Yep, 1 August, Supernatural Underground post — yadda, yadda, am pretty sure most of you know the drill. 😀

…in Fantasy

This month, I’m continuing my “band of brothers” theme for 2023 by taking a look at the darker side of the trope, i.e. not just when bromances go bad and brotherhoods fail, but why that happens.

… & history: Damien & Paddy in “The Wind That Shakes the Barley”

With some examples from Fantasy literature , of course — although I had to do another deep dive to come up with them. To find out why i think that might be, you’ll have to check out the post:

When Bands — and Bros — Go Bad.

Enjoy!

…& back to fantasy: Buffy vs Faith

I enjoyed Crown of Bones, the first book in AK Wilder’s Amassia series, but I think Curse of Shadows (Amassia #2) is an even stronger story.

The author writes as both AK Wilder and Kim Falconer. Some readers here may be familiar with Kim Falconer  from the Supernatural Underground, where we both post. So I’m signaling upfront that we are friends-in-writing and fellow bloggers, “for the record.”

What The Amassia Series Is All About

In Crown of Bones (Crown), Ash and her comrades traveled far from home and discovered that all life on their world of Amassia was threatened by the return of a binary star. Now, finding and learning how to use the crown of bones is vital in order to have any hope of survival, but because of its power, a large number of players are competing to find and control it. They include nation states and mages (called savants), but also the mysterious, ocean-dwelling Mar, with both magical and military forces being deployed to find and seize the crown.

The personal journeys of Ash and her savant companions are set against this backdrop of world-threatening events. Savants gain their power from raising “phantoms” that are usually animistic in form and reflect an aspect of the savant’s being, which is key to their power. Ash has been raised a non-savant and trained as a cleric, but at the end of Crown, readers learned that she is, in fact, a savant, with a very powerful phantom. One that has been deliberately suppressed by her guardian and mentor.

When the story resumes in Curse of Shadows (Curse), both Ash’s phantom and her memory of its rise have been magically suppressed for a second time. The cracks, though, are showing. Marcus, Ash’s  childhood friend, also has struggles of his own. He has been disinherited and exiled, yet must continue to lead their company’s quest for the crown of bones. As if that’s not enough, Marcus struggles to manage his phantom, which is also extraordinarily powerful.

Similarly, the mysterious Kaylin, who saved and befriended Ash in Crown, is also striving to comprehend, and either fulfill or circumvent, orders that conflict with their friendship.

Although there are other characters in their company, as well as allies like the powerful, but also changeable, Mar called Salila, the storylines (or “arcs”) of Ash, Marcus, and Kaylin drive the Curse narrative.

The world of Amassia

What I Liked in Curse of Shadows

“Almost everything” is the short answer. Despite the problems they confront, returning to Ash, Marcus, and their company—both savants and phantoms—felt like re-encountering old friends. Although important in Crown, Kaylin has a larger part to play and more point-of-view time in this book, as does Salila. Both are interesting and engaging characters, but their larger roles also deepen the story and the reader’s understanding of the world.

The story, too, is a really fascinating one, with its interweaving of magical, ecological, and SF-nal elements, and Curse—unsurprisingly—enlarges on the foundations established in Crown. In doing so, the author expands the worldbuilding, which was an element I particularly liked. The ecology and landscapes are really different from Western European fantasy norms, and the societies and cultures reflect a similar diversity.

Where much of Crown was a pursuit, and accordingly raced along at breakneck speed, the pace of Curse reflects the company’s mission to build alliances as well as having to hunt out the crown’s component bones. I like the deepening of both world and characters that Curse’s storytelling focus allows.

Salila

What I Didn’t Like

Well, “nothing, really.” 😀 The only point I remain unsure of is why Ash’s guardian and mentor is so determined to suppress her phantom — which may be because I’ve missed a crucial detail, or because all is yet to be finally revealed in Book 3. Needless to say, when that happy day arrives I shall be eager to read on and find out more.

Conclusion

If you enjoyed Crown of Bones, or books such as Kate Elliott’s Cold Magic, Brent Weeks’ The Black Prism , or Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone, then Curse of Shadows may also be in your reading wheelhouse.

