Morning Jolene
In the Spinxyn discord, there's a bot that throws random character dev prompt questions. I play with it a lot! This is kind of a notepad for all the answers I've shared in the server and will be edited as often as I play with the bot.
Author's Notes
An informal collection of thoughts on this character's origin and behavior. All backstories are a work in progress and subject to change at any time.
Q: Would your Nephian commit a crime for the sake of another? Are there any limits to the severity of the crime they would commit for the sake of another? Any specific Nephs that they would do anything for?
A: I think maybe, Joline would commit minor crimes for a friend in need but I don't think it'd be the first solution she'd think of and she'd have to be pretty desperate herself to do it. There are definitely limits. Like she'd be way too scared to murder someone. If someone was after her friend, she'd be helping them pack their bags and get a train ticket to run away, maybe even go with them depending. She wouldn't like, eliminate the threat so to speak haha. I'm trying to think of specific examples and its hard cuz I think Jolene lives a pretty safe life all things considered. If a friend lost all their belongings from a fire or getting evicted or something, she'd share her own stuff with them before resorting to stealing things for them.
I could see Joline helping a friend forge a signature or something, claiming to be someone else on the phone, or being a fake witness in court. She's mischievous enough that she'd be entertained by breaking or bending rules for the interests of her closest friends. She can spin a yarn when she's inspired. She's probably not a great "actress" but her normal personality is just oddball enough that it would be hard to tell when she's playing a role. Ever seen the movie Ghost? She'd be like Whoopie Goldberg in the scene in the bank where she's doing a terrible job pretending to be the account owner to intercept a money laundering scheme, but she still gets away with it even though she was terrified the whole time. Joline would handle it similarly, though I don't think she'd have to be strong-armed into helping. She'd be willing to begin with if it's for a friend.
I don't think she'd be useful in any mastermind crimes though, like she's not the friend to ask if you need help hacking a database. She doesn't understand complex stuff like this so she's more inclined to believe its moral severity is worse than other crimes whether its true or not.
Q: How does your Nephian show affection towards loved ones? (Platonic or romantic)
A: Jolene is very physical, every greeting is a hug and a cheek kiss. When she's talking and gesturing with her paws, she'll reach out and pat and prod to emphasize what she's saying, or if she's laughing at a joke someone said she'll smack their shoulder playfully. She's casually affectionate with anyone she likes, but probably pulls back if that affection becomes romantic. She's shy when it comes to that and she knows she comes on strong. She's afraid of driving potential boyfriends away. Non-physically, Jolene becomes unbearably nosy if she becomes friends with someone. If she likes you, she's wants to know ALL your business and will also share her own whether anyone asked for it or not. She sees it as sharing and it makes her feel closer to the ones she loves.
Q: What’s the hardest thing for your Nephian to say?
A: Uhh what does this mean lol. Like, emotionally difficult or like tongue twisters?
I don't think Jolene struggles with saying much, like she has the opposite problem of blurting out her opinions when she probably shouldn't. I could see her not knowing what to say if something is really, really serious. If she has to give bad news to someone, she probably stumbles a lot and puts it off as long as she can until it finally comes out in a stressful burst. Not the best way to communicate bad news to someone, but I think she works herself up. If we're talking tongue twisters, Jolene CANNOT say "She sells sea shells by the seashore." She just can't and it makes her mad. Don't ask her to say it.
Q: How well-mannered is your Nephian? Can they handle formal situations without slipping up or does their sharp tongue get them into trouble?
A: Jolene thinks she can handle it. She loves going out, formal functions make her feel fancy, but that's just it. Jolene isn't fancy despite being decently well off. Her best attempts at toning herself down still result in embarrassment for the host or whoever brought her. She will accidentally insult important people, share too much personal information about herself, or just laugh way too loud at something that wasn't even intended to be funny. The only reason she isn't intentionally left off guest lists is because she's not well known enough in Savnic City society to have generated that kind of notoriety. Jolene means well, she is very friendly, and she stands out - so even if a handful of people at a function end up being annoyed by her, chances are good that she might make 1 new friend/connection and it's been a huge boon to her professionally.
Q: If your Nephian was a god, how would folk worship them?
A: Counter question for you, Sillay: Do Spinxyn imagine themselves as gods frequently? I imagine some might considering the strife they have with them. It feels to me like a very bitter thing to do.
