Raen Toymaker Idea

[Gegenji]

So, I've been wanting to help provide a little RP on Mateus. I have far too many connections on my main guys to move them over, so I figured I'd take the (potentially crazy) route of making another character (this would be my... fourth character?) if/when it gets named as a server to make new characters on for the whole bonus XP thing and all that. Maybe sooner, but I'd want to level it at least somewhat for the glamour endgame... and to get the gil needed for his "gimmick."

 

... Perhaps I should just explain the character idea. It's a variation on something I suggested to someone else that they ultimately never ran with. And recent conversations have kind of brought the idea back into my mind.

 

~*~

 

 

Name: Mokujin Gashapon Omochaya (Omochaya no Mokujin?)

Race/Tribe: Raen Au Ra

Profession: Toymaker (Mechanically: Goldsmith)

Age: Late 30s, early 40s

 

Moku, despite his generally imposing-looking appearance, is a gentle soul whose passion is making little toys and trinkets for children. Specifically dolls and figurines - especially ones that you can wind up and they move on their own. Seeing the delight and hearing the yelps of surprised joy of youngsters as his little doodads start moving fills him with a sense of glee and accomplishment that little else does.

 

Imagine his surprise, then, when a visitor from Sharlayan compared his creations to the various animated objects of their homeland. His curiosity piqued, Moku inquired further on the matter and - after some insistence and a promise that it was only meant for the children - he was taught how to imbue his little dolls with what seemed to be benevolent kami. Now it was all the easier to create little dolls to brighten those young faces.

 

However, he didn't get much time to show off his new tricks. It was barely a moon or two later that the razing happened - forcing Moku, like many others, to flee. With no workshop and no home, he still tries to live out his passion - selling what crude knick-knacks and toys he can make with the gil he can scrounge up. The Sharlayan's gift has helped somewhat in this regard, since the intricacies of clockwork requires costly tools and materials, but most of what he makes goes into food and materials to continue his income. At least he still garners some degree of satisfaction when even those more crudely-made toys bring a smile to some child's face.

 

Potential Goals:

• Gain membership with Goldsmith's Guild
  
• Re-establish toy shop (apartment?)
  
• Join a merchant's circle or similar for connections (read: Join FC)
  
• Getting roped somehow into Lords of Verminion at the Saucer?
  
• Potential progression to Puppetmaster-esque combat style (to PROTECT THE CHIL'REN, of course)
  

 

~*~

 

So yeah, I kinda like the idea of someone who makes and/or utilizes all the little minions and such. The original idea was for someone who wanted to play an antisocial information-gatherer who used their clockwork minions to do the gathering and interaction for her. However, I personally prefer playing someone of a more friendly bent. Plus, I would think I could get plenty of hooks with having him selling his various toys (animated and non) on some random street corner.

 

... Thoughts?

[Nero]

The concept itself is fine.

 

For the surname, I would advise something different. "Gashapon" or "gachapon" are words that don't actually mean anything; it's onomatopoeia, and doesn't really express anything about your character like a Raen surname should.

 

The surnames of Raen commoners would be related to their profession. With that in mind, where did your character learn to make things? Were they apprenticed under someone before learning about clockwork and mechanics along the way? If they're self-taught, what was their family's profession?

 

For example, if your character was originally trained as some kind of metalsmith, then here would be some surnames to use:

 

Kazarishi (錺師) - Jeweller

Hakuuchi (箔打) - Metal foiling and striking i.e. a goldsmith.

Shirogane (白銀) - Silver

Akagane (赤金) - Copper

 

And etc.

[Gegenji]

Yeah, the surname was sort of a troubling point for me. I wanted to see if there was a term just for "dollmaker" or "toymaker" to fit the profession name thing. I just grabbed "Gatchapon" as a sort of placeholder and I wasn't sure if using "Omocha" (toy) or something similar would work... :blush:

 

I'm not too up-to-snuff on my archaic Japanese.

 

EDIT: Swapped in Omocha for his surname for now. Also added potential goals to seek with him. Might throw up a screenshot of a potential look when I get home this evening?

[Gegenji]

... Double-post, but here is his potential look. As promised:

 

 

Definitely think I made him look pretty haggard-looking and down on his luck. Or just fed up with everything. I'm not sure.

 

And delving into the question of who taught him... the first thing that comes to mind with a guy like Moku is probably "pay it forward." I get the feeling he had someone who made toys he absolutely adored playing with as a youngster and was just fascinated with some of the more intricate ones like the wind-ups. So, when he came of age, he sought to get himself apprenticed to that old toymaker and took up the man's passion and trade.

[Michaux]

I love this idea! It's creative and different. I would love to see how you'd describe the puppet-master combat style, because it sounds like fun. I hope I'll get to meet Mokujin on my Mateus alt. (Her name is Sarnai Kha. If you ever see me online, please add me!)

 

And oh honey, if you think 4 characters are a lot, I have 10 chars across three servers. *weeps*

[Gegenji]

I love this idea! It's creative and different. I would love to see how you'd describe the puppet-master combat style, because it sounds like fun. I hope I'll get to meet Mokujin on my Mateus alt. (Her name is Sarnai Kha. If you ever see me online, please add me!)

 

And oh honey, if you think 4 characters are a lot, I have 10 chars across three servers. *weeps*

 

Ah, I'm glad you like it!

 

As for how to describe it... I'm vaguely basing the idea off the FFXI class of the same name. However, I had quit far before it had been added, so I never actually saw it in action. I suppose I could look it up and base it more closely off it if I really wanted to...

