Kandric world discussion

[Kyle Aarons]

OK< this is about the best I can do for character sheets I started with Aster- Kandric looks like I will have to type in since I have him in an even harder format to paste in, and just to do this I had to change over to my note pad since I cannot copy and paste from my main computer.

 

Keep in mind all stats are based on a number of 1-100 with 50 being dead average

 

 

At the Start of Story

 

Character Name: Aster

Age: 45

Human Equivalent:  12

Race: Alphar/Darkforest

Sex: Male

Weight: Heavy

Height: Above Average

Hair: Classic Silver

Eyes: Classic Green

 

Current Social Status: Secondary Echelon (Merchant)

Birth Social Status: Royalty

Current Attack 125

Current Counter 55

Magic Defiance 98

 

Training

 

Field: Animal Adept

Subfield one: Healthman

Subfield two: Metalworker

Guild Rating: Secondary

Actual Echelon: Secondary Step 5

Force 8

Experience 86

Birth Traits

Primary Hand: Right

Power

81

61

Agility

67

51

Hearing

77

IQ

80

60

Sight

89

Charisma

79

79

Smell

60

Quickness

48

36

Taste

73

Appearance

88

88

Touch

43

Talent: 92

Learned Traits

Acrobatics

42

32

Bartering

87

66

Climbing

50

38

Cooking

57

43

Diplomacy

77

58

Language

49

37

Leather Quality

76

57

Metal Quality

94

71

Music

65

49

Nautical

68

50

Navigate

44

33

Perception

72

54

Riding

44

33

Running

66

50

Swimming

78

59

Wood Quality

60

45

 

Where there are two Numbers the first is the Base number (when adult age of 16 Equivalent is reached) the second is the current age adjusted stat

 

At Chapter 29

 

Character Name: Aster

Age: 45

Human Equivalent: 12

Race: Alphar/Darkforest

Sex: Male

Weight: Heavy

Height: Above Average

Hair: Classic Silver

Eyes: Classic Green

Current Social Status: Secondary Echelon Guilded (Merchant Caste)

Birth Social Status: Royalty

Current Attack: 160

Current Counter: 95

Magic Defiance: 190

Training

Field: Animal Adept

Subfield one: Healthman

Subfield two: Metalworker

Guild Rating: Secondary

 

Actual Echelon: Master Step 2

Force: 18

Experience: 251

 

Birth Traits

Primary Hand: Right

Power

91

68

Agility

89

67

Hearing

77

IQ

80

60

Sight

89

Charisma

79

79

Smell

60

Quickness

48

36

Taste

73

Appearance

88

88

Touch

43

Talent: 92 +131

 

Learned Traits

Acrobatics

42

32

Bartering

96

72

Climbing

50

38

Cooking

57

43

Diplomacy

85

64

Language

49

37

Leather Quality

76

57

Metal Quality

100

75

Music

65

49

Nautical

81

61

Navigate

44

33

Perception

72

54

Riding

61

46

Running

66

50

Swimming

95

71

Wood Quality

60

45

 

Where there are two Numbers the first is the Base number (when adult age of 16 Equivalent is reached) the second is the current age adjusted stat

[Al Norris]

Looking into it, Kyle.

[Kyle Aarons]

As you look this over please feel free to ask questions, and in case any of you are interested, yes, I do have an excel spreadsheet to randomly generate beings within the Kandric world.

[Kyle Aarons]

here is the best I can do for Kandric right now

 

At Start of Story

Character Name Kandric

Age 17

human equivalent age 11

Race Halfelf/Alphar (Mythlet)

Sex Male

Hair color Red/silver

Eye Color Hazel/Green

Weight 23 kg

Height 121 cm

Social Status Current Secondary Echelon (Merchant)

Social Status Birth Squatter

Current Attack 125

Current Counter 55

Training

Field Shaman

Subfield (one) Ruinseeker

**(Mythling Bonus)**

Legionnaire (-1 Echelon)

Subfield (two)

Outdoorsman

Guild Rating

Secondary Step 2

**(Mythling Bonus)**

Ferret Sect War (-1 Echelon)

Echelon Secondary Step Five

Force  6 (race) +10 Sha +3 Leg =19

EXP 130 (Leg+ Sha)

Birth traits

Magic Defiance +14 +67 =71 (Leg+Sha)/2

Primary hand Left

Power 78 (54)

Agility 82 (56)

Hearing 86

IQ 99

Sight 81

Charisma 88 (61)

Smell 88

Quickness 79 (54)

