{"id":41174,"date":"2023-06-26T06:30:10","date_gmt":"2023-06-25T18:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/?p=41174"},"modified":"2023-06-25T23:18:31","modified_gmt":"2023-06-25T11:18:31","slug":"styling-characters-in-the-heir-of-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2023\/06\/26\/styling-characters-in-the-heir-of-night\/","title":{"rendered":"Styling Characters in “The Heir Of Night”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"So-o, last week I posted on Kim Falconer\u2019s excellent \u201cMore Than Meets The Eye\u201d series<\/a> on the Supernatural Underground<\/strong> blog, with a link to the latest instalment on Styling Characters<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The premise is that a character\u2019s depiction through \u201cstyle\u201d, whether clothing or arms, can provide insight into their personality, as well as their part of the story\u2019s narrative arc, or their current mood and motivation.<\/p>\n

All of which has inspired me to take a closer look at how I\u2019ve styled characters in The Wall Of Night<\/strong><\/a> books. I intend looking at each book separately, starting with (yes, you\u2019ve got it!) Book #1, The Heir of Night<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

However, for those who may be less familiar with the story, I\u2019ll start with a brief outline of: \u2013<\/p>\n

The Wall of Night <\/em><\/strong>World and Opening Story Premise<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Heir of Night<\/em> takes place on the Wall of Night that gives the series its name. It\u2019s not an actual wall, but a storm-blasted mountain range that forms a physical and psychic barrier between the world of Haarth and the all-destroying Swarm.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The Wall of Night Series map; artist Peter Fitzpatrick<\/p><\/div>\n

The Wall is garrisoned by a warrior society called the Derai, which holds itself distinct from the rest of Haarth. At the time the story opens, the Derai are further divided by the legacy of a civil war that decimated their fighting and magical strength.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, the Swarm has been dormant for some time, but there are signs it may be rousing again\u2026<\/p>\n

Styling Characters in The Heir of Night<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"\"

USA: Current<\/p><\/div>\n

Malian<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Regulars here will already know (of course!) that the main character is Malian, the titular Heir of the warrior House of Night. She\u2019s young when the story begins, with her character still being formed, but here\u2019s what a reader gleans in the opening sequences:<\/p>\n

Malian is adventurous and daring enough to scale the heights of a long-abandoned hall. Her clothes are not described in detail at that point, other than to mention that they\u2019re \u201cgrubby\u201d<\/em>, but the activity implies practicality.<\/p>\n

Soon afterward, she must dress for a feast, at which point her \u201cgrimy\u201d<\/em> and presumably comfortable, clothes must give way to \u201can elaborate black velvet dress\u201d<\/em> (black \u201cbecause\u201d Night, just in case you were wondering \ud83d\ude09 ) with a \u201cgauze collar that stood up like butterfly wings on either side of Malian\u2019s face\u201d<\/em> \u2013 and a train that Malian describes as \u201crestrictive.\u201d<\/em> She goes along with it, though, because the formality is part of what it means to be Heir of Night.<\/p>\n

What I hope I\u2019ve managed to establish through the opening scenes is both Malian\u2019s innate daring, but also that she is serious about her responsibilities and duties as Heir. The other nuance is that Malian\u2019s preference is for less restrictive clothing, where it doesn\u2019t matter if she gets dirty. All characteristics that underpin her personality through books #1 to #3.<\/p>\n

\"\"

USA: original cover<\/p><\/div>\n

Kalan<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Kalan is al-most<\/em> as important as Malian to The Wall of Night<\/strong> series. When we first meet him in HEIR, he is an unwilling novice priest. So unlike Malian, his garb is not a matter of choice, but \u201c\u2026the gray-blue robes of a temple novice, robes that were patched and far too short at wrist and ankle.\u201d<\/em> What I hope the brief description conveys is that Kalan is at an age when he is growing fast, but also a certain neglect that fits a larger picture: both the role of novices in the temple hierarchy, but also the status of priests in the larger warrior society.<\/p>\n

\"\"

UK\/AU\/NZ: current<\/p><\/div>\n

Haimyr the Golden<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

By contrast with Kalan\u2019s drab apparel, the minstrel known as Haimyr the Golden lives his sobriquet. He not only has golden hair and eyes, but wears golden clothing with \u201csleeves flared wide \u2026 scalloped and edged and trailing almost to the floor\u201d <\/em>that cast \u201ca fantastic shadow to either side.\u201d<\/em> The golden clothing is sewn with \u201ctiny golden bells\u201d<\/em> so that he moves amid a constant shimmer of sound.<\/p>\n

