Character Surveys and Memes
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is she heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Short, about 4’8”, stocky but wiry and really well muscled for a twelve-year old.
2. How old is she?
12
3. Describe her posture. Does she carry herself well or does she slouch?
She can have good posture if she tries, or if she’s working out. Most of the time though, she’s slouched to a degree. It comes from not having to look in front of her by default when walking, so usually she just looks a little downward. It leads to slouching.
4. How is her health? Is she fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
Very fit. Well toned but not unusually ripped for a twelve-year-old. Blind.
5. How does she move? Is she clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
Her movements are usually abrupt and to the point. She’s not clumsy. She can be graceful if she’s on earth-based flooring and she tries, but most of the time she doesn’t bother.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does she perceive herself in the mirror?
She’s twelve and blind. She’s pretty for a twelve-year-old, and she doesn’t.
7. Describe her complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Caucasian, light, clear.
8. Describe her hair: color, texture, style.
Black, long, thick, straight but prone to tangles. She usually wears it in a large bun on the back of her head with bangs all over her face.
9. What color are her eyes?
Pale green.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
Opaque white pupils, a cute little button nose.
11. What are her chief tension centers?
I don’t know what this question means.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does she have six of the same suit?
If she’s dressing herself, her clothes are utilitarian for the most part. Something that fits her well, is comfortable and is easy to get into and out of, but she won’t say know to small signs of wealth. She likes showing her status. If she has someone to help her or pick clothes out, she’ll go dressier, especially if she’s trying to show off her wealth. But she’d still prefer clothing that she can fight in, so movement is not really negotiable. All of her clothes follow a traditional Asian theme. Colours don’t mean anything to her, but again if she has someone to help, she’ll opt for greens and yellows in a show of both nationalistic pride and wealth.
She is always barefoot.
13. Do her clothes fit well? Does she seem comfortable in them?
Yes and yes. Her parents always dressed her well and its set the standard for her personal grooming. However, she does tend toward looser-by-design outfits because they let her move more when she’s fighting. She won’t wear anything that’s uncomfortable unless she’s made to or she’s trying to put on airs and appearances.
14. Does she dress the same on the job as she does in her free time? If not, what are the differences?
No differences.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Boxers.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
High-pitched, a little nasal.
2. How does she normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does she talk easily, or does she hesitate?
Loud and easily. Once she’s decided to say something, she’ll spit it out pretty readily.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
No. Well there is the tendency towards sarcasm.
4. What language/s does she speak, and with how much fluency?
Common, fluent.
5. Does she switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
She’ll change her tone when she’s trying to command what’s due to her social status.
6. Is she a good impromptu speaker, or does she have to think about her words?
She’s quick with words, but that’s more quick wit than being a good impromptu speaker.
7. Is she eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
Neither. She’s fairly inarticulate when it comes to personal matters, but once she’s decided to talk about them, she can articulate what she means in a straight forward way.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is she book-smart or street-smart?
She’s street-smart for the most part.
2. Does she think on her feet, or does she need time to deliberate?
She thinks on her feet.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is she more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
She’s practical and logical most of the time. She’ll forget logic if she’s riled though.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
Her education is better than most because of her status, but not as good as you’d expect from a nobleman’s daughter, because of her parents’ protectiveness and assumptions regarding her abilities.
That is, she’s good with numbers, practical finances and basic math because her parents made sure she knew enough that no servant could ever cheat her. While she was taught ancient history and culture, particularly etiquette, she was kept ignorant of most modern politics, for her own good naturally. Most of the arts were also not made available to her. Music, dance, embroidery, calligraphy, her parents assumed she would be incapable of all of these things and so she was never taught. Well, they were right on the calligraphy front. So while she’s aware of all these things and knows about them, she has not been taught them as other noble girls might have been.
5. What are her areas of expertise? What, if anything, is she interested in learning more about?
She’s an expert martial artist and is good with money.
