(Greetings! I’m your friendly neighbourhood Reno role player! Here I’m going to put up a bit more about my take on our favourite sassy Turk, some of my head-cannon for him, and a bit of a Q&A in the form of a relatively common Q&A meme. Of course if you have more questions I’m sure Reno would be more than happy to answer them, he loves talking about himself. So without further adieu…)
30 DAYS OF RPING
1. Describe your character’s relationship with their mother or their father, or both. Was it good? Bad? Were they spoiled rotten, ignored? Do they still get along now, or no?
Reno was bought up on the streets of Midgar with the over-hanging shadow of the plate above a constant unobtainable mystery. His parents both worked in mining, digging the tunnels that would eventually lead the huge pipes of ShinRa Electric Company into the Planet’s life-force. His mother died when he was 5, leaving him with an angry and often drunk and neglectful father. He wasn’t violent, just absent. Reno ran with many of the other street kids of Midgar, exploring the clustered shanty town like rats in heaven. His misspent youth was more violent. Joining one of the many street gangs, he learned the trade of theft and burglary like he was born to it. It was during this time he first met Rude. They became an inseparable two man show. It was Rude who finally put their dreams into action, applying to join ShinRa’s military outfit. Reno was not about to be left behind, and so the two of them signed up and their unique skills quickly singled them out for TURK training. And thus Reno and Rude of the Turks were born.
2. What are your characters most prominent physical features?
What isn’t a prominent feature of Reno? The two red markings, slashing up over each cheek bone define him. As does his bright red hair and particular way of slouching. Under his identifiable suit he also has an intricate tattoo down his left side, rather tribal and looks like a dragon spreading its wings lengthwise up his torso.
3. Name one scar your character has, and tell us where it came from. If they don’t have any, is there a reason?
Reno has a lot of scars, one in particular under his lower right rib is from where he almost died of a stab wound Rude saved him from. It’s shaped like an ugly zig-zag.
4. How vain is your character? Do they find themselves attractive?
Hah… vanity and Reno are like water and more water. He knows how hot he is and uses it. He’s more than comfortable in his own skin, and his particular vanity is not letting the suit make the man, but the man make the suit.
5. What’s your character’s ranking on the Kinsey Scale?
Probably between a 1 and a 2, more leaning towards a 2. Reno’s been around the block, and he’s not shy.
6. Describe your character’s happiest memory.
Reno treasures the little things. Most of his happiest memories are times he’s spent with Rude and Elena. One of the most recent best was the first time he found them again after they helped evacuate Midgar when Meteor came. After the Planet did It’s thing, it wasn’t clear if anyone in that area lived. They were all pretty beat up but after finding Elena and then Rude, they sat with each other outside the zone with many of the survivors and shared Rude’s last cigarette. It was a good time.
7. Is there one event or happening your character would like to erase from their past? Why?
There are a lot of things Reno wouldn’t mind erasing but he’s grown up enough to understand that even those parts of your life are lessons worth remembering.
8. Day of Favorites! What’s your character’s favorite ice cream flavor? Color? Song? Flower?
His favourite ice cream flavour is goody-gum drops, his favourite colour is red (derps), he (kind of secretly) loves Johnny Cash and ‘ The Man Comes Around’ is one of his favs. He likes lilies because they remind him of the flower girl.
9. Who does your character trust?
Rude, one hundred per cent. He also trusts Elena, Tseng and Rufus with every part of himself. He may not seem it but Reno’s loyalty to those he cares about is profound. He’d never betray them, no matter what and would do anything for them, and has done so.
10. Can you define a turning point in your character’s life? Multiples are acceptable.
When his mother died was a big one, but the biggest was when he met Rude. He learned the meaning of friendship and loyalty for the first time. If anything the big guy did it was define Reno’s code of ethics to himself. Secondly is when they joined the Turks. Becoming a Turk basically gave Reno a family. And his loyalty to the Turks is second to none.
11. Is there an animal you equate with your character?
Probably a fox, I mean that’s the obvious answer. He is foxy, with his red hair , small statue and speed. He can be a bit of a light hearted seeming guy, can seem clownish but he’s also smart, cunning and ruthless.
12. How is your character with technology? Super savvy, or way behind the times? Letters or email?
It’s SMS all the way baby. Reno is at the front with the tech savviness. He’s constantly making updates to his electric nightstick, learning new piloting skills and engineering abilities. He’s far from phone shy and is always leaving everyone messages and sending them SMSs. Except for Valentine. He doesn’t bother. He knows the guy can barely turn a phone on. Instead he leaves post-its for Vincent if he can’t find the guy in person.
13. What does your character’s bed look like when he/she wakes up? Are the covers off on one side of the bed, are they all curled around a pillow, sprawled everywhere? In what position might they sleep?
A mass of sheets, pillows and often half the duvet on the floor. Often you can find Reno snuggled around his pillow.
14. How does your character react to temperature changes such as extreme heat and cold?
Reno doesn’t like the cold much, mostly because it means having to dress in layers. But Reno is a Turk and he isn’t going to let a little snow stand in his way of his target.
