Character Avatars

[Vizon]

Auuughhhh! I just realized why the dingo thing bothers me SO MUCH. Yes, humans introduced dingos, but the only reason they became so successful in Australia is because the native tasmanian wolf/tiger (the THYLACINE) was killed off BY HUMANS. So in a world without humans, we could have all these extinct species alive and well! O.O

Do you guys realize that?

Rail's author missed such a brilliant opportunity! I mean, if s/he's bringing an exotic character all the way up from down under anyway, he could have been a thylacine!
A thylacine for crap's sake! I WOULD HAVE SO SWOONED if he'd been a thylacine. I LOVE those things... :( And they're all dead.

*weeps*

[Rascal]

I'm sure some other species would have made them extinct, most likely woodlanders. They have a thing against large carnivorous creatures. ;)

But if that were true, that if we could bring in extinct species, then I would have brought in a one eyed, one legged, one winged Dodo pirate captain. Make him an expert sword fighter. No real reason as to why. Just because I could.

[Vizon]

I would have brought in a one eyed, one legged, one winged Dodo pirate captain. Make him an expert sword fighter. No real reason as to why. Just because I could.

Hmm...yes, when you put it that way, it does sound rather outrageous, doesn't it? Might as well be a chicken.

(though truthfully I think I would take more issue with the "expert sword fighter" claim than anything else, ha ha!)

[Airan]

(though truthfully I think I would take more issue with the "expert sword fighter" bit than anything else, ha ha!)

Clearly he holds it in his beak.:P

[Rascal]

Don't forget that he speaks in garbled pirate. His accent is so think that no one knows what he is actually saying but they follow his orders (Or at least what they thought he said) to the best of their ability because failure is met with swift punishment!

Are you sure I can't submit one more application? :)

[Vizon]

I'm sure some other species would have made them extinct, most likely woodlanders.

This is something to consider, though you would have to assume the woodlanders have already sailed to the other side of the world and conquered said natives.

The dodo and the thylacine did have something in common: They were friendly. So perhaps it would turn out something like the Lucayan natives of the New World: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day

But maybe that would be more in the future yet, as the woodlanders of Mossflower are just barely starting to leave their forts and abbeys to explore and expand to ports. Now that could be an interesting idea for another Survivor contest. Exploring the new world...

[Airan]

Yep, it certainly would.  ;D

[Rascal]

This....this must be a thing next time.

[Vizon]

I think I recall Nallmian suggesting a New World/jungle theme before, actually. At least I remember saying that I'd like to try out an opossum...

[Airan]

This....this must be a thing next time.

I think I recall Nallmian suggesting a New World/jungle theme before, actually. At least I remember saying that I'd like to try out an opossum...

*hums a rock n roll riff to himself*

[Vizon]

And last, but certainly not least...

PRISONERS!




Tooley Bostay

Aw, poor Tooley. Well-written app ? I like the character and the slow reveal of the trouble he?s in. The hat-gnawing is endearing. I believe that he is innocent, based on his inner thoughts, and so I am hoping that he gets out of his situation somehow. He?s kind of funny and kind of cute despite his ?clumsy flaws.? I wonder if, assuming he is a pirate, he?s actually killed other beasts. Because he doesn?t seem like the type to say ?Yar!? And stab someone and lick his cutlass of blood. Reminds me more of a class clown stuck in the principal?s office.

Favorite Line: Running his fingers over the rim, he counted out six holes that had been newly gnawed into the hat. Had it really been six days? No, two of those had been when he half expected he was going to be thrown overboard, and a third was from when they forgot to give him supper last night.



Nisky Banchibar

Well this author knows how to make scones I think! I like the brusk nature of Nisky, her dismissive attitude, and her expressions. I wonder how she would do in a pirate ship?s brig though. And what they would do with her. Fun application to read, and a fun character!

Favorite Line: "Patrol, dear." Nisky stopped stirring and scattered a blizzard of flour over the countertop. "I'm not off picking flowers, you know. Someone has to keep an eye out for seascum on our shores."



