equiping characters

[hopewrites]

I haven't counted the times I have been reading along happily and suddenly someone conveniently pulls something out of their pocket or pack that turns the situation around, but makes me go "really? you had that this whole time and waited till NOW to pull it out? wouldn't it have been more useful two chapters back when..." but it's been more than I would like to have happen.

maybe its over planing on my part, but I like to know what my characters have in their pockets before I send them gallivanting off over the country side or into the darkest caves or what ever doom I send them to face so they will grow and make a good story.

Does anyone else do this?

what is standard gear for wandering about life in? I would assume that (like myself) my characters would pack appropriately for the foreseeable future, one doesn't wear a bikini if one is planing a trip to the arctic, but what sort of plans do characters make for the unforeseeable future?

I'm a bit parodied so my "bag of holding" has a bit of everything I can tote for most emergency situations. But not all my characters are like me (and only in part because I like to imagine what it would be like not to be aware of all the entrances and exits and who is using them when I go some where) and that makes me wonder what sort of things they would prepare for.

maybe its silly, but I set out to write as though Sherlock Holmes was reading my story and would never call me out on incongruous packing materials.

or maybe I'm worrying about the wrong thing, and what I do keeps the plausibility factor alive in the fantastical settings I like to play in.

I think I've heard it called "Felix's bag" before, but I don't know the reference, or even if I am remembering it right.

Just thought I would throw this out there to see if anyone else checked their characters pockets before they left home, and if so, ask what was the strangest thing you found.

[Alex, The G and T]

"Felix the Cat, The wonderful, wonderful cat.
Whenever he gets in a fix; he reaches into his bag of tricks..."

Theme song from a cartoon in the 40's and/or 50's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_the_Cat

***

Meanwhile, back on the farm.... Every rural guy, farmer, herdsman, fisherman, or woodsman carries a pocket knife. Never know when it will come in handy. Until he gets to the airline, or other, security checkpoint:

"Heh, Heh, I forgot that was in there... really!"

[David Evil Overlord]

My (flying) super hero needs a utility belt, because she has no pockets on her spandex super suit. Now she just needs to figure out what to put in it. I've suggested air-sickness bags...

[Fishbowl Helmet]

A long list of exactly what a character is carrying around with them smacks of RPG fanfiction to me, especially if it's detailed in the fiction itself. Unless you make it explicit to the reader what the character is carrying, it's no different--to the reader--than you just making it up as you go along.

This is enough: "I was going into the Alps for a week, and packed accordingly."

This is dull and pointless: "I had 50 feet of rope, 1 10' pole, 10 flasks of oil, 1 lantern, 1 bedroll, 1 flashlight, 1 waterproof flashlight, 2 sets of spare batteries for each (in individual plastic baggies), 1 multi-tool, 4 tightly-wound medical bandages (just in case)...

[David Evil Overlord]

I have characters who pull out phones that weren't mentioned before. But almost everyone carries a phone now.

[SJAB]

Originally Posted by David Evil Overlord

I have characters who pull out phones that weren't mentioned before. But almost everyone carries a phone now.

Which reminds me, A while back during the early days of a previous WIP someone giving a critique kept on about about why my character was looking for a phone box, and why certain characters hadn't got a phone in their house. The story was set in Rural England in 1923?

With regards to equipment or lack of it. Compile lists of what your characters have with them for yourself. Make the items suitable for the character the situation he or she is in and what they are doing. Then only mention items IF they are important to the plot, or lend colour and information about the character, his state of mind etc.

I am currently working on a WIP set in a POW camp in Germany in 1943. I needed to have my main character keep his silver engraved lighter. So, I had to come up with places for him to hide it when he was searched/prevent it from being stolen etc, as it is an important plot item.

That's the most important thing with equipment/costume etc if it's important to the character or to the plot, then yes mention it, if not then don't. Same with colour of eyes, hair, etc. You don't need to say what everyone looks like, just give an impression, or better yet, give the reader an idea of the type of person each character is through their words and deeds, let the reader fill in the blanks as needs be.

[hopewrites]

Oh I figure most of what they're packing will never get mentioned. But listing it out helps me know what kind of a character I'm dealing with. Someone who always carries an extra pare of socks would have specific reasons for doing so (hate getting their feet wet, diabetes, foot condition ...)

Sometimes I use it to give other characters the wrong impression. Like knowing what leathal doses of medications to use for what effects. Really easy to get the wrong impression about someone you don't expect to know that come out with it.

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by hopewrites

I haven't counted the times I have been reading along happily and suddenly someone conveniently pulls something out of their pocket or pack that turns the situation around, but makes me go "really? you had that this whole time and waited till NOW to pull it out? wouldn't it have been more useful two chapters back when..." but it's been more than I would like to have happen.