I read the hardcover edition, 403 pp, published by Entangled Teen in December 2022, which was a gift from Kim (the author.) My only regret is that I haven’t managed to read it and post here a whole lot sooner, because I feel the book merits the attention.

UK/AU/NZ

The About The Characters post series focuses on the minor characters in The Wall Of Night series, in large part because:

“I think it’s the presence of the smaller characters that “makes” a story, creating texture around the main points of view.”

~ from my Legend Award Finalist’s Interview, 2013

Initially, the series focused exclusively on characters from The Heir of Night, but now I’m continuing on with minor characters from both The Gathering Of The Lost and Daughter of Blood — in alphabetical order, by name, of course!

We’re now well into what I like to call the “foothills of N.” 😀

—

USA

Namath: a marine warrior from the Derai House of Sea

Taly nudged Namath. “Doesn’t Sea always need farspeakers?”

Namath considered Rook. “We do,” he said finally.

Rook had visited the Sea Keep once, when he was very young, and retained an impression of color and vitality, as well as the constant, powerful, mysterious presence of the ocean—which reminded him of a smaller mystery. “I thought Sea observed the Oath,” he said to Namath, “but it was your mindcall that Lord Tirael heard.”

The marine shrugged. “Sea observes what keeps us alive and the ships sailing. Besides, most of us have some degree of power … My flicker’s just enough to know when an enemy’s about and manage a mindcall for help.”

~ from © Daughter of Blood, The Wall Of Night Book Three – Chapter 52, Path of Glory

Over the past few weeks I’ve been posting on Styling Characters in The Wall Of Night series:

• Styling Characters in The Heir of Night
• Styling Characters in The Gathering of the Lost
• Styling Characters in The Gathering of the Lost — Revisited!

The posts were sparked by a post in Kim Falconer’s More Than Meets The Eye series on the Supernatural Underground:

• Styling Characters: More Than Meets The Eye — by Kim Falconer

Currently, Kim has a new post in the series:

More Than Meets The Eye: Desire

Desire of the Endless in The Sandman

The “more than meets the eye” part is a closer look at what lies beneath the surface in terms of the art of crafting fiction. Desire, like styling, makes for interesting reading — well worth your time if you havena read it already. 😀

In terms of what’s coming up:

• I’m completing the riff on Kim’s post series with a report on her recent Curse of Shadows (AMASSIA #2)
• It’s time for an About the Characters post, and
• Also time for a WALL#4 revision update

Plenty to look out for — so stay posted!

In the meantime, if you have not read my Sister Acts post on Supernatural Underground, then click right here. 😀

Sanasa & Arya Stark: A Game of Thrones

Those of you who’re following along will know the drill by now, but I’ll recap for those who may be coming to things new.

This series of posts was inspired by one of Kim Falconer’s More Than Meets The Eye posts on the Supernatural Underground blog. It’s taking a closer look at how styling characters fits into developing their personalities and part in a story, but can also cast light on societal and cultural difference, thus playing a part in worldbuilding as well.

The particular series of stories I’m looking at is The Wall Of Night series – and today’s book is #3, Daughter of Blood (Daughter.)

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Setting and World

In Daughter, the styling, along with the characters, returns from the Southern Realms of Haarth to the Wall of Night.

In Book 1 (The Heir of Night, hereafter Heir), the story was squarely centred on one of nine Derai Houses, the warrior House of Night. In The Gathering of the Lost (Gathering), the narrative briefly introduced characters from the priestly Houses of Adamant and Morning. In Daughter, readers can expect to encounter characters from the warrior Houses of Blood and Swords, the Houses of Sea and Stars, as well as representatives of Night, Adamant, and Morning again.

Plenty of scope for styling character, in other words – but as always, only to the degree it serves or enhances the story. (For a refresh on “m’ terribly important thoughts” on When To Style, check out post #1.)

Given the Derai are one people, albeit divided into nine Houses, styling offers the opportunity to illuminate both differences and similarities between the nine (worldbuilding), as well as the protagonists (character development) — a return to Kim’s point that styling characters is an important element in any writer’s toolkit.

