How well do you know your main character? the SF/F edition

Albedo

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Our nemeses colleagues at YA and mystery/thrillers each get one. It's our turn. The idea is, one person asks a hypothetical question, any question, and the next answers for their main character. Or any character. Or avoids the question. And then asks another question. Repeat. Questions can be as generic, or as esoteric, as you want.


I'll start:

What would your character do if she found out an asteroid was going to hit the (Earth/planet/giant disc supported by a stack of turtles/etc.) in 12 hours?
 

RikWriter

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He'd alert the Republic Fleet command and they'd warp it away from its collision course using the Eysselink drive field on their largest cruisers. Then he'd see to it that the person responsible for letting the damn thing get that close was court-martialed.

My question: If your main character had to choose between saving the life of an innocent child or winning a battle that might be key to saving his or her civilization from defeat, which would they choose?
 
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SamCoulson

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My Answer: He would let the child die and add it to the ever-growing list of his regrets and sins--both his own and from all the memories he has stolen from those he had killed.

My Question: If your main character had the opportunity to achieve his/her ultimate goal through time travel--but such a feat would eliminate their entire existence and wipe themselves from history, what would they do?
 

mrsmig

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My Answer: He'd do it in a heartbeat. At this point he's miserable and views himself as an utter failure.

My Question: which of the five senses does your MC treasure most? If your MC has more than five senses, factor the additional ones in, too. ;)
 
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Vhivi doesn't know what an asteroid is, so wouldn't even know what happened at the moment it did hit.

As to saving a child or winning a battle, that depends on where in the story. At the beginning she would put saving the child above winning a battle, at the point where she is now, she'd likely just say "tough luck" about the child and win the battle. At the end of the story, she would try to do both.

As in asteroids, time travel isn't even a factor. Choosing any solution where she would have to cease to exist is not one chosen until ALL other possibilities are exhausted.

For senses, she would not fathom a world without one of them, and values them all equally. In her current situation, though, smell is one she often regrets (those humans and their habitations STINK).

Question: How would your character react if they have to kill someone in cold blood?
 

ClareGreen

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Answer: Mmm, blood and slaughter.

Question: What's your character's favourite food, and why?
 

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Possessing neither the resources or the knowledge of rocket science, Ralph would probably curse his luck for being stuck on the doomed planet. After a bit of sulking, he'd do some asking around and attempt to con his way into a survivalists bomb shelter and hope there'd be some space for his wife as well.

It all depends on the battle and child, but really, he would repeatedly ask himself how on earth he got himself stuck in the middle of another terrible mess and try to find a way out of saving the child and having to get involved in the fight. After all, it's not his child.

His ultimate goal is so self involved, he wouldn't take the opportunity. Although, if by luck, he had saved the child in the previous battle, he would send it through with very specific instructions to save his hide from the asteroid.

Of the senses, I think he'd regret losing his sense of touch the most. His work is very hands on and most of the runes required for it he had memorized to the point he could do many in the dark.

I think that he'd be in a state of shock. Not from moral dilemma. No reason for someone to die unless it was part of his plan and no plan of his require such direct contact. The shock would be his success since he has almost no training in the defensive arts or weapons training outside of alchemy.

Anything his wife cooks for him. Nothing relieves his stress like a good, home cooked meal. Of course, he might not like it so much if he knew she was secretly an assassin and quite good with poisons.

My question: What is your characters view on organized religion?
 
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DeleyanLee

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Answer 1: There is no organized religion in the Ducal Lands, however there is a loose ancestor worship that Shavonet would deny she practices, though she's extremely proud of her family lineage and all the heroic ducs she's descended from.

Answer 2: Shavonet enjoys reading poetry (or listening to it recited), crawling around in ruins, looking for carvings and artifacts from the Time Before and racing anyone on horseback across the countryside (even if she loses).


Your character has had the worst day of their life--how do they unwind afterwards?
 

PeteMC

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Killing people in cold blood is pretty much what Don does for a living.

Organized religion - he's a (very) lapsed Catholic, and now a Diabolist.

Unwinding after yet another worst day of his life? That's why whisky was invented.

What would your MC choose, money or love?
 

Night_Writer

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She chose money, but it literally tore her apart afterwards.


