Hello, and welcome to the Golden City. I’ll guide you through the character creation process and get you started on your journey. From now on, your adventures will be stockpiled in this archive. Before we begin, you must select a name you’d like to go by. Please type your name below.

Name: Cael Sonata

Nice to meet you Cael Sonata! Next, for the purposes of this archive, we are going to need you to state your location.

Location: Golden City

Thank you, Cael Sonata of Golden City. To better understand you and give those that come across your archive a better picture of the type of person you are, we’ve prepared some questions below. There are no right or wrong answers, but we suggest that you answer them honestly. Let’s begin.

What are your aspirations in life and what are you doing to achieve those aspirations?

Yeesh, straight to the deep stuff I see. Well, my dream is to have writing fiction be my profession. I want my work to extend across all forms of media, from novels, to short stories, comic books, television, movies, radio, video games, etc. My work mainly focuses on women and minorities. As a child who grew up in a very ethnic city, I noticed that there weren’t a lot of characters in mainstream media that were relatable to my friends and I who weren’t minor characters or stereotypes. As an adult, I still see the absence of representation and not much has changed since I was a child. I want to create media that my nieces and nephews, as well as others, will enjoy and be able to see themselves in. I’d like to bring women and minorities into lead roles that mean something. To achieve these dreams, I’m currently studying at San Francisco State University, where I’m majoring in Broadcasting and Electronic Communication Arts with an emphasis in Writing for Electronic Media and honing my writing skills as a freelancer and working on personal projects. I recently self-published my first short story, “Danita’s Revenge,” on Amazon, and it felt like an important first step to being able to make a living doing what I love.

What are you obsessed with?

My obsessions? Well, currently I’m really obsessed with Final Fantasy XIV – as you can probably tell, I’m really into role-playing games. I’m a gamer by nature and love a night in relaxing and playing something on steam like FFXIV or Stardew Valley. I’m also really into gardening. My partner and I have a plot at a community garden that we take care of throughout the week and use to grow fresh produce to use at home.

Another thing I really enjoy is cooking. I love looking up recipes and experimenting with different ethnic dishes. I make a mean Japanese apple curry, and my Filipino bulalo is to die for.

I’m also a lover of long-form fiction, but comic books currently have my heart. Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe is my obsession. Hannah, Violet, Dee, and Betty are a refreshing group of bad-ass, foul-mouthed fantasy characters, and the adventures they go on are thrilling and hilarious. Wiebe was spot on when he described the concept as, “Lord of the Rings meets Bridesmaids.”

Who are your favorite writers?

I know it’s really cliche, but J.K. Rowling is my favorite writer. Her world-building skills and attention to detail are top-notch and something I really admire. Another one of my favorites is Kari Luna. Her writing is very intimate, creative, and easy to read. I hope to see more good things from her in the future. Finally, there’s Kurtis J. Wiebe. Wiebe writes progressive works with no fear, which is very refreshing and something I’d like to replicate in my own work. These three have written great works that have inspired me to work on my own projects.

Who are your favorite fictional heroes?

I’ve consumed so much media in the form of literature, comic books, video games, and so much more that I’ve had my share of exposure to some pretty great heroes. However, there are two that have really stood out, the first one being the new Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan. Ms. Marvel is such a fantastic comic book and Kamala Khan is a great character. She’s really fun and very relatable. My second favorite hero is Xena, Warrior Princess. I feel like I can’t say much about Xena that hasn’t been said already. She fears nothing and her determination and drive to help those that need it is godly. These two have influenced the way I go about writing my own heroes.

Which talent would you most like to have?

If I could have any talent, I think that I’d like to be able to draw. Not just draw, but be a full-fledged illustrator. Being able to bring my fiction to life visually is a dream of mine. I’d love to see some of my work as comic books or graphic novels one day and being able to illustrate them would make that dream a lot easier.

Wow, Cael! You seem like a really interesting person, I’m sure those that come across your archive will be entertained. Now that we understand what type of adventurer you are, you’re just about ready to get started on your journey. There’s one last thing that we have to do first, though, before you go. It’s time to roll your stats! Your stats are determined on a numerical scale between, 0-10. 0 being garbage and 10 being absolutely outstanding! That’s right, before every adventurer starts their journey they rolls stats’ that will help them on their adventure. All you have to do is simply say “Roll” and your beginning stats will be determined. If you’re ready, let’s get underway!

A die is rolled.

Cael Sonata’s beginner stats are currently being determined. Please wait…

Stat roll complete.

Health Points 24/24

Magic 0

Speed 4

Writing Skills 7

Research Ability 8

Focus 5

Productivity 6

These look like some good stats, Cael! You’re really good in some areas but could use some work in others. However, don’t be discouraged! The best adventurers didn’t start at the top – they honed their skills and worked their way up, and I have faith you will be one of them! Welcome to the Golden City, Cael Sonata. Your journey starts here!