JBryden88
Troubadour
Alright, I have a huge dilemma on my shoulders that is presently preventing me from writing anymore. It's killing me lol.
The novel centers around three characters. Cathal, Aislin, and Hengist. As with anyone in my world, they are human, but part of a barbarian/feudal hybrid culture, the Meavinar (which in the language of an ancient culture in the prehistory of this world, means "unconquerable people.") Because of this culture, all three of them are soldiers/warriors.
Cathal is a hardened fighter, his father was the Thronewarden to the High King, and his father/mother/village got destroyed by a religious faction when he was only 10 years old. Then on, he became a soldier, and one who has something of a self worth issue. (He does his duty, tries to keep his friends at arms length, and feels he's not worthy to have a happy life because of the death he's caused as a warrior)
Hengist is a good natured "giant" (he's tall, he's round... not necessarily fat, but round) who is best described as a jolly man, with a flaming red beard, and in battle he's also a tough fighter. He's raised his sister Aislin ever since they were both little - their mother died giving birth to Aislin, their father died in a battle. He's in love with a woman named Cadhla, who happens to be a barwench and a whore.
Aislin is the sister of Hengist, she's a warrior woman, at the start of the story the best way to describe her is that she's got some of her brother's demeanor in that she's a very happy person. She carries a torch for Cathal so to speak, and while many pass it off as a girlish crush, it may be more then that.
Anyway, here's the dilemma. Hengist should die. Well, he's slated to die at some point, which causes a turning point for Aislin and Cathal: Aislin would be far less of a "happy" woman, and a bit more serious, and Cathal may see cracks in his "even moral dirtbags deserve mourning" mentality - which would then lead to Cathal all together getting over his personal tragedy and accepting that he can be happy.
My dilemma is, Hengist is suddenly an interesting character. I had no planning for his chapter, and improvised it, and now I've created a character I want to keep. Do I keep him alive? Does he instead become the main character, and maybe Cathal dies? Or do I find a way to spare him while still having something tragic happen to him?
That question is what gets me. I can think of the scenarios for what happens if something else happened, and all of them are potentially fun things to write!
The novel centers around three characters. Cathal, Aislin, and Hengist. As with anyone in my world, they are human, but part of a barbarian/feudal hybrid culture, the Meavinar (which in the language of an ancient culture in the prehistory of this world, means "unconquerable people.") Because of this culture, all three of them are soldiers/warriors.
Cathal is a hardened fighter, his father was the Thronewarden to the High King, and his father/mother/village got destroyed by a religious faction when he was only 10 years old. Then on, he became a soldier, and one who has something of a self worth issue. (He does his duty, tries to keep his friends at arms length, and feels he's not worthy to have a happy life because of the death he's caused as a warrior)
Hengist is a good natured "giant" (he's tall, he's round... not necessarily fat, but round) who is best described as a jolly man, with a flaming red beard, and in battle he's also a tough fighter. He's raised his sister Aislin ever since they were both little - their mother died giving birth to Aislin, their father died in a battle. He's in love with a woman named Cadhla, who happens to be a barwench and a whore.
Aislin is the sister of Hengist, she's a warrior woman, at the start of the story the best way to describe her is that she's got some of her brother's demeanor in that she's a very happy person. She carries a torch for Cathal so to speak, and while many pass it off as a girlish crush, it may be more then that.
Anyway, here's the dilemma. Hengist should die. Well, he's slated to die at some point, which causes a turning point for Aislin and Cathal: Aislin would be far less of a "happy" woman, and a bit more serious, and Cathal may see cracks in his "even moral dirtbags deserve mourning" mentality - which would then lead to Cathal all together getting over his personal tragedy and accepting that he can be happy.
My dilemma is, Hengist is suddenly an interesting character. I had no planning for his chapter, and improvised it, and now I've created a character I want to keep. Do I keep him alive? Does he instead become the main character, and maybe Cathal dies? Or do I find a way to spare him while still having something tragic happen to him?
That question is what gets me. I can think of the scenarios for what happens if something else happened, and all of them are potentially fun things to write!