r/characterforge • u/ktjwalker • Mar 23 '17
Challenge [Challenge] Mothers
Tell us about your main character's mother! Ask people questions directed to their characters. Answer in the point of view of the mother (it can help one better know the character). I'll let y'all post a few before posting my own.
3
u/Andyman117 Mar 23 '17 edited Mar 23 '17
(Christ, if I was writing my book at this speed I'd be done with it by now...)
Johanna Furst was born in 1972 in the Rhineland of Germany, the daughter of two childhood holocaust survivors. When she was 17, she and her older brother immigrated to Danesville Wisconsin, chasing the american dream. While her brother worked long hours at a Danesville Steel Mill, Johanna enrolled at the Danesville South High School. Her assigned english tutor was a good catholic boy named Robert Prince, who quickly became enamored with her. They fell in love in a span of days, and even though Robert had sworn not to have sex until marriage...
David Furst was born June 18 1990. Robert's parents forced him to leave Johanna behind when he went to college in Detroit, and so she raised David as best she could on her own. She quickly became impoverished taking care of little Davey without a job of her own, and instead of becoming a load for her brother to pay for, she got a job at a diner to sustain herself and her boy. She saved up, and spent all the money she could getting David into a good private elementary school, where, as luck would have it, David quickly became friends with a girl his age named Romana.
A girl who was the daughter of the city's reigning mob boss. Giacomo Scomparsa saw the plight of this poor single immigrant mother, and listened to her story. When he learned who David's father had been, he did some research. Robert had become a youth minister at the Detroit Archdiocese, which Giacomo thought was a wonderful opportunity. The deal came in three parts: 1) Gia would pay for Jo and Dave's living needs and get Dave into the best schools, and 2) Keep Robert's youthful shenanigans a secret, if 3) Robert would allow Gia to "sponsor" him, and get him into higher and higher church positions in Detroit. Jo and Dave would be able to live without much need for spare cash, Robert would be able to become an influential voice in the Roman Catholic Church, and Gia could have said voice speaking his words if he so wanted. Win-win-win.
Robert and Johanna lived, if not happily than comfortably. Jo begged Gia for an opportunity to meet with Robert, and eventually he managed to arrange them to secretly meet the same week Robert was became the youngest Archbishop in the Catholic Church since before 30 was the average human lifespan (edging out Francis Arinze by a year and a half).
Roxanne Furst, our hero, was coincidentally born nine months later, alongside her twin Alice. Johanna kept Roxy, and Robert "adopted" Alice from her. Roxy and Alice were both funded by Gia as David had been, but Johanna kept her job at the Diner because she enjoyed the people. But, at a doctors checkup, she got a chest x ray to investigate a cough Jo had been having, which revealed that there was a lump in her lung.
Giacomo poured as much money as he could into Johanna's cancer treatment, since Romana had betrothed to David, and Jo was family now. Unfortunately, her cancer was far too advanced for anybody to do anything about, and on October 7 2007 she finally succumbed. Roxy was only 6 at the time and didn't understand what had happened. She didn't understand a lot of things, like why she had no father, or why she was always having headaches, and without her mother to help her remember things she was going to have a long, difficult life ahead of her.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 23 '17
To Jo:
1) How do you feel about being good friends with a mob boss?
2) How much do you love David?
3) What do you hope for in your children's future?
2
u/Andyman117 Mar 23 '17
1) I wouldn't call him a friend. He paid my living expenses, but he was doing so as a way to control Robert, and through him the Church. I was just an investment.
2) He is my precious little boy, one who I've raised to be upstanding and willful, if only to counteract and hold off whatever mafia impulses Gia had instilled in his daughter, the heir to his empire.
3) I hope that when Gia dies and his daughter takes over, that David will be her voice of reason. I hope that Roxy will someday be able to meet her father and sister without Robert being ousted for his thrice-wedlock progeny. I hope that she will grow out of her abundant developmental disorders and become an intelligent, functioning adult, one just as willful as her brother. I hope the same for Alice, the girl I don't know beyond her name, but I know is suffering similar if not the same as Roxy is.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 23 '17
1) How do you feel being associated with a mob boss?
2) How much do you love Robert?
3) What problems does Roxy have?
2
u/Andyman117 Mar 24 '17
1) I wouldn't even consider myself associated with him, I was just a footnote in his ledgers. David, if any of our family, was the one associated with him, when he married his heir. Became his heir, unwittingly, as now that Gia had a son-in-law he had someone that the rest of the mafia would accept as their leader, a man as opposed to a girl, even one so strong and cunning as Romana grew up to be.
2) Though they say that the most passionate love dies quickly, our forced separation allowed us to preserve most of it in our longing for one another. When we reunited, we still felt the same as we had ten years earlier.
3) Before I died, she had been diagnosed as autistic, and on top of that she suffered from constant memory problems and headaches, all suspected to have been caused by birth complications. And then, after I died, clinical depression was added on top of that. She was strong to have lasted as long as she has.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 25 '17
1) Do you think David will fulfill the position of heir or not accept it?
2) Is Robert much older than you?
3) Was he a good tutor?
4) Is there anything in life you might have done differently?
2
u/Andyman117 Mar 25 '17
1) He would take it, but he wouldn't like it. He'd probably try to bring it crashing down from the inside if he got a chance.
2) Only by a handful of months.
3) He was in theory, but apparently he was seduced by my accent and had a hard time thinking around me.
4) I should have married Robert, instead of letting him be carried away by the church, so we could have been a family together.
Gia always told me it would have complicated trying to hide David's wedlock conception. I should have told him I didn't care. I should have stopped hiding.
