Arch-Duchess Serah Avan-ad'Hemar
No one would call the Duchess timid, for she once stood faced down her then rival (now husband) Vandeil ad'Hemar across the bargaining table during the Avano-Mieren cold war. Her support and subsequent marriage has given her control of the largest part of the Anuirean Empire, the Arch-Duchy of Avanil-Mieres. She rules with the wisdom and intellect that guided her through the tumultuous days following the death of her father. A convert to Vandeil's governmental reforms, she has come to a certain peace with her role behind the desk, for she now possesses much more power than she could have ever dreamed. Her marriage is unique for a royal one in that it is based not only on power and practicality, but true love, devotion, and dedication. She finds in Vandeil someone who matches her desire to govern in a manner that benefits their subjects and curbs the excesses of nobility. Her chief concern remains the welfare of the people, and her efforts have gained her an almost fanatical following, particularly amongst the Avanese. As chief-spymaster, she also has an unprecedented amount of power in her hands, a fact that she herself regards with a healthy amount of fear.
(Author's Note: This character developed as an NPC in the BR game we ran. While her marriage and relationship with the character played by me, Vandeil, is canon, it's important to note that initially, it was a marriage of convenience and a may of consolidating power. This is where the relationship effectively ended, as the marriage itself became a non-issue with regards to game-play. Her cooperation, which did serve to benefit her Realm, was taken to mean that their relationship was indeed a good one. The relationship was subsequently expanded on in discussions and idea-hashing with my friends as we planned future campaigns. I imagined, as much of my BR "career" ended up democratizing the ever expanding Mieres, that Vandeil and Serah were essentially the President and First Lady. The addition of Serah as effectively the head of a sort of CIA/NSA super-spy organization with intentional Stasi over-tones was and is designed to add moral conflict.)
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Character Sketch #1: Meryl Fairweather
My recent analysis of Brendon Weeks' series has made me interested in the more technical aspects of writing. Stylistic choices, description of combat, narrative points of views, and other such devices noted as I was reading carried over to my new book, Matter, written by Iain Banks, who is in a completely different class than Weeks. I notice foremost that while Weeks uses a more neutral POV for his narrative, Banks narratives are driven essentially by the characters currently in that scene.
For example, regardless of who was in a particular scene, Weeks uses the same language and style to describe a scene, independent of the characters involved. In other words, the narrative is a device that describes Weeks' own voice, and as such is separate from the characters.
Banks however uses a more integrated approach. If a character is sort of flighty, then the narrative reflects that. If a character is more cynical, then the language shifts to incorporate that. Thus the narrative is a tool used by the author to explain how the character perceives the world around them.
I'm probably being unfair, but that's the major impression I got shifting from Weeks to Banks. So as such, I want to try to emulate the second of these narrative approaches. I've never really tried to write before in any serious capacity, so I've decided to give my hand a go at it during the next few weeks, while I'm relatively free at work.
The story will take place in the Birthright world, and will be a sort of techno-thriller. In an attempt to get inside the heads of the characters, I will spend the remainder of this week writing character sketches of the main actors for now. The character sketches will be intentionally short, designed to explain the character in a paragraph. However, I make no such claims about the author notes.
Meryl Fairweather
No-nonsense, serious to the point of being dour, and suspicious of almost everything, the main character of this story is a Rose of Avanil, an organization which can be termed as the Intelligence arm of the Anurean Empire. She has a tendency to analyze things, theorizing motives in peoples' responses. She speaks in short sentences, carefully guarding her words and giving out information only on a need-to-know basis. She works best alone or in small groups where her and everyone's roles are clearly defined, and she is not afraid to use the fact that she is a Halfling as a tactical advantage. Skilled with short-blades, daggers, knives, bows, crossbows, and poisons, she is dangerous because she is a believer.
(Author's Notes: I'm not yet sure which way I will take this character. On one hand, this character is logically similar to The Operative from Joss Whedon's Serenity. Yet that character is the film's antagonist, and seems unsuited to be used as a model for the protagonist of this story. So I am tempted to include a sense of morality, at odds with the blind and dangerous ultra-patriotism that Meryl exhibits. Indeed, we might justify the inclusion of morals as a point of conflict, as Meryl's dual idealisms are challenged by some sort of event which is morally despicable but vital to national policy [or what have you].)
For example, regardless of who was in a particular scene, Weeks uses the same language and style to describe a scene, independent of the characters involved. In other words, the narrative is a device that describes Weeks' own voice, and as such is separate from the characters.
Banks however uses a more integrated approach. If a character is sort of flighty, then the narrative reflects that. If a character is more cynical, then the language shifts to incorporate that. Thus the narrative is a tool used by the author to explain how the character perceives the world around them.
I'm probably being unfair, but that's the major impression I got shifting from Weeks to Banks. So as such, I want to try to emulate the second of these narrative approaches. I've never really tried to write before in any serious capacity, so I've decided to give my hand a go at it during the next few weeks, while I'm relatively free at work.
The story will take place in the Birthright world, and will be a sort of techno-thriller. In an attempt to get inside the heads of the characters, I will spend the remainder of this week writing character sketches of the main actors for now. The character sketches will be intentionally short, designed to explain the character in a paragraph. However, I make no such claims about the author notes.
Meryl Fairweather
No-nonsense, serious to the point of being dour, and suspicious of almost everything, the main character of this story is a Rose of Avanil, an organization which can be termed as the Intelligence arm of the Anurean Empire. She has a tendency to analyze things, theorizing motives in peoples' responses. She speaks in short sentences, carefully guarding her words and giving out information only on a need-to-know basis. She works best alone or in small groups where her and everyone's roles are clearly defined, and she is not afraid to use the fact that she is a Halfling as a tactical advantage. Skilled with short-blades, daggers, knives, bows, crossbows, and poisons, she is dangerous because she is a believer.
(Author's Notes: I'm not yet sure which way I will take this character. On one hand, this character is logically similar to The Operative from Joss Whedon's Serenity. Yet that character is the film's antagonist, and seems unsuited to be used as a model for the protagonist of this story. So I am tempted to include a sense of morality, at odds with the blind and dangerous ultra-patriotism that Meryl exhibits. Indeed, we might justify the inclusion of morals as a point of conflict, as Meryl's dual idealisms are challenged by some sort of event which is morally despicable but vital to national policy [or what have you].)
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