First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Grace Shin (90)

Project: Short story (Zones)

Known as: No nicknames

Real name: Grace Shin

Group affiliation: Clients (while under contract)

Physical description: Grace is fit with short black hair. She is fairly nondescript – no features that particularly stand out; not notably attractive nor unattractive. She likes it that way (it helps in her work), so she also dresses specifically not to draw attention (though long coats might be worn a bit more commonly than for most to help conceal tools of the trade).

Personality: Grace is calm under pressure and very fair and professional with her clients. She often seems without emotion and her code of professional conduct drives her behavior more often than compassion or the like (in fact, she is known to do dirty deeds – just not dirt cheap). What most people who interact with her don’t know is that she is depressed and somewhat suicidal.

History: Grace was born to a single mother deep in the unregulated zone of New Jersey. Her mother was resourceful and careful and wanted the best for Grace. She managed to get Grace into a school in a regulated zone and was relentless with Grace about Grace bettering herself. She helped Grace make sure that Grace was never recorded misbehaving (perhaps contributing to Grace being very rule-focused as an adult). Grace was exceptional in many ways, and she eventually earned an extremely rare opportunity: she attended a gated zone university.

While at university, Grace’s mother was killed. To this day, Grace suspects her mother in fact sacrificed herself to eliminate Grace’s last connection to the unregulated zone. Yet Grace did not fit in in the gated zone. She simply could not relate to those who grew up in the gated zone and they were most certainly prejudiced against her.

Ever the survivor, Grace played the hand she was dealt to the best of her abilities. The leaders in gated zones sometimes needed fixers, known as Crossers, that would enter the other zones and represent them. Those in gated zones were largely safe from harm and could run their factories/business with workers from other zones remotely. However, sometimes a physical presence was needed to make sure things ran smoothly. Other times in zones where laws were rarely (regulated zones) or virtually never (unregulated zones) enforced, a very decisive (and permanent) message might need to be delivered to those who sought to harm a gated zoner’s business interests. The best candidates for this lived in the gated zone (so they could be protected from reprisal and would have greater loyalty to the gated zoners) but were willing to cross into the other zones (which many gated zoners were not interested in doing). Hence, “Crossers.”

Grace is arguably the best Crosser in the business. Having grown up in an unregulated zone, she knows how to get things done (and survive) there. Her resourcefulness is combined with her gated zoner education and resources. Finally, she is the rare breed that can religiously follow the rules in the gated zone but be willing to get her hands dirty elsewhere. Yet she has enemies everywhere (gated zoners looking for the excuse to get her kicked out; people who want her head in the other zones).

In the short story, our day would begin with someone trying to assault her in a gated zone (the assailant will be neutralized immediately by the defense systems). Her personal AI (Allie) will remind her that her rent is due by the end of the day or she will be evicted from the zone (with extreme prejudice). Fortunately, she will be going to a job interview in the unregulated zone.

The interview will take an odd turn. The interviewer will be in a secure space (e.g., behind bullet proof glass). The interviewer will also be extremely obnoxious and off-putting. Once Grace establishes that the interview is not related to, nor has real leverage over, her potential employer she’ll realize that this isn’t an interview. Rather it is a test – Grace will need to dispatch the interviewer despite the protections he has. She will succeed in doing so and will in fact be offered a contract to begin next month.

Returning to the gated zone, Allie will begin a countdown until eviction. Guns and other gated defenses will automatically take aim at Grace. At the last moment, Grace will tell Allie to transfer her rent funds from her account. It turns out that this particular contract is not make or break for Grace – she has plenty of money in her account. Allie will recommend (as she has many times before) that Grace enable automatic fund transfers to avoid this situation in the future. Grace will decline – and say that she’ll discuss it with Allie in a month (Grace is using this as a monthly opportunity to decide if she wants to continue to live).

Role in the narrative: Grace is our protagonist in a dark and grim dystopian future.

Abilities: She is smart and in control. She is great with weapons, espionage, and sabotage. She is good at problem solving and taking the most direct route (she wouldn’t cut the Gordian knot with a sword, she’s just pull out whatever it was tied to hold). She’s the best there is at what she does – her only real limiting factor is that she’s not sure how long she wants to go on.