Brother Bogdan

Nisky may know her scones, but Bogdan knows his metaphysics! As I read through this application, it was easy to picture the scene and Bogdan?s quirks and gestures. He is definitely passionate about his expertise and a scholar of scholars. It was a quick read, ending far sooner than I was ready for! I think Bogdan is a very interesting character and wonder how he would mix with the rest of the cast.

Favorite Line: ?Yes, you beautiful, lovely, magnificent creature!? Brother Bogdan stood up, excitedly, and embraced the hare, before beginning to pace the room.


Conclusion:
This is another tough category for me. I actually like all three of these characters and any one of them would be fun to follow through this adventure. Nisky would be amusing, Tooley would be cute, and Bogdan would be hilariously out of his element (posh library to smelly brig).  In imagining Nisky taking over as cook when the cook dies (as I was mentioning in Tara?s ?Bearclaw? thread), I do think she could adapt to the pirate ship well enough, as long as she didn?t hate them too much. I?m kinda leaning toward Nisky or Bogdan. Maybe after I do my ?dream team? comparison of various characters and how they might mesh with other characters personalities, it will become clearer who to vote for.

[Vizon]

Comparing the characters:

Not all the characters have strong enough personalities that I can say whether or not they would or would not get along with certain other characters, which is something I was surprised by. For instance, Robert, much as I like him and intend to vote for him, is difficult to contrast with other characters because there is still a lot I don?t know about him (does he have a family? How does he feel about vermin? Is he open and friendly with everyone or just with close friends?). So even though Robert seems to be a more obvious top pick (I think everyone so far generally agrees on that category), I think I will start with Gordon, who seems equally popular in the cabin boy category. Gordon has some pretty strong views, so he is fun to compare with other characters aboard the Zephyr.


SOLDIERS
Hisobe/Gordon : 0/+
Gordon would definitely look up to Hisobe and root him on in his Atlas assassination attempts. Hisobe, however, probably would feel rather indifferent toward Gordon as just another hare, unless he did something to reveal his un-hare-like beliefs. Even then, he?s not part of the clan, so probably wouldn?t be embraced.

Morti/Gordon :  +/+
Gordon would probably despise Morti as just another of Atlas?s cronies: A low-life picked up off the streets simply to add another thug to the Waverunner ranks. Except that Morti doesn?t really want to be in his position from what I can tell, which could win some points with Gordon if he starts talking anti-Atlas sentiments. So actually they might get along swimmingly. Morti would probably appreciate a sympathetic ear ? another dissident, though his reasons for disliking the Waverunners might be more of a selfish rather than pragmatic reason.

Fildering/Gordon : +/-
Now this could be a very interesting combo. I would think Gordon would hate Fildering, as he is everything that a Long Patrol hare is idealistically supposed to be. Fildering seems a very amiable fellow, though, and would likely be friendly towards Gordon, which could lead to some interesting internal conflict in Gordon. Would he remind him of his brother? What is Gordon?s relationship with his brother, I wonder? There can be jealousy without outright hatred, after all. But Gordon?s brother obviously admires Atlas (evidenced by the last line of Gordon?s app). Will Fildering admire Atlas? I think every young hare aspiring to be part of the legendary Long Patrol would admire the badger lord, but perhaps Gordon would ?enlighten? him. I like the complexity of this possible relationship.


STOWAWAYS

Ghost/Gordon : 0/+
Seeing as Ghost seems to hate all warm fuzzy creatures, he probably would not like Gordon, though he might feel less hatred for him when he discovers the young hare?s true feelings. If Gordon knew about Ghost, he would definitely feel an affinity toward him I believe. But would Gordon ever get the chance to know about Ghost? And would Gordon be the type of beast to draw Ghost out of his shell (ha ha?Ghost in the shell?.)? I am unsure.

