Updated edit: Pretty much most of the post was written days ago. I lost count because I was under too much fatigue. At the same time, SingTel has the tendency to kill off the internet connection after 12 midnight. The frequency is so consistent, I can only say something has been purposely planned since day 1. To set the record straight, the act of connection murder mostly affected my gaming. Albeit things used to be worse even prior to midnight because my sis is still a pseudo-Korean.
Fragarach
The thing with Aeravor's sword is that it should be a longsword. Otherwise known as a bastard sword, the longsword actually exists. Also known as the hand-and-a-half sword, there's definitely a need to create a sword hilt spanning... well, one hand and a half. I did a brief Wikipedia search (actually, Wikipedia can be fairly reliant if you're only searching for the general stuff instead of specific details). Interestingly enough, the longsword as we're familiar with (think quite literally a bastard sword) has a cruciform hilt. What it means is that the crosspiece is long enough to form a cross shaped lower half so as to speak.
For Fragarach, my design consists of...
1. A hilt spanning one hand and a half.
2. A short crosspiece.
So what this means is that while Aeravor's version of the Answerer (since he's the owner, not me) is somewhat consistent with the standard longsword, the look would not be cruciform. Ideally, the length of the crosspiece should be either equal to or slightly over the span of one hand's knuckles. The crosspiece isn't meant to be prominent. Rather, it's the same concept as a tsuba (i.e. the handguard of a katana).
As a result of this mental picture, I'm now toying with an idea or few concerning weapons forged during the Age of Renown. Nothing absolute, though.
Note: The concept of Fragarach also known as the Answerer has given me some ideas on where to take it. Suffice to say, the world will be much safer if there's such a lie detector.
Note: The concept of Fragarach also known as the Answerer has given me some ideas on where to take it. Suffice to say, the world will be much safer if there's such a lie detector.
Gael Kodr
His current look is that of the stereotypical local Singaporean NSF. Nothing worthy of note looks wise (since stereotypical local S'porean guy enjoys talking about SPG and how his girlfriend would rather have a Magic Mike XXXL). Likewise, Gael's look comprises of the standard crew cut and a look akin to the stereotypical pre-plastic surgery Korean look (not that stereotype is some universal law anyway).
Note 1: In his intro chapter, there's this flashback scene where the three amigos got themselves into trouble. That particular scene was inspired by a real life tragedy. Eerily enough, a similar tragedy happened recently.
Note 2: In the latest chapter, something was said about his brash character. The particular comment was inspired by an incident which exploded out of TV.
Note 1: In his intro chapter, there's this flashback scene where the three amigos got themselves into trouble. That particular scene was inspired by a real life tragedy. Eerily enough, a similar tragedy happened recently.
Note 2: In the latest chapter, something was said about his brash character. The particular comment was inspired by an incident which exploded out of TV.
Alestrial Eliaden
In the freak event where A Requiem From Winter Past manages to hit the bookshelf (be it either literally, digitally, or both), it means I'll have to do a Total Recall. Originally, her look was based off Park Shin-hye. Not that I'm a fan anyway (albeit I do have my chaotic neutral moments for the lack of a better description). In fact, my original intention was to base her off a Japanese actress. The problem was, I was already way out of the loop since the popularity of J-dramas started dwindling. Coincidentally, my sis was watching the K-drama You're Beautiful. I don't have to tell who's the protagonist here. So... yeah, I basically got nothing better to do. You know how creative bastards think, hence the fact that people like me are somewhat a case of persona non grata in the island of Singapura.
Funnily enough, it could have easily been the likes of Horikita Maki, Toda Erika, and Aragaki Yui. Just don't ask me whether Aragaki-san is taken off the shelf. I don't annoy Jay Chou for a living.