Inspirations: Some pretty well-traveled space here. Megaoplises with unconventional law enforcement can be found in Judge Dredd. Dystopias with growing unfairness between classes include Elysium, 1984, Brave New World, and many more. There is a lot of Escape from New York here. Olivia Pope is an example of a fixer (though she is way more passionate than Grace), the Wolf from Pulp Fiction is reflected in Grace, and there is some Sarah Conner and Ripley toughness there.

First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Tangela O’Sullivan (89)

Project: Web series (Driving to school)

Known as: Tange

Real name: Tangela O’Sullivan

Group affiliation: Sophia’s carpool

Physical description: Tange is 16 with long, curly red hair. She is skinny and often sits in unusual positions (she studies yoga and often crosses her legs and so forth in situations where others typically wouldn’t – like riding in the car). She likes tassels and bangles and so forth, so her design style can come off bohemian sometimes.

Personality: Tange is curious and optimistic. She is very nice, although it is not out of a need for acceptance and approval. She is very comfortable in her own skin and in fact is introverted in the sense that she finds herself to often be her best company. She loves Sophia and Alejandro and is perfectly happy that she is usually having her own side-conversation in the back seat.

History: Tange is Sophia’s neighbor and they have been friends for a long time. Tange is artistic and hopes to go into graphic design and her greatest joy is in creating things. Her parents run a local insurance firm, so she stands out a bit in her family as the creative one (her brothers are both in college and both majored in math). They named her “Tangela” after her maternal grandmother (who is Angela), and just decided to add a letter to avoid name confusion (they had no idea there was a Pokemon with the same name). Tange loves her name for its uniqueness.

She also holds an unusual spot in Sophia’s carpool. Where Alejandro (the provocateur) and Sophia (the level-headed realist) frequently verbally spar back and forth, Tange usually finds a single aspect of the conversation most interesting and almost talks to herself. She says things that the other two might not even respond to, only to answer herself a little later. For example, if Alejandro starts a conversation on recycling, he and Sophia may ultimately end up discussing morality. Meanwhile, Tange takes a shine to how people have built houses out of bottles and other creative reuse of materials. She’ll look things up on her phone, share factoids she finds interesting and so forth while Alejandro and Sophia may or may not even respond (usually they don’t).

It’s debatable which conversation is ultimately the most interesting; the active one between Sophia and Alejandro or the more fun, light-hearted conversation Tange is having with herself. The hope for the writer is that often Tange will have the answer Sophia and Alejandro might be seeking without the front seat knowing it.

Role in the narrative: Tange provides a counter-point to the conversations that Alejandro and Sophia are having. She is meant to be a reminder that as much as we can get swept into debate, there is usually a more playful take on the whole thing.

Abilities: She can draw, she’s really good with the Adobe suite, and she is smart.

Inspirations: Tange is what made me write up this project. These three characters have been comparatively thin vs. most of the others I’ve written in the 100 days project. This is because the plot isn’t the point – this is just a series of scenes with young people having discussions. I thought there was comedic potential in having a person solo pursuing whatever she found most interesting in the conversation. Also, I think she might often have the right of it, as Alejandro and Sophia sometimes get caught up in the debating and lose perspective. I named her Tange/Tangela for “tangent.” I suppose her inspiration comes from Greek choruses.

First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Alejandro Flores (88)

Project: Web series (Driving to school)

Known as: No nicknames

Real name: Alejandro Flores

Group affiliation: Sophia’s carpool

Physical description: Alejandro is 16 with brown skin, dark eyes, and longish, thick black hair. He is good-looking and usually has a smirk on his face and a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

Personality: Alejandro is an extrovert and stimulus seeker. He has issues sitting still in class and he does not like quiet. To the extrovert point, he gets lonely easily and doesn’t like to be by himself. As a result, he isn’t the sort to bury his nose in his phone or use headphones to keep the world out. Instead, he’s the sort to like to play music on speakers, dance with people, and easily strikes up conversations with strangers. He has strong social skills but gets bored if things stay too cordial or mellow and likes to stir things up. He’s the sort that if a group of people all agree with him on an issue, he’ll argue the other side to stir the pot. He’s not a bad guy but has some growing up to do (he only realizes the harm he sometimes causes well after the fact; and sometimes needs Sophia to explain it). He is a loyal friend and would give Sophia or Tange the shirt off his back.

