Challenge Yourself

Brigham (Character in Training) (WIP)

1. What does the person look like - all the way down to the last detail? Do they have any scars? If they do, where'd they come from? What other odd traits might they have?

Brigham is a man who is approximately six foot tall, has black hair and dark gray eyes. His skin is dusky, tanned and a bit leathery from overexposure to the sun. He has a scar on his face from an accidental hit on the left side of his face near his temple. (Story was about a woman – she hit him but was aiming for somebody else.) He wears jeans, and button down shirts, sometimes t-shirts, rarely slacks. He owns a suit but has never worn it, it’s reserved for funerals (the last one got ripped, in the fight with the scar?). His black hair is a little shaggy, but not overly long (up to 2”). His fingernails are a little dirty from manual labor (landscaping) but are cut short and well kept. There are calluses on his hands. He is muscular from the work. It is difficult to tell his age, a mature man in his prime. His eyes are a little care-worn, giving away a greater age than he appears through the experiences seen and the things he’s lived. He smiles often, but laughs rarely. His nose is a prominent feature that makes him appear vaguely hawkish, especially when combined with the eyes that seem to see beyond physical appearances. There are other scars from that fight, one on his chest near the bottom of his rib cage stretching from right side to just beyond mid-chest on the left side and one on his outside left thigh stretching from the hip stretching down 4 inches.

2. What happened in this person's past to make them who they are today? Were they divorced, abused, loved, cared for, pushed away, etc?

Saw much injustice as a child, watching his father alienate his sisters. He was more prepared by high school to handle such matters and moved out at sixteen. His mother wouldn’t leave, and his verbally/emotionally abusive father never changed his ways. He and his sisters are very close. They’ve both been married and divorced, and going through that with the two of them has made him very cautious about letting a woman into his heart. His childhood best friend married his crush through school, and he never told either of them his feelings. Many people confide in him secrets that he keeps, and he counsels them or helps them when he can. He feels it is his duty to do this, an obligation to be the better person. Many consider him a close friend even though he doesn’t open up to them because of they confided in him.

3. What kind of temperament do they have, and why? Does it have something to do with their past?

Brigham is fairly easy-going most of the time. He can be pushed too far, generally in regards to protecting women or children or animals or other unfortunates. He is accustomed to helping people out, lending a helping hand where possible. He is thought of as a rock, but he keeps many things to himself unless they shake him to his core. He appears strong and is quiet in most situations. He rarely raises his voice. He is this way because of his sisters, having to help them against their father growing up. He has always attempted to protect those who couldn’t defend themselves.

4. How would they react in the following situations?
          a. A divorce
Brigham would be devastated by a divorce. He doesn’t share easily and if he ever opened up enough to a woman to get married, the end of that marriage would shatter his sense of self. He would survive it, but it would take him longer to trust the next person. (He has been burned, when and by whom?) He feels very protective about those who depend on him, and it takes a lot to abuse him enough to make him leave.
          b. Someone cheating on him/her
Same as divorce, except Brigham would feel the need to leave. Cheating is not kosher.
          c. A robbery
He would be the one watching, and if an opening presented he’d act to thwart it if possible.
          d. Finding out that someone s/he love loves him/her back
He is very sensitive and not likely to present his feelings, but knowing his love was returned would mean the world to him. It is sacred and something he treats like a fragile bird. His love interest would be cared for and loved.
          e. Winning the lottery (what would they do with the money?)
He would make a plan, see investors, buy a house and be conservative. He would set everything up to take care of himself and any dependents indefinitely, provided the lottery winnings were big enough to do it.
          f. S/he has been wronged in some other way - does s/he forgive easily?
He forgives, but he doesn’t forget. If it involves trust, it takes time to regain it, although he does not fling it into the other’s face or mention it. The worst is the look in his eyes, the memory of pain.

5. What kind of friends do they keep, if they keep any? Does s/he actually trust his/her friends, or are they there for convenience?

Brigham is practical and reliable. His friends are real people, and mean a great deal to him. They are few and far between, but value his friendship higher for its rarity.