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Character Inspiration Card

Charybdis

Screaming Cat
Pronouns
They/Them
anyways let's un-derail this thread with my accidentally super lgbt board lmao. happy pride month? i ended up just ranting about the characters but you can see how what i talk about is what i want to incorporate. adhd moment



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my new character in the making obviously. good exercise for finishing it lmao. spoiler warning for the following media of course

1. Dorian Pavus from Dragon Age: Inquisition
Well obviously visually. I like to do that because there's treasure troves of character art. Besides that though, Dorian is a really great character and I've been wanting to replay DA:I for a while anyways. Dorian's character story is all about him being a gay "stereotype", or more specifically, how precisely he is not one despite being easy to write off as one if you don't delve into his arc.

To be honest {this} entire character analysis can explain him better than I ever could. But I like his struggle with his cultural background and how he both loves and hates it. I find it interesting that he's a self-punishing type, but not in the usual way that I've already played out IC lots and gotten tired of. He chose to exile himself from his homeland.

Taurean is going to have a lot of personal angst over being at the crux of a unique cultural intersection. With one foot in each world, he doesn't feel he belongs in either at all. Like Dorian, he has in a sense made himself a social outcast (however imo probably a good thing for him overall). I'm also going to incorporate a lot of Dorian's wit and how he uses it as his defense. Being loud in personality as an armour, etc.

Being on the sexuality struggle bus he's also going to have a lot of Dorian's flirting-but-oh-yikes-ew-don't-actually-be-interested energy.

2. Saint Germain from Castlevania (TV Show)
Okay I don't love how they ended his arc like everyone else. I don't want to talk about it. :(

But I adored Saint Germain pre.... that shitty line lmao. I love his appearance and voice actor, and that he's based on the real Saint Germain (not a saint, also just his surname), who basically just wandered around to European palaces, scammed them into thinking he knew stuff, people thought he was a noble, and when he died it was realized he basically didn't own shitall.

REALLY love that he's a wizard but puts on a charlatan travelling-scholar type front, with an end goal.

I love the dry snark Saint Germain has in the show, his interactions with the main cast. Love the mystery as well, but that's not something you can really have with a new character right off the bat. I'd like to have that alchemical/magical/whatever knowledge mystique Taurean later though. Another one to potentially incorporate later is Saint Germain's general story of "how far will you go for x", with it starting small and devolving into absolute depravity to achieve a goal. We'll see how that really goes though.

I'm just a sucker for mysterious forbidden knowledge tragic dad. I'd like it if Taurean grew in knowledge and took on Saint Germain's good and bad traits eventually, especially his impatience and arrogance.


3. Nadia Vulvokov from Russian Doll
Fucking fantastic show about generational trauma, complex trauma, and general mental health.

Taurean is going to have a lot of internal struggle with his family and coming from two different cultures. Both of his parents suffered issues like all people do, and like all parents unfortunately do, passed some of those onto their children.

I adore Nadia's mannerisms in Russian Doll, and how her personality is layers of self-defense since childhood. Her growth from resisting addressing her traumas or looking inwards interests me a lot, and how she went from resisting to accepting the ways the universe fucks with her.

She's sarcastic, brash, and can command situations. She isn't afraid to tell people exactly what she thinks of them because she just very much is out of shits to give which is hilarious. She copes with guilt through every outlet imaginable, but overall is just very relatable and comforting for anyone with childhood trauma. She's okay with who she is, including how messed up she is by what she has been through and what her family has passed down to her.

I like that she's also selfish and avoidant and generally obviously has insecure attachment issues. Just love how much of a dick she is. A lovable dick. She has very deeply ugly moments, because like everyone, she is a person with issues and traumas and it's just dope. I like concepts addressing generational trauma a lot because of my own history, and the fact that it's something I see affects every single person I know.

4. Lito Rodriguez from Sense8
I really like Lito's story, especially starting as a closeted and famous gay man in South America. I don't think issues of queerness are addressed nearly enough through cultural lenses, especially for men and how masculinity is treated and almost internally regulated in different cultural communities.

