Questions for your main character

Hokay, so I'm new around here, and for all I know this is a severly overdone topic that everyone's tired of, or possibly one that's forbidden entirely for one reason or other. However, I'm a pretentious git who can't grasp the concept of making considerations for other people to any degree, so off we goes.

The title probably says it all, but I'm also condescending: basically, you pick a main character from one of your own pieces of writing, briefly introduce them, and then answer the three questions in the previous post as you feel the character would answer them - preferrably in first person. The you leave three new questions for the next poster. The questions can be philosophical, personal, or basic first-time-conversational (though please keep them relativley serious). It's okay to re-use questions, but not too often.

So, to kick off:

1. How was your life at home?

2. What's your main drive in life?

3. Do you believe human nature is fundamentally good or evil?

(Seriously, though, is this topic okay?)

edited 24th May '09 12:26:08 PM by Nolan Burke

I like the idea, but its very creative aka hard

Maybe change to public domain characters and have people guess based on the questions? idk just my suggestion

edited 24th May '09 6:50:29 PM by melloncollie

I don't mind playing your game, Nolan, so I'll first answer as my main character. Then I might answer as his love interest.

I am not interested in discussing my childhood at length with you. I grew up in Queens, I was raised by feral cats, and at the age of sixteen I enrolled in Adversary Candidate School in order to make something of myself. In another time, I might have joined the army.

Are you talking about physical drives, or about my ambitions? If you would ask me about the latter, my current ambitions are to preserve my freedom and independence, to love my wife to the best of my ability, and to ensure that the next Mortal Retribution album gives the fans their money's worth.

Sir, I am not a philosopher. I'm a progressive metal artist. For a time, I was an assassin who believed himself a soldier sworn to the cause of liberty and justice for all. Let us simply say that experience disabused me of that notion.

In my experience, one cannot divide people into good or evil. Instead, you have altruistic people, and egoistic people. You also have those who wish to control others, those who wish to be controlled, those who want others to be controlled, and people who want neither to control others or to be controlled by others. I am one of the latter type.

"I kind of pegged EVH as sounding like Jack Nicholson's alcoholic Anglophile dad." —Furiko Maru

Hmm. I'll play, too.

This character is Sarah Meteora.

Sarah: ........ Bad.

Sarah: To be better than everybody else.

Sarah: Well. Most people are good. I'm better.

Alright, three new questions:

1. How do you fight?

2. Why do you fight?

3. What do you fight?

It depends on the situation. For the most part, I use a sword. Most people in my society use swords; pistols, rifles, and other firearms are for militia and Adversaries. Being a former Adversary myself, I do have a 11.43mm semi-automatic pistol, but I prefer a blade — or a pair of weighted-knuckle gloves.

I fight for selfish reasons. If you did one of the following, I will consider you an enemy and take great pleasure in killing you:

• You threatened me.
• You threatened somebody who matters to me.
• You threatened somebody who has done me and mine no harm while I was around to see it and take offense.

Basically, I am a predator. As an Asura Emulator, I was made to be a living, thinking weapon. I enjoy killing, but my pride and my principles demand that I do not kill people who have not earned it.

Mostly humans. Corrupt politicians, tyrants, dirty cops, crooked businessmen, murderers the law cannot otherwise reach, child molestors, and the like. Sometimes I get to cut down a tax collector. I killed a demon once. At least, that's what I call it. It was not a flesh-and-blood intelligence, but it was not a supernatural being, either.

"I kind of pegged EVH as sounding like Jack Nicholson's alcoholic Anglophile dad." —Furiko Maru

I'll play.

Lottie: I fight in every way I know how. I fight with words. I fight with hope. I fight with my fists, with my brains, and with every ounce of determination I have.

Lottie: Because there is injustice in the world. I fight to protect the people I care about, and people who are vulnerable or threatened.

Lottie: Bullies. People who pick on those who are weaker than themselves. Monsters, who use others for their own selfish goals.

OK, and some new questions:

1. What is your worst fear?

2. What is your most treasured material possession?

3. Who is your closest friend?

edited 25th May '09 4:43:48 AM by BobbyG

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Interview time-say hello to Vetch Ferez-Mallory! Don't mind the applauding audience, honey; you won't remember a bit of this when I'm done.