 

But the current plan is to basically describe Moku doing general puppeteering-style motions... but focus mainly on what the minion is doing. So, something like this, I suppose?

 

* Moku sweeps his hands to the side quickly, causing his little mammet to lurch sharply to the left - as if yanked by invisible wires. Once it composed itself, it leapt back into the fray, leading with its tiny, needle-sharp sword.

 

And as for the whole "x number of characters" thing, I think the biggest issue is trying to give them all a good amount of attention. Chachan is my main and I manage my other two by usually just having them active on certain days/certain events. Moku seems like one I'd want to put a bit more attention on, so I'm trying to wrap my head around how it would work... :dazed:

[Caspar]

The surname could be Ningyou (literally Doll, unlikely as a surname) or Hitogata (alternate reading that's uncommon). Maybe Hinazukuri? (Implies hina doll from hinamatsuri not automata) it's hard for me to tell what would sound natural. I'd make a name using the characters used in Karakuri, but that's not guaranteed to sound like a real name. Often these kinds of names are done by linking characters with an alternative reading that creates the pun, in Japanese media. Alternatively I look up historical figures associated with a theme I'm writing (I often use Liang in smart characters names, to be particularly unsubtle lol) and try to use a similar but not quite the same name. Like WcDonalds. Well maybe not that obvious...

[Gegenji]

The surname could be Ningyou (literally Doll, unlikely as a surname) or Hitogata (alternate reading that's uncommon). Maybe Hinazukuri? (Implies hina doll from hinamatsuri not automata) it's hard for me to tell what would sound natural. I'd make a name using the characters used in Karakuri, but that's not guaranteed to sound like a real name. Often these kinds of names are done by linking characters with an alternative reading that creates the pun, in Japanese media. Alternatively I look up historical figures associated with a theme I'm writing (I often use Liang in smart characters names, to be particularly unsubtle lol) and try to use a similar but not quite the same name. Like WcDonalds. Well maybe not that obvious...

 

Hitogata and Karakuri actually seem kinda neat name options too. But yeah, a good name that implies his profession of making toys would be great.

 

... Maybe I should just call him however you would phoneticize "Geppetto" in Japanese. :lol:

[Michaux]

Ah, I'm glad you like it!

 

As for how to describe it... I'm vaguely basing the idea off the FFXI class of the same name. However, I had quit far before it had been added, so I never actually saw it in action. I suppose I could look it up and base it more closely off it if I really wanted to...

 

But the current plan is to basically describe Moku doing general puppeteering-style motions... but focus mainly on what the minion is doing. So, something like this, I suppose?

 

* Moku sweeps his hands to the side quickly, causing his little mammet to lurch sharply to the left - as if yanked by invisible wires. Once it composed itself, it leapt back into the fray, leading with its tiny, needle-sharp sword.

 

Yeah, I stopped playing FFXI long before that too, I think. It sounds like it would be a good way to kinda freak out an opponent.

 

And as for the whole "x number of characters" thing, I think the biggest issue is trying to give them all a good amount of attention. Chachan is my main and I manage my other two by usually just having them active on certain days/certain events. Moku seems like one I'd want to put a bit more attention on, so I'm trying to wrap my head around how it would work... :dazed:

 

I have two RP mains that I tend to play pretty steadily, and then I tend to rotate through my alts depending on which ones I'm feeling most. I'll do an arc with one alt, then let them rest for a while as I focus on another. That seems to work out pretty well. If I end up with an alt that I just never RP, I fantasia them into someone else and try again. But I'm obsessive about creating new characters. It's an addiction. T_T

[Gegenji]

But I'm obsessive about creating new characters. It's an addiction. T_T

 

Now that I can get. There's a reason I don't look in my DnD/Pathfinder Player's Handbooks anymore. Too many character ideas, no one to play them with. :blush:

[Gegenji]

Just a bit of a bump on this to try and figure out a good surname for Moku.

 

Right now I'm sort of waffling between Omocha and Karakuri, even though I think both aren't really names? Whatever would be the "proper" term for someone who makes toys (in general, not just dolls) would probably be best... but I'm still open to ideas and suggestions.

 

Gotta figure this out so I'm set to make him over on Mateus!

[Siha]

I'm not even sure this one would be appropriate but when I thought of toys I thought of tinkertoys and then thought about tinkering and looked up what I could to find: Yogore.

 

Between the two you have Omocha flows better with his name but Karakuri seems more accurate toward his profession in a sense.

[Caspar]

汚れ - "dirty?"

Is that the correct yogore?

Maybe because he is covered in soot or debris from his work?

[Siha]

Yikes, maybe not. I'll have to look again. Sorry! I thought I'd grabbed the right one...

 

Edit: Definitely not what I was looking for, ignore that part please, but my opinion on the names you have stands! I really am unsure about finding a word for tinker. There's so many conflicting words...

[Gegenji]

Haha, no worries! Currently I'm going with Omochaya, which apparently translates roughly as "Toy Seller." If it sounds like it flows well, all the better! Especially while his most popular toys might be the animated dolls, he can and will make other toys and non-animated dolls!

[Gegenji]

A bit of a double-post, but I'm planning on having Moku make his steps into the world of Hydaelyn after work today. I just wanted to thank everyone who gave the thread a look-see and provided input and suggestions on him!

 

Once I get him situated, I'll probably make a Making Connections thread for him to see if I can't get the RP ball rolling. As well as perhaps find him a FC. So, if any of you Mateus players are interested in my toymaker, please look forward to the thread!

 

Thanks again, guys, and feel free to throw out any other ideas and feedback here should you think of something. :thumbsup: