aidosaur and Incidentally, I've found that sets of questions like these are great ways of refining (or discovering, or whatever) new things about one's characters.
Choose twelve of your original characters in any particular order (NO PEEKING AT THE QUESTIONS AT THIS STAGE!). Then, answer the questions that follow:
Presenting most of the cast of Scatterplot:
1. Charles Maxwell
2. Steve Lancomb
3. Vash
4. The Man in the Bowler Hat
5. Ed
6. Zach
7. Angela
8. Captain Beard
9. Jeffrey Paulson (right hand to the Man)
10. the Tim's manager
11. Arwin (one of Ed's roommates)
12. Jacob (another roommate)
..........
01) Who would make a better college professor, 6 (Zach) or 11 (Arwin)? What subjects would they teach?
Erm. Arwin's either in or headed to grad school - I think he attends many of the same hypertheoretical mathematics courses as Jacob. Zach, on the other hand, is effectively an anarchist and really incapable of working within the confines of any major organization or structure. So my vote is with Arwin - by a little bit.
02) Do you think 2 (Steve Lancomb) is hot? How hot?
Well, there's obviously something about him. I never really considered the character to be specifically physically attractive, though. He's probably about average, though it has to be said that as a lifelong martial artist he's got a pretty good body.
03) 12 (Jacob) sends 8 (Captain Beard) on a mission. What is it, and does it succeed?
...Hm. This is only plausible inasmuch as Jacob is unlikely to be taking orders from Beard. Considering that the last thing we saw Jacob do is help build a robotic hand, I'd say an raid on a ship carrying robobtics parts is likely. For Capt. Beard's part, he's actually a fairly skilled pirate - he'd probably lead a raid quite successfully.
04) What is or would be 9's (Jeffrey Paulson) favorite book?
...Hell if I know. Probably something fluffy and pseudophilosophical without asking any deep questions - something that makes him look smart but doesn't make him think too hard. I can't name a specific book like that off the top of my head, though.
05) Would it make more sense for 2 (Steve) to swear fealty to 6 (Zach), or the other way around?
Hah. Steve's too independent and Zach's too anarchist for either direction to work. As is apparent in the comic, they'd just end up forming a partnership of convenience, which might dissolve at any time, with no hard feelings on either side as long as one didn't fuck the other over too badly.
06) For some reason, 5 (Ed) is looking for a roommate. Should he/she share a studio apartment with 9 (Jeff) or with 10 (the Tim's manager)?
Ed and the Manager would get along quite well, I think. I suspect Jeff's general cowardice and lack of any principles would piss off Ed pretty quickly.
07) 2 (Steve), 7 (Angela) and 12 (Jacob) have dinner together. Where do they go, and what do they discuss?
They'd probably go for sushi and talk about completely random absurd crap. Steve would be steering the discussion somewhat loudly, and probably get into a heated discussion/argument with Angela at some point. Jacob would chip in occasional snark and mostly watch the two of them talk.
08) 3 (Vash) challenges 10 (Manager) to a duel. What happens?
...Manager wins through sheer stubbornness after tiring Vash out. Or he calls on his six or so duplicates, and they gang up on her.
09) If 1 (Charles Maxwell) stole 8's (Captain Beard) most precious possession, how would s/he get it back?
Piracy. Wait until the next time Charles goes on the water, and proceed to plunder the ship.
10) Suggest a title for a story in which 7 (Angela) and 12 (Jacob) both attain what they most desire.
How about The Mathematical Revolution of 2014: A History?
11) What kind of plot device would you use if you wanted 4 (the Man) and 1 (Charles) to work together?
It would have to be a prequel/alternate dimension story of some sort, because there's too much bad blood between them at this point. Unless there was something of greater magnitude threatening Charles that he needed the Man's help with - sort of like the second season of 24, if you're familiar with it.
12) If 7 (Angela) visited you for the weekend, how would you get along?
Decently. I got along pretty well with her real-life counterparts, anyway. Not sure how much we have in common these days, though.
13) If you could command 3 (Vash) to perform any one task or service for you, what would it be?
Stay.
I could really use some help organizing my apartment, and I suspect she'd be good at that.
14) Does anyone on your friends list write or draw 11 (Arwin)?
...He was such a ridiculously minor character in the first place. So, no.
15) If 2 (Steve) had to choose sides between 4 (the Man) and 5 (Ed), which would it be?
Well, let's see. One of them let him stay in his apartment when he got trapped in Canada. The other was responsible for said trapping, and shot him twice, not to mention the assorted other evil. Hm.
16) What might 10 (the Manager) shout while charging into battle?
Definitely loud profanities. See http://scatterplot.comicgenesis.com/d/20050411.html.
17) If you chose a song to represent 8 (Captain Beard), which song would you choose?
Ahh, so many pirate shanties to choose from. Maybe Tom Smith's "Talk Like A Pirate Day". Maybe something more traditional...
18) 1 (Charles), 6 (Zach), and 12 (Arwin) are having dim sum at a Chinese restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left, and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets to eat it?
Zach, because Charles would hesitate as soon as he saw the others reaching, and Arwin probably wouldn't reach for the last one in the first place.
19) What might be a good pick-up line for 2 (Steve) to use on 10 (the Manager)?
I'm going to have to go with
aidosaur's answer on this one: "....................."20) What would 5 (Ed) most likely be arrested for?
Violation of the laws of thermodynamics.
21) What is 6's (Zach) secret?
He's actually the heir to the vast Canadian maple syrup fortune, but started his anarchism as a result of the constraints of a scrutinized life with his absurdly rich family. Hell, I don't know.
22) If 11 (Arwin) and 9 (Jeff) were racing to a destination, who would get there first?
Arwin's distractable and Jeff is unscrupulous. Do the math.
23) If you had to walk home through a bad neighbourhood late at night, would you feel safer in the company of 7 (Angela) or 8 (Captain Beard)?
Excellent question, but probably Angela. If it's late at night, Capt. Beard is probably smashed by now.
24) 1 (Charles) and 9 (Jeff) reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4's (the Man) sinister secret organization. 11 (Arwin) volunteers to help them, but it is later discovered that he is actually a spy for 4 (the Man). Meanwhile, 4 (the Man) has kidnapped 12 (Jacob) in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advice of 5 (Ed), they seek out 3 (Vash), who gives them what they need to complete their quest. What title would you give this fic?
I'm highly amused that my choice for 4 worked out so well. In the fine tradition of Escaflowne, I'm just going to call this one Scatterplot: The Movie.
Some of this actually makes sense, though. Kidnapping Jacob is actually a decent piece of leverage to coerce Arwin's cooperation, since they're a couple and all.
NaNoWriMo starts tonight! Woot.