Regardless, I think I'll answer this question as Jolene would imagine it. I don't think this is a thought she has often since she's not blessed or cursed -she's just a kitty and hasn't done anything to deserve either. She probably has these thoughts only when she believes life is being particularly unfair to her. In her "If I Were a Goddess, None of This Would Be Happening To Me" fantasy, she is primarily being waited on hand and foot and being brought large plates of undersized finger foods. She's a simple woman and she doesn't really think about the power aspect of being a god. She equates worship with comfort and a complete removal of her responsibilities. It's a silly fantasy all things considered and she knows it. She sometimes idly wonders what being a real god would actually be like.
Q: Does your Nephian use cutlery to eat? Are they a messy or refined eater?
A: This is an excellent question. I always keep my creature characters as close to behaving like creatures as possible, but I feel like there's more room for human adjacent behavior (like using cutlery) with Spinxyn. Not sure why I feel that way, maybe it's the literal human face lol. So I think the answer for Jolene is both. She's a mindful eater and usually eats with her paws very carefully, using her claws and her kitty thumb to cleanly spear food and bring it to her mouth. Maybe it's okay to eat this way alone and with friends/family. In polite company though, I think silverware is used. I just can't imagine anyone at some gallery opening in Savnic City appreciating the fine arts while also being faceplanted into a hors d'oeuvre platter of Fancy Feast. It's probably something Jolene finds mildly annoying but necessary, depending on the style of cutlery. Human cutlery would be unwieldly for just about any paw to hold so I wonder what kinds of cutlery are made specifically for Spinxyn use? Or is it all manufactured by Merphin who have human hands and the Spinxyn just try their best? Idk but I'm thinking about who manufactures cutlery in Nephfi now and I don't think that's what this question intended lol
Q: Does your Nephian make sure to clean out old food regularly from their cupboards?
A: I think generally, yes? But I don't think it's an intentional effort or desire for cleanliness on her part. Jolene lives in an apartment in Savnic City and as is the case with most city living, she walks or makes use of whatever Nephfi's version of Uber is, occasionally public transit too. She also lives alone. So when she does her grocery shopping, everything she buys has to fit in the grocery tote she has strapped over her shoulder. Non-perishable foods can be heavy so she only buys what she thinks she's going to use. So her cupboards don't end up full of unused food very often and there isn't much that gets old. I'm sure there's like one box of instant pudding way in the back though, forgotten for years and out of sight.
Q: What is your Nephian’s opinion on cursing Spinxyn? Do they think it’s deserved or is it too harsh?
A: Loaded question! I feel like Spinxyn must have mixed feelings on this depending on where they come from. Jolene lives in Savnic City and I suspect that with all its wealthy and socially elite citizens, the population probably looks at curses harsher than most. I haven't put much thought behind that, maybe I'm wrong. Not being cursed herself, Jolene can't really empathize fully but I do think she feels bad for cursed Spinxyn based on the treatment they might receive or how people talk about them. There's maybe some social awkwardness there too. Jolene's social and professional circles are primarily a mix of regular Spinxyn and blessed Spinxyn (who Jolene is definitely jealous of), so she may not know how to relate to a cursed one when she meets them. I feel like every curse has a story and you can't take them at face value, which is exactly the type of thing Jolene is likely excited to find out about a new potential friend. As well intentioned as she is, her tendency to speak her mind and ask questions without considering the impact of her words first would probably get her in trouble with cursed Spinxyn she's first meeting. I guess that could go either way though, I'm sure cursed Spinxyn need to have tougher skin than most and some might appreciate her way of not beating around the bush. Jolene's own judgement call on whether or not a curse is deserved is something she probably takes on a person by person basis. It's not really her place to make judgement calls like this, and I think she's aware of that. She's more likely to be sympathetic and view someone else's curse as generally too far of a punishment regardless of what they did to get it. Jolene believes that mistakes can be fixed and people can change, but I don't know how much she has thought about the nature of what gets a Spinxyn cursed in the first place. This is where her ignorance comes in most I think.
Q: Who is your Nephians favorite teletubby?
A: Laa-Laa. She likes that they're both yellow.
Q: Has your Nephian ever been betrayed?
