8. What is the origin of their personality? And let's be honest - how much of it is projecting?
Veryyyy interesting that you asked for Gen and Richard because in a way they have a lot of traits that foil the other's.
Genevya is the one that went through the most changes. Originally (more than a decade ago...) she was a very happy-go-lucky character, very sweet and bubbly, but the story's setting was also very different. Overtime as the plot and setting changed it made sense for her to become more combative and mean - it's the natural reaction to how the setting treats her. You can't be happy and kind all the time in a world that wants you dead. Gen is not similar to me at all but she does have the guts that I wish I had lol
As for Richard he's probably the character I project on the most if I must be honest. His character arc was always about doing something that you think is expected of you instead of doing what you truly want to do and having a misplaced sense of duty, which shaped his personality in turn. Reserved, stand-offish, quiet, but with a kind heart and the will to sacrifice himself and what he wants for the greater good. Again he was shaped by the setting of the world, although way less dramatically than Genevya. The big difference on how they react to the world around them is that Genevya is ready to kill for her cause while Richard is ready to die for it. Don't ask me what that says about me 😬
Also Richard is autistic which is both projection on my part and shapes his personality. His love of alone time and the fact that many other characters consider him cold and distant/intimidating are the main traits I passed onto him in that regard.