#more of this less of the proselytizing plz

[goodplace-janet]

most of the time i am not a fan of being approached by strangers on campus while I'm just trying to sit in the sun and eat my lunch or get some homework done, but sometimes those strangers are students conducting a survey for their theology class and i get to answer some really thought-provoking questions and ramble about my beliefs to a captive audience lol

[hawkeabelas]

1-10 and D for Amity, 11-15 and E and H for Kailyn, 16, 18, and 20-23, A, B and C for Izzy, 30-40 even, and F and J for Stella plz and thank you :D

This took me awhile but it’s all done. Please enjoy reading about my disaster children below the cut.

(Amity, my tiefling gunslinger from @theladypirate’s pirate game)

1. What’s the maximum amount of time your character can sit still with nothing to do?

Depends on your definition of “still.” They’ve had to take guard jobs before that meant sitting “still” for hours, alert. They find quiet ways to fidget though, because idleness drives them nuts.

2. How easy is it for your character to laugh?

Depends on who you are, and what mood they’re in. They have a pretty dry sense of humor, but it exists. Even if they don’t laugh out loud often (while sober) you’ll get a smile or a chuckle pretty easily in some situations.

3. How do they put themselves to bed at night (reading, singing, thinking?)

If it’s available? A good nightcap. If not, they’ll stay up doing something - cleaning their guns, going over plans  - until they’re so exhausted they pass out without much trouble.

4. How easy is it to earn their trust?

Usually not very easy at all. Apparently if you’re a pyro half-drow, a suspiciously rich-looking holy person, and a proselyting birb boy, it’s very easy.

5. How easy is it to earn their mistrust?

It’s a fucking hair trigger. Pun absolutely intended.

6. Do they consider laws flexible, or immovable?

Ignorable.

7. What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling?

Tastes and smells. They don’t care much for dwelling on a lot of their past, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have good memories of old friends, alive or otherwise, of past flings, of all the places they’ve explored and loved.

8. What were they told to stop/start doing most often as a child?

“Look people in the eyes when you talk to them, Amity.” “Don’t talk back to me, Amity!” “Speak up, stop mumbling.” “You treat the nice gentleman with respect, do you know what that is?” “Say your prayers before bed. Yes, every night.” “Don’t get an attitude, no one adopts little tieflings with sour attitudes.”

9. Do they swear? Do they remember their first swear word?

They’ve been swearing nearly since they could speak, which was quite a difficult thing in a building full of nuns. Their first swear word was probably fuck.

10. What lie do they most frequently remember telling? Does it haunt them?

It’s so cliche, but - “I’m fine.” Mostly they wish they knew when they were younger that it was ok to let people help, or even to ask for help. This isn’t…. Necessarily a lesson they’ve fully learned yet. They’re trying.

D) Have they always had the same physical appearance, or have you had to edit how they look?

Physically, they’ve always been very tall and lanky in my head, and I always imagined them darker skinned. I also always knew they didn’t dress traditionally feminine, even before I understood their gender identity, but that had less to do with gender presentation and more to do with them being a badass gunslinger who dresses like they’re in some dystopian sci fi western (leather jacket, neutral colors, belts with too many pouches). Idk I don’t think it’s changed that much since Amity’s conception, so to speak.

(Kailyn, a halfling monk-turned-underground pit fighter in the game I DM)

11. How do they cope with confusion (seek clarification, pretend they understand, etc)?

She’s pretty comfortable asking for clarification usually. Something she learned from the monks is that ignorance has a cure, but only for the humble.

12. How do they deal with an itch found in a place they can’t quite reach?

Find a stick, or a door frame. Or a friend.

13. What color do they think they look best in? Do they actually look best in that color?

She has a thing for red. She’s convinced it makes her intimidating. Also she owns a LOT of white tank tops and looks hot in them ijs

14. What animal do they fear most?

LIzards. Not like, dragonborns, or even dragons, but something about the tiny little lizards freaks her out.

15. How do they speak? Is what they say usually thought of on the spot, or do they rehearse it in their mind first?

She’s pretty blunt, and doesn’t tend to mince words a lot. As a result she doesn’t always think things through before speaking which… causes problems. Usually problems she can punch. She’s ok with that.

E) Are they someone you would get along with? Would they get along with you?

I like to think we’d get along. At the very least I’d be really nervous talking to the pretty buff girl and she’d find that adorable.

H) What trait do you admire most?