History: Alejandro met Sophia in pre-school. Alejandro was always popular with other kids but only Sophia tended to keep up with him intellectually. The fact that she is usually even-tempered, and calm might seem like it wouldn’t match well with Alejandro but in reality, he finds her interesting and challenging. She is also an ideal friend as she understands him better than most and is therefore less likely to misunderstand his intentions and is quicker to forgive than some others.

Alejandro’s family is middle-class and Alejandro himself lacks the focus to hold down a job. So, he gratefully accepts rides to school from his best friend. He’s an average student, though very smart. He has a tremendous knowledge of whatever has tripped his fancy but is less interested in things he is directed to learn. He will go to college most definitely undeclared and will likely choose based upon climate or party-school status.

He will be the driver of conversation on rides to school and won’t allow silence to linger for too long.

Role in the narrative: Alejandro is the pot-stirrer that will take unpopular opinions for the sake of conversation. By the way, Alejandro and Sophia are best friends – no romance is brewing there.

Abilities: He’s smart, a smooth talker, charismatic, and has a gift for getting under people’s skins.

Inspirations: There is a little Ferris Beuler in Alejandro.

First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Sophia Wilson (87)

Project: Web series (Driving to school)

Known as: Soph

Real name: Sophia Wilson

Group affiliation: Her carpool

Physical description: Sophia is 16 and has smooth, dark brown skin. She dresses in jeans a typically a band t-shirt (most of the time you haven’t heard of the band).

Personality: Sophia is smart and practical. She has her own car to drive to school because she worked and saved and she is among the most responsible teenagers you will ever meet. Level-headed and patient, she strikes some as a little straight-laced and boring. Her friendship with Alejandro seems counter intuitive on the surface.

History: Sophia is the kind of person every parent would want as their offspring. Good student, dutiful, calm and with purpose (she plans to be a neurosurgeon). She has a very responsible and mature boyfriend (James; another child every parent would want). In addition to high school, she does charity work and has a job at a local record store (she is very much into music; she just isn’t the rebellious cliché as a result). She saved up and has her own (humble) car and gives her two best friends (Alejandro and Tange) a ride to school every day.

During their drive to school, they have interesting and sometimes bizarre conversations (usually Alejandro gets them started). These conversations range from the trivial (how much one should pay for shoes) to the important (drugs and politics) to the unclassifiable (Alejandro once asked if ancient Greeks would been offended by the expression “By Zeus’s balls”). Sophia tends to be the reasonable/rational one; Alejandro the provocateur, and Tange usually has a conversation all to herself in the back seat.

Role in the narrative: Sophia is our level-headed character in an ongoing series of scenes..

Abilities: Sophia is very smart, very responsible, and an excellent driver.

Inspirations: Not sure on this one. I just have an idea for a group of teenagers chatting on a car. I’m sure that the Breakfast Club likely laid the mental groundwork for this one.

First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Amber Duforet (86)

Project: Fantasy novel series (Mask of Names)

Known as: Many aliases; often goes by “Amber Tunesmith” currently

Real name: Amber Duforet

Group affiliation: None (loyal to family)

Physical description: Amber is in her early 40ies with an athletic build. She has short blond hair and very light blue eyes.

Personality: Amber is complex. She is a talented actress and is most commonly playing some sort of role. She often uses the vain and flighty bard persona as it causes people to underestimate her. She also has a stern and devout persona, a sad and helpless one, and more. This means that only a very few know the true Amber. At her core she is calm and in-control.

History: Amber lost her parents at a young age and grew up on the streets of the capital. She made a home at the local thieves’ guild and rose through the ranks of pick pocket to burglar. She dreamed of being more than urchin and thief, however, and managed to find a mentor among the sages who was willing to give her informal education (first for literacy, but later for history and politics). As a young woman, she set her sights to impersonation and grifting, feeling that her skills would help her fleece the underserving nobles (or perhaps marry into a noble family).

