#me when i planned this: it would be so funny to me to have miqo gently say 'gaius they're lesbians...'

[fourteentheart]

This was supposed to be a follow up I drew and posted days after the comic with Allie asking Gaius and Makoh'to how to show someone you like them, but time got away from me. I got it done before June ended tho so that's nice!

Gaius: It appears Allie has found a true friend in Miladeen. Makoh'to: Gaius, they're lesbians... Gaius: (Ah, like Milisandia and Avilina then?)

[autumnslance]

I just made a character I really really love but she doesn’t feel like she has a personality. How did you develop your characters’ personalities?

Start with what it is you love about the character; something about her appearance that strikes you? If a game avatar, is it something about her animations, her voice in battle? Sometimes it's little things.

C'oretta wasn't supposed to be a real character. She was just supposed to be me goofing around seeing the Ul'dah intro story and for funnies I made her the smallest miqo'te I could, since Dark Autumn is so tall. I was leveling and equipped that one pink top you can get as a quest reward and then she did the miqo idle where she put her hands on the back of her head and suddenly I was hooked and wanted to know more besides the sudden revelation that she adored wearing pink.

More rambling below the cut!

For me, character personalities are a bit of discovery. I have a very rough idea to start for many of them, at least the characters I plan out. When I realized this lil PunchyCat was here to stay, I sketched out a very rough idea of her backstory with her parents, and a general idea of how that would shape her character. I also somewhat made her to further contrast Dark Autumn and the planned WoL idea I was batting around at the time (that eventually became Aeryn). So C'oretta ended up young, energetic, spontaneous, chatty, outgoing compared to Dark's more sedate, mature behavior. Also, how did that fit with some of the things C'oretta would have gone through as a girl, like the terror of the Seventh Umbral Calamity?

I don't try to box characters too tightly; I give them room to breathe. Sometimes it's a matter of doing some light RP/brainstorming/headcanon building with friends. Sometimes it's writing various things; prompt lists are good, whether just answering, or making a story of it. You don't have to wait for others to ask you a thing either, you can just do it on your own.

Overtime, I lean into some traits, "discover" new ones as I react to a thing as that character. Maybe I'm looking for a new perspective on a NPC or plot point I've seen a few times already. Maybe it's my first encounter with it and the knee-jerk response becomes the character's inspiration. I discovered Aeryn has a jealous streak by having her chat with that one chick in the Crystarium with a crush on Thancred--and remembering that Aeryn in screenshots of the " oops many girlfriends" encounter at the end of ARR, she looked really unamused and annoyed at Thancred when they were even just friends. It works with her insecurities on some things.

How others see my character can also be a good help; I go with friends' opinions more than anything, people who see my writing and/or roleplay and mention things about the character. If it feels right, if it "works", then I'm on the right track in my portrayal, maybe have to lean a little more there. If it feels off or "wrong", then maybe I need to rethink how I present the character's reactions and interactions in my writing/RP.

As I write, I "learn" more of my characters. It took me awhile to figure out C'oretta's mom's name, and what was up with her. Telling those stories from Hamon's POV was unexpected, but also added some unexpected insights. I let more of the history unfold over time.

In the current batch of FFXIV Write stories, I feel like I'm finally letting show some of Aeryn's temper, that I mention but rarely get to see (cuz I feel rough at portraying certain conflicts). Sometimes it needs the right catalyst for an informed trait to come to the fore--or sometimes, it's OK to quietly retcon it away if it ends up never really fitting or showing up after all.

People can, and do, change, so don't sweat it if a character seems "inconsistent". So are real people, depending on many circumstances and situations, and given time. And sometimes it take a little bit for a character's personality to really grow and settle.

So pick a thing; a favorite color, a turn of phrase, anything. "Start small and build" my favorite immortal said once, quoting the Classics. See how it feels in writing, in prompts, in screenshots when she idles. And go from there.

[gaillaffxiv]

LAYER ONE : THE OUTSIDE

Name: “K’anta Tia! Yes, I can Tia.”  Eye Color: “It likes to change between silver and gold sometimes. Dunno why.” (Hint: it’s the lighting.) Hair Style/Color: “It’s magenta! Not pink! Magenta!” (Hint: it’s pink.) Height: “...Five fulms and six ilms.” (Hint: 5′4″) Clothing Style: “Whatever’s cool. Except I, uh, can’t always find what’s cool in the markets, because it sells so fast, yeah. So I gotta stick with some drab sometimes.”