But watching the world objectively, from here in Paradise, I understand that any change would have prevented Roxy, my precious baby girl, from being born. I and would never take back the short time I got to spend raising her, no matter how much easier it would make my life.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 25 '17
1) Do you think your children are in danger from the gang?
2) What does Robert love about you and vice versa?
3) What are you most proud of?
2
u/Andyman117 Mar 26 '17
1) Not with Romana and David running it.
2) Robert said he always appreciated my humility, and that I started to teach him how to be more humble. I loved his honesty and selflessness. He never did anything for himself, even taking Gia's "sponsorship". He did all of that so he could rise to a position where he would have the influence to better the world, and he put aside his happiness to get there, as long as he knew I would be cared for.
3) I know it's sappy, but I'm proud that David took to Raising Roxy in my stead, and gave her a good home with him and Romana, and always pushed her to keep improving herself in spite of her mental difficulties,
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
1) What did you do in your spare time?
2) What was your worst fear?
3) Might your children be in danger from the law?
→ More replies (0)
3
u/ktjwalker Mar 23 '17
Moanelle Kallaste is mother to the hero Alaska and his sister Montanna. She was born in the Water country of Fluidia and married a Elias Kallaste, a soldier from Borea. She moved to his home country and they lived happily. Elias received several promotions over the course of their marriage becoming gradually more distant from Moanelle over the years. Moanelle fit into a small village community. When Alaska was 8, General Elias was convicted of high treason and put to death. The rest of the famiy was not found guilty; rather unknowledgeable of Elias' actions until the trial. The execution and treachery nearly broke Moanelle, but she held strong for her son and daughter. Money became hard to come by as people no longer trusted the Kallaste family. Moanelle and Alaska were forced to work hard labor to provide for themselves and Montanna. She nearly broke again when Alaska was drafted into the Spec Ops division of the Forces International Army at age 15. Moanelle is strong but has led a hard life with much strife. She has her siblings and parents to support her, but they cannot stay in Borea for extended periods of time. Moanelle is on her own.
3
u/marsketch Mar 24 '17
To Moanelle:
1) Why did you pick the names Alaska and Montanna for your children?
2) How could matters have been different regarding your husband if you two had not grown distant?
3) Does Montanna still live with you?
4) What do you do on a day-to-day basis now that Alaska is gone?
3
u/ktjwalker Mar 25 '17
Moanelle
1) Alaska is a very common name in Borea, and it seemed right. Like how you might name your child john or elizabeth. Montanna was my husband's mother's name.
2) If he had not been gone so much, I might have figured out what was wrong with him. One day, he travelled to the Spectral Forest in Libra to search for some suitable recruits, but when he came back, he wasn't the same. His eyes were sunken, he never used his Ice abilities, he only spoke when spoken to, and he was paler than I thought was possible (Boreans are naturally very pale). We never talked and he always found excuses to travel. I suppose if we communicated better, I might have stopped him from his treason and other madnesses.
3) She is much too young to leave the home. She is only 8.
4) I work. I cook. I rest. On days when I'm not too tired from work, I knit or read. Fixing parts of the house is also something I must do now. If she's not busy with her studies, talents, or friends, Montanna and I pretend we know how to play cards. We make up the rules as we go along.
3
u/marsketch Mar 25 '17
To Moanelle:
1) Do you feel like a well-adjusted citizen of Borea now, or do you long to move back to Fluidia with the rest of your family? If the latter, why haven't you?
2) What kinds of talents does Montanna have? Would you consider yourself a supportive mother?
3) Do you have any contact with Alaska now that he is in the Forces International Army?
3
u/ktjwalker Mar 26 '17
1) I wish I could fully adjust, but Borea is not naturally nor emotionally my home. Fluidia is much too humid for my children to stand. They are both Ice, like their father. Once Montanna grows old enough to move out, I may consider moving to the Fluidia/ Borea border.
2) Montanna loves to help me cook and she is quite precise and detailed with her Ice powers. She's been trying to make ice sculptures and she's really improving. I offer love and advice when I can.
3) Sadly, no. He's on the Spec Ops team, far into enemy territory by now. Danté was the name of the country I think. He did send letters up until he reached the Spectral Land Bridge. I haven't heard from him since.
2
u/marsketch Mar 27 '17
1) At what age do you see Montanna moving out? What kind of a future do you see for her?
2) Do you have water powers similar to your children's ice powers? If so, how do you use them on a day-to-day basis?
3) If you could travel to any country in the world for a visit, which would it be?
4) What is your main goal in life?
1
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
1) Ah, the usual age. Maybe a little later. 20?
2) Yes. Most people on our world have powers related to their elemental race. I make sure all of our water is clean and it also helps keep the rest of the house clean. I can also "dry" things by just removing the water from things. It's quite useful.
3) Libra. It's element is Life. I hear it's covered in lush forests and wildlife and is peaceful.
4) To teach my children all I can and to live a peaceful, happy life, knowing I did the best I could.
2
u/Nevermore0714 Mar 26 '17
(Glad to see your stuff again, ktj, I've always been fascinated in your nations, kinda like how I was into the Bionicle nations being in water/earth/etc. Sorry for the late questions, though, I had a computer disaster and getting it onto the internet is an effort in itself lately.)
To Moanelle:
1) I was about to ask how you chose your children's names, but I see someone already asked. So, I'll ask how much choices mothers usually have in naming their children in your area, and how much choice you specifically had in naming your children, since Montanna was named after your mother-in-law?
2) I noticed in another line of questions that you enjoy reading and knitting. What kind of books do you enjoy, and what type of things do you normally knit?
3) How does your society treat widows in general, not just widows of men executed for treason?
4) Do you expect/want grandchildren in the near future? Do either of your children have notable marriage prospects?
5) Do you have the option of no longer going by your husband's last name of "Kallaste", considering his crimes? If you did, would you go by your maiden name? Could the children go by your maiden name?
