The Basics: Filling out the character profile :-

At TOA, we ask for you to fill out four basic sections in your character profile.  These can be as detailed or as simple as you like, although don't feel you have to skrimp on detail so that others think of your character as 'mysterious'.  A good rp'er will not use OOC knowledge about a character IC.  The four sections are:

Names:  Some people find them easy, others difficult.  Try not to choose unpronouncable names, or at least provide a phonetic guide, and keep in mind that there are MANY overused names (or parts of names):

• Dark
• Soul
• Blood
• Night
• Angel
• Storm

to name but a few.  It's not a rule, of course, but while they may sound cool, there are probably about a million other characters already in the list that have some derivative of the name.

A name can say a lot about a person, and the same is true of your character: often people take great care on their creation's name.  If you get stuck, there are plenty of good name generators on the net.  Some examples below:

• Fantasy Name Generator
• Hobbit Name Generator
• Elvish Name Generator

Race:  Again, you have a fairly free reign here.  Whatever race you pick, try to stay true to character.  There are some excellent sites out there which will detail character traits.  One of the best ones out there is: Dlabraddath.  It goes into a lot of detail on different types of: Elves (including a separate site for dark elves/drow), half-elves, humans, halfings, gnomes and wizards.  Keep in mind that members are not allowed to play dragons.

History: Prettty self-explanatory.  Keep in mind age when writing out a history as many tend to fall into the trap of having wonderful warrior characters that are barely teenagers, let alone adults.

Appearance: Again, you might want to consult Dlabraddath for typical racial appearances.  You can either lay out your character's statistics, or write a description in prose style.  Check out existing profiles for examples.

Fantasy Cliches: How not to fall into the same old trap.

So.  You've spent the better part of the past hour sussing your character out and writing down his/her credentials and you're finally finished.  You read it through and what do you realise?  You've just churned out yet another cardboard cut-out could-have-come-from-any-number-of-fantasy-novels moron.  Not to worry.  Read on:

• Take a glance through the character profiles.  Have you ever noticed how many people have a fixation with playing beautiful, charming characters without a flaw inside or out?  Of course, there is nothing wrong with this, but think about the real world: is every person you meet a gorgeous young man/woman who's biggest ambition is to end world hunger?  Nope (unless you're in beauty pagent world, of course).  Give your characters flaws; make them ugly, bad tempered and far from perfect.  You don't have to be unlikable, just real.
• Hand in hand with being beautiful is being young.  Many characters turn out under twenty, and yet have all the experience and skill of someone twice their age.  Don't be afraid to give your character age: I guarantee you, no-one is going to notice.  If you really want to have the experience and youth, play an elf.
• On the opposite end of the spectrum, many people favour the good old anti-hero.  You don't want to save the world and the only reason you're on this damned quest is for the gold.  All well and good, except you run the very real risk of losing your character to stereotype.  Make sure you have good reasons for being so grumpy (and try and steer clear of the 'my whole family and village was wiped out by blood-thirsty orcs and now I am dark and bitter' soap-story) but remember that anti-heroes have feelings to!
• And speaking of of orcs, drow, insert-bad-person-here and villages.  Many people fall into the same old histories: run-away princesses and princes, the sole surivors of terrible raids etc.  Have a dramatic history if you must, but remember, when every person in your party is either a secret royal or hiding some dirty, dark past, the moment when everything is revealed is going to be very anti-climatic.
• Skill.  Everyone wants to be the best of the best of the best - to be able to sword-fight, heal, hop around on one leg and sing the national anthem, all while fending off an army of undead.  Limit what your character can do.  You don't have to be the best at anything either.  Let your character learn on the road.  Or even - shock-horror-gasp - let them find out they really can't do something!

This is by no means a definitive list, and neither is there anything wrong with having a character with cliched traits.  Each to their own, after all.  Got a rant to add?  Post it on the general message board and it might just end up here.