Hero or Heroine

Chatterbox: Crowd Sorcery

Hero or Heroine


Hero or Heroine

I’m so excited when I start a new story! Most writers believe that the single most important part is the characters. If readers fall in love with your characters—especially the main character—they will read to the end, feeling every emotion, taking part in the adventures. So as we work together toward building our story, please give a lot of thought to the conversation on this thread. Share your own best ideas, think about ideas others come up with, and discuss ways to make the character as interesting and memorable as possible.

Be original, and don’t be afraid to be surprising! What if the main character had a really unusual background or ability or fear? What if she were a girl who could only come out in the moonlight because a witch cast a spell on her great-grandmother? If you’re like me, you’ll find that the more questions you ask and answer about the main character, the more the story will begin to write itself in your head!

For example, if I wanted to introduce the girl who could only come out in the moonlight, I might write: “Quill pushed aside the velvet drape and peeked out through the window’s glass to where the moon glowed, huge and silver, behind the oak trees. It was their nightly ritual, Quill and the moon each peeping through curtains to see if the other were awake.”

I can’t wait to see your ideas! Here’s my list of traits for brainstorming the main character. After you have your ideas, you can write a Crowd Sorcery Sentence, or two or three, that might introduce your character in the story.

1. Name

2. Appearance

3. Background

4. Personality

5. How is he/she different from others?

6. What does he/she most desire or hope for?

7. How is he/she strong?

8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable?

9. What does he/she fear most?

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

 

The voting for hero and heroine is now complete. Go here to see our main character and learn the schedule for creating and voting on a villain and sidekick.


You can still add to this Hero and Heroine thread for fun.
 

 

submitted by Fred Durbin
(April 23, 2014 - 10:05 am)

1.Marcella Wilo Willcraft

2. short dirty blond hair, green eyes, medium skin, loves clothes

3. lived in Brooklyn for 10 years, parents unknown

4. very likable, cool, brave, loud, boyish, smart

5. She feels something stirring in her and she is afraid.

6. She hopes to find out the true meaning of life, why is she here and what is she susposed to do in the world.

7. She can think in the moment.

8. She fears she is crazy and is nothing special.

9. same as 8

10. I don't know what that is .

submitted by Arden C., age 13, Lynn, MA
(May 1, 2014 - 4:46 pm)

 

1. Name: River Woodleaf

2. Appearance: blue eyes, blonde, wavy hair, tinted blue skin and a tall skinny appearance.

3. Background: was born in the River of Nymph. She was born a nymph with two parents. One was a wood nymph (dad) and other water nymph (mom). She is 12 and her parents sent her to middle school. She gets bullied because she's tinted blue but no one knows shes a nymph.

4. Personality: shy, gentle, kind, fierce at times

5. How is he/she different from others? Since she's a nymph her skin is tinted blue and she's made fun of a lot.

6. What does he/she most desire or hope for? She really would love being normal and having a pet.

7. How is he/she strong? Since she's a river nymph she can control water, which stuns her foes.

8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable? If she's around polluted things she grows weak.

9. What does he/she fear most? She is afraid she will never have friends.

 10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

I turned in my seat because someone threw something at me. A girl sneers and laughs. "Turn around, River," Mrs. Gentleman said. "Sorry," I say in a small voice. I feel a wet thing stick to my back. I turn again and frown. "Stop it," I whisper. I turn around as Mrs. Gentleman continues her lecture. ". . . as you look at the . . . ," I hear as another wet ball hits my neck. I growl and my hands shake. No, I tell myself. But it was too late. I heard a scream and turned and saw the girl soaked.

Yay done! That is River alright :3. 

submitted by Ashleigh
(May 1, 2014 - 7:14 pm)

1. Name 

Azreal Everleaf

2. Appearance

Short, bright red hair. Bright, intelligent eyes and a smattering of freckles. He's tall and and strong. He wears short, rough trousers and a torn, green shirt. His nose is crooked, it was broken and never set right. His smile is crooked and he is covered in scars. Large, calloused hands, with surprisingly nimble fingers.

3. Background

Azreal was abandoned when he was a child. He was found by a cruel farmer and works as a farmhand for food and shelter. His memories from before age 8 are missing. Just gone. He woke up one day and was expected to work. 