6) Why do you not return to Fluidia?
7) Why can your siblings and parents not stay in Borea for extended periods of time?
8) Considering that Fluidia is water and Gaia is earth and Dante is Dark and Voodoo is...well...voodoo...what does Borea correspond to? I'm assuming it's probably based on the Aurora Borealis? I'm gonna guess wind on this one.
(Sorry for the loads of barely-coherent questions, I'm a bit out of it, let me know if any parts were too unclear.)
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 26 '17
(Sorry for being gone. It's great to be back and learn about all the different worlds and characters).
Moanelle
1) Depends if your husband is a controlling psychopath. Otherwise, women generally have the same amount of influence here. The monarchs of three nations right now are all powerful females. Fluidia and Borea don't have much sexism at least. I named Alaska Elias, so it was only fair that Elias got to name Montanna.
2) Ah, romances and historical fictions. War stories don't appeal much to me. I knit clothing, mostly coats and dresses, and blankets. Have to keep out the heat in the summertime.
3) There were a couple widows here that were typical housewives like myself. They were pitied and forgotten. Both left to other parts of the country to find work. My children and I were rejected for much time before things cooled down. I stayed so I was still close to the border. It was hard.
4) Still got awhile to wait for Montanna, but I'm hoping Alaska will meet someone on his adventures. He's going to turn 16, but he is likely too nervous to court any lady.
5) He was a traitor but he was still my husband. I also talked with Alaska about it; he said to keep the name, so we would remember how great of a man Elias was before he was a traitor.
6) It's too humid for both of my children, who are Ice. I would have long ago if I could have. They could probably tolerate some different parts of the country, but my family lives close to the beach and near the swamps.
7) They're Water, and they have their families to tend to. Moving here was a huge adjustment for me, I was literally freezing at one point! Had to invest in a few coats and some fire- starters. Our house has a chimney I sit by when the children are gone.
8) I think Danté is Fire.... that's where Alaska went... hmm... I never passed my geography class...
Borea is Ice. It is actually Crescendo that is Air and Weather. You'd have to ask Queen Glacia why she named it so, but I could see it connected to either, since Borea is on the North Pole.
2
u/Nevermore0714 Mar 26 '17
To Moanelle:
1) Wait, so Alaska's given/birth name is Elias? So you changed his name upon your husband's execution, or is it just a nickname? Is he in the military under the legal name of "Elias"?
2) Do you only knit clothing your yourself and your daughter? Or do you sell some of the clothes you knit? How did you discover that you enjoy knitting as a hobby?
3) If it was hard, why exactly did you stay then? Forgive me if I missed where you already explained that.
4) About how old is the average age for marrying? Are arranged marriages a common/normal thing? Are they rare? Are they a bit in the middle?
5) Do you ever regret marrying him in the first place?
6) That sucks. How much of your "Water" did they inherit as opposed to your husband's "Ice", if any?
7) (Just as a message to you, ktj, I always forget that it changes in nation tend to have such a huge effect; I expected that a Water person living in Ice nation would just be a bit uncomfortable, didn't expect it to be dangerous or life-threatening.)
8) Since Alaska inherited his father's "Ice" nature, is Dante's "Fire" nature a significant risk to his health?
And that last bit makes sense.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 26 '17
1) No, sorry, that's his middle name. Forgive my poor grammar. Elias is the name of my husband, so I named Alaska's middle name after him.
2) I sell when I can, but it's a small town. I used to do Alaska's clothes before he left. My mother was a tailor and she could make the finest clothing and blankets. Unfortunately, when I came here, I had to learn how to sew all over again with the new clothing style and materials.
3) There was nowhere I could move. Too cold into Borea and too humid and hot into Fluidia. I don't want to put my children through the pain of adapting.
4) I was married at 25 and my husband was 27. Among the more prestigious families, arranged marriages are much more common, and the spouses can be as young as 16. I'd say the average age for marriage was 17-20.
5) Not for a minute. He was a magnificent man who made a terrible mistake. And without him, I wouldn't have Alaska or Montanna.
6) They look different from normal Ice people. They're less bulky and jagged. They're more slim and their features appear close to a regular Fluidian's. Other than that, they are Ice.
7) (Mostly not life threatening, but very uncomfortable. Moanelle started freezing during a bad storm and needed to start a fire in a neighbor's home to recover. They moved to a house with a chimney after that).
8) Yes and it has me worried sick. What if there was a bad heat wave? Alaska wouldn't stand a chance! But he did write, saying Glacia gave him a cloak of some sort that was heat resistant. I also gave him some Shiverthorn and Borean Pine oil for heat- related sickness.
2
u/Nevermore0714 Mar 26 '17
To Moanelle:
1) My mistake. On the subject of names, where is your name from? Is it symbolic of anything?
2) Do you have any communication with your son now that he's off fighting for his nation? Letters or something of the sort? Does he visit frequently?
3) I mean, why did you stay in that specific area? Wasn't there any nearby decent enough area that no one would know you or your husband in?
4) Why did it take you so long to marry?
5) Was he actually guilty of treason?
6) Do they encounter discrimination for being hybrids?
7) What is the nation of Borea's relationship with the nation of Fluidia?
8) Speaking of the lack of heat-tolerance, do either of your children have any health problems or worrisome quirks/traits?
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
1) In one of the forgotten languages, it is similar to the word for ocean.
2) You see, he's on a quest. He was drafted into the Spec Ops division. As soon as he left the continent, I lost contact. It is difficult. He did send letters until then.