The Wall of Night Series map; artist Peter Fitzpatrick

Styling Characters In Daughter of Blood

Just a headsup before I leap in — this will only be a selection of characters from the book. If I were to include even all the important ones, the book #4 manuscript might never be completed. 😀

I’m going to kickoff with two of the story’s most important characters. Kalan (who you’ll recall from the Heir post is #2 in the Wall series), because Daughter of Blood is primarily his book, and Myr, the Daughter of (the House of) Blood for whom it is named.

Kalan

Kalan’s return to the Wall of Night is (of course!) a perfect styling opportunity, because he must alter his Southern Realms guise to blend back into Derai society. In his opening scene this is:

“…a scabbard with the House of Blood’s hydra stamp and a cuirass in the distinctive deep-red steel particular to the warrior House…[so]…few would question that he was anything but a Blood warrior returning home.”

Later in the story, his style is revisited when he receives accoutrements that deepen his Blood identity:

“When he slit the wax open, he found a crimson pennant inside. The Storm Spears’ device of crossed war spears, with a twelve-pointed star above their conjunction, was blazoned on it in gold thread.”

A large part of the book, though, is spent in the field, so Kalan’s styling must also reflect the down-to-earth:

“…the slope was steep and Kalan was sweating beneath leather, wool, and mail before he reached the ridgeline…He wrapped his face against the thorns…before snaking the last few yards to the crest.”

Myr

Myr (Myrathis) is not only a member of Blood’s ruling family, she is also the bride chosen by her family and House to make a strategic marriage with the Earl of Night. A great deal of ceremony accompanies such marriages, including a grand tournament to select her honor guard for the journey to Night, and Myr’s costume and appearance are very much part of the ritual:

Myr’s head ached from the weight of her hair, coiled and pinned tight beneath an even heavier jeweled headdress. The gauze veil, also a-glimmer with jewels, stood out stiffly to either side of her face and made it difficult to see without fully turning her head—so she kept the painted mask that was her face turned rigidly forward.

Unsurprisingly,when she sneaks around the keep at night, Myr opts for a far less noticeable:

“…plain kirtle and jacket, and soft, heel-less boots that had been her preferred garb before becoming Bride of Blood. She bundled her betraying hair into a cap as she crossed to the door…”

As with Malian in Heir, what Myr chooses to wear, as opposed to the costume she is obliged to adopt, offer insight into her character — although their characters and reasons for their preferences are very different.

UK/AU/NZ

The Swarm Adversaries

The three Swarm adversaries that walk up Grayharbor’s Sailcloth Street early in the story wear:

“…long black cloaks and deep hoods that did not fall back even when the newcomers sprang for shelter. They were carrying swords, too. He recognized the shape of hilt and scabbard beneath their cloaks and knew that likely meant other weapons as well.”

The observer, Faro, notices that the hood of one of the three is continually moving. Shortly afterward, when the hood is put back, he sees:

“…a powerfully built man in gold-washed black mail, with long coils of hair falling down his back. Except that the coils were not hair at all, but a sinuous twist of blue-black snakes, their forked tongues a perpetual flicker about the stranger’s head and shoulders. He … held up a hand weighted with jeweled rings, the gemstones glittering in the afterdazzle.”

As in earlier books, the jewels and gold-decorated armor imply standing. By contrast, when the Darksworn, Emuun, appears a little later in the story, he carries:

“…a crossbow across his back. He also had a hatchet thrust through his belt, a shortsword at his hip, and at least one dagger that she could see.”

As noted in the Heir post, whatever detail the narrative reveals should illuminate the character in some way that matters. In this case, the most important thing about Emuun’s styling is that he’s a walking armory, which should offer some insight into both personality and his part in the story.

Again by contrast, all that is known of the Darksworn called Nuithe’s styling is that she wears “gossamer sleeves” that “stirred in a slight breeze.” The movement suggests that the sleeves are “trailing”, a detail that adds something to what follows. Otherwise, though, Nuithe’s part in the story is established by other means than styling — for the simple reason that in her case, it would convey or imply little of importance.