Ciera/Gordon : -/+
Ciera would hate Gordon at first for sure, as he is just another of the evil Badger lord?s minions. But if Gordon reveals his true feelings, would she buddy up to him? Unlikely, but she might find an ally in him. I can see Gordon visiting her if she is captured, and trying to help her. Not that she?s a pirate, but she would be vermin, which on this ship could be the closest he could get to a pirate. Certainly she would exemplify his perception that Atlas is a monster, if he finds out her story. This could be an intriguing combination.

Plink/Gordon : +/+
I foresee a budding friendship between these two. Perhaps even love ;). Similar to Ciera, if Plink is captured, I can easily imagine Gordon coming to visit her in the brig and possibly breaking her out (not that that would do much good on a ship). He would be enamored with her, in fact, as she is a pirate (well, sort of) and his age. He would be eager to hear all about her father, and she would be proud to tell him about him. Plink would also embody Gordon?s perception of the noble pirate, as she has a very positive impression of pirates as well. Both could be in for a rude awakening if the pirate crew is made up of less scrupulous characters like Skiz, Chak, Scrant or Vera, who won?t be terribly noble or sympathetic. Or they could be validated if they meet Ciera as captain, Mari as slavedriver, Orwin or Tooley.


HEALERS (I am pretty sure it?s between Crue and Feorag)

Crue/Gordon : 0/0
Not much to compare with these two. It is unclear how Crue feels about the issues Gordon cares about, and how Gordon feels about healers or borrowing supplies.

Feorag/Gordon : 0/0
Again, I don?t think the Gordon comparison is going to help me with making this decision, as I cannot predict how Gordon or Feorag would react to each other. I imagine Feorag would maybe look down on Gordon a bit, but be largely indifferent. Gordon would have no reason to interact with the mystical healer, unless as someone else suggested, he becomes a bit of a spiritual leader, and favors dissent. Does Feorag have any reason not to like Atlas though? Not that I saw.


NAVIGATOR

Robert/Gordon ?/?
I can only speculate on this one because I know so little about Robert. He does strike me as a fatherly type, however, and an earnest and respected adult that Gordon could potentially look up to. I can see Robert being a sort of mentor to the rowdy trio of Gordon, Fildering, and Plink, keeping them grounded and practical and safe. Or at least as safe as anyone can be in a survivor contest filled with death?



Other character combos on the Good ship Lollypop Zephyr that might be fun to see:

Ghost + Hisobe
Plink + Morti
Plink + Thaddeus (!)

I am a little concerned if three out of the five main players of the Zephyr are teens. The dynamic would be very different, and more chaotic I think, and it would be more tragic if one of them is killed.

[Airan]

Fildering/Gordon : +/-
Now this could be a very interesting combo. I would think Gordon would hate Fildering, as he is everything that a Long Patrol hare is idealistically supposed to be. Fildering seems a very amiable fellow, though, and would likely be friendly towards Gordon, which could lead to some interesting internal conflict in Gordon. Would he remind him of his brother? What is Gordon?s relationship with his brother, I wonder? There can be jealousy without outright hatred, after all. But Gordon?s brother obviously admires Atlas (evidenced by the last line of Gordon?s app). Will Fildering admire Atlas? I think every young hare aspiring to be part of the legendary Long Patrol would admire the badger lord, but perhaps Gordon would ?enlighten? him. I like the complexity of this possible relationship.

I'd imagine their relationship would involve Fildering comically missing the point all the time:
Gordon: "Atlas is a killer!"
Fildering: "His jokes aren't that funny, but if you say so, old bean."
Gordon: *facepalms*

Robert/Gordon ?/?
I can only speculate on this one because I know so little about Robert. He does strike me as a fatherly type, however, and an earnest and respected adult that Gordon could potentially look up to. I can see Robert being a sort of mentor to the rowdy trio of Gordon, Fildering, and Plink, keeping them grounded and practical and safe. Or at least as safe as anyone can be in a survivor contest filled with death?

I thought it was interesting that Robert's application is about being replaced by the younger generation and a lot of the Waverunner applicants are children and young 'uns. Might make for an interesting dynamic.