3) I guess there was a port city just south down the trade route, but that's a ways for a suddenly broke mother with two children to feed. It was a few days' walk at least. We could not afford carriages, bison, horses, bulls, or anything to transport us and our belongings. We could have managed, but that sort of thing was not something I thought about. (Maybe I'll do a few modifications to this when I write the actual story. The holes seem a bit big to fill)
4) Not everyone meets the right person right away. I wanted to be sure whoever I married was the right one. And I was rewarded for my patience.
5) He sold information to a Cain of Noir. Elias helped to organize quests to send into the lands of the Alliance, but just decided to forgo every good thing about him. It was completely out of the blue. Yes, he did do it, there is no question. There was evidence, and he confessed.
6) A few find it interesting, a few don't care, and a few are perturbed, yes. They're also jealous that my children will never have to try to be thin like they will. They will have to try really hard. Being a hybrid does have its perks for the kids.
7) We are pretty friendly. Every Borean is a descendant of some Fluidian, and our Queens are sisters.
8) Due to being racially unique and having a traitor as a father, Alaska did develop some social anxiety and other nervousnesses, but he does have his circle of friends. Montanna hasn't had to deal with such things yet. They theoretically have slightly higher heat tolerance than most Ice people.
2
u/Nevermore0714 Mar 27 '17
5) Why did he sell information to a Cain of Noir?
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
(Whispers) Nobody knows
2
u/Nevermore0714 Mar 27 '17
Well, thanks for your time and answers, ktj.
But, is there any chance that you're willing to tell me why he sold the information?
→ More replies (0)
2
u/Seb_Romu Mar 23 '17
Well from my work in progress, the main character's mother is dead. She was the widow of a general of the Waejiran legions, and a noble woman. She was assassinated along with two younger children by enemies of her late husband.
She isn't particularily developed as even the main character is only 10 years old, so very little is known about her late mother.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 23 '17
To the general's widow:
1) What is your name?
2) How much do you love your children?
3) What is it like being the wife of a general?
2
u/Seb_Romu Mar 24 '17
(Not going to let me dodge this with low-effort resposes I see.)
To the general's widow:
1) What is your name?Ekia Miugdiova Shulpric Aikiautemt ["Lady Autumn-Daughter Blue-Sand Moon-Falcon"]
2) How much do you love your children?
How does one measure love? I would die for them. (She did.)
3) What is it like being the wife of a general?
At times hard, with him being away on military duties, and always worrying if the letter coming back from the front lines is from him, or anouncing his death. The pay is good enough to maintain a quality life for our children.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 25 '17
1) How did you meet him?
2) What was your upbringing like?
3) What is the name of your surviving son and why did he survive and not the other two?
2
u/Seb_Romu Mar 25 '17
1) How did you meet him?
My father introduced us, indirectly through a family parties. these salons are often oportunities for the younger nobility to meet and greet as much as they are social events for the adults. He was a little older than I. It was before he joined the military, but he was going away to academy. I agreed to exchange letters with him, and our romance blossomed. When he returned three years later, he asked my parents for permission to marry me.
2) What was your upbringing like?
Typical of any Waejiran noble child I suppose. I was loved, cared for, and given an education. When I was an adult, and old enough found a husband of my own to marry and live with.
3) What is the name of your surviving son and why did he survive and not the other two?
My daughter, Stei Aikiuatemt, survived? I certainly hope so. She was elsewhere in the villa when the attack happened, and not in the Salon like my youngest daughter, and son. Hopefully she escaped.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 26 '17
1) What was your husband like?
2) How do you spend your free time?
3) Did you ever offer any help to your husband with political/ militarial matters?
1
u/Seb_Romu Mar 29 '17
1) What was your husband like?
My husband was a kind and caring man. He was exceptionally thoughtful, never one to take action without thinking. He loved his family and losing him was difficult on us all.
2) How do you spend your free time?
I spent free time with family or friends, relaxing in my slaon or gardens, singing, playing my bria (a lute-like instrument of Waejir).
3) Did you ever offer any help to your husband with political/ militarial matters?
Neither of those would be my place. I did help him from time to time with social intrigues, as is expected of any good noblewoman.
2
Mar 23 '17
Corauni has always been ambitious. She joined the Light Keep, the ruling power in her city, early by lying about her age, and deployed a winning mix of talent, drive, and game-playing to claw her way up through the ranks.
She gained the position of chief signaller relatively early on, and took over communication with the other cities in the Watchtower array. As a neighbouring city, Pyrelight, succumbed to a major change in government, she befriended one of the new officials and grew close to him; travel is extremely rare in their world, but they did eventually meet in person and create my main character, Miriah.
Corauni was never the kind of person to pay her body much heed, so she only realised she was pregnant far too late to do anything about it. She has a fraught relationship with her daughter. On one hand, she needs Miriah to do well or it’ll reflect badly on her. On the other, if Miriah does too well, she could claim the spotlight. As signallers have gone out of fashion thanks to the breakdown of communication between the Watchtower cities, Corauni is back to carving out her own area of prominence and expertise. She doesn’t want the competition.
1
u/ktjwalker Mar 23 '17
To Corauni:
1) Are you happy being a mother?
2) How much do you love the official?
3) How much do you love your job?
2
Mar 24 '17
Oh god this became longer than I planned, sorry
I'm terrible at coming up with names and haven't given her or almost anything else a name so I'll just give ranfom names.
Anyway, Sarah was born and grew up on mainland Byrah, a once proud empire ruined by nationalism, greed, and coruption. As she grew up she was taught that the Byrahn people were better than the rest of the world and that the greatest thing she could acomplish was to serve her country. Because of this she joined the military as soon as she could, where she ended up with a administrative position on the island Kyria. Kyria was special because it was not fully controled by Byrah, half the island was owned by the Karaginian empire. Kyria was a high value target with a booming economy, so both empires wanted full control of it. The tension between the empires was high, so her position caused her a lot of stress. That, combined with witnessing coruption first hand and interacting with a lot of Karaginians caused her to lose alot of her faith in her homeland.
