While OOC and IC should remain strictly separate, no question asked, you still have to take care a bit of where your character can go by themselves. If left unchecked they can definitely paint themselves in a corner. And generally, you don't really want to go there, so you are right to ask that question.
I think the way you can play it though heavily relies on the type of character you play, and their personality. It's very hard to give general examples for that reason. I generally proceed by looking for the true reasons that makes my character hates, loathe, or simply dislike a group of people or a culture. I then try to imagine how that would translate through their personality. For example, a brutish character might be super blunt, roll their shoulders and say things like "why should I expect anything else from a fucking Mighan?", and it will work because it fits to a not very subtle, brutish character to act so.
Then... you will need to take into account other factors as well, like the personality and relationship with the target, and the context. If your character says the same as above, to a Mighan that immediately reacted by violence to something else, then it might be spot on and will make a point for the character, because yes indeed, what else to expect from a Mighan if not immediate violence huh? What will color your character view of someone else, added to the prejudices they have against them?
I feel like you are also trying to play the hardest all cases, which is playing on prejudices on a total stranger your character meets for the first time. It's always hard to do because the prejudices will sound either artificial, or hollow. Or just like basic racism. Or like a free, gratuitous attack for no reason at all. For that I think you have to be more patient. Wait for an opening. Just don't rush in without any reason to. Your character themselves might also need a reason to act. Most of the time it's not just that gratuitous. At best, what you can actually do to bring the situation to that end is to signify strongly that your character is glaring at them, with a burning hatred in the eye, or whatever you fancy. You don't need to immediately send the nukes and go to insults and fists first. But, if it's in a tournament like your case above, I don't see why your character could not taunt like crazy and play on a heavy, insulting prejudices. The fight itself is enough of a reason to do so. It's smacktalk.
Then there is the scale. Is it just mild disdain? Heavy condescension? Burning hatred? Basic ignorant racism or prejudices? Educated prejudices? That too will influence the way your character justifies and explains the prejudice to themselves.
Eventually, keep in mind that prejudiced people will always try to find a justification to their hatred. They will look for almost anything to prove themselves right. They will take the smallest thing that might go their way as an obvious justification for their behavior.
I think the way you can play it though heavily relies on the type of character you play, and their personality. It's very hard to give general examples for that reason. I generally proceed by looking for the true reasons that makes my character hates, loathe, or simply dislike a group of people or a culture. I then try to imagine how that would translate through their personality. For example, a brutish character might be super blunt, roll their shoulders and say things like "why should I expect anything else from a fucking Mighan?", and it will work because it fits to a not very subtle, brutish character to act so.
Then... you will need to take into account other factors as well, like the personality and relationship with the target, and the context. If your character says the same as above, to a Mighan that immediately reacted by violence to something else, then it might be spot on and will make a point for the character, because yes indeed, what else to expect from a Mighan if not immediate violence huh? What will color your character view of someone else, added to the prejudices they have against them?
I feel like you are also trying to play the hardest all cases, which is playing on prejudices on a total stranger your character meets for the first time. It's always hard to do because the prejudices will sound either artificial, or hollow. Or just like basic racism. Or like a free, gratuitous attack for no reason at all. For that I think you have to be more patient. Wait for an opening. Just don't rush in without any reason to. Your character themselves might also need a reason to act. Most of the time it's not just that gratuitous. At best, what you can actually do to bring the situation to that end is to signify strongly that your character is glaring at them, with a burning hatred in the eye, or whatever you fancy. You don't need to immediately send the nukes and go to insults and fists first. But, if it's in a tournament like your case above, I don't see why your character could not taunt like crazy and play on a heavy, insulting prejudices. The fight itself is enough of a reason to do so. It's smacktalk.
Then there is the scale. Is it just mild disdain? Heavy condescension? Burning hatred? Basic ignorant racism or prejudices? Educated prejudices? That too will influence the way your character justifies and explains the prejudice to themselves.
Eventually, keep in mind that prejudiced people will always try to find a justification to their hatred. They will look for almost anything to prove themselves right. They will take the smallest thing that might go their way as an obvious justification for their behavior.
Balmung:Â Suen Shyu
