Althea might be more badass than you think.
Chapter 18 has one of my most favorite moment in Saturnius Mons. One of the things I constantly flogged myself about while developing this idea was that Althea was always regulated to the back of the bus. Isra showed strong force of leadership, Viekko was, of course, being Viekko and even Cronus had a moment or two. But Althea always felt like the odd one out. I tried a couple of things to bring out her character more but it always seemed so forced.
But, perhaps, her rather milquetoast showing up to this point makes her resourcefulness and cunning in this moment pop a little more.
Anyway, it seemed like as good a chapter as any to talk about Althea.
Viekko was the obvious first choice of the group. Looking at the first notes I have on Althea, I feel like I was trying to craft essentially Viekko's opposite. Where Viekko is brash and charismatic, Althea is reserved and cautious. Where Viekko is often considered rough and 'uncivilized', Althea is cultured and refined. Viekko's primary function within the group is to hurt people while Althea is there to save people.
And yet they share something that essentially makes them the two sides of the same coin. They are both, at heart, outsiders. They expend a lot of energy to gain acceptance and support from their respective communities but most often backfires. While this is much more apparent in Viekko right now, Althea's story is and remains a little less known. At least for now.
Most of those qualities have continued into the character in this version but, as I read my old notes, I never intended for there to be any romantic interest between them. To the contrary in my orgininal concept both came across as loners who, having been burned in relationships more than once, had largely opted out of anything romantic.
I can't pinpoint the exact moment that I started to entertain the idea that there could be something between them but it almost feels inevitable that they would. Plus, having their histories and interests intertwined started to create a fun internal conflict that adds another layer of complexity to the story.
As I mention in the dedication to the book, my wife Kari provided a lot of inspiration for Althea as I started to develop her. Althea's deep almost maternal caring toward, not only people in her immediate group, but to the world at large comes directly from my wife. Sprinkle in a little regretful ennui from Cowboy Bebop's Julia and the nerdy, utilitarian resourcefulness of Firefly's Kayle and you get the beautiful, brilliant doctor from Britannia who's story is just starting to be told....
....
See what I did there? ....
With the elipses?
It creates tentions....
....
....
So much tention!
...
But, perhaps, her rather milquetoast showing up to this point makes her resourcefulness and cunning in this moment pop a little more.
Anyway, it seemed like as good a chapter as any to talk about Althea.
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| Original concept art for Althea as generated by HeroMachine |
And yet they share something that essentially makes them the two sides of the same coin. They are both, at heart, outsiders. They expend a lot of energy to gain acceptance and support from their respective communities but most often backfires. While this is much more apparent in Viekko right now, Althea's story is and remains a little less known. At least for now.
Most of those qualities have continued into the character in this version but, as I read my old notes, I never intended for there to be any romantic interest between them. To the contrary in my orgininal concept both came across as loners who, having been burned in relationships more than once, had largely opted out of anything romantic.
I can't pinpoint the exact moment that I started to entertain the idea that there could be something between them but it almost feels inevitable that they would. Plus, having their histories and interests intertwined started to create a fun internal conflict that adds another layer of complexity to the story.
As I mention in the dedication to the book, my wife Kari provided a lot of inspiration for Althea as I started to develop her. Althea's deep almost maternal caring toward, not only people in her immediate group, but to the world at large comes directly from my wife. Sprinkle in a little regretful ennui from Cowboy Bebop's Julia and the nerdy, utilitarian resourcefulness of Firefly's Kayle and you get the beautiful, brilliant doctor from Britannia who's story is just starting to be told....
....
See what I did there? ....
With the elipses?
It creates tentions....
....
....
So much tention!
...
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