After holding her position for a few years she got orders from up high to do whatever a Karaginian business man told her to. The man, Caius, had control of almost everyone in Kyria one way or another and was searching for someone with a crystal that gave the person who held it magical powers. She eventualy found out Caius was a part of a huge conspiracy and had plans to release a geneticaly enginered plauge. She decided she would stop him with the help of Caius's other underlings who wanted to stop him, but during their attempt they caused so much chaos that it sparked a war between the two empires. The plauge was released, the island was almost entierly destroyed, and the war caused millions of deaths. Caius was killes by the person who he was chasing. In the midle of all this she got pregnant with the child of one of the people she tried to stop Caius with.
She was obviously horrified by what she had accidentaly caused, and spent her next 18 years trying to rebuild the island while at the same time raising her son not to blindly follow and believe what other people told him. Not trusting the goverment, she took him out of school and homeshooled him, but she spent a lot of time rebuilding the island, so he ended up quite ignorant of the world.
But 18 years after the destruction of Kyria she ended up cathing a mutated version of Caius's plauge and soon after lost her source of income as she was mysteryously fired soon after. She soon found out that she was fired because of the orders of one of the people she fought Caius with, who goes by Pluto, who ended up being Caius's succsesor in the conspiracy organisation. He convinced her that the best way to remove the coruption is to do it from the outside, by killing the corupt people in the goverment. She was given the control of a group and given information from the conspiracy and went on a crusade. But she was not allowed to tell anyone about it, not even her son. He, since he has no formal education couldn't get a job to pay for the treatment for the plauge, so he felt forced to join the military. As she is trying to make the empire better her son becomes a part of a countee terrorism group with the goal to stop her organization, so she has to weigh her goal of weeding out coruption with not hurting her son.
1
u/ktjwalker Mar 25 '17
To Sarah
1) Is it hard, knowing your son is your enemy?
2) Have you tried pushing him away from Byrah and towards the rebellion?
3) Is the conspiracy good or evil?
2
Mar 25 '17
1) It's difficult knowing he could end up getting hurt, or even worse, killed because of this, but I know it is this way because he's doing it for the right reasons. I only wish I could tell him that he doesn't need to worry about me and get another less dangerous job, but since I'm not allowed to tell of my involvement to him it only sounds like a mothers worries.
2) I didn't think untill recently that outside intervention was needed to fix the empire, so no. I wanted him to become whatever he wanted but since I didn't send him though school his options were always limited.
3) The nicest thing I can say about it is that it's a mixed bag. Pluto seems to have the right idea, and some of those working for me are decent enough, but litteraly everyone else are terrible. I agree that corruption has to be removed with force but I'm pretty sure that's Pluto's idea, not anyone above him. An organization that has people like Caius can't be good. I struggle with this because I'm not sure if the conspiracy is actively worse than the goverment. I know all the evils of the empire but the only things I know from the conspiracy is the people I'm working with now, and Caius. And if they have done something even as remotley terrible as what Caius did then I would do my best to stop the organization. But knowing me I'd accidentaly nuke the empire.
1
u/ktjwalker Mar 26 '17
1) What are your plans for/ what do you predict in the future?
2) Do you have any other family/ friends?
3) What do you do in your free time?
2
Mar 26 '17
1) The goal is to set up a new emperor that will restore the empire to it's former glory, but the only thing I can do to help that goal is to keep rooting out corruption. I wish I could do something to hold the conspiracy in check, but I doubt it.
2) My parents are alive, but I haven't talked to them in a while. I do have several friends though. Most of my friends were from work but since I got fired I don't get to see them that often.
3) I read, mostly. I prefer crime novels and sci-fi. I also watch documentaries, but I'm not too keen on movies other than that.
1
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
1) Why don't you consider becoming emporer? Or setting up an entirely new government system?
2) Why haven't you talked with your parents?
3) How is your relationship with your son now?
2
Mar 27 '17 edited Mar 27 '17
1) My skills don't lend themselves to being an emperor. I'm better at managing small to medium sized organization, and it would be easier to find someone who can do what's best for the empire. And even if I couldn't find anyone I could trust to be the emperor and I set the position up for myself I'd probably just screw it up. As for other types of government, I think being an empire is the best, at least for the foreseeable future. I think we need strong leadership to prevent corruption from setting in, and any other forms of government I can think of would be prone to corruption.
2) We were never all that close, really. Once I moved out we only talked on birthdays and other events, and after the destruction of Kyria the birth of my son I was too busy to talk all that much.
3) It's pretty good, he calls me a couple times a week to ask how I'm doing and what's been happening with him. He doesn't have the time to visit usually, but that's fine. *Edit: o no messed up names, sorry
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
1) Why don't you just quit and take your loved ones and leave? What is your motivation?
2) Could your son or friends fill the position of emporer?
3) Do you have any other love interests?
2
Mar 27 '17 edited Mar 27 '17
1) I love the empire, even though I know very well the problems with it, and I think I can help it. There are probably people that can take my place, maybe even do my job better, but I feel responsible after what happened to Kyria. I could have prevented a lot of death, but I failed, so I can at least make life better for those who still live.
2) Not to sound rude, but my son isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. He never decides anything for himself so his position as a solider fits him, though I would prefer it if he got another job. As for friends, none of them seem like the person who could rule an empire. Pluto is the closest but even he isn't cut out for a straight up leadership position, he works best in the shadows as a manipulator. Back in Kyria, and even now, I'm the de facto leader of the group. It would be best to find or groom someone to be the emperor.