That was disrupted when she met Gregory Duforet at a social event. Handsome and gallant, she was immediately smitten with him (the feeling was mutual). They found each other challenging and strange. Gregory was every bit the rule-following paladin, where Amber had a more pragmatic view of the world. Amber was startled to find that Gregory could tell when she was acting, and immediately challenged her on her background story of being from a minor (and remote) noble family. Gregory, meanwhile, was startled to find that he found such a non-traditional woman so attractive. She was simply quicker of wit and more unpredictable than any woman he ever met.

Their courtship was a complex one. She was not one to be left behind, so she often followed Gregory and surreptitiously assisted him on missions (much to his chagrin). Meanwhile, she showed him the people in the capital who suffered, and they worked together to improve their circumstances. The order was unlikely to improve a union with a woman of such low station, but Gregory saw her true goodness and nobility. Ultimately Gregory got special approval to marry her.

Gregory went on a mission when Amber was pregnant and could not come along. He died on the mission and was named a betrayer. Amber suspected a political plot in the order and worried that his comrades believed him a betrayer in part because of his choice of spouse. Amber fled the capital with their newborn child as soon as she was able.

To try to give her son a chance to grow without judgement, she stayed on the frontier of the kingdom (where communities did not often have Name Stones). Making her way as a bard, she also gathered information as she could about her husband’s final mission. A former paladin, now mercenary, and friend of Gregory helped her in this.

Gracen proved to strongly favor his father and Amber was comforted to see Gregory in him. She had hoped at some level that Gracen might not choose the paladin’s path, but it was obvious from an early age that he would. It is with some trepidation that she brings Gracen to the academy, knowing that the world is grayer than her son realizes. Still, this gave her an opportunity to focus on uncovering the truth about her husband’s death.

Role in the narrative: She is a second protagonist. While Graden is at the academy, her efforts to investigate the circumstances of her husband’s death will be a parallel story.

Abilities: She is a talented singer and lute player (enough that she can make a living for herself and her son). She has an encyclopedic knowledge of songs, geography, and history. She is a gifted actor and is skilled at manipulating people. She’s also a cat burglar and is pretty much a Swiss army knife of a person.

Inspirations: I’d love to do the sort of epic fantasy where Amber is the protagonist of a story that hasn’t been told yet. The best epic fantasy stories always feel like the author came up with a great story and then told the story after that (I still need to come up with a really great story for Amber and Graden’s father). The agile female thief is a trope at this point (e.g., Catwoman, Black Cat) and the female bard nearly is as well (the Lackey books, Pern books, etc.). Now that I’ve written the profile above, I might want to redo the character at some point. Perhaps a little too trope. Plus, Weasel was designed to be Graden’s moral foil; having his mother be that as well might be overkill (especially since she raised Graden alone).

First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Weasel (85)

Project: Fantasy novel series (Mask of Names)

Known as: Weasel

Real name: Boman Gelfand Kansley

Group affiliation: Student of Justitia Academy; Prince of Callum

Physical description: Weasel is 17 but small for his age. When we meet him, he is wearing his mask of a weasel (masks are magical amulets students of the academy are required to wear that conceal their identity; it both masks their voice and gives them the appearance of having the head of their assigned animal).

Personality: Weasel is intelligent and observant. He frequently notices things that others miss. He is very practical and pragmatic and is unusually cynical for his age. He does have goals and wants to do good in the world, it’s just that he feels like the latitude he can take in accomplishing those goals is fairly great given the world is fundamentally unfair anyway. He likes a relatively few number of people but those he does like he is extremely loyal to (oddly, he considers this a weakness). He is dangerously close to a total “ends justify the means” life view but could be influenced to be better.

