Character Avatars

[Vizon]

Ha ha! Yeah. Kinda more fun now that I can compare my reviews with yours. And sure, I can do a final vote thing.

[Eliza Lacrimosa]

Our reviews are finally crossing. Been meaning to say this, but, man, Feorag's kicks are stylin' for miles! And I'm struggling with the same decision on the captain front. A traditional barn-storming muckabout like Skiz will really keep the story afloat, but Ciera might pay off more depending on the author's capabilities. Tough decision.

I've been pondering the same thing. I'm in the middle of writing my review of the captains, since I feel like they'll provide a significant amount of backbone for their half of the story. I'm going to get into my reasons more when  I actually post the review this evening, but I'm leaning far more towards Ciera, since she brings a lot more to the table in terms of characterization and motivation, and does a lot more with the worldwide implications of the treasure hunt and Atlas' crusade against piracy. Skiz tends more towards the, "Of course I want treasure, because I'm a pirate and that's just what pirates do," side of things.

[SonikBoomTube]

I've gotta say, the art tied in with your reviews is a really amazing concept that you're pulling off. I love it, and I'll be SUPER sad when it's all over. . .

Maybe, for the story, you could draw WHOLE CANVASES of everything that happened in the chapter!

You know. If you can. XD

[Pennies]

Yeah, seconded to all that! Vizon, your range of style and vision never cease to amaze me. I'm looking forward to the next batch of avatars!

[Matra Hammer]

Vizon has done so before. For MOI she painted a few of the intro scenes, along with her favorite scenes throughout the competition. ALL while Vizon competed in that very story. Poor Poko. /sniff. Missed her stylings dearly for MOII, though Sal got the most dapper of avatars. Think I might .gif it into Max and Terry...

Either way you graphic artists rock my socks. So much magic.

[SonikBoomTube]

Oh. I was actually just joking, but if you've done it before then wow O.o Props to you, Vizon!

[Vizon]

Yeah I've done it before but that was when i did not have a toddler! We'll see what I can manage this time around. So far I've found/made time for these avatars, but I also know it's time-sensitive. Deadlines do help to make me more productive!

[Vizon]

SLAVE DRIVERS:


Chak Ku'rill

I can?t say I ?like? Chak, but I like that he?s got some depth and history to him. I wouldn?t call him a ?woodlander? either, since sea otters live almost exclusively in the ocean, which kind of makes sense as to why he?s linked up with pirates. But he?s also about as far from home as the dingo, if current day sea otter populations match up at all to where they might live in Redwall. But perhaps we are all assuming too much to think Redwall?s world has the same layout as ours. Anyway, a little off-topic there. Chak is a capable slaver who?s smart enough to know how dangerous slaves can be if they work together. He doesn?t underestimate them, and like the other reviewers have guessed, I wonder if he has a more intimate knowledge of slavery than your typical pirate. Could be interesting to learn more about his past, but at the same time, I can?t see him exactly ?winning hearts.? Maybe that?s perfect for a slave driver? I can?t really imagine a slave driver that I?d want to survive, ha ha!

Favorite Line: As he ?encouraged? the rest to take up the mouse?s chorus, Chak Ku?rill felt a warmth grow inside; a warmth that was almost affection, as a beekeeper might feel for his swarm after a particularly large yield of honey.



Scrant

I think my affinity for science and biology (and realism) often interferes with these contests. I have to know how the birds have hands, I need to understand how a dingo exists, and in this app, I really have a hard time imagining rats taking out a whale. Maybe dolphins?but they don?t have baleen. Okay let me focus on Scrant himself more. He is a sea rat, which is a nice change. He?s old, which I can appreciate in a character. He?s got a boatload (hee hee) of experience, and a big ole ego. He knows how to keep slaves efficient and alive, and?does not interview well. Cursed young rapscillions!



Mari

I think because it is so hard to imagine voting to keep a slave-driver, Mari has the best shot of actually doing ok with the audience since the job just fell into her lap and she?s not that into it. However, it is also hard to imagine the ship traveling with any sort of speed or efficiency unless she either becomes a horrible person (who people won?t mind voting off) or somehow wins over the slaves (which would be pretty interesting, albeit unlikely).