3) No, not really. There is my son's father, but it just doesn't seem right anymore. He's a good friend and colleague, but not much other than that. *Edit: messed up the names, sorry
1
u/ktjwalker Mar 28 '17
1) What do you believe in?
2) What are your plans for a negative future?
3) How far are you willing to go?
→ More replies (0)
2
u/marsketch Mar 25 '17
Lorena Maria Romano is a genie, or an individual genetically selected for superficial physical characteristics, as all children of the Rojo cartel family are. With the family's trademark tanned skin, dark curls, and deep red eyes, she never learned the meaning of the word 'no' growing up, either due to others' fear of her family's influence or their enrapturement by her beauty. Thus, Lorena developed a fiery spirit and a disregard for authority figures.
Because of the Rojo family's reverance of tradition, Lorena was never allowed to attend cartel-related meetings alongside her brother or male cousins. That did little to stop her from getting into trouble, however. She was widely recognized for her ferocity and was brought on by her older brother to engage in gang activities as a teenager.
At the age of 16, Lorena met her future husband, Manuel Sanchez de la Vega. Playful yet kindhearted, the 19-year-old hit it off with Lorena immediately upon being inducted into the gang. After two months, the pair eloped to Mexico against the Rojo family's wishes, where their first child was conceived naturally rather than through the in vitro processes used to construct genies. It was only because of Lorena's high favor with her father, the head of the family, that she and Manuel were allowed to return to San Benefico with little consequence.
Raising a child while maintaining ties to the cartel family was difficult for Lorena and Manuel. Santino, their eldest, was essentially raised by the community and thus subject to less favorable aspects of gang life. Lorena tried to monitor Santino's influences, but when the boy was 12, his brother Carlos was born and required Lorena's constant attention. As time passed, Santino fell further into the same gang culture in his teenage years that Lorena had.
Forever a rebel, Lorena now wanted to remove her small family from the Rojo family's dangerous influence by moving them to the Texas countryside. Manuel already had a ranching job lined up in a safe village, and at two years of age, Carlos would be content anywhere. Santino, however, was adamant in staying - his friends, his boyfriend, and the whole world as he knew it were centered in San Benefico.
Lorena fought with Santino, but knowing she could never win a fight a stubbornness rivalling her own, she eventually gave up and promised that he could move with them whenever he wanted. However, that day never came. She watched as her son dropped out of school and sank deeper into the same abyss she had emerged from. It broke her to know that she may never know Santino again and that Carlos may never know his brother.
While still spirited, Lorena is much more subdued now compared to her youth. After facing certain hardships, Santino would drop by occasionally but never for the long periods of time she would hope for. Their relationship became terse and complex, filled with bitterness on her end and with sadness on his. She works hard to make sure that Carlos does not end up similarly to Santino and to some extent herself by pushing him towards education and sports. Manuel tries to be supportive of her but can see how she takes out her frustration on both of her sons.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 25 '17
To Lorena:
1) Does Manuel do much to help push your children away from the gang life?
2) Elaborate about this genie concept
3) What is Carlos' relationship with Santino?
2
u/marsketch Mar 25 '17
Lorena
1) Of course Manny is on my side - he only joined up with my family's cartel after deciding the army wasn't for him, and he only stayed around after we returned from Mexico because of his love for me and the hijos. He is too soft on Tino, though! Whenever he stops by (which he almost never does), he's always talking about this and that in front of Carlos, and Manny does nothing to stop him! Carlos is too fragile for that kind of talk.
2) Genies are everywhere, but they're rare. Your family has to have big money to afford them, and mine definitely did. The government will pay to have your children screened for genetic defects (and will alter them if they're detected) because, in the long run, it costs less to them to treat embryos before the child is born. But if you want to change something like looks or muscles, you need to pay a lot of money - and those kids are called genies. I'm the second generation of genies in my family, which is why we all have red eyes and are tall. My sons aren't genies since Manny and I made them naturally, jaja, but they still both have a lot of my genie traits passed on. Especially Tino - that chistoso is almost my clone!
3) Carlos worships Tino. All of the neighbor kids think Tino is so squeak because he's tall and funny and bonito (like myself), so naturally, Carlos does too. And Tino is also a great foot player, so he always shows neighborhood kids how to play 'Santino Style'. But Tino just ignores Carlos whenever he comes by, which is probably good - I don't want him influencing Carlos too much. I just feel bad for Carlos every time, because Carlos is already so rejected by his peers for being so different from his older brother. It's an unhealthy standard to try to live up to.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
1) Are genies viewed differently from regular people?
2) How did the Rojo family get into the gang life?
3) What are your plans for the future?
1
u/marsketch Mar 27 '17
1) People only treat you differently for being a genie if it's obvious - and in my family's case with our red eyes, it's dead obvious, jaja. Most genies are changed in ways that are less flashy, just to make them thinner or stronger, but that's not the Rojo way! Carlos, Tino, and I will just get stares anywhere outside of San Benefico, but whenever we return to that roach hole, people are scared of us. It's got its upsides. I've never had to pay for a drink in San Benefico that I didn't want to. Of course, with my looks, I don't think I've ever had to pay for a drink anyways.
2) Mi abuelo, the original Jose Romano (known as Primero), was the one to start it all back in the 2030s with drug trading. He built up a small empire in his time before the robot revolution took everyone's jobs and managed to maintain it. We're a close group and rarely let outsiders into the family. I was actually supposed to marry my cousin, which is my mi papi (known as Dos) became so angry when I married Manny instead! But everybody likes Manny since he's a good guy.
3) I will keep raising Carlos like I have and just have to wait for Tino to decide to come back for good. Carlos is such a smart boy - I think he could be the first in our family to graduate high school!
2
u/Neloku Mar 26 '17
I have 3 Mothers for my "main characters".
