#no proofreading we copy/paste from google docs and die like men

[msommers]

8, 19, 36, 41 for jorina and maeve!

thank youuu alana 🥰 // 42 character development questions

8. Where and when do they seem most and least at ease? Why? How can you tell?

JORINA — feels most at ease in nature with her cartography tools in hand, and least at ease while in a social encounter involving too many people of "higher class" and social/political standing. she feels most at ease with her tools because she genuinely loves her work and basks in the freedom and sense of adventure that it brings her out in the world. you can tell how comfortable she is by the gentle smile that tugs at her lips while she sketches and how she kicks up on any surface without fear of danger. it's also the best time to get in conversation with jorina! she loves to chat while working and is at her most open then, mostly because she has the excuse of keeping her eyes on her work while speaking. her discomfort can be noticed mostly by her movements! usually she's quite still in her posture, not out of discomfort or being stoic but more from confidence and feeling at ease, but when she's feeling antsy or uncomfortable she will start to shuffle her feet and often turn herself away from whatever/whoever is causing her to feel such a way. this is almost always brought about by her feeling judged or looked down upon by folk because of her city elf origins, which she finds a grand amount of pride in but doesn't like to argue over for fear of causing a scene.

MAEVE —feels most at ease when with one or more of her friends/loved ones, and least at ease while without them and in solitude. the simple, goof answer is that she’s just a Clingy lady. longer answer is that maeve spent so many years without anyone who cared for her and in fear of the one constant figure in her life that she developed a whole fear of being alone because of it, which leads to her being quite uncomfortable when she’s left by her lonesome. she is easily at her most comfortable and secure while with people she cares for/loves, where she can engage them in conversation or simply seek out physical contact and enjoy time with them. it’s very easy to notice her comfort in those times between her smiles, the affection in her gaze, the enthusiasm of her speech, and with how freely she initiates touch. on the flip side, it’s difficult to notice when she’s ill at ease because it most frequently happens when she’s alone And she’s skilled at pulling up a mask to hide her negative emotions. BUT. for the sake of actually giving some detail, the discomfort can usually be found in maeve playing with her hair, fidgeting in her seat, picking at nonexistent faults of her clothes, and short sentences without her usual flair for the dramatic or hints of flirtation.

19. How do they behave within a group? What role(s) do they take? Does this differ if they know and trust the group, versus finding themselves in a group of strangers? Why?

JORINA — she's the quiet one in the group, shy until she gets closer with people and feels secure enough to open up. surprises everyone with snarky remarks and a more dark sense of humor, tries to keep things peaceful and avoid conflict. upon a google search into roles of a group, jorina suits the scribe and timekeeper roles. she notices a Lot and notes it all down (whether physically in a journal or simply in her mind) and is always ready to present the group with that information when its called for, and is the one to keep track of any schedules and make sure they stick to it. she's more likely to trust her usual role responsibilities to others in a group that she trusts, but simply will not with strangers. why? can't trust a hoe, next,,

MAEVE — this bard Thrives in a group as she's overflowing with charisma and empathy, constantly taking people aback with how closely she pays attention in conversation and makes it a priority to make others feel happy, flattered and seen. very much that one in the group who will say “[name], you were saying something, darling?” when she notices that someone is being spoken over or ignored. she’s most fitting for the roles of encourager and scribe! similar to jorina, maeve notices a lot in people and keeps track of it for her stories or building relationships, but her most prominent influence on a group is definitely her insistence on letting everyone get a chance to speak and supporting their ideas. this isn’t all that different with groups of trusted friends and strangers compared side-by-side, except for how familiar she is with touches and genuine affection. with those she knows and trusts, maeve will be more open with her own opinions and seek approval for them, but with strangers she’s more likely to act as a soundboard to both figure out how their minds work and hopefully establish a line of trust with them.

36. How much do they rely on their minds and intellect, versus other approaches like relying on instinct, intuition, faith and spirituality, or emotions? What is their opinion on this?

JORINA — on a gut check, i think she most relies on her instincts, with mind and faith falling in line behind them. she’s pretty damn happy with this because the instincts have saved her ass more times than she can count with how dangerous her job as a forward scout can get. the relying on her mind usually kicks in when things are going south or when she abruptly realizes that something aleksi has talked her into is going to get them seriously hurt if they don’t back down quickly, and her ultimate fallback is faith when there are no other options. mainly faith in her allies or the inquisition itself, but there have been one or two desperate moments of her sending a prayer to the creators she doesn’t know all that much about. 

MAEVE — oh she heavily relies on her emotions and intuition, though intellect isn't that far behind. she's not one to complain about this because intuition has kept her from engaging with countless dangerous situations and warned her off from people with ill intentions, and her emotions may be a fuckin' kick to the ass a lot of the times with how intense they are but they usually lead her in the right direction. and if those end up failing her or start slipping, her intellect is a grand back-up with all of the knowledge she has gathered on her own and from the more Capable folk she spends time with. 

41. What associations do they bring to mind? Words or phrases, images, metaphors or motifs? Why?

JORINA — she’s THREE! DAYS OLD!! she’s a BABY!!! she brings NOTHING to mind. images of drawn maps, creatures and herbs. the colors green, blue and yellow. textures of leather and wool, the feeling of dirt between your toes and sand falling through your fingers. motif of feeling fear and pushing through it only to come out stronger on the other side. “be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire” and “courage, dear heart” are both phrases that come to mind when thinking about her. 

MAEVE — any petname under the sun. images of detailed corsets and dresses, purple/pink scenery and flowers, beautifully bound books and loose sheets of paper covered in writing, lingerie and hands in action. the colors purple, blue, red and gold. textures of silk and tulle, embroidered fabrics and brocade, parchment and wooden surfaces, a lover’s palm against yours. so many goddamn motifs i can’t name them all but namely heartbreak and learning from it, as well as loneliness and surprising others with skill/ability. phrases that pop out for her are “go right ahead, laugh at the girl who loves too easily” and “this book, when i am dead, will be a faint perfume of me. people who knew me well will say, she really used to think that way.” ((though she technically finds a lifehack into an extended lifespan in canon, the last quote really suits one of her main goals before that was found and it resonates heavily with her impact through her works.))