[Vizon]

On the Silver Maiden, the categories are much more competitive, and I need help deciding between many still. The most agreed upon character I think is Pasha as quartermaster, so I guess I will be making my comparisons with her. She is a bit more withdrawn and less sociable (definitely less involved in the politics of the age as Gordon is), but at least I know her motives and feelings enough to guess at how she might or might not get along with certain others.


CAPTAINS ? Again, I am narrowing this one down to two potentials as these are the most popular and the most debated in this category.

Skiz/Pasha : 0/-
I think Skiz would be okay with Pasha, but I can?t see him caring much for her. I think he would feel pretty neutral toward her. Pasha, on the other hand, if what I?m assuming is true and she has eggs or babies, probably would not appreciate getting into battles that might endanger them. It is unclear whether Skiz attacked the Waverunner vessel or they attacked him first, but he is obviously not shy about jumping into battle.

Ciera #2/Pasha : +/+
Ciera cares about kids and is practically minded. I think this would jive well with Pasha, and they might even develop a working friendship.


SLAVEDRIVERS  (Deciding between two again)

Chak/Pasha : -/+
This could be an interesting combo. I think Chak might see Pasha as a competitor if he?s looking to rise in the ranks, and she?d be a formidable one. Pasha, on the other hand, would probably respect Chak for being an efficient and no-nonsense slave driver. According to her app, she had slaves herself on her own vessel, and probably thought they should be kept in their place too.

Mari/Pasha : 0/-
Not sure how Mari would feel about Pasha so I put a neutral symbol. I think Pasha would definitely not like Mari though, as she?s incompetent and obnoxious with her accordion. If she thinks the Redwallers language is ugly, wait until she hears Mari?s music!


COOKS

Orwin/Pasha : 0/0
Not sure there?s much for either of these to react to in the other. Orwin is so underdeveloped, I cannot say for sure whether he would feel anything about a big iguana. Maybe he would like her because he would think her a formidable pirate and thus, he?d be more likely to survive/be on the winning side if they clashed with Atlas? Really a bit of a stretch.

Wilson/Pasha : +/0
I think maybe Wison would like Pasha because she would leave him alone. Pasha wouldn?t care about Wilson one way or another I suppose ? and definitely doesn?t care about the difference between woodlanders and vermin from what I can see. Not sure how she feels about food. What do marine iguanas eat? Seaweed? Maybe she wouldn't mind salty then.

Vera/Pasha : -/-
Now this could be an interesting combination, as I think these characters would hate each other. Or at least, Vera does not seem to do well with authority and Pasha would probably not like having things stolen from her.


PRISONERS (two again ? not that I don?t like Tooley, but I think the other two apps are stronger)

Nisky/Pasha : -/?
I wouldn?t mind seeing these two paired. Nisky has some definite bias against pirates, but Pasha doesn?t really seem to be a typical pirate. Pasha seems like a strong female type and might appreciate another strong female elder (who knows?). It?s anybody?s guess. Maybe Nisky would be afraid of Pasha spoiling her scones with salmonella. XD

Bogdan/Pasha : +/+
For some reason I think these two could get along, if Pasha can get past her hatred of the Redwall language (Bogdan would certainly talk a lot). I imagine Bogdan would be intrigued by a foreigner and want to know her perspective on certain topics because he is a scholar. I think Pasha might appreciate someone being interested in her culture/beliefs. Maybe. I can imagine her getting pretty lonely, at least, and having someone to talk to about big ideas who might look past her appearance would help with that.




Other character combos on the Silver Maiden that might be fun to see:

Ciera + Nisky (ladies of authority)
Wilson + Chak (otter time!)
Mari + Tooley (<3)
Wilson + Nisky (please mentor him, Nisky)
Bogdan + Valencia (spirit talk)

[Airan]

While not the most exciting sounding combo, I think Ciera Ancora and Tooley would make for some interesting reactions. I'm sure she wouldn't be too thrilled about the fact that he potentially murdered another crewbeast, and it'd be interesting to watch him have to try and prove his innocence.