Why give your Characters a Handicap?

Characters have Scars.
And these Scars never fully heal.
However, through the establishment of Relationships the Scars can be soothed.

Symbol & Pain

Identity
The Handicap is a part of the Character.
It confers her a Uniqueness.
They way the Handicap was brought onto the Characters is specific.
- Even more so is the Handicap was a Choice.
This Specificity makes the Character memorable.
The Location in which the Character grew is Central to the definition of this Handicap.
And how it grew through the Character’s perception.

Origins
The Environment in which the Character was born define the value of her disability.
Through the Hardships it developed.
The pain experienced by the Character through her Childhood are defining.
They define the Character’s likeliness to form bonds.
The nature of these bonds.
And her propension to take care of herself.

Crisis
An Early Tension can break the Character.
Depending on your Genre & Frame, you’ll want to balance the Character’s Handicap.
As well as the way it was bestowed upon her.
In every situation The Handicap should confer the Character a sense of Resilience.
Define a Pain scale early.
And then present multiple Character having experienced a diversity of pains.

Which Part has been lost?
Did the Character lose a Limb?
Or a Hand?
Her dominant Hand?
Did she lose a Feet or a Leg?
An Eye?
Organs have different value.
Depending on the Organ the Character may only be lightly handicapped.
Light disability have their own interest.
We’d recommend that you give every Character a damage or Injury.
So make use of light handicaps as they provide diversity.
If the Characters lost Internal parts the damage may not be immediately visible.
The Character may be Unable to eat.
Or Unable to exercise another bodily function.

Functionality & Prothesis
Depending on the part lost, the Character may need to relearn a Skill or Learn a new Skill.
If there’s a Possibility to Heal the injury it should be mentioned.
Same goes for the Possibility to Replace the missing part.
Handicaps & Disabilities are introduced to deepen the Story.
Not hinder the Team.
If the Character has the ability to heal/reduce her Handicap & choose not to, it should be explained as well.
The Character may prefer to use Equipment.
She may prefer to use a Prothesis.
As they could bestow onto her new Abilities.

What’s considered a Handicap?
Your World will be diverse.
The different regions of this World will have different perceptions.
Some will only see the Effective Handicap.
Or, the Functional Disability.
Other will see it as an Omen.
Fear may accumulate in the mind if these inhabitants as they perceive the handicap as a Curse.
Tales & Beliefs alter the perception of handicaps & disabilities.
Resulting in a potential Ostracism from the people subjected to these tales.
Perception is Arbitrary.
The criteria used to define a Handicap should be Clear.
In a World where everyone suffers from the same condition, no one could be considered handicapped.

Shame & Isolation
Pain comes from Loneliness.
Shame is a form of Pain.
A Character can suffer more from a Stigma if she’s alone.
As the Character evolves her relationship with her handicap should soothe.
She should be more comfortable showing.
She should be able to talk about the injuries.
The Heaviness of the condition should alleviate.
You could also do the Opposite.
The Character suffering deeper as the Story advances.
As Pain is Individual the Character’s suffering evolves according to 2 main factors :
- The Amount of Pain thrown on her
- Her will to get rid of this Pain

Attachment to the Team
Belonging betters any Character.
Being Accepted transform a Character’s Life.
Friendship makes a Life Lighter.
And eventually makes her situation Lighter.
If the Character has no means of Communication.
If she speaks a Different Language.
Or comes from a Different Species, she may have difficulties to get closer to her newfound group.
Note that the Character’s Attachment becomes her new Flaw.
As this newfound happiness grows so does the risk of withdrawal if the Character get separated from her Group.

Transforming the rest of the Body
The Scar will Proliferate.
Her Evolution in the Individual will alter the Character’s perspective :
- Of her Environment
- Of her Team
- Of Herself
Coursing through the body, the Scar may attach herself to core organs.
Scars evolve in order to remain in the Character.
They can physically affect tissues.
Modify the Plasma’s composition.
And alter the Character’s needs & wants.

Parasitism & Symbiosis
The Scar can Power the Character.
It can give her Abilities.
Or modify her Behavior in a way the Character desired to.
- It doesn’t mean that the new behavior is desirable as is.
As it Distorts the Character’s Identity the Scar merges with the Individual.
The 2 Entities feed onto one another.