Hello, everyone. How’s life going? I don’t know if I should write an afterword as if I wrote the best book in the entire world but I have nobody to talk\rant\infodump so since you guys actually read this story I probably can do those.
No spoilers for Book 2. I also edited how status windows looked so maybe now they look better?
If you are only interested in the story, you don’t have to read this. I will be talking about things like what I thought while writing the story or creating the characters. I am not going to be too philosophical.
“All literature consists of whatever the writer thinks is cool. The reader will like the book to the degree that he agrees with the writer about what's cool. And that works all the way from the external trappings to the level of metaphor, subtext, and the way one uses words. In other words, I happen not to think that full-plate armor and great big honking greatswords are cool. I don't like 'em. I like cloaks and rapiers. So I write stories with a lot of cloaks and rapiers in 'em, 'cause that's cool. Guys who like military hardware, who think advanced military hardware is cool, are not gonna jump all over my books, because they have other ideas about what's cool.”
-Steven Brust, writer of my favorite book series “The Adventures of Vlad Taltos”
This is one of my main focuses while writing. Do I think something cool or meaningful? Do I think it can lead to something cool or meaningful? If the answer is “Yes.” I will be using that thing.
I like escape fantasy. I like power fantasy. I read and liked Everyone Else is a Returnee and Solo Leveling(I know, I know.). If you still didn’t get it, my life isn’t that good.
What’s better than actually writing my own power fantasy then? Escape to words and in a world I control?
Except I can’t do that. I can’t just turn my brain off and create that mass-produced, cheap bullshit. Even I have that much self-respect. Where is the character beyond just “Hehe, strong man gets bitches and beats people annoying him.”? Where is the world? Where is the hero’s journey?
I know my writing isn’t the most mindblowing, original, deep, thought-provoking, or anything like that. The goal isn’t that. Hell, I know my writing is bad sometimes(You mean most times?) but I refuse to write a (YN) or that kind of thing.
That’s why I want my characters to have personality. I know I am not always successful(I am looking at Duncan and Regal) but I request some time.
Time. Time and understanding. I want to give those to myself.
My illogical self: “Why is my character isn’t good as X?”
My logical self: “Because that story is been going on for 5 years and over a million words. Yours is just over 6 months old and 95k words.”
Okay, enough self-pitying and bitching. Let’s get to the characters.
Poyraz: Poyraz is the character we follow most of the time. We see the world through his eyes and we learn with him. As you noticed I didn’t use the word main character. I don’t think Poyraz as THE main character. He is a window. The reason why we are looking at him is because he is the most interesting window.
Why a 60+ years old super soldier?
3 reasons:
1. Why would a Goddess pick a teenager or an office worker to save her world?
2. Poyraz has a very similar personality to me. While that makes him easy to write for me, it also makes it easier to think of him as myself. And I am not writing a self-insert. If I gave him something drastic to differentiate himself I could avoid turning him into a self-insert.
3. When he suplexes a monster to the ground it would make more sense.
Poyraz is just a cool character with my own problems projected onto him. His powers and looks are what I think is cool(edgy). He originally planned to be more morally gray and do more questionable stuff but seeing that one of Kind Demon King’s strengths was Poyraz being likable I kind of watered it down. Since Poyraz is already in the spotlight most of the time, I think this is enough for him.
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Morrigan: It is not uncommon for me to be inspired (steal) from other series. I would see a fanart or maybe just in the show and I go what if? Basically, I would just form my headcanons until that character turns into something else. Morrigan is based on Blake from RWBY.
“An edgy, brooding jaguar-type beastkin rogue\assassin with daddy issues using shadows and twin daggers to resist and kill slavers.”
That’s what I think while writing Morrigan. Hmm, that doesn’t really sound like Blake from RWBY.
Do you see what I mean?
Also, just a side note: Morrigan is jacked under her hood. Beastkin are naturally more muscular than humans and she trains regularly. She is also strong enough to fight End Book Poyraz to a standstill and win WITHOUT USING PRIMAL EVOCATION.
Shout out to strong females kicking ass. Gotta be one of my favorite genders. Book 2 will have more focus on her and beastkin in general.
Larve: She is based on Larva Tiamat from FGO. Except a daughter instead of a mother. If anyone mentions the term “loli” I will personally make them 4 inches shorter. As you probably guessed her Calamity self was something like DnD version of Tiamat with 5 heads. However, I was like “She is already overused.” And changed it. She is Lawful Innocent.
Lily: He got shafted due to my writing. Lily is a Dnd bard, a trickster, and a slut. I have no idea how to fucking write him. It is even harder when I am more depressed than usual and I have to write him. His humor and personality are fully opposite of my introvert ass. He was also supposed to lighten the mood compared to Poyraz’s grey behavior but when I decided Poyraz should be likable, his role was taken by Poyraz. I have no idea what you guys think when you read about him. Please tell me.
He is also coded as chaotic neutral which makes him the only non-good character in the group he is traveling with.(Poyraz, Morrigan, Ama, Arslan.)
He is here for Poyraz and for fun.
Arslan: Arslan is Poyraz’s rival. However, it is kind of one-sided. You see, Arslan has issues. He believes he is not enough. This causes him to have a fragile ego and Poyraz’s jokes are too much for him. Meanwhile, Poyraz only mocks him because he thinks it is funny. He doesn’t have any ulterior motives. If they met on different conditions where Poyraz wasn’t stressed out about Larve’s condition their dynamic could been very different.
He also can’t use Primal Evocation while his brother and Ama can. My poor boy doesn’t realize the fact that fighting while you are on the brink of death is already a sign that he is strong.
If you want to visualize how he looks imagine Sanemi from Demon Slayer with golden hair and damaged lion ears.
Amaterasu: I only call her Ama because writing Amaterasu every time is tiring. Ama is logical, mature, and calm mage of the group. Until she snaps and claws your face off. Lovely. Beastkin’s magical capabilities are lower than humans so respect her for being a mage. She worked hard for it. She wants to help Arslan overcome his problem but she is afraid of losing control. I don’t have the most knowledge when it comes to relationships so I hope they read like a wholesome couple.
Blanche: She is based on Winter from RWBY. Lawful Neutral. Exactly Poyraz’s type if not for her slavery tendencies and disregard for weaker people. Maybe he can fix her?
Blanche only uses slaves because they are legal in her kingdom. If her kingdom forbid it she would hunt slavers. A kuudere. Her assholeness could be attributed to her magical sickness pushing her to find a cure as soon as possible.
Duncan: Just an asshole. Lol.
Percavel: Golden Retriever. Lol.
Agatha: Just wanted to note that Agatha believes in Anshar. Poyraz is Chosen\Hero of Aliera, the firstborn of Anshar. This is funny to me.
Gökbörü: Best boy. Originally planned to be a Cerberus with flame powers. But I prefer ice\water based abilities more and fire is overused anyways.
Regal: I would call Regal the first real villain in this book. He is a social darwinist and like all social darwinists he doesn’t know how societies work. He believes might makes right and strong has the right to take everything. I think he is somewhat bare-bones right now, the only things that making him interesting are:
1. His relationship with Arslan
2. He is an evil beastkin. This is interesting because until he showed up we had a “humans bad, beastkin good” vibe.
I don’t know when I will start Book 2. I have enough shit(no pun intended, I actually have to clean sheep shit regularly.) on my plate. I could just post chapters from time to time but the idea of not having a schedule physically hurts me. We will have to wait and see where life takes me.
Probably I will start it mid-summer but no promises.
Until then, goodbye.