Taste 68

Appearance 99

Touch 65

Talent 99 +125 = 224 (Leg+Sha)/2

Learned traits

Acrobatics 77 (53)

Bartering 91 (63)

Climbing 69 (47)

Cooking 54 (38)

Diplomacy 99 (68)

Language 89 (61)

Leather Quality 61 (42)

Metal Quality 47 (23)

Music 62 (43)

Nautical 26 (18)

Navigate 92 (63)

Perception 90 (62)

Riding 68 (47)

Running 84 (58)

Swimming 89 (61)

Wood Quality 86 (59)

 

Armor

Ferret Counter 50

Legionnaire Toughness 10

 

At Start of Chapter 29

Character Name Kandric

Age 17

human equivalent age 11

Race Halfelf/Alphar (Mythlet)

Sex Male

Hair color Red/silver

Eye Color Hazel/Green

Weight 23 kg

Height 121 cm

Social Status Current Premier

Social Status Birth Squatter

Current Attack 185

Current Counter 115

Training

Field Shaman   Bonus for Mythlet  Legionnaire (-1 Echelon)

Subfield (one) Ruinseeker

Subfield (two) Outdoorsman  Bonus for Mythlet Ferret Sect War (-1 Echelon)

Guild Rating Secondary Step 2

Actual Echelon  Master Step Five

Force  +15 +28 Sha +9 Leg = 52

EXP 510 (Leg+ Sha)

Birth traits

Magic Defiance  +20 +140 =160 (Leg+Sha)/2

Primary hand Left

Power 83 (57)

Agility 92 (63)

Hearing 86

IQ 99

Sight 81

Charisma 88 (61)

Smell 88

Quickness 91 (63)

Taste 68

Appearance 99

Touch 65

Talent 99 +125 = 224 (Leg+Sha)/2

Learned traits

Acrobatics 77 (53)

Bartering 91 (63)

Climbing 81 (56)

Cooking 67 (46)

Diplomacy 99 (68)

Language 89 (61)

Leather Quality 69 (47)

Metal Quality 47 (23)

Music 62 (43)

Nautical 26 (18)

Navigate 92 (63)

Perception 100 (69)

Riding 88 (61)

Running 84 (58)

Swimming 89 (61)

Wood Quality86 (59)

Armor

Amulet of Armor 25

Ferret Counter 65

Legionnaire Toughness 25

 

The Numbers in ( ) are current scores on a 1-100 scale the numbers listed before them are what Kandric will have as an adult. Remember the average skill in each is 50 for adults

(Includes improvement of one Birth trait of 1d10 and two Learned Traits of 1d10 per Echelon)

[Zergrinch]

Wow, that's interesting information and tells me you've done an astounding lot of work on this!  

 

Happy to see Kandric's age ties up with what you wrote decades ago (Chapter 6: Darmoth is 33 years old; Chapter 1: Kandric is 16 years younger than Darmoth).  Also, Aster's race is written Alphar/Dark-Forest, so exactly the same race as Conner's father.  Wonder how a Dark Forest elf was able to mate with the unexiled Kaylaria in Alphar lands, but ehh, love finds a way.

 

Gotta say your sheets left me with quite a few questions:

1. What exactly are the requirements for a mythlet (Quarter-Mythling)?  Kandric is written as a mythlet while Aster isn't.  The only difference I can see is Aster's father is an elf while Kandric's father is a human.  So basically a half-Mythling needs to mate with a non-Elf/Alphar to create a mythlet?
2. Quite curious about the "Legionnaire" which was placed as Field bonus for Kandric.  As far as I know, you have enumerated only eight fields (Mystic < Swordsman < Warrior Adept < Animal Adept < Druid < Shaman < Sorceror < Mage) and ten out of eleven subfields (Channeler, Gemworker, Healthman, Lockmaster, Metalworker, Mindmaster, Miner, Outdoorsman, Ruinseeker, Sailor)  
3. Kandric's eyes are written as hazel (which is some shade of yellow/brown) and green.  Does he have heterochromia just like Zoldon and Klandon?
4. Not related, but since I was rereading the Saga to gather up a list of names... Who is this "Keddad" that Conner mentioned in Chapter 23?  Keddad seems to be the son of Conner's step-dad who I assume is Kandric's biological father, and yet Kaylaria does not include him among her children nor is he Aster's Twin, Prince Bayne.  Which means he is either a dead mythlet or not her biological son, which would imply Kyvin cheated on her??

