Post by panther on May 19, 2009 16:28:37 GMT -5
Name:
Choose a name for your character, just a first name. Only dragonriders contract their names. We do ask though that the names be pernese sounding[/u]. A good way to get round this, is for example, you want a particular name, but its far to terran, eg “Rain” – this can be changed, or elongated so ‘Rain’ becomes a nickname. Acceptable solutions:
Age: How old is your character? Remember this is in turns notyears - this is Pern
Gender: Male/female – we remind you that dragon colours here are mainly canon. Males are always handy.
Rank:
Here you need to tell us what rank your character has. Eg, are they a journeyman weaver? Are they a Wher Candidate? Are they a Wingsecond Blue rider? obviously some positions will need to be conferred upon with Hawk
Appearance: ~2 fleshy paragraphs expected~
Think about how your character looks. How they dress. Though we do need these in paragraphed forms, here are a few ideas to include:
Also - its not necessary to have answered all of these questions! These are just some ideas to get the creativity flowing!
Personality: ~2-3 fleshy paragraphs expected~
I find the best way to make a very human character is to look at the character, review their appearance, think about their history a little, and think how it would affect them. Once I have a good idea of this; I tend to write a list. Pro’s and Con’s of a specific character, and come up with a list, (at least 5 on each side) of words/short phrases, that I think make the character who he/she is.
eg
Faults: No body is perfect!! We all have out strange qualities, something here or there that makes us unique in a different not quite so charming way. So please, be brave, give your characters flaws.
Then take these ideas and paint your picture with them. You have your template now you just have to find a way to make them fit together, reasoning them, after all most of us do have reasons for the way we are.
eg, first two points: supportive to friends and lies to get out of trouble
Even faults can be reasoned!!! - also note how taking this two principles has given ideas and sparked a person around it, two ideas creating a symphony about it.
Also in this situation, you could then take the principle of her lying, and tell us how it may have gotten Ytera into trouble in the past, and if it was quite grand! You can detail that in the history.
.:.:.:.Calling all females.:.:.:.
Girls - remember, in pern, girls are slightly old fashioned with respect to Earth affairs. Dragon riders are allowed to have loose relations, it's a backlash of what they are.
Holders, however, are resigned. They will become either mothers - or craftsmen. Possibly both. These are accepted facts, and girls don't tend to be as promiscuous as the boys, and not anything like the Riders.
History: ~3 fleshy paragraphs expected - though obviously the older they are the more is expected~
Where did they come from? What was their family like? Was it functional and regular? if not, why not? - remember not everybody has come from a split parent family as mentioned, women are expected to be virtually monogamous- What was the family trade? Were they fostered out as a child as is regular in weyrs?
When they were old enough, how did harper lessons go? Did they go into the same trade as their parents? Did they enjoy it?
If they have a remarkable scar, then how did they get it?
What stands out in your characters memory? A particular event? A specific gathering where they finaly got a kiss from the most charming girl in the hold/weyr?
How did they come to be at the weyr/halls/hold if they weren’t born there?
How did they impress their dragon/flitter/wher? How did they come across their favourite pet?
if rider/handler how did weyrling lessons fare? How did they cope with the change? How do they find the weyr if they weren’t a weyrman before?
Pets:
Not everybody has a dozen flitters or more. We're a southern weyr, so your character will almost certainly get a chance to attend a flitter clutch hatching.
Not everybody has a runner, not everybody has a canine. Remember, Pern is a place of practicality generally, people are given a pet for a reason, eg, a feline keeper may have/or have had a pest problem. A Canine keeper may have had issues over protection that didn’t warrant a wher. Flitters are usually for messages, yes, they are adorable, and lord holders and such tend to have them to be a fashionable accessory, but regular folk don’t generally.
Also; Large felines, are wild and hunted. no exceptions
Dragon/Wher: (if you did not impress yet put N/A)
Name:
Dragon names: ~ End in 'th' - again try not to make it anything too Terran. We don't want an names like Wraith who is coincidentally a really dark blue. NO! please, for all of our sanity - be original?
Wher Names: ~ End in 'sk' Remember, wher names are actually a derivative of their bonded's name, eg, a wher handler called Rumpelstiltskin would be for example - Rumpsk however, this would indicate that their bond wasn't too strong, the stronger the bond with a wher, the more of their bonded's name they share, so, ultimately, the bond would be best at Rumpelstiltskinsk. Though again, remember not every handler is 100% with their bonded. I'd let what sounds good dictate the level of their bond
Colour: fairly standard, click here to get a direct link to the colour choices - be reminded, mutations are earned
Age: Age - again in turns please.
Gender: its becoming increasingly important with all these obscure mutations! Female browns and male greens! Whatever will be next! so enlighten us and just give their gender to ok?
