Questioning Your Persona
Your persona in the SCA is not just what you wear or your name but it is also who you are. Your persona is your background. It is the story of who you are. And for those of us with a rich and varied fantasy life this might be a fairly easy task to create but for others it simply is not.
So how would you get to know your persona if you had just met him or her? You would ask questions. The problem is which ones. For the moment, forget what is your name. You may not have one yet. If you do, that's great but if you don't you can still get to know your persona.
This list of questions is meant to be a jumping off point...a place for you to begin to investigate your own background.
1. How old were you and when were you born?
2. What year is it now? What day is it? What season is it?
3. Where do you live? Describe your home, your village, shire or barony.
4. Describe your family, your friends, the people you work with. To whom do you owe allegiance, to whom are you obligated?
5. Were your parents married when you were born? Describe their wedding.
6. If they were not married, how did this affect you (your standing in the community and/or the way you were treated by your church).
7. Are your parents still alive? Do you have siblings? Do you have a large family or a small one? Are you close to your family?
8. Are you married? Do you have children? How many? What are their names?
9. Describe your clothing. What is it made of? Who made it? How much clothing so you own? If it was purchased was it bought or bartered?
10. Who is your lord,overlord or baron...etc? Which country do you live in? Is it politically stable? What alliances does your country have? Enemies? Who is king? What is your relationship with him?
11. What language or languages do you speak? What about your neighbors?
12. Do you have military obligations, directly or indirectly? To whom and of what kind?
13. Can you read and write? How did you learn? What do you like to read?
14. What were you trained to do for a living? Are you good at this? Are there other skills you have?
15. Have you done the things that you were expected to do? Have you carried out the goals set for you by your parents?
16. Tell me about your travels? Where have you been and under what circumstances did you get there? Dis you travel alone or with companions?
17. What is your religion? Do your neighbors shae your faith? Is this the mainstream religion? What happens to people who don't share the mainstream religion? How do you worship? Who do you worship with?
18. What sorts of foods do you eat? What sorts of thinga do you grow?
19. How do you make a living? What is the main economy of your area?
20. Do you own land? How did you get your land(bought/inherited?)? How much land do you own? How do you measure land?
21. What is your social status? Can you change it? If so how?(marriage? land purchase? military service?)
22. What do you use for money? Hpow much money do you have? Do you barter? If so. what sorts of goods do you barter and do you make them?
23. What do you do for fun? what are your hobbies?
24. Who wrote your law and how are they enforced? Who do you go to if you have a complaint against your neighbor? Who has final jurisdiction in disputes? Are you or your family involved in enforcing the law? What happens to those who break the law? What kind of punishment would a thief get? A murderer? A rapist? An adulterer?
25. If you were to fall ill, who would you call to see to you? What sort of treatment might you receive? Who would look after you? What might be wrong with you?
26. If you died, who would get your posessions? If your parents die, who would get their posessions?
27. What threats do you face? What do you fear?
28. What are your prospects, hopes, plans? What can you hope for? What can you expect?