Q: To dive right in-and into the deep end, if you don't mind-what is your worst fear?

A: "If you insist...never mind. What comes to mind first is personal, and I do not wish to go on about it. I'm sorry. I do not know the risk. But I will give you something...let me think...what is your worst fear? If I knew, I'd fear it with you. I've been told I don't worry about myself enough. To them: I forget to. I swear! Innocently forget."

Q: Hopefully this will be easier: what is your most treasured material possession?

A: "This...around my neck. It's not a jewel; it's a skeleton key. Ali Bones misplaced it the night that pirate murdered him and his mother...don't ask me more about that. But I found it. I don't have much use for it, but I can't bring myself to let it go anyway. I didn't like him alive, but I can only hope to die as bravely."

Q: Last of all who is your closest friend?

A: "Now, that I won't entertain. Pardon...is that an anvil above my chair? Should I open an umbrella-"

edited 25th May '09 5:19:50 AM by AFGNCAAP

Some writing.

Eh, decent start.

Anyway, answering these questions is Kutler Bennemaine, former secretary to a severely incompotent governer who now has his own political ambitions.

(Please don't forget to introduce your characters, guys...otherwise the answers just don't make sense.)

1. What is your worst fear?

The collapse of decent society, unquestionably. I saw that happen when my home province was under the wondrous leadership of my former employer. All the scum of society needed was a few months of his chronic laziness to completely take over every walking aspect of life; us upper class persons had to hem ourselves in, and everyone else found themselves at the mercy of mindless thugs. And it's not only them I despise. All their enablers - these rebellious youth, these so-called 'alternative' persons - all of them do nothing but help carve the path to the fall of the civilisation those ungrateful brats take for granted.

2. What is your most treasured material possession?

I treasure all my material possessions - which I'm not ashamed to say I have a relative abundance of. Why should I be ashamed of my success? Anyway, I've found material possessions a lot more reliable than people, let me tell you. I do believe my silken couch has shown me more love than my parents ever did.

3. Who is your closest friend?

Eh, 'friend' implies trust, and I don't sell mine cheaply. That's not to say I'm a recluse - heavens, no. I can't stand those sort of people. No, I'm as socially amiable as any upper-class twit, but I don't believe in friends - what better way to stab someone in the back than to set yourself up as their friend? I suppose the closest would have been my former employee's butler, with whom I shared a fair few points of political outlook. But I never even trusted him properly.

New questions:

1. What is your outlook on the idea of love?

2. What is your favourite pastime?

3. What do you most fear? (It's a good question).

OK, I give it a try. The one that get to be interwiewed is his royal highness prince Karl Leopold of Allmark.

Q: What is your worst fear?

A: I'm diveded in that question. On a personal plane: To lose my friends and family. On a more "professional" plane: To fail in my duties towards my country. Despite what people tend to believe, especially some younger royal brats, do the country not exist to serve you, you exist to serve the country. The fancier the title and the more power you have, the more are you expected to do.

Q: What is your most treasured material possession?

A: That have to be the runeforged metal arm my friend Alfhelm the Mastersmith made for me when I lost my right arm when I fought the Werewolf-count of Ville.

Q: Who is your closest friend?

A: That is a tricky question. I do not know if i and Pauline can be said to be friends. I would rather say that we have a platonic relationship that unfortunately can't become something more since I will most likely will have a marriage arrenged for me. Lowrie is another likely candidate. He is a unhinged fellow I have count among my closest friends, but he is unpredictible and quite immoral. I will have to say that my closest friend is Karhu. He might be quite naive at times, but he is both down to earth and straight forward. He is the kind of friend you want to have around, be it in the heat of battle or when you hang out drinking with your friends.

Q: What do you think is the meaning of life?

A: I think the meaning of life is to at least try to make the world a better place to live in.

Q: Describre yourself with three words.

A: Sarcastic, Chevaleric, Humouristic.

Q: If you were a fictional character, in what genre do you think you would exist and what kind of character do you think you would be?