Lito is overdramatic but deeply loving and just. I love explorations of masculinity, maleness, and emotions. He's a man that feels deeply, is invested in the arts, but has to carry a masculine edge to be accepted and safe in his industry and society. Stories of people, especially men, becoming more in tune with their authentic selves and becoming okay with feeling resonates a lot with my own experiences of transness so it hits good.

I love that he's in a loosely defined sorta non-monogamous relationship, that doesn't feel the need to define itself fully to its viewers but just gives it as what it is. That emotional intimacy can be romantic and familial without needing inherent sexuality.

5. Klaus Hargreeves from The Umbrella Academy
MY LOVE, MY BOY.

The Umbrella Academy is another fantastic show about familial and complex childhood trauma. Out of seven siblings, Klaus is the disaster child. He's hedonistic and rebelled against his abusive father by intentionally failing him, instead of vying for his father's affection. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as really, all the kids in the show are different facets and responses to trauma and abuse.

But I like it and find it interesting; almost self-sabotaging in a way to have the people who hurt you see you as no longer useful and write you off. In that sense, no longer being emotionally at their behest.

Klaus is extremely hedonistic, is an addict, unapologetic leech, and he's dismissed a lot by his family in the beginning. He's the child that calls out and acknowledges the abuse. In that sense the disruptor and motivator for his siblings to process and achieve emotional growth and closure. I like disastrous, explosive characters that motivate. Like a personification of The Tower major arcana card. Despite his shortcomings, he's surprisingly sometimes the most level-headed with suggestions. He has a really good intuition and insight a lot of his family is otherwise blind to because of them working through their own stuff still.

I also of course adore Klaus for his queerness and gender non-conformity, and the beautifully tragic love story he goes through. And his dry sarcasm and wit as a coping mechanism.

He's okay with not being okay because he was really fucked up by his upbringing. I vibe with that hard, and also, it makes for great character exploration.

6. Elektra Evangelista from Pose
An absolute trans icon of media. Spit on me and murder me, mother.

But for real, Elektra Evangelista is a fantastic character. This is what LGBT+ people mean by wanting good representation. She's a complex person. Often an outright asshole. But an asshole shaped by the uninhabitable world and times she lived in, a black trans woman in the midst of the AIDS epidemic that the government turned a blind eye to and let so, so many people die because of their deviation from the assumed "norm" (happy pride month lol).

Elektra wields her beauty, intellect, and tongue mercilessly, taking care of herself by any means necessary. She's a tragic and damaged person, so damaged that most of her screentime is her peacocking around face beat to the gods and dressed to the nines, posturing to find security and status in the only community she can be apart of. She's nearly comically cutthroat, always primed to stab backs, but Blanca acts as a fantastic foil and sister to her, forgiving her every single time in a patient and kind yet exhausted manner. Blanca can't begrudge Elektra for her struggles, because they are the same struggles they both face together as black trans women in America in their time period.

Elektra is so gorgeous and cunning, and has some absolutely chilling, ugly, raw emotional moments. It's so heartbreaking and fantastic. And I can't wait to do that in-character.

Of course, I love her cattiness too. But fuck, she's just so complex.

7. Bonus Round! Pray Tell from Pose
im too lazy to write this right now. but i love pray tell too. devastating wonderful beautiful loving stories. pose is fantastic and will wrap you up in a warm blanket of love and then punch you in the face

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TL;DR i'm a traumatized homosexual idk what you expected
 
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LuxTop

Legend of Altera
Alright-alright boys and gals,
You totally asked for it, you got it.
It is Finished {John 19:30}
〘{✧}〙
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Reinhard von Strussen Blud
1. Sauron
heavy inspiration was drawn from the famous villain of Tolkien's series. Reinhard is best described not by the conventionally known imagery of the Dark Lord in his dark armour, or as an Eye of Fire floating above a heavily fortified tower in volcanic wastelands, but as Sauron in his fair form - as Annutar, Lord of the Gifts. Like him, Reinhard uses his appearances and knowledge to influence people around him, but unlike the Great Deceiver, he avoids manipulating people - staying candid, and trying to persuade them without scheming to follow him. He is disinterested in loyal to the money people, but those loyal to the idea, to the cause - he knows, such people are rarely abandoning their paths – they become slaves to the ways, that had shaped their minds and souls. This is the only logical way to build the inner circle, and the most straightforward way to cut off people that won't be changed, even by the reason.


