Who are you?

Character creation really comes down to how your character would answer this question. While other systems take a quantitative approach, Playright follows in the footsteps of Risus letting players use words to describe their characters in terms of a tale; a brief history or back story of the character, hooks; the flaws or faults a character has, and clichés; what your character knows how to do.

So let’s go through an exercise that will generate lots of words and see if we can’t turn them into a character that’s fun and interesting. From the character’s point of view, consider the following:

1. What you do Accountant  Apprentice  Archer  Architect  Archaeologist  Barbarian  Barber  Boss  Bouncer  Bounty hunter  Burglar  Butler  Carpenter  Cleric  Clown  Cop  Cowboy  Dentist  Detective  Doctor  Executive  Fighter pilot  Fop Gambler  Gangster  Gunslinger  Hacker  Henchman  Herald  Hunter  Inventor  IT Consultant  Jester  Jock  Judge  Kings man  Knight  Librarian  Medic  Messenger  Nerd  Ninja  Nurse  Outlaw  Piper  Poet  Professor  Prophet  Psychiatrist  Ranger  Robot Rogue  Space samurai  Scientist  Secretary  Sleuth  Soldier  Spy  Starship captain  Teacher  Technician  Thespian  Thief  Vigilante  Warrior  Wizard  Witch  Whiz kid

Think of a setting (your game master may have already provided this) and then think about the kind of jobs you would find in that setting. Something that puts food on the table, or money in your pocket, or helps pass the time:

• Old west?  Gunslinger, Gambler

• Sci-fi?  Starship captain, Space samurai

• Fantasy?  Barbarian, Wizard

Let’s start with a setting of Old west and the job of Gambler. That already speak volumes about who this character might be.

Words: Old west  Gambler

1. 2. What you are

• Race or species  Andorian  Android  Cyborg  Dwarven  Elven  Gnomish  Halfling  Hobbit  Human  Martian  Orcish  Vulcan

Again, driven by the setting, it can be added to a profession to get clichés like:

• Dwarven undertaker ()

• Vulcan accountant ()

• Cybernetic-human hybrid ()

• Supernatural beings  Demi lich  Doppelganger  Giant  Hydra  Medusa  Lich  Mummy  Nook  Orc  Siren  Troll  Vampire  Werewolf  Wolf man 

With the GMs blessing or just because you think its cool:

• Vampire pirate () or Vampirate ()

• Three headed hydra security guard ()

• Medusian supermodel ()

• Gender  Boy  Cisgender  Female  Genderqueer  Gender-fluid  Gender-neutral  Girl  Man  Male  Non-Binary  Transgender  Two-Spirit  Woman  to name a few

This can be implied from the character’s name, or mentioned specifically in their tale, or part of their cliché:

• A boy named Sue ()

• Top half man bottom half mer () or Manmer ()

Usually the character’s first cliché is where you will find their race or species and/or thier supernatural and/or gender description. Let's add a couple more words.

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female

1. 3. Where you’re from  Arctic  Back east  Brooklyn  Calgarian  Canadian  Deep south  East ender  Far north  French  English  Italian  Mars  Out west  Norwegian  Venus

Think geographical and cultural. Planets, countries, cities, neighborhoods as well as nationalities are all fair game:

• Just a kid from Brooklyn ()

• French criminal mastermind () 

• Wanderer of the arctic tundra ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south

1. 4. What you’ve done  Demoted  Discharged  Disgraced  Graduated  Former  Old  Paroled  Past  Pensioner  Reformed  Retired  Widowed

A past can go a long way to answering who you are in the present:

• Former world heavyweight scrabble champion () 

• Big game hunter retired ()

• Reformed chocoholic turned fitness instructor ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer

1. 5. What you believe  Anarchist  Atheist  Budist  Christian  Existentialist  Extremist  Idealist  Naturist  Pacifist  Paigin  Realist

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” - Hamlet (1.5.167-8):

• Budist pianist ()

• Confusionistic logician ()

• Existential crisis worker ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus

1. 6. How committed you are  Apathetic  Dabler  Devoted  Dedicated  Fanatical  Lackadaisical  Lazy  Overzealous  Selfish  Underachieving

Dedication, ambition, and dedication to duty or lack there of are very telling.

• Devoted crew chief ()

• Lackadaisical lackey ()

• Overzealous car park attendant ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow

1. 7. Where you stand  Barron  Broke  Down and out   Lady  Lord  Gangster  On the skids  Poor  Rich  Ruined  Sir  Squire 

Socially and or financially:

• Lord and master of that he surveys ()

• Gangster of love ()

• Dirt poor dirt farmer ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet 

1. 8. Where you belong  Air force  Army  Cavalry  Detectorist  Marine  Navy  Navy seal  Ranger  Scout  Showgirl

Being part of a group can be say a lot about your character:

• Founding member of team hurricane () 

• Blue blazer regular ()

• Naval intelligence operative ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  

1. 9. What you’re like  Chaotic  Cheerful  Cranky  Confident  Cynical  Enthusiastic  Evil  Good  Haughty  Innocent  Inquisitive  Jolly  Lawful  Lecherous  Nasty  Pleasant  Self loathing  Unruly  Unpleasant

Disposition Plenty to choose from here:

• Surly head chef of a failing bistro ()

• Overly jolly executioner ()

• Self loathing IT professional ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  