15. Is your character an early morning bird or a night owl?
Reno is most definitely a night owl. Mornings are made for sleeping. Don’t even bother him until the PM. In all seriousness though, as above, Reno will put his own comforts aside for the mission, or at least try to make his comforts a part of the mission.
16. Are there any blood relatives that your character is particularly close with, besides the immediate ones? Cousins, Uncles, Grandfathers, Aunts, et cetera. Are there any others that your character practically considers a blood relative?
No actual blood relatives. He knows he has some in Calm that are related to his mother but he hasn’t seen them since he was a child. No, those who he considers his family are Rude and the Turks.
17. What’s your character’s desk/workspace look like? Are they neat or messy?
Reno’s office is surprisingly tidy. I say surprisingly considering the apparent chaotic attitude he seems to face most of the world. There isn’t much in his office – he’s almost never there. He does have a couple of posters of tastefully presented ladies, a few displays with distinctions he earned while training to be a Turk., mostly for sharp-shooting and baton wielding. Although Reno’s preference is with the nightstick and that is what he is best known for, he is also an expert sharp-shooter. However he is not as good with small arms as his partner Rude.
18. Is your character a good cook? What’s their favorite recipe, whether they’re good or not? (Microwave mac-and-cheese applies.)
Reno loves food, and he is a good cook. He has a secret love of baking cookies and muffins but no one but the Turks know about that. He particularly likes pasta dishes like fettuccini.
19. What’s your character’s preferred means of travel?
Reno loves flying the ShinRa helicopter, he would fly that thing everywhere. Need milk? He’ll just copter to the store for ya.
20. Does your character have any irrational fears?
No particularly irrational ones. He has a healthy fear of Sephiroth, but it’s not going to stop him in his place. He does not much care for children, but that’s not exactly a fear.
21. What would your character’s cutie mark be?
As in My little ponies? LOL. Well. I suppose it would probably be a red lightning bolt, or maybe a pair of motorcycle goggles like the ones he wears in Advent.
22. If your character could time travel, where would they go?
Nowhere. He’s happy where he is, with Rude and the Turks.
23. Is your character superstitious?
A little, he’d prefer not to walk under a ladder, but that’s just common sense. Most of his superstitions he would consider common sense. Like not breaking a mirror…. Because broken glass is bad, and cuts things.
24. What might your character’s ideal romantic partner be?
Someone who can deal with him. Reno is a handful. He can be energetic one moment, and almost slovenly the next depending on how enthusiastic he is about something. He has constant foot in mouth syndrome and often points out things a more tactful person would shut up about. However, he can also be spot on. He knows how to be a leader and knows how to keep his teams moral up even in the direst of circumstances. His idea romantic partner would have to know how to look past the flash to the person underneath.
25. Describe your character’s hands. Are they small, long, calloused, smooth, stubby?
Reno has long thin fingers but his hands are strong and flexible – as they would need to be for wielding a melee weapon most of the time. Despite this he usually ops not to wear gloves, even though his vanity has him try to keep his hands as smooth as possible.
26. Second day of favourites! Favorite comfort food, favorite vice, favorite outfit, favorite hot drink, favorite time of year, and favorite holiday.
Favourite comfort food is pizza, favourite vice is drinking (and smoking – together!), favourite outfit is his Turk uniform, favourite hot drink is tea, favourite time of the year is the middle of summer, and his favourite holiday is Christmas.
27. Pick two songs that describe your character at two different points of their life, and explain why you chose them.
N/A at the moment, will update.
28. If your character’s life was a genre, what would it be?
Probably action/crime, maybe even noir just for fun.
29. How does your character smell? Do they wear perfume or cologne?
Reno likes cologne, but not over the top stuff. Just a subtle manly musk.
30. And finally: Write a letter to your character, from yourself.
Dear Reno,
I always liked you. You weren’t my favourite Final Fantasy 7 character but I always admired your determination and unpredictability. You weren’t a typical bad guy, you knew the difference between taking things seriously and taking things easy. And often combined the two. You didn’t let your emotions cloud your judgement, nor did you get passionately out-of-control. You knew some of the things you did were monstrous, but you also knew that it was your job and someone had to do it. I kind of admire both your loyalty to someone like Rufus, and the fact you were willing to face the music after the dust settled and make up for your actions. I like how you seem to care for your team mates, and how I could tell you had a crush on Aeris, but you wouldn’t let that get in the way of your mission. I like your easy-going attitude and the fact you can mock the reality of a situation even when it’s dead serious. But most of all I like how you put the Turks first. You’d rather avoid a deadly situation if you can. You can see that there’s no such thing as black and white, good and bad. Everything is a shade in-between. It probably means you don’t understand characters like Sephiroth or Vincent Valentine very well, who are driven by their emotions and their straightforward thinking, but then that at least makes you sane. You know how to survive, make the most of any situation, and generally wise-crack your way through it. So… to sum up, I admire you. You’re not perfect, but you just get on with it and don’t let it get you down.
Luv Me.