2. Reinhard von Lohengramm another primary inspiration for Reinhard, he practically in his first years in Storm's Landing was the embodiment of the character. An extremely ambitious man, aspiring to create his own legacy, one that would stand the test of time for as long as possible. Both men rule by methods of Loving Dictatorship, they rule with the sincere and efficient care for their people, and yet, there is difference - HW Reinhard doesn't subscribe to notion that power belongs to just one generation, and he seeks to pass it unlike his LOGH counterpart. Similarly, their views on corruption differ, although - he hadn't been tested yet in that regard by his immediate circle.

3. Homelanderfrom the Boys, Homelander is the perfect depiction of Reinhard's dark side, an animalistic one. It hadn't been unleashed yet, but the man had been on the verge of it. It had been progressively more expressive as pent-up emotions grew in magnitude. Both characters have flickering expressions, unprecedented cruelty, and superiority complex that shows through when stress is through the roof, which is nearly daily in conventional less they get relieved. They are driven by their instincts, that stem from deep craving of being loved and admired by close to them people and the masses, - that, however, creates the dissonance between what they wish to achieve – complete freedom, to do as they please, stemming from lack of agency or futility of it, and coveted admiration of the public. For Reinhard, the general public had died. He risked his own happiness, his own Happy Ending at the time, to do good for the people as a hero, but his sacrifices and efforts had been neglected - he wasn't paid for his service at jobs nor appraised for heroic deeds, not anyhow awarded, but instead ignored - left to heal on his own the carried morbid wounds while all the rest around him got bandaged and healed, cared for, paid for, even if they engaged in less heroics than he did. He is done appeasing the public at sacrifice of his own interests. They judged him based on unfounded rumors, and ignored who he really is, and what he did for them. He tried to change them, but their beliefs about him are left unchallenged even in sight of evidence, and that frustrates and alienates him even more from the public.

4. Kenlike the famous Barbie toy, Reinhard had been practically an accessory to many Barbies he had been with – and like Ken, he hadn't been played with properly, left on a shelf – neglected. He faced unhealthy relations over and over, desperately romanticizing each new Barbie he committed himself to - only to face unrequited love, where all affection and attention was for Barbie, and not for him. No matter how open, how dedicated he was, it always ended in unbalanced relations. He still doesn't know how to attain the balance, but at least he grew more experienced to analyze his and his love's behaviour, to determine what to work on. Ultimately, Rein is a pretty boy, a toy, to satisfy his Barbie, for that's the only way of relaxing he has, the only person he can express his pent-up emotions with and relieve the stress with. That's his Rein-ergy, akin to Ken's Ken-ergy, to be always there for Barbie.

5. Stuntman the closest embodiment of Reinhard among the literally me characters is from Drive. Isolated, emotionally detached from the majority of public, and stuck in the system of violence, at fear of losing those he cares for. The society punished him when it became apparent that he was speaking against their easy way of living - of the world that was black and white, where holy is good and unholy is bad. They see not the profound injustice behind their acts, their hypocrisy, - but Reinhard did. He wished to get rid of the root of the matter - influence of gods, the hegemony over generations of people, only to find himself betrayed despite his rationale by people he invested himself into - his former colleagues and friends. When he tried to claim their support, dismiss the slander - they ignored it, punishing him for his strength when he fought demons and other dangers, bringing the true change they didn't for the better of the society. The society wanted him crushed, shackled, showing no strength, no emotions, but he didn't comply to it. Like Ryan Gosling's character, Reinhard finds himself in extremely unfavorable circumstances, compelled to do actions that do not represent him - getting his hands dirty. He finds it necessary now to do, but he doesn't accept himself as a criminal - he thinks he is a good person. Unlike Ryan Gosling's character, Rein is only starting to get in criminal world, hoping to balance the paths for the future of his family.

6. Gru the most profound and brilliant character out of the aforementioned. Like Gru, Reinhard has his own goofy imp minions, and even Doctor to do the evil bidding with him. Whole Altera trembles before these evil geniuses, and their iconic theme song.
 

