Weave as it Will

Making a Character

So, you want some tips on how to create your profile?

These are tips alone. Please feel free to add more to your profile than just answers to the questions posed here. Remember, creating a character is supposed to be a fun, creative process. Changes in format and style of writing can make the creation process a little more engaging. We recommend that you never create a character simply out of boredom. You may grow tired of the character, and you won’t put as much effort into its creation.

Name

Pretty simple. First and last name. A middle name would be more in depth and quite welcome, but it is not required. Remember, when choosing a name, that you want the name to fit in with the WoT setting, so names like John, Bob, or Joshua may be unsuitable.

Alias

Okay, again, pretty simple. Does your character ever use a fake name when he or she is in an unfamiliar or unfriendly place? Do they use a full name or just a first or last name? If they do use one, think this through. You want this name to stay within the WoT setting as well, but try to have it unique to your character. Avoid using things like ‘Slayer,’ ‘Nightshadow,’ and things like that. You can, but that’s not really a type of name you’d want to give at an inn.

Age

Everyone wants to have that young, good-looking king or queen. Or that older, more experienced male wilder. Well, I’m here to tell you that’s not how things work. Sure, we don’t mind you being a young king or queen, but chances are, you’ll have problems. You won’t have the wisdom of the elder kings, or the experience. And sure, having an older (not ‘old’) male wilder is possible, but guess what? He’s probably going mad as we speak!
(Male wilders will usually learn they can channel between the ages of 17 and 22.)

Try to be unique in choosing your age. Think about your occupation, your history. What about an old, retired soldier? Or a young, fresh Child of the Light who talks back a bit too much? Some people do appear older in manner, or younger, but that goes along with personality as well.

Gender

I’m not going to bash you if you choose to have both genders. It’d certainly be unique, and it is possible, but it’d be a little odd. Your choice. You know what a gender is, right? You know, male and female?

Orientation

Heterosexual. Homosexual. Straight. Gay. Bi. Whatever you want to call it. Straight people prefer partners of the opposite gender. Gay people prefer partners of the same gender. Bi people, well, they either don’t care about the gender problem, or they like having their options open (they like both genders, in other words). Simple and straightforward?

Occupation

Is your character a blacksmith? Soldier? Illuminator? Keep your character’s personality and talents in mind when choosing an occupation, unless you want him to hate his job. Sometimes, people choose an occupation, then the character itself, building it around the occupation they want the character to have. Try to stay away from the norm. Sure, high lords and ladies are very welcome, and so are talented soldiers, but fun can be had with merchants, scholars, or even horse trainers!

Appearance

Height. Weight. Body build. Hair color and style. Eye color. All these things are wanted, plus more! Describe your character from head to toe, down to the dirty fingernails or curly leg hair. We want to know where the scars are, the tattoos and birthmarks, the piercings. Everything! (Okay, we’re not asking for certain details, if you know what I mean. I’m fine with you describing curves or other things, as long as it’s not worded like a porno scene.) Create a photo of your character with words.

Start by describing the head, if you’d like. Ears. Lips. Nose. Cheeks. This is where you want to talk about their face (obviously). Complexion can also be included here. Does your guy have a beard or stubble? Does your girl have a beauty mark? You might want to describe the hair here as well. Does it fall in the face? Short/Long? Straight/Curly? A whole paragraph can be dedicated to the head!

Another paragraph could go to the body. Muscular or skinny? Hairy chest? Those curves we were talking about earlier? Flat? Long nails? Color of body hair (ha)? Still another could go toward talking about scars, birthmarks, and the like, and then one more about the way they dress. Take into account what nation they were raised in, as their clothing will probably reflect that nation. You could also describe how they walk and talk, and how many people appear to act when around your character. Do they often flirt, avoid, or gawk?

Personality

How does your character act around people? Is he (or she) introverted or extroverted? Explain. Does it take a lot to get him to talk? (Is he shy?) Is he sometimes considered too talkative? One way to work on this is to start with a description of how the character acts around various people: superiors, soldiers, women/men, etc. Depending on your character’s occupation, the sets of people you choose to use may vary. What about the legal system? Any opinions?

Personal beliefs. Superstitions. Outstanding virtues or terrible faults. Pride. All these things, in addition to hobbies and likes and dislikes, could be discussed, with examples of how these things have been developed (or not developed).

Weapons

There are a variety of weapons your character could use. But think “Wheel of Time.” It would be odd to be a Shienaran soldier with an Andoran sword, or vice versa, or a Child of the Light to be without the customary weaponry of a Child. Be creative, but remember to keep the setting in mind. You may have a sword that appears similar to the katana we know today, but here, it would not be called a katana. In fact, we would prefer that if you want a weapon, and you are unsure of what to call it or say about it, just describe what it looks like in as much detail as possible. If you feel the need for clarification, you can mention OOC that the sword looks like a katana.

Do not go overboard with this! We are not impressed with a character that can handle every weapon out there. Even if they can handle two or three, it is very doubtful your character can use them extensively well. Be realistic!

Click here to take a look at some helpful examples.

DESCRIBE your weapons. Not many people are interested in the fact that you just have a sword.

Talents

Okay. Let’s face it. Your character can’t be the best at everything. Pick a few major talents or strengths and describe them. Many use a paragraph per talent, or two per paragraph, if the talents go well together. You can even list them and give a sentence or two about them. Up to you. Just remember to describe. These talents are not all physical talents, like swordsmanship, carving, or horse-back riding, though those are important to list. They also include things like knowledge, game savvy, and patience.

Flaws

These should match your talents. Got four talents? Get four flaws (really depends on the talents or flaws in question). Try to balance everything. If your character is just great in handling a sword, make him not so good in one-on-one combat (or group combat). Maybe he can’t work well with others and therefore is liable to jeopardize the lives of others or himself. Being naïve can be a flaw. So can a disability like being mute, blind, or in lack of a pinkie finger or even arm. In coming up with both talents and flaws, be creative! Try to think of something few others have.

History

Here’s the big one. Here on Weave, there is a minimum of 400 words required. It sounds like a lot, but really, that’s around three to four large paragraphs, not too much in the whole scheme of things. Now, we know the usual loss of loved ones can be tragic and can usually provide reason to why the character acts the way he or she does, but why can’t you have a character who is naturally reclusive or angry towards people? Upbringing can be a cause for a certain behavior, too, and it does not entail the tragedy of someone’s death.

Start from early childhood. Were the parents lenient or strict? Did your character hate the parents from the beginning? Good relationship? Bad? Did the character have many friends, a select few close friends, or little to no real friends at all? Moving on into adolescence, you can talk about similar things. Any big turning point in the character’s life? Rebellion against parents? Against values? Witness something horrific that scarred their mind? Did anything happen the character itself? Abuse, attacks?

Depending on the age of your character, one could go into all sorts of detail concerning the history. After adolescence, you move up to adulthood. What did your character decide to do with its life? Did it disagree or agree with any certain political, ethical, or military views?

What made your character into the one we see in the Role Play? Think of the history as a story about your character. A story. Not just a few paragraphs you must write to get accepted.