Hi guys! Heard about the collaborative OC event. I'd like some help with creating a lab assistant type character that...
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Footnotes
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[EDIT]: Reworded it for easier brainstorming. Realized earlier revision made it hard to sort through required details.
[EDIT 2]: Moved fandom inspirations to a footnote below main prompt. Reason being that listing fandoms directly makes it a bit hard to see what they have in common.
- Is a girl.
- Fits into a space opera science fantasy[1].
- Feels overwhelmed with their job since they have to do more chaperoning of other staff than they thought (including their boss).
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Footnotes
- Examples of space opera science fantasy include Star Ocean, Phantasy Star Online 2, or Starfinder.
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[EDIT]: Reworded it for easier brainstorming. Realized earlier revision made it hard to sort through required details.
[EDIT 2]: Moved fandom inspirations to a footnote below main prompt. Reason being that listing fandoms directly makes it a bit hard to see what they have in common.
Hm, here's some scattered thoughts for you, I hope some of them are helpful ^^ (I'm gonna admit, I'm not super familiar with the franchises you sited for inspirations, but I do love science fantasy, so...)
I hope some of these were helpful and/or interesting to you!!
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- Maybe she could be some kind of reanimated cyborg person (if cyborg's not your style, maybe still an undead person brought back through necromancy)? Brought back to life just to work in the lab and do work, but it sucks, she's overworked, and maybe they're doing some less than pleasant stuff in the lab
- Maybe the reason she died was because she tried to leave the lab or whatever, but they were like "you know too much and so we're gonna kill you and basically enslave you for the rest of your life". I would say she probably has memory loss and doesn't remember this, but she could remember it and now be too afraid to leave because, well, they'll kill her again
- Maybe she has some sort of control word that, when you say it, she is forced to listen and obey. That one has a lot of potential for somewhat scary things story wise
I hope some of these were helpful and/or interesting to you!!
Hmmm, I like the Bucky Barnes sleeper agent style of control word, but what about something like a glitch caused by something she regularly does in the lab?
And as for memory loss, if you go with that, what if she relives a bunch of similar moments over and over though the day (like in Endless Eight from the TMOHS series), but at the end of the day something happens which triggers a particular amount of memory loss?!
This could be good because you could have either a) a buildup of unerased memory causing resentment and a bit of a blowup (personally or literally; she tries to escape in a new way, or she knows enough to sabotage an experiment and get back at them), or b) she remembers something really important and it allows her to break free of some invisible restraint.
Perhaps she's meant to forget everything each day... Or she developed the glitch herself because she's been working there long enough she just couldn't stand it. Whatever the case, she's got quite a journey ahead of her (or just behind her?).
And as for memory loss, if you go with that, what if she relives a bunch of similar moments over and over though the day (like in Endless Eight from the TMOHS series), but at the end of the day something happens which triggers a particular amount of memory loss?!
This could be good because you could have either a) a buildup of unerased memory causing resentment and a bit of a blowup (personally or literally; she tries to escape in a new way, or she knows enough to sabotage an experiment and get back at them), or b) she remembers something really important and it allows her to break free of some invisible restraint.
Perhaps she's meant to forget everything each day... Or she developed the glitch herself because she's been working there long enough she just couldn't stand it. Whatever the case, she's got quite a journey ahead of her (or just behind her?).
plastic-glass wrote:
Hm, here's some scattered thoughts for you, I hope some of them are helpful ^^ (I'm gonna admit, I'm not super familiar with the franchises you sited for inspirations, but I do love science fantasy, so...)
Hey plastic-glass! I think what I can summarize from the inspirations is they're space opera type science fantasy? Focusing on lots of adventure on other planets while also cleaning up baddies on the side.
plastic-glass wrote:
- Maybe she could be some kind of reanimated cyborg person (if cyborg's not your style, maybe still an undead person brought back through necromancy)? Brought back to life just to work in the lab and do work, but it sucks, she's overworked, and maybe they're doing some less than pleasant stuff in the lab
- Maybe the reason she died was because she tried to leave the lab or whatever, but they were like "you know too much and so we're gonna kill you and basically enslave you for the rest of your life". I would say she probably has memory loss and doesn't remember this, but she could remember it and now be too afraid to leave because, well, they'll kill her again
- Maybe she has some sort of control word that, when you say it, she is forced to listen and obey. That one has a lot of potential for somewhat scary things story wise
I hope some of these were helpful and/or interesting to you!!
1. This idea can work if the lab character's master was this one necromancer/techer character I shelved a while ago? Them being a blue dragon obsessed with rebuilding their old legacy. Have no art of them commissioned yet.
Hope that provides some brainstorming material that can help you out.
2, 3. I think these mostly build off of idea #1.
