melancholic people are emotionally sensitive, perfectionistic introverts.

• introverted: melancholics are the most introverted of the temperaments in that they crave time alone, and are most at ease in their own company. they can enjoy spending time with others, but this drains their energy, and they need alone time in order to recharge. much of their introversion comes from their perfectionism. they are picky about the sorts of people that they associate with; people who meet their standards and share their outlook. people that don't will make them uncomfortable; they do not wish to talk to "anyone and everyone". their self-deprecation also makes them think that they might not be very interesting anyway, that they aren't really worth spending time with, even if they know in the depths of their minds that they are very interesting indeed. once they have someone to talk to in a quiet and relaxed environment, they can talk a lot and will enjoy sharing thoughts and ideas. they are very wary of making friends. unlike sanguines, it can take them a very long time for them to consider someone they're familiar with a "friend", but once they've reached this point, they will likely stick with that person loyally. they prefer having a few close friends to many acquaintances. they can be seen as selfish, because they prefer to be alone with their thoughts, to have their own things, rather than sharing time or possessions socially with others. they are usually very possessive about the things that they own and are reluctant to let others borrow or use them, because they treat their own things well, care about everything deeply, and will worry that others will not look after them with the same level of care. they could be described as "intense", rather than "easy-going".
• sensitive: melancholics are very emotional. they are moved deeply by beauty, and by distress. they are very easily hurt, because of their perfectionistic tendencies. often their moods are like delicate glass sculptures; built up slowly, deliberately, and carefully, but easily broken, and hard to repair once shattered. they respond to things that they dislike with misery and with tears rather than with rage. they are very slow to "snap", but will hold onto emotions for a very long time. they hold grudges, because people who have failed to meet their standards, who have hurt them, will not just suddenly meet those standards without changing drastically. they can become very "moody", and they can be difficult to interact with because they are so easily hurt. they are not aggressive, and wish to flee from things that cause them distress. if they want to get back at another person, they are more likely to make them feel guilty than to insult them bluntly. they are "thin-skinned".
• role: in our distant ancestors, the melancholic members of a pack may have been the analysts, the information gatherers. they scouted for potential danger, or for food, and reported back to the pack leader. the more accurate their findings were, the better; this led to a trend towards perfectionism, as the "analysts" closer to perfection survived better than those that made sloppy mistakes. in current society, they often tend towards analytical roles such as scientists, analysts, programmers, logicians, and so on. in fantasy settings, they may be wizards or sages.