A: I think I would be a character in a chevaleric romance. (The stories aboutfor example the Knights of the Round Table or about Roland, the paladin of Charlemagne)or a story from folklore. I think I most likely would be the knight errant, prince or peasant boy who save the day and who get the princess and half the kingdom

edited 25th May '09 1:19:06 PM by Border Prince

I reject reality and substitute my own.

Oh, no; I forgot to write new questions. I'll drag in another victim and make it up to you all with some really deep ones. And with that, our next contestant is the adopted son of Tsubaki Yamagata, living on a hazy, polluted island that was bad enough before a mysterious incident hideously mutated its wildlife and at least one human. Our guest tirelessly pursues the reclusive human victim to learn the cause of the disaster. Hello, Xavier Yamagata!

Q: What do you think is the meaning of life?

A: I only know what it looks like from here: making things. I don't see completion anywhere; only pieces. Of things yet to be put together. That's what I do, but not everyone. I must seem kinda touched in the head to you for having physics always buzzing in my head instead of stories—wonderful! Say, did I just break the fourth wall? Or was it already smashed when we started yakking? There isn't a fifth wall, is there? Can I build more walls? What function would they—oh! I saw a bird break the first wall once! It was hilarious. No one believed me...

Q: *Ahem*; no to everything, as you won't remember this conversation. Moving on: describe yourself with three words. Forced brevity; that's the way to deal with you.

A: The easy answer would be Xavier, Xavier, and Xavier; questions like this look friendly and concrete, but they're not. Yeah, I'll go with that. I won't have the memory to feel bad about, eh?

Q: If you were a fictional character, in what genre do you think you would exist and what kind of character do you think you would be?

A: It would have to be science fiction, so I wouldn't get bored with the machines. I couldn't be a main character...no, I'm not interesting enough. Whether I like it or not, I see myself being the guy who hands out all the gadgets to the characters who get more screen time. Hey, is that a sledgehammer behind your chair? You're not going to...give it to me, are you? I'll pay you any amount for it! A cat ate mine-

New questions:

1. If you could only have one facial expression for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

2. Describe your ideal love interest, or explain your lack of interest.

3. You are a scented candle. What kind?

edited 25th May '09 4:40:58 PM by AFGNCAAP

Some writing.

1. If you could only have one facial expression for the rest of your life, which one would you choose? Tamyzn: A scowl. It's the only one I use frequently. 2. Describe your ideal love interest, or explain your lack of interest. Other people aren't really real as far as I'm concerned, but if I could find a kindred spirit, someone I could spar with, then... 3. You are a scented candle. What kind? Cherry blossoms. Don't tell anyone, but I love the way they smell.

There is glory for those who defy their fate.

Aargh! My questions were ignored! That Makes Me Feel Angry! Now I have to do a new post to bring attention back to them and make it look like I'm shamelessly bumping up my own thread! Which is obviously not what I'm doing!

Once again, Kutler is answering these:

1. If you could only have one facial expression for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

An authoritative one, definitley. No, that's not how I feel all the time - which is just the problem. You can't gain proper respect by looking as friendly as I do half the time. It's my weakness.

2. Describe your ideal love interest, or explain your lack of interest.

Now, I'm not a misogynist, honestly, but I have observed in my time a trend of untrustworthiness in woman - particularly the unmarried ones. I don't judge, I just observe. And yes, I'm aware I'll probably be widely hated for such an attitude. But what I'm saying is that I don't need the stress love would inevitably bring. My duty is elsewhere - my duty is to decent society. Now, how many people can say that and really mean it?

3. You are a scented candle. What kind?

Uh...excuse me? I...no, no, I'm sorry, but that question is just too fundamentally bizzare.

New questions:

1. What is your outlook on the idea of love?

2. What is your favourite pastime?

3. What do you most fear? (It's a good question).

I'll be continuing to answer as Lottie, eccentric teenage heroine. She has recently undergone a major redesign, so I'm still developing her character.

Lottie: As I understand it, love is a very specific kind of relationship between two people, and I don't think I've met the right person yet, but I don't think that's something I need to worry about just yet. There are a lot of people in this world, so everyone has a true love somewhere, that they're just waiting to meet.

Lottie: I'm going to say playing the guitar, becuase that's the correct answer. Sometimes, if I'm feeling a little stressed or upset about something, I'll just sit down and try out a new tune. It helps me unwind.