Crusader_Of_Man

Lord of Altera
Legend
Crusader_of_Man
Crusader_of_Man
Legend
This took awhile.


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1 Dimitri: Fire Emblem Three Houses
A great Lord and warrior, Dimitri. I drew inspiration from him due to his ruthlessness on the field of battle and his duty; what he is called to do and what he will accomplish in his story of Three Houses. He is lost, unsure of how to continue in the path but finds the way. Leonhardt was lost, but found himself once more. As he grew, his flame was reignited; Leonhardt had a great flame extinguished before coming back to his senses, as did Dimitri. The idea of a lion lost, without his pride, oft haunts Leonhardt as he finds himself in this situation. He will reclaim what he once had, establishing his company once more.
2 Asgore: Undertale
A father misguided, Asgore. The mountain king plays a larger role in inspiration than most think, as he was the inspiration for the proto-leonhardt. Asgore has always been an inspiration for Leonhardt, though it was a backseat role as Leonhardt is based off another character I thought of. As time progressed, Leonhardt inherited the qualities of doing what he thought was best for his people, even if it meant sacrificing his image to those who loved him. Asgore's wife left him after he did what he did, but it did not stop his quest. It hurts to commit to something, even if it may seem wrong, but it was the only option he thought he had. Leonhardt draws this, being misguided for the most part. He does what he thinks is right, which it may be, but it is usually the wrong option in the grand scheme of things. Asgore is strong, but has this weakness about him, as does Leonhardt.
3 Boromir: LOTR

A great hero and prince of a wounded kingdom, Boromir. Yet again, another use of building upon a character. Leonhardt is a fledgling Lord in the scheme of things, still learning how to lead people with efficency. He only has combat experience rather than leading people as a Lord; Boromir is a great combat leader but saw his own vision of leading. Boromir is a great hero as is Leonhardt, but both of them are not necessarily good leaders of people. Not all are called to lead peoples, but they both can try. .
4 Solaire of Astora: Dark Souls
A knight of the sun, Solaire. Solaire is not a huge character in Dark Souls, but he does one thing. Praise the sun and kick the shit out of evil with his holy light. It's pretty easy to see how this is inspiration for Leonhardt; as he is a warrior of the sun. Despite not being a character of depth, Solaire is inspiration nonetheless for the Golden Knight as he is the archtype in which Leonhardt draws his combat prowess off of. He had no specialty assigned to him when I created him and still, his arms and armour are not blessed by any sense. He may have divine power, but his weapons are mundane and use his own strength rather than divine strength.
5 Ser Duncan the Tall: The Hedge Knight
A strong knight and loyal companion, Ser Duncan. Ser Duncan was Lord Commander of the Kingsguard; a high position in which one must be able to be loyal and trustworthy. Leonhardt at a time, was in a position as such. He is Loyal to his Lord, and no one else in the mortal realm. Ser Duncan was a great swordsman and a noble knight, displaying the properties of the Noble Heart in which Leonhardt spoke of. Duncan was an orphan who had nothing going for him and was picked up by an older Knight. In this way, Leonhardt is the same, being orphaned and picked up by a Lord; Wilhelm Schmidt. He eventually was knighted and continued to train to be a wonderful and strong knight, in which Leonhardt is similar. .
6 General Ironwood: RWBY
A Misguided hero, Ironwood. Here is a longer one, Ironwood. Leonhardt gets his namesake from him when he was known as Leonhardt Ironwood; being a misguided hero. Leonhardt started his adventure as a mercenary and eventually a knight, though he was misguided. He took an iron-fisted approach to a lot of things, getting him in great trouble. His vision may have been good, like the Asgore example for what he was trying to do, but everyone else or those who were scrutinizing him didn't think so. General Ironwood is supposed to be the tin man, heartless, as others have described Leonhardt. Maybe the two are closer than I originally set out to be..
 