Not related to Kandric Saga, but this isn't the first time I'm hearing about your copy/paste problems.  What operating system are you using?  What file format are you writing in?  Does your inability to copy/paste extend to your entire computer, or just specific programs?

[Kyle Aarons]

So many questions and so little time...

a quarter Mythling is Mythlet. Not all 1/4th blood Mythlings get all the abilities some get. After all this time getting a blood line capable of producing a quarter blood bing would be a complete fluke since blood lines were badly muddied after 1000's of years. However, if there going to be any races who have a chance of mixing things up just right it would be the oldest, I.E. the Alpha and the Garm since more Mythlins mated with them then the "lower" races. Now, with this in mind, in steps an Alphar family who is deeply ingrained in tradition where marragies are arranged almost from birth to keep the magic strong and the blood line as pure Alpha as possible. Also understand that having some Mythling blood would not be considered to be harming the blood line. If anything having Mythling blood would be seen as having a proud linage which would only enhance the Alphar Bloodline.

However, Kaylaria has an eye for males with just the opposite of bloodline than what she has been promised to. In fact not only is she attracted to a lower elf, a Dark Forest Elf, the guy is MUNDANE. This pisses off good ole dad and gets here sent out as a non-child and her offspring to "keep her in line". The waters muddy even more here.

****Spoiler alert****

While never directly said there are enough hints in the story for any good reader to realize the following.....

Kaylaria isn't just an Alpha female with very high bloodline, she turns out to be a breeder with what turns out to be the exact correct bloodline to be half Mythling who continues to fall for much lower beings almost all of them mundane. (ONly Kandric's father is not "mundane as a brick", but he is still way down on the totum pole of magic. here the blood mixes to push a powerful quarter Mythling to a Mythlet.)

Technically all her offspring who came from here and a being with zero Mythling blood have the bloodline of the current gods however and in this fate has stepped in since no one with mythling blood is Mundane or even close to it, but that is who she fancies and she popped out quite a few kids.

******End Spoiler******

Legoinnaire: Interesting isn't it

Kandric's eyes are very hard to nail down, and it really depends on the light hitting them, how angry he is, or how much magic he is using....

Kyvin and Kaylaria had a very "open" relationship. She realized he would need kids to grow up at a human rate and she made money using her body. This means both her and Kyvin had kids outside of the relationship.

Copy and paste problems seems to be a setting inside Windows 7 on the home computer it happens on several chat boards

[Zergrinch]

Regarding the spoiler: is that even a spoiler?  I've always had the impression that Kaylaria was a half-Mythling popping out quarter-mythling babies. Also, the additional information you gave about her PREFERRING mundane mates tells me that she has some kind of superiority complex, since she can snap them in half really easy  

 

Oh and just for fun and because I was bored:

 

Further questions on your copy/paste issues

1. Did you install Windows 7 on top of Windows Vista?  Did you reinstall Windows 7?  Or is this a clean installation?
2. When did you notice the problem?
3. Is this problem limited to the mouse copy/paste, or does it extend to the keyboard shortcuts CTRL+C, CTRL+X, and CTRL+V?
4. Does the problem manifest immediately when you restart your computer, or does the functionality stop working after some time?
5. Does the problem exist in all applications, say Notepad and Windows Explorer?
6. Are you using some kind of application to connect to another computer remotely (i.e. Remote Desktop)
7. Do you have Java installed?
8. Do you have Skype installed?
9. Do you have any antivirus installed?  If so, what is it?  Is it updated?  When did you last run a full scan?

[Kyle Aarons]

the copy and paste problems is some setting in windows. I only have problems when I am trying to paste to chat rooms like this and it does not matter what browser. I have another computer with the same set up and it does not have this problems. All the same programs and anti-virus installed

 

As far as Kaylaria is concerned, She is not one of the nicest being in the story and she really doesn't fit in as a high member of royalty and never really did.

[Zergrinch]

I doubt there is anyone in the story who is unequivocally nice. Not a single one. Except maybe for the Alphar Queen. But pretty sure you don't get to be queen by being a pushover.

Heck I find Kandric unlikable at times, more ill tempered than siblings Aster and Conner even.

But I guess that's why I like the story - the shades of Gray where even Bandurlok has redeeming qualities. I was getting ready to write off Vondum as an out and out villain but changed my mind as early as chapter 6...

As it stands it is looking like only Gambra, Frexla, and that Drow shaman are completely black at this point.