Now back to topic. How do I envision Alestrial? Firstly, she's East Asian. What this means is that as a race, there's nothing exclusively Chinese, Japanese, or Korean when it comes to the Cinha ethnicity. Granted a sharp eyed observer can detect the difference in details features wise, but not everybody is a Robin Hood seeking his Chinese/Japanese/Korean Maid Marian. Secondly, I personally like the wavy long hair look when it comes to the nobility. Despite the most obvious fact that she's adopted, Alestrial remains a member of the nobility.
Note: There's a reason behind my chaotic neutral moment where it's very easy to mistake me for a psycho. I have this tendency to be emotionally attached to my characters.
Note: There's a reason behind my chaotic neutral moment where it's very easy to mistake me for a psycho. I have this tendency to be emotionally attached to my characters.
Adine
I'm not gonna tell you whether Adine will become a key player in the storyline. That's up to yours truly to decide. However, I do enjoy doing the whole ugly duckling concept at times.
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| Just don't ask me how accurate the above meme actually is. |
So how do I envision her? Basically a willowy figure and pretty face. As for her hair, it should be dark brown (i.e. a brunette), straight, and long. Because of the nature of her work, she's always wearing a ponytail more oft than not. Come to think of it, maybe this should be the way she looks in the story.
Weisslynn
I don't think I've done her look yet in the story (then again, I doubt I've done many of such things). However, I do see her as someone with black hair reaching to her shoulder blades. As for her physique, I guess she's counted as petite (maybe slightly over 1.6 m). Unlike Adine, Weisslynn's introduction may have left me with too little leeway in making her as just another background character.
Originally, her name is Leesya. I regretted making this choice because I realised it's not always fun to mess around. How in the blue hell was I unable to come up Weisslynn may possibly be due to my creativity getting short circuited. Trauma wise, I decided to retain the whole ordeal. After all, I don't see a need to change things for the sake of political correctness.
Originally, her name is Leesya. I regretted making this choice because I realised it's not always fun to mess around. How in the blue hell was I unable to come up Weisslynn may possibly be due to my creativity getting short circuited. Trauma wise, I decided to retain the whole ordeal. After all, I don't see a need to change things for the sake of political correctness.
Lolyx
In the original draft, she's a pure Cinha. At this point of time, I prefer to create half a Cinha. The reason why being that it's far easier to create that tanned complexion look. I can try answering whether it's possible for an East Asian to be tanned naturally (of course, it's possible), but I think I'm really stuck on the stereotypical East Asian complexion thing. Hey, it's not my fault that so many East Asian celebrities are fair rather than dusky!
At the same time, I need to create a plot device for her. The reason being that she saw something in Lars which no naked eye can ever perceive. I don't have to spoil this for you all because it's already outed in the open.
Personality wise, one can be forgiven for thinking that she's a tad annoying for a tsundere character. As for her figure, either it's implied that she's really got a decent one or it's just something coming out from the so-called locker room banter. And yes, Lars is capable of the latter.
As for the hair, I'm envisioning a shorter ponytail than Adine.
As for the hair, I'm envisioning a shorter ponytail than Adine.
Seelia
Implied (?) to be a major side character in the making. Can you believe that I've yet to set down a certain set of rules concerning the Kalarans, Teutonians, and Slarvs? The stupid thing lies in the fact that all three northern ethnicities come from a common set of genetics. Unlike the Cinha, they have their own borders, culture, and society. It's not something like comparing the Gaels with Romans just to show an example. In fact, it's more akin to comparing an American Chinese with a Singaporean Chinese. I think I need a Total Recall. Either that or I can try taking ideas from the Byzantine Empire. Why I mentioned this was because Seelia is a Teutonian. Interestingly enough, the Seelia reads a bit like the word Seelie. It was an accident, I swear.
On her looks, I think you should know what shoulder length red hair looks like. I know this next statement is something tantamount to objectifying women, but I have to admit to giving her a decent figure. Which now comes to...
