Character Creation Tag [Alistair]
Thanks for tagging me, @pens-swords-stuff <3Ā
Since Iām writing for Post-Script at present, I thought Iād muster up the creativity to write some stuff about Alistair in his originalĀ āverse.
1) What was the first element of your OC that you remember considering (name, appearance, backstory, etc.?)
Ā So, Alistair was first designed for one of the first roleplays I ever joined ā a vampire one, naturally ā and though it was about five years ago now that he was made, I definitely decided on concept first. That original version is a bit embarrassing, but when I remade him at first for For Queen and Country, I wanted him to be a smooth-talking businessman, a well-known figure in his local community, but in a ābig fish, small pondā kind of way.
The result was a vampire whoās lived for centuries, but instead of running for parliament or anything like that, he owns most of the rental properties in the area and spends all his time on petty, low-level politics. Like, Facebook-group level drama.
Obviously when reworking him for Post-Script (a Harry Potter AU written with @pens-swords-stuff) he kept some of that, and understanding politics remains a large part of his character there. But Iāll be focusing on For Queen and Country for this ask game.
2) Did you design them with any other characters/OCs from their universe in mind?
I will be the first to admit that I brainstorm everything about my characters withĀ @pens-swords-stuff. In Alistairās case, the journalist Blake is a huge part of his story (and vice versa!).
3) How did you choose their name?
I liked the name Alistair, and it just seemed to fit. His surname changed once or twice before settling on Queen. No relation to the title of the work For Queen and Country, just a happy little accident.
Additionally, I also decided later on that he would have Anglicized his name after a few centuries, so his birth name would have been Alasdair. Surnaming in Scotland actually took place later than in the rest of the UK, so he wouldnāt have been given one at birth. Instead, I figured he adopted the surname Macqueen in the 17th or 18th century during a foray into clan politics and Anglicized it upon moving to London.
Ā Plus, itās fun when vampires who knew him in the early days still call him by his old name.
Ā 4) In developing their backstory, what elements of the world they live in played the most influential parts?
So the rough idea of For Queen and Country is that the Other (supernatural creatures) exist in secret, but their society gets blown wide open shortly before the story begins thanks to social media, bad luck, and a touch of conspiracy.
Ā 5) Is there any significance behind their hair colour?
Ā 6) Is there any significance behind their eye colour?
Ā 7) Is there any significance behind their height?
Not particularly ā heās about average height (5ā9ā).
8) What (if anything) do you relate to within their character/story?
Itās pretty hard for me to relate to Alistair. Heās a capitalist, semi-ambitious, from an entirely different time period, and is just at home in a city, in the limelight, in any social situation. At times this makes him very hard to write for.Ā
Ā 9) Are they based off of you, in some way?
I mean, heās from Scotland. I think when writing his off-handed jokes (of which there are a lot) theyāre not too dissimilar from my own sense of humour. Maybe a little less crude.
Ā 10) Did you know what the OCās sexuality would be at the time of their creation?
Oh, for sure ā Alistair has always been and will always be bisexual.
Ā 11) What have you found to be most difficult about creating art for your OC (any form of art: Writing, drawing, edits, etc.)?
Hi my nameās McHaggis, Iām 20 and I canāt fuckinā draw.
Ā 12) How far past the canon events that take place in their world have you extended their story, if at all?
Ā Not that far to be honest. I have reimagined him for several different settings and universes, though.
Ā 13) If you had to narrow it down to 2 things that you MUST keep in mind while working with your OC, what would those things be?
Ā 1. He has a minor obsession with money, or rather, not being poor himself, hence why he continues to seek out financial opportunities and has safeguards upon safeguards even though heās pretty loaded. Call it childhood trauma: he lived and died as a pauper on the streets, and he has a very good memory.
2. I donāt want him to be apathetic about anything, especially life. Living for so long, it seems like it would get boring, but I think vampires (and Alistair in particular) perceive the world and the passage of time differently, so to him there are still infinite opportunities out there, and if he must do something heās done before, itās strongly nostalgic rather than repetitive.
14) What is something about your OC that can make you laugh?
Ā Vampire jokes, my dudes. Classic.
15) What is something about your OC can make you cry?
I donāt think thereās anything about Alistair that would make me cry.
Half-vampires (dhampires) exist in this universe, but they tend to have a lifespan of about 35 years. Alistair has been a father before, to a suitably angsty conclusion each time.
Ā 16) Is there some element you regret adding to your OC or their story?
Ā I definitely regret making him such an old-ass vampire when I have to research history and what he would have been doing in a certain century.
Ā 17) What is the most recent thing youāve discovered about your OC?
He has a sister now - Vanessa!Ā Found family rather than blood relatives, but still. It filled a gap in his overall character for close friends and family, as I wondered for a time if he wouldnāt have any of those.
Ā 18) What is your favourite fact about your OC?
Ooh, a toughie. Probably the fact that he has no angst whatsoever about being a vampire, but neither does he think itās anything special - itās not a curse or a gift, itās just no big deal. Heād be happy to offer it to anyone heās sort-of friends with and would like to stick around for more than a few decades.
Also, he had a glam rock phase.
UHHHH some tags! I just chose some folks whose writing Iād like to know better, feel free to do or not do at your leisure (apologies if this aināt your jam, or if youāve been tagged in it many times before)~
@scottish-hellhound, @kit-tells-a-story, @hell-yeah-writing, @sweetsweetbabytree,Ā @autofoebia, @1kwordsand10littlecandies