FjordOfFrosthill

Lord of Altera
Patron
Pronouns
He/Him
Prince_Akuma27
Prince_Akuma27
Patron
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1. Roy Mustang (FMA:B): Mustang is an arrogant but clever kind of character who loves a bit of mischief once in a while towards his suboordinate Riza Hawkeye. He's also very caring towards his colleagues and underlings and holds them dear which can be shown when he (SPOILERS AHEAD FOR FMA:B) hears of his good friend Mae Hughes death. Roy can also be wrathful towards those who have wronged him such as the homunculi Greed who caused the death of his good friend. These traits are what helped inspire me to create a lot of Fjord's personality and overall attitude but with a pinch more shyness and self-kept

2. Erwin Smith (AoT): Erwin is a very discerning, ambitious and intelligent type of man whos dream is to see the world beyond what is shown to him. Fjord, like Erwin, is these traits as well as calculating whenever he can be and plans heavily for the future so that he can focus on the present at hand. He also accepts most forms of news with an equal look on his face if it involves someone he didn't know at all or if it involved a massive tragedy involving soldiers. Often Fjord questions himself and his decisions a lot like Erwin does, it is one of the reasons why he was an inspiration for creating such a character of complexity whose morals often flip-flop between good and neutral as well as chaotic and lawful. He also wishes to protect and defend people at all costs, even going as far as to give his (Fjord's) blood to a starving Vyre.

3. Vulcan, Roman God of Fire and Smithing: Like Vulcan, Fjord is very clever and crafty when it comes to making crafts and other creations. Such as when he (Fjord) made a box meant for warming towels and blankets for the Willow hospital from impure Fire-Iron. Though while Vulcan and Fjord have many similar traits when it comes to their love of crafts their physical traits are entirely differing from each other due to Vulcan being the ugliest of the Roman pantheon (just like his Greek counterpart Hephaestus.

4. Saint Francis of Assisi (Patron Saint of Nature): Saint Francis was a saint of Roman Catholic origin who was born into wealth due to his father being a silk merchant. Though he would later renounce such a life of wealth and go into poverty instead as to devote himself to God as well as caring for his Lord's creations of nature and the environment. Fjord is like Francis in the same way that they have an affinity towards nature and both are even willing to speak to animals as well as understanding why they behave like such. Though unlike Francis, Fjord didn't come from a life of wealth but was born into an impoverished yet loving home with kind and doting parents.

5. Kratos (God of War 2018 and Ragnarok): Fjord is comparable to the latest renditions of Kratos due to not knowing entirely how to be a good father or even how to parent for that matter. Though he has been learning from close friends that have kids of their own on how to properly raise and care for a child. He is also protective of his family and will put himself before family. Kratos is an inspiration to previous renditions of the character Frederick/Fjord in terms of height and a few personality traits as well (stoic, quick to anger when loved ones are involved, etc).

6. Kenai (Brother Bear): Like Kenai, Fjord is brash, hot-headed, fun-loving, and adventurous who is simply looking for a place in the world. He's also like the bear totem that represents Courage, Protectiveness, Strength, and Love. Though he can be a bit arrogant Fjord means well and holds his family dear like Kenai does for his brothers. Brother Bear holds a great deal of character inspiration in my heart due to nostalgic reasons as well as having good characters with motives and goals who are searching for their place in the world.
 

Chuiden

Legend of Altera
Lore Staff
Staff
Pronouns
He/Him
Hello! This was interesting to reflect on so here it is for Yelena:

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1.) Éowyn- The Lord of the Rings
“What do you fear, lady?" [Aragorn] asked.
"A cage," [Éowyn] said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”


Eowyn served as my initial inspiration for creating Yelena - a leader who is both fierce in battle and compassionate towards her people. Growing up, I was captivated by the world of LOTR in both the books and movies, and aimed to reflect the themes of loss and perseverance in my own character, with Yelena embodying both determination and courage in the face of adversity.

2.) Yelena - Attack on Titan
"Saving the world... Is there a sweeter set of words that charms people more than those? ...Giving yourselves over to that exciting sentiment of saving hundreds of millions of lives, washing all the ill will down your throats like it never existed... That's what you look like in my eyes right now."

"Every country has its problems. The only certain thing is that there are those who stepped forward to put an end to the long history of fear, blood and tears."

"Those brothers will be the subject of tales in many millennia to come, and they will become a symbol. Like the Gods of old."


