The juggler has a lot up in the air. Somehow they keep track of it all. But don’t let the aloof, foolish façade fool you. Beneath the surface, the juggler is a complex individual with plenty of adventures behind them and before them. First of all, they travel around to ply their street-performing trade so they have many different worlds to explore. Secondly, they are constantly interacting with other characters giving them many chances to build relationships, overhear news and gossip, or to foster friendships and foment animosity. Finally, their uniqueness makes them vessels for a writer or roleplayer to add elements of magic, mystery, secrets, superpowers, or other such clandestine story elements.
Basically, we’re here to explore some fun narrative possibilities lurking in and around this most interesting character. What stories and secrets bubble beneath the surface? Why don’t you write about or roleplay a juggler and find out?
Juggler Story Prompts
The juggler knows a lot of people in the carnival, at the fair, or on the tour. They also know a lot of secrets and can get other characters in a lot of trouble. How does the juggler juggle all these secrets to their advantage?
Sure, they’re a juggler by day. But what happens at night? In other words, what kind of creature does your juggler transform into when the show is over?
A juggler is being pursued by an outfit to which they owe money. I mean, a lot of money. For example: a gambling debt; undeclared taxes; stolen goods; a loan gone bad; or a pilfered dowry from a sham marriage. What fun all the trouble will be to write about!
A juggler is all washed up, hiding something through his self-loathing. What could it be that has driven them to this? Perhaps it was the drinking, a broken relationship, a traumatic loss, or a piece of bad news. Can you write a story to help them get out of their funk?
A juggler may have some latent magic ability they have not yet fully realized. What if someone comes into their life that helps them discover it? As they travel the street performing circuit, how will their magic grow and to what ends will they use it?
First Impressions of a Juggler
Jugglers possess a wide range of characteristics, from the wild and gregarious extrovert to the brooding and introspective artist perpetually dissatisfied with their performance. Here’s a list of ideas we brainstormed that can help you pick a personality for your juggler. Enjoy!
- fun, frivolous, goofy, exciting, entertaining, charming, hilarious, engaging, mesmerizing, enchanting,
- skilled, talented, athletic, dexterous, quick,
- quiet, reserved, self-effacing, strong-silent-type,
- lithe, slim, slender, skinny, emaciated — or — portly, rotund, robust, plump
- loud, obnoxious, flamboyant, boisterous, gregarious,
- A juggler may have a particular form; for example: a mime, clown, harlequin, pantomime, sad clown, fool, jester, bard
- Try a variety of outfits to dress up your juggler’s personality, such as: loose fitting clothes, tights, formal wear, tuxedo t-shirt, shirtless with britches only, toque and striped shirt (black pants), polka-dot shirt, tie dyed, sailors pants, long tunic, pajamas, skirt, sari, full plate armour (real or fake), leather vest, robe, shorts, sherwani, cowboy outfit with chaps and hat
- has a trunk or “bag of tricks” or cart of “toys” that they use in their act, small coffer of valuables, bags and pouches, saddlebags on a donkey,
- Here are some activities typical of the juggler: juggling (of course), singing, dancing, playing an instrument, riding a unicycle, walking a tight rope, telling jokes, asking riddles, teasing the audience, asking for volunteers, balancing stuff, balancing on stuff
Backstory
- raised in a circus, travelling freakshow, caravan, mummers troupe, theatrical wagon train,
- out of work engineer, doctor, physicist, academic, or professional looking to make a buck
- dedicated performer wanting to bring joy to the masses
- murderer, assassin, thief, terrorist,
- magician whose juggling is an enchantment
- detective, undercover cop, secret agent, spy, infiltrator,
- lost memory, amnesia, healed by gypsies,
- royalty “slumming it,”
- hippie, stoner, free-spirit, beatnik, bohemian, drop out, emo, loner,
- mime, bard,
- escaped court jester,
- former wrestler, gladiator, soldier, executioner, sniper, mercenary,
- holy man, monk, preacher, cultist, priestess, witch,
Environments
The juggler may be found all over… but here are some good ideas:
- circus, carnival, midway, freakshow,
- caravan, gypsy train, wagon train,
- hitchhiking on a country lane, busking at a crossroads,
- busking in the street, outside arenas, games, theatres, the opera house,
- festivals, fairs, markets,
- cafe, tavern, bar, saloon,
- banquet hall, great hall, antechamber, king’s court,
- fountain, city square, town well,
- birthday party, corporate event, trade show, shopping mall, royal ball, wedding,
- subway, train station, stagecoach way station, stopping house, inn,
- outside shops,
Stuff
The juggler would probably have a bunch of this kind of stuff:
- juggling pins, bags, balls, hoops, rings, torches, chainsaws, bowling balls, sandwiches, melons, batons, glass orbs filled with noxious chemicals, clay pots filled with boiling oil, horns, femurs, lemurs, streamers, tiny wooden boats, nesting Russian dolls, puzzle boxes, frogs, more bowling balls,
- unicycle, bicycle, hovercycle, anti-gravity boots, flying carpet, flying broom (or hoe or rake), stilts, tricycle, one of those bicycles with a giant front wheel, pocket bike, folding bike, magic carpet,
- pet cat, dog, ferret, parrot, mouse, owl, giant toad, tiny dragon, big dragon, pet rock, flea circus,
- donuts, cashews, potato chips, raisins, cheese, baguette,
- basket, trunk, backpack, magical transdimensional bag where inside is bigger than outside, boxes, tub,
- wagon, cart, pushcart, trailer and an ornery ox, dog and travois, trolly, dolly and boxes,
- musical instrument: tambourine, drum, piccolo, flute, tuba, lute, lyre, harp, harmonica, accordion, spoons, homemade one-string bass, horn,
- strange herbs, illegal drugs, illicit substances, special pills,
- dagger, knife, rapier, revolver, gun powder, shuriken, poisoned darts, caltrops, iron spikes,
- dice, cards, runestones, tarot, coins, tea leaves, chess set, checkers,
- puffy shirt, top hat, gentleman’s coat, frock, tights, leggings, codpiece, skirt,
Final Thoughts on the Juggler Character
We hope you’ve found something fun here to help you include a juggler in your creative writing or roleplaying game. Here are just a few more thoughts on the juggler as an excellent main character or really fun secondary character.
- A juggler makes a great main character for the following three reasons. First of all, they travel around so they have ample opportunity for new adventures. Secondly, they attract crowds so they have plenty of folks (other characters) to get them into and out of all kinds of trouble. Finally, they can be quite eccentric which allows you as a writer to spin them into urban fantasy, gothic horror, relationship-based drama or pretty much any genre where their unique way of being can layer in some fun.
- A juggle makes an excellent secondary character for the following three reasons. First of all, they can show up anywhere from a senior’s home to a fantasy market fair to a space station. Secondly, they can add comic relief by being their silly self. Finally, they can be mysterious and kind of weird which makes them a potential ally or enemy… or both.
- If you want to learn about the art of juggling, check out this helpful site we found. It even has a video so all you need to do is grab three balls and be willing to make a fool of yourself: https://jugglealot.com/the-beginners-juggling-guide-for-dummies/