1. Kanine

    Kanine Member

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    Fantasy Protagonist, Veteran Warrior/Reluctant Hero

    Discussion in 'Character Development' started by Kanine, Jan 16, 2017.

    So, the main character in a story I'm working on is an Elven warrior. He had made his fortune in a faraway land and moved away in order to settle down with his wife and start a family out in the country.
    Unfortunately, his past comes back to haunt him. The mercenary organization that he was essentially enslaved by as a child and worked for until he was a teenager begins to target political figures. And after a group of the mercenaries attempt to kill Alek, he realizes that his retirement is going to have to wait. Going to the king to offer his services in destroying the organization, he is appointed as the leader of an expedition which he must assemble, the purpose of the group being to hunt down the Rouge mercenary guild and destroy them.
    Just wondering what your thoughts on the whole 'veteran hero coming out of retirement to finish what he started' might be, too cliche?
     
  2. Phil Mitchell

    Phil Mitchell Banned Contributor

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    In this scenario I always wonder what the warrior is thinking when he goes home and thinks he can have a family and a happy ending. Does he think being far enough away means the enemies he made across his career will never find them? Does he think they'll just let by gones be by gones, be good sports and leave him and his family alone? Or that he can protect them all the time? Or does he think his happiness is worth risking the lives of a wife and kid? I'm genuinely interested in what these warriors are thinking when they do that.
     
    Simpson17866 likes this.
  3. Masked Mole

    Masked Mole Senior Member

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    I certainly don't think that it's cliche in an Elven fantasy setting. If you give it nuance and pathos, I see no reason why it can't work for you.
     
  4. Kanine

    Kanine Member

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    We'll Imake about 1500 words in now and it's really clicking together well, unfortunately I'm still new so I won't be able to post any WIP stuff for another week or two. And by then I'll be in Italy trying to get settled into life there, haha. But yeah, it's really interesting, the dynamic of him being happy living a peaceful life, but at times he gets bored and misses the life of adventure he left behind.
     
  5. Phil Mitchell

    Phil Mitchell Banned Contributor

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    The only way I see him bored if he's in the country and nobody knows about the fortune. Meaning he hasn't been spending. Otherwise you should remember this man was enslaved by mercenaries. He lives in a setting where something called a mercenaries' guild exists and he himself quested to make a fortune.

    Surely he if anyone knows the kind of lengths people will go to make their fortune. So why wouldn't he be concerned people are going to try and take his?

    Normally stories end where yours start so we don't think about the warrior having to protect their wealth. We're supposed to think that's something only bad guys have to do. But the truth is greed doesn't discriminate.
     

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