, ketoshu, a**hole!
Vocal Patterns: smooth and confident, yet somewhat abrasive
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: heterosexual, loves a woman named Arleta Celeriac
Family: orphaned as a child, raised by grandfather, Jorlainu, has a younger sister named Rifcala
Friendships: best friends with Rett Tokmal
Religion: spiritual
Dislikes: two-faced people, egotism, people getting hurt or killed, alarm clocks
Likes: loyalty, trust, courage, assertiveness, curiosity
Habits: Has a tendancy to speak bluntly to people, which at times gets him into trouble. Despite being a brillant starfighter pilot, his rebellious nature has often gotten him into trouble and has hurt his promising career when he was denoted from captain of the blue squadron to lieutenant.
Hobbies: gambling, cooking, martial arts, exercising, taking pictures, orbital skydiving
Professional History: Currently enlisted as a pilot for Terran Command Starfighterleague. During a space dogfight, his fighter was shot down and crashed on an unknown planet called, Astauste, where he discovered intelligent lifeforms called, the Astausteans. He became the first human to establish contact with the Astausteans, and discovered that their planet contains a special mineral that could triple the speeds of ships that travel faster than light. Myn found the Astausteans to be extremely intelligent, perhaps moreso than humans and helped establish a trade with them: the Terran Empire acquires the mineral they need for their ships, and the Astausteans get to travel with them to the stars as payment.
Educational History: Attended Neil Armstrong University and majored in avionics. Shortly after graduating, he enlisted at the Terran Command Starfighterleague and became a pilot for the Terran Empire.
Social Class: Military
Prejudices: Terran Command polices & procedures, leaving him full of doubts as whether he's fighting on the wrong side or not.
Faults: He's opinionated, hot-tempered, and mistrusts nearly everyone he comes into contact with, barring his family and friends. Plus he has a tendency to wear his emotions on his sleeve and leads his life with his heart.
Attributes: Nerves of steel and learns from his mistakes.
Origin (pre-existing story): Myn Okia Saecere was born in the year 972,573 A.D. on the planet Earth III to the parents of Adiole Saecere and Masuda Okia. Adiole, his father was of Italian ancestry, while his mother, Masuda, was of Japanese ancestry. Myn's parents were musicans in an orchestra, and both played the violins. At age seven, Myn's mother taught him how to play the piano. He learned so quickly that before long, he was studying the violin. Clearly, Myn had a natural talent for music, but he always got together with his grandfather, Jorlainu, Adiole's father, (who was a professional chef during the daytime, and an amateur astrologist at night), and gazed up at the stars at night, with dreams of becoming a starfighter pilot. In the year 972,579, the family welcomed their newest member, Rifcala. Myn felt an instinctive inclination to take care of her and was always overprotective of her, especially in their later years. For a time, things were going great for the Saeceres, but then, in the year 972,585, tragedy strucked the family. Myn's parents were vacationing alone on the planet Tricen when they were killed in a shuttlecraft accident. Myn was only twelve at the time and his sister was six. As a result, his grandfather became Myn and Rifcala's legal guardian. Later that same year, Myn began taking flying lessons and excelled at it. By age sixteen, he officially received his private pilot license. At the age of twenty two, he graduated from Neil Armstrong University and enrolled into the Terran Command Starfighterleague. Before long, his sister Rifcala would soon follow in his footsteps.....

 

[Aes]

Several writing sources suggest that writers make sure that they can answer anything about their main character, regardless if the details would ever make into the story. Below is a quick template of a character profile sheet that I have whipped up. Fill it out for a character you are currently writing about, plan to write about, or simply make up a character on the spot.

This is a very good post for fleshing out various characters. Thanks for making it.

CHARACTER PROFILE



Full Name: Alma (last name currently in the works)

AKA: Alma

Age: 10-18 (The story spans across 8 years of her life)

Birth Place: The royal palace in the Kingdom of Anecia is not only her birthplace, but her birthright as well.

Physical Description: Seeing how the story covers 8 years of her life as she grows up, Alma's appearance will undoubtedly change in many ways. She starts off as a sight of beauty among beauty, with fair skin, long white hair, (a trait of Anecia's royal family) and enough dresses and jewelery to wear something different on every day of the year. When she is thrown from the castle to live amongst the commoners, her appearance can be expected to change into that of someone who has seen more of the world than just the castle courtyards. It should be noted that she also colors her hair black through much of the story to avoid drawing attention to herself.

Nervous Habits: Thinks, or sometimes whispers, unpleasant thoughts about the person or thing making her nervous. This starts out nonexistant, but begins to develop as she gets older.