Before the memory loss, was born to a wealthy family. When he was eight, he was kidnapped by a witch who had an ancient grudge with his family, whose ancestors had refused her a tiny scrap of food when she was on the brink of death. She erased his memory and sent him far, far away to work for a farmer. Numerous farming accidents have led to a broken nose, a bad ear, and multiple scars. Despite this, he is strong, not only physically, but mentally. He is unable to read or write, and hopes desperately to go to school some day.  

4. Personality

Azreal is intelligent and clever by nature. With the other boys he works with, he can always cheer someone up or bring an argument to an end. Most of the boys, almost all of them younger than he, look up to him. He hates his master, however, but has no recourses to run away. And even then, he couldn't leave the boys.

5. How is he/she different from others?

His kidnapping and subsequent memory loss implanted a seed of magic within him, which he has unconsciously used to heal minor wounds on the other boys. However, every time he uses it, it binds him more and more to the witch who kidnapped him.

6. What does he/she most desire or hope for?

Azreal just wants to escape. He wants to take all of these boys away from the daily punishments they endure and most of all, he wants to learn. 

7. How is he/she strong?

Azreal had willpower stronger than that of his master, but knows when to give. He is physically strong, was well, and can work through grueling pain. 

8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable?

Azreal hates to see suffering and can be tricked by shows of weakness. And even though he can keep his temper, he finds that every day he is one step closer to cracking. 

9. What does he/she fear most?

Azreal fears most that one day he won't be able to protect the boys he lives with. He fears failure, and most of all, he fears the creatures that hide in the dark. 

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

The sweltering heat beat down upon Azreal's back as he pulled the plough through the dry earth, revealing the moist, life-filled dirt from below. His back, which would have burned when he first began to work, eight years ago, was now tanned, and his once nimble fingers were covered in heavy callouses, gripping the yoke across his shoulders tightly.

submitted by Liliana R., age 12, Twin Cities, MN
(May 1, 2014 - 7:42 pm)

My heroine would be an orphan girl named Abby Nightengale who lives in Budapest. She goes to school in the day and works at her mistresse's house at the night. She has thick blonde brown hair which in soft curls reaches her waist, dark black eyes, and deep red lips. Her father died before her birth, and her mother died of childbed fever. She had been raised by a magical flying horse called the Night Mare. The horse appears later in the story to rescue Abby and her teacher, Mrs. Muffin from a demon girl named Stacy who pretends to be Abby's friend.

submitted by Aparajita, J, age 13, Sacramento,CA
(May 1, 2014 - 11:56 pm)

1.Name

Lagatha
Yarlson

2.
Appearance

Long,
glistening, blond-white hair that flows down to her waist. She has a
habit of absentmindedly twirling it around her finger. She often
wears shabby peasant hand-me-down dresses; about shin-length, they
always look a couple sizes too big.

3.
Background

She
is the youngest in a family of five children in a world of sorcery
and magic. Both of her parents have the ability to magick objects,
which makes her mother a wonderful housekeeper and her father a
marvelous tinkerer. Her sister, the eldest, is a seer; her two older
brothers have the same ability as their parents; and the youngest
brother is a naturemage.

4.
Personality

She's
shy and self-conscious, but also very kind, helpful, and protective.
She is the first to defend her family and she will stand up to
anyone, no matter what size or skill, to do so. Also, she's good with
her fists.

5.How
is he/she different from others?

She
is magic-less. It isolates her from her family and classmates, and
makes her feel useless and unwanted. She has an affinity for
wildlife: her only true friends are animals.

6.
What does he/she most desire or hope for?

To
have magic! She wants above all else to have magic. She feels useless
and wrong and she hates that.

7.
How is he/she strong?

She
is full of love and hope and belief. She is really protective of her
family. She's not afraid of standing up to others for their sake.

8.
How is he/she weak or vulnerable?

She
can be too protective. Her violent response to certain taunts have
landed her in trouble several times, and the teacher is always
surprised. Though if you say one bad word about her family, you'll
end up with a black eye, she will never defend herself. She sells
herself very cheaply.

9.
What does he/she fear most?

Lagatha
fears being truly useless and a burden to her family. She fears that
she can never truly help people because she doesn't have magic.

10.
Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

Lagatha
strode home. She walked up to the front door, paused, and then
ventured into the studio instead. She loved her Father's clocks. She
loved watching them, knowing there's no magic making them function.
Of course, there are magic clocks too, but it made her feel better
knowing they didn't need magic to work. It made her feel like she too
could serve a purpose, magic-less though she was.

submitted by Maya N.
(May 2, 2014 - 8:06 am)

This is the character who narrated my piece on the piece with the road at the end of town.

