• Alignment: This is my least preferred. Using alignment as a descriptive element only could work, except that the alignments are not very good descriptors. It seems there's more argument about what a given alignment means rather than it being the short-cut to describe your character that it was meant to be.
• Allegiances: Borrowed system from d20 Modern -- this is a much better system as far as being descriptive.
• Nature/Demeanor: Borrowed from White Wolf -- this is a good system for getting a handle on a character quickly and simply yet with surprising depth.
• Motivations: Not necessarily the easiest, but certainly the simplest. Just write out your characters motivations, interests and a brief "personality profile."

I don't care which of the methods you use (although I'd prefer you to not use alignment really) -- the key is to start to flesh out a personality and interesting profile for your character, as if he were a character in a movie or book.

Some other thought starters for each character -- if you're having trouble visualizing him as a complete person with emotions, attachments and motivations, try answering the following questions:

1. How old is your character?
2. Where was your character born?
3. What did your character's parents do for a living?
4. What religion did your character's parents practice?
5. What was the relationship between your character and his parents like?
6. Where did your character live as a child?
7. Was anything happening historically during his childhood?
8. How did your character spend his time as a child?
9. Was your character happy as a child?
10. How did your character decide what to be as an adult?
11. Are there any adjectives which embody your character's personality?
12. What are your character's goals and motivations?
13. How far will your character go to reach those goals?
14. What does your character fear most?
15. What does your character love most?
16. How competitive is your character?
17. What are your character's best and worst qualities?
18. What does your character look like? (fairly detailed physical description, including eyes, build, height, hair, skin tone, notable facial features, voice, posture, clothing styles, etc.)
19. Who are the people in your character's life: family, childhood friends, current friends, etc.
20. Detail a secret of some sort about your character.

And finally, each character must have a name. To make the name fit the setting (I once ran a game with a dwarf named KLOROX -- no thanks here...) you should pick from the Deverry names at this Name Generator site.

In addition to the personality descriptions, the Description chapter of the PHB describes possible religious tendencies. The rest of this page describes the gods worshipped in the North Kingdoms with nods towards the Fae Courts, the Easterlings, and even the Southrons. In general, with the exception of Gavamario and Treann, the original Northmen pantheon is largely forgotten, although obscure texts no doubt molder in libraries and private collections, and equally obscure cults no doubt practice their worship in the hinterlands. Rather, the Fae pantheon has been largely adapted into the lives of the denizens of the North Kingdoms, and even some Nithural or Southron gods have become widespread. Few people, however, worship only a "patron deity" as in standard D&D. Although many people have a favorite god, or one with whom they identify most, everyone recognizes the wisdom of placating all the gods, even those whom you hate and fear.

According to the earliest legends amongst both Fae and Northmen, there was a time when the gods themselves walked the earth, ruling as kings, emporers and the like. After the conflict this caused, they came to a mutual agreement to affect the Sundering: the gods would no longer take a personal and physical presence on the earth. So the gods Ascended and maintain their links to the earth only in the sense that they are now worshipped here, and according to the beliefs of some, occasionally influence events here as well.

