Faith Kindred

A band of trusty renegades! I would give anything for one of those at my beck and call. (Not). Haha!
For myself, I have to admit I like my villains to come in all different shapes and sizes and types. I don’t think I have a definitive favorite to either read about or write about— just so long as it is well written, and by that I mean is both…[Read more]

What a large question. You had a good example of how we might show the decline of a man. The one thing missing though is what happened to him afterwards. We know what brought him to where he is, but we don’t really know where he is. Let us assume though that the conscience which plagued him led him to continue to uphold those noble causes which,…[Read more]

Good thoughts. What are some good ways to actually show this in the story, instead of giving it to your reader in so many words?
Say we have a number one type villain— the one who thought his original actions were justifiable, and did not notice when he slipped farther and farther into evil. We could tell the reader that such was the case, but…[Read more]

I think the major thing is to show that they are inconsistent. Even if they do appear almost honorable, it must be apparent that their morality comes from a false sense of justice which has come forth from their own imagination. There are at least two ways to do this. First, your villain could legitimately think that he is doing the best thing…[Read more]

You had no idea your introductory post would turn into such a deep and touching discussion, did you Daniel?

I’d have to agree. There’s something very specially human about those kinds of villains. It’s like you can almost relate to them— you can look at them, and you can see sometimes that they may at one time, at one point, have had a chance to be good men— and they could have done it, too, if they had only tried a little harder. Sometimes you are…[Read more]

I like the very refined villain. The one you could almost respect or honor. One with great self control, but internal fire. A man who’s morals conflict but who manages not to seem hypocritical by some unexplainable power.

Unless it was top notch chainmail and just a so and so axe, but otherwise, yes.

I think a battleaxe, if held in the right hands, could penetrate almost any form of armor. It would actually be easier, I think, for a battleaxe to penetrate hard armor because there is solid resistance and something very substantial to cut, but if the blow struck on the mail covered leather shirt was not a glancing blow I think it would…[Read more]

Okay, that’s great. I was just curious. I’m attached to the name myself now, having come to know him, after a fashion, but I wondered how it fit. You’re right. A Britisher definitely would not sound well clothed in an Italian name. 🙂
It’s funny, now that I think about it. I don’t think I could write an Italian story either. For some reason I also…[Read more]

It struck me just now that the time period of the plot is actually enlightenment, not renaissance. The reason my character has a British sounding name is that he is British. I can relate more to them than to Italians. All things considered, I think the name just fine.

Daeus, you said this was a Renaissance era story? Is Edwin, and especially Brook, a name you would expect to find in that era? When I think of the Renaissance, I think of names like Michelangelo Buanerotti, and Botticelli, and Machiavelli, and Savanarola— Italian names. Does this story not take place in Italy? How does the name fit with the era?…[Read more]

I used to think that there couldn’t be such a thing as “happily ever after”. I was tired of seeing how entertainment (books and movies etc.) were portraying happily ever after endings. After all, the typical Disney and Jane Austen “happily ever after” is never heard of in real life so it can’t be possible right? As I said, that’s what I used t…[Read more]

Yep.

Maybe a thriller, I hope so anyways. Its, well, complicated. Its somewhat of a revenge story and somewhat of a redemption story. Its somewhat of a tragedy and in a way it kind of has a happy ending depending on how you look at it. It certainly has some thriller type elements to it: bandits (three different groups), fights, assassination attempts,…[Read more]

Aristocratic and sick of it? Yes, well, kind of. Dreams of escaping? No. He binds himself to it because it is expedient for him to be there. He can better accomplish his purpose there.

What type of swords do you use? Roman short swords, broadswords, foils? (not real swords I assume)

In 1311 they would have all three. I don’t think there was ever a time when there weren’t all three, but it seems like longer swords were rarer in ancient times.

Lets just say it would have to be a very long first acquaintance.

If your’e going to use such a plot of love at first sight/acquaintance, that’s ok, but you will have to show the realistic consequences. You really can’t know very much about somebody just by seeing them.