So, I changed my mind << I'll be doing the post today. I've had a difficult time waking up, my head's been rather pounding, and tomorrow I have to go back to work. Le D:.
I've spent the majority of my week off trying to de-stress, which basically required de-caffeining. As much as I know that caffeine's a depression-inducing substance for me, it's hard to stay away.
Oh well. Life goes on.
As per tradition, week 3's post is all about how the character came to be. Now let's see if I can remember XD
Eglen: Origin Story
Originally, Eglen was meant to be some sort of villain. As I recall, and as I've mentioned, my Rp partner had begun creating a race of Elves and working out some of the specifics. One such specific we got to discussing is that there was a royal family and some events which I've unfortunately forgotten, and we came to the conclusion that there was a traitor -the advisor- who would get executed eventually for treason because logic. And I figured: hey, I don't have that many truly evil characters (one in particular I'm sure I'll discuss down the line), could be fun! The character kind of created itself; he had only a nickname for a while, Eggy (resulting in the fact I dubbed his hair to be eggplant purple colour), and a basic personality of evil and treachery.
And then things evolved from there. The most important thing I figured out about him was that he could shift shapes, that he possessed telekinetic powers and, as mentioned, that he was treacherous and dangerous. What I hadn't seen coming is that this character would possess a kind side: he adores animals, specifically the horse he had during his youth, and to a lesser degree this horse's daughter (because nobody can replace your one and only friend). When I discovered this, the character kept evolving in an unexpected way: yes, he was treacherous, and a murderer, and had no respect for the living (except for animals)... but he was more than that. He was actually loyal. How can a traitor be loyal? In those days, we'd figured there was a war between races, and that he was an instigator for it... but he instigated this war because it was the King's desire to be at war. Eglen was loyal, in his treacherous ways, to this King - and this fact took on even stronger proportions as I rewrote his history post-Rp.
To be fair: the majority of his story stayed the same. I don't remember every single detail of his Rp life, but I know I kept everything that felt right, and scrapped every shitplot my Rp partner put my character, and myself, through. Yes, I suppose I'm still angry about this. It's not so much the fact those 'plots' were in some cases downright disgusting; it's the fact my partner had an obsession with my character, one I still don't quite understand to this day, that not only felt as though they were doing their best to try and break my character (and me? I dunno), but this obsession was such that Eglen was the only character I got to Rp with. I had many others I liked, and missed (even on their side), and every time Eglen was the one I had to pull out. It certainly didn't help the friendship; this isn't what broke it, but it did make me log in as least as I could for the simple fact I knew things would revolve around the same character again and again, changing things here and there, in this quest for a timeline that was never fully secured... and perhaps never the point, either. Except for me.
I'm actually still working on a few plotpoints in Eglen's story that need clarification but, for the most part: it's done and written in the proverbial stone. I've come to really enjoy this character, and the fact his personality is basically still the same fills me with some pride: I got it right the first time around. If it's possible, he may even be a bit crazier now XD but less evil (although, this is open for debate << I've got a few characters who'd dub him evil incarnate << XD). Eglen's evolved from a somewhat random plotpoint created to be executed (literally, we'd already agreed he'd get beheaded!) to a major character with a hard-to-define personality that takes its roots in childhood events. Rewriting his history has made me discover just how much sense he makes. And how much of a paradox he is: the loyal traitor. The homicidal caring man. And, if you can believe it: a devoted husband. Though I wouldn't want to be married to him << XD but his wife, Taelin, was kind of a bitch at times, so they got along well. As I wrote their story, I noticed (and she noticed) just how many of his traits she took over... and how little she cared about her hardening heart.
What matters however, is that these two never stopped caring about one another. They were not a perfect couple by far, and the reason Taelin fell in love with Eglen is beyond ludicrous (at some point, he was the only person she trusted... despite knowing of his treacheries and murders!)... and this is why I love this love story. Everything happened against the odds. Against better judgment. And against logic, as they followed their hearts.
And the epilogue of their story is why I want Eglen to get a chance to redeem himself for everything he's done. He'll be getting the chance; I just don't know whether he'll take it.
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