The Sea Keepers

A number of Sea House mariners appear in Daughter, and when Myr first meets their envoys she is:

“…fascinated by their cabled hair, the rings in their ears, and the rich colors—sea-green and royal blue and violet—of their clothes”

As well as by the fact they laugh out loud, behaviour frowned upon in her own House of Blood. When Kalan, in his turn, meets a Sea weatherworker, he notes:

“…the same twisted cables of hair as his companion… The breeze rippled the folds of his sea-green robe, the deep border a wave design in indigo and black”

The Sea House has its warriors, too, but in a deeply militaristic society focusing on other aspects of their styling sends a covert message to readers — but the one who stands out the most, in Kalan’s eyes, is the Ship’s Luck:

“…a woman in a sleeveless, sea green tunic and leggings … her head was shaven, which made it difficult to place her age. A fine silver chain, hung with charms, shone against one ankle, and silver bracelets twisted up her arms. More silver gleamed in her ears, but like the weatherworker she kept her gaze fixed on a point somewhere past Kalan’s shoulder.”

The shaven head, as opposed to the other Sea Keepers cabled locks, as well as very different clothes and jewellery beyond her comrades’ earrings all point to a unique role, as well as a degree of mystery — but Kalan must find the answers to both elsewhere in the story.

Full UK/AU/NZ cover

Malian

Malian being the Wall story’s main character, it seems fitting to end with her, just as she began the series in the Heir post. As promised then, I returned to Malian in the Gathering post as well, chiefly to determine whether her initial preference for casual and comfortable clothing, that facilitates action, is sustained through the series.

In Daughter, she adopts several guises. As Crow, an itinerant sword-for-hire, her garb is a dusty “jacket and trousers” and the “cloth head-wrappings and the bone-and-feather fetishes favored by Lathayran mercenaries.”

Later, she becomes Ash, “…a mender of armor and weapons, and peddler of secondhand arms” who is “…not particularly clean…and wears a handful of weapons openly and carries more, together with an array of tools, in packs…”

When she, too, returns to the Wall in her own guise, she is one of a company who: “…all wore plain armor that could have been crafted anywhere, although the veiling coifs were Ishnapuri in style.” Her appearance is “as plain as the rest”, except that in identifying herself she also reveals an armring acquired in The Heir of Night, which is “silver fire about her wrist.”

The armring was a gift, one tied to Malian’s birthright and prophesied fate. Otherwise, it seems clear that although Malian’s styling may be partially dictated by practicality and circumstance, a consistent theme through different guises points to personal choice.

Conclusion

And there it is: from Heir to Daughter, a more indepth look at styling characters in The Wall of Night series. I hope it’s been of interest from a worldbuilding and character development perspective, as well as the art and craft of writing fiction — and very many thanks again to Kim Falconer, for the Supernatural Underground post that got me started. 😀

Previous Posts

• Styling Characters: More Than Meets The Eye — by Kim Falconer
  
• Styling Characters in The Heir of Night
• Styling Characters in The Gathering of the Lost
• Styling Characters in The Gathering of the Lost — Revisited!

“Right now, I think we need writers who know the difference between production of a market commodity and the practice of an art.”

~ Ursula K Le Guin, 1929 – 2018

This quote comes from Ursula Le Guin’s acceptance speech for the 2014 National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.

Although short, I believe it’s well worth your time to read, or hear — both options available here:

Speech in Acceptance of the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters

Today’s post is in memory of Judith Walsh, a longstanding member of the Christchurch poetry community who recently passed away.

Judith and I were both members of the “Friday Group” (also known as the “Boiler Room”) poetry group in the early to mid ’00s. She was also an active member of the Airing Cupboard Women’s Poetry Group and the Small White Teapot Haiku group, convening both at different times. Judith also served on the Canterbury Poets’ Collective (CPC) committee for a number of years.

In other words, Judith’s life in poetry was also one of stalwart volunteer service, without which many such groups would not continue to function. I believe her contribution to the Christchurch poetry community to be considerable – and also relatively unsung, since Judith was not a person who sought the limelight.

As well as many years of service to the community, Judith was always welcoming and supportive of other poets and new voices – of whom I was one when I first started attending the CPC events and exploring poetry with the Airing Cupboard and Small White Teapot poets. I was always remember, and be grateful for, that early welcome, encouragement, and support.

Again in the early to mid ’00s, I used to interview local poets for a show called Women on Air, on local station Plains FM. I interviewed Judith in 2009 and she gave permission for me to feature this poem (untitled), which I’m refeaturing again today, in her memory.

