Author Topic: What types of symbolism do your characters have?  (Read 2196 times)

Moth

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What types of symbolism do your characters have?
« on: April 09, 2019, 11:29:21 AM »
Symbolism plays an important role in the RWBY-verse, where so many characters are based off of colors, story book characters, and when a person's literal superpower is a symbolic representation of their personality. Where characters literally wear symbols that are supposed to represent themselves as a whole.

But beyond the very obviouos, what sort of running themes do you have for your characters? Does it reflect them as a whole, or is it part of a much larger thematic destiny for gour OCs? Rant away - large responses are encouraged!
Prism Skylark - Beacon First Year, Winged Sharpshooter and Leader of Team CASA (Casanova) #ffffff

Chantou Rou - Beacon First Year, Insect-Eyed Rebel of Team LGGR (Lager) #ff82a4

Albrecht Clodwal - Beacon First Year, White Knight Nice-Guy of Team CNRS (Cinerous) #00a4a4

Azre and Erza Sundown- Shade First Years, Fallen Stars of Team RASB (Raspberry) #fe2d00, #feab00

Jima Purpora - Beacon Third Year, Grimm-Obsessed Scholar of Team PLSM (Plasma) #6e3aa8

ReaperJoe

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Re: What types of symbolism do your characters have?
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2019, 02:26:56 PM »
Oh boy, symbolism!  You know, I hated talking about this in high school.

So, Smokey probably has the most heavy-handed symbolism of all my characters:  he's literally a volcano.  Everything from his kit to his color scheme was designed to emphasize that.  Even aspects of his personality were designed with that theme in mind, most notably his anger-management issues.  However, there are other aspects, too.  To make another comparison, volcanic soil is some of the most fertile in the world, and as long as the volcano doesn't erupt again, life can thrive near it.  Similarly, if Smokey can learn to keep his temper  completely in check, he'd find that people might actually consider him a valuable member of the community.  In a world filled with giant monsters hell-bent on driving humanity to extinction, having the biggest gun on Remnant at your back would be considered quite the boon, no?

Moving on to his kit, his semblance makes him like a mountain-- immovable and unshakable.  It provides the base for him to fire his weapons, which act as the force of the eruption.  His kit allows him to hit way above his weight class, thus he's able to easily take down Grimm that others would struggle with.  This comes at several costs, though.  Like a mountain, Smokey's not exactly mobile.  He's at his strongest when enemies come to him, since he bring the full force of both his weapon and his powerful, semblance-enhanced grab.  Furthermore, his gun, like the flow of lava, is indiscriminate with its damage.  For instance, if an ally is engaged in melee with an enemy, and Smokey tries to shoot the enemy, the spread of Matchstick would probably hit his ally, as well (unless Smokey got up close and personal first, of course).

And that's just Smokey, I have four other characters, but I'mma leave it here for now, I'll come back later, eventually.
Smokey Emberstone Beacon 1st Year and the Immovable Gunslinger of Team DASE "I've got more than enough firepower to beat you" "You've only got one bullet!" "Like I said, more than enough"

Aurelia Lumen Beacon 3rd year and the Warhorse of Team (TBD)  "Lay down your weapons, lest you wish to taste my steel!"

Wabul "Toast" Paka Shade 1st year and the Acrobatic Swashbuckler of Team (TBD)  "Hey, I'm gonna go jump off a bridge, who's with me?"

Lucas Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Hermit of Team CLVS  "What's so great about 'bittersweet'?"

Clara Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Blast Magician of Team (TBD) "No one likes just plain ol' bitter"

August Flare Beacon 1st year and the would-be ruler of the world "Join me, and witness the Brightest Future!"

