Character Assessment: Rayne -- Ladies of Lallybroch Literary Forum

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Date Posted: 22:48:49 09/30/10 Thu
Author:

debikm
Subject: Character Assessment: Rayne
In reply to: debikm 's message, "Late homework, but homework it is!" on 11:02:55 09/23/10 Thu

She is my oldest and most beloved character, and I will probably never finish writing for her. Her story is where I've learned the most about my writing and for that I am grateful.

She inhabits a fantasy world of my own making, quasi-medieval-ish. Any questions are welcome, the world is evolving all the time too.

1. Name: Riannoch MacGhillbhrath (RAY-nock M-gill-uh-vray)
2. Character's nickname: Rayne is what she goes by, her brothers called her Raynie-May, she didn't think much of it when she was young, but missed it when she left home.
3. Sex: Female
4. Age: 12 at the beginning of the first story, 17 when she moves to the big city of Crowsport, 30's-ish when her story resumes (told you there were HUGE gaps in this story!)
5. Looks: tall, lanky, leggy, with long straight red hair, pale skin, freckles. What some would call a handsome woman rather than pretty.
6. Education: taught at the school in the village of Waterbrow near her family's farm, got lessons at home from her oldest brother and sister-in-law when there was a lot of work on the farm
7. Vocation/occupation: main occupation is as a horse trainer. Her magical ability is nature/life based, the first manifestation was a gift with animals; they respond to her touch and voice. This later takes the form of healing by touch, among other things
8. Status and money: Holds her own, but is not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.
9. Marital status: Never married
10. Family, ethnicity: our world's equivalent would be Scots/Irish (there's that ethnicity again!)
11. Diction/accents: a fairly pronounced country accent when she was younger, it faded somewhat after she moved to Crowsport
12. Relationships: brief involvement with Kalid DelHaven after she moved to the city; formed a bloodbond (gave the couple a psychic link) with a man known as the Black Fox (real name Strom Blackford)
13. Places (home, office, car, etc): the horse farm she grew up on, Crowsport, Runeham and the chapterhouse of the Ryssan knights, the fortress of Ironmacrull (self-made king of a cold Northern holding), Larken Keep, home of Duke Ironmacrull
14. Possessions: not much, a saddle, travel needs, a kit with herbs for healing
15. Recreation/hobbies: enjoys the company of her friends, a casual game of cards, loves to ride
16. Obsessions: staying under wraps after she gets a price on her head and gains the attention of a city lord who has a fascination for her (and not in a good way)
17. Beliefs: Follows the maiden aspect of the Goddess, named Eldrienne.
18. Politics: avoids them as much as possible, mostly due to the unwanted attentions previously mentioned
19. Sexual history: the two men mentioned before and the love of her life, Garoben Valcuron, captain of Duke Arduval's Black Dragon guard
20. Ambitions: younger, to get away from the farm and move to teh city, after being on the run, to return to the farm where she grew up
21. Religion: mainly Pagan type religion, dual God/Goddess, three aspects of each.
22. Superstitions: plaited ribbons into horse's tails to ward off witches, carry rowan-wood whip for same reason. isn't really sure if she believes it or not but does it just in case.
23. Fears: Heights
24. Attitudes: gets cynical the older she gets, but still has a basic desire to see the good in people
25. Character flaws: short temper with people sometimes, especially those who (deserve it)abuse animals and the helpless
26. Character strengths: honest, infinite patience with horses/animals, good humored with her friends, fair-minded
27. Pets: bay stallion named Fortunato, for a time a black mare (Friesian) named Cimmeria.
28. Taste in books, music etc: not a big reader, books are hard to come by unless you're rich. Enjoys music, all kinds, but especially something she can sing with
29. Journal entries: running the public stable in Crowsport, she keeps meticulous ledgers and records of the health of various horses in her care
30. correspondence: she writes home to her brother when she's living in Crowsport.
31. Food preferences: plain, honest food, not much for fancy stuff.
32. Handwriting: neat and careful
33. Astrological sign: born on Beltane (May 1) makes her a Taurus
34. Talents: excellent animal trainer, good singer, good with plants, excellent herbal and magical healer.

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[> [> ooh I want to read this one -- Fi, 13:32:06 10/01/10 Fri

I'm curious about the world that Rayne lives in. For example, what is the role of women? Is it normal to have a woman working as a horse trainer, or is Rayne breaking with convention?

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[> [> [> Yes and no... ;-) --

debikm, 21:32:42 10/01/10 Fri

>I'm curious about the world that Rayne lives in. For
>example, what is the role of women? Is it normal to
>have a woman working as a horse trainer, or is Rayne
>breaking with convention?

There are warrior women in her world to be sure, especially in the city, but in the village where she grew up the role of women was pretty traditional, wives, mothers, working with their husbands on the farm or in their businesses. Rayne had the wanderlust that you'd expect her brothers to have. Her mother's magic was strongest in her, which spurred her wish to see more of the world.

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