A: Betrayed is such a strong word, like it really speaks to malicious intent more than simply being wronged does since it requires trust to be had in the first place. Savnic City's high society is probably rife with betrayals if you're paying attention so I could see Jolene falling victim to that since she's kind of on the fringe of it all (well off enough to live there, but def doesn't fit in with the celebrities she might bump shoulders with). I've been thinking about her professional life a lot, since I think it's work that brings her to Savnic City, and my brain keeps landing on some kind of publishing related job, maybe journalism, she might work for a fashion magazine or a tabloid. I could see a betrayal happening in her professional life there since those are jobs that would require reliable connections with the right information. I'm sure she's been given false information before which didn't reflect well on her later. I need to think about that more though for sure. That's kind of a quiet betrayal but one nonetheless. I couldn't see it getting more dramatic than that. Jolene has a disarming enough personality and its in her nature to like people and be genuinely interested in them, so I think she completely unintentionally ends up keeping her would-be enemies close to her.
Q: Was your Nephian raised worshipping the gods as a child?
A: Yes but not devoutly. You know how some Christians irl only go to mass on Christmas and maybe Easter? Jolene's family was like that. Idk what the Nephfei equivalent holidays are lol. But yeah, Jolene's family only really talked about the gods in an obligatory sense because the gods have so much power over Spinxyn. Her parents didn't have strong devotion and worshipped them just often enough to make it look like they cared. Plausible deniability in a way, in case they ever found themselves on the receiving end of a possible curse. I have a feeling that Jolene's parents disliked the gods more than they really impressed upon Jolene as a kitten. They didn't want her to be burdened with those feelings. As a result, Jolene is somewhat ignorant when it comes to curses and why they happen since it wasn't as frequent of a subject as it maybe should have been growing up. Side details: Kitten Jolene was a menace in the temple, she would loudly ask questions as they sprung to her mind during services or make comments about the clergyman's funny looking vestments. It was prob for the best that her family only showed up once or twice a year lol. Even now as an adult, Jolene will lean over and whisper her thoughts or crack jokes about what's going on to whoever is next to her.
Q: Who does your Nephian consider their enemies? Why?
A: This is a good question because it's a hard one to answer for Jolene. She thinks everyone is endlessly interesting and she genuinely wants to like them, so for her to consider someone not a friend would take very drastic measures. There are no specific types of people that she feels inclined to actively dislike or speak/act out against. If Jolene had enemies, it would be the other person deciding that they were enemies in the first place and she'd hate that their relationship was that way. I could see it happening with someone she might have offended by accident, which happens a lot. She'd be taking measures to "fix" whatever happened, and maybe that would only make things worse for some people. Jolene can't leave anything well enough alone and I could see her bungling a relationship that's on the ropes over and over again.
Q: What food should be banned from existence (according to your Neph)?
A: Cilantro. Its pervasive taste absolutely ruins an entire dish for Jolene when it's present. One time Jolene was eating in a restaurant and the dish she ordered came with surprise cilantro in it. She told the waiter that it was "inedible" and while she was simply stating what to her was a fact, her phrasing did not go over well with the restaurant staff. Jolene doesn't eat there anymore - for some reason they give her funny looks and it makes her uncomfortable.
Jolene is also sensitive to spicy foods. Even if she's alright with the flavor, she can't handle the heat. Jolene is a pretty open-minded eater in general but she doesn't like being caught by surprise when eating a flavor she doesn't like.
Q: Are there any trinkets that your Nephian enjoys collecting?
A: Kind of! She doesn't collect "trinkets" but I could see her saving all the twist ties from bagged food from the grocery store. She doesn't need all of them, but she thinks it's a waste to throw any away. So she just has a drawer in her kitchen where she tosses them and they pile up. They say the only difference between collecting and hoarding is how you display it, so one time Jolene sorted them into piles by length and color. But they just ended up mixing again over time in the drawer so she doesn't usually bother sorting them anymore.
Q: What are some weird things your Nephian are good at?
A: Her memory for dates is eerily good. She keeps a planner for work but she doesn't actually need it that much. She'll remember appointments made months in advance, or remember an acquaintance's birthday if they mention it in passing only once. She always knows what's going on when and it's effortless for her.
Despite Jolene's lack of aptitude for technology, she's a fast typist. On a good day she can hit 100 wpm. Just pray she doesn't have to do anything else on that computer lol.
