Character Development and ~Promo~

Host: And we are back to Character Development and ~Promo~, I am your host @foxnflames! We have interviewed 5 guests already, and we will now move on to Ms. Mari, author of TALIPANDAS.
*cue clap while Mari walks on the stage to her seat
Audience: (clap)
Mari: (waves hand) Hi! Hello! Thank you!
Host: Welcome, Mari. Good morning!
Mari: Good morning. Thank you for inviting me to your show. You know, I'm so excited for today, I wasn't able to sleep well last night.
Host: Really? I hope you came prepared, though, because we'll just fire questions at you continuously.
Mari: About that. Because I am kind of exhausted, and the fact that I love you and your show, I brought an assistant with me today. (waves someone over) Iris!
*cue clap while Iris walks on the stage to her seat
Audience: (clap)
Host: Welcome! Welcome!
Iris: Thank you for letting me be here today.
Host: I will no longer dilly-dally and ask you the first question right away! What seemingly insignificant memory has stuck with you?
Iris: Probably that Ash loves strawberry, and that he is allergic to chocolates... and that one of my stepmothers is a hag. *fake coughs. Ehem. Alicia. Ehem. *fake coughs.**
Host: Does the image you try to project differ from the image you actually project?
Iris: Yes. If you know me, you'd know how I've been * beeeep * about how I wanted for people to idolize me, and how I wanna be a good influence to others. But nothing seems to go my way. My good friend even told me just a while ago that I'm nothing but an obnoxious spoiled brat. Can you believe that?
Host: Ah... I'll let our audience answer that. Next question! How do you behave around people you like?
Iris: I act like myself. I don't act pabebe or "like-gurl" or something. I don't change my attitude. I'm only five, so I don't have any romantic interests yet. But to the people I like in general, I play with them, tease them, introduce stuff to them. Pester them, something like that.
Host: Do you resort to physical violence in a confrontation?
Iris: No, at least not physical. Although I tend to shout and really drill into that person what I want to convey. For example, whenever Ash and I fight, we would always end up shouting at each other until someone walks out... it was me who always shout first, and he'll only shout if he loses temper... and I think we all know how patient that guy is, so just imagine how much of a * beeeep * I've been being? (confusedly asked) But, no. No physical violence. None yet.
Host: How easy is it for you to say, "I love you?" Can you say it without meaning it?
Iris: Ah, the L-word. I haven't said it, as far as I remember. But I think, I--ah... I might... I might say it in a most unpredictable time of event. Maybe I'd just blab and say "Ay-laah-u" or something.
Host: But will you mean it?
Iris: (nervously laughs) When I do, I think I would mean it.
Host: And that's it! All questions have been answered by Iris herself. Mari, wrap this up!
Mari: Thank you all for coming today and tuning in to Character Development and ~Promo~! Please read, like, comment, and subscribe to Talipandas; link flashed on your screens.

I have two main characters so I will go with Jekyll first;
1- The time he was in such a rush to go to work, he put his shirt on inside out by mistake.
2- Definitely. He tries to be the good quiet citizen, but deep down, his thoughts and views are progressive to the point of controversy.
3- He is very kind, affectionate and loyal though at times, hesitates to stand up for them when he ought to.
4- You have to twist his arm twice to get him to stand up for himself or others because he is such a coward and wants to save face.
5- He is so meek that he really only will say it when he means it, but always does every time.

Next up is Hyde;
1- He remembers how he got his signature outfit as it was the first item he ever stole.
2- He wants to be the big untouchable tough guy, but deep down, he cares a lot more than he lets on.
3- He's a fun guy who will always have your back.
4- He's a real ruffian so he has no trouble standing up for himself. However, emotional confrontation such as showing his vulnerable side in order to show his true feelings is something he hesitates to do because he fears being taken advantage of.
5- He has no trouble saying it casually, but has issues saying it to the woman he really does love for the reason mentioned above, but when he finally does face his fear, he really does mean it.

Okay, I'm going to try to do this without getting too much into spoiler territory...