[Kyle Aarons]

Zergrinch,

 

Thank you. I am glad to hear readers find it hard to fully like or hate most characters in Kandric. I figure I have about four really flatly bad, need to be hated and about the same number on the other side who should be pretty much be liked by all; the rest are on a sliding scale.

[Zergrinch]

That got me thinking which four characters everyone should like. After ten minutes of thought, this is what I got:

Jamon (the poor woobie - see TV Tropes for the meaning)

Queen Jostalis (not sure how valid since she had to always maintain a diplomatic veneer)

Kandric's father (not sure how valid this is since dead men can't offend anybody!)

[Kyle Aarons]

Zergrinch,

 

What chapter are you going up to with this?

[Zergrinch]

Twenty-nine although right now I've re-read with a fine tooth comb up to chapter 8 (to get that list of names).  Now that I think about it, I might have missed out Pontarius, since I don't recall any incident where he might have been portrayed as unlikable.  Still!  In my defense, I will argue that someone who kits out fire walls and stink bombs do have mean streaks in them! 

 

I admit I need to reread the later chapters, because in my first read-through I glossed over all the parts that are about Klent's group and the missing Slome students.  Even if there wasn't a major exposition dump in the middle of the chapter 29, the change of pace was just too jarring for me: since there were already earlier scenes showing Kandric (or Glaster) one-shotting a Great Dragon (or Major Demon), it's kind of hard to read scenes where a "mere" Dragonling is a major threat (to Klent's forces...)

 

Please don't get me wrong - I know everyone can't be as strong as the strong characters - it's just that I'm treating the Saga very much like an RPG, where the sense of threat needs to ramp up as the characters level up.  For example, what would be considered a boss in Act 1 of an RPG would just be a random encounter nuisance later on in Act 3.  To have a random mook go back to being a boss, well... it just feels "off" - I personally found it hard to take it seriously

[Rilbur]

Twenty-nine although right now I've re-read with a fine tooth comb up to chapter 8 (to get that list of names).  Now that I think about it, I might have missed out Pontarius, since I don't recall any incident where he might have been portrayed as unlikable.  Still!  In my defense, I will argue that someone who kits out fire walls and stink bombs do have mean streaks in them! 

I'd argue that I'd rather be taken out by a stink bomb than a fire bomb (and thus live to tell the tale), and a fire wall is a much 'nicer' way of herding someone than a fire ball...

[Kyle Aarons]

Actually, one of my truly GOOD characters was not mentioned and that really takes me by surprise since I have ONE guy who I think is the BEST being in the whole story and was not mentioned.

 

Klent isn't one of my stronger characters by a long shot. He is high secondary Echelon. Sardan alone was enough for him to tremble in his boots.

[Zergrinch]

Sorry Kyle, I guess I'm just dense. Told you that you need to hit me on the head before I notice something!

Tell ya what, I'm gonna list characters and tell you why I don't include them on that list

• Kandric, Aster, Conner, Aster's Twin: They have mean streaks in them
• Anybody in the Watch: can't be a Watch member without being harsh (includes Sardan, Pocet, Lannet, and Falk)
• Glaster, Vondum: Both are just about borderline villains
• Anybody in Pontarius' crew other than Benin: Not enough personality development to decide
• Benin: Pet skunk. Ewww
• Emroc: His behavior in Chapter 1
• Kandric's other siblings: insufficient personality development
• The Slome students, whipping boys, "Zoldon", drow prince, Highman prince, Kandrics slaves, Kandric's indentured servants: insufficient personality development
• Red dragons, Millen, Pantherlings: they have ulterior motives
• Mylan and Lylan: fought each other
• "Klandon": he was a class-A brat
• Conth: after his outburst? Nope.
• Sy: Anyone in Vondum's entourage can't be considered nice in any stretch of the imagination
• The King: He wasn't a good father at all
• Garm Duke: he just may very well qualify, actually!

[Kyle Aarons]

Well, you got the primary one, but it took you a little time to get there.

 

So let me try to guide you in a bit closer.

 

I am going to flatly point out one since I am a bit confused on what you could possibly have against Quavis.... you don't even mention him. (and I think you hurt his feelings by not saying something positive about him)

 

Why does Pontarious' crew automatically make the bad list????

 

and just because someone has ulterior motives... does that really exclude someone? After all, who does not have an ulterior motive of some sort.

 

Also there is one particularly caring whipping boy out there that should get some kind of honorable mention.

 

On the other hand, you are very much correct on most of your other points. One thing is certain: If anyone sees Glaster as good and Vondum as bad I would love to know how and why....

