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A new POV request for suggestions....

Cambra

Minstrel
So I'm a pantser six chapters in to my fantasy epic and there will be battles ahead, it's set in a renaissance/classical type fantasy world where feudalism, superstition and religion, may be giving way to a form of representative politics, rationalisation and something like the enlightenment... I've been narrating it so far using roving POVs a la Game of Thrones and really enjoying this...

So far I have three POVs the hero, another female character who has been sucked into some of the action and another character who died (RIP), now I need a character to give me some oversight of the battles in which the antihero's kingdom is involved, and I don't want it to be him, he is very charismatic, pretty conflicted but if there are going to be reveals about him, I want to keep them until the end...

So basically, they have to be at the forefront of the action and they have to know quite a bit about many facets of the political/intrigue and conflict backdrop [basically, I'm attempt to elide a heck of a lot of exposition here] what I've come up with is a double agent who is also the lover of one of the generals... Could be female but I'm tending towards male... Any other ideas?

Should I attempt say, to include another POV [two] for this????
 

Aly

Dreamer
If you are enjoying it then keep doing it - go for the extra POV. The important thing I think is to not introduce the character just to impart information - you can use the 'chorus' or whatever to do that but not a character you want people to believe in and feel for. In other words, be subtle and not overwhelming when imparting information. Remember you can always get other point of views by just having conversations between your characters...

Don't know if that helps, I'm pretty much a pantser myself! :)
 
I strongly agree with Aly. You'd want this POV character to play more of a role in your story than simply to impart information.

You'd want a character who has a reason for keeping an eye on what's going on. What about some kind of merchant or businessman whose livelihood depends greatly on the state of affairs? Maybe he profits from the conflict: deals in arms or other provisions to one side or the other or both; or, he's a slave trader. Or maybe he simply has to keep an eye on trade routes, trade agreements, laws relating to trade, the dangers of transporting goods, etc.

I don't think that whatever character you choose needs to play a pivotal role in the story, necessarily, although he could. He could also be used simply to show the chaos or consequences of events and conflicts.
 

Butterfly

Auror
You could use the general himself as a POV... or a general relaying his reports to superiors... could even be through letters.
 
Come to think of it, you could create a character to highlight the switch from superstition/religion to a more rational approach. Maybe a healer (or the head of a "medical unit" for the army) who doesn't believe in using charms and prayers as a significant method of his/her profession. (Admittedly, I had Rob Stark's wife pop into my head just moments ago when thinking about your question.)
 

Incanus

Auror
I've been narrating it so far using roving POVs a la Game of Thrones and really enjoying this...

Seems to me that if you're donig this, and enjoying it, you could afford more POVs. You only mentioned three; ASOIAF has a great many. And GRRM is a pantser too. Maybe if you create this particular POV, you'll eventually find an arc for them, and a greater role in the story.
 

Cambra

Minstrel
Come to think of it, you could create a character to highlight the switch from superstition/religion to a more rational approach. Maybe a healer (or the head of a "medical unit" for the army) who doesn't believe in using charms and prayers as a significant method of his/her profession. (Admittedly, I had Rob Stark's wife pop into my head just moments ago when thinking about your question.)

Actually several characters are already going to highlight that as the plot develops, hopefully it is something that will arise "organically" since it is a cultural process...
 

Cambra

Minstrel
Seems to me that if you're donig this, and enjoying it, you could afford more POVs. You only mentioned three; ASOIAF has a great many. And GRRM is a pantser too. Maybe if you create this particular POV, you'll eventually find an arc for them, and a greater role in the story.

Oh I can already hear him cursing as he cleans the general's armour and talking to the general's dog...
 

Russ

Istar
Role wise, I don't think you need anyone as specialized as a double agent to get all that information out. In the late feudal period all of the nobles who participated in the war(s) and even those who didn't would know most of that information. In fact anyone with any connection to anyone in the court or who might appear at a counsel of war would know all of that information.

The idea of compartmentalized, "need to know" armies is a later concept. Many of these guys needed some darned strong convincing to show up and their lives and success depended on knowing all of this king of stuff before they went out on campaign.

In fact the term "General" as a specific rank is a pretty modern concept.
 

Cambra

Minstrel
Role wise, I don't think you need anyone as specialized as a double agent to get all that information out. In the late feudal period all of the nobles who participated in the war(s) and even those who didn't would know most of that information. In fact anyone with any connection to anyone in the court or who might appear at a counsel of war would know all of that information.

The idea of compartmentalized, "need to know" armies is a later concept. Many of these guys needed some darned strong convincing to show up and their lives and success depended on knowing all of this king of stuff before they went out on campaign.

In fact the term "General" as a specific rank is a pretty modern concept.

Great point about the term general... In fact he will probably be a senior Warleader... The Warlord being the actual head of state... There can only be one Warlord... I know...

I think I'd like contrasting views though the lover/aide de camp/double agent having a pretty comprehensive overview of the wrongs and rights on both side... Plus I can then get stuff straight from the Warleader's mouth anyway through dialogue, pillow talk etc.
 

Russ

Istar
Great point about the term general... In fact he will probably be a senior Warleader... The Warlord being the actual head of state... There can only be one Warlord... I know...

I think I'd like contrasting views though the lover/aide de camp/double agent having a pretty comprehensive overview of the wrongs and rights on both side... Plus I can then get stuff straight from the Warleader's mouth anyway through dialogue, pillow talk etc.

I think the spy/double agent would make a great character and could do exactly what you want her to. I just wanted to point out that the circles of information in late medieval societies were broader than one might think.
 
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