Sarel Aphros
One amusing fact I've discovered about we guys is this: We tend to lose our rationality to hormones. This is especially so during puberty. In fact, that's why every self-respecting parent will always be on high alert whenever their tweenage daughter gets a boyfriend. Sarel is basically my own way of proving how true this logic can be. Trust me when I say mind games tend to be more lethal than war games.
This femme fatale is a seductress in every sense of the word. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, then I give up on your IQ. As for the provocative nature of her dressing, it's to further hammer home what she's capable of. More oft than not, popular culture tends to glorify boobs more than anything else. While there's now more emphasis placed on legs and buttocks, I won't be surprised if plenty of men are still instinctively attracted to a woman's chest more frequent than not. I still do have this impression that magazine shoots involving ladies and lasses tend to focus on the breasts. That's how screwed up things are if I say so myself. Case in point: Emma Watson and Vanity Fair.
This femme fatale is a seductress in every sense of the word. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, then I give up on your IQ. As for the provocative nature of her dressing, it's to further hammer home what she's capable of. More oft than not, popular culture tends to glorify boobs more than anything else. While there's now more emphasis placed on legs and buttocks, I won't be surprised if plenty of men are still instinctively attracted to a woman's chest more frequent than not. I still do have this impression that magazine shoots involving ladies and lasses tend to focus on the breasts. That's how screwed up things are if I say so myself. Case in point: Emma Watson and Vanity Fair.
On her looks, the inspiration is still the same. Namely, a white woman named Sally.
Note 1: One interesting question I'm having right now is the nature of her dressing. My plan was to create something simple to its very core, yet bringing forth that temptress' feel.
Note 2: Having her going commando is basically my way of upping the stakes.
Lars Alterfate
Another character who dresses provocatively. His look was partially inspired by Gilgamesh of the Fate series. In other words, there were moments where the King of Heroes looked like this.
I'll have to admit I've been dabbling with certain aspects of the J-culture. Which now comes that most challenging question: How am I going to give a reason for that within the plot? Mind you, I don't have to follow the stereotypical shounen/shoujo/seinen manga fare when it comes to everything concerning the wardrobe options. For Sarel's case, it's pretty much blatant and anything but this.
When it comes to the physical looks, I decided to retain the shounen manga protagonist concept. However, the hairstyle is something waiting to be worked with. Initially, it was a copy-and-paste Gilgamesh. Then I realised there's no point doing so. Next up, I decided to give him a blonde fringe, but it didn't feel tout naturel. In the end, I decided to go simple. In other words, I used my geeky hairstyle as the blueprint because I don't want to burn up too much of my creative fuel.
Note: The part where Lolyx has a vision concerning Lars was actually something I took from this scene below.
Note: The part where Lolyx has a vision concerning Lars was actually something I took from this scene below.
Arondight
Originally, I made him out to be a handsome hulk of a man. After all, which lady wouldn't refuse a handsome knight complete with machismo? The problem is this: I don't want my work to read too much like a stereotypical manga where even the fodder can look like a K-pop male idol. Ultimately, I decided to make the description as vague as possible apart from his rugged looks. There's no reason behind this decision apart from letting the readers do the visualisation themselves. I'm truly ashamed to say this out, to be honest. I guess that's because of the tragic character called Sir Lancelot du Lac.
I'll have to be brutally frank here. Arondight is Lancelot in a certain sense. In fact, Arondight happened to be one of Lancelot's noble phantasms in Fate/Zero. At the same time, chivalry has always been part and parcel of knighthood as we know it. While reality tends to be the polar opposite to idealism, I actually saw it worthwhile for Arondight to be that very image of idealism.
In terms of looks, he doesn't look like a knight. More likely one would call him a peasant or woodsman instead.
Note: I suddenly realised I may have created a case of surreality. Both Weisslynn and Seelia saw justice done to their torturers via a madman's blade. Yet, the respective endings were anything but similar.
