Mortish
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Provisional Opposed Pairs
🕑 Added 2025-05-11 05:32:05 +0000 UTCI've been working on the opposed pairs off and on for the past couple of weeks and I'm ready to share the provisional list I have. It's a mix of the original traits, our poll winners, and also logical pairs. I've designed it on an axis system, meaning that each pair will represent an axis of your MC's personality. Six opposed pairs is at the upper limit of what I'm comfortable adding, but I'm absolutely open to suggestions for tweaking/changing them to better suit the story.
1. Daring / Measured
Action Trait - Determines your MC's level of initiative and boldness.
Daring is a trait that will appeal both to Serax and players who want a more fiery/take-charge type of MC. She'll be more bold in her interactions and may take risks which sometimes pay off, other times not so much. Daring replaces Spirited.
Measured is a trait which replaces coward, because who wants to be a scaredy cat? Valdricht will prefer a measured MC who shrewdly knows when to hold her tongue and picks her battles wisely, even at the risk of being a bore.
2. Defiant / Devout
Faith Trait – Determines how your MC responds to divine authority and religious norms.
Defiant replaces Irreverent. Your MC isn't faithless, she’s simply done obeying blindly. This MC questions the divine plan and is unafraid to make her own meaning in a world full of liars wearing halos. Naturally, she'll be in good company with Serax.
Devout replaces Pious. A devout MC sees meaning in the sacred, seeks moral clarity, and often holds herself to the highest standard, even when the gods are silent. Valdricht may find her reverence nostalgic, even alluring in its contrast to his own disillusionment.
3. Cynical / Idealistic
Worldview Trait – Determines how your MC approaches trust, love, and (to a lesser extent) morality.
Cynical is a new trait, but I think a much-needed one, especially when considering the MC's backstory. A cynical MC knows better than to hope aloud. She assumes affection comes with a price and sees idealism as a luxury she can't afford. Serax may respect her cynicism as it's a trait he personifies.
Idealistic replaces Romantic. An idealistic MC sees the good in others, seeks deeper meaning in connection, and believes in redemption even for the wicked. Valdricht will lean into a idealistic MC and endeavor to shelter her from things that could dim her light.
4. Intuitive / Erudite
Cognition Trait – Determines how your MC navigates uncertainty, be it through knowledge or instinct.
Intuitive is a new trait that reflects gut-driven perception. This MC trusts her emotional current and senses what’s left unsaid. It's an alternative to perceptive, a potential trait that readers seemed to like. Serax will be drawn to her instinctive reasoning, appreciating her effort even when she falls short.
Erudite offers an intellectual counterbalance. This MC is book-smart and observant. However, she approaches the world through structured thought and learns heavily on learned knowledge rather than trusting her fickle instincts. Valdricht will admire her passion for knowledge and also buy her lots of books.
5. Stoic / Tender
Emotion Trait – Determines how your MC expresses vulnerability and handles emotional closeness.
Stoic is a new trait that reflects composure and restraint. This MC keeps her grief sealed and her longings quiet. She does not weep easily and tends to keep her feelings bottled up. But what she feels, she feels deeply--she just won’t let the world see it. Serax will press against that silence, as compelled by it in the MC as he is by Valdricht's stoicism.
Tender MCs are open and emotionally attuned. This MC speaks from the heart, and when she hurts, it shows. Her empathy is sometimes overwhelming and occasionally misplaced. Valdricht will be affected by her softness, reminded of the world before it hardened him, and feeling a fierce urge to shield what is still unbroken.
6. Provocative / Demure
Sexual Trait – Determines how your MC expresses sexual longing.
Provocative is a new trait that reflects unapologetic desire. This MC lets her gaze linger and may invite closeness with a brush of fingers or a half-spoken dare. Serax will be drawn by her hunger, eager to see just how far she’s willing to take it. Provocative will be a trait that players build over the course of sexual interactions as the MC becomes more confident, however there will be ways to move the needle in the prologue.
