This is something I prefer to let show organically. Age and the weight of combat experience shapes a person and how they comport themselves. So my two Duskwight siblings- Ojene, a 52-year-old war veteran; and Jophoix, her 21-year-old brother who has barely stood witness to any real combat in his life- approach people with a very different air.
When Ojene has occasion to talk about her experiences (and when she decides to share them, which isn't always...), she will. But she doesn't go into long explanations of her life very often.
Nonetheless, since I've got so much of it plotted out, it shapes how she interacts with people, and how she responds to things. It comes out, in subtle ways. I don't need to have her go on and on about all she's been through to give people the notion that she's been around the block a few times.
This isn't really the specific answer I think you were looking for, but I think portraying this sort of experience without beating your audience over the head of it is a subtle thing. If your character carries it around with them and it affects what they do, people can tell there's something more going on there... even if they don't know exactly what it is.
When Ojene has occasion to talk about her experiences (and when she decides to share them, which isn't always...), she will. But she doesn't go into long explanations of her life very often.
Nonetheless, since I've got so much of it plotted out, it shapes how she interacts with people, and how she responds to things. It comes out, in subtle ways. I don't need to have her go on and on about all she's been through to give people the notion that she's been around the block a few times.
This isn't really the specific answer I think you were looking for, but I think portraying this sort of experience without beating your audience over the head of it is a subtle thing. If your character carries it around with them and it affects what they do, people can tell there's something more going on there... even if they don't know exactly what it is.
Characters:Â Ojene Suinuet, Jophoix Suinuet
