Interview your character (join in, it could be fun!)

I saw this done somewhere and I thought it was a really cool exercise. They had a whole subforum set aside for it, and if this thread takes off, who knows? We might have a case for appealing to the mods to do it here!

Basically, you write a short paragraph in character as your character, and other people come along and ask them questions, and you answer in character. It's like a combination of roleplaying and Devil's Advocating (like, asking the questions that indicate plot holes/flawed thinking so they can be dealt with), and I think it's a really fun and valuable to try out and strengthen a character's voice.

I'll start us off. I have a bunch of characters, but you don't have to interview them all if you don't want. You can pick the one or ones that most appeal?

(I'll do it in the next post, so that the OP isn't too overwhelming!)

Bill
My name is Lorien the Luminescent, and I am a wizard of Lerastir. I just graduated last week, and I'm pretty darn chuffed about it. My dad's dead, died a few years back, and my mum's on her own now. She's kind of a drag. I love her, but she's always harping on about how I need to go get a job, and her idea of me getting a job is babysitting someone else's kids or scrubbing their floor. No offense to her (she's a seamstress), but if menial labor was my life's ambition, why the bollocks did I go to wizard school? I'm hilarious, actually, but a lot of the time I feel like no one really gets me. Ah well. I'm on this quest because I fancy an adventure, and also because Mum can't deny, I got off my bum and found a job. I'm not washing windows or changing nappies, but I'm gainfully employed. I wish that was enough for her.

Caeda
Hello. I am Caeda Elatoris, and I am an elf from the Six Seas. I am a ranger, as are all elves where I am from. I have a twin sister, and we are exactly alike to look at, but I fear we do not get on particularly well. I think the problem is, I am a terrible ranger, and cannot shoot straight to save myself, but Callania is possibly the best shot on the island. I think it would be easier for me if she was a terrible person, but she is not, she is my sister and I love her. Something none of the others know about me, is that I am technically related to the royal family. My mother's brother is married to the queen's youngest sister. Callania and I are not royal in the slightest—we will never inherit the throne—but we have been raised on an island with many other extended members of the House of Liavaris. I tend not to make this public knowledge, because you can never tell who will receive it badly, or use it against me.

Elion
Hello! I'm Elion, and I'm from way up in Befalls. I'm an elf, and a bard, but I am completely crap at barding. My mum says my singing voice sounds like two cats having a scrap over fish guts in a burlap sack floating down a river. She's not wrong. It's fine though, I'm not miserable about it or anything! I sound rubbish but I've mastered most of the basic spells with my lute. I feel like I've been walking for years—I left home a few years ago and just walked around Nimrien, going here and there and seeing what I could see without any real goal. Now I'm on this quest, and I feel like I want to make sure I'm useful. I can't really do much, but what I can do, I'll do gladly, you know? I just think it's so great that we're basically being paid to walk around and look for something. I was doing that for free before!

Nalyn
My name is Nalyn, and I am a dwarf from Above. Peaddena Plateau, to be exact. My father died before I was born, so my mother taught me to fight. I favor a battle axe, personally. I'm used to being the one who breaks up the fights, and I'm used to being the one who knows the right thing to say. I think that's why I was chosen for this quest. Every questing party needs someone who can be diplomatic, right? Growing up Above, I'm aware I've had a more balanced and progressive upbringing than dwarves from Below get. I try to take that into account when I talk to them, but some of them can be so infuriating and backward! I've been Below, and I won't deny it's nice down there, but I wouldn't want to have grown up there. I'm glad I'm from Above.

Solenne
Yeah, I'm Solenne. What of it? Of course I'm a halfling. Wasn't that obvious from how short I am? I grew up in Lerastir, without a mum or dad. I didn't need one. I brought myself up. I don't really have any friends because I think the only person I can really trust is me. I'm the only one whose brain I can see into, right? Like anyone else, they can say pretty words, but the truth is, you can't tell what their brains are thinking. Nah, I'm not into it. I'm with these people because we were put together for this quest, and I'll work with them because it's a means to an end (getting paid), but I highly doubt we're going to end up linking arms and skipping off into the sunset together when this is all over. That's if they even all make it through alive. If we hit danger... let's just say I'm saving myself before I'm putting myself in danger for anyone else.

Thorden
I am Thorden, of Pacot Below. Truly, it's the only decent place for a dwarf to dwell. Yes, I am currently Above, but that's all about the quest, and not a choice I would have made for fun. Look, there are certain things that are just true, and it's exhausting having those challenged by ignorant, delusional Above dwellers. Dwarf marries dwarf, for example, and they have dwarf babies, and that's an end to it. I'm not for all this interspecies mingling, not at all. And you know what? I'm not even entirely convinced we should have all these women in this party. Sure, Nimrien is a matriarchy. We've got a Queen, and all our priestesses are women, and most people in power are women... but that doesn't mean I think they have a clue what they're doing. Truth be told, I've not even bothered learning their names. The likelihood is that they'll get tired, or weepy, and break off to go home soon enough.

And as a bonus,
Roger
Whoa... weird. I woke up and those people were gone! Or like... did I dream them? Wow...

BrumBall said:

Bill, what is your dream job, if you don't fancy menial work?

Click to expand...

Well, I spent long enough training to be a wizard, it stands to reason I ought to be doing something where I get to use my magic. I want to have an adventure, not be someone's servant.

BrumBall said:

Caeda, what things are you better than Callania at?

Click to expand...

I was always better at reading and writing. Yet another source of contention between us.

BrumBall said:

Elion, can you tell me something about your quest? What is it you are looking for?

Click to expand...