6. Is she an introvert or an extrovert?
Extrovert.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is she even-tempered or does she have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Laid back and cheerful, though she does have mood-swings and is often cynical or sarcastic.
8. How does she respond to new people or situations? Is she suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
She’s suspicious, highly strung and usually extremely tense until she figures out what’s going on.
9. Is she more likely to act, or to react?
React.
10. Which is her default: fight or flight?
Fight
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does she appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
She has a great sense of humour, appreciating all jokes except for those she is the butt of. And even then, she’s more inclined to laugh.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does she deal with them?
No
13. What moments in this character's life have defined her as a person?
When she first got lost in a cave, she realized that she could perceive the world around her through bending, not just passively, but also actively. It meant that she wasn’t as lost as she thought she was, that she could negotiate the world around her.
When her parents found out about her bending, it was like a door was slammed shut for her. They got her a teacher and instructed him to hold her back. It was the first time she was really conscious of where she stood in the minds of her parents in relation to the rest of the world.
That moment on Roku’s Island where she started believing that friendships last more than lifetimes; for Toph, that moment meant that no matter what happened to her now or in the future, she would never be that lonely little girl trapped behind stone walls ever again.
Oh and when she almost plummeted to her death off an ailing airship. Then she learned that she wasn’t invincible. Tough lesson for a twelve year old.
14. What does she fear?
Being helpless and lonely.
15. What are her hopes or aspirations?
To be able to stay with her friends, or stay in contact with them, to make a name for herself rather than relying on the name she inherited. To prove herself the greatest earthbender in the world.
16. What is something she doesn't want anyone to find out about her?
How much she’s come to enjoy others’ company, and conversely, how afraid she is to be trapped alone again.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with her parents.
She loves them. She wants them to love her for who she is. She resents that they can’t. She regrets rejecting them for it. She wants to try to mend things with them. She wants to show them that she can exceed their expectations while still being herself. She’s afraid of being trapped or rejected by them.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
No
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom she is close? Are there ones she can't stand?
No
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom she considers part of her family? What are her relationships with them?
Aang: He’s kind of like her kid-brother. She loves messing with and messing around with him. He can take a joke and he’s always an optimist. He makes her smile inwardly more than she’d care to admit and he makes her feel like she’ll always have a friend who’ll never forget her. She doesn’t really understand him completely beyond that. They’re so similar on the surface and so different underneath. But he’s playful, laid-back and fun and that’s enough for her.
Katara: She’s caring to the point where it’s almost stifling. Almost, but not quite. Toph has come to rely so heavily on Katara’s caring nature for when she needs support. Katara seems to understand her in a way that sometimes surprises Toph, but which is actually kind of wonderful for her. She’s a hypocrite and nosy and bossy, and Toph loves to fight with her about it because Katara gives back just as good as she gets.
Zuko: They are very, very alike, and Toph knows it. Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem to realize that they’re almost too alike. She tries to relate to Zuko and fails because he is just as awkward about relating to others as she is, and while their familial problems are similar, they are definitely not the same. That said, when they do hit upon something they have in common, it allows them to talk about things they mightn’t otherwise divulge very easily, like Zuko’s uncle.
Sokka: First crush, best friend, older brother she never had. Their relationship keeps growing and changing. Of the members of team Avatar, Sokka is the one she’s closest to. She will make fun of him, snark at him, get up to mischief with him. He’s the one she’ll most easily confide in. He’s the one she wants to impress, to look out for. He wants to protect her. She knows it and she’ll let him because at the end of the day, she wants to protect him too.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
Sokka. They first really met when he, Aang and Katara trespassed on her estate.
6. Does she have other close friends?
Aang, Katara, Zuko.
7. Does she make friends easily, or does she have trouble getting along with people?
She has trouble getting along with people. She has no idea how to make friends. Sometimes it just happens. Sometimes it doesn’t and she ends up in a fight.
8. Which does she consider more important: family or friends?
They’re the same thing to her at this point. Her friends become part of her family.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has she been married more than once?
Single, and no she has never been married.
