I have a little game for us to play. You know the AMAs on Reddit? Well, how about we have one of those for our OCs? Your OC can be an RP character, the protagonist of something you're writing, or even just a character you have no idea what to do with, but you have their entire background memorized forwards and backwards, down to the scratches in their car's paint. This can be both a writing exercise in and of itself, and also a chance to bond with any other writers here. Who's down?
Okay @Void, I has question, and then I'll answer it myself. For the sake of simplicity, neutral pronouns will be used for the initial questions, until the protagonist's gender is known, if they have one, or if the author does(n't) wish to divulge. Your protagonist, what is their favorite snack, or, if they do not eat in the traditional sense, what is their favorite simple pleasure?
Heh. Hera is a lady and uses she/her pronouns! :3 Her favorite foods tend to be potato dishes, usually french fries. She would probably really adore poutine, but she doesn't live anywhere near where it's a common food.
As promised. My protagonist (who I'm not openly naming just yet...but is most definitely male), well, let's just say he's on a permanent liquid diet for the rest of ever. But one of his favorite simple pleasures is playing the pipe organ, piano, or another keyboard instrument. ETA: I'm mad that I can't get poutine in New Jersey, I have to wait until I go back to Canada in July to have it. IT IS SO GOOD.
Let's keep the questions going, now that I've had some sleep. Does your protagonist (open to anyone and everyone!) have any pets or companions who we could consider as such?
I'll also answer that one, because that sounds like fun. The still-unnamed navigator OC for the setting that has been stuck in my head for the last few months has a ghost cat. They never really bothered to give the cat a name, so he's just Cat. They found Cat in a spaceport boarding area, which, like airports, bridges and mountain passes, are liminal spaces which connect with the various spirit worlds. And since the main Earth spaceports are technically off-world (most of the structure is under the Earth because the larger ships wouldn't fit through the passageway openings and enlarging them would mess with surface gravity), the magic-dampening field that's (for some unexplained reason) inside the Earth's shell doesn't work there. This means weird stuff happens much more often. It's usually not much, unless you've got magic-using people there, as they tend to act as a weirdness magnet. And as it happens, spaceship navigators, especially the ones for long-distance interplanetary travel, are extensively trained in magic (when the deep space currents are controlled by deity-level spirits, you're gonna need divination to plot a course). So, Stuff Happened, and this character ended up with a slightly transparent white cat rubbing against their legs. Turns out dead cats are about as annoying as living ones, but at least they don't need food or litter. Yay!
Hera is terrible and at most, tends to keep a tank of fish, depending on AU. Although she probably would get along with cats, she really wouldn't have the time or energy to actually keep up with feeding and litter. The fish for some reason feel like they take less spoons, but that's probably because she has zero fucking idea how to really give fish the best. so she just feeds and changes the filters and cleans the tank every so often. somehow the fish aren't dead. it's a fuckin mystery how they aren't
Okay, new rule: If you give an answer, leave a question. I'll answer my own question now: My protagonist at one time had many cats come and go from his life, but now doesn't have any pets. He has a staff of wolves as foot servants, but he considers them employees, not pets. New question: What is your protagonist's choice of transport, if they have one?
Ooooh, this sounds like a lot of fun! I'll do it first for Allie, the protag of my fantasy novel, and maybe come back and do it for some of my other characters. Your protagonist, what is their favorite snack, or, if they do not eat in the traditional sense, what is their favorite simple pleasure? Allie is a glutton. She loves pretty much anything that she can shove in her mouth. Sweet, savory, spicy. It all gets jammed down the food chute. Since she had an incredibly isolated childhood (she is a human raised by gods in their own realm), she takes enormous pleasure in trying new things. Of the things she's shoved into her stomach, her favorite would have to meat pies or cooked meat on bread. Basically if its Meat + Fat + Carb, she's already half way through devouring it. Does your protagonist (open to anyone and everyone!) have any pets or companions who we could consider as such? Due to her isolated and unusual upbringing, Allie never had any pets. However, when she finally gets to explore the human world, she makes friends with pretty much every animal--without regard for if the animal /wants/ a friend. What is your protagonist's choice of transport, if they have one? Early in her story, Allie is gifted with winged boots that let her fly. She gets extremely grumpy if she can't fly places. This is probably due to the fact that she has the worst sense of direction ever and gets lost much easier if she's not flying. As for my question, is there anything (a person, a food, an activity) that instantly makes your character happy? Conversely, is there something that without fail puts your character in the Worst Mood Ever?
I'll answer! What never fails to please my protagonist is hearing that everything is going well; there are no quarrels, no drama, no nonsense, everyone is getting on with their existence as best they can. As to what will instantly foul his mood? Let's just say The Happiest Place On Earth better got-damn well stay that way. Now for a question! Does your protagonist have any favorite scents?