History: Graden joins the academy and is excited about many of its policies. To him, the requirement to wear a mask amulet and conceal identities means that everyone is judged on their character and deeds (especially important to him once he finds out part of his name is “son of a betrayer”). The chance for his name to be cleared and only have his academy accomplishments attached to his name on graduation also feels fair to him. When he is assigned to be Viper he believes it is through random assignment. Finally, he was asked to swear on an Oath Stone (a new, more advanced version of the Name Stone). This stone compels the user to obey whatever they swear when using it. Graden, always one to stick to his word anyway, looks forward to a time when others are held to the same standard (the oaths for the academy include not revealing your identity directly, or performing actions that will reveal your identity).

Early in his education he intervened in a group of students having an altercation. Lion, Eagle, and Bear were ganging up on Weasel and Graden found the odds unfair. Though they were skilled fighters (especially Lion), the group was unprepared for Graden and he managed to outright defeat or dissuade them all. Weasel ended up attaching himself to Graden (Viper).

Graden felt a little trapped. He assumed Weasel needed Graden’s protection but felt he perhaps was excluded from his proper peer group due to his association with Weasel. Graden’s code of behavior would not allow him to abandon Weasel, however. Graden also found Weasel very odd and sometimes disquieting. Weasel seemed to enjoy questioning fundamental truths which were core to Graden’s belief system.

Weasel had a very different perspective on their dynamic. He felt Graden actually got more from their friendship as Weasel was very knowledgeable and intelligent and often helped Graden in his coursework. Also, Weasel did not in fact attach himself to Graden for protection (he felt he could take care of himself or could simply suffer through when he couldn’t). Instead, Weasel found Graden fascinating in his goodness. Weasel had heard of fundamentally decent people but doubted their existence. Weasel’s questioning of Graden’s beliefs was actually more of an exploration of Graden’s psyche (even the cynical Weasel began to admire Graden’s inherent goodness).

Still, Weasel also found Graden very naïve and certainly disagreed with Graden about the virtuousness of the academy. Weasel did not believe that the assignment of animals were random nor that they accomplished the goal of ensuring judgement without prejudice. As example, he noted that Graden’s judgment of him was likely influenced by him being a “weasel” (and that people had views based on Graden being a “viper”). For that matter, Weasel is confident he knows the identity of sever of the students. Weasel also found the Oath Stone abhorrent. To him, an oath that people were forced to follow had no nobility, and the worst sin against a person was restricting their free will.

Despite their differences (or perhaps because of) they became fast friends. Graden began to notice that Weasel often risked himself for Graden’s benefit; and while Graden wondered if Weasel had the proper moral code he could never fault his friendship. Weasel for his part believed Graden was the rarest of people – truly decent and principled.

Their friendship (and at times, enmity) will serve as a major element in the series. Some things that might happen:

• Graden will be troubled when some of Weasel’s cleverness is of questionable morals (even though the outcome is positive).
• They will have a complicated relationship with a third (Fox). Weasel will be in love with her.
• Weasel will win one on one combat with Lion by manipulation of the Oath Stone. At the beginning of combat, Weasel will say he suspects Lion’s identity and that a close-up review of Lion’s fighting style will confirm it. As Lion cannot perform and act that would reveal his identity, this statement will be enough to make Lion unable to defend himself and Weasel win easily. This will cause a major break between Graden and Weasel, as Graden finds this tremendously dishonorable (Weasel, for his part, believes it is unfair that someone like Lion can challenge someone like him to physical combat when they are so obviously mismatched).
• Graden will be stunned when he learns Weasel is the prince of a smaller, disadvantaged kingdom (they have a rival group of extraordinary warriors known as the Rangers). This will not happen until graduation.
• Graden will also be crushed when he (Graden) gets some unfair additions to his name at graduation.
• Their reunification will come when Weasel (now Boman) willingly adds “Friend of Graden” to his name. Graden will swear fealty to Boman, setting up the rest of the series.
• Boman cares passionately about his kingdom and ensuring it’s security and posterity. This may ultimate draw the friends into war.

Role in the narrative: Foil and friend to Graden. Together they will be used to explore principles vs. pragmatism; methods and outcomes; duty and free will.