Conclusion:
I think if I were writing this entire story, I would want Chak or Scrant to play the slavedriver because I could build up their badness before killing them off. Chak I think would be especially fun to see die. However, the authors of these characters probably want to make it in this contest, and not just kill off their characters, so maybe Mari is the better choice (for her author?s sake). But is she the best for the story?s sake? Do I vote for a character I want to kill in the future or a character that doesn?t really fit her role? Well?I doubt the captain (whoever he or she ends up being) will let the slaves row ineffectually, so no matter what, Mari will have to adapt or get out of her position. So maybe Mari, I?m thinking.

[Rascal]

Oh wow...I never thought of that until now. All the characters I like and plan to vote for...they are eventually going to die!

Its like a fuzzy version of Highlander. There can only be one! D8

Even worse yet the possibility for having to choose between characters I like, knowing one will be made to walk the plank into shark infested waters! Or captured by beast eating lizards! Or caught by the One Eyed Badger of Doom and turned into a cape, nay, slippers!

O.O that gives me something to think about.

[Vizon]

Its like a fuzzy version of Highlander. There can only be one! D8

Well technically three survive so not exactly like Highlander, but it's probably true that you will see many a favored character kick the bucket. It is always a tragic tale.  :-\

[Opal]

I wouldn?t call him a ?woodlander? either, since sea otters live almost exclusively in the ocean, which kind of makes sense as to why he?s linked up with pirates. But he?s also about as far from home as the dingo, if current day sea otter populations match up at all to where they might live in Redwall. But perhaps we are all assuming too much to think Redwall?s world has the same layout as ours.

Welllll, yes and no. I'm way more willing to accept Chak's existence in the world because at least his species is canon. There haven't been that many sea otters in the books, but they are still very much canon. Same with hamsters. If they weren't in the books, I wouldn't be quite as willing to accept them in contests (and they are still a big stretch for me). Other people might be more lenient with their suspensions of disbelief than I am, and that's cool, too.

[Vizon]

COOKS:


Orwin

I appreciate that Orwin?s author really tried to place their character into the story. I like that he wears a smurf hat. I can see how a survivor of such a purge might be attracted to a ?moving? target rather than one that sits still (a ship rather than a shop), and there will be some interesting tension when he realizes that the very badger he barely escaped is going to likely intercept them on the way to or at the island.

Favorite Line: ?for the fifth time that night, Orwin ran a long-ruined dishrag over the surface of the tavern's counter, gouged and stained from seasons of use.



Wilson Willow

I guess Wilson is a slave cook? It would be easy enough to poison the entire crew though, if he felt resentful at all. So maybe he was just really desperate for work, and the crew was really desperate for a cook. I would like to reassure the author that an otter would not have to file his teeth to have fangs, though!

Favorite line: There was a time when Willow enjoyed the sight of the ocean. Today though Willow stared at the endless sea like one does a bitter rival.



Vera Silvertooth

Vera appears clever compared to the idiocy of Captain Rigal.  And that amulet must be worth a fortune if she is willing to burn down a fort to hide her theft. I would think this would draw more attention to her than less in the end. I can see why Vera would be motivated to pursue a vast treasure if she?s willing to go to such lengths for a single amulet though!

Favorite Line: Vera used the corners of her apron to pull out loaves of perfectly baked bread from the oven.


Conclusion:
This category is tough for me because none of these characters jump out as a favorite, or clearly above the other two entries. Each one of them has some annoying trait that really bothers me. Orwin?s writing is rife with run-on sentences, Wilson stretches my belief, and Vera?s app was full of clich?s and unconvincing scenes. None of them seem to have much depth. I might go with Orwin just because he fits the story and he could become a more dimensional beast with more effort?maybe. I don?t know.

[SonikBoomTube]

Ok. Vera legit scared the crap out of me.

[Rascal]

I can now see the fox cackling 'MwahahaHAHAhahaHAha! Bow before me and my soup mortals! MwhahahahHAhahah!"

Orwin looks adorable.

willson looks a little confused. Or maybe he is shocked from looking at how meniacally evil vera looks below him o.o

[Matra Hammer]

Man, Mari is my favorite avatar of the bunch because that exact face crossed my mind when envisioning the scene. But the objective best in my opinion? Scully. You can tell on his little lapin face that there's some deep ish going on beneath the surface.

Didn't even notice the Vera and Ghost .gifs until youbeasts pointed them out. What a delight!