I'll have to be brutally frank here. Arondight is Lancelot in a certain sense. In fact, Arondight happened to be one of Lancelot's noble phantasms in Fate/Zero. At the same time, chivalry has always been part and parcel of knighthood as we know it. While reality tends to be the polar opposite to idealism, I actually saw it worthwhile for Arondight to be that very image of idealism.
In terms of looks, he doesn't look like a knight. More likely one would call him a peasant or woodsman instead.
Note: I suddenly realised I may have created a case of surreality. Both Weisslynn and Seelia saw justice done to their torturers via a madman's blade. Yet, the respective endings were anything but similar.
Tristan Aias
Despite his name sounding English (in particular, Tristan was the male protagonist of Tristan and Iseult), this guy isn't white so as to speak. Hailing from the Sudhlit ethnicity, he's basically... well, Tamil. Very little has been outed for him, but in terms of looks, I opted for the classic scoundrel. The way he talks is that of a scoundrel (or at least that's what I'm trying to do). Therefore, it's only right that I try giving him a scoundrel's looks.
When it comes to scoundrels, there would always be those capable of stealing hearts and money in the same mention. I won't be surprised if this has been a commonly used trope throughout the history of story-telling. Because he's someone going around like an adventurer, I decided to give him an adventurer's look with the swashbuckling type in mind.
As for his... well, philandering ways, I actually took a leaf out of India's book. I don't want to sound racist here, but I actually got to know about the so-called rape culture there years before New Delhi erupted into moral chaos (not that a rape culture isn't morally chaotic). In terms of treating women, there's no difference between Tristan and Lars just like there's no difference between Brock Turner and a rapist in India. In terms of getting drunk, I'm pretty sure plenty of Indians will either crucify me or agree with me.
Tristan is an interesting character so as to speak. On one hand, getting wasted on alcohol was intended as a jab towards the stereotypical Tamil guy (in fact, such stereotyping actually exists in Singapore). On the other end, the way he interacted with women (more specifically the prostitutes so far) was intended as a statement of insult towards the rape culture in India. In other words, it's called comparing a flagrant scoundrel with a self-righteous scoundrel.
Note 1: I will never ever allow my future girlfriend to travel to India. Period.
Note 2: The word Sudhlit was inspired by the word Dalit. As you may have guessed by now, I absolutely detest the injustice caused by the Indian caste system.
Note 3: His identity as a military genius was inspired by Archer's fight against Lancer in Unlimited Blade Works (more specifically the original visual novel). However, further planning was more about individuals like Chen Ping and Guo Jia. Any similarity between Tristan and Scipio Africanus should be damn obvious by now.
Aeravor
Pretty much the standard ranger look if you're to ask me. As for the specifics, it's already been spoilt so as to speak. I don't have to tell you that he's a jerk, that he doesn't need any reason to kill people on the spot. Someone once called him a sociopath. Well, I can't deny this cold hard truth. Within the current span of chapters, I've created a humane side to his otherwise capricious personality. When I first created him, I intended him to be an anti-hero who will eventually turn good. That's when I was still more into the standard black-and-white high fantasy genre (something which I'm pretty sure my fellow Singaporeans would gladly write rather than say... being Singapore's answer to G.R.R Martin).
As time went by, I got enticed towards the dark side. This is not to say that my moral standards were changed. Rather, it's a matter of reality/cynicism over idealism. A lot may have been changed since the first draft, but it's never my intention to change Aeravor's character for what he ought to be. Namely, a sick bastard mirroring the worst in any person. Hence, the saying listed on top here.
P.S: I'd like to include Lukas Brun and Edeaux de Serpentwine. Sadly, I need to sleep soon. Hopefully, I can start doing a similar post for the next arc. Not that the first one is finished, though.
Add P.S: To prove that I'm not being homophobic by excluding the two homosexual characters, let me point out that the likes of Catterm Leen, Torve Mowbray, and Garev Southgate are not in this post as well.
Final P.S: Just a couple of vids. One is a BGM, the other an actual song.
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