10. Is she currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
Not in a relationship.
11. Who was her first crush? Who is her latest?
Sokka. Briefly Zuko. We don’t count Ohev.
12. What does she look for in a romantic partner?
Someone funny, witty, someone who makes her laugh. Most importantly, someone who understands her.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does she relate to them? If no, does she want any?
She’s twelve. So that would be a no. And it’s not really something she’s thought about. Marriage and children were never things that her parents discussed with her, and since then she has been preoccupied by other things.
14. Does she have any rivals or enemies?
Azula, an enemy.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does she fall on the Kinsey scale?
Two. She tends to crush on older boys. But she would probably experiment with girls in the future if someone else initiated it.
16. How does she feel about sex? How important is it to her?
She’s twelve. So that would be ‘LOL sex,’ and ‘it isn’t.’
17. What are her turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Again, twelve.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does she fit type?
No, but I would guess at Dog (metal) which she fits quite well.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in her life?
Spiritual, as in she believes in spirits because they are real. She’s not devout, so it’s not important in that sense. Spirit problems are Aang’s area. On the other hand, the fact that she is such a good bender and that bending is, in part, a spiritual art, speaks of a passive spirituality that often goes unexpressed by her. Bending and it’s accompanying spirituality/philosophy are important to Toph, and it’s plain as day to see whenever she talks about it.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
She’s pretty pragmatic. She sees the world in shades of gray. The war is bad and the Fire Nation are generally bad, but Zuko offered himself as a firebending teacher when Aang needed one, so Toph looked past it. Swindling people for fun or profit is okay if they are already obscenely rich or swindling street peddlers. So there really isn’t a personal code there. She goes with whatever is practical or suits her at the time.
4. How does she regard beliefs that differ from hers? Is she tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
She’s pretty intolerant to people who oppose her in a fight or argument. She will argue the point and if/when she loses the argument, she’ll flounce. She is curious though, and if someone’s willing to let her believe what she wants and not disturb her, she probably won’t care what they believe either.
5. What prejudices does she hold? Are they irrational or does she have a good reason for them?
She used to be kind of prejudiced against non-benders. These days she mostly does it for laughs. She’s still pretty prejudiced against adults. She assumes by default that they’re trying to handle her. The first is irrational. The second is pretty reasonable, given her upbringing.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is she rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
She was rich, and pretty good at making a fast buck when she wasn’t.
2. What is her social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected her?
She’s a wealthy heiress turned runaway, but still considers herself a member of high society when it’s convenient.
3. Where does she live? House, apartment, trailer? Is her home her castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does she share it with others?
She was staying in The Western Air Temple, and wherever she got tired before that. These were just places to crash. She doesn’t think of them as places she lived. Her home is her family’s estate, but she’s not sure if or when she wants to return there. It is, however, very well kept. She shares it with her parents.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does she spend her money on?
Whatever she feels like.
5. What does she do for a living? Is she good at it? Does she enjoy it, or would she rather be doing something else?
Saves the world? She was a professional fighter and may be again. She loved that. She would probably enjoy re-starting Earth Rumble, taking it on tour and running it for her own fun and profit. She’d be good at it too.
6. What are her interests or hobbies? How does she spend her free time?
Fighting, training, breaking things, lounging about, bending, exploring. Girl needs more hobbies and to broaden her interests.
7. What are her eating habits? Does she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
She kept to a pretty tight meal schedule when at home. It was nutritious and delicious. While on the road, meals were a bit more intermittent, depending on when they had time to stop and how much they had to eat. Nutrition was also so-so, depending.
She really dislikes alcohol. It’s gross. But she’ll drink it when she can get it, just because she’s not allowed to..
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is her favorite:
1. Color? Green
2. Smell? Spring grass
3. Time of day? Early evening
4. Season? Spring
5. Book? Are you serious?
6. Music? Anything that reminds her of home
7. Place? A high bluff
8. Substance?
9. Plant?
10. Animal?
END
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