Dragon/Wher Appearance:~1 fleshy paragraph expected~
This is where it gets a little tougher. You have to have a good imagination here. Just as humans look unique, not every blue is the same colour, not every gold has the same hue. Be creative, blues can range from sky blue to an almost turquoise to navy – there’s a whole spectrum, be brave and use it!
Also, keep in mind that dragons have a large hide, and irregularities do occur, eg- does their tail fade off from their colour? Leaving a brown with an almost beige tail? Is the underside of your green darker than other areas? Is there a mild patching of other colours to your bronze that you can only really see when you are quite close?
The proportion of dragons also change, think about whether they are a stout, barrel-chested bronze, or a lithe and long legged green? Is their nose long, is their face slightly longer than usually, are their eyes a little too large?
Remember, dragon’s tend to get scars too, nicks in the wing membrane and such likes. Especially during in rising flights.
Dragon/Wher Personality: ~1 fleshy paragraph expected~
Again, here, first thing to consider is that most pairs aren’t miraculously identical, or indeed complete opposites. They need to have the bond though.
Think about what sort of dragon would compliment your character, would be able to support them, and make them be at home, always. someone your character can trust implicitly. again, its probably a good idea to do similar here to what you have already done with your character’s personality.
Note Remember - it is thoughtful detail about your character that gives depth, and can set you apart from others. The best thing for this is to know your character.
Choose a name for your character, just a first name. Only dragonriders contract their names. We do ask though that the names be pernese sounding[/u]. A good way to get round this, is for example, you want a particular name, but its far to terran, eg “Rain” – this can be changed, or elongated so ‘Rain’ becomes a nickname. Acceptable solutions:
- Rayne/Rayn (it makes the same sound as the desired name but looks slightly different)
- Rainrasia – with a name like that, people will likely shorten it! Especially if your character introduces themselves as Rain. – no qualms there!
Age: How old is your character? Remember this is in turns not
Gender: Male/female – we remind you that dragon colours here are mainly canon. Males are always handy.
Rank:
Here you need to tell us what rank your character has. Eg, are they a journeyman weaver? Are they a Wher Candidate? Are they a Wingsecond Blue rider? obviously some positions will need to be conferred upon with Hawk
Appearance: ~2 fleshy paragraphs expected~
Think about how your character looks. How they dress. Though we do need these in paragraphed forms, here are a few ideas to include:
- What length is their hair?
- What colour?
- Is it naturally straight? Or curly, or perhaps it waves gently. Do they tend to wear it in a runner’s tail? Or maybe they braid it? Do they have a thing for flashy adornments?
Eyes: - colour
- shape – large or small? Is one slightly different?
Nose: is it small and button-like? Or large and hooked? Roman perhaps?
Mouth: - Size? -small, large
- Full or thin, curved or straight
- Usually frowning or smiling?
Face structure: - Shape?
- Size?
- Cheekbones? high, noticeable, concealed
Body: - Height
- Weight
- Body type, curvy, gangly/thin, average, slim, lean, muscled, large or small bosomed
Scars:
they happen!! As of yet, I am to meet someone who does not bear a scar or two. And I am only twenty. So, they happen!
Dress:
BE PRACTICAL
If they are a beast healer, its not likely they’ll be used to wearing flamboyant outfits. Again, people from the northern continent aren't going to be anything that shows a lot of flesh, its cold there.
Girls are also expected to be in decent dress, remember, Pern is more like the prudish society of medieval Earth ok? No tank tops, mini skirts, jumpsuits, stretchy black pants, leggings, etc.
Boys are most likely to wear cloth or leather pants. Hide is very common so holder lads are more likely to wear this. Vests and tunics are also very common.
Also - its not necessary to have answered all of these questions! These are just some ideas to get the creativity flowing!
Personality: ~2-3 fleshy paragraphs expected~
I find the best way to make a very human character is to look at the character, review their appearance, think about their history a little, and think how it would affect them. Once I have a good idea of this; I tend to write a list. Pro’s and Con’s of a specific character, and come up with a list, (at least 5 on each side) of words/short phrases, that I think make the character who he/she is.
eg
| Pro’s | Con’s |
| Supportive to friends | lies to get out of trouble |
| assertive | bossy |
| flirty | Vain |
| well humoured | long fuse, but rotten temper |
| intelligent | nihilistic |
Faults: No body is perfect!! We all have out strange qualities, something here or there that makes us unique in a different not quite so charming way. So please, be brave, give your characters flaws.
Then take these ideas and paint your picture with them. You have your template now you just have to find a way to make them fit together, reasoning them, after all most of us do have reasons for the way we are.
eg, first two points: supportive to friends and lies to get out of trouble
Ever since she was a small child, Ytera has had a good circle of friends. She has always been quite popular, for she's quite an easy going person and generally agreeable, she works hard and strives to do her best. As a level headed person, she often finds herself the support to her friends troubles and woes, but she doesn't generally mind because she hates to let people down, especially those closest to her. Ytera is a good listener and she does give rather good advice.
