Character Mechanisms - creating character profile instructions (part 4)

This is part of a series of posts to create a character using Character Mechanisms using the Character Profile sheet.

From the last post, I created a hierarchy of the character profile information. I'll focus on the group A first, which are the most important of the information for most occasions.

Priority A

Group A Important

Character Generator

Human Generator

Motivation Generator

Mood-Emotion Generator

Body Language Generator

So first I begin with the Character Generator.

1. Character Generator

Up to six categories are presented. They are 1) personality, 2) stat archetype, 3) encounter, 4) virtue, 5) vice, and 6) quirk.

You may use as many or all of these that you want. A) You may roll up an entirely random character. B) Or you may use them as lists and select the qualities that you like. C) Or roll up qualities and change the character in ways that make sense to you. D) One fun method may be rolling 6 times in a pool first, and then assign the results one at a time to each part of the character. E) In social settings, you may roll a pool of dice and have each participant assign a character aspect using up each die. F) A story writer might only want to roll only the necessary part(s) of the character at an appropriate time in the story and over time reveal the character’s true nature.

Although they are presented in an order, you may roll in any order.

Qualities in any order

1. all in order
2. list select
3. roll & change
4. pool & assign
5. pool & group assign
6. roll only necessary

For this example character, I don't have any preconceived character idea. I'll do an entirely random character rolling in order, method A.

For rolling, I just make a spreadsheet with a =RANDBETWEEN(1,10) function in 6 cells. Then I copy pasted the results here below.

1d10, 6 times

3

10

6

2

1

5

3, skeptic

10, charismatic

6, guard

2, temperance

1, lust

5, diagnosis

Let me copy past some of the information to help inspire this unnamed character. This information will be used in the future for reference purpose. Having it here will save me some time.

No Name Yet

Skeptic - They seek the truth. They are tempted to be elsewhere and self-sufficient, not asking for help. They fixated on vengeance and they objectify abstract concepts into concrete actions. They desire self-protection. They fear being controlled, harmed, or violated. Debate and lust are their common expressions. When not challenging others, they desire to be innocent.

Charismatic - has high charisma and presence. He/she is outgoing and expressive.

Guard - police, cop, deputy, security, sentinel, army, patrol, sentry, watchman, warder, warden, keeper, fighter

Temperance - temperance might represent self-control, restraint, or moderation. Or it might represent justice, humanity, or concern for others.

Lust - lust might be the self-absorbed desire for something. Lust might be wanting or needing something even something mysterious or unknown.

Diagnosis

Record these qualities in the section of the character profile sheet along with the name if known.

Character Generator random Qualities

Next I will do the Human Generator creation.

2. Human Generator

The Human Generator rolls up a description. I will do 6 traits for now based on the advice. I don't know what type of character this is, but half should suffice. I'll also try using method C mentioned in the last generator, pool & assign, picking which traits and which numbers I want to use. Because I am using method C, I will only need to roll once instead of twice.

The number of human characteristics rolled may be limited by the type of character.

Main characters most likely are detailed with all or most of these twelve characteristics fleshed out.
Major significant and important characters might have half or more of these details revealed.
Minor significant, but important characters to the story may have three to half of these characteristics known.

Background characters focused briefly on in a scene, however that aren’t important, may have one or two characteristics observed.

6

8

9

4

1

9

I don't know the gender of this character. I will not assign one at this time.

First, I will pick the body shape since this is a guard-type charismatic character. I want a fit looking character:  hourglass, or square shaped. I'll pick hourglass since that is fit.

Next I will do hair style & length. Long and straight sounds good.

Next assigning the hair color would go great with the hair style. Dark auburn sounds ok.

Next I'll do skin color. This character is from a cold area, so maybe porcelain.

Next I'll do eye color. Hazel sounds good.

Finally, I'll do chest size. Having a large chest sounds ok.

6 Hair Color: dark auburn

8 Chest or Breast size: large (DD/E cup)

9 Hair Style & Length: long straight

4 Body Shape: hourglass with narrow waist

1 Skin Color: porcelain

9 Eye Color: hazel

I don't know the other details such as height and facial feature shapes.  All of that can be added or decided later, if the character requires those details.

So far, this is how much this example character has created after two generators.

With Human Generator random traits added

I'll work on the next two in the next post.