Abilities: Physically, not many (he is a talented archer, however; he chooses not to reveal this at the academy, as he never likes to give up an advantage; Graden finds this befuddling and deceptive). Mentally he is very gifted. He learns and retains information very well and is deeply thoughtful. He notices things others do not and is gifted enough at spellcraft he could have choosen to be a mage (Graden expected Weasel would – as Graden didn’t know Weasel was a prince).

Inspirations: Lex Luthor in Smallville. He’s a character who feels like he might be a good friend or two away from being a good guy (but he could go either way). I’ve watched a few documentaries on wrongfully convicted people which is what I’m mining for ideas for the downsides to using Name Stones and Mask Amulets. What people believe about you is a more powerful force than the “truth” often times. Many might compare Weasel to Harmoine, but their only similarities are intelligence and skill (Harmoine is way less morally ambiguous than Weasel can be at times).

First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Switching to a new project. Another fantasy series: Mask of Names. Read an overview on the character index page.

Graden Duforet (84)

Project: Fantasy novel series (Mask of Names)

Known as: No nicknames

Real name: Graden Duforet

Group affiliation: Student of Justitia Academy

Physical description: Graden is 17 at the start of the story. However, he is already an impressive physical specimen, standing 6’2” with 250lbs of muscle. He is handsome in a chiseled-from-granite sort of way but is nearly always serious and intense in expression.

Personality: Graden is serious and devout and always has been. He has great compassion for other people but doesn’t always connect well. He is a little too fast to remind others of the rules and largely lacks a sense of humor. His nobility is manifest, however, and even those who don’t want to be around him admire him.

History: Graden grew up moving from town to town with his mother (who was ostensibly a bard). She regaled him with stories of his father, a Paladin of Solus. Brave and virtuous, Graden had a strong influence on Graden even though he was no longer alive. One story his mother was evasive on, however, was exactly how his father died. All she would say was that he died heroically though others would claim otherwise.

They tended to stay to small towns and little did Graden know that this was to avoid any community with a Name Stone. A Name Stone is a magical item that could force someone to reveal his or her true name just by contact. For the elite and criminals their most relevant deeds were included with their name. In this way those deserving special consideration (positive or negative) could be identified by the authorities. Of course, if new crimes were committed or new deeds performed, the authorities could add this using the Name Stone as well. Though most assumed that the details provided via Name Stone were true, in reality they were merely consistent. Each Name Stone forced the user to tell what the authorities had attached to their names. The truth lay in whether the authorities were correct, or moral, when the deed is attached.

Graden enjoyed seeing the world but frequently spent time with the religious leader or best swordsperson in a community. He had every intention of following in his father’s footsteps and strived to be both noble and the finest swordsperson the world had ever known. His focus and dedication were remarkable, and his mother often tried to get him to enjoy life more. He could be distracted by suggesting he could serve their current community in some way. He frequently helped families with chores, helped in building, and looked forward to the day when he might use martial prowess to stop some evil.

The latter often amused the adults around him, but he was preternatural in his skill with a sword, and there were a few times that he showed the kind of superhuman abilities the Paladins were reputed to have (e.g., he once lifted a broken wagon off a trapped person). He soon hit a point where no one in the small communities could teach him more of sword or gods either one. His mother taught him to fight with a staff (she was exceptional) but could not teach him the sword. Sometimes a mercenary friend of his mother’s would meet them and teach Graden (though this man could only stand Graden’s suggestions for his moral improvement for so long).

The time came when Graden was old enough to enter Justitia Academy. A school for the elite, as a son of a former Paladin Graden was allowed to attend. To confirm his identity, he would need to use the Name Stone. His mother warned him his name would include that he was the son of a betrayer. This was hard for Graden to hear, though his mother reassured him that it was not true.

In that moment, Graden gained a new life goal in addition to becoming a paladin. He was going to prove his father’s innocence.

Role in the narrative: Protagonist.

Abilities: He’s got a great tactical mind and unshakeable faith. He is a truly gifted swordsperson and better than most with about any weapon he picks up. At times, he is super human. It will be revealed that he had magical ability, though he can barely do any spellwork at the academy. This is because his magic has been bound to his body, enabling exceptional speed, strength, and more. Usually binding magic takes years of specific study as a paladin, but Graden has done it instinctively.