1. 10. How you look  Beautiful  Breathtaking  Gaunt  Handsome  Muscular  Pasty  Pretty  Ripped  Rugged  Thin  Tight  Ugly  Weathered  Wiry

Whether you’re pretty or not adding a couple of words about your appearance can help paint the picture of who you are:

• Hard-headed man who’s brutally handsome ()

• A girl who’s terminally pretty ()

• Rugged indoorsman ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  Pretty  

1. 11. How you’re known  Extraordinary  Feared  Finest  Legendary  Greatest  Renown  Reveried  World famous 

A reputation that precedes you can be both good and bad:

• Soon to be the world's greatest detective () 

• Finest sword maker that ever lived ()

• Sole survivor of the walk in the park massacre ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  Pretty  Legendary  

1. 12. What drives you  Avenging ___ Getting Revenge  Making  someone pay  Love  Peace  World domination  

This would be the reason your character gets up in the morning:

• Rodent intent on world domination () 

• Spanish swordsman dedicated to avenging his father's death ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  Pretty  Legendary  Making someone pay

1. 13. Where you struggle  Addicted to ___ Afraid of ___   Blind  Drinking problem  Easily intimidated  Hard of hearing  Frail  Forgetful  Gambling problem  In poor health  Needs to have the last word  Out of shape  Never on time  Smokes too much  Weak willed

These are flaws or vices or things that limit or diminish your character. Most likely they will be written as hooks but they can be incorporated into clichés.

• • • • • Out of shape gym teacher () 

        • Easily intimidated security guard ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  Pretty  Legendary  Making someone pay Can’t always gamble  

1. 14. Where you excel  Cleaving things in two  Exceptionally strong  Killer abs  Legs to die for 

There are things that make you special or stand out and would be written as a specialization to a cliché:

• Surly battle dwarf ()

  • that excels at cleving things in two

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  Pretty  Legendary  Making someone pay Can’t always gamble  Legs to die for  

1. 15. When you are  Infant  Toddler  Child  Adolescent  Adult  Middle aged  Senior  Hatchling  Tadpole  Larva

We are talking about your character's stage of life. 

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  Pretty  Legendary  Making someone pay Can’t always gamble  Legs to die for  Adult  

1. 16. Who you hang out with  Boyfriend  Friends in low places  Girlfriend  Gangsters  Men  Women

Who you choose to associate with can really reflect on who you are. Usually this will be incorporated into a character’s tale, mentioned in a hook as a nemesis, recorded as sidekick, but occasionally appear in clichés:

• I got friends in low places and visit often ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  Pretty  Legendary  Making someone pay Can’t always gamble  Legs to die for  Adult  A man  

1. 17. What about others Coveted  Ladies man  Loved  On the trail of ___  Pursued by ___   Revered  Sought after  Worshiped

Try incorporating subplots and relationships into your cliché:

• Accountant that others consult for ïhelp with the ladies ()

• Living lounge legend worshiped from abar ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  Pretty  Legendary  Making someone pay Can’t always gamble  Legs to die for  Adult  A man  On the trail of the man that wronged her  

1. 18. Things you have Family heirloom  Prize possession  Rare magical device  Technological marvel

These would be things above and beyond the usual gear associated with a cliché. Prize possessions, family heirlooms, rare magical devices, that sort of thing. These things could be mentioned in tales, written as hooks for cursed items, but most likely listed as bonus gear. As a cliché:

• A fighter possessed by a pair of sentient axes ()

Words: Old west  Gambler  Human  Female  Deep south  Former dancer  Found Jesus  Committed to the straight and narrow  Trying to make ends meet  Vegas showgirl  Inquisitive  Pretty  Legendary  Making someone pay Can’t always gamble  Legs to die for  Adult  A man  On the trail of the man that wronged her  Granny’s pearls

That’s a lot to consider and a whole lot of words! Let’s see what we can do with them. 

First we’ll take the profession words and use them to start to building clichés: 

• Showgirl

• Gambler

Then let’s add some more words to them:

• A pretty and inquisitive former Vegas showgirl legend ()

  • with legs to die for

• An old west gambler hot on the trail of the man that wronged her ()

Now let’s put some words towards a couple of hooks:

• Only gambles to make ends meet

• I’m going to make “him” pay for stealing granny’s pearls

“Committed to the straight and narrow” could be a hook but let’s try it as a cliché:

• Found Jesus and is committed to the straight and narrow ()

All of this leads towards a tale:

The old west is chalk full of stories like this. A girl from the deep south meets a man and runs off to Vegas. She becomes a legendary showgirl. He steals all her earnings, including a priceless family heirloom and runs off with another prettier showgirl. She loses her job, finds Jesus, and takes up gambling to make ends meet. And dedicates her life to hunting down the man that wronged her!

And don’t forget a name:

Belle Somers

Or to her fans in Vegas: The Belle of the Ball ;-)

That’s one interpretation of the words. I’m sure someone else could take that exact same word pile and turn it into someone completely different.

Keep in mind that just because we ended up with lots of words, it does not mean we have to use them all to create the character.

“Human” was dropped because it’s considered the default species in THIS old west setting and “Female” and “Adult” were dropped because it is implied with “Showgirl” and spoken of in the tale.

Feel free to drop and add words until you get an idea of how to answer the “who are you” question; hopefully in a fun and interesting way.