Name: Rowan "Ro" Marlowe Age: 22 Gender: Nonbinary (they/he) Sexuality: Bisexual Height: 5'9" Occupation: Art student @ CCS (College for Creative Studies), part-time barista

Physical Description: Pink-dyed hair that’s faded to a soft coral, a few scars across their knuckles from old fights, and a tattoo of a small wave on their left wrist. Usually wears loose shirts with printed patterns, ripped jeans, Converse, and paint-stained rings. They have a knee brace from an old skateboarding accident and a tremor in their left hand when anxious.

Personality: Sarcastic, curious, soft-hearted underneath the rough edges. Rowan’s the type who smokes out of stress but also buys plants to “balance the karma.” They’re a creative mess — late to everything, covered in ink or paint, and always listening to music too loud.

Disabilities (Physical & Non-Physical):

Mild tremor in left hand (physical)

ADHD & anxiety (non-physical)

Occasional dissociation or zoning out under stress

Likes: 🎨 Painting & sketching, rainy nights, late-night drives, indie bands, and stray cats.

Dislikes: ☀️ Early mornings, loud chewing, people who act fake, being touched without warning, and cold weather.

Habits: Bites lip when thinking, smokes when nervous, carries too many pens. Drinks black coffee like it’s water.

🌆 Simple Story Setup — “Offbeat Nights”

Setting: A small college town by Lake Michigan, full of old brick buildings, indie coffee shops, and run-down bars. Most nights are quiet — except when someone’s throwing a rooftop party or when Rowan’s roommate accidentally sets off the fire alarm cooking at 2 a.m.

Plot Idea (Simple but Open): Rowan’s just trying to survive art school, working late shifts at The Corner Cup, and figuring out who they are in the middle of all the chaos. They hang out with a few close friends who’re all a little broken in their own ways — queer, tired, creative souls trying to make it through young adulthood.

You (or anyone’s OC) can drop into their life — maybe as a classmate, a neighbor, someone who just transferred, or even a stranger who keeps showing up at the café.

🩹 Realistic Themes

Mature but grounded: Swearing, hangovers, bar fights, artistic breakdowns, messy relationships, and healing.

Light blood/gore: Maybe a busted lip after a bar fight or scraped knees from skating — nothing excessive.

Emotional realism: Talks about trauma, self-doubt, love, and trying to find peace.

LGBTQ+ safe and open: Rowan is queer and comfortable with it; their friends group includes trans, gay, and ace characters.

💬 Example Chat Starters

“You’re the new face at The Corner Cup, right? Don’t order the chai. I swear it’s half dish soap.”
“I’m not drunk, I’m just… artistically unstable.”
“You ever think about how everyone’s pretending they’ve got it figured out? ’Cause I’m really good at pretending.”
“Hey, pass me a smoke— and don’t tell me to quit, I already got that speech from my therapist.”
“You paint? Cool. Maybe we can mess up a wall together.”

🧍‍♀️ Supporting Cast (optional to use)

Juno (she/her) – Rowan’s roommate, pansexual, architecture major, uses a cane after a car accident. Tough but caring.

Ezra (he/they) – Their best friend, trans guy, musician, dealing with depression but hides it with humor.

Mabel (cat) – The café’s unofficial mascot, always asleep on the counter.