Well, let's see. I was wandering, and then this letter got left for me at the bar of the inn where I was staying, asking me to come to the house of this man, the Collector? And then he sent us out looking for... actually, maybe I shouldn't tell you. We want to get to it first. (But I can tell you, Bill? Messed up REALLY badly, and now everyone's kind of mad at him.)

BrumBall said:

Nalyn, what are the differences between Above and Below? Why are you glad to be from Above?

Click to expand...

Primarily, the logistics: Below is underground, while Above is above ground. Culturally, those who live Below seem to have this attitude that theirs is the preferred location for our kind, and seem almost resentful of those who have made their homes Above, as if we have betrayed them somehow, rather than simply taking advantage of having more space. And then, somehow, with open air comes an open mind. There are certain morals and philosophies those from Below hold that we from Above consider antiquated and frankly in some cases harmful.

BrumBall said:

Solenne, why so aggressive? Short guy syndrome?

Click to expand...

You live my life and tell me how non-aggressive you end up! Not everyone gets a pretty little cottage with a Mumsy who cooks them dinner every night. I've had to fight for every thing I've ever had--and, if I hadn't got used to fighting, I probably wouldn't be alive today.

BrumBall said:

Thorden, what makes you think your world would be a better place with more men in power?

Click to expand...

Please understand, I have nothing against women personally--my Goddess Ophina, after all, is female. But there are certain unalienable facts, like the fact that on average, a man is stronger than a woman, and like the fact that women get very emotional and unreasonable every moon or so. We have been lucky so far, with a woman on the throne. That being said, I and others like me firmly believe that while she has done an adequate job, it is time, and it would be appropriate, for her to step aside and let a man take over.

BrumBall said:

Roger, have you figured out if you dreamed them yet?

Click to expand...

Whoa... dreamed who? When did you get here? Oh man... did the smoke bring you? Are you from the center? It's all coming back to me... they were looking for something. Oh! Me! They were looking for me. I helped them look, man. And then, when we found me, they said they were looking for something else, and I told them, it's in the center, and they just... evaporated into the smoke...

Whoa.

Hi Tanya. Am I correct in assuming you're from Russia, or a similar eastern European country? Why did you grow up with your grandparents? What happened to your parents? Is your sister older or younger than you are?

morngnstar said:

Hi Nalen, pleased to meet you. Big fan. I relate to your story, because I'm from The South, but I grew up in The City.

Is there anything you feel you missed out on, not growing up Below?

Despite your frustration with dwarfs from Below, do you wish you could get to know one better, to try to understand them, or to make them understand you and why people Above think the way they do? Do you think that would be possible?

Do people you meet have certain expectations of you as a dwarf, and do you think those stereotypes are mainly to blame on the dwarfs from Below?

Do dwarfs from Below ever accuse you of cowardice when you try to reason your way out of a fight instead of swinging your axe? Do you think there might be any truth behind that accusation?

Lastly, what kind of oils do you use on your beard? It's luxuriant!

Click to expand...

Well firstly, my name is Nalyn... you were close! Nalen is the male spelling.

Honestly, I'm happy having grown up Above for so many reasons. The culture, the opportunities... but I can't deny that Below has a history and traditions that Above can't even come close to. It's similar to... your America, versus your Britain. While America has a long and fascinating history, the fact is that Britain's history just goes back further. Similarly with Above and Below. Above, we have history, but Below... centuries upon centuries of history and pride.

Stereotypes are difficult. Obviously, we as dwarves are not a monolith any more than you as humans are, but there are certain traits that are inescapable, and I think that's how stereotypes begin: with a grain of truth that gets exaggerated and stretched. I am short, as are the vast majority of dwarves. I am... somewhat stocky of build, again, typical of my kind. But see, how you have asked me "what oils I use on my beard" - a stereotype, I am afraid. It is true that our men are known for their "luxuriant beards" as you so eloquently put it, but female dwarves do not grow beards. I am sorry if that disappoints.

Thorden would love the opportunity to speak against me regarding my love for diplomacy first and violence when necessary. I'll tell you what I would tell Thorden, if he stop his passive aggressive muttering under his breath and accuse me outright of cowardice: it's not cowardice, it's common sense. Why bother leading with a sword every single time, when we could save our energy for those fights that are inescapable?

Like the wolves. We obviously had to fight those, that was life or death. But the frogmen? Hundreds upon hundreds of frogmen, and Thorden would have waded in, sword flailing, and he would have been overrun and killed in seconds. Why on Ophina's earth would I allow that to happen without at least trying to appease Gekak?

morngnstar said:

Hi, I'm Alex. I don't really know why anyone would want to interview me. I'm not famous or anything. Yeah, I'm the lead engineer at my company, but we make water pumps. Are you from a trade magazine or something?

Once upon a time, I thought about being an architect. Maybe then I would have done something worth writing about in a magazine. But I'm fine with not taking that path. Not everybody has to be extraordinary. The world needs some people who quietly do the important work behind the scenes.

Click to expand...

Hi Alex. No, I'm not from a trade magazine - just a curious member of the public.

I'm wondering, if your initial ambition was to become an architect, why you opted for becoming an engineer. When in your life journey did this shift take place? Was it at college, when you were choosing classes? Was architecture too difficult, or unavailable? Or, was your choice made in deference to outside expectations? (Did your parents pressure you into choosing engineering over architecture?) Or was it as simple as job opportunities available when you graduated? (I wanted to be a spy when I was very young, and I changed my mind as I grew because opportunities to become a spy are sorely limited.)

You seem to have something of a lack of self esteem, Alex--or at least, you seem uncomfortable with the idea of being "extraordinary". Everyone is extraordinary to someone. Who in your life do you think might describe you that way? Is there anyone special? Family, friends? Do you have any pets?