In the harsh and unforgiving world of Apocalypse MUD, character descriptions must paint a vivid picture of your character and weave the essence of the setting into their physicality. Here’s how to write an impactful physical description that resonates with the dark, survivalist tone of the Dark Sun setting:
The Essence of Physical Descriptions
Every character is a testament to survival against all odds. Descriptions should, therefore, focus on physical attributes that reflect this harsh existence. Start your descriptions with phrases like “This woman” or “He stands” to give your character an immediate presence and set your narrative’s tone.
Key Elements of a Good Description
- Contrast and Hardship:
- Example: “This woman, her skin like parched earth, bears the scars of a thousand battles. Her eyes, one a deep, piercing brown, the other a clouded white, reflect a life of constant struggle.”
- Use contrasts in physical features to show the duality of life in Athas: beauty marred by hardship.
- Survival in Appearance:
- Example: “He stands, muscles taut as the sinew of desert beasts, his body a tapestry of survival scars.”
- Describe physical traits that suggest resilience, adaptation, or the harshness of the environment.
- Color and Texture:
- Example: “Her hair, a dulled bronze, hangs in matted strands, each telling a story of sun and sand.”
- The colors and textures should echo the barren, sun-scorched world. Think in terms of earth tones, dust, and the wear of time.
- Unique Features:
- Example: “His left arm, replaced by a makeshift prosthetic of bone and leather, moves with a life of its own.”
- In Dark Sun, unique and often grim physical alterations or prosthetics can tell a story of adaptation or past encounters.
- Movement and Presence:
- Example: “This tall, gaunt figure moves with the grace of a shadow, each step silent on the sand.”
- Describe how they move or stand to convey their demeanor or the impact of their presence in this unforgiving world.
Sample Description:
Here’s a few detailed examples that encapsulate these elements:
Tall and muscular, with a sleek finesse to his body structure, this
human male is in the prime of his virility. Despite the thick dark of his
skin, the shade dark like brownest tigerseye, his features are surprisingly
well-maintained and lack a weathering by sand or harsh winds. A mop of
frizzy, woolly black hair crowns his high-browed skull, the length of which
is nearly always fashioned into some outrageous hairstyle consisting of
skull-twined rows of braids and garishly colored accessories. Dark eyebrows
cap equally obsidian black eyes; his nose is shortly bridged and squarish
with flaring nostrils and his mouth is large, pinkish, the lips puffy as if
constantly swollen. A strong neck and this man’s boxy shoulders lead down
to sinewy, tattooed arms, broad chest, cut core and capable, sturdy legs.This man, broad-shouldered yet gaunt from hunger, towers above with a
presence both regal and scarred. His hair, once perhaps a vibrant shade,
now blends into the dusty hues of the Athasian landscape. His face is a stark
map of survival; one side smooth and sharp, the other a landscape of deep
scars from battles or perhaps the sun’s unforgiving kiss. His eyes, one a sharp
green, the other a dulled stone, peer out with the wariness of a seasoned
survivor. His arms, powerful yet marked with the remnants of shackles or perhaps
the bite of beasts, suggest a life of freedom and captivity.Squat and built like a keg, this woman might be mistaken for a
particularly tall stump were it not for her abundance of brown hair oft
piled in a mess of buns atop her broad head. She packs enough bosom to fill
out a cuirass, but her waist and hips are as broad as her chest, and the
blockiness is further supplemented by a fair amount of laborer’s muscle to
fill out the forearms and calves. Her face looks lost in an expanse of chin
and cheeks, but her nose is well-defined and her watery blues eyes remain
attentive.
Tips for Writing:
- Be Concise: Every word should contribute to the image of your character.
- Use Sensory Details: How does the character look, feel, or smell in this environment?
- Reflect the Setting: Each description should subtly nod to the elements of the Dark Sun—the sun, scarcity, magick, and monstrous.
By focusing on these aspects, your character’s physical description will not only stand out. Still, it will also be a vivid part of the storytelling in Apocalypse MUD, enhancing the immersion into this uniquely brutal world.