Public Character of the Month July 2025 - Winner

[WelshPsych]

Hey folks!

It was a tightly contested month and there were some fantastic characters that were highlighted. I didn't check the stats but with over 60 votes, it did feel like one of the highest voted Character of the Months, which shows how great each candidate was this month.

I checked through all the votes to make sure but we have joint winners for this month!

Congratulations to Caltin Vanagor and Xeykard !!!
​

Well done to both and here is your flair:

Here are the questions as well:
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My question for the winner is: Do you have a plan to permanently kill off your character already in mind, or are you leaving it to come about organically through roleplay?

Q: If you had a sport your character would be a fan of, which would it be?

My question for the winner: If your character could possess one signature blaster from canon, without it being considered a duplicate - you own the real deal - which would you choose?

My question for the winner is: what does your character fear above all else, something that would shake them to their core?

Question: What motivates you when you pop into a public thread?

My question for the winner is: Why do you dress like that? (in character)

Question: What is your main motivation in this topsy-turvy galaxy of ours?

Question: What would your character's "7 minutes" be? The 7 minutes is a phenomenon where in the last moments of brain activity before death/near death experience the brain has a life recall.

But what I can offer one of is a question:
What's your latest fixation?

QUESTION:

What's the best and most idyllic happily-ever-after you can imagine for your character - no matter how far-fetched?

uhhhh if you could remove a planet what would it be? you aren't killing it, just poof, gone, doesn't exist anymore. can't say Coruscant

My question is, if you could insert your character into one movie, book, comic, or video game from the Star wars canon/legends, what would it be and why?

Thinking about this character, what's your favorite way to improve your writing?

Question: What's your approach to planning out a story arc? Do you go more free-form, or are you more of a strict planner?

Question : What is a hobby of yours outside Chaos?

Here's my question: What does your perfect day look like?

Question: Do you have a favorite scene you've written for him?

My question: What embarrassing secret would your character reveal after getting chit-faced?

Question: you’re stuck on a remote island, who are the two other characters you want to be stuck with?

 

[EllieEx]

a tie! don't think i've seen this before

 

[Azurine Varek]

Congrats Caltin Vanagor and Xeykard !!!! <3

 

[Connel Vanagor]

Because I voted for myself, and Xeykard did not, I don't feel that I truly won. So I will give this to the big lizard gracefully.

I WILL answer the questions though.

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

Vazela said:
My question for the winner is: Do you have a plan to permanently kill off your character already in mind, or are you leaving it to come about organically through roleplay?

Well, considering both [this[/II] and my other "main" both died... I would have to say it happened organically on both. Nothing planned, just that it fit, and it just happened. Liram Angellus (my old GADF Admiral...) I wish it went differently, but this guy went out at the right time, and the only way he could.

The Lord of Hunger said:
Q: If you had a sport your character would be a fan of, which would it be?

Real Life - Baseball
Star Wars - Huttbal
l/QUOTE]

Velzari Tharn said:
My question for the winner: If your character could possess one signature blaster from canon, without it being considered a duplicate - you own the real deal - which would you choose?

"BLASTERS"? So uncivilized. If I wanted ones for collection. I would have Jango's.

The Madclaw said:
My question for the winner is: what does your character fear above all else, something that would shake them to their core?

He was afraid of ticking off his wife.

Mercy said:
Question: What motivates you when you pop into a public thread?

Been Rp'ing for a LONG time (honestly longer than several players on this board have been alive) so at this point? I just want to help elevate others any way I can. If I can help another write a great story and get a great experience? I'm good.

Kaila Irons said:
My question for the winner is: Why do you dress like that? (in character)

Well, I'm a big guy... I don't do robes unless I HAVE to (they itch).

Kyric said:
Question: What is your main motivation in this topsy-turvy galaxy of ours?

For him, it was to make sure those who he taught (even if one off) are not negatively affected. In others words he taught as well as he could so that they did not fail because of lack of his training. If that makes sense.

