Will's Insight | Opt-In Post

[empathicfault]

In the series Hannibal, Will Graham is shown to have a unique ability- he calls it 'interpreting the evidence', whereas Hannibal calls it 'pure empathy'. It lets Will know what the people around him are feeling, often to Will's detriment. Will frequently appears to be overstimulated by the outside world, slumping in chairs and avoiding eye contact. He finds comfort in dogs and being alone.

However, this ability can often be extremely useful for determining motivations, desires, and fears. When he uses it at crime scenes, the series shows murders taking place as if Will were the culprit. He sees fantastical visions and metaphorical imagery as he places himself in his target's place, seeing the world as they see it.

I'd like to write out some of this imagery in narration as I roleplay, but I also don't want to infomod. So if you are interested in letting Will into knowing your character through this ability, please reply here.

What I'd like to know (feel free to copy+paste, or just write out what you'd like)--
<b>1. What would you like him to be able to suss out about your character? </b> He works in emotions, so fears, desires, motivations, immediate wants, all that sort of thing is good. <b>2. Is there a character trait or emotion you absolutely do NOT want brought up?</b> Will isn't magic and he's not always right with this ability. It's easy to veer off of any topic you might want to avoid. <b>3. Is there any visual imagery you associate with your character, and/or is there anything specifically that you'd like Will to visualize?</b> Sometimes he sees things that don't seem to make a whole lot of sense until later- I tend to interpret that as him integrating evidence that he hasn't logically noticed yet. <b>4. Any plot threads or development you'd like to actually get going through this mechanic?</b> Let me know, I'd love to plan with you! Will could be a good way to weasel info or feelings out of someone who would otherwise keep them hidden, if that's something you'd like. I'm also very happy to just see where things go.

Thanks, and please let me know if there's anything else you'd like me to know or talk over with you.

Comments

[riseunparalleled]

1. What would you like him to be able to suss out about your character? Xie Lian generally is very calm, even more under the surface, though he's generally pretty calm externally, too. He's very much at peace with himself, and is generally unshaken by anything in the sense of 'immediate wants'. When he does feel something else, it's with extreme intensity. He's mostly motivated by trying to treat people well, kindness is very important to him.

2. Is there a character trait or emotion you absolutely do NOT want brought up? Nothing I can think of.

3. Is there any visual imagery you associate with your character, and/or is there anything specifically that you'd like Will to visualize? Xie Lian has a connection with flowers, butterflies, statues, and age, but age in the sense of a pool of water or a tree.

4. Any plot threads or development you'd like to actually get going through this mechanic? Always happy just to see where things go.

[empathicfault]

Yep, Xie Lian definitely sounds like he'd present to Will like a very still, peaceful pond, a whole setting that settled and unchanging. I can have fun with that, thanks!