Indeed, sounds like a need for foreshadowing required here.

Originally Posted by hopewrites

maybe its over planing on my part, but I like to know what my characters have in their pockets before I send them gallivanting off over the country side or into the darkest caves or what ever doom I send them to face so they will grow and make a good story.

Go camping, Wander about. Note what equipment you carry and how and when you use it.

[Toby Frost]

It sounds like a case of Chekov's gun in reverse: if the gun has to be used in the third act, it should be visible in the first. That said, it depends how realistic you want to be: it seems that fully-armoured medieval knights would have had a team of assistants and a change of horse, so the stereotype of the lone knight errant suggests a rather different set of gear. I would assume that the average medieval yeoman-type has a knife, several coins and perhaps a bit of bread, but that in itself is probably a stereotype.

Personally, I only tend to list these kind of things where it's important that we know what the character's options are depending on what arises. I think it's wrong to spring get-out-of-jail-free cards on the reader, and weakens the storytelling.

[Sho Pi]

I think this is problem that beginning writers face and possibly children's literature to an extent. I love how Feist effectively satirizes it with Nakur's handy bag of apples and oranges. I don't see it happening in more serious fantasy, thankfully.

[Anne Lyle]

If you find it helpful to list what the characters have in their possession, go for it - but as has been said, don't list the items unless it's relevant, or interesting. I have a couple of instances where I list what a character is in the process of packing for a journey, but I use it principally as a method of characterisation. For example, does the character pack lots of clothes and personal grooming equipment, or more practical gear? Is there something idiosyncratic amongst the regular items - a treasured or secret possession? Something I've learnt from reading detective fiction is the technique of hiding an object in plain sight by including it in a list - a version of the "Chekov's gun" principle mentioned above.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by hopewrites

I haven't counted the times I have been reading along happily and suddenly someone conveniently pulls something out of their pocket or pack that turns the situation around, but makes me go "really? you had that this whole time and waited till NOW to pull it out? wouldn't it have been more useful two chapters back when..." but it's been more than I would like to have happen.

If the item being pulled out is not a usual thing to carry for this character/world/situation then yes I think it should be mentioned somehow. You can add some suspense by having the character look at the item before they leave and wonder if they have enough room. The reader then doesn't actually know if they packed it, but isn't surprised if they did.

For instance I have a character who is breaking into a building. I don't mention each item they are carrying as I expect the reader to not be surprised when an item relevant to the situation is revealed.

[nightdreamer]

It depends largely on what the item is and how reasonable it is to expect someone to carrying one under the circumstances. If in chapter 12, your hero is attempting to scale Mount Everest in 1947 and pulls out an ice axe, well ... no big surprise. But if he pulls out a neutron blaster, you probably should have foreshadowed it somehow. Such surprises can be helpful for teasers when they draw the reader into wanting to find out more, but too far in they become deus ex machina and don't work at all.

[Phoenixthewriter]

Very interesting topic hope.

I find it very interesting in fact, because I am always careful about what my characters have in their posession, to the degree that maybe I put too much description into what they are carrying, and how. Unless they are a stranger, or someone being introduced brand new to the scene/story, I typically will throw in what items they are grabbing/carrying early on so I can pull those out later.

Hopefully the reader forgets the character has such an item, and just when they need it most, it resurfaces from 150 pages ago.

[James Coote]

I have some experience here. I carried my whole life on my back for nearly 2 years when I went backpacking (which I like to think was an adventure)

You generally have different modes/phases of travel

Civilized Travel
Most time actually spent traveling you have a bus to take you between towns and villages (think porters, carts, wagons, horseback, camel train in fantasy / historical context). At this point, it is just an exercise in managing your items and ensuring you don't start accumulating stuff you're just going to have to ditch later

Day Tripping
Take only what you actually need to make that single journey a success (usually money, a ticket, your camera and the clothes you're in). You can go a day without a toothbrush if you get stuck overnight somewhere (but they probably sell toothbrushes anyway)

Trekking (multi-day, on foot travel)
Only take what is vital to keep you able to keep trekking the next day. So spare socks and blister plasters are a must, but forget the spare t-shirt. Trousers so dirty they feel like cardboard will not really affect your walking speed. Cold, damp socks however, will. Buy food as you go along. Only carry food aside from a single day's breakfast/lunch/dinner when you are leaving a populated area

What to Take
The general rule is that you start off with things that you think are useful, and slowly over time ditch the things that are:

Heavy
(obviously)

Easily replaced
Clothes rank right up here. One school of thought says you only need two sets of clothes. One set you're wearing, one set you're cleaning. That's a bit extreme / no fun if you're washing socks every night. However, you probably only need the clothes you're wearing when trekking.