This, as a result, takes her to lying occasionally. She feels so strongly bound towards keeping people's hope she would prefer to tell a small white lie to keep them happy, than to tell them of her misdoing and let them down.
This, as a result, takes her to lying occasionally. She feels so strongly bound towards keeping people's hope she would prefer to tell a small white lie to keep them happy, than to tell them of her misdoing and let them down.
Even faults can be reasoned!!! - also note how taking this two principles has given ideas and sparked a person around it, two ideas creating a symphony about it.
Also in this situation, you could then take the principle of her lying, and tell us how it may have gotten Ytera into trouble in the past, and if it was quite grand! You can detail that in the history.
.:.:.:.Calling all females.:.:.:.
Girls - remember, in pern, girls are slightly old fashioned with respect to Earth affairs. Dragon riders are allowed to have loose relations, it's a backlash of what they are.
Holders, however, are resigned. They will become either mothers - or craftsmen. Possibly both. These are accepted facts, and girls don't tend to be as promiscuous as the boys, and not anything like the Riders.
History: ~3 fleshy paragraphs expected - though obviously the older they are the more is expected~
Where did they come from? What was their family like? Was it functional and regular? if not, why not? - remember not everybody has come from a split parent family as mentioned, women are expected to be virtually monogamous- What was the family trade? Were they fostered out as a child as is regular in weyrs?
When they were old enough, how did harper lessons go? Did they go into the same trade as their parents? Did they enjoy it?
If they have a remarkable scar, then how did they get it?
What stands out in your characters memory? A particular event? A specific gathering where they finaly got a kiss from the most charming girl in the hold/weyr?
How did they come to be at the weyr/halls/hold if they weren’t born there?
How did they impress their dragon/flitter/wher? How did they come across their favourite pet?
if rider/handler how did weyrling lessons fare? How did they cope with the change? How do they find the weyr if they weren’t a weyrman before?
Pets:
Not everybody has a dozen flitters or more. We're a southern weyr, so your character will almost certainly get a chance to attend a flitter clutch hatching.
Not everybody has a runner, not everybody has a canine. Remember, Pern is a place of practicality generally, people are given a pet for a reason, eg, a feline keeper may have/or have had a pest problem. A Canine keeper may have had issues over protection that didn’t warrant a wher. Flitters are usually for messages, yes, they are adorable, and lord holders and such tend to have them to be a fashionable accessory, but regular folk don’t generally.
Also; Large felines, are wild and hunted. no exceptions
Dragon/Wher: (if you did not impress yet put N/A)
Name:
Dragon names: ~ End in 'th' - again try not to make it anything too Terran. We don't want an names like Wraith who is coincidentally a really dark blue. NO! please, for all of our sanity - be original?
Wher Names: ~ End in 'sk' Remember, wher names are actually a derivative of their bonded's name, eg, a wher handler called Rumpelstiltskin would be for example - Rumpsk however, this would indicate that their bond wasn't too strong, the stronger the bond with a wher, the more of their bonded's name they share, so, ultimately, the bond would be best at Rumpelstiltskinsk. Though again, remember not every handler is 100% with their bonded. I'd let what sounds good dictate the level of their bond
Colour: fairly standard, click here to get a direct link to the colour choices - be reminded, mutations are earned
Age: Age - again in turns please.
Gender: its becoming increasingly important with all these obscure mutations! Female browns and male greens! Whatever will be next! so enlighten us and just give their gender to ok?
Dragon/Wher Appearance:~1 fleshy paragraph expected~
This is where it gets a little tougher. You have to have a good imagination here. Just as humans look unique, not every blue is the same colour, not every gold has the same hue. Be creative, blues can range from sky blue to an almost turquoise to navy – there’s a whole spectrum, be brave and use it!
Also, keep in mind that dragons have a large hide, and irregularities do occur, eg- does their tail fade off from their colour? Leaving a brown with an almost beige tail? Is the underside of your green darker than other areas? Is there a mild patching of other colours to your bronze that you can only really see when you are quite close?
The proportion of dragons also change, think about whether they are a stout, barrel-chested bronze, or a lithe and long legged green? Is their nose long, is their face slightly longer than usually, are their eyes a little too large?
Remember, dragon’s tend to get scars too, nicks in the wing membrane and such likes. Especially during in rising flights.
Dragon/Wher Personality: ~1 fleshy paragraph expected~
Again, here, first thing to consider is that most pairs aren’t miraculously identical, or indeed complete opposites. They need to have the bond though.
Think about what sort of dragon would compliment your character, would be able to support them, and make them be at home, always. someone your character can trust implicitly. again, its probably a good idea to do similar here to what you have already done with your character’s personality.
Note Remember - it is thoughtful detail about your character that gives depth, and can set you apart from others. The best thing for this is to know your character.