When Dante was 17, he ended up in the hospital after having a mental breakdown. His parents didn't come to visit him, but his grandfather did. A lot of the other details of that period are fuzzy, but he vividly remembers the image of his grandfather sitting there patting his hand while he cried. It stuck with him because it was the first time in a long time that he felt like he wasn't alone.

Dante keeps a very carefully crafted outer image, which is every inch the professional therapist: calm, collected, in control of the situation. So far, he has most people pretty well fooled into believing that this persona is who he really is; but there are a handful of people who know him well, who realize that it is a front for the feelings he tries to hide.

Snarky, sharp-tongued, and a bit of a brat (basically the exact opposite of the image he tries to maintain for everyone else).

Normally very slow. He prefers non-violent responses whenever possible.

Very, very difficult. Dante was burned once in love, very badly, and he firmly believes he is going to be celibate for the rest of his life, so he doesn't anticipate he will ever say it again. (Whether that is actually true remains to be seen...)

Agony is as close as we get to a main character in the cast, so here goes:
1. Seeing some kid McFracture his arm and being almost jealous.
2. She's pretty spot on to the image she wants to project. That of an obnoxious asshole.
3. Like a vicious loudmouthed jerk. Insults every little thing, just doesn't care.
4. She prefers to come to verbal blows, but if you really say something that strikes a nerve, she's going for the eyes.
5. I don't think she could say it. She has... other ways of showing affection.

I'll use my main character, Sandra, since she's currently embroiled in controversy due to recent events in the novel.

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What seemingly insignificant memory has stuck with your character?
High school mischief. It reminds her of a time when the world was perfect with her two best friends by her side and when she still had a chance with one of them.

Does the image your character tries to project differ from the image they actually project?
She's successful in projecting the image she wants - confident and sexy. It comes with the job. But if she's caught off-guard by something traumatic, she can be frightened and vulnerable.

How does your character behave around people they like?
Demure, sweet, still flirty.

How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?
Quick. Honestly, this question is alluding to spoilers in next week's episodes.

How easy is it for your character to say, "I love you?" Can they say it without meaning it?
So easy to say without meaning it. She's a singer after all.

I love these kinds of threads! I'll use my scruffy fellow for this.

What seemingly insignificant memory has stuck with your character?
He lost his parents as a teen, and was permitted to continue living on his own so long as his attendance didn't slip. One of the teachers at the arcane academy he attended lived nearby; the runeology professor, an old Elf, who checked in on him often to make sure he was okay. A mentor-like relationship began to develop, which grew into a genuine friendship. This Elf would tell him old fables and legends about the Keepers; the pantheon of Elven gods. He loved history and mythology, and those fireplace stories on chilly mountain nights stuck with him. He knows way more about Keeper mythology than most humans.

Does the image your character tries to project differ from the image they actually project?
No, he's a very genuine guy. He's not good at masking, or pretending to be anything he's not, so he doesn't bother.

How does your character behave around people they like?
He's mostly normal, but he'll quickly get bashful when he says or does something dumb. Which is quite a bit. His approach to romance is to have a great big crush and do very little about it beyond spending time with that person as his normal, warm self. If he notices there seems to be reciprocation, that's when he can get a little flirtier.

How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?
Very slow to resort to it. He'll let himself get knocked about rather than retaliate. You're completely screwed if he does, though. He's quite a mage.

How easy is it for your character to say, "I love you?" Can they say it without meaning it?
It's nerve-wracking to say the first time, but he'll let it out when the moment is right. After that, very easy. And he can't say it without meaning it.

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Oh, yay, Boxer has a fan! He's gorgeous, I love my cheerful Elf jock. I'll do one of these for him if I find time later today.

I just gotta say, I am doing just Vernon, but I want to do all three of my MCs just to help show em to you guys.
Enjoy and be mindful of spoilers.

1. What seemingly insignificant memory has stuck with your character?
More relevant than would be to ask Vernon what he doesn't remember... He has a number of different blank spots in his memory, either due to his seizures or sheer trauma. The mere mention of certain things can trigger severe responses from him blacking out, to flat out seizures if he tries to hard.... Vernon has some terrible issues regarding his memory, and it's a thing that he doesn't understand as has grown to hate, so he avoids the subject like the plague.

