Character Creation at Indovia
The Indovia way builds characters who feel alive on the page and steady in play.
Welcome from Ladybird Jenkins
Purpose: Invite you to create a character you love
What to do: Grab a cuppa tea and stay awhile
I am Ladybird. I began as a spark and a name. I became real through choices. That’s our craft here: we notice what a person wants, what stands in the way, and what it costs to cross the line.
If you’re new, relax—you know more than you think. You’ve seen how people move when they’re brave and how they move when they’re small. Put that truth on the page. We’ll give you steps, clear language, and a map. Bring curiosity. Bring patience. The rest will come.
The Indovia approach
Purpose: Set the lane, the engine of choice, and the rules of the world
What to do: Pick a role · check the choice engine · show one rule in action
1) Pick the role in the story
Roles can change. Start with one lane so choices make sense.
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Hero.
Mission: change the world without losing the self ·
Question: will you act when it costs you? ·
Trap: perfection ·
Fix: a visible flaw that becomes a lesson ·
Best first scene: a small choice that helps a stranger
Example · Stops to reattach a vendor’s cart wheel even if it means arriving late.
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Villain.
Mission: force the world to match a belief ·
Question: what wound drives control? ·
Trap: caricature ·
Fix: one tender bond that complicates harm ·
Best first scene: calm harm for a “noble” reason
Example · Cuts power to the market for a “reset,” then hands out candles with perfect manners.
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Ally.
Mission: give the hero reach and resilience ·
Question: what do you protect off screen? ·
Trap: no agency ·
Fix: a private goal that sometimes conflicts ·
Best first scene: cover a cost so the team can move
Example · Sells a spare tool to buy parts the mission needs today.
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Mentor.
Mission: pass on craft and a standard ·
Question: when do you let the student fail? ·
Trap: all answers ·
Fix: one line you will not cross ·
Best first scene: a lesson with a visible rule
Example · Lets the student make a small mistake, then asks for a field repair plan.
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Foil.
Mission: reveal truth by contrast ·
Question: what do you expose by being the opposite? ·
Trap: only comic relief ·
Fix: one scene that hurts ·
Best first scene: solve the same problem in a clashing way
Example · Grandstands in the plaza to “win hearts” while the hero quietly fixes the root issue.
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Wildcard.
Mission: add creative risk ·
Question: what line won’t you cross? ·
Trap: random chaos ·
Fix: a clear personal code ·
Best first scene: break a rule to protect a bond
Example · Breaks curfew to return a rival’s lost backpack because “tools belong with their maker.”
2) The choice engine (per scene)
- Desire: what they want right now
- Stakes: why it matters today
- Obstacle: what blocks the path
- Choice: the action they take on purpose
- Price: what it costs (time · safety · reputation)
- Result: the world or self changes a little
If any piece is missing, adjust before you write long.
3) World fit (show the rule)
Guild · laws · tools · access · limits · privilege shape behavior. Show one rule in action and one consequence when it bends. That’s how the world feels real.
4) Rhythm
Pair pressure with relief: a hard beat followed by a joy beat. A steady pulse keeps readers and your table energized.
Pip in practice
Purpose: Model the ideas with a real character from Indovia
What to do: Use Pip as a pattern, not a cage
Concept
Inventor kid who solves tight problems with fast hands and quicker jokes.
Guild
Inventors Guild · clean notes · safe builds · repair culture
Strengths
- Pattern spotter · finds a fix in scraps
- Uses humor to lower room stress
- Sees projects through to done
Challenges
- Skips food and rest when locked in
- Snaps if a build is rushed or touched without asking
Mobility and access
The chair is identity and tool · vehicle · workbench · canvas. Scenes respect turning space, ramps, and floor texture. The frame treats the chair as part of silhouette, not a limit.
Signature device
Comet Chair kit · clamp rails · thumb friendly controls · dock points. Every add on has a reason, a risk, and a field repair.
How the parts fit together
Six Pillars
Purpose: Identity fundamentals · the person and how they move
Concept · Guild · Traits · Bonds · Flaws · Gadget
Device Rubric
Purpose: Craft standards for tools and mobility devices
Function set · ergonomics · risk matrix · upgrade path
Studio Play Agreements
Purpose: Team care so everyone can think and create well
Boundaries · signals · sensory plan
Six pillars of a strong character
Concept
Purpose: Name the essence in one line
What to do: Noun · verb · flavor · test it against every scene
Practice: write two wrong versions to reveal the right one
Guild
Purpose: Place your person inside a culture with tools and care standards
What to do: Name three norms · show one in action
Traits
Purpose: Make steady behavior visible
What to do: Pick three · pair each with an action a camera can see
Bonds
Purpose: Give the story pull
What to do: Two bonds · give each a sensory “tell” (sound/scent/texture)
Flaws
Purpose: Create useful trouble that leads to growth
What to do: One or two flaws · let a small failure happen before the lesson
Gadget
Purpose: Show craft that fits the body and the story
What to do: One function · one attach point · one risk · one field fix
Design rubric for a signature device
Purpose: Make tools believable, safe, and story ready
What to do: Walk each checklist and write short notes
Function set
- Primary action (most used)
- Secondary action (clever solve for rare problem)
- Docking logic (store/deploy on body or chair)
Ergonomics
- Grip & reach (thumb · palm · finger pads)
- Weight & balance (where mass sits)
- Tactile feedback (click · pulse · texture for no look use)
Risk matrix
- Failure modes (overheat · jam · power drain)
- Environment (water · dust · vibration)
- Human limits (fatigue · sensory load · training time)
Upgrade path
- Stage 1 · safe and simple
- Stage 2 · adds speed or range
- Stage 3 · power with a trade off
Emotional arc in six beats
Purpose: Track change with intent
What to do: Map these beats, then pick one to show tonight
- Opening state: how they handle stress on day one
- Contradiction: a scene proves the old pattern won’t work
- Pressure test: time shrinks · stakes rise · the habit fails again
- Choice: they act on purpose, not by accident
- Repatterning: the habit changes · show a small success
- New baseline: a quiet moment confirms the growth
Relationship web
Purpose: Map pressure and relief around the lead
What to do: Add mentor · ally · foil · rival · touch at least one per chapter
Support roles
- Mentor · sets a standard · protects the craft
- Partner in mischief · moves fast with you · says yes then thinks
- Anchor friend · speaks calm truth · saves you from the spiral
Friction types
- Rival · same goal · different method
- Wall · blocks you without malice
- Mirror · your habits at a cost
On paper checklist for tonight
Purpose: Keep the session focused and humane
What to do: Work through in order · time box each step
- Write your concept in one clean line
- Choose a guild or support group · list one rule from that group
- List three traits · write one visible action for each
- List two bonds and one tell for each (sound/scent/texture)
- List one or two flaws that create useful trouble
- Sketch your device · mark one attach point · name one risk and one field fix
- Pick a beat from the arc · write a five line scene that shows it
- Circle one change you want to see by next session
Studio play agreements
Purpose: Make the table safe and productive
What to do: Set boundaries · set signals · make a sensory plan · review out loud
Boundaries
Before a session, list topics that are out and topics that are soft (often called lines and veils). Use simple language. Keep the list handy.
Signals
Agree on a system: green = good · yellow = slow pace · red = pause. Cards or a short sentence both work. Practice once at the start.
Sensory plan
Note light · sound · texture. Keep a comfort kit on the table: ear covers · sunglasses · soft coin · tea bag for scent. Normalize the practice.