1, 2, 4, 22, 23, 29, 50
Character solidifying!
1. How does your character think of their father? What do they hate and love about him? What influence - literal or imagined - did the father have?
Let’s make this one about Luchist. So… Jeanne has, understandably, very conflicted feelings about Luchist. When he was around, he was much stricter and she was more… intimidated by him. His praise was rare and thus sought after, and she tried her hardest for him.
Now that he’s left… She’s, well, quite reasonably angry at him, mostly because of how hurt Marco was. Facing him makes her anxious; she isn’t quite sure what she’d do in front of him.
She hates his impredictability, not knowing why or how he does things. His behavior choped away at her confidence and her pride, contributed to her abandonment issues and made her distrustful - she has since then started dissembling.
2. Their mother? How do they think of her? What do they hate? Love? What influence - literal or imagined - did the mother have?
About Marco now! Marco... Jeanne thinks very highly of him. When she was little, he was a fairytale hero come to life, and to her he could say, do or want no wrong. She loves his honesty, his bravery, his kindness too. But at the same time that callous 'honesty' worries her - after Luchist's departure, she has become scared of his rejection, of his leaving, and is thus hiding most of her emotions and thoughts from him. She has also started realizing he wasn't exactly right on some - most - topics, which causes her to doubt about everything. He has made her a bit of a prude and righteous, and he has given strong moral values; he's just made her an emotional mess in the process.
As for other maternal figures... Jeanne loved Meene dearly, though her status wasn't very clear (sister? Soldier? Mom?) and looked up to her. It was towards Meene that Jeanne turned when dealing with things she didn't dare talk to Marco about, and the two girls sometimes had nighttime sneak attacks on the kitchen together.
4. What type of discipline was your character subjected to at home? Strict? Lenient?
As long as Luchist was around, the discipline was more or less strict. Once he left though... Marco's strict rules do not apply to her, but as she started to dissemble and hide things from him she was always on her 'best behavior' around him. He would be very lenient if she conformed to what he asked, though.
22. Who are their friends? Lovers? ‘Type’ or ‘ideal’ partner?
Jeanne is not a very straightforward person. She needs people who will listen to her and give her lots of second chances, because as she panics she can be upsetting (ie dissembling, lying or hiding stuff, oooor killing people we've seen that's not out of the question). To get her to truly open up, one would have to be able to create a safe space in which she doesn't feel constantly watched and tried, a space in which she can safely relax. However, it's not a given she would be 'sexually' interested in such a person, as she's not so very sexual.
Hao is a bit special because - so much in her life revolves around him. He reeks of danger and the unknown and the dark - which is kind of how she sees romantic and sexual relationships, hence the connexion she makes. And the discrepancy between them - the power difference but also his much stronger self-confidence - also makes him a paradoxically... Safe person. She can't hide anything, so she 'has' to accept who she is and what she does.
23. What do they want from a partner? What do they think and feel of sex?
The Iron maiden training is based on ignoring physical pain to get stronger. It is not healthy by any means: as Anna implies, a Shaman need to have both body and mind prepared. Jeanne is basically only spiritual strength, no physical. Which translates into her being generally unaware of the physical reality of bodies - hence her lack of awareness of boundaries for example. With most people, she is looking for an emotional bond, not a physical one - and is basically demisexual.It is only around people she inherently associates with darker themes, like... Hao, and just basically Hao, that she is truly aware of bodies. This becomes hyper awareness: lewd (or perceived as such) comments and gestures deemed inappropriate make her flustered and unable to respond.
29. What is your character’s weaknesses? Hubris? Pride? Controlling?
Jeanne suffers from pride because of Marco’s behavior and teaching, but in a different way. That pride is mixed with a great deal of insecurity and a discrepancy between what she’s been told she should be hailed as (which she doesn’t believe at all) and how she perceives herself to be: small, useless, guilty. Controlling/knowing her surroundings is also something that reassures her due to Luchist’s betrayal, but it’s nowhere as bad as it is in Marco.
50. What are the prevailing facial expressions? Sour? Cheerful? Dominating?
Jeanne smiles most of the time, the barbie doll smile she uses as poker face. On her own, it shifts into a mostly nervous/anxious expression, same as if she allows herself to relax around people. Around a Hao teasing her, she’s easily flustered. She is rarely 100% honestly cheerful.