Common Swear Words/Phrases: At first, she finds cursewords to be offensive and rude, but that is another thing that changes as the story progresses.

Vocal Patterns: Having been raised in the castle, she speaks quite properly, although several years outside the castle and away from nobility is sure to twist that somewhat.

Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: Considering Alma is just a kid through so much of this tale, there isn't going to be much going on here. Still, it's safe to say she's probably going to like men when the time is right. You never know though, nothing is aboslute!

Family: Her mother, Queen Kalindra, passed away not long after she was born. Because of this, her father, King Orin, has been pampering her until he also loses his life. Although he names his daughter to be his successor, Alma's older brother, Andris, (name will likely change) will usurp the throne for himself.

Friendships: In the palace, Alma spends her days playing with the children of other nobles. Due to her excessively spoiled nature, none of them are really her friends though--they just claim to be out of fear for what the king might do to them or their parents. Over the course of her tale outside the palace, many friends will come and go--most just haven't been drafted up yet. While not entirely a friend, a shadowy entity will use her body as a host, offering her advice, wisdom, and a degree of power, but only in a way that serves its own agenda.

Religion: It's not developed yet, however the Kingdom of Anecia will have a general religion that Alma will eventually forsake in favor of something darker.

Dislikes: Young Alma dislikes people who speak ill of the kingdom, and especially her father. She dislikes dirt, creepy people, and crawly things. Older Alma dislikes most people in general, especially people who think they're better than her. More than anything, she most certainly loathes her treacherous brother for stealing what was rightfully hers. She also grows to despise the way the kingdom is run--while she has always seen it as a paradise, what goes on away from the eyes of the upper nobility leaves her feeling anything from mild anger to outright nausea.

Likes: Young Alma likes flowers, colorful birds, warm meals prepared in the castle, beautiful gowns/jewelry, and playing with the other nobles' children. Older Alma likes very few things at all. She likes herself, because that's the only thing she feels she can really rely on.

Habits: She tends to say what's on her mind, without really considering how it might affect those around her for better or worse.

Hobbies: As a child, her hobbies were, as already mentioned, playing with the nobles' children. After leaving the castle, her only real hobby becomes drifting, exploring, and discovering what kinds of atrocities go on in the kingdom. Of course, paying her brother back in blood is always on the menu, too.

Professional History: As a child, she obviously has no professional history, however in the course of the story, she's going to have to take on a few odd jobs to survive.

Educational History: Seeing how Alma is royalty, she was given a full education (up to age 10, anyway) on language, history, basic alchemy and arcana, and the arts. Everything else is learned from the school of hard knocks.

Social Class: Alma goes from the ruling class to commoner, and hopefully, back to the ruling class again.

Prejudices: Young Alma is prejudiced against commoners, while older Alma is prejudiced against nobility. At around the age of 16, she even becomes prejudiced against children.

Faults: At first, she is naive, however that will gradually change into her being suspicious and mistrusting of people. She is also self-important, and that really doesn't change much as she ages.

Attributes: Despite her faults, Alma never loses her desire for justice, even if the means to achieve it involve taking a path too dark for most. She also has the kind of willpower that won't allow her to settle for something unless it's something she truly desires.

Origin (pre-existing story): She's lived in the royal palace in the Kingdom of Anecia up until the age of 10, which is when the story begins. Not much else to say here, I'd say.

 

[Aes]

One more time! This is for Alma's "pet demon" or whatever you want to call it.


CHARACTER PROFILE

Full Name: Sei (more fancy mumbo-jumo will be tacked onto it later)

AKA: Sei

Age: Over 700 years

Birth Place: The royal palace of Anecia. More specifically, in the laboratory of the Royal Archmage as one of countless arcane experiments that is to recieve the branding of "failure."

Physical Description: Sei has no physical form, however he first encounters Alma in the body of a decrepit old man, dying in a pile of his own waste. Hot stuff!

Nervous Habits: He doesn't really get nervous unless his host (Alma) is in a life-threatening situation, because he needs her to live in order to survive. When this happens, he tends to take a much greater amount of activity in terms of helping her get out of what she's gotten herself into.

Common Swear Words/Phrases: None.

Vocal Patterns: He speaks as a voice in Alma's head, either telling her to do something or explaining something to her. His manner of speech is pretty bland.

Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences:: No physical body = no desire to really "hump" anything. So "n/a."

Family: A formless, synthetic entity has no family.

Friendships: Unless Alma counts, he really has none. He doesn't desire friendships either, just the fulfillment of his personal agenda of vengeance.

Religion: The Royal Archmage is the closest thing to a god he knows, or recognizes at least. However, his creator isn't an object of worship but rather, a target for revenge.