My mother
slim in tweed skirt
cinnamon twinset
and a string of amber beads
leans against a low brown wall.
No matter that the photo is in sepia,
I remember
ecru gloves, beige blouses
mushroom cardigans, taupe suits.
Sometimes she favoured
butterscotch, camel or russet,
and always a pair of khaki cords
just for the farm.

No-one ever questioned
if the colour suited—
maybe she saw the framework

              rock

                   trunk

                          branches . . .

© Judith Walsh, 1940 – 2023
Reproduced here with prior permission.

Haere ra, Judith. Thank you for the poetry and your friendship. Rest in peace.

Well, there I was thinking I’d managed a really comprehensive post on Styling Characters in the The Gathering of the Lost (Book 2 in The Wall Of Night series) last Thursday.

USA: Current cover

Then, “oh-no-ze!”, Andie commented that the “damosels” (variant of “damsels”, aka young women) could have got a mention as well – which made me realize that perhaps I had weighted the post toward the men(z) in their various guises!

And there definitely are some worthy moments of styling among the story’s women, so – duly chastened! – I am revisiting Thursday’s theme today, but with the spotlight firmly on the “distaff side” of the story. It’s still just a selection, though, not a comprehensive list. 😀

Remembering that this post series’ premise derives from a Supernatural Underground post by Kim Falconer and is “that a character’s depiction through “style”, whether clothing or arms, can provide insight into their personality, as well as their part of the story’s narrative arc, or their current mood and motivation.”

Now, without further ado, back we go to the Southern Realms of Haarth, in particular the River city-state of Ij, and the Duchy of Emer. Although as it happens, the first character in the spotlight may be on, but is not from, the River…

UK/AU/NZ

Lady Sarifa: a Demonhunter of Ishnapur

A demonhunter and servant of the magi, as it happens. Styling-wise, she makes a dramatic entrance:

“…it was the woman who slipped into the tent in his shadow who caught and held all eyes. She was clad in a full, deep red robe, her hair concealed by a coif of gold mesh worked with garnet and seed pearls. The face within the coif was quartered with crimson and charcoal paint, both eyelids and lips darkened to black. The effect was both rich and a little frightening, and Jehane Mor heard more than one indrawn breath, although no one spoke. Demonhunter tricks, the herald thought…”

Sarifa’s clothing colours and jewels should suggest she enjoys high social standing. They also imply boldness: this is not a character who hides her light under a bushel. The combination of the crimson and charcoal, darkening to black, reinforces the drama and a bravura personality, but may also point to considerable power…

Original US cover

Manan, Innkeeper and Lay-Priestess at Normarch

When Carick – mentioned in relation to both Raven and Audin in Thursday’s post – arrives in Normarch, one of the first people he meets is the innkeeper, Manan, who is also a lay-priestess of Imuln, hence a healer:

“The door opened wider, admitting one of the largest women he had ever seen. She must have been at least six feet tall, with a mass of curling, dark brown hair piled up haphazardly and kept in place by combs. The body between shoulder and ankle billowed generously and was arrayed in layers of blouse, kirtle, and a lavishly embroidered cote that made her seem larger still. … Carick thought she was beautiful, with skin as creamy as her voice and the largest, merriest, velvet-brown eyes he had ever seen.”

Manan of Normarch is another character who appears on the dramatic side of the styling ledger. She is a big woman and dresses to match, implying confidence in herself and a colourful personality, while also reinforcing the merry disposition that Carick discerns in her expression.

The “blue” UK cover

Ghiselaine, Countess of Ormond

Destined to marry Hirluin, the heir to Emer, Ghiselaine is foremost among the young women studying at Normarch, just as Audin (also see Thursday) ranks highest among the squires. But it’s only later in the story, when the young people travel to Caer Argent for the midsummer tourney, that Ghiselaine’s styling becomes more prominent:

“Ghiselaine looked every inch the hereditary ruler of Ormond and the future Duchess of Emer. Her traveling dress was a plain dark blue, but the color set off the red-gold sheen of her hair and brilliance of her complexion. Behind her, Ilaise was carrying a folded silk mantle, its sapphire ground worked with flowers in silver and gold and green, which Malian guessed would only be donned for the actual meeting with the queen of Jhaine. “Daisies for Imuln,” Audin said…”

Why daisies, you may ask…Partly because they are a humble flower, so the fact Ghiselaine chooses them, may subtly illuminate or reinforce what readers already know about her character. They are also the ‘day’s eye’ that is a symbol of the Mother Goddess of the Southern Realms, so there’s a note of alignment there, too – and also a background resonance in the symbolism, since the daisy was associated with the Virgin Mary through much of the Middle Ages.