 

here is a list of others I would like you to rate:

 

Klorna

Rylop

Saslara

Zeltoss

Lorthorn

Seldnat

[Zergrinch]

Okay, let's answer one at a time!

 

Regarding Quavis, I honestly didn't think of him and his siblings at all - hey, I am entitled to forget a few dozen of 300 named characters, right?  I agree he was screwed over by Aster's revenge, though not royally so since it spared him from becoming a demon.  But the incident where he berated the disguised halfling, plus the nursemaid's internal monologue, would place him out of consideration for the top "Goody-Good".  He's obviously more good than not, but not just at the pinnacle.  Remember, the list should have beings that everyone (who aren't evil monsters) should like, and we have in-story a being who didn't like him.

 

Pontarius' crew doesn't make the bad list.  They just don't make the goody-good list because we were not given enough information on their inner motivations.  Sure, they are a bunch of former slaves who fight evil and tyranny, but that's the only thing we know - for all we know, they may just be going along with Ponty's noble plan because of peer pressure or loyalty.  Until they get names (that aren't "First Mate") or any kind of character development, I'm on the fence.

 

If the ulterior motive involves some callousness (on the Blue Dragon Prince) or deceit (Red Dragonlings, Pantherling lying that he will inform Vondum), that puts the being out of my consideration.

 

I will reevaluate Klandon's whipping boy once I get around to rereading the parts where he shows his caring nature.  To be honest, he didn't stand out to me on my first read-through, but I suppose that might have been due to the enormous spotlight on Glaster, Klandon, and Mylan.

 

I didn't rate Klorna or any of Gablon's crew (including Gablon himself) because I forgot about them

 

Klorna to me is passionate, to the point where she would express emotion when it would be unwise to do so.  We did not spend a lot of time in Klorna's head or by her side (unlike the Garm Duke), but she just may deserve a spot on that list due to her loyalty to her charges.

 

Gablon....?  No.  Anyone who would engage a prostitute even if she is a Secondary Echelon Sorcerer - when he is married with children - automatically removes him from my nice list.

 

Gablon's crew...?  Not enough personality development, and they were all-too-eager to throw Porma to the wolves.  Granted, Porma is outright unlikable - almost stereotypically so.  But he is one of their charges, and he fought alongside them.  Now, I know that in the Kandric universe, putting iron to an Elf's skin is apparently a heinous crime that should be punished by death.  But to me that smacks of values dissonance, because I can't see how that is any different from other forms of pain, say, tying children to a makeshift cross and forcing them to march, force-feeding people a youth potion over and over again, or whipping them until they pass out.

 

Rylop is depicted as the most sane guard in Slome.  He is displayed as a combat pragmatist - and sadly that is why he doesn't merit a spot on my list.  I personally do not believe that the ends (beating Kandric) justify the means (sacrificing a teammate).

 

Saslara was introduced as a teacher, and always takes that role in all of her appearances.  She is depicted as stern and no-nonsense, but reasonable.  She is not on my list because up to now, she has only been portrayed as a teacher, and we haven't gotten in her head at all to decide whether she deserves to be called a goody-good or not.

 

Of the last three students you mentioned, Zeltoss gets the most character development, having befriended Kandric before the Elf and the Half-Orc.  But like Saslara, they have always been portrayed as students, and looked to Kandric with hero-worship - most definitely they will surely be on their best behavior since they only appear alongside Kandric.  As such, they're still off my list because currently all their portrayals are one-dimensional.  I would rank Zeltoss higher up than the two, but we didn't really get into their heads, other than they were scared shitless by the dragons and are fiercely loyal to Kandric.

[Rilbur]

Gablon....?  No.  Anyone who would engage a prostitute even if she is a Secondary Echelon Sorcerer - when he is married with children - automatically removes him from my nice list.

And what the hell is wrong with prostitution, the world's oldest profession?  

 

I'll freely grant you that it may not be the smartest of decisions given the health risks, but given that he had good evidence she wasn't being 'forced' into doing something she didn't want to do, I see no ethical or moral issues here past the usual puritanical nonsense about sex being bad.

[Zergrinch]

Ah, but Rilbur, this is basically a list of characters who are loved by all characters.  It's not a list of nice people, but the nicest of the nice.  In Kyle's words: those who "should be pretty much be liked by all"

 

I'm not judging sex as bad, per se, just that he's taking actions that some people in the story would find objectionable.  I'm avidly reading a story that has depictions of underage slavery and scenes of children being raped and/or tortured, so I truly doubt I will fit into the category of a Puritan.  In any case, by virtue of the criteria I placed, all married people who are not in open relationships and engage the services of prostitutes would be automatically disqualified from the list.

