Very clear indeed...

I only play characters of my own creation, never those made by others, since... well, they're not mine to play. But some people like to play "Cannons," while others prefer "Original Characters" (OC's). Whether they play those OC's in Fandom or in Original RPs, it really doesn't matter. Personally, I've use my original characters in Fandom RP and in original story universes, interchangeably. Sometimes, but not always, altering things about the character to fit the specific story.

Heh. I've had characters inspired by RP's I've read, but most often, a character simply pops into my head and I just go from there. As for animal characters, I only play non-humans/non-humanoids, mainly aliens and fantasy critters and the like. So, really, when it comes to creativity, the limits are only based on your imagination. And preferences. Which is what makes RPing fun.