She's also really good at getting people to agree to things that they don't really want to do. Her disarming and upbeat personality makes people who are nervous or reserved change their tune after a few minutes of conversation with her. Jolene's natural honesty has a way of making anything sound fun, or bringing out the humor in bad things. She's good at reassuring people that everything will be fine in the end because she believes it herself.
Q: Has your Nephian ever had a crush on another? Who’s their most recent crush, if so?
A: Oh yeah definitely, she usually has her sights on somebody. Her last crush was the guy who worked at the local deli. As it turns out, flirting with the person who cuts your sandwhich meat is a minefield of innuendos that Jolene did not intend. After a few weeks in a row of accidental meat puns, she can no longer look him in the eye. He thought it was hilarious and charming. Jolene suspects he's married anyway.
This is why Jolene is afraid to talk to her crushes. She still totally goes to this deli though, he's eye candy.
Q: Does your Nephian believe in the gods’ existence? Why or why not? Have they ever faced criticism for these beliefs?
A: I feel like it's hard not to believe in the gods when curses exist, though I'm sure there's some wild conspiracies out there. Jolene is not one for conspiracies though, so she does believe in the gods without feeling particularly strongly about them. She's the type of person who wants physical evidence to really understand things like this, and while the gods and their choices are very mysterious to her, there is obvious physical evidence of their existence in the world so she kind of can't not believe. I imagine that most Spinxyn believe in the gods considering their history of strange punishments from them, so I doubt Jolene's beliefs stand out at all. This isn't something that she's preoccupied with.
Q: What’s a job your Nephian would never accept, even in times of financial stress?
A: I'm torn with this answer because I never want to say "no," to anything, like I think it's more interesting to talk about what would push them to doing something they're strongly opposed to doing. I feel like Jolene is practical and she's worked a lot of different jobs. She didn't just waltz into Savnic City and get her job at the magazine right away. She probably did a lot of waitressing, cleaning, and some retail when she first moved, so she's no stranger to the stress or unpleasantness of working a job she hates out of necessity. So I'm gonna bend this question a little, sorry not sorry Sillay
Scenario 1: The job Jolene cannot do is working at a call center. She did it once and she's actually great at sales but she got way too personal with the customers and chatted for too long with any who let her keep talking. She couldn't meet her sales goals due to this. It also upset her personally in a very real way when she got yelled at or hung up on, so she was just miserable the whole time. It's a short-lived stain on her resume that doesn't make her look good at all, so she wouldn't get hired at a place like this again regardless of how badly she needed a job.
Scenario 2: Jolene has a history of being bad with technology. That call center debacle was only good for one thing - her experience there did get her a job at a high end boutique in Savnic City that sold overpriced "wireless communication devices." She was charming at the interview but it quickly became apparent that she has no idea how a cell phone works and she was "let go" very gently. This is the type of job that Jolene would never choose again if she had the choice, but she would try again with much trepidation if she was desperate.
Q: Your Nephian has accidentally committed a crime, what do they do? Would they confess? Would they pin it on another Neph? Do they do more crimes to cover up the original crime?
A: One time Jolene accidentally walked out of a high end vintage boutique with a $200 cashmere sweater she was fantasizing about being able to afford. Genuine accident - she got distracted arguing with the owner about how something second hand should not cost $200 and why it still had the $50 department store tag on it (scribbled out poorly in marker), and she legitimately forgot it was in her shopping tote where she had put it after trying it on in the dressing room. She was so worked up over the conversation that she left in a huff and didn't notice the sweater until after she got home. She went through multiple stages of panic and mortification: "Did the owner notice? If they did, did they think I did it on purpose? Will they call the police or ban me from the shop? Do I even want to go back there? Doesn't this serve them right?! Oh gods I'm a dirty thief..." Ultimately, Jolene's pride won out and she decided to just quietly keep the sweater and never go back to that shop again. She's nervous every time she wears it, but it looks fantastic.
Q: If your Nephian was imprisoned, would they kill or harm others to escape? If so, how do they justify it? Do they justify it at all?
A: This is weirdly specific haha. No, I don't think Jolene would do that. She'd be too preoccupied talking to a lawyer. If the law fails Jolene in this scenario, I could see her trying to get buddy buddy with the guards. They'd undoubtedly find her charming and maybe she could eventually convince one of them to let her out.
Q: What traits does your Nephian dislike in other people?