LAYER TWO: THE INSIDE

Your Fears: “I mean, walkin' outside a village at night is pretty freaky. You dunno who or WHAT could show up.” Your Guilty Pleasure: “Eeeeer... Sometimes I go lookin’ for things I shouldn’t be. Kinda confidential, though.” Your Biggest Pet Peeve: “People who keep yellin’ at me for things that aren’t a big deal! Even worse, that I didn’t even do! Like- c’mon! If you just looked INTO the situation you could see I’m really not the problem!” Your Ambition for the Future: “Think it’d be nice to get outta Limsa one day, but I’m kinda stuck. I guess it’s not so bad, but... I just need money, I guess. More than I’m gettin’.”

LAYER THREE: THOUGHTS

Your First Thoughts Waking Up: “That I don’t wanna get up.” What You Think About the Most: “Well, not to brag, but my line of work takes a lotta thinkin’! It’s confidential, though. Can’t tell you about it. I’m good at it, though.” What You Think About Before Bed: “A plan for tomorrow, or how nice it’d be to have another blanket or pillow.” Your Best Quality Is: “I’m pretty handsome, right~? And smart, trust me! ”

LAYER FOUR: WHAT’S BETTER?

Single or Group Dates: “It’s really nice bein’ surrounded by people... Even if it’s romantic, like, double dates are fun! And if you want a little special time you just break away from your pals together, they understand! And if they don’t, well when they go lookin’ for you, that’s fun too.” To be Loved or Respected: “I have to choose? Huh? Both would be nice... I could use more respect in my life, though. People are fond of walkin’ all over me...”  Beauty or Brains: “Ugh, another toughie. They say brains are more important, and I guess they’re right.” Dogs or Cats: “Dogs’re kinda freaked by me a lotta the time... Cats are like, my bros, though!” 

LAYER FIVE: DO YOU?

Lie: “Sometimes you just gotta, and that’s just how it is.” Believe in Yourself: “Well, duh!..” Believe in Love: “I dunno. Haven’t really seen it, but... It might exist. Somewhere, for someone.” Want Someone: “Who doesn’t?”

LAYER SIX: EVER?

Been on Stage: “Never had the chance to, but what goes on up on stages seems like a really good time!” Done Drugs: “Naw, once you start it’s hard to stop.” Changed Who You Were to Fit In: “No! Nobody does that! I mean- Okay. Maybe a time or two. Sometimes you gotta to not get bitten. But I only do it if I gotta!”

LAYER SEVEN: FAVORITES

Favorite Color: “There’s a certain shade of orange that I dunno how to describe. It’s gotta be from like, a candlelight on dark brown wood. You’d know it if you saw it!” Favorite Animal: “Do Carbuncles count? I guess they’re not really animals so much as a manifestation, but... Gah, okay. Elks are pretty cool, too.” Favorite Food: “Roasted meat with some mashed potatoes really can’t be beat- unless it’s just got better seasonings than the last one!” Favorite Game: “Hide and seek, even if the it man doesn’t know you’re playin’ it.”

LAYER EIGHT: AGE

Day Your Next Birthday Will Be: “Pretty soon! Be sure to bring presents, it’s the twenty second sun of the third umbral moon!” How Old Will You Be: “Seventeen!” Age You Lost Your Virginity: “I’m a Tia, nobody really wants to do it with me.” Does Age Matter: “I mean. Older women are pretty cute, but they say it’s bad to date someone older than you. I’d kinda wanna marry a girl younger than me, anyway.”

LAYER NINE: IN A BOY OR GIRL

Best Personality: “Someone who isn’t clingy, but is there when you need her, who enjoys the same things I do but isn’t too much better than me so I’m not losin’ all the time, and is funny, and not picky about food.” Best Eye Color: “Girls with really sharp yellow eyes are super cool. Same with blue, if its the icy ones.” Best Hair Color: “Brown is pretty good in any shade!” Best thing to do with a Partner: “Avoid responsibility~?” 

LAYER TEN: FINISH THE SENTENCE

I love: “Sunny weather, I guess.” I feel: “I guess a little awkward, now that you ask...” I hide: “Lotsa things I’m not really open to sharin’.” I miss: “...Family.” I wish: “I could get outta this twelves forsaken rut!”

Tagged by: @xiou <33 thank you girl!!  I wasn’t gonna tag anyone again except xiou on her miqo’s blog, but she didn’t tell me the name of it before I finished this. But when you see this hun, you know the one I mean!!