Allyson Locke said:
Question: What would your character's "7 minutes" be? The 7 minutes is a phenomenon where in the last moments of brain activity before death/near death experience the brain has a life recall.

It was everyone who mattered the most to him. reaching out to them, one last time. Did so in the invasion
[/QUIOTE]

Razmir Tezhyn said:
But what I can offer one of is a question:
What's your latest fixation?

For him, it was always cooking.

Klar said:
QUESTION:

What's the best and most idyllic happily-ever-after you can imagine for your character - no matter how far-fetched?

If he didn't die (EPICLY! ) he would have hung up the lightsaber once someone was able to take over as Watchman of Tython. Wrote this guy for 18 years, so the end was coming one way or the other.

Wedge Draav said:
uhhhh if you could remove a planet what would it be? you aren't killing it, just poof, gone, doesn't exist anymore. can't say Coruscant

Hesperidin

Ran Serys said:
My question is, if you could insert your character into one movie, book, comic, or video game from the Star wars canon/legends, what would it be and why?

It's funny you should ask this. Before Disney bought Lucasfilm, I submitted the Angellus family Bloodline to Lucasbooks, JUST to say that I did so. One of them was a story that aligned with Kyle Katarn's assault on Danuta to steal the Death Star Plans. I wrote a sort of "What the camera did not see" story of a rogue Imperial fleet distracting the defense fleet long enough for him to get on the planet. Wasn't GREAT writing on my part, and a long story, but it was fun (and they said they liked it, but not enough to pay me, LOL).

If it was Caltin? He would have been in Episode III, and probably back in VII, VIII and IX

Jerec Asyr said:
Thinking about this character, what's your favorite way to improve your writing?

Slow down, more drama... I don't really know. Wrote him so long it was a build up... such a build up. Good food for thought though!

Koda Fett said:
Question: What's your approach to planning out a story arc? Do you go more free-form, or are you more of a strict planner?

I usually have an overall "Endgame" and then just let them get there.

Delila Castillon said:
Question : What is a hobby of yours outside Chaos?

• Playing with the dogs.
• Working out.
• Cooking.
• Movies

SlagathorTheUnknown said:
Here's my question: What does your perfect day look like?

Waking up. Spending time with the wife, and the pups. Living life. I was lucky enough to retire at 50, after a LONG and STRESSFUL work life so ... yeah "Any day you wake up is a good one."

Lysander von Ascania said:
Question: Do you have a favorite scene you've written for him?

WAY too many to count. There are a couple of ones that stood out in the last couple of years.

• Accidentally breaking a pitching machine at @Corazona von Ascania s arcade
• Karaoke and doing "I like big butts" on a dare
• Cooking with Caltin to show @Romi Jade I was up for it.
• Campfire stories on Tython

Rinea said:
My question: What embarrassing secret would your character reveal after getting chit-faced?

It's not so much what he revealed but how he acted. A Half-Zeltron/Half-Hapan former sex slave Dark Jedi (though he didn't know it) was flirting like CRAZY and spiked his smoothie... he looked at her chest and caught himself. He constantly said the wrong thing and caught himself. It was all meant for laughs and fun (we were all rolling in the chat, had the entire site reading and laughing, especially those who wanted in on it, remember @Ket Van-Derveld?

Thayze Montserrat said:
Question: you’re stuck on a remote island, who are the two other characters you want to be stuck with?

Wouldn't want my wife. Would want her safe, and to lead the search (which she would have). Wouldn't want my son, he would search as well. Probably a Sith I could debate, or fight... and someone who is resourceful. If I wanted to DISAPPEAR on an island? Sure, my wife.

[/I]

 

[Xeykard]

Caltin Vanagor don't worry about it dude. You wrote a big end to your story, you deserve your kudos! Xeykard would be loathe to share with a Jedi, but I'm just happy to be here.

Nominees were stacked this month, and I'm excited for next month given how much incredible stuff I've seen lately -- the last month and a bit I've seen some of the best writing on the board since I joined. Excited for the day we get a- (I started writing character names and realized there's way too many people I enjoy reading. You know who you are)- win. Though, for next month, I'm betting on Morrow or Gerra.

