Alright, it is too quite here. Time to get everyone to reply to a message and get people talking:
What are some weird sources of inspiration for characters you've made?
My idea for my GURPS character was a Hoser (Canadian hillbilly. Think Bob and Doug McKenzie) Paladin. Likes his beer, doing stupid stuff, and protecting his community.
Over time the hoser aspect of him dropped off and he is a community leader, but he still likes going for a run every morning then bathing in the stream.
@Canageek Long distance train powerusers on twitter
@Canageek I never finished the story, but a hipster dude driving a Zamboni at the mall. Very influential.
@deathmlem @Canageek Giant decorative cutlery
@Canageek
#WeirdCharacters
I ran a beta Mystic order spy game, my character was the blond girl from Totally Spies!
big mouth, couldn't pronounce a single item
@Canageek My recent game about psychic monks looking for a new homeland drew inspiration in part from a podcast about Chinese cooking.
The game I'm making now about elephant angels is inspired by an unfinished text adventure from the 80s that satirized Ronald Reagan.
Not characters, but close enough I hope.
@Canageek
Source wise, honestly, 8+ children's actions shows. They can fit easily to an archetype or be molded to my needs, and often have fun quirks.
Otherwise, I end up defaulting to a character like how I think my mother views herself
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The one time I tried a TTRPG, I made my Amber character completely obsessed with finding the perfect waffle to the point where he lived in a Shadow where the people had lost the ability to derive nutrition from anything else and so put massive efforts into waffle R&D.
Inspired by the Weird Al song, "Waffle King".
(The GM nixed the waffleness and I lost interest in the game after that.)
@Canageek I made a character based on my observation of the thematic similarity between 5E clerics and warlocks: they're both tied to a powerful being who gives them magical powers.
So I made a 7 WIS "cleric of Mordoloth" who is actually a warlock with an infernal patron. Insists he's a cleric, and can "prove" it: has Cure Wounds (from a 1-level bard dip), can cast cleric cantrips (from Pact of the Tome), etc.
Meanwhile, Mordoloth and friends basically get "The Truman Show" in hell. ;D
@Canageek I should also note that he actually believes it (hence the 7 WIS). He honestly thinks he's a cleric of "Mordoloth, god of goodness and light" runs around doing good in the name of an archfiend.
@Canageek You know how Ralph Wiggum is friends with a leprechaun that tells him to burn things? I've got a Warlock who's basically that--looks like a 10 year old boy and is always talking to his demonic familiar Mr Grumblespell. (In truth he's closer to 70 and Mr Grumblespell has magically stopped him from aging.)
@Canageek “Depravo the Rat”: a super-strong, intelligent —you guessed it— rat, with thumbs, who could walk upright and stood two meters tall when he did. A master at breaking into places and breaking out of traps, this character was a waaaay too obvious homage to the true masters of one of my least favorite apartments of the past. I’m surprised I never came up with some sort of “Captain Cockroach” as well. #WeirdCharacters
#WeirdCharacters
Richard Castle from the TV show Castle. Except if he was in say, Columbo and had supernaturally good senses.
I think part of inspiration was an old 80s action show about someone who got supernatural senses fighting in the Colombian Jungle.
I named him John Rook.