Dislikes: The Royal Archmage. (Poor wizzy needs a name, like so many others in this story before I can sit down and start writing it) That's about it.

Likes: Nothing. Aaw!

Habits: None, aside from whispering things into Alma's head in order to manipulate and/or help her.

Hobbies: None.

Professional History: Experimental product in the Royal Archmage's laboratory. That's about it.

Educational History: No real education, however he "learns" whatever his host knows.

Social Class: None.

Prejudices: None.

Faults: Self-serving, just like his host. He is also manipulative, but that's often kept in check by Alma's equally self-serving nature combined with her stronger-than-average will to put herself first.

Attributes: He offers wisdom, advice, and power to aid his host, Alma. Of course, it's not for free...

Origin (pre-existing story): Sei and many others abominations were created by the Royal Archmage as experiments to give the royal army some kind of advantage over the neighboring kingdoms. The failures (Sei is one of these) are destroyed, locked deep in the dungeons to be forgotten, or sealed away, as is seen fit for each subject.

 

[asher marquering]

Full Name: Asher Marquering
AKA: the protector
Age: 17
Birth Place: the capital city Aafjes
Physical Description: short and lean
Nervous Habits: quickly looking around or up
Common Swear Words/Phrases: “… I won’t fail you, I promise…”
Vocal Patterns: always a hint of oath and duty in his speech
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: none, his mentor Alvis Bardsley protected him from relationships; it appears that he prefers politicians
Family: parents died when he was very young, sir Bardsley was like a father to him
Friendships: all his comrades died in the battle for the relic
Religion: basic belief in God and morality (although he hates the religious beings known as The Governing Angels)
Dislikes: betrayal and The Governing Angels
Likes: sparring with a friend
Habits: being too formal at informal times
Hobbies: sparring
Professional History: training to become a soldier, the battle for the relic was his first battle experience
Educational History: trained as a infantry soldier
Social Class: infantry soldier
Prejudices: none, later: against anyone in search of power
Faults: Cannot let go of the past, cannot identify the voices in his head properly, and slight personality disorder - too many voices in his head, indecisive, and may be unsocial at times
Attributes: loyal and fierce on battlefield
Origin (pre-existing story):
When Asher was still an infant, The Governing Angels killed his parents. Sir Bardsley who heard of the incident rushed to the scene where he found only a baby Asher among tons of rubble. At the age of eight, he showed an affinity to hand held weapons, especially short clubs, and began his training as an infantry soldier; during his training, he disarmed many of his sparring teachers, including Sir Bardsley, several times. He, according to his mentor, became a knight at the age of sixteen. He was part of the patrolling squad that found the location of the relic. At seventeen, he became the sole survivor of the great relic battle. Thus, he swore to his master that he would protect it and never use it against any mortal. And the story begins…

 

[Ben.ak]

Hello everyone, Id first like to introduce myself. Im brand new here and this is my frist post! So I hope to have an awsome experience here on the forums you all are great!


Full Name: Jack Manning
AKA: Jack
Age: 22
Birth Place: Colony Ship, Liberty
Physical Description: About 6', dark short hair, uncombed and messy, athletic build
Nervous Habits: tapping his fingers in various beats
Common Swear Words/Phrases: "I wouldn't worry about it."
Vocal Patterns: casual, side spoken and not much rehtoric
Sexual Relationships/History/Preferences: prefers women; has no previous relationships
Family: put up for adoption when he was very small and grew up in a orphanage that was not very well kept.
Friendships: one life long friend Named Mark
Religion: Christian
Dislikes:
Likes: bagels, skipping classes to work on projects with Mark
Habits: not taking problems serious enough
Hobbies: designs computing programs for various classes of star ships
Professional History: apprenticed at engineering institute that developes new technologies for cruisers and battleships
Educational History: High School, skipped College and proved himself to the institute to get the appenticeship
Social Class: middle
Prejudices: none
Faults: takes large matters too casually and thinks that he can fix anything with a bit of time and confidence
Attributes: very smart, extremely good at figuring problems out and confident in doing so.

 

[Rider of scaled wing]

i've seen many character profile outlines before, but this one looks to be the most complete i've ever seen. Thank you immensely for sharing this with us...

Is it required that we put up a character here though?

 

[Culhwch]

Yes! Or else we'll come 'round your house and pelt you with rotten marzipan.

If you mean do you have to do this to participate in other workshop activities, definitely not. Everything here is voluntary, Rider. If you want to post you can. If not, no big. Have a poke around, contribute if you want, or else just marvel at the combined brilliance of the many aspiring (and several successful) writers who populate these boards...