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nathan67003

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Re: What types of symbolism do your characters have?
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2019, 04:34:37 PM »
I have quite honestly no idea.
Characters: ShowHide
Nathan Eau, De Facto Jetpack Guy and Leader of Team INKK
Camelia Sol, Miss Magnetic Personality and Leader of Team CAST
Anna Fall, Insightful Visionary of Team ASTC
Brock Greenwood, Human Titan of Team DGTL
Helena Chlophyll, Ray of Sunshine of Team CHES
Scarlett/Corinth,Korynn,etc. Briggart/Topaz (In the works)
Max (mp)
Chloe (mp)
Maena Nadir, Coherent Beam of Team SSMR
Europa/Encela(dus)/Io/Callisto/Calypso (In the works)
Hannah Glass
Mark Cassini
Carlson Ferram
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"GREEEEEEEN"
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"HOT HOT HOT"
"s m o l"
"Alastair Reynolds"
"Living Weapon"
"Glm"
"Librarian"
"Vibin'"
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TheKaru

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Re: What types of symbolism do your characters have?
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2019, 12:13:27 PM »
My boy Gram is all about that microbiology! From his design over his personality to his semblance and weapon, I just threw tons of bacterial shit into a pool and dubbed it Gram.
Starting with his name being based on gram staining, a microbiological stain helping in differentiating bacteria and colouring them either pink or purple. His last name, MacConkey, is also a reference to MacConkey medium, a reddish pink type of differential microbiological medium.
His name references also largely dictate his colour scheme, consisting of shades of pink and purple.
His symbol is the colour of a MacConkey medium with a 13-stroke-smear, another technique used to isolate bacteria.
His personality, being kind of an introvert, not too fond of crowds, but growing really defensive and protective over something he holds dear, be it objects or people also has roots in basic bacterial behaviour with their tendency to feel stressed in environments with high microbial density and having developed several defense mechanisms to compete for nutrients and minerals.
The latter is also the core of his semblance, which is based on the ability of many bacteria to produce toxins to fend off their competition. Its scent is also based on the very characteristic scent of E. Coli.
His weapons represent aspects of bacteria as well. Piloflagellum, a dagger/whip combination is inspired by the bacteria's Pilus, a whip-like protein chain used to hook onto other bacteria and reeling them in (usually for gene transfer but, you know, that's a different story) and Flagellum, another locomotion apparatus utilized by many kinds of microbes. Pepto-Aegis is based on the bacterial cell-walls which consist of peptoglycan and offer the cell stability and protection, much like the shield Gram carries.

I probably missed like 10 references I thought of but... I feel like I made the theme clear...
Gram MacConkey 2nd Year Beacon Student and biohazard of Team ALGA

Walter

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Re: What types of symbolism do your characters have?
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2019, 12:06:34 PM »
Most of my chars are based on either songs or some random idea that pops into my head for a semblance or whatnot, so I can't say that the symbolism is huge for a lot of them.

Reggie's probably the best example, really. First and foremost would be his semblance - one with great potential and power if used correctly and yet it seems to be wasted upon someone like him. Unhinged and sporadic, dangerous to himself and prone to flaring out when he gets angered, often just resulting in himself getting hurt. His combat style also exists to emphasize his perceived strength in comparison his actual abilities - great at range, and yet he falls apart when confronted in melee.

Other than that? Well, there's Nut. The symbolism in his design is a bit less impressive.

His semblance covers things in his cream-colored aura and his weapon is called 'O.T.N.', combined with his personality I think that should be pretty clear. There is also something behind the naming scheme of his weapons, and a certain destiny I do want him to fulfill, but that's stuff I can't really reveal until all of his weapon's forms have been revealed.
Razzmatazz Gele - 2nd Year warrior of happiness of Team ____. "Oh, I also like ____! Let's be friends!"

Janna Tarmac - 1st Year tank lady of Team DGTL. "Our job is to protect the innocent, and that's what I do."

Reginald Royale - 1st year snotty brat of team RBLS. "I'm telling father about this!"

Rufus Chocla - 2nd year freestyle rapper of team APRC. "Rap comes from the Soul, don't mess with the Flow, if you can't take no more, don't wait for Encore!"

Anza Burgundy - 1st Year archer of team CRSA. "War eagle, feller!"

Silica Methiviola - Assistant to the Royale Family/Reginald. "Suck my metaphorical dick, nerd."

Coconut Cream - 1st Year pervert of team CASA. "B-before we fight could you just like... nyah once for me?"

Tiber Rostrum - 1st year Bea(k)on student. "*Unintelligible, birdlike gibberish*"

My good ole AMA