30 Days of World-Building - Day 19 - Character

Exercise 19 - Today, we're going to apply our "What if?" wondering to the characters. You can use any character-building exercises you like, but the questions below should help you fit your characters into your novel. A person is always a product of where they came from; don't neglect your hero's background when you determine who he is and what he does. Additionally, do the same exercises for your protagonist(s), additional primary characters, antagonist(s), and any love interests in the story.

(Questions are provided in link above, answered respectfully)

• Hadrian is a young thirteen-year old boy who lives in the village of Coppervale with his grandparents. He shoulders are broad, but his short stature overpowers this fact. He is physically strong for a young boy, and he possess some survival skills, but when it comes to his lessons, he is easily distracted. He typically speaks in short sentences with simple words, but his speech pattern is oddly illuminated with a few larger words that he picked up from Tomas. This may make him seem off-balance and strange to somebody unfamiliar with his personality. 
• They would notice that he seems rather disorganized and rather odd. At a moments glance, Hadrian seems like just another boy who doesn't realize his true potential, and instead wastes away his days toying with childish fantasies.
• After spending time with Hadrian, one would learn that he truly means well, and that he never intentionally causes problems. They would learn that he is a kind person, who may be a little brash, but always means well. He may not be focused when it comes to his lessons, but he truly tries his best to pay attention. The call of nature and adventure can prove to be quite the buffer against the more structured forms of learning.
• Hadrian's parents are currently living in the village of Kern, twenty miles east of Coppervale. Hadrian was sent to live with his grandparents after a plague soiled the crops surrounding Kern. They promised him a better life, without worries. It has been eight years since he has seen them. and any questions about them are quickly deflected by his grandparents.
• If Hadrian were to return and bury the hatchet (if they are dead) with his parents, he would feel sad and almost angry towards them. But inwardly, he would achieve a sense of fulfillment and closure, and be able to focus entirely on the mission ahead. 
• Hadrian spent his early years in Kern, but grew up primarily in the trade-village of Coppervale. Raised by his grandparents, by his parents request, he spends his free time wandering the surrounding forests, seeking adventure in any way he can. 
• If Hadrian wasn't born there, he might have become aware of the taint in his blood sooner in life, and he would have been trained to better use it to full capacity.
• Hadrian's biggest heroes are those who have stood up to insurmountable odds and lived to tell the tale. While he could care less for the events themselves, he holds the people who were brave enough to put their life on the line in high regards. If he met one of these heroes, he would attempt to treat them as best as he could, without getting side-tracked, or becoming over-eager.
• If Hadrian were to meet his nemesis in a neutral public place, he would probably pass him by, unless provoked. Then, his brash personality would get the better of him, and drag him into problems he wouldn't be able to easily escape.
• Hadrian has never had a very stable family, but he believes that if he did, he would treat them with respect and provide for them however he could. He doesn't think about the details, but instead focuses on the familial aspect of things. He secretly longs for a secure family, as he has never had one.
• Hadrian bears the taint, which was born down to him from his mother and father. They had kept the taint a secret, hoping that it would disappear if it was never exploited. Hadrian believes in magic, having seen it performed by Tomas, but never thought that he would be able to manipulate the same forces by himself. 
• If Hadrian encountered something outside the realms of his understanding, he would be strangely accepting of it. While he hasn't seen many things outside of Coppervale or Kern, he would love to see and believe in the many wondrous things that ignorance would prevent him from witnessing. However, this attitude often makes him gullible, and he often gets his hopes up for little pay-off.
• Hadrian's primary secret (?) is that he longs for a secure family in the future. He doesn't want any of his future children to have to go through what he has. He also possess the secret that his parents were also bearers of the taint, a secret that could be used against him if the wrong people knew. 
• Like stated above, he is holding an unknown secret that his parents were also bearers of the taint. Once he learned of this, he would attempt to wrap his mind around the fact, but he would still possess doubts.
• If Hadrian left home, it would be to explore the world and see the many wonders that lie outside the world of Coppervale and Kern.