1. Name

Elspeth Finley

2. Appearance

Average length red-blonde hair, blue eyes, covered in freckles.  Mostly wears a dress with a white bodice and a blue skirt, which is ragged and shabby from working on her father's farm, and no shoes.

3. Background

Grew up her entire life on a medieval farm, working with cows.  The town in which she lives is very small, and everyone knows everyone else's business.  When she was thirteen, two years ago, she became apprenticed to the apothecary, who also dabbles in alchemy.

4. Personality

Friendly, curious, not afraid of anything she's encountered.

5. How is he/she different from others?

She is always throwing glances at the forbidden road at the north end of town.  As a result, everyone thinks she's a bit odd.  She also looks at the castle perched up on the mountain that no one has been up since the Evileness took over.

6. What does he/she most desire or hope for?

To go down the road and find the castle.  Vanquishing the Evileness would also be nice.

7. How is he/she strong?

Physically she is strong, and she doesn't back down, whether haggling with the old hag who buys her father's milk or the scholars who come through town once a year, to show what they've learned with their alchemy and sorcery.

8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable?

Once she's said something, she doesn't like to change her mind and appear weak, so sometimes she makes a snap decision which turns out to be the wrong one, and then she defends it, because she can't give in.

9. What does he/she fear most?

Death.

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

Of course, the one day someone came down the road, and a cute one at that, Elspeth was screaming like a banshee and covered in manure.

 

And here's a hero idea, to be used at the cute one who came down the road, or otherwise.

1. Name

Cerdic the Fifth

2. Appearance

Tall, dark brown hair that he keeps in a ponytail, because he has yet to find an object sharp enough to cut it.  Besides, he likes it.  Has brown eyes the color of his hair.  Often wears red and black, in whatever combination you will.

3. Background

The prince in a castle that overlooks a tiny village, he's grown up the only one his age in the castle.  His mother is either dead or gone, and his father is not very present, in spite of being the king.  Cerdic isn't sure what he's the king of, but it seems to keep him busy.

4. Personality

Closed off, snaps at people.  Cynical.

5. How is he/she different from others?

He seems to realize that a lot of the royalty and the Evileness seems to be a bit of a front, because he hasn't seen any proof of either of them.

6. What does he/she most desire or hope for?

He wants to prove that everyone he's known is stupid and that he is king.  And an actual king, at that.

7. How is he/she strong?

Is a good commander.

8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable?

Hasn't been around people all that much, so isn't very good in relation to that.

9. What does he/she fear most?

Being confronted with something and being incompetent.

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

Today was the day the road would be conquered.  Cerdic's army consisted of himself and a sword stolen from his father's armory.  The blade felt good in his hands.

submitted by Gollum
(May 2, 2014 - 3:17 pm)

1. Name

Amelia Crow

2. Appearance

Black hair, goth, combat boots, long eyelashes, bent leg, black eyes, snow white's lips/complexion, several bloody knuckles

3. Background

She was an orphan, her mom died when she was born, kind of the dark side of Snow White, but in the twisted reality of life, no dwarfs, but 5 of her friends (all who died) were midgets, lives in the China.

4. Personality

kind of hates everyone, especially not goths, gets into fights a lot, is kind of mean, secretly has a crush on Melin Hashimoto

5. How is she different from everybody?

she is goth, isn't Chinese, is a brainiac, everybody thinks that she's evil, but really two bullies always get her into fights

6. What does she hope for?

to meet the emporer of China, to meet Melin, kick Melin's butt (he is really a jerk), 

7. How is she strong?

has a hardened heart from all she lost, mentally impossible to defeat, physicaly impossible to defeat

8. How is she weak?

her crush, her life, her grief

9. Her biggest fear?

the black panther 

submitted by Kara M., age 10, NJ
(May 2, 2014 - 4:12 pm)

1. Name

Ariana Hunter

2. Appearance

Royal blue hair, silver eyes, high cheekbones, long eyelashes, long limbs, pale skin wears an old army jacket and worn jeans, and keeps a simple, silver ring on her right middle finger.

3. Background

Father is an artist, and she grew up sketching the fantastical world around them with his guidance. Her mother has been sick for years, Ariana always puts her before anything else. She has an older brother and a younger one, but it feels like there's always more because her cousins and her brother's friends are constantly visiting. She lives in a world with people of mismatched magic abilities. Inhabitants can fly, shoot fire out of their hands, or summon trees and bushes at the snap of a finger. Purple mules and winged snakes hop around and make homes in towering trees or underwater caves.

