So! I have an idea for an OC but I'm struggling to decide on a design and thus flesh them out. Isn't it lucky that this event came along when it did?!
So here is what I have so far.
-Character is female.
-Character is neutral leaning towards evil in alignment.
-Character's less savory aspects are often curbed or halted out right by a good aligned sentient item in their possession
I've been leaning towards a sci fi setting where the item is an ai in the battle suit they wear, but it could be a fantasy setting where the item is a familiar or powerful magical artifact or dead loved one in a jar. Lots of options. Feel free to offer ideas for both main less savory character as well as their more righteous companion.
I'm counting on you, RPR!
So here is what I have so far.
-Character is female.
-Character is neutral leaning towards evil in alignment.
-Character's less savory aspects are often curbed or halted out right by a good aligned sentient item in their possession
I've been leaning towards a sci fi setting where the item is an ai in the battle suit they wear, but it could be a fantasy setting where the item is a familiar or powerful magical artifact or dead loved one in a jar. Lots of options. Feel free to offer ideas for both main less savory character as well as their more righteous companion.
I'm counting on you, RPR!
So what actually immediately strikes me is Jane from the original Ender Wiggin books. Introduced in Speaker for the Dead, she was an AI that attached itself to Ender. I mention this because it seems like a perfect type fit for your Sci Fi and sentient desires!
I suggest that your gal have some sort of condition that causes, um, "difficulty" with making quote-unquote Good decisions. I recommend sociopathy and/or psychopathy, resulting in more selfish/antisocial/self-interested behaviors rather than outright 'Evil' (although who doesn't love a good hidden volcano base?). Her behaviors are curbed by an AI that she has for whatever reasons. Perhaps it's implanted and is some sort of neural cybernetic augment? She could be a veteran with battle cybernetics, or perhaps was the victim of some sort of event that left her impaired and she's got a synthetic nervous system and the AI is there to handle it? OH, maybe she's an ex-starfighter pilot and the AI is actually leftover from the ship she piloted?
I suggest that your gal have some sort of condition that causes, um, "difficulty" with making quote-unquote Good decisions. I recommend sociopathy and/or psychopathy, resulting in more selfish/antisocial/self-interested behaviors rather than outright 'Evil' (although who doesn't love a good hidden volcano base?). Her behaviors are curbed by an AI that she has for whatever reasons. Perhaps it's implanted and is some sort of neural cybernetic augment? She could be a veteran with battle cybernetics, or perhaps was the victim of some sort of event that left her impaired and she's got a synthetic nervous system and the AI is there to handle it? OH, maybe she's an ex-starfighter pilot and the AI is actually leftover from the ship she piloted?
The prompt reminded me of the book From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death. Really good book on funeral practices around the world.
Anyway, both of these suggestions hinge off of the "dead loved one in a jar" idea.
For a fantasy route. (p 189-211) Perhaps you can take inspiration from Bolivia's funeral practices? They have nanitas. There could be a fragment of her loved one's soul still there due to metaphysical reasons or personal reasons (like a lingering regret).
For a sci-fi route. (p 152-188) Japan's been trying to work over its fear of death. One way of doing this is by trying to provide a "corpse hotel" for dead loved ones. Maybe the character built/purchased a personal version of this device to keep her loved one around? Probably would require reading their DNA for memories the computer(s) can use as training data. May also come up with awkward questions from said loved one about why they're talking with an AI replicant of them. Or perhaps said loved one could be relieved they find at least some comfort (and restraint) from having said additional emotional support.
Anyway, both of these suggestions hinge off of the "dead loved one in a jar" idea.
For a fantasy route. (p 189-211) Perhaps you can take inspiration from Bolivia's funeral practices? They have nanitas. There could be a fragment of her loved one's soul still there due to metaphysical reasons or personal reasons (like a lingering regret).
For a sci-fi route. (p 152-188) Japan's been trying to work over its fear of death. One way of doing this is by trying to provide a "corpse hotel" for dead loved ones. Maybe the character built/purchased a personal version of this device to keep her loved one around? Probably would require reading their DNA for memories the computer(s) can use as training data. May also come up with awkward questions from said loved one about why they're talking with an AI replicant of them. Or perhaps said loved one could be relieved they find at least some comfort (and restraint) from having said additional emotional support.
Okie dokie, here's a few scattered thoughts
I hope you find some of these helpful!
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- Maybe her neutral/evil alignment could come from her being born into a family of bounty hunters or something of that sort? She's just kind of grown up in an environment where doing bad stuff or being involved in bad things is normal and expected, so she's sort of desensitized to it. Maybe what's making her kind of have to change for the better is being brought into a higher position (maybe in government or something) where she can't just kill people willy nilly
- Maybe her being brought into this position was because her family kinda sold her out and she's having to work this job in order to earn her freedom back
- I think her sentient "item" would be some kind of animal or creature that has some kind of psychic connection to her so it can tell her "hey, maybe don't do that, it's bad". Maybe if she's stepping out of line, it can inflict some kind of psychic damage against her to make her listen?
I hope you find some of these helpful!
Sentient conscience equals live in parole officer. 
I am not against it. I shall add it to the idea pile!
I am not against it. I shall add it to the idea pile!
Going off the sci-fi setting, perhaps the 'item' is an AI based on the personality of her former lover/partner. She works as an agent for the government, and they liked the voice and personality of this AI so much, that they adapted what was previously just an item she made for herself, into the AI that is in her work/battle/spy suit helmet, so she has to deal with hearing the voice of someone she was in love with on the daily.
Appearance ideas:
Quite tall, 6ft, lanky with a pear shaped body, medium length dark green hair!
Appearance ideas:
Quite tall, 6ft, lanky with a pear shaped body, medium length dark green hair!
How about a mimic-like creature in sci-fi setting? Perhaps a cosmic parasite that have no body of its own, it finds infiltrates in human ship, learn about their history ect, and slowly take it over? Or perhaps group of nano-machines controlled by an AI? For a fantasy setting it could be a mannequin or a set of armor that got were effected by "Animate" spell, but one that casted spell is long time gone and now they wander about trying to figure out their purpose in life.
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