No one lives in a vacuum, independent of any influence. That includes your characters. The setting they grew up and live in will affect them. Setting factors encompass both environmental and societal aspects.
As an exercise: Try to answer these questions for all of your characters, including side characters and antagonists. Consider doing so at least twice: once for their childhood and once for adulthood. You may also want to do this for adolescence as well.
- Where do they live? Is this is a tiny village or a big city?
- What skills do they learn from living here?
- What is their social status?
- What privileges are denied to them because of status or other discrimination?
- What privileges do they have because of their status?
- Where in their hometown do they like to go?
Also make note of any changes between life stages. If they move from their childhood village, ask yourself why. What new skills do they need to learn? What skills from their previous home can they use? Where do they spend their time in their new location?
The Written Vixen 