The fact that she hasn’t given up, even after losing  basically everything and everyone. She gets up in the morning, she finds a reason to keep going and keep pushing forward. That’s not an easy thing.

(Izzy Feldermere, my gnome Disaster bard from @stresspainting’s campaign)

16. What makes their stomach turn?

Gross dudes talking to her or even looking at her. Or her friends.

Also sheep.

18. What embarrasses them?

Honestly? Not much. Maybe even nothing, at this point.

20. If they were asked to explain the difference between romantic and platonic or familial love, how would they do so?

“Listen. People are going to tell you romantic love is the most important thing on this earth. And like, it’s great, stories are written about it, epic poems and songs and shit - I’ve written a few, I know. And then there’s all that shit about blood is thicker than water or whatever with family, but I think they got that backwards anyway. But you know what? I think platonic love is more important. It’s more durable, it sticks around, it’s not as flighty. Maybe it’s just because no one’s ever loved me back romantically, like, wants to marry me and adopt a hundred tiny gnomelets loved me, but I know a few assholes who love me as their friend. They’re not going anywhere. They wouldn’t. That’s better than romance.”

21. Why do they get up in the morning?

Because Arusha will wander in and check her vitals if she isn’t up at a reasonable time, just in case she’s sick or died or fell into a coma in the middle of the night, and to make sure she gets a healthy breakfast that’s not just a mug of mead. It’s not the worst way to wake up.

22. How does jealousy manifest itself in them (they become possessive, they become aloof, etc)?

She turns into even more of an asshole and maybe even insults someone to death. But, naturally, doesn’t actually talk about the problem.

23. How does envy manifest itself in them (they take what they want, they become resentful, etc)?

See question 22. Izzy is Very Bad at healthy expression of emotions and hides it behind snark and insults, when she’s not trying to charm you into shutting up and leaving her alone.

A) Why are you excited about this character?

She’s fun to play. Bards are pretty anything goes as far as dnd classes, and Izzy in particular is pretty wild. One time I had to roll dice checks to see if my party mates heard me masturbating - ahem- “tuning my violin”.

B) What inspired you to create them?

Scanlan Shorthalt. No, really. I wanted Scanlan, but a woman and a lesbian. She’s definitely taken on her own life and personality, but that was the inspiration. So there you go.

C) Did you have trouble figuring out where they fit in their own story?

A bit. There’s a depth to her it took some time for me to sort out. But these sorts of questions definitely help with that. Wink wink.

(Stella, or Estelliese, the half elf warlock in @theladypirate’s other campaign)

30.  Who do they most regret meeting?

Can you regret meeting your father? She regrets meeting her father. Also the Archfey, probably, if she can remember meeting that fucker.

32. Do they have a go-to story in conversation? Or a joke?

Currently? “Hey did you know I lost my memory?” Alternatively she’ll tell you how the Raven Queen became her divine mom.

34.  How hard is it for them to shake a sense of guilt?

Hooooo, boy. Near impossible. She eats guilt for every meal lately.

36. Do they actively seek romance, or do they wait for it to fall into their lap?

Well, let’s see. She forgot her wife existed, so that one literally fell into her lap. But she never really went looking for it, not while there were more important things to do. She married a party member, so I can only assume it found her.

38. What memory do they revisit the most often?

Currently in her campaign, she’s stuck on the events that lead to her party’s memories being wiped, and what that might mean for herself and her family, and their kingdom. When she needs a happy memory, she remembers the day she finally ran away from home.

40. How sensitive are they to their own flaws?

Not necessarily sensitive, but certainly hyper aware. Pointing out her flaws in most situations will be met with agreement and self deprecating humor. In an argument, usually she’ll just kinda shut down.

F) What do you feel when you think of your OC (pride, excitement, frustration, etc)?

Pride, pain, overwhelming love for this disaster brain child. She cares so much and just wants people to love who love her. She found them, and forgot them, and barely remembers loving them, and they don’t quite remember loving her, and it kills me.

J) Did you have to manipulate or exclude canon factors to allow them to create their character?

Sort of, but not? In this campaign, I was given a pre-rolled character who had zero memories of who she was before the first session. Moving forward, I’ve been able to piece together some of her life before, and the DM has told me a little more OOC. So there is a sort of canon history and personality, but I’ve still had the freedom to figure out who she is now? So it’s not so much manipulating canon as it is adapting to new information. It’s been a challenge, but a welcome one.