And speaking of the “queen of Jhaine” mentioned in the quote…

Original US cover: full cover art

Zhineve-An, Priestess-Queen of Jhaine

One of nine priestess-queens in fact – and like Lady Sarifa, she knows how to make an entrance. When first sighted, she is one of:

“…eight riders galloping out of the dust raised by the caravan behind them…one milk-white steed in the central position… the rider wore crimson beneath a pale mantle that curved against the sky.”

Later, when the riders reach those who have ridden to meet them:

“The white horse took a step forward, ahead of the rest, shaking out the length of its silken mane while the young queen remained unmoving on its back. She wore no crown; needed none, in fact, although a narrow gold fillet circled her brow. A border of goldwork edged the pale mantle, and the broad, linked belt around the queen’s waist was also gold. Like Ser Ombrose’s tunic, her crimson gown was slit for ease of riding, so that everyone could see the tanned legs extending into boots of honey leather, rolled to above the knee.”

As with Sarifa, the crimson and gold, along with the decorative elements, denote high standing. The galloping arrival implies exuberance, in keeping with Zhineve-An’s youth. Alternatively, it could simply be the way things are done in Jhaine – like the slit tunic, which could also be a styling choice of youthfulness. Then again, the style could reflect either disregard, or ignorance, of conventions in realms outside of her own…

Mostly, I leave readers to make up their own minds in such matters – but the art of styling characters is very often to infer and raise questions, a process that may be as multi-layered as Manan’s blouse, kirtle, and cote.

UK/AU/NZ release poster

Conclusion:

And there you have it, a closer look at some more of the women characters in The Gathering of the Lost and how they’re styled, to balance last Thursday’s “arms and the…warrior…I sing.” I’ve enjoyed revisiting Gathering again and putting it together – so many thanks to Andie for the prompt. 😀

~*~

Previous Posts

• Styling Characters: More Than Meets The Eye — by Kim Falconer
  
• Styling Characters in The Heir of Night
• Styling Characters in The Gathering of the Lost

Last week, inspired by Kim Falconer’s More Than Meets the Eye: Styling Characters post on Supernatural Underground, I took a closer look at styling characters in The Heir of Night (Heir).

The premise of Kim’s post is that a character’s depiction through “style”, whether clothing or arms, can provide insight into their personality, as well as their part of the story’s narrative arc, or their current mood and motivation.
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In last week’s post I also addressed “When to Style”, which I won’t repeat here, so you may like to click back if you’re new to this post series or just want to refresh.
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Styling Characters in The Gathering Of The Lost

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Today the spotlight’s on Book #2 in The Wall Of Night series: The Gathering of the Lost (Gathering.)

USA: Current cover

Last week, I set the scene with a brief outline of The Wall of Night environment, which is where the chief part of the Heir action takes place. In Gathering, the scene shifts substantially, to the Southern Realms of the world of Haarth – chiefly the city state of Ij, in the region known as the River, then farther south to the independent Duchy of Emer.

Although the story still follows the central characters from Heir they’re operating in a very different environment, which opens the door to styling changes – both for the characters that readers already know, and when new characters and settings are introduced.

“The Heir Of Night” map: artist, Peter Fitzpatrick

Since there are a lot of characters, those mentioned are only a selection, not a comprehensive list. 😀

The Heralds of the Guild: Jehane Mor and Tarathan of Ar

The Guild of Heralds operates throughout the Southern Realms but is most prominent on the River, where it originated. Heralds always ride in pairs that between them possess powers of finding and concealment, and who appear to have a symbiotic bond, chiefly evident by their practice of speaking with “one voice.” They carry dispatches, but also function as emissaries between rulers and the various states of the Southern Realms.

