Nature/Demeanor
By falconesse | September 15, 2009
Those of you familiar with White Wolf’s Old World of Darkness character sheets (note: link goes to a .pdf of the Mage sheet) might remember a couple of traits up in the very top section: nature and demeanor.
Nature described your character’s true self: who she was when no one else was looking. Demeanor defined who and what your character wanted the rest of the world to think she was. It made for some interesting combinations — someone whose nature was “manipulator” might present themselves to the world as an “Honest-Abe” to better control situations. Or a visionary/thrill-seeker: someone who’s out there taking chances left and right, because maybe, deep down, they think they’ll find meaning (even if the rest of the world just thinks they’re a reckless adrenaline junkie).
There’s a great list of archetypes at the White Wolf Wikia site. It’s by no means conclusive, but it’s a good start. Go take a peek.
While a character’s nature and demeanor could, conceivably, match, it was interesting to me when they were different. The moments when a character’s hidden nature made itself manifest were some of the best RP moments out there.
I especially loved it as a GM, knowing when one of my players was acting based on his/her nature and everyone else attributed those actions to something completely different. Or when they all sat and blinked for a moment, realizing that something Significant (yes, capital S) had just happened, and they were seeing another side of a character whose every facet they’d been sure they’d known.
When I create any new character — for our weekly tabletop game, for WoW, and even for my own writing projects — I keep that list in mind and ask myself, “Who does this character think he is? Who does he want everyone else to think he is?” How do those perceptions work together? How do they conflict? When they contradict one another, which trait is going to rise to the fore?
Notice that first question, too — sometimes who a character believes him- or herself to be is skewed, and you have to break the idea of “nature” down even further — their true nature and the nature to which they aspire. Maybe it’s who they used to be, or who they think they ought to be. (For a really great example of this, and to shamelessly plug an excellent book, look at the character of Carl Shivers in Joe Abercrombie’s Best Served Cold. )
They don’t even have to realize that two nature exist within themselves. The conflict between might be slight, or one might conceal itself neatly within the other. I’d argue that for a long while, Gaius Baltar from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica filled this description — things that he insisted proved his altruism and selflessness (even and especially to himself) also proved his amazing capacity to cover his own ass.
Both of these traits may very well change over the course of the character’s life — I don’t think Davien started out as a Penitent/Defender, but I’d say it’s what fits her best now.
Take a look at the list — what are your characters’ natures and demeanors? Are there any archetypes you’d add to the list if you don’t see them there?
7 Comments
Itanya Blade on September 15, 2009 at 4:15 pm.
Pill’s demeanor is definately that of a Bon Vivant – Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. her nature is probably closer to a defender.
Dorri’s demeanor is that of a bravo. her nature is somewhere between a conformist and a child.
Then’liath is actually the most complicated. She comes off as an auto-crat. She believes she’s a care-giver, but the truth is that she is a traditionalist.
Hammaryn on September 15, 2009 at 4:52 pm.
Hammaryn is most definitely a fanatic, demeanor wise. She can turn any topic into either the virtue of the Light, or the evil of the scourge. Her nature is probably an Autist or a Child. She hides everything she’s scared or unsure of under zealotry. And getting her to talk about her past is extremely difficult.
Tarq on September 16, 2009 at 2:40 am.
Interesting. Tarq does his best to come off as something between a Bravo and a Defender, but he’s a Manipulator at heart. Everyone’s got an angle, after all, even if they’re too dumb to realize it.
Jak’s difficult to pin down. There’s a great deal of Cavalier to him, both inside and out, but in a lot of ways he’s a Conformist – happy with what he’s got and afraid of fucking it up again.
Omega2 on September 16, 2009 at 6:23 am.
Oooh, I loved Nature/Demeanor in the old WoD! I think that system, plus the D&D Alignment system, makes for a very good way to define the basics of your character in just a few concepts.
Betria (Hunter) is a Thrill-Seeker/Optimist, Chaotic Good. Voyaged the world to try to see the most of it before enlisting and ended up shooting most of it. She became addicted to adrenaline and is now in the Expedition taking a beating in Northrend. She never quite loses her positive outlook for too long, even in the face of really long odds. Fairly transparent character.
Hardclaw (Druid) is Loner/Fanatic, Lawful Neutral. Another transparent one: he spent most of his time alone, likes being alone, and would rather most people left him alone. Yet, he’s bound to the druidic hierarchy and organization and will never refuse it’s call. Due to another character’s (Chelody’s) actions, he’s starting to change from Loner to Judge, reflecting his new contact with society mixed with his feral outlook in life.
Argol (Warrior, former Mage) is a Penitent/Survivor, Neutral Good. He went through and did so many things in the Draenei’s exile from their home planet and then from Draenor, he feels he has to earn his right to keep existing for so long. Yet, he’s perseverance incarnate on the surface.
Rikkard (Warlock) is a Bravo/Defender, Lawful Evil. Deep down, he’s a cruel man who revels in death and destruction. He’s smart enough to keep his demons (both inner and outer) at bay, so he focuses all that bloodlust on his enemies. Honest and regal due to a stern upbringing in a noble family, he will stand up for the people he likes and he’ll be indifferent to people he doesn’t care for, but his enemies -will- end begging to be turned into cinders if he has the final word on it.
Ezma on September 16, 2009 at 3:15 pm.
On the outside, Ezma is very much an Autocrat/Survivor. Keeping her head down, trying to enforce a sense of order and attempting to find some comfort within her own skin. Inside, she is a Penitent and tries to justify her insane existence even to herself. Probably a touch of Loner too. She craves some contact but is incredibly out of her element in her attempts to get it.
Dir was harder.. he’s a bit more multi-layered. His jaded, pleasure seeking shell would probably be labeled as Celebrant. He likes his reputation as a shameless man-whore. It covers his more vulnerable inner self, a Defender/Caregiver. He has a touch of Child to him too though he finally seems to be growing up a bit and shedding it. While he has slept around ALOT, he’s probably got a history of picking lovers who have some deep seated need he tries to fill. It probably makes for alot of baggage with his ex-lovers.
*coughs and stares pointedly at Dorri*
Itanya Blade on September 16, 2009 at 3:54 pm.
WUT?
Kat on September 17, 2009 at 11:26 am.
I found Katanya to be a little difficult to place. It seems like she skirts the edges of several of those things, but I’m not sure which of them fit strongest with her. She’s definitely a Caregiver. She gets so wrapped up in taking care of everything and everyone else, she forgets to take care of herself. She has difficulty admitting when she needs help, because she struggles with being seen as weak. Hammaryn may have had a hand in that.
She’s a Perfectionist, and while she screws up plenty, she’s hard on herself for it. She’s SUPPOSED to be perfect, or so she was raised to think. Perfect manners, perfect posture, perfect hair… but she isn’t perfect, and she can’t solve it all herself.
She’s a Jobsworth in that she thrives on routine. Her day doesn’t vary much in how it’s set up, and when Dir asks her to change it around for him, she’s got to really convince herself to do so. Not because she doesn’t want to be with Dir….in fact, it’s that need to be with him that overrides the need to keep everything the same.
And from time to time she’s a bit of a Manipulator. She was raised in a world of masks and lies and knows the game well. More often than not she’s good at not letting on when something is wrong or when she dislikes someone. She’ll let some people see below the layers, such as her friends, but even then she hides things.
All that being said, she’s been known to deviate from her set patterns from time to time. She tries to anticipate and plan her reactions, but sometimes she can’t predict the outcome of things. In those situations she isn’t sure how to react. It’s interesting to watch her struggle through it.