If a fortune teller walked up to your MC and offered to give a free tarot card reading, how would your character react?
 

RikWriter

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She chose money, but it literally tore her apart afterwards.


If a fortune teller walked up to your MC and offered to give a free tarot card reading, how would your character react?

He'd quote Dean Acheson: "Perhaps the best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time."

Next question: How many brothers and sisters does your MC have?
 
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cat_named_easter

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Dyrne has one, almost-estranged brother, although they are not biologically related. He's isolated himself from both his brother and father.

Next Q: If your character could go back to the beginning of your novel and change one event (either one they were involved with directly or otherwise), what would it be?
 

Tyler Silvaris

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Nick would prevent his mother's assassination, thus also preventing his upbringing by the assassins that killed her.

Next Q: What is it you believe in?
 

PeteMC

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If a fortune teller walked up to your MC and offered to give a free tarot card reading, how would your character react?

He'd laugh in the their face. If they were unlucky, he might show them some real magic.

Next Q: If your character could go back to the beginning of your novel and change one event (either one they were involved with directly or otherwise), what would it be?

He would never have played that game of cards.
 

Coffee Monster

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Nick would prevent his mother's assassination, thus also preventing his upbringing by the assassins that killed her.

Next Q: What is it you believe in?

A: "Kill first, ask questions later."

Q: Who is your character's closest confidant?
 

Tazlima

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Q: Who is your character's closest confidant?

A: That would be Robin, the MC's slightly-insane traveling companion/mentor/fellow outcast. She's the only person he's ever met with a history even more shameful than his own, so he can tell her the truth about himself without fear of being shunned.

New Q: What is your MC's greatest talent?
 

Albedo

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A: That would be Robin, the MC's slightly-insane traveling companion/mentor/fellow outcast. She's the only person he's ever met with a history even more shameful than his own, so he can tell her the truth about himself without fear of being shunned.

New Q: What is your MC's greatest talent?

Is douchebaggery a talent? Quicksilver is so abrasive that she's alienated almost everyone she's ever worked with, but as infamously rude and aggressive towards her colleagues as she is, ribald douchebaggery is grudgingly admired in her culture, and almost expected from academics, so she's had a successful career. It helps she is actually a decent historian, albeit a totally wrong one.


Your character is walking alone through a forest on a moonless night. What is he thinking about? What does he feel? What's that scraping sound?
 

PeteMC

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Your character is walking alone through a forest on a moonless night. What is he thinking about?

How the hell did I get here from Peckham?

What does he feel?
Confused, pissed off, or drunk. In any combination.

What's that scraping sound?
Uh oh. Not again...



What's your MC's relationship with his or her mother?
 

taeray

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What's your MC's relationship with his or her mother?

Not good. She accidentally killed her in an explosion. It still haunts her, even though she deserved it.


Would your character ever have the patience to have kids of their own one day?
 
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Tyler Silvaris

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Would your character ever have the patience to have kids of their own one day?

Yes. He's never really thought about it much and he'd be overprotective, but at the same time he would love them deeply and do anything for them.


Q: You're caught between the choice of dying quietly to uphold your ideals or to strike out against your oppressors and live, but risk becoming the sort of person you hate most. Which do you choose?
 

Mr Flibble

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Would your character ever have the patience to have kids of their own one day?


Three POVS - two male one female

One female and one male have sworn to forgo attachments (including spouses/children) which is probably a VERY good idea, all things considered (because patience? What the hell is that?). They, uh, aren't good parent material. POV 3 doesn't have the opportunity so question is moot


Q - What is the funniest thing ever.
 

spieles

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My novel has two protagonists...

1: The time that her blind best friend accidentally groped her boob.
2: Sadly, poop jokes.

Q. What would your character do if asked to attend a massive family reunion with sack racing?
 

Anna_Hedley

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Q. What would your character do if asked to attend a massive family reunion with sack racing?

His family are gone, so he'd win the sack race but be confused about who was arranging the whole thing.

Question: How does your MC respond to pain?
 

KateJJ

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Question: How does your MC respond to pain?

Depends which god he's got active in his head today. War reacts differently than the Healer who reacts differently than the god of wine...

Question: Your MC gets a new [awesome vehicle/means of transportation] that's his/her dream car. Describe it.