Full UK/AU/NZ cover

Being an “order”, although not a religious one, the heralds wear what is essentially a uniform. Accordingly, their style was established from the outset in Heir, when they arrived on the Wall with a secret message for the Earl of Night, and does not change in Gathering:

“They were both of middle height and clad alike in grey, their long cloaks cast back. A badge pinned each cloak on the left shoulder and a dagger was sheathed at their belts. Both their faces were drawn and weary, their clothes mired from the road…”

Heralds spend most of their time traveling, so in terms of styling choice, their clothing was always going to be in the grey or brown spectrum, i.e. to attract less attention in wild and lonely places, as well as blending with that “mire from the road.” Since brown is perceived as rustic in styling terms, and the heralds are emissaries as well as messengers, that made grey the logical choice.

When the heralds first appear, they are only carrying daggers, but it’s clarified in Gathering that they go armed when traveling beyond the River. In Jehane Mor’s case, that’s still only with what a Derai warrior (Tirorn) calls her “toy knife”, but Tarathan carries “a pair of short, curved swords strapped to his back” and also uses a “horseman’s curved bow.”

As noted last week, styling should only convey detail that matters to the story. In the heralds’ case, their grey garb reflects their calling. The style of Tarathan’s weapons is also noted for a reason, which (I hope!) becomes clear once his backstory is revealed.

Original US cover

The Patrol and Aravenor

One reason heralds do not go armed on the River is because “the peace of road and river” is maintained by the Patrol. When first met, very early in the River narrative, readers learn only that they are a “mounted unit” and “silent behind their visors.”

Soon after, the heralds meet the Patrol captain called Aravenor, whose face is also covered by “the trademark visored helm.” At this point, it’s also disclosed that “the Patrol never revealed their faces, or entered a town or city, or stayed in any of the inns along the main road.”

It’s the helms, though, that lead a young woman in the neighbouring realm of Emer to speculate that, “…the Patrol are really demons bound to the River’s service and that is why they never show their faces to anyone.”

In terms of the Patrol’s styling, the helmets are the chief focus because of the associated secrecy. Although because they’re a mounted force, it’s not just the riders that go armored, but the horses as well:

“…the first of the of the riders emerged through the fog. The heralds saw the horse’s head first, splitting the white air, its ears forward and nostrils flared. A second later the spiked helmet of its rider appeared, turning slowly in a sweep of road and wood. The visor was lowered, concealing the rider’s face, and the horse too was armored, its breath curling through the metal chanfron as it walked forward. Together, horse and rider looked like some beast of ancient legend—or something altogether stranger, a shape of night itself emerging from the mist.”

The styling, together with the fog, is partly scene setting for what’s currently afoot, partly reinforcing the armed strength of the Patrol (which is important to this part of the story) – but also underlines that the Patrol is one of the great mysteries of the River lands.

The “blue” UK cover

Raven

From the River, the story shifts to Emer, in particular its wild and dangerous northern march (Normarch.) Emer is known for its heavily armored Emerian knights (think Burgundy in the mid-to-late Middle Ages) but one of the first characters readers meet is a hedge knight called Raven.

Hedge knights are effectively swords-for-hire. They may serve a ruler or lesser lord for a period, but are not retainers. As such they follow conflicts where extra swords are needed, and some may also pursue the tourney circuit in the hopes of prize money. When hedge knights come together as a company, they would definitely be termed mercenaries, but as the “hedge” suggests, most spend a great deal of their lives on the road and live rough while doing so.

Clearly, Raven’s styling needs to reflect the hedge knight lifestyle, so here’s how he first appears:

“The rider … looked decidedly shabby in an old-fashioned ringmail shirt beneath a patched tunic, and the pot helm on his head had clearly seen better days.“

A little later, the character with him (Carick) decides that, “…the shabbiness of Raven’s first appearance did not improve upon closer inspection. The old-fashioned sark had been mended with horn and bone in places, and his cracked leather gauntlets, like the helmet, had definitely seen better days. Carick noted other signs of the disreputable as well: the tattoos glimpsed between the edge of the knight’s sleeves and his gloves, the fetishes of bone and feather tied as a crest to his helmet—and horses that answered to a whistle.”