Clothing is ubiquitous these days. The locals need it for wherever they live, and you can't go too wrong wearing the same stuff as them. In the jungle? Ditch that jumper. In the desert? Ditch that rain jacket. When you start seeing hats for sale, it might be smart to get one

Not Useful
Not everything is as useful as you first think. Over time you'll work out what keeps cropping up over and over and what you can safely ditch

That ball of string and roll of gaffa tape? Never used either. Same with the swiss army knife. The sewing kit however, got quite a workout

Also some things have one time use or lose their usefulness over time (though these typically fall into the "Easily Replaced" category)

Specifically Useful Things
1. Money! It can get you out of just about any situation

2. Documents. Passport, guidebook, phrasebook. These are the weapons against bureaucracy and the key to getting information you want

These two in particular, I had in a belt around my waist that I slept, showered, swam with (ziplock bags ftw, though I wouldn't count on it) had on me at all times

3. Watch. When does the park close? What time is the connecting bus? Phones are too easily lost and a target for thieves, plus they are a lot heavier than a watch, which is instantly accessible (no rummaging in a pocket)

With these 3 things, the clothes you're in and a good pair of shoes, you can do anything.

Your heroes ought to staple these to their chests so they don't get lost. Moreover, if stapled to the chest (or in a money belt ideally around the stomach) they are never seen (under your clothes), so no one knows to steal them.

Also, divvy things up to prevent collateral damage if stuff is lost. So have some money in your money belt, some in your wallet, some hidden in your backpack. The wallet is the main money holder for whatever you're doing right there and then, whilst that in the money-belt around your waist should be some hard currency. Same with the hidden backpack stash.

Take credit/debit cards and withdraw amounts of ~£100 at a time. This will help you budget and mean you don't lose a lot of money if your wallet/bag is stolen. Only take out larger amounts if you know there will be no ATM (as in going into the remote mountain villages. Just about everywhere else has an ATM)

Also keep a photocopy of documents (esp. passport). Only give the actual passport if/when an official insists the photocopy is not enough (e.g. at an actual border crossing, but not when they need your ID to buy a bus ticket)

Other very much minor things to take include scissors, needle & thread, wallet, towel (one of the velvety travelers' ones that don't take a metric cathedral's worth of volume in your backpack)

What Not To Take
Anything with sentimental value (especially clothes. Don't take your coolest t-shirt). If you can't stand jettisoning it, stick it in a box and post it home

Anything of monetary value. It will get broken/stolen/lost or wear out from over use. That doesn't mean get low quality stuff. A cheap pair of hiking boots will just get you blisters. Buy for durability/comfort, but be ready to buy a new item when it wears out

Other useless things not to take: Torch, string, tape, plastic bags (except for ziplock bags), batteries, knife, spoon (not fork. Fork is useful), pen & paper, phone (just borrow one)

water bottle is an interesting one. You can usually pick one up along the way. They are easily lost; accidentally placed down somewhere you stopped for a rest, lost grip on the damn thing whilst fording a river or filling up on a fast flowing stream, so maybe take a spare when trekking. Otherwise, even in fantasy land, they are going to be very common and on sale everywhere

Travelers often pick up odd things (a vile of water from the sea of blah, an acorn from the rare jubaWooba tree etc). Typically, the traveler will stubbornly hold onto these curios until about half way through the journey, where upon, in a fit of restless rage at the sheer weight of their pack, and before they reach the stoic, self-pitying trudge phase, they will ditch the item, instantly regret it, then slowly come to accept actually it was a POS. This process helps smooth the path to the latter stages journey, where they're sorely tempted to chuck stuff they know to be mission critical, things have got so bad, and can feel a lot better about having made a tough but good choice with the rejected curio

A quick point on clothes
Everything should be quick dry. No hero ever wore jeans as they literally take days to dry. They are also heavy and take a lot of water to wash in the first place (so not great for the desert). Thin cotton boxer shorts take 15 minutes tops to dry and are light and airy. Same with football shirts

Day Stuff
Your heroes will acquire incidental stuff every day that at the end they have to throw away (or maybe it lurks in their pockets for a few days). Old bus tickets, used josticks from a temple, bits of paper someone has written their facebook name on etc.

To answer the original question in part, that stuff never comes in handy again. It is just tempting the traveler to become a new curio and waste space/weight.

So your heroes can usually guarantee to have some utterly useless and banal detritus in their pockets at any one time

And there I go writing a whole essay again and holy **** it's 2am (it was 12:30 last I looked)