Yelena was a significant inspiration for my own character, not only in name, but also in behavior. I found her actions in the show to be intriguing and her unwavering faith served as a foundation for (my) Yelena's characterization. Particularly her impulses, such as the way that Yelena fantasizes their ideal world (and later reflecting on it) or committing other unbecoming acts. Although it is toned down to a degree with (my) Yelena where she would rarely act on these impulses, (aot) Yelena serves as a reminder that in certain circumstances, a person doing seemingly rational things can become irrational or completely flip the script. Additionally, her appearance also served as inspiration for Yelena's (along with Eowyn).

3.) Sypha Belnades - Castlevania
"Sypha, do you have my back?"
"Always."


Magic user and general badass, but also a leader and loyal to her friends. Her analytical mindset, strategic thinking, confidence, and compassion resonated with me and are part of what Yelena strives toward. Another part taken from Sypha is her unwavering dedication to remove unquestioned evil from the world, safe guarding her companions as well as the world around her. What Sypha wears in the show also inspired part of what Yelena wears, as well as her humor.

4.) Jeanne - The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
Jeanne: "Father Ulrich, forgive me for my impudence, but I refuse. You and I belong to the same lot. You are not a noble - you cannot give me orders"
Ulrich: "Tell me, is your indecisiveness motivated by fear or pity? I advise you to consider which of these is more ruinous for an inquisitor."


Jeanne is a character from an obscure visual story novel type game who plays the role of a wavering inquisitor of the old faith (or depending on character choices, a devoted inquisitor), partially inspired by the works of Thomas Mann. Throughout the game, players are presented with various choices that shape Jeanne's character, such as vindicating a hatred to those who practice magic, letting her realize one of her closest friends is a mage, and more. Jeanne herself is a passionate figure with a fascination for the gods, but having been raised by an isolated and discriminating society, she struggles with social connections and often rationalizes her decisions through ends-justify-means thinking. After reading the lore surrounding the game, I was compelled to include part of her characterization with Yelena's backstory and mindset.

5.) Saint Joan of Arc
"You say that you are my judge. Take thoughts over what you are doing. For, truly, I am sent from God, and you are putting yourself in great danger"

"But since God had commanded me to go, I must do it. And since God had commanded it, had I had a hundred fathers and a hundred mothers, and had I been a king's daughter, I would have gone."


Joan of Arc was and remains an inspirational figure to the French and the Christian world as a military leader and breaker of traditional gender roles. Despite her success, Joan was eventually put on trial for heresy, and accused of a variety of charges including wearing men's clothing, hearing voices, and not submitting her deeds to the Church. Her refusal to conform to societal expectations and her unwavering commitment to her faith, ultimately led to her execution. Her ability to connect with her faith without being constrained by the societal pressures and expectations that surrounded her is what I found inspirational to Yelena's characterization.

6.) Portia - The Merchant of Venice
"The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath"


Portia is the female protagonist in William Shakesperes The Merchant of Venice. This is a character that's not the most heroic figure, as her treatment of Shylock (the play's antagonist) is perhaps unjust. In her famous monologue "The quality of mercy is not strained", Portia urges the court to show mercy to Shylock, but the court ultimately decides to strip him of his wealth and force him to convert to christianity and does little to protest; in fact she urges him to comply. She's nevertheless presented as a complex and dynamic character that defies societal expectations and stereotypes, outsmarting suitors, and being resourceful and compassionate to her peers. I watched this play after creating Yelena as a character, however, I found certain comparisons that were salient and relevant to how I play Yelena now, including the way she speaks generally.

7.) Others
Just briefly, some other characters that played a small part in inspiring Yelena and I couldn't help but include: (7) Alicent Hightower from House of the Dragon (season 1), (8) Ellen Barethon from The Crown and the Dragon (appearance; a bad movie otherwise), (9) Guinevere from Merlin (really good show), and (10) Kathryn Janeway from Star Trek: Voyager (another good show).

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Hope you found this insightful!
 