Lottie: I know no fear! Nah, it's death, I suppose. Deep down, I think we all fear death, whether it's our own deaths or the deaths of people we care about.

New questions:

1. What words or phrases do you most overuse?

2. What would your perfect day involve?

3. If you could have a superpower (that you don't already have), what would it be?

edited 28th May '09 3:54:14 AM by BobbyG

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I'll answer this as Captain Genre Savvy, Ace Spellbound from this 1. What words or phrases do you most overuse?

• Hm. I dunno. People tend to say "That's the way things go a lot" But I prefer to think it's "I've seen this one before!"

2. What would your perfect day involve?

• Besides getting a theatre gig? Beign able to walk around and point out every cliche and trope and be right about it. Oh, and win in an argument against my little sister. Turning my family into salves and making them admit their monarchial ways are wrong would be awesome too.

3. If you could have a superpower (that you don't already have), what would it be?

• Musical Number Induction. I'd be able to cause musical numbers in any situation That would be awesome! Life would be a musical becuase I'm awesome like that!

When All Else Fails, you have fun and flirt wit da ladies, dats da Drawings way!

Answering as Daniel Shadow, hunter-downer of escaped experiments for the government.

"Sorry I'm late" is up there. That and "get out of my way". At this point, anything as long as it isn't working. It's been almost a year since my last day off. I'd prefer not to have one at all. People with powers tend to get cut up in labs. Besides, it's not as though I'm having any trouble without them.

New questions:

• What was your favourite subject in school?
• Who is your idol?
• Is there anyone you'd be willing to die for?

edited 29th May '09 1:29:09 PM by Nyktos

I guess it is.

Answering as Neuro, Super-Soldier created by Super Serum, Omnidisciplinary Scientist, and all-around Marty Stu.

"You really didn't think this through, did you?" Generally said to someone attempting to get in my way.

Just once, having a villain surrender instead of fighting it out.

The power to enforce universal peace and understanding without having to kill people to get it. (The irony is not lost on me.)

edited 29th May '09 1:37:30 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"

I'll be answering as my Trope(r) Namer character, Miijhal, a highly introverted stoic computer engineer and backup mechanic on a research shuttle.

(She writes all her answers down on paper rather than answering directly)

Math. My work would be impossible without it.

My people, for not giving up their pride and dignity like the others.

My people and my crew-mates, especially Mir...

New Questions:

• What is your greatest strength?
• What is your greatest weakness?
• When are you at your best?

edited 29th May '09 6:54:42 PM by Miijhal

I'm going to have some fun and let Springheel answer a few. A lot of fun. It's too bad you can't watch him answer, though. As a smoky shapeshifter, he likes to...illustrate...what he's talking about.

Q: What is your greatest strength?

A: GOT YOUR NOSE!

Q: What is your greatest weakness?

A: Meeee...? Tell you that? Heh; yours is thinking a person's just gonna spill that shit! Threaten me; I'll laugh. Shoot me, it'll go right through. Take off my mask...nothing! Don't even try! Especially not the mask; it'll get you nowhere. You know; some people think that's where you go when you die, bub.

Q: When are you at your best?

A:I'm not a clock; I'm volume control...fortissimo! Every day!

New questions:

• How did you get your name?
• If you were an animal, what would you be? If you are an animal, what other creature would you be?
• Are you normal?

edited 29th May '09 9:22:02 PM by AFGNCAAP

Some writing.

Still Dan Shadow here.

Daniel is my real first name, at least according to my registration for the academy. Shadow was the codename they gave me at graduation. They were probably trying to be ironic given I'm just about the least stealthy person on the planet. Taking codenames as last names is pretty common around here, not many of us even remember our real last names. I dunno, a wolf or something. What kind of question is that anyway? Probably not by most peoples' definitions. I do hunt down malfunctioning robots and psycho cyborg assassins for a living after all. But compared to some of the people I know...

• Where were you born?
• What is your fighting style?
• How do you make money?

edited 30th May '09 9:11:35 AM by Nyktos

I guess it is.

Springheel is back.

Q: Where were you born?

A: Born and died in Tokyo. You'd never know, huh?