2. Does the image your character tries to project differ from the image they actually project?
Vernon is very well aware of the image redmanes have in the world, but one of his biggest issues (and his focal point of season 1) is the fact that Vernon tends to bloat his issues due to his anxiety and fear... As a result his self image is very decadent and he feels like he can never really solve the problem, but he tries way to hard to be extra nice so NO ONE will have a problem with him... Even people he hates and actively want to kill him he tries to befriend and help.
This ends up painting a rather unique scenario where Vernon is actually a rather difficult person to deal with, in spite of how nicely he treats everyone.
Everyone that isn't prejudiced to his species usually sees him as an amazing and gentle person and wants to help him, but he sees himself as the most wreteched thing there is and a sin for even being alive and turns those people away, violently if he has too.

3. How does your character behave around people they like?
Vernon rarely opens up to anyone (heck i've posted 150 episodes and he only began to open up on the most recent one). Vernon is very shy and suffered a lot of prejudice, so he genuienly looks away and lowers his head in front of anyone... Generally you can tell he trusts you if he looks into your eyes for more than a second.
If he makes jokes around you or smiles, then he not only trusts you... He likes you.
If he reaaallly likes you... Like REAALY likes you... He wags in front you and doesn't imediatelly run away and hide. (Wagging is usually an intimate thing for canines, they are taught from a young age to not do it in front of everyone)

4. How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?
Vernon has to feel a situation is life or death before he even thinks to resort to ANY violence, and even then he never goes lethal... He also generally doesn't deal well with blood (it's one of his memory triggers), so even then he usually resorts to disabling people without leaving a scar.
Until he is quite literally beaten and broken, he will try to talk or run from his opponents... It's why he has so many scars, and also why he wears such long clothes.
One of his developments in season one pertains to this dangerous habit of his.

5. How easy is it for your character to say, "I love you?" Can they say it without meaning it?
Took over 150 episodes, more than 5 months inside the story, and several brushes with death for him to come clean and admit that he loves Azreth and Grey.
Like the good little martyr that he is, he rationalized all his past relationships falling apart as his own fault and proceed to go very defensive in that regard... Often trying to push people away before they have a chance to get too atached to him... However his feelings for Azreth were almost imediate, and his feelings for Grey developed shortly after he joined the party.
He doesn't have a dificulty loving, he has dificulty allowing himself to love... So saying 'I love you' to them took a lot of hard work, and the breaking down of severals of the walls he put up to protect his fragile emotional core...
But now that it's done, he should fare a lot better in that department.
Also. just to answer the second question, when Vernons says he loves someone, he loves them forever... He just doesn't detach from people... He might in a moment of rage or frustration say otherwise, but it's never true and he probably regret saying it the very moment the words left his mouth.

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This definitely looks like fun. Here's the answers for Nod from The Sons of Adam.

What seemingly insignificant memory has stuck with your character?

Tripping and falling face first into a snow drift.

Does the image your character tries to project differ from the image they actually project?

Nod tries incredibly hard to come across hard-edged and cutthroat, from wearing a suit and tie, right down to using the name Nod instead of his birthname Michael. He's even gone as far as ordering alcohol so he can sit and sip and swirl it to appear refined. He is still a 12 year old though, unless his reputation precedes him or until his brings out his friends, he gets treated like one.

How does your character behave around people they like?

Nod is playfully sarcastic, and not above throwing (small) items to make people jump or get their attention. If he's spending attention on someone, they're important to him. Unimportant people get ignored at best, incessantly badgered until they leave at worst.

How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?

Nod is smart enough to not engage in physical violence and use diplomacy, charm, and blackmail wherever possible - that said, if he isn't getting respect, he's not above using his friends to intimidate others into taking him seriously.

How easy is it for your character to say, "I love you?" Can they say it without meaning it?

Nod is willing and able, without question, to say "I love you," but finds the type of people who would say it without meaning it absolutely vile.

Thanks! This was fun.

Gunhild hangs onto any memory of her mother. They're important to her because her mum died when she way young.
The image she projects is the same as the one she tries to project.
She's less secluded and defensive around people she likes.
Gunhild won't resort to physical violence unless attacked.
When she says "I love you", she means it.