For now, I get to force you to listen to me yap. Fantastic questions here, by the way.

Do you have a plan to permanently kill off your character already in mind, or are you leaving it to come about organically through roleplay?

I feel like a pretty serious outlier, in that I haven't killed off any of my characters -- wild, given I've seen how impactful a good character death can be to so many stories (I of course think of Ryv here). Maybe I have trouble ending stories, or maybe it's about never stopping the fun. Maybe it's a deeper fear of death. I'll overcome it someday. For Xeykard, no; I don't have any plans, but if I did, it'd be after a long road to redemption, and that road is long as hell.

If you had a sport your character would be a fan of, which would it be?

Rugby? Xeykard is the opposite of fun and doesn't enjoy a whole lot, but if he did, I think he'd appreciate the physicality and fluidity of the game, and that there's minimal equipment involved.

If your character could possess one signature blaster from canon, without it being considered a duplicate - you own the real deal - which would you choose?

Tough one. Xeykard doesn't use blasters, but if he did, it'd be a hand cannon. Han's DL-44 or Cassian's MW-20 Bryar; I'd give the edge to the latter just because Andor was incredible and the cartridge flip always felt satisfying.

What does your character fear above all else, something that would shake them to their core?

"Nothing."

"..."

"The Dark Lord, of course. His is a presence that eclipses the stars themselves, the root of all fear. He is the only one from which this one would always flee."

Xeykard (like most Sith, I think) is a character about fear. He fears losing control, being vulnerable; he is consumed by these fears. They motivate him to prepare for every eventuality, to subjugate, to dominate. He's an incomplete person. I'd consider him shaken already. But, to shake in a different direction -- genuine care, or Superman. The shock provided by someone who understood his fear and did not demean him for it might be enough, though he'd likely never let it get to that point. Equally, Big Blue or the heroic equivalent -- particularly Gunn's, I enjoyed that movie greatly -- might be enough to kick him into a different direction, strip away some of his core assumptions.

What motivates you when you pop into a public thread?

No clue. I'm pretty neuron-activation on this stuff. If I read it and it looks cool -- especially if someone is there who I like/have wanted to write with -- I'll hop in, or if there's an angle that works especially well for my character. I'll say I'm picky, but I don't exactly have criteria for this kind of thing.

Why do you dress like that?

"This one is- hmm. You are the second person to question this one's choice of attire. This one was an Inquisitor under the Sith Empire for many years. Things have changed. This one has no interest in the galas and parties of the Sith; they are decadent, speaking of the rot in the Sith's ranks. This one dresses for battlefields. But... perhaps a change is needed for this one, too."

What is your main motivation in this topsy-turvy galaxy of ours?

"Order. This galaxy is in chaos. From end to end, the impotent are allowed to rule, the weak tyrannize the strong. This one would see order returned to the galaxy. No Jedi, no Alliance or Republic, no defiant Imperials, no scum. A safe galaxy. One built for true Sith."

What would your character's "7 minutes" be? The 7 minutes is a phenomenon where in the last moments of brain activity before death/near death experience the brain has a life recall.

Xeykard was there, again, that night, the very first etched into his mind. The rains had been short tonight, the earth still damp, before the sun returned, and with it the water to the sky. He sat on the hill, staring at those bright lights in the sky. At the time he had begun to wonder what things were like out there, what people he might meet. What terrible possibility. When had he learned to hate them? When had he learned to hate himself?

He waited for his father's call, but it never came. This time he sat long enough to see the sunrise, even knowing it would leave him an irradiated husk; it was more brilliant than any he'd seen across the galaxy.

What's your latest fixation?

"This one has been tasked with... a great act of destruction. But even that... no, they are different. There is... a Zeltron."

Lexington, you know what I'm going to say. I'd like you to go watch movie now, please.

What's the best and most idyllic happily-ever-after you can imagine for your character - no matter how far-fetched?