Mr.Slime

Lord of Altera
Legend
Staff
Mr_00Slime
Mr_00Slime
Legend
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Before you call the OC Police, character inspirations don't have to be characters but maybe cultures or music! (Also didn't find enough characters that are both meaningful and distinct. Also art credit to Mud :> )

Irish lad | Early Concept
When I first conceived Andrew, the younger brother of Galaxy's character Eria D'Amryun, I thought of what would make a cool annoying brother. Initially Andrew was based around the broad stereotypes for irish folk: Kind, easy going, inviting and hot-headed. His accent, red hair and overall attitude had it's origins there. The characteristics just so happen to overlap with the peaceful and rural lifestyle of Hallfings and even with his homeland of Astrum Island where the fictional language is just Gaelic. He was 6 when I made him in 2020 and 2'6". He's changed alot since then.

Oh Hellos | The Vibe
I think themes are integral in a way. A song can say so much with little words. For Andrew, it was the 'Oh Hellos' band. Their folky type of music, being both easy going and also full of vigor kind of resonates with Andrews character and his rural aesthetic. Soldier Poet King, New River, Second child restless child, Thus always to Tyrants were all songs that helped me capture the vibe I wanted for Andrew. Now I have a playlist of 15 songs curated whenever I need to get into an Andrew headspace. Notably, almost all these songs are very upbeat or very fast. A reflection of his optimism and impulsiveness.

David vs Goliath | The Underdog
Baby Andrew was not even 3 foot and wanted to be the greatest warrior. I deliberately chose for him chase a goal nigh impossible for someone his stature, because that makes him the ultimate underdog. Sure I could've gone the easy route and have Andrew be a human, but where's the struggle in that. A warrior fights and as a Halfling, he simply had to fight twice as hard as any regular human to be where he is now. David is pretty much the same. While the entire army was to afraid to fight Goliath in a 1 on 1, one smart shepherd boy was brave enough to approach him. That unshaken bravery, standing in front of foes twice your size is what makes Andrew a warrior.

Sun Wukong - Journey to the West | The Childish
Most famous for inspiring Sun Goku, Sun Wukong or the Monkey King is a chaotic stone monkey that loves to fight and cause trouble. While not directly inspiring Andrew, he inspired the trope behind Andrew's character traits. The not so serious nor bright but still powerful and with earnest heart character trope. His impulsiveness, silliness and most importantly his upbeat nature. Sun Wokung doesn't think twice and typically jumps right into action like Andrew would. When playing him as a child his theater kid ADHD was the reason why he was so fun to play, especially in contrast to most gloomy and morally grey characters.

Spider-Man | The friendly neighborhood hero
Andrew always seemed like a comic book nerd if he lived in modern times. Spider-Man kind of reflects his humility. There's dozens of iterations of the character. The one I'm talking about is the one that would just want to help the people of the neighborhood instead of saving the universe. Hence, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Andrew is in the guard and acts pretty much the same. He doesn't care about politics or hell rifts as long as the innocent everyday folks (or mostly NPCs) are safe. He would try to help out the community, from giving out food to preventing conflict. Spider-Man stands up for the little guy and so does Andrew, cause he knows how it is to be smaller than life.

Superman | The Paragon
While Andrew is not as powerful as Superman, but they share a core in optimism. Often forgotten about Superman in certain movies is his just pure of heart personality, which partially shows itself in Andrew. One of my favorite choices I made with Andrew is to not give him a tragic origin story. He lived a happy childhood with caring parents and siblings. He's not perfect, he's still flawed but the thing he wants to do is to share his happiness and kindness he got to learn growing up to people less fortunate. Even to the most despicable criminals, he would not hesitate to give them a helping hand to a second chance in life. He has never murdered someone and never intends to. Similar to Andrew, Kent's farmlife childhood was happy and fulfilling. Superman is not Superman because of his powers, it's because of Clark Kent, the happy and healthy person that got to grow up and made the active choice to help people instead of hurt them.

Paragons are simple and corny but so darn fun and heartfelt when done right.
 

Electric

professionally deranged
Retired Staff
electricwisekid
electricwisekid
Legend
Before you call the OC Police, character inspirations don't have to be characters but maybe cultures or music! (Also didn't find enough characters that are both meaningful and distinct. Also art credit to Mud :> )
Hell yeah, absolutely
 
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