A: Jolene has trouble relating to people who aren't as open as she is. Concepts like "privacy" and "personal space" are things Jolene only wants if she's having a really bad day, so she doesn't really understand people who gravitate towards those things naturally. I do think dislike is a strong word though, like just because Jolene doesn't understand the inner workings of an introvert's mind doesn't mean she dislikes them. She just might misinterpret their nature as them actively not liking her, which makes her upset. She wouldn't disrespect anyone's comfort level intentionally, but she is driven to cheer people up and get them out of their shell so speak (even if those things don't actually need to be done). So someone who genuinely just wants to be left well enough alone might have some rocky interactions with Jolene if they aren't willing to outright tell her to shut up.
Q: Did your Nephian go to school? Was it a positive or negative experience? How well did they fare in their studies?
A: Yes, Jolene went to school. She was decently motivated but not incredibly smart, so her grades were always on the low end of average with a few stand out subjects being more her forte (writing because she enjoyed it, and history because she's got a freakish ability to remember dates). Socially Jolene didn't have many friends at school because most probably found her to be irritating, but the few she did have were close and true. This made her experience positive overall even if her performance was nothing to write home about. After high school, Jolene went to whatever Nephfei's equivalent of community college would be - her grades weren't high enough to get into most schools that had competitive enrollment. But she did alright there and lucked out with a few good professors, not to mention the money she saved living at home. She focused hard on her writing and was the main editor for the college's monthly newsletter.
Q: Does your Nephian eat a balanced diet? If not, what's their idea of a ‘balanced diet’?
A: I think Jolene does, yes. She likes a wide variety of foods and gets a feeling of satisfaction from eating a "full" meal. It's more interesting when there's a variety of foods on her plate if nothing else, and Jolene is definitely the type to get bored with her food (whether it's too simple, not enough, or if she's eaten a lot of it lately). She's likely to be cranky if she misses a meal or only has time grab a granola bar. Savnic City probably has awesome restaurants too so her standard for what a good meal is is probably a bit higher than average. She'll eat whatever she has to in a pinch, but she does take a lot of enjoyment from better, healthier food. Fun fact: Jolene's good diet is why her fur is so thick and silky smooth
Do Spinxyn eat vegetables? I think Jolene does whether it's normal or not. She probably likes asparagus
Q: Is your Nephian currently employed? If not, why?
A: Jolene works for a fashion/arts magazine that has some tabloid-esque stuff in it too. It's blandly called "Savnic Magazine" but the covers are very slick and it just says "Sav" on it. Also called "Sav Mag" by hip people. Jolene writes articles. The team is a lot smaller than one would expect, so she ends up conducting a lot of her own interviews too. The magazine is mostly respected in Savnic City, but only as much a classed-up tabloid can be. Jolene would defend her job if challenged and would insist it's not really a tabloid. Jolene refuses to make up drama about people (which is what she considers tabloid territory) but has very little problem with reporting accurate drama. Where her integrity lies is purely case by case often comes down to her spinning personal social compass. Jolene's articles are always entertaining - she writes more honestly than most in the industry and her unintentional bull-in-a-china-shop style of interviewing Savnic City's up and coming talent guarantees a story that can't be read anywhere else.
Follow-up Question from Veenuh in the server: How would Jolene feel if one of her pieces ruined someone's career, even if it was 100% true what she wrote?
A: I feel like in Savnic City, any publicity is good publicity. Jolene understands this and she considers it part of the industry. Jolene's writing is never mean-spirited, so I don't see anyone's career being outright ruined by the type of writing she does. Like she's never written a purely flaming article - it's not in her nature to see people in an entirely negative light even while reporting less than stellar details that she thinks are "interesting" lol. Now has she gotten angry letters after her articles get published? Yes, absolutely. The secretary at Sav Mag keeps all hate mail on file and doesn't review them with the writers on staff until the monthly meetings.
Q: What advice would your Nephian give to someone new to romance?
A: Being so awkward in romance herself, Jolene is not qualified to advise anyone on the matter and she knows it. She'll preface all lukewarm advice with "I don't know why you're asking me of all people, but-"
She'd be that friend who is trying her best to be genuinely encouraging but doesn't actually know how to say anything helpful. Like "just be yourself!" and "just talk to them about stuff you like." Things that are obvious and should be true but don't come easily to most people. So it isn't really useful advise. Jolene has gracelessly fumbled most romantic interactions so she's hesitant to endorse her own experiences.
Q: Does your Nephian brush their teeth? If not, how many teeth remain? If they’ve lost teeth, have they replaced them? If so, with what (eg; gold, dentures, etc)?
A: As much as I would love to answer the secondary questions about how many are left and replacements, I have to be honest. Jolene's hygene is great so yes, she brushes her teeth. Not excessively, just twice a day - once after she wakes up and once before bed. The dentist says to do it three times a day, but honestly that's so inconvenient. She tried bringing a portable toothbrush to work for a while but it felt really awkward when her boss would walk into the ladies room while Jolene had a mouth full of suds at the sink. Also, people still say hi to you there even when your mouth is clearly occupied and kinda just have to grunt at them to politely acknowledge their greeting. It drove Jolene nuts so she just skips the afternoon brushing usually.
Q: How would your Nephian feel if they were cursed? (This can be applied to non-spinx Nephs too)!
A: Jolene would be confused and devastated. I'm sure her exact combination of bad feelings would depend on the type of curse, but she'd have a hard time adjusting regardless. It would mostly be about her social life - she wouldn't like the way people looked at her and would be able to tell she'd done something wrong and wonder about it. Jolene isn't necessarily vain but she feels alright about the way she looks as-is and it would make her really sad or grossed out if she sprouted other animals' body parts or started leaking from something. Any of the faceless or rot curses would be the worst for Jolene, or anything that made other people not want to look at or be around her.
Q: What username does your Nephian use online? If they don’t have access to the Internet, what username would they have?
A: Jolene's only online presence is related to work. She has a work email thats like FirstName.LastName@savmag . com (idk Jolene's last name lol) and when her articles are published on the magazine website it's just under "Jolene" - her boss said first names only were chic and made the readers feel like they were close friends.
Her complete ineptitude with technology carries over to social media. She doesn't even have a mobile device and doesn't really get what "tweeting" is or why she needs to update strangers on her "status." She does have a personal email but it's ancient, probably on whatever Nephfei's equivalent of AOL is. It's something stupid like sunflowergirl1989 like she thought that was cute when she first made it as a tween and she just doesn't think about stuff like usernames being a reflection of anything regarding herself. She'd have lost the password ages ago but she needs it to pay her bills online.
Thinking about Jolene using social media is a terrifying thought. Too much power for someone who can barely keep it reigned in as it is.
Q: What’s your Nephian’s favourite thing to do with magic? Party tricks, pranks, etc?
A: Well, if Jolene has magic, I'd imagine she's use it for practical things. Folding laundry, stirring soup on the stove, stuff that frees up her paws. I don't think she's a trickster or a show-off with it.
Q: If given a mysterious note-book with the ability to kill any in the world, who would your Nephian write in?
A: I feel like I need to answer this in two different ways, one hypothetically and one seriously.
At the heart of the question, it's asking who Jolene wouldn't want to deal with anymore and who she wants out of her life completely. There's probably one or two Savnic socialite pseudo-celebs who have been rude and snobby to Jolene at events and she'd definitely fantasize about putting them in a deathnote the way one fantasizes about pushing someone annoying off a bridge.
But I am a sucker for taking questions like this literally and I will play along with you, Sillay. Jolene would be terrified if she somehow had a deathnote in her possession. The weight of consequence and possibility would weigh heavily on her and I don't think she'd ever be able to use it. Even if someone has really rubbed Jolene the wrong way or offended her, she wouldn't want death to be the consequence. I'm sure Nephfei has its share of tyrants and baddies and those names might occur to Jolene because the elimination of certain figures might make the world a better place. She might also have the fleeting thought that Spinxyn wouldn't have to live under the terrible and whimsical thumbs of the gods anymore should those gods' names be written. Is any of that even possible? I watched DeathNote years and years ago and don't remember the rules lol. But regardless, as a "nobody" in the grand scheme of Nephei, Jolene would feel like she isn't qualified to make these types of decisions and she'd be afraid she's missing pieces of a bigger picture. She'd be too paralyzed to ever write a name and probably keep the notebook in a locked drawer until she can think of a way to get rid of it.
Q: How do they view the rich or fortunate of the world?
A: So Jolene lives in Savnic City and rubs shoulders with people much wealthier than her all the time. Whether its interviewing celebs or attending functions for the magazine or just walking around the shopping districts, Jolene is surrounded by wealth. She isn't bad off herself, like the magazine pays decent and she's not uncomfortable, but she def can't live a frivolous life the way a lot of rich people do. I think Jolene is largely desensitized to the behavior of the wealthy around her. It's kind of just everyday stuff for her, so she won't really think about it unless they're unkind or snobby to her. She might envy people who are wealthier than her, but it's all surface level. Jolene doesn't desire fame or notoriety and she's content without owning cars or fancy jewelry. She might like to take fancy vacations, that's more Jolene's speed. But it's rarely more than, "Ugh, I wish I was as rich as them!" Maybe Jolene should think harder about it. There's a lot to be angry about, but she isn't that type of person.
Q: Has your Nephian ever ridden an animal before?
A: This question really gets me cuz Nephians are animals but also they're this world's "People" so like, what exactly is this asking? lol
I doubt she's ridden a Person Animal before, like I bet most Centicorns would think being ridden is disrespectful? Maybe it depends on where they are though. I just feel like some bank exec Centicorn in Savnic City isn't going to tolerate a request to be ridden lol.
As for Animal Animals, I think the answer might be yes but a looong time ago. The last opportunity she might've had would've been as a kid when her family went to a county fair or petting zoo. Pony ride type thing, nothing really exciting. Jolene hasn't lived in the city all her life, but I don't think she grew up in the country or around a lot of animals either. This would have been a special occasion / seasonal type thing.
Q: How quick to trust is your Nephian?
A: Despite her straightforwardness, Jolene is very trusting. She's the type to say something if she believes someone is lying or contradicting themselves, but this does not translate to distrust. Her curiosity is largely what drives her and she doesn't call people out to be aggressive or to make them look bad. She is willing to see a level of truth in everything, even in misunderstandings or in the reasons people tell lies. I guess this is her journalist nature coming into play. If someone is trying to deceive her, she trusts that there is a reason for it and she is very curious to find out what it is.
In honor of me going to the beach today, I wanted to imagine what Jolene would bring with her on a beach trip! (Not from Sillay bot)
Jolene's Beach Trip:
1. Flower print satchel bag - The pattern is kinda tacky, but it's designer brand. She got it as a gift from a designer she interviewed for Sav Mag a few years ago. She only uses it for the beach because it's got a boxy shape.
2. Face sunscreen, the kind that comes in a miniscule bottle and is really expensive. It's one of the few "beauty" items she'll spend money on. Jolene hates getting a sunburn on her face.
3. Towel - it's not an ideal towel, like it's a little too small and it's old, but it's okay if it gets salty and sandy. It has a blocky bird pattern on it.
4. Water bottle! Gotta stay hydrated. She has a nice water bottle at home that will stay cold all day, but she usually forgets it and has to get plastic water bottles at the store on her way there.
5. Handheld radio so she has something to listen to while dozing on her blanket. She listens to an "80s, 90s, and Today" style station, with 2010s ominously missing. She doesn't own headphones so unfortunately she's one of Those People at the beach who has their music (and radio adds for $0 down financing and various local establishments) on for everyone to hear.
Q: If your Nephian was a video-game boss, how would their stage play out?
A: Jolene would be a challenge "boss" in a learn-to-type game. The premise would be that she has a bunch of interviews to transcribe and you're the intern at SavMag assigned to help her. You'd have to type the sentences she says as quickly and as accurately as you can with the speed required increasing gradually. If you're not doing well, she looks disappointed. If you can't keep up or if you make too many errors, she says, "Thanks for your help, but I think I can take it from here," and it's a game over.
Q: Has your Nephian ever explored locations rumored to be haunted? How did it go?
A: Yes. Jolene had to interview a rich eccentric fashion magnate for the magazine who lived in a big mansion right outside the city. People said the place was haunted and that strange lights could be seen in the windows at night. There were rumors of housekeeping staff disappearing and of graves on the premises as well. Jolene doesn't think enough about this stuff on her own to be truly superstitious, but if the idea is planted in her head she can get kinda worked up about it. She was really nervous about the interview and convinced herself that she was going to be kidnapped (by ghosts, I guess? Jolene wasn't making much sense that week). But her boss told her to buck up and go so she did. The interview went... fine. The fashion magnate was a quirky Spinxyn to say the least and she thought he was a little creepy because he spoke slowly and quietly. The whole time Jolene was there, she didn't see a single other person in the entire mansion, as if it was empty except for the two of them. She finished the interview as quickly as possible. As she got in her cab that evening and it drove away from the mansion, she looked back one last time and saw the faces of many other Spinxyn watching her intently from the windows.
Q: Would your Nephian ever visit the Dead Lands? (https://www.deviantart.com/queijac/art/Map-of-Nephfei-Spinxyn-798070377)
A: I bet a place like the Dead Lands is especially compelling to journalists like Jolene. There's so much to see and talk about, but no one ever returns to give their report. I bet there were fresh young journalists that Jolene met at her first writing jobs out of college who were like, "Oh yeah I'm gonna be the one to the cover the Dead Lands," and everyone seemed very impressed. But of course that never happens. I don't think Jolene ever made those kinds of fantastical claims though. She's thrown herself into plenty of strange and uncomfortable situations for the sake of a story, but I think the Dead Lands is a little too serious for her.
Also, related to none of that, I'm listening to Blondie right now and I think Jolene would listen to Blondie if it existed in Nephfei
If Jolene would have a pet... (Not from Sillay Bot)
I'm thinking the answer might be no? She has a hybrid work schedule so she's at home half the week, and would def have time to take care of one. But she does travel for work sometimes and she would find it inconvenient to arrange for someone to care for it while she's gone. She also lives in a city apartment and I think they'd be strict on pets if they allowed them at all. Jolene doesn't dislike animals, but I don't see her being overly attached to them, or feeling the need for one in her daily space. I was thinking maybe, what if she just had a small aquarium? Cuz I'm like this irl, I don't really want pets in my space but I have one small aquarium and it's perfect for that. But I just can't get past the image of a Spinxyn coming home after a long day and being too lazy to order a pizza so they just eat their fish right out of the tank cuz they're CATS and that's what cats WANT TO DO lol. Jolene would be no exception. Maybe she had a fish once upon a time. "I felt so bad but I just couldn't help myself!"
Q: Where does your Nephian currently live? Is it comfortable or do they have plans to move out? If they don’t have a home, where do they find shelter?
A: Jolene lives in an apartment in the fashion district of Savnic City. It's one of those places that's advertised as a 2 bedroom but it's really a studio with a small doorless room attached and the second "bedroom" is a partial alcove lol. That said, it's a decent place. I feel like Savnic City would be a place that's affected pretty heavily by inflation. Pay is higher there but everything costs more. So Jolene can afford to live here but she's certainly overpaying for the space. Nicer buildings in the area probably cost a lot more than this one. The apartment is not perfect, like that alcove is annoying and the ceilings are vaulted in a weird way. It was probably supposed to be attractive but in reality a lot of the heat just goes up there in the winter and there's less space to decorate the walls. The kitchen is too small, not enough counter space to really spread out and cook anything regularly. But the landlady is nice and takes care of things in a reasonable amount of time so that counts for a lot. It's also close enough to the SavMag building that Jolene can walk to work or take the bus. Like most city apartments, it's a mixed bag. She has no plans to move or to buy her own place. She's busy with work and isn't thinking super far ahead about this kind of thing.
Q: Is your Nephian wealthy, comfortably living, poor or struggling? How do they feel about their financial position?
A: I partially addressed this in the last question but I'll elaborate here. She works as a journalist and interviewer for a medium sized fashion and arts magazine stationed in Savnic City called SavMag. She started working there out of school and started out with crap pay but management eventually realized her special skill for getting good interviews out of difficult people. The owner of the magazine once said about her behind closed doors: "She's a real loudmouth but you can't help but love her." By accomplishing interviews that others could not, she's gotten significant pay raises and bonuses over the years. This hasn't made her rich since living in Savnic City kinda eats away at anyone who isn't a millionaire, but it secures her comfort in the day to day. Her comfort is kind of a carry over situation from the conditions she grew up in, so she always viewed the hard years right after college as a temporary situation to begin with. She remembers that stress of having her first apartment and not getting paid nearly enough, and appreciates what she has now because of it, but it's mostly surface level. Real poverty hasn't been a real fear for Jolene at any point. If it ever became one, I think she wouldn't handle it well.