Deity Name	Deity Origin	Description
Talaegyn	Fae Goddess	Talaegyn is also known as The Gardener, the Farmer, Queen of Flowers, the Art Queen. Talaegyn is a beautiful goddess who despairs at the despoiling of the Earth. Many of the Seelie take her as their primary deity. It is said she spends her time weeping still at being separated from the earth she loves and her worshippers that love her. She has some worshippers amongst the humans in her aspect of patron of the arts, but most of her worshippers are Fae who revere her in her aspect as the Earth Mother.
Valennon	Fae God	Valennon is also known as the Smith, the Maker, and the Laughter of the Gods. He delights in craftsmanship and creativity, and often grieved during the dark years before the Ascension of the current gods. He also laughed for joy at the creations and wonder as he taught humans and Fae alike to use his gifts. He pushed strongly for the Sundering that all the gods agreed to, for he saw with grief that many of the other gods wished to stifle the creativity and freedom of the mortal races.
Gavamario	Northman God	Gavamario is known as the Warden of the Gods, the Virtuous Warrior, and the Inflexible. He has a very controlling nature, and tired of the chaotic, fragmented manner of working that the Fae gods indulged in, he made a bid for control of all the gods, in which he failed, yet made considerable ground and powerful alliances. His main goal is to end the Sundering, and come back to the earth to rule personally. Some legends link him with the sun, in which they say that he still makes an attempt to come out and watch what happens on the earth for as long as he is allowed. His worship is largely concentrated amongst humans, and many humans who worship him refuse to accept the authority of any other god or goddess. Most Easterling crusaders worship a god named Tolkir who is believed to be Gavamario under a different name. They are even more radical, refusing even to accept the existence of the Fae gods, and repressing the practices of them as blasphemous heresies.
Adever	Fae God	Adever is also known as the Champion, the Warrior and the Strong One. He is unsophisticated and takes simple delight in feats of strength and combat. He dislikes Gavamario greatly, who tried to abolish his ways from amongst the mortals. He was also easily manipulated by some of the other gods, including Shenesesh, although Adever himself is certainly not evil. Many of the Unseelie, especially amongst the orcs, goblins and dweorgs revere Adever because of his strength and hatred of political maneuvering.
Calossi	Nithural Goddess	Calossi is also known as the Curious, the Strange One, the Mysterious and other names. She has always been obsessed with finding the secret of creating life, as the older gods did. It is said that somewhere on the earth, strange people and creatures that are her creations actually live, although no one knows where or what they may be. It is also said that before the Sundering, she taught the humans the power of spellcraft, in an attempt to recruit helpers for her experiments. Spellcrafters especially honor her even today, although it has never been said that she particularly cares for them.
Shenesesh	Southron God	Shenesesh is often called the Wily, the Trickster, the Dark One, or even the Traitor. Some believe that he is actually one of the old gods rather than a true peer of the current gods of both Fae and Man. Certainly his agenda seems to be very different from his peers, and after his actions in the past, few trust him or love him. Thus he was often on the move, affecting plans, plots or often simply creating an alibi if Gavamario or one of the other gods confronted him about his activities. Today he maintains a link of sorts with the world by ruling the Afterworld. The other gods come to collect those they choose from amongst mortals from him every so often, but he rules all those who worship no god, or who otherwise fail to qualify to live with their god.
Groisean	Fae God	Also known as the Green Man, the Hunter, the Wild Man of the Woods. Groisean is an aloof god with few worshippers amongst men, who loves the wild lands and has little, if any, love for mortals or their societal constructs. However, in many ways, he is the quintessential Fae god, powerful, uncaring and mercurial, passionate yet inscrutable for other mortals, much like the Fae themselves.
Adaewyr	Fae God	Adaewyr is the storm god, and is also infamous as a warrior. Ironically, there are few tales about his deeds specifically, and he is little worshipped, although well-known. Most people simply pray to him in times of need (approaching storms, droughts, etc) rather than on an on-going basis, and this has become quite common in the North Kingdoms, even amongst humans.
Wiacan	Northmen/Fae Goddess	Wiacan is also known as the Scourge, the Flayer, and the Bane of the Living. She has few worshippers, except amongst some of the more wild and barbaric Unseelie Faeries, yet she is feared all the same, and most people make invocations to her from time to time. It is unclear if she springs from a Fae or Northmen source, or indeed, if she is an almost elemental force of power having no relation to either group except their mutual understanding (and fear) of her.
Treann	Northmen Goddess	Treann is also known as the Whore, the Drunk, the Luck-goddess and the Goddess of Love. Although a goddess of few faithful worshippers, she is a popular "week-end" goddess, and many people throw out a prayer to her before going out on the town. She is also one of the few original Northmen goddesses to still be worshipped after the ascendency of the cult of Gavamario.