Sufficient, I hope, for readers to glean that Raven may be a companion of dubious provenance. He’s very handy in a fight, though, as Carick learns soon enough.

Full US Cover (Original)

Styling Armor: Audin; The Lightning Knights; Asantir

The Emerian narrative centres around knights-in-training, melees, battles, and a grand midsummer tournament, so armor and weapons play a  major part in styling the story. As with the Derai warriors in Heir, given readers know this is a militarized society, a certain amount can be taken for granted except when detail matters to the narrative.

For example, one of the knights-in-training is Audin, nephew to the Duke of Emer. In general, this is not emphasized, but when conflict comes, Carick notices “…the black oak of Emer on his jupon, set within the oak-leaf circlet of the ducal house.”

The fact Audin’s style includes a jupon also tells readers interested in such things a great deal about the style of armor that he—and by implication his companions—are wearing.

Similarly, when the young knights arrive at the tourney, styling in armor and weaponry is utilized to emphasize difference (a use also noted in last week’s post) when they meet the unknown Lightning knights:

“Kalan took in details without seeming to: blue-black armor beneath a long black surcote, and gauntleted hands resting on the pommel of a tall, two-handed sword. The guard’s visor was open, but he wore his mail coif in the Ishnapuri fashion, veiling the lower part of the face, so that Kalan could detect little of his features. He did not think that the man was Ishnapuri, though, despite the coif.”

Kim’s originating post points to styling conveying information about a character’s “background and place in the world”, as illustrated by the heralds’ greys, Raven’s rough equipage, and Audin’s jupon.

In the section of the book that briefly returns to the Wall of Night, readers re-met the Honor Captain, Asantir – who has been promoted since the events in Heir. Now she’s the Commander of Night and this is reflected in her styling:

“Asantir’s clothes and armor might still be plain black, but Night’s winged horse insignia on her breastplate gleamed with gold, ruby, and diamond. Even the cuffs of her gauntlets were worked with gold thread—necessary, Garan knew, for the prestige of Night…”

UK release poster

Returning to Malian

I did promise to return to Malian, when I discussed her styling in Heir. In particular, I noted that “Malian’s preference is for less restrictive clothing, where it doesn’t matter if she gets it dirty” and that I was “pretty sure” that preference would continue.

At one point, she “smooths the worst of the wrinkles out of her clothes and combs at her hair with her fingers.” Later, when preparing for action, she pulls out “her last clean shirt and hose.” The shirt and hose, “…as well as the sleeveless tunic she pulled on over the top, were black, but of everyday fabric.”

Still doing it plain and practical, in other words. Although Malian chooses apparel appropriate to the circumstances, her choices also convey a great deal more than meets the eye, including that clothes are not important to her.

Next time, we’ll see if that still holds true in Daughter of Blood, (The Wall Of Night, Book Three.) Meanwhile enjoy the Styling Characters fun – I hope it offers some insight into the style options for revealing character and nuanced storytelling.

~*~

Previous Posts

Styling characters in The Heir of Night

Note: This post features concurrently on Supernatural Underground.

Yes indeed, 1 July already! Which means I have a post up on Supernatural Underground, continuing my – broadly – “band of brothers” theme.

Last month I segued from “band” to “bromance”, since the latter (I argued) is very often, if not always, a subset of the former. This month, I’m shifting the spotlight from May’s “band of sisters” to “true sisterhood.”

From “found” sisterhood…

By which I mean sisters as in family ties, rather than “found” sisterhood, which is the territory of the “band of sisters.”

…to “really & truly” sisters

From Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic, to The Hunger Games, Kate Elliott’s Cold Magic to Stephanie Garber’s Caraval, I’m celebrating the part sisters play in rocking the fantasy genre:

Katniss & Prim

Sister Acts: From the “Band of Sisters” to True Sisterhood

Probably the only topical sister act I haven’t mentioned is that of Sansa and Arya Stark in A Game of Thrones. (The book series is titled A Song of Ice and Fire but I think the TV title is pretty much ubiquitous now so I’ll stick with that.) Nonetheless, I think they’re the exception that proves the “rocking the fantasy genre” rule. 😀

“Power” sisters