Q: What is your fighting style?

A: Any way I want! Look at me—I'm locked into playing dirty.

Q: How do you make money?

A: [Shapes himself into a printing machine with eyes and spews shadowy bills, which disappear into the air] How do you make money?? Lemme see you make some! [Sticks bill/tongue out at the asker]

More questions:

• What is on your keychain?
• Do you like surprises?
• Do you consider yourself more intelligent than the general population?

edited 29th May '09 9:58:30 PM by AFGNCAAP

Some writing.

Answering as Mona, a magic using Action Girl who is Walking the Earth.

What is on your keychain?

• Keychain? We don't have those.

Do you like surprises?

• Considering I'm more likely to get the type of surprise meant to kill, no I don't really like them.

Do you consider yourself more intelligent than the general population?

• I am gifted with magic and have a wide range of knowledge…but that might be due to my upbringing more than natural intelligence. Then again I am rather clever at times.

New questions:

• What's your favorite color and why?
• If you could go back in time, would you change anything in your past?
• If you had to make Sadistic Choice between your friend or your lover and there was no way to Take a Third Option, who would you save?

People are mirrors. If you smile, a smile will be reflected.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Christian Ruthven-Dracula, Vodivodie of Wallachia. I'm a dhampyr and thereby a professional monster hunter. Im a a member of the Order of the Round Table and my main profession is as a priest of the Ecopiscal Church of Scotland.

Q: What is your favourite colour?

A: My favourite colour is white. I like it mainly beccause it is a colour that signal peace, innocence and calmness.

Q: What would you change if you could go back in time?

A: Nothing, who knows what the effects of that change would cause?

Q: If you had to make Sadistic Choice between your friend or your lover and there was no way to Take A Third Option, who would you save?

A: I have no love intrest and never had. If you change lover to sibling, then the answer would be my sibling. I have sworn an oath to protect family.

The same is true for my best friend. We both know about the other's oath and we have agreed to help our family if we ever would have between a friend or a family member.

New questions: Q: What is your favourite kind of food?

Q: What is your favourite animal?

Q: What is your favourite kind of music?

I reject reality and substitute my own.

Answering as Naomi Bradleigh:

Oh dear, oh damn, do I really have to pick a favourite? I love all kinds of foods that will go straight to my hips if I don't keep up with my exercise. I love a good Manhattan pizza. I love steaks. I love Mumbai cuisine, the spicier the better.

I have a fluffy tuxedo cat with a white patch across the right side of his face named Phantom. He sits with me when I play the piano. I like all sorts of cats, to be honest. Even when they're being silly, they retain an air of pride and grace.

Yet another question that implies a single choice? I hate these. If you insist upon a single choice, I like progressive metal. It lets me take advantage of my training as a classically trained pianist and singer while allowing me to create my own music.

My turn:

• 1. What would it take to make you betray your lover?
• 2. Would you be able to become the world's enemy for the sake of a loved one?
• 3. Is there an ideal so sacred to you that you would die before willingly betraying it?

edited 30th May '09 8:21:36 AM by Eddie Van Helsing

"I kind of pegged EVH as sounding like Jack Nicholson's alcoholic Anglophile dad." —Furiko Maru

Not much. The last time I had a romantic relationship that lasted longer than a week was before I entered the academy. I don't make a habit of betraying people, mind you, but in the end there are very few people whose lives I'd place ahead of my own. Not a chance. See above. Hmmm...can't really think of anything.

• How did you end up with the job you have?
• What is your favourite place in the world?
• What kind of fiction do you enjoy?

I guess it is.

I will be answering as The Vice President (contrary to his title, he is not an elected official) from a story I am working on called "Judges."

How did you end up with the job you have?

Fighting to the top only to be told by my best friend that I can't fight any higher. You don't deserve to know any more.

What is your favorite place in the world?

At home. Where I'm safe.

What kind of fiction do you enjoy?

Not much. I prefer nonfiction.

[Still in-character]

Questions for the next pusillanimous wretch:

1. Do you think you're special?

2. What do you remember from your childhood?

3. Who do you trust in and how do you know he trusts you?

edited 30th May '09 9:54:55 AM by Dookie2