Characters
A few characters from various project of mine, each with a short overview about them. From the reason they were built, to the themes I tried to represent to them, or that they grew into.
Mediator Suttle
Created as the reason how a deeply split confederation of people could work together
Mediator Suttle is the result of one of my entries for the private Worldbuilding RP. In this, I brought a nation made from several distinct nationalities, that had been interlocked in their version of WW1/2 just a few years prior. To explain how they could easily work together, I needed someone to unite them, and so Mediator Suttle was born.
Suttle was born into a family of minor nobles, holding a small estate of mostly agricultural production. He grew up mostly taught by tutors, who thought of him as
intelligent but mostly lazy, often just ignoring them. Furthermore, he was taught the proper behavior of a noble by his father, especially how to behave properly, as his father hoped to further
his station with an advantageous marriage. To this end, he sent Suttle to a University frequented by most Nobles of the nation, with the explicit order to be as presentable as possible and find a
good match or failing that at least build friendships with the children of influential nobles. Suttle took the latter part with great vigor, gaining a notorious wild-man, far more interested in
parties with various fraternities, then his studies. He still managed to keep relatively good scores by the practice of cramming.
From a minor noble family
Partying in his university years, using cramming to keep up in university
Before he could finish his education, though, his father died, and Suttle abandoned University to take on his responsibilities on the Family Estate. The first thing he did was to gather and study all books he could find about the subject of Estate Management and Agriculture as well as talking intensively with local peasants. His findings where that his estate, while fully able of subsistence agriculture as well as some luxury productions, would never make a strong profit. Something he sought to change, expanding his fields of study to workshops and factories. His first step was to gather the owners of the vineyards on his estate and discuss with them the future. He was using both the threat of eviction and the promise of future riches to keep them in line with his more radical restructuring processes. Implementing strong quality control and using his connections from University times to find rich buyers for his vines. He mostly invested the money into factories in the cities, as well as building up the infrastructure of his holdings.
Inherited Estate as a young man
Took on the task with vigour
All his plans were upset when a neighboring country exited a civil war as an expansionist empire, quickly overtaking his home country. Though again, Suttle adapted quickly and rapidly negotiated with the invaders. He started setting up factories for luxury goods, selling them for profit to the invaders, while secretly aiding rebels. While profiting from both sides, though, Suttle never went out of his way to help either. So when he was among those transported to a new world in a strange incident, he gripped opportunity with both hands offering himself as the logical conclusion to lead the new nation made up of former bitter enemies. Furthermore, he suggested a confederation where neither would have power over the other and placing neutrals like him ultimately in charge. Ensuring no one would abuse this new nation.
Willing to work with invaders
Using his position to gain an advantage
Pragmatic and ambitious
Controlled thrillseeker and hedonist
On a personal level, Suttle is pragmatic, holding few morals he isn’t willing to cast aside if it means gaining an advantage. Though he is acutely aware of the importance of a good reputation, he has big ambitions, only furthered by his upbringing and his father's teaching. Suttle is, however, fully willing to consider unusual ways of reaching his goals. He uses the pragmatism in politics as well, leading his nation with a great deal of realpolitik. On a personal level, he enjoys the finer things of life and is a bit of a thrillseeker, but he has learned not to overindulge in either.
Agrem
Agrem, as a character, was born over several years of continuous development from an offhand mention. Each development adding a bit or changing something. As such, there is far more to him then what could be displayed here without rambling. Like many of my characters, he has taken a bit of a life of his own, developing into unexpected directions. By now, his overarching theme has become that of unhealthy nostalgia.
A happy childhood
with
a happy family
Agrem and his brother Pittor were born to a family of artisans in a distant world. They weren't rich by any means but wealthy enough to survive and indulge in their
oldest son's peculiarities. Agrem was born the younger of the two, yet came quickly to take care of his older brother, who was often somewhat detached from the world, spending his time drawing
wherever he could. Something he did with considerable talent. Agrem, on the other hand, quickly gained a reputation as an inventor and mechanic. Quickly understanding mechanisms of all kinds and
replicating. His childhood was relatively happy and something he looks with great fondness back to.
The destruction of happiness
His happiness wouldn’t last forever, though, as his brother caught the eye of the ruler of the land and was taken in to become the court artist. Agrem meanwhile was taken as insurance that his brother would work and quickly found himself in the care of the ruler’s torturer, to encourage his brother to give his best. Here he would spend many years. Yet he never blamed his brother for this. In part, because he knew his clueless brother to be in a similar situation, surrounded by people he didn’t know, that would force him to do things he maybe didn’t want though his own torture was certainly more tangible.
Longing for the past
and happiness
His imprisonment ended when the ruler fell from grace, and the brothers were let go. By this time, though, their parents had died, and another family had taken their former childhood home. They wandered the world a bit, both changed by their experiences. Agrem longing for the peace and happiness he had once had, especially since even the freedom he dreamt of in the dungeons of the torturer held much more struggle then he expected, both taking care of his brother and finding peace again.
Happiness and disappointment
They found a kindred spirit they grew closer too and fell in love with, giving Agrem some peace and calm. He started to look towards the future more again. Again though, their happiness wouldn't last, and this time the apocalypse ended their lives. Connections helped them to survive, however, and their souls to be transported to a new world, ours.
A new, terrifying world
Suppressed fears
Before they could adequately acclimate to this new world though, the connection fell away, and their souls where thrust into the world, left to fend for
themselves. His brother suffered especially from this, becoming more detached from reality, and it fell to Agrem to care for both of them. Terrified of the world, he had next to no context for,
he barely avoided being placed in psychiatric care and had to teach himself how to interact with this world through trial and error. His nostalgia deepened again and became decidedly unhealthy
when he failed to find any hope for the future. Leaving him always looking towards, and longing for, the past. This continued even as his situation improved, and he slowly learned to cope with
the world. In part, because he felt he would always have to be strong for his brother, never allowing any sign of weakness or even doubt, no matter how he felt. His feelings are gathering without
release.
Agrem is now a man desperately searching for any stability in a life and world he doesn’t understand. All the while trying to project an image of strength to his brother. Outwardly he is a calm and reserved man, not overly friendly but always polite. He is rather clueless about most modern electronics yet quite handy with mechanisms of all kind. He likes to build things, thinking with his hands. His brother is critically important to him and one of the only reasons why he is still going. In part because he reminds him of better days in the past, feeding into his unhealthy nostalgia.
Facade of strength
Unhealthy Nostalgia