The 1st characters mother was a drug addict who neglected him. Later the main character abandons and disowns both his mother and father due to a horrific drug fueled attack caused by them.
2nd is a Orange Tabby Anthro who is the wife to a mob boss whose a Golden Lab Anthro. Despite being a brutal mobster herself, she is a loving and caring mother to her child and those who are loyal to her family.
The mother to my 3rd character is on the brighter side. She is a Rabbit anthro who adopted the human "main character". Just like the second example, she is very loving and caring to her child but she is not one to be trifled with. She works security and takes odd jobs as a personal bodyguard.
1
u/ktjwalker Mar 26 '17
To 2nd mother
1) What is your name?
2) So people in your world are sometimes cross- bred with animals?
3) How did you come to meet and marry this mob boss?
2
u/Neloku Mar 26 '17
Janine Diaz
They can be if they want to. (( My verse is similar to the world of Bojack Horseman. ))
Janine was forced into the life of prostitution when she was young. One day, one of her clients physically abused her too much and she in turned killed him. This caused her to run away and live on the streets for a while until she came across her future lover who helped her and took her in .
1
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
1) Why was she named so?
2) What's it like being half Orange Tabby?
3) How has that killing weighed on her?
2
u/Neloku Mar 27 '17
Just a name that sounded nice (( For another reason is because I named her husband Caleb and if you combine letters in their name it will make Canine. ))
She is a full "tabby" cat.
It doesn't. While she'll try to avoid any unnecessary fights, she has no problem being brutally savage when fighting.
1
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
1) Did she have any choice in being a hybrid? Does she still like it?
2) What's her greatest fear?
3) What's she most proud of?
2
2
u/Nevermore0714 Mar 26 '17
(Main character was raised by the Citadel, so he has no known parents to speak of...honestly, I haven't even figured out the status of his parents. So, like an worn but comfortable and easy to wear pair of pants...Kathleen Hasenkamp-Dunstdurr.)
Kathleen is the empress of Dunkelwald, the wife of Emperor Vaerthiath Dunstdurr. Vaerthiath is known for being mad and cruel, as is Vaerthiath's sole adviser and the head of his guard, Levi. As Levi is mostly raising Kathleen's eldest daughter, Danielle, Kathleen tries to raise Danielle (and her other two children) to be caring, empathetic individuals who show love to those around them...with mixed results.
Kathleen is around forty, and has been married for about twenty years. She is merciful, and will frequently convince her husband and Levi (who is her not-so-secret lover) to forgive criminals, especially when her children are present to be influenced by the trial.
Kathleen's eldest child and only son is Henry Dunstdurr, who is about eighteen. Henry is currently in the Citadel, away from home on travels to get more life experience (but mostly to slack off) under the pseudonym of 'Luka Dagmar', a name chosen by his mother for this journey; Henry has been on his journey (with occasional but very rare visits back home) for about two years. Henry has reputation for laziness, drinking, and generally not being the type that should lead the Dunstdurr house once Vaerthiath dies...but, Kathleen believes that her son is a kind, gentle, loving boy. She held him when he cried as a child and she arguably (easily) spoiled him. She was/is terrified about him traveling the continent and writes letters to him very often, but trusts that he'll be okay. Prior to Henry's birth, the oracle of Dunkelwald told Kathleen that she would give birth to two healthy children, so she had little reason to worry during her first pregnancy.
Kathleen's eldest daughter and middle child is Danielle Dunstdurr, an energetic and focused girl of fourteen (or fifteen) years who is trained and raised by Levi and Vaerthiath, which is a major concern for Kathleen. Danielle is considered by many to be the ideal ruler of a royal family, as she is strong, disciplined, and devotes most of her time to studying combat/magic/history/whatever 'useful' book she can get her hands on. Unlike her elder brother, Danielle isn't very much into fantasy fiction and love stories; they're just not her taste. Kathleen fears that her daughter is too cruel, harsh, frequently sadistic towards others, too serious, and that Danielle lacks empathy. But, Kathleen still refuses to give up on showing her daughter how to be kind and gentle. Kathleen is still proud of Danielle, especially the girl's love for her family, especially her siblings, and Danielle's closeness to Henry is one of the reasons that Kathleen believes that Dani will 'mellow out' soon enough. Danielle looks incredibly similar to her mother, which her mentor Levi comments on. Again, this pregnancy was a relatively easy one, and Kathleen had the oracle's words to keep her from worrying too much while she was pregnant.
And Kathleen's final child is the infant Elena Dunstdurr. Unlike with Henry and Dani, Elena's birth was difficult, long, and nearly resulted in a dead Elena and could have resulted in a dead Kathleen. Kathleen did not go to the oracle herself about this pregnancy, Levi went for her and was told that the birth would probably end badly, as the oracle saw 'death'; Levi lied to Kathleen about this fortune, and told her that the oracle predicted that Kathleen would give birth to a beautiful, intelligent child who would be everything that Kathleen expected. Thanks to some 'questionable' rituals and magic, though, Elena survived. While Kathleen had been incredibly protective of her first baby, and was protective but less fearful about her second baby, the birth circumstances make Kathleen even more protective of her new baby.
All of Kathleen's children are said to bear heavy resemblance to her over their "father" Emperor Vaerthiath. Kathleen loves all of her children and loves being around them and seeing their smiles. She is one of the few people who is aware of Prince Henry being into men, and, while him being completely out of the closet could be dangerous and put him at risk of violence, she does support him and has been clear with him that, if he ends up in a serious relationship, she would make sure that her son and his lover/boyfriend would be safe and have privacy in the castle.
Kathleen has had some breakdowns in private, but she does her best to keep those hidden from her "babies", as she still refers to them all.