Demure is the counterpart, replacing coy. A demure MC is quiet, hesitant, and modest when it comes to her sexuality. This MC feels deeply, but hides it beneath laced fingers and lowered eyes. Desire feels taboo and she may struggle to give herself permission to want. Valdricht will recognize the tension in her modesty and will burn with the need to coax her out of it.
No long rambling, I'm sleeeeepy. Just want to remind you that just because Valdricht prefers an erudite MC, it doesn't mean he won't grow to appreciate an intuitive one. Likewise, a tender and idealistic MC is liable to grow on Serax after a while. Characters should reflect your tastes, not what the ROs want.
I look forward to your thoughts on the lineup.
-Mortish
Comments
Mortish
I've already written the first quarter of the new prologue and I really like how the new traits are shaping up. It's felt very easy to determine which one should be changed in each scenario. Even though there are 12 tendencies, I think of it and code it as if there are 6. For example, one passage has the MC doing something Daring, so I simply subtract 5 from Measured, etc. It's so much easier than the old way. Once Night VI is finished I'll release a sneak peak demo of the restructure so everyone can see the new prologue, start toying with the new stat system, and begin theory-crafting about the changes. I'm very pleased with how it's shaping up, I have to stop myself from working on it, I'm so excited.
Mortish
Defiant and Devout will revolve around how the MC regards religious values of society. I will be making cuts to The Weaver's presence in the main narrative and removing her orders entirely. She's going to become more of a mysterious, distant figure than an active participant in the story. I didn't care for writing all of the will-she-or-won't-she-obey-the-weaver when the narrative will obligate it. The whole plot point made the MC kind of neurotic over a fake conflict, which I think is really sloppy writing in anything, but especially in interactive fiction where you want readers to feel like their choices matter. Instead, the MC will be largely ignorant to The Weaver's plans for her or even how she ended up in Kalat in a new body. It also gives her space to adjust to the day-to-day scenarios, rather than being constantly distracted/overwhelmed by nightly orders. Defiant is the new irreverent, so this will be a good choice for players who don't want to play as a character who conforms to religious standards. You'll have more of an option from the start of the story to be a bit of a rebel, rather than just a skeptic. Pious characters will seek to uphold religious norms, even if it isn't necessarily those of the Elodari faith. She'll honor the gods, but not blindly so. She'll be open to learning more about the old ways, particularly from Valdricht, rather than rejecting deities and seeking to forge her own path.
sunday
I think 12 is more than enough and with less you can tailor more. Even as a big rooter for the possessive tendency I already headcanon that for my mc anyway and don’t think we need it in the game or that you need to add more to your plate. 12 meaningful character traits is a lot and you’ve streamlined but you still have both MMF/MF routes to juggle. So imo, you’ve covered all your bases, 12 traits is juicy and gives plenty to work with, so you shouldn’t feel pressured to add more. ALSO AHHH provocative is so fun ahhh. I’m going to have so much fun with that. I’m waiting for the restructure so I can tweak and cleanup my mc’s typed backstory to fit the new one but when I saw that trait I screamed and you’ll know exactly why when I finally send her in for the POVs 😵💫 serax and provocative mc’s ~bed chem~ is gonna be so good
Scorpiuscircus
...So what I have gathered is that I am making Serax, but booksmart and stoic 😂 I like the tendencies, but I have a burning question 🧐 For defian\devout: does it mean that the scenario of the MC who has beef with Elodine's church specifically but is fine with following the Weaver is out? Since that was the way I've played my primary MC. Sort of 'yeah, that one church that told me I am defective by the virtue of existing doesn't do it for me but if I'm some god's special shadow princess, I might even fall in line, no questions asked' (that's very shallow, but MC is 20 so I am allowing her a lot of immaturity). Like, if MC is Devout is she automatically shoved into Elodari faith and does Defiant automatically makes her a total iconoclast, no matter the religious subject?
