Folklore Friday
Character Building
Greetings, Fellow Adventurers,
It’s another Folklore Friday!
As you know every Friday, we’ll embark on a journey through ancient tales, hidden myths, and mysterious legends that make up the fantasy worlds. Folklore Fridays will dive into the stories that shape the heart of our epic adventures.
So grab your sword, light your lantern, and prepare to journey into realms of fantasy and lore. Who knows what we’ll uncover?
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Your contribution is greatly appreciated. 🙏
THIS WEEK: Character Building
Character building is essential in your fantasy writing because it creates relatable, emotionally engaging protagonists who ground the fantastical elements of the story. Well-developed characters drive the plot, make the world feel more immersive, and allow for deeper exploration of themes like good vs. evil. By giving characters nuanced motivations, struggles, and growth, you can make the story more compelling and the stakes more personal. Ultimately, strong character development ensures that readers care about the journey, making the fantasy world not just a backdrop for adventure but a meaningful space for emotional connection and transformation.
Image Credit: Final Fantasy
This may sound complicated so let’s break it down:
Looks and Behavior
Strengths and Flaws
Trade and Culture
Wants and Needs
Enemies and Allies
Image Credit: Baldur’s Gate 3
LOOKS AND BEHAVIOR
In fantasy writing, a character's looks and behavior are key components that help shape how your readers perceive them, but they should always serve a purpose beyond surface-level description.
Looks while they can evoke initial impressions, looks should be used to reflect something about the character’s personality, background, or role in the story. A hardened, battle-scarred warrior might have a rugged, intimidating appearance, which conveys their history of conflict and survival. Or an elegant sorceress might have a more ethereal or regal look, signaling her connection to magic and higher society.
Behavior is a window into a character's inner life. How a character acts reveals their moral compass, desires, fears, and level of maturity. A character who is quick to anger may be hiding insecurities or trauma, while a calm and collected character could be masking deeper emotional struggles. Behavior is also crucial for creating tension and conflict. If characters have clashing personalities or different goals, their actions can drive dramatic moments.
Examples to consider for looks: Body shape, facial features, hair, skin, accessories, gender, voice, scars and tattoos.
Examples to consider for behaviors: introvert, extrovert, agreeableness, morals, neurosis, openness, and temperament.
I learned about different behavior types in psychology class here is a website that goes more in depth: https://timespro.com/blog/types-of-human-behaviour-in-psychology
Image Credit: Dungeons and Dragons
STRENGTHS AND FLAWS
In fantasy writing, strengths and flaws are crucial for creating well-rounded, dynamic characters that feel real and compelling.
Strengths show what a character excels at, whether it’s a physical ability, a skill, a moral virtue, or a personal trait. These strengths can make a character heroic, admirable, or even capable of saving the day. However, strengths alone aren’t enough to make a character interesting; they need to be balanced by flaws to prevent them from feeling perfect or invincible. (unless that is what you are going for)
Flaws are what make your character relatable, even in a fantastical setting. A flaw can be internal, like pride, or insecurity, or external, like physical limitations or a bad habit. Flaws create tension and conflict, both internal (struggling with one's own weaknesses) and external (conflicting with others due to those weaknesses). A character's flaws also provide opportunities for growth and development, how they overcome, learn to manage, or even embrace their flaws can drive a meaningful character arc.
Examples of different Strengths: Physical Strength, Magical Power, Courage, Intelligence, Wisdom, Leadership, Compassion, Empathy, Loyalty, Stealth, Agility, Healing, Charisma, Influence, Resilience, Creativity, Determination, Honesty, Adaptability, and Optimism
Anakin Skywalker suffered from many flaws: Jealously, Stubbornness, Anger, and his Ego.
Examples of different Flaws: Arrogance, Impulsiveness, Pride, Stubbornness, Greed, Jealousy, Self-doubt, Fear, Insecurity, Vanity, Dishonesty, Selfishness, Cowardice, Anger, Recklessness, Envy, Cynicism, Pessimism, Laziness, Guilt, and Vulnerability.
Image Credit: Iron Man 2008.
TRADE AND CULTURE
In fantasy writing, the inclusion of trades and culture in character creation adds layers of authenticity and depth to your world.
Trades shape a character’s skill set, profession, and how they interact with society. Whether they’re a humble blacksmith crafting weapons for heroes, or a bard weaving songs that influence hearts. These professions provide a window into the economy, daily life, and social structure of your fantasy world.
A character’s culture from their rituals to their clothing deeply influences their worldview, values, and how they approach challenges.
Examples of different Trades: Blacksmithing, Alchemy, Herbalism, Merchandising, Innkeeping, Hunting, Fishing, Farming, Wizardry, Healing, Bardic Performance, Apothecary, Priesthood, Knighthood, Thievery, Espionage, Tinkering, Creature Caretaker, Cartography, Scribing, Brewing, Shaman, Candle Making, Weaving, Stone Masonry, and Witchcraft.