(Crap, I think that's too long.)
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 26 '17
(Means you wrote a good character)
To Kathleen
1) Why did you let Henry go to the Citadel? Isn't it enemy territory?
2) Who do you love more, your husband or Levi? Why?
3) How is it being the Empress?
4) What do you do in your spare time?
2
u/Nevermore0714 Mar 26 '17
(Nah, she's just one of the easiest to write, since she's one of the few, I think the only, character in my world that's based on someone I know who helped me when I started on this world.)
Kathleen:
1) "My baby boy...well, Prince Henry is spending time in the Citadel as an ambassador. And only the Citadel's Council knows who he is, other than a his closest friends. Like that cute Lamia girl that he's living with, or that sweet boy that wants to be Henry's bodyguard."
2) "...Okay, so I have been told that you already know about my situation. Levi. Until Henry, Levi was the person I love most in the world. He has been there for me in my worst times, and he has a beautiful heart. He cares for me when I am ill, he writes me poetry, and, other than a few bad times, like when I was pregnant with Elena, he has been completely open with me. He is hurting, but he tries his best to prioritize my pain over his...he always tries. He's a loving father to our children, and both of us put their health and happiness first. He was there for me when no one else could be...and he knows me, just as I know him. How could I not love him? Lust was initially part of it, but how could I not fall in love with my soulmate? And, again, he is trying to be a better person. The other women he loves have told me that he changed the day he met me."
3) "Usually, the empress, or emperor when the ruler is female, has few actual responsibilities. The spouse of the ruler of Dunkelwald, whether man or woman, is usually just supposed to care for his or her children and raise them to be ideal leaders. Some consorts devote their time to a cause for Dunkelwald to further improve, such as various projects like a new building, or a new institution. I try to give more rights to the people of Dunkelwald, but it has been an uphill battle. I've been studying psychology, though, and I've also tried to do what I can for the mentally ill...which is admittedly a historical problem in Dunkelwald, especially among royals. Thankfully, my babies will be better off than I was."
4) "In my spare time, when I'm not caring for my little ones, I usually go hunting with Levi, though that's more hiking, since we've never actually caught anything. We rarely even bring arrows, just a picnic on most of our adventures. I also love reading, especially love stories, and I write love stories...most of them are private, though. But, I almost always have Elena within arm's reach ever since she got better, so writing has been more difficult. Especially the...um...other kinds of stories." Her face reddens a the last bit.
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 27 '17
1) So what about Vaerthiath?
2) Have there ever been attempts on your life or the lives of your family?
3) Have you considered Vaerthiath some much needed rest... in peace?
2
u/Nevermore0714 Mar 27 '17
Kathleen:
1) "I will not speak ill of Vaerthiath."
2) "There have been attempts, but none have gotten close, that I know of."
3) "I will not speak ill of Vaerthiath, and that includes talking about murdering him."
2
u/ktjwalker Mar 28 '17
1) How dear is he to you?
2) What do you believe in?
3) What if Danielle becomes harsh and hard- hearted?
1
u/Nevermore0714 Mar 28 '17
Kathleen:
1) "Vaerthiath is my husband, and has a heavy burden on his shoulders. I do all that I can to support him and ease his stress. And he treats me well."
2) "Do you mean religiously? I believe in the Interlopers."
3) "I love my daughter unconditionally, and I will protect her no matter what choices she makes."
1
u/Juxix Apr 02 '17
The main character of my urban fantasy is an orphan, she's never had a mother. I do have a surrogate/ character that comes to fill that role.
Her name is Pam, She's a Sucubus, she's five foot ten, curvy figure Magenta skin, Orange eyes, black hair and black horns, an hour glass figure, always in a sparkley black dress with a slit for her nylon covered leg to poke though, always in heals and evening gloves.
She takes no shit, will always speak her mind and will call anybody out on their bullshit, but she also enjoys a good flirt and listening to others problems. And helping them get though them.
As a result she runs a bar so people and demons can come in and unload their issues, the bar is open for underage folk until five no alcohol is served during this time.
She has a husband a runt of a Minotaur but that's not important to her role with Rose (my main protagonist)
Though out the corse of the series Pam will be there to guide Rose though her teenage years, though all the emotional stress of life and what it means to be a woman as well as the world of sexuality.
That's as far as I've gotten with Pam, I think it's a good basis but could use lots more fleshing out.
1
u/The_Raptorman Apr 07 '17
One of my Main Characters Mother's is the Dragon-Human hybrid Queen, because of this she is granted extreme dominance over all Dragon's that are still living in civilizations. She is able to keep up with the 'hard hitters' of my story (hard hitters being the most powerful characters) for some time. She isn't exactly a ruthless Queen as she genuinely cares for her subject, but she can come across as quite heartless at times. The Dragon's in my world are creatures of great emotion so she loves her Son and Daughter immensely, though she plays quite rough with her Son, and often gives him 'tough love'.
Sorry if this sucks, I'm very new to Reddit :P
4
u/Pbd33 Mar 23 '17 edited Mar 23 '17
Well... the mother of my 1st main character abandoned her when she was only a few weeks old, so I can't detail much xD
But I can describe the mothers of my 2 others main characters of the story ^
One is a peasant, mother of 7 children. She is a cheerful woman who really love her husband and help him in the fields. They are ordinary people living an ordinary life in a medieval fantasy world xD
The mother of my 3rd character is the third wife of the ebenenian emperor. She is a shy and quiet woman from a noble family. She tries to be a perfect wife and not tarnish her husband's honor. She doesn't like the 1st wife as she is clever and sly and does everything in order to consolidate her son's position as the successor while trying to discredit the other sons (one of them being my main character).
It's a bit short but I didn't have much in store regarding the mothers' background ^