Redemption, in ways both big and small. Xeykard isn't Dark Lord tier, but he's done and supported bad stuff. I want to write him redeeming himself, but forever -- doing good is constant work, so he'll need to learn to enjoy it.

uhhhh if you could remove a planet what would it be? you aren't killing it, just poof, gone, doesn't exist anymore. can't say Coruscant

"A difficult question. Tython, perhaps. Or Korriban. The Sith would be freed in different ways."

Exegol or Zeltros.

If you could insert your character into one movie, book, comic, or video game from the Star wars canon/legends, what would it be and why?

I started to think about it, and realized I'm a fake fan and don't know. I feel like he gets a KOTOR side plot, or shows up as part of the One Sith under Darth Krayt. Already got the red aesthetic and everything.

Thinking about this character, what's your favorite way to improve your writing?

Underrated aspect of weird vocal quirks, but having Xeykard always refer to himself as "this one" makes for a solid exercise in reconsidering phrase packages when it comes to dialogue. I can't have him say "our" or "we" either, or "my" (the exception is when he is speaking directly to Carnifex, who he referse to as "My Lord"). Just cutting out a common word or two forces you to think about your phrasing in a new way, and I've found it really interesting, especially since Xeykard is dramatic as hell and I like making him say cool things. While it's limited officially to dialogue, it carries over in bits and pieces to the rest of my prose.

What's your approach to planning out a story arc? Do you go more free-form, or are you more of a strict planner?

I lean gardener. I have thoughts and ideas -- again, I would like Xeykard to do his redemption arc schtick -- but it's hard to plan beats in an RP environment, so I mostly see where things go.

There's a recent Matt Colville video titled "What Are Backstories For?" which I think is a pretty useful way to think about it. Basically -- the person you're playing (writing) with doesn't need to care about or read your backstory. The character you have should be ready to play -- and you should be ready to have fun -- whether or not there's tie-ins from everyone you play with, or from Colville's video, whether the GM has read and woven in bits from your backstory into the world/game. If you want to do your backstory/story stuff? It's on your time. I'll find time here and there, but I write Xeykard where he's at because I like being a big scary lizard guy who can beat the crap out of people and is all nefarious, and I think people have fun writing with me because he's that.

What is a hobby of yours outside Chaos?

Hobby I'd like you to know about? I read a reasonable amount, and am insane enough to do academic (mostly) writing in my free time. My actual main hobby? I play pretty atrocious amounts of video games. About to finish C+ in Balatro, beat 32+ Fear for both surface and underworld on all weapons in Hades 2, and hoping to hit Eternity in Marvel Rivals by the end of this season.

What does your perfect day look like?

"A day without surprises."

Do you have a favorite scene you've written for him?

I've been really enjoying the scheming lately, so I'd probably say the scene at the Kaggath with Adekos , but part of that is just because I enjoy Adekos' writing so much and how excellent a writing partner he is. Also up there are my brief thread with Kyric and either of the ones with Carnifex; again, excellent partners to work off of.

What embarrassing secret would your character reveal after getting chit-faced?

"This one has a resistance to poisons and toxins. No secrets would be shared with the likes of you."

Xeykard is kind of a loser, I don't think he'd share anything funny. He might start crying about a time he lost a fight to (or rather, didn't kill) a padawan or something. This guy is evil and doesn't have fun.

You're stuck on a remote island, who are the two other characters you want to be stuck with?

"No one."

"..."

"Koda Fett and Mercy, so they can kill each other. They would enjoy it."

"..."

"The Dark Lord, and... Briana Sal-Soren, so that the Dark Lord could obliterate her, and deliver this one from this remote island."

"..."

"Someone that this one... likes? Hm."

Kingsley and Koda Fett, but only if Koda is stripped of all weapons.

 

[Davik Haize]

but only if Koda is stripped

?

 

[Tegan Starfall]

Caltin Vanagor I know you cheated somehow but congrats none the less.

Also congrats Xeykard .

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

Caltin Vanagor I know you cheated somehow but congrats none the less.

Also congrats Xeykard .

Bish. I will HAUNT you