Examples of different Cultures: Rituals, Traditions, Festivals, Clothing, Cuisine, Religion, Language, Architecture, Music, Dance, Folklore, Mythology, Tattoos/Body Modifications, Literature, and Ceremonies.
Image Credit: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Narnia and Pan’s Labyrinth
WANTS AND NEEDS
In fantasy writing, a character's wants and needs are fundamental drivers of their journey, shaping their decisions, relationships, and your story’s emotional core.
Wants are what a character desires on the surface, these are often external goals that they believe will bring them happiness, power, or fulfillment. Wants often propel a character forward, giving them motivation and purpose.
Needs, are deeper, often internal and emotional. These are the things that a character requires for their growth. A character might need redemption, love, or forgiveness, but they may not immediately recognize these needs. Sometimes, a character’s need can directly conflict with their want, leading to compelling tension and conflict.
Examples of different Wants:
Power, Revenge, Wealth, Freedom, Fame, Love, Justice, Immortality, Knowledge, Vengeance.
Examples of different Needs:
Redemption, Self-acceptance, Healing, Love, Compassion, Humility, Closure, Belonging, Emotional growth, Truth, Inner peace, and Purpose.
Image Credit: The White Witch The Chronicles of Narnia
ENEMIES AND ALLIES
In fantasy writing, enemies and allies are essential to your narrative as they shape the protagonist’s journey, providing both external conflict and emotional depth.
Enemies whether they’re dark lords, or inner demons, force your protagonist to confront their fears, and desires, driving their growth.
Allies offer the support, friendship, and guidance needed to overcome these challenges. They can provide wisdom, strength, or emotional grounding, and often represent a variety of moral perspectives.
Examples of different Enemies:
Rivals, Tyrants, Monsters, Corrupt Leaders, Murderers, Assassins, and Criminals.
Examples of different Allies:
Loyal Friends, Lovers, Mentors, Siblings, Fellow Adventurers❤️, Monarchs, Healers, Spirits, Guardians, Elders, and Legendary Creatures.
Are you enjoying Folklore Fridays? Any tips are greatly appreciated and help me continue to create and share more content like this. Thank you so much for your generosity and encouragement! 🙏❤️
Character Creation Checklist✅:
1. Looks and Behavior
Looks: Body shape, facial features, hair/skin, scars/tattoos, clothing, voice
Behavior: Introvert/extrovert, moral compass, temperament, emotional control, conflict-driven actions
2. Strengths and Flaws
Strengths: Physical/magical power, intelligence, courage, resilience, leadership, empathy, stealth, loyalty
Flaws: Arrogance, impulsiveness, pride, greed, self-doubt, anger, cynicism, vanity
3. Trade and Culture
Trade: Occupation e.g., blacksmith, wizard, healer, thief, merchant, bard
Culture: Rituals, traditions, language, religion, cuisine, music, folklore
4. Wants and Needs
Wants: Power, revenge, fame, wealth, knowledge, freedom
Needs: Redemption, self-acceptance, love, truth, emotional growth, belonging
5. Enemies and Allies
Enemies: Rivals, tyrants, monsters, murderers, corrupt leaders, inner demons
Allies: Loyal friends, mentors, adventurers, spirits, guardians, family
BONUS MATERIAL! Feel free to copy and paste the following into a word document, and see if you can fill in the boxes for characters you have already created, or use it to help build new characters.
CHARACTER CREATION SHEET
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Race/Species:
Occupation/Trade:
Title/Rank (if applicable):
Affiliation (ex. Faction, Guild):
Appearance:
Physical Traits:
Facial Features:
Hair:
Skin:
Clothing/Armor:
Other Notable Features:
Personality & Behavior:
Temperament:
Introvert or Extrovert:
Moral Compass (Good, neutral, evil):
Main Personality Traits:
Strengths:
Physical Strengths:
Magical Strengths:
Mental Strengths:
Social Strengths:
Other Notable Strengths:
Flaws:
Internal Flaws:
External Flaws:
Vices:
Emotional Flaws:
Other Notable Flaws:
Background & Culture:
Backstory:
Trade/Profession:
Cultural Identity:
Family & Relationships:
Social Standing/Position in Society:
Wants and Needs:
Wants:
Needs:
How Will Their Needs/Wants Affect Their Journey?
Enemies:
Main Antagonists:
Personal Foes:
Internal Enemies:
Allies:
Key Allies:
Mentors & Guides:
Loyal Companions:
Too many or heavy flaws and you get an unlikable character. As with all things, we need a balance here :D
Thanks!