Clearly, Haimyr the Golden is not keeping a low profile, despite being one of the few non-Derai living on the Wall of Night, amid a notoriously xenophobic society. He is<\/em> the Earl of Night\u2019s minstrel, which implies privilege, but even so\u2026Revealing, don\u2019t you think?<\/p>\n

\"\"

UK\/AU\/NZ: original cover<\/p><\/div>\n

When To Style <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Styling is like any other aspect of story, which is that the telling thereof should only convey detail that matters. As Kim references in her Styling Characters post<\/strong><\/a>, it can highlight the character\u2019s “personality, background, and place in the world.”<\/em><\/p>\n

It can also highlight points-of-interest or difference for readers, such as between Malian\u2019s inclination and her duty, or Haimyr\u2019s flamboyance in a hostile environment. In the case of Kalan clearly outgrowing his novice uniform, styling suggests a picture (i.e. background) beyond immediate events.<\/p>\n

Yet for active warriors like the Earl, his honor-guard captain, Asantir, and rank-and-file warriors like Sarus and Garan, Kyr and Lira (to name only a few), their armor is so uniform it only merits mention to highlight events or a change in circumstance.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Artist’s depiction of the Wall of Night. Credit: PJ Fitzpatrick<\/p><\/div>\n

For example, when readers first meet the Earl and Asantir, their clothing or armor is not mentioned. When the story rejoins them, some time later, both have been in battle. The Earl\u2019s \u201cblack armor \u2026[is]\u2026 hacked and dented and the pressure line from his helmet still livid across his forehead.\u201d<\/em> In Asantir\u2019s case, readers can assume armor in similar condition from the circumstances, but the salient detail is that she has a \u201cbloody wound\u201d<\/em> to her shoulder.<\/p>\n

When a character is decidedly not<\/em> uniform, however, styling plays an important part in underlining difference. Haimyr gets a more detailed treatment for that reason, and so, too, does Rowan Birchmoon of the Winter People.<\/p>\n

\"\"

German cover<\/p><\/div>\n

Like Haimyr, Rowan Birchmoon is not Derai \u2013 but she is<\/em> the Earl\u2019s consort, which is significant given Derai society. She also hails from a very different region to Haimyr, with a significantly different culture. Styling can definitely assist the reader to grasp those differences, which is why it\u2019s highlighted when Rowan enters the story:<\/p>\n

Malian was struck again by how alien her father’s consort, the Lady Rowan Birchmoon, looked \u2026 Pale brown hair hung down her back in a long braid, with pieces of shell and small feathers plaited into it; her long tunic and leggings of supple white leather were embroidered with beasts and birds. There was usually a white hound running at her heels, or a spotted, tuft-eared hunting cat pressed against her legs. Tonight, Malian saw with a pang of envy, it was one of the feather-footed hounds.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Full, original cover art: USA<\/p><\/div>\n

And then, of course, there are the bad guys\u2026They\u2019re a shadowy force in The Heir of Night<\/em>, with as many demons and monsters as more human-style antagonists. Even when the warriors are encountered directly, they may only be partially seen, whether because of circumstances or their sorcery (or both.) So when Kalan first glimpses a Swarm strikeforce (at night, in a poorly lit corridor) details are fragmentary (unlike Malian studying Rowan Birchmoon in a brightly lit hall):<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em>They were clad in black, but he could make out sword hilts and the keen, flame-shaped heads of spears \u2026 their helms were crowned with horn and talons like were-beasts, quite unlike anything used by the Derai.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The bestial helmets reinforce their Swarm origins, while the partial detail is true to the circumstances but also intended to help build mystery and menace \u2013 although, as always, readers are the final arbiter as to whether or not an author\u2019s styling has succeeded. \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be back soon with Styling Characters in The Gathering of the Lost<\/em><\/strong>. In the meantime, I hope I\u2019ve successfully illustrated Kim\u2019s view that costume and style are an important element of storytelling.<\/p>\n

Note: This post features concurrently on Supernatural Underground<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So-o, last week I posted on Kim Falconer\u2019s excellent \u201cMore Than Meets The Eye\u201d series on the Supernatural Underground blog, with a link to the latest instalment on Styling Characters. The premise is that a character\u2019s depiction through \u201cstyle\u201d, whether clothing or arms, can provide insight into their personality, as well as their part of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,50,30,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-about-my-books","category-about-writing","category-epicfantasy","category-supernatural-underground"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41174"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41204,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41174\/revisions\/41204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}