Admittedly I was trying to figure out how to suggest, "must be silly", but that'd require uh... I guess a fourth detail about who the master is. So I think I'll fork the character seeds into creating two lab assistant type characters to accommodate the current ideas being sown here and others that fit different master types.
Shinyrainbowlithogra wrote:
Hmmm, I like the Bucky Barnes sleeper agent style of control word, but what about something like a glitch caused by something she regularly does in the lab?
And as for memory loss, if you go with that, what if she relives a bunch of similar moments over and over though the day (like in Endless Eight from the TMOHS series), but at the end of the day something happens which triggers a particular amount of memory loss?!
This could be good because you could have either a) a buildup of unerased memory causing resentment and a bit of a blowup (personally or literally; she tries to escape in a new way, or she knows enough to sabotage an experiment and get back at them), or b) she remembers something really important and it allows her to break free of some invisible restraint.
Perhaps she's meant to forget everything each day... Or she developed the glitch herself because she's been working there long enough she just couldn't stand it. Whatever the case, she's got quite a journey ahead of her (or just behind her?).
And as for memory loss, if you go with that, what if she relives a bunch of similar moments over and over though the day (like in Endless Eight from the TMOHS series), but at the end of the day something happens which triggers a particular amount of memory loss?!
This could be good because you could have either a) a buildup of unerased memory causing resentment and a bit of a blowup (personally or literally; she tries to escape in a new way, or she knows enough to sabotage an experiment and get back at them), or b) she remembers something really important and it allows her to break free of some invisible restraint.
Perhaps she's meant to forget everything each day... Or she developed the glitch herself because she's been working there long enough she just couldn't stand it. Whatever the case, she's got quite a journey ahead of her (or just behind her?).
Hey Shinyrainbowlithogra!
I'm assuming you're building off of plastic-glass' ideas bucket, correct? Here's a few things that come to my mind when I read through your suggestions w/that context.
- Glitches and Memory Loss. Hm... I like the idea of the master at first being fine with her remembering because overconfident in her remembering too much = breaking her. But then when she sabotages an experiment, they be like, "Okay that's enough." And hit the mind wipe button.
- Control Words. Here's a thought - what if the control phrase was a completely mundane phrase? That way it doesn't stick out to anyone else but the character and their master. Could lead to the character wanting to keep the control word under wraps once post freedom or seeking other ways of communication not word-based.
Works on a small freighter that hauls loads that are too small for the big space trucking companies to bother with, or are in some way secret enough that the clients don't want the delivery in any official records.
However, the captain of said ship has a bit of a drinking problem, and mostly hired his/her friends to crew the ship because long space voyages are kind of boring without pals. As a result, about half the crew is not fully qualified for their job, or their personality is unsuited to high-stakes situations and this poor character finds herself constantly having to interfere.
Possibly she was on a backwater plant and wanted to leave, and thought it would be a great idea to talk her way on to this ship. Possibly she signed on to be a janitor? Maybe she helped the captain with some bureaucratic red tape and got hired to deal with port authorities because he can't be bothered? Either way, she is having to jump in and do WAY more than her job description implies.
Lab assistant version:
The freighter uses trucking as a cover for its hidden laboratory, where they do experiments on alien flora and fauna that they pick up in their travels, looking for cures or possibly just fabulous new recreational drugs. Whether she was a lab assistant or not when she came aboard, she is now, to prevent the ship from being filled with toxic fumes or other such calamities.
However, the captain of said ship has a bit of a drinking problem, and mostly hired his/her friends to crew the ship because long space voyages are kind of boring without pals. As a result, about half the crew is not fully qualified for their job, or their personality is unsuited to high-stakes situations and this poor character finds herself constantly having to interfere.
Possibly she was on a backwater plant and wanted to leave, and thought it would be a great idea to talk her way on to this ship. Possibly she signed on to be a janitor? Maybe she helped the captain with some bureaucratic red tape and got hired to deal with port authorities because he can't be bothered? Either way, she is having to jump in and do WAY more than her job description implies.
Lab assistant version:
The freighter uses trucking as a cover for its hidden laboratory, where they do experiments on alien flora and fauna that they pick up in their travels, looking for cures or possibly just fabulous new recreational drugs. Whether she was a lab assistant or not when she came aboard, she is now, to prevent the ship from being filled with toxic fumes or other such calamities.
Hey everyone! Wanted to give you all a heads up that I'm working on the character page. It's taking a bit of time since I'm having to juggle working on it with my work schedule. Should be able to get it done (as well as the bibliography citing which ideas I used) by the end of the month.
Here's Meadow! Currently I have her basic story written down using your guys' ideas. Right now I'm working on her character concept model so I have a picture for her.
Meadow also is borrowing the keyboard right now to say hi to everyone and to please not squeeze her for the hallucinogenic dust.
Meadow also is borrowing the keyboard right now to say hi to everyone and to please not squeeze her for the hallucinogenic dust.
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