4. Personality

She puts up a good facade, smiley and laughing when out in public, but at home, she worries about her mother and hates putting up with the stampede of boys in her house. She makes friends easily, but doesn't get close to them because she's afraid of breaking down and admitting her worries.

5. How is she different from others?

Flys seamlessly without wings, accompanied by a color changing ferret, quick on her feet and quick to act.

6. What does she most desire or hope for?

For her mother to get well, and to find some friends she can really trust and tell her feelings to.

7. How is she strong?

Doesn't let her emotions interfere with her work, and has increased stamina.

8. How is she weak or vunerable?

Always thinks about her mother, can be found occasionally pausing in between sketches, staring sadly at the blank page in front of her. Doesn't deal well with loss.

9. What does she fear most?

Letting her emotions out in front of someone she doesn't want tosee her in a weak state. She doesn't know it yet, but she fears losing the constant stream of rowdy boys in her home.

10. Your Crowd Sorcerey Sentence

Ariana flung out her arms and let her wild blue hair out of a braid it was trapped in. She breathed in a long breath of the cold air and let it out. Everything that she had been feeling over the past few days was being drowned out in the roaring sea. Laughs, screams, shouts of pain and happiness were all out there. Ariana closed her eyes and decided her next sketch would be of this, a girl staring out at the ocean, long hair whipping in the wind.

submitted by Molly W., Chicago, IL
(May 2, 2014 - 5:29 pm)

Ignore my other character posts. Thx:3

1. Name: Sage Clover Wood

2. Appearance: tall, fair skinned, warm brown eyes, dirty blonde hair, embedded mark on her right arm

3. Background: When she was born she crawled into a portal and lost her memory. She woke with a mark on her arm that was a clover. She wondered around the place and figured out she wasn't normal in this place. She eventually found a kingdom and was caught and put in a orphanage.

4. Personality: fierce, a little obnoxious, kind and gentle to animals

5. How is he/she different from others? The mark on her arm stands out and people bully her about it. Other than that she has no clue why or how it's there or if she's a magic creature.

6. What does he/she most desire or hope for? She really wants to recover her memory and find out what the mark on her arms for.

7. How is he/she strong? She is stronger than most the kids at the orphanage though she's the youngest at the age of 12.

8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable? When someone makes fun of her mark she punches them hard. Then she runs away crying. 

9. What does he/she fear most? She fears that she'll never find her memory and never figure out why there's a mark on her arm (you can decide Fred Durbin, I leave it up to you.)

10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s) 

I wake up sobbing once again in my cot. I was still confused about my life. The orphanage lady just ignores me and gives me strange looks. Like I'm not supposed to be here. A lot of kids say I'm opinder, whatever that means. The the orphanage lady stares at whoever says it and they stop speaking for the day. The strange thing is only I have to wear a thumilin. If I try to leave it shocks me. The sad thing is if I try to take it of it burns me. I look at the clover on my arm again. I trace it trying to figure out what it means. All of the kids at the orphanage are elves, pixies, nymphs and more. Only I am not any of them. Honestly I want to find out how I got here. I think about reasons and fall asleep doing so.

This is Probably the coolest character I made. Also 2 words in there are made up so go to page two of the fantasy dictionary all the way at the bottom for the descriptions :3

 

submitted by Ashleigh
(May 2, 2014 - 6:29 pm)

 

Name: Ruby nickname: Ray Ray  Age:12

Appearance: She has black leggings a huge black bow in her hair and knee high black leather boots her shirt is white with a skull and two bones on it.

Short shoulder length hair, raven black with one red streak running through her hair. Piercing golden eyes, one of her eyes is blind but her other eye is amazing at seeing. Example: can see from 15 blocks away in New York! Pale skin not vampiric but pale. 

History: Parents died when she was 4. She hated herself ever since.  She grew up in an orphanage, but got out because of her unnatural smarts. Now is living with a guardian sent by the state.

Personality: Ruby is very soft and sweet but after years of bullying and abuse she has a hardend persona. She is solitary and a bookworm and reads whenever she can. She has gotten in many fights with countless bullys and always won. 

Difference: I think I already explained. 

What is her dream: to have her parents back and she wll do anything to get it.