Inspirations: Sheesh – where to start? The reader’s mind might have gone to Harry Potter, which would be fair for the academy part. However, given the Wizard of Earthsea was read much earlier in my life, it may be more that. The heroic knight-errand theme came from King Arthur and the like, and while I’d like to claim it was my knowledge of history that led to “paladins,” let’s face it, it was D&D. There will be some Tolkein, Game of Thrones, and who knows what other books I’ve loved. For a guy who tried to wear his inspirations on his sleeve, I imagine this one will seem derivative even for me. Even the Name Stone concept sprung from pondering RFID chips in Skylanders.

First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Harmony Trup (83)

Project: Film (Four Part Harmony)

Known as: No nicknames

Real name: Harmony Trup

Group affiliation: None

Physical description: Harmony was tall and willowy with long amber hair. She had an ethereal quality and a quirky fashion sense.

Personality: Harmony saw the joy in nearly every situation. She found the world to be a wonderous place and discovered something new and exciting every day. She loved people and had a knack for seeing their hidden potential. She was a true free spirit and did what she thought was best whether it followed the rules or not. A muse made flesh, she tended to inspire people to try new things.

History: Relatively little is known about Harmony’s past as she didn’t share overly much. She neither thought much of the past nor worried about the future. She often shared stories from her mother (e.g., that they were descended from the fae) but would then point out her mother was delusional and living in an institution. Her father was a mild man who loved his daughter and would take her on any adventure they could afford (which was quite a bit, since Harmony could find adventure in about anything).

She was never a serious student but was beloved by all. Her recommendations from her teachers made up for any shortcomings in her academic record. She went to Ohio State with a thought to be an art teacher but that was just a moment in time. In the course of her first semester she also decided to be a doctor, botanist, and fashion designer. The challenge was that she was being exposed to so many different things at university and found wonder in them all.

She decided to join Angie’s singing group despite never having seriously tried to sing (it turns out she was good at it). To her, it wasn’t about the singing anyway. She just intuitively realized that this group of women needed one another. And once Harmony realized something it had a way of happening. She was a cheery sort of tenacious and simply believed what was obvious to her would be manifest to others. If that meant she had to challenge their assumptions a bit, so be it.

She honestly loved all the women of the group. She was impressed with Angie and knew Angie would succeed at whatever Angie put her mind to. She though Sara Jane was a dam of unrealized potential just waiting to break. She was fascinated by Adria and wanted to understand why one of the more blessed of people thought she needed to wear a mask. She was not surprised when Adria made a pass at Harmony but was sadden when Adria couldn’t see they wouldn’t be a good match (not because Harmony was not gay but because they each needed someone more grounded).

When the group fell apart it was the first real challenge to Harmony’s view that something she thought was meant to be would be. Impulsively (as if she had another mode) she began touring with a band as a backup singer (she never finished school). Through a series of many adventures she saw the world and touched many people. After a while she found herself drawn home, met Casey, and they had a great life together.

As little as Harmony thought of the past, her three friends from her singing group were often on her mind. When she was diagnosed, she decided that she would bring them together again. This led to her funeral and unusual requests.

Two more surprises. First, her request to Angie will just be a reassurance that Angie is OK and she always has been. So Harmony’s request to Angie will be a “selfish” one: that the ladies sing together one more time and scatter her ashes from the top of the dorm (they will hit some students and get some “what the hell is this?” comments).

The last surprise is that one portion of Harmony was reserved for Casey. Minimally Casey and Adria will become friends.

Role in the narrative: She’s the hub the whole wheel turns on.

Abilities: She’s pretty good at whatever she tries. She is extremely intuitive and insightful and good at motivating people.

Inspirations: I suppose there is a bit of the “magical person helps the protagonist” trope here (Spike Lee had one term for this that I won’t mention here; and Harmony would not be African American to avoid that negative version of the trope).

First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Sheldon (82)

Project: Film (Four Part Harmony)

Known as: No nicknames

Real name: Sheldon

Group affiliation: None

Physical description: Sheldon is in his mid-sixties and handsome. His hair is short, gray, and receding and he wears round wire-rimmed glasses.

