Friday Freeday: Ghulien of the Crystal Bearers

I had something else planned to write today...Do you think I remember what it was? SMH!

My sister was actually the first person to mention making profiles for your characters (I really hope she finds the time to start writing again. Her work...sheesh, I miss reading it!), and profiles are very important to help you get to really know your characters and establish their own voice. So I figured, let me find one! And the NaNoWriMo site has one.

It's pretty extensive, so for the sake of you reading, I will leave some of the most notable questions.

Full Name Princess Ghulien (joo-lee-EN), of the Crystal Bearers

Nickname: Ghuli

1. Age: 17
2. Gender: female
3. Date of Birth: Year 1903, 7th Month, 19th Day
4. Hair color/style: black, long & curly
5. Eye color: hazel
6. Accent (if any): slightly Sprityn
7. Height: 5'3
8. Weight: 128 lbs (just looked at my stats and had her at 108...that's pretty frail)
9. Tattoos: none
10. Piercings: none
11. Scars: n/a

Personality Overview:

1. Fears: dying, herself
2. Childhood: spoiled, sheltered, loved to play in the forest or at the beach
3. Adolescence: a little more grounded. death of a loved one made her more aware of reality

Favorites

1.  Books or Favorite music artists: Her favorite book is The Land in the Reflection by Amlyn the Sprite
2. Authors: Amlyn the Sprite, Migan the Sprite
3. What are some of their pet peeves? when she is ignored or spoken over
4. What sort of gifts do they like? She loves books about the other continents.
5. What is their favorite time of day? sunset, when it gets warm for an hour
6. Where do they like to spend their time? She loves being in the weeping willows in the Forest of Weeping Willows
7. Favorite food? Favorite drink? Hot drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol? stew, peach nectar, hot drinks
8. Favorite animal? leonine
9. Do they have any pets? Do they want any? Technically, the leonines are her pets.
10. What relaxes them? sitting alone and reading
11. Do they have any bad habits? She fidgets when she's nervous, plays with her fingers or her hair.
12. What are some things that they don’t like? (least favorite food/drink, weather/season, etc). She doesn't like contemporary art or dark stories. She's not a fan of peas.

Resources and abilities:

1. Where did they learn their abilities? She was self-taught. Her powers were forbidden by a past king.
2. Where does your character live? Why did they choose it, and how did they acquire it? How do they handle intruders (graciously? violently?)? Ghuli lives on the Island Continent to the west. It's a northern island with a cold, snowy climate. The willow trees are blue and white, blue being the strong ones and white being fragile. When the story opens she is living in the former Western Crystal Palace called Aterholt Manor, a large graystone manse with red and black brick stairs along the hill on which it stands. It is built like a maze to confuse intruders. Her watchmen handle those that do try to break in, but in dire straits, there is hidden shelter beneath the manor.
3. What are some of your character’s more notable merits and flaws (including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.)? How did they develop? How has this helped or hindered them in the past? Physically, as a Crystal Bearer, she has a crystal in each hand and foot that channels the planet's energy and transforms into her powers. Mentally & emotionally, she can be a pessimist and also acts on impulse. But when she isn't impulsive, she has very clear thinking and is often right.
4. Do they speak more than one language? She speaks Crystalline and knows Treesprite Sign Language.

Relationships and history:

1. What is their family history like? How does it affect them? How do they feel about their family? How does their family feel about them? Ghuli's father was the first prince born after the Trollic-Sprityn Wars ended. He was a symbol of world peace, a loving, kind man who valued life and people. He and his wife were childhood sweethearts and created a loving home. The kindheartedness of her father made Ghuli also a kindhearted princess who cares deeply for her watchmen and handmaidens as though they were her own blood. They also love Ghuli and treat her like one of their own.
2. What were they like as a child? What was their favorite toy? Favorite game? Playmates? Ghuli was a hyper, spirited little girl who fought often with her watchman/adopted brother Cyan when he wouldn't let her get her way. She loved to swing from the willow trees and only had Cyan to play with mostly, when he was allowed.
3. What did they want to be when they grew up? She wanted to be an explorer and travel the world.
4. Describe their best and worst memories from childhood. Best memory: Cyan took her to the beach once, and she actually got him to go out into the water! Worst memory: when her Commanding Watchman died in battle.
5. Do they, or have they in the past, had a mentor? What was their relationship with this person, and how has it changed since then? Sir Aleksandyr was her Commanding Watchman and the only father figure she could remember. He was very loving and merciful in his punishments for her. She thinks of him almost every day.
6. What sort of education have they had? Do they want more? Ghuli's handmaidens taught her geography, reading, writing, and music. Sir Aleksandyr taught her history and about their policing system: the Scholarship and the Watch.
7. Who is their closest friend, and why? What do they like to do with this person? Cyan will always be her closest friend. She loves the moments where they can go outside and have fun.

Now I want to do more of these! Gah!