She is strong because she has something to fight for; if there is someway to get her parents back she will take it. Her virtures her vice because she will do anything to get them back she will even turn her back on her best friends to save them. 

submitted by AsuraFire, age 10 , New jersey
(May 2, 2014 - 7:59 pm)

Name: Ruby nickname: Ray Ray  Age:12


Appearance: She has black leggings a huge black bow in her hair and knee high black leather boots her shirt is white with a skull and two bones on it.

Short shoulder length hair, raven black with one red streak running through her hair. Piercing golden eyes, one of her eyes is blind but her other eye is amazing at seeing Example: can see from 15 blocks away in New York! Pale skin not vampiric but pale.


History: Parents died when she was 4. She hated herself ever since.  She grew up in an orphaned but got out because of her unnatural smarts. Now is living with a guardian sent by the state.


Personality:  Ruby is very soft and sweet but after years of bullying and abuse she has a hardened persona. She is solitary and a book worm and reads whenever she can. She has gotten in many fights with countless bullies and always won.


Difference: I think I already  explained.

What is her dream: to have her parents back and she will do anything to get it.

She is strong because she has something to fight for if there is someway to get her parents back she will take it. Her virtues her vice because she will do anything to get them back she will even turn her back on her best friends to save them.

What does he/she fear most? Ruby fears most things having to do with light (hint hint) she hates garlic ( hint hint) and loves the shadows. (hint hint)

Crowd Sorcery Sentence

A full moon shone on old city ruins. A shadow raced across the wall of the ruins. Then there was a blinding flash of light. The girl crouched behind a building fragment trying not to be seen. “Maga,” roared a huge lion that had appeared in that light. “Come out”. The girl stepped out. “Yes?” she asked. “Find the Crystals and the girl and you will be rewarded.” The lion sided with authority. “Yes master,” the girl said as she disappeared into the night.

 

submitted by Tavish S, age 10, Jersey City, NJ
(May 3, 2014 - 9:57 am)

Average size, short, dark hair, piercing green eyes

submitted by Ruby C., age 12, Fable, Imagination
(May 3, 2014 - 12:21 pm)

Name

Reed

Appearance

Jet black hair cropped massily at chin legnth, pale white skin and purple eyes. Tall and nimble with soft red lips and strong hands. Wears long, dark dresses and cloaks with many pockets to hide all the things she carries. Flat black shoes with silver designs.

Backround

Reed was born a noble woman to a wealthy family but was thrown out for her purple eyes and pale skin. Reed does not know this. Reed has grown up with the village witch but is leaf-dry of any magic. Reed is educated by the witch in the things only men should know, so she is more knowledgeable than all the other girls. Reed is now 10 and works as an assistant for the witch.

Personality

Reed is very brave and daring and would never turn down a challenge. Sometimes this can be used against her. When Reed gets angry (which she often does) she throws a temper tantrum. When Reed is feeling sad, vulnerable or scared, she does very dangerous things to prove to herself she should not feel like that.

 

How is he/she diferent from others?

Reed has an amazing talent at finding things and with music.

What does he/she most desire or hope for?

To find a dragon egg.

How is he/she strong?

Reed is very courageous both mentally and physically.

How is he/she weak or vulnerable?

Reed will never turn down a challenge even if it means certain death and that can be used against her.

What does he/she fear most?

Reed fears losing a challenge and having her secret thing she keeps in her pocket discovered.

Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)

The wet stones glinted with sunlight as two bare feet stepped on them.

"It's a dare Reed!" called Will, one of the boys under the well.

"Fine," Reed muttered to herself as she looked down into the shining water. A few girls sitting on the benches surrounding the well giggled as Reed stripped down to her underclothes. She handed her clothes to Will and made him promise not to do anything to them.

"Hurry up already!" screamed Kai, the one who had dared her. "I don't think she's gonna do it," he whispered to the laughing girls.

Of course I will, thought Reed, to turn down a dare is bad manners. Her last thought before jumping into the well was, Tara is going to be so angry I got my underclothes wet. 

submitted by Sasha T., age 10, New York City
(May 3, 2014 - 1:29 pm)

MORE MORE MORE! That last part was SO intriguing!

submitted by Grace
(May 3, 2014 - 5:54 pm)

SO COOL! I love it. Can't you write more?

One question: Why is Reed thrown out becuse she has purple eyes and pale skin?

Have you done any other posts? I'd LOVE to read them. I did two already.

submitted by E.m.i.l.y., age 11, Some Where, Indiana
(May 7, 2014 - 11:23 am)