Personality: Sheldon is calm and laconic. He’s the rock that can be counted on when chaos hits.

History: Sheldon is an accountant who met Angie at work. She was impressed by his accuracy, worth ethic, and principles (he very matter-of-factly refused to fudge numbers when asked to by another executive). She also loved that he was not at all intimidated by her and admired that she was generally unable to get a rise out of him. Plus, she thought he was the most unobtrusively handsome man she had ever seen and fell for him.

They became partners in love and business. They were happily married, and Sheldon did the accounting for Angie’s nonprofit. Angie was the leader and driving force, while Sheldon injected some realistic limitations while always supporting his wife.

When Angie gets called to Harmony’s funeral, she goes without Sheldon. After her anxiety starts to build around what Harmony has in store for Angie after Sara Jane’s instructions make it clear that Harmony has plans to change their lives, Angie makes a phone call to someone for reassurance but tells the person they don’t need to come. The next day she comes back to her hotel room and finds Sheldon there reading a book. She issues a monolog that opens with berating him for coming, moves to how Harmony is such a disruptive force, changes to her worry for Sara Jane, evolves to her own anxieties around what Harmony might due to her, and ends with her laying down next to Sheldon and laying her head on his shoulder. He won’t say a word, but this scene will establish he is her rock and she is glad he came.

Role in the narrative: Supporting character. Given Angie presents such a strong front to others, I might need a character she can be vulnerable around for the viewer to get at her inner anxieties.

Abilities: Sheldon is a kick-butt accountant and level-headed dude.

Inspirations: Here’s a more obscure one – Along Came Polly. Ben Stiller’s character’s father seems like a solid dude who doesn’t say anything until the end.

First time at this blog? Check out Home for details on the project and the Character Index for more of an overview of the characters.

Casey Carlyle (81)

Project: Film (Four Part Harmony)

Known as: No nicknames

Real name: Casey Carlyle

Group affiliation: None

Physical description: Casey is in her early 40ies and very attractive. Long reddish-blond hair (usually in a braid) and an athletic build. She dresses casually.

Personality: Casey is bookish, intelligent, serious and reserved. She also has a steely resolve (downright stubborn) once she has made her mind up about something. She is slow to make friends but very loyal to the ones she makes.

History: Casey was born and raised in Columbus, discovered reading at an early age, and has never looked back. Her mother was a history professor at Ohio State and her father owned a bookstore. She ultimately followed in both their footsteps – earning her PhD in history and inheriting her father’s store (she teaching as an adjunct). Her dissertation was a reflection on the history of publishing and she is a premiere expert in rare books.

She met Harmony when she (Casey) was still young – 22 and a recent college graduate. Harmony was on her 12^th or so career as a yoga instructor. It was love at first sight, though on the surface they seemed mismatched. Harmony remained a free spirit while Casey was as serious as 22-year-olds come. Casey ended up the “grown up” in the relationship so neither worried too much about Harmony technically being older. Like many great love stories they were more complete together; Casey gave Harmony stability while Harmony challenged Casey out of her routine. They moved in and spent a happy 20 years together.

Casey was initially devastated at the loss of Harmony and delayed Harmony’s funeral for some time. Fortunately, she felt Harmony’s presence every day and her grief has begun to move towards gratitude for the time they had together. She knows she has to honor Harmony’s final wishes, including the unusual request for old college friends to help with the scattering of her remains. She will make sure it happens, regardless of how willing the participants are.

It seems her greatest challenge, and responsibility, will be Adria. Harmony hid nothing from Casey, so Casey knows what the others do not – that Harmony once gently rejected Adria and Adria has remained closeted since. Adria hates Casey, as Adria had always believed that Harmony rejected Adria because Harmony was not gay, and Casey demonstrates otherwise. So Casey sets off Adria’s buried insecurities. On the other hand, Casey may be the best person to help Adria accept herself.

Role in the narrative: Supporting character. She’s there to make sure that Harmony’s plans are enacted.

Abilities: She’s smart, down-to-earth, and tenacious.

Inspirations: There is a little bit of Rupert Giles from Buffy here.