 

Also!  Even if Gablon's wife were to allow it, Gablon would still miss out on that list because of his actions as a merchant.  He engaged in bribery (in Junsac) and blackmail (of the four kids), and trafficked in the slave trade (in Slome).  While certainly slavery is a matter of course in that universe, there are certain characters who frown on that (e.g. Vindayin's priestess).

[tigrillon]

 

 

On the other hand, you are very much correct on most of your other points. One thing is certain: If anyone sees Glaster as good and Vondum as bad I would love to know how and why....

 

 

Because some twisted minded author chose to describe Glaster from Kandric's highly distorted point of view, and thus managed to carry over Kandric's Stockholm syndrome onto the reader?

 

As to Quavis: well, I thought about him, but I don't seem fit to put him on a list yet. Remember: No reader can know any character as well as you do. The same is true to some whipping boy, who surely is caring and devote to thoese he is devote to. But that same thing can be said abaut Glaster, so is insufficent to make the all good list.

 

And yes, I thougt about Saslara, but I agree with Zergrinch, we haven't seeen anything of her outside her teaching role. Same applies, mutatis mutandis to Rylop, Mathard, Klorna and others.

 

On the other hand, I would have disagreed with Zergrinch on many point, especially his disqualifications of many of the kids. Boys are boys, boys are sometimes stupid, somtimes bratty, and sometimes throw tantrums.It shouldn't be held against them. So I wouldn't dismiss the twins (so they fought, so what, that's what brothers do sometimes), nor "Klandon" (who surely acted as the mega brat, but did so for a reason, out of despair, and might actually be quite loveabable, if given a chance), not even Aster and Conner (The one thing mean we saw of Aster was his screwing over Quavis and his sibling, but that was out of an impulse, and he regretted it soon and tried to make amends. That was not an act of meanness, but a little boy throwing a tantrum, and Conner - what has he really done? He was screwed over again and again, and is bitter, but what meaness has he actually shown?) And I would like to defned the king - he made a big mistake with "Klandon", but that doesn't make him mean. Besides: No one is withouit fault.

 

Of course, many of what has been said, is correct. You don't get to be queen (or king, or diuke, or wathch member) by being all nice, so anyone holding any of those titles is to be doubted (And yes, that includes many of those I "defended" above) On the other hand, even an all good person may be find themself in situation where they have to be harsh (if for no other reason then prevent someone else to be harsher), so neither of those can be flatly dismissed either.

 

So, all in all, there are quite a few characters that could be meant to be all good, but the one I'm pretty sure would be Pontarious. 

[Zergrinch]

Hmm, I'm inclined to agree with you that my reason for excluding Mylan is a flimsy one - it was even pointed out in-story that he had reasons for defending his friend.  I will, however, stand by my assessment for Aster, Conner, "Klandon", and the King.

 

Aster: I agree that his method of exacting revenge is an impulse, emblematic of a boy throwing a tantrum.  But... he is no human boy.  He has lived for 45 years, and was forced to grow up faster than most.  He is already considered an adult by virtue of his Guild Rank.  He has an obligation to make sure that his actions do not affect any innocents (as Glaster had instructed Kandric on his ascension to Secondary Echelon).  He threw a tantrum - and yes he regretted it almost instantly and was ballsy enough to make amends.  But, the act of throwing a tantrum, still indicates he has a mean streak - no matter how tempered it is by his fundamental good nature.  Don't get me wrong - I will definitely rank Aster higher than Kandric, but he's not a saint that just about everyone should like.

 

Conner: He is one of the woobies in our tale - life's been unkind to him and so he's learned to be stoic.  I am mistaken in labeling him as possessing a streak of meanness.  However, I will still exclude him from the goody-good list because of his wraith sect fighting style.  I am full aware that the goody-goods are not above killing their enemies in battle.  However, there is a big difference in killing someone with your bow and arrow, your pet, or your sword - as opposed to killing them by ripping their eyes or hearts out.  The latter is much more personal - it's your hand and only your hand against their internal viscera.  In my mind, it takes a certain mindset to be able to kill using wraith sect techniques, and that detached mindset is precisely what excludes Conner from my list.  I would argue however that Conner would be ranked more virtuous than Aster, since he has not thrown a tantrum at all.

 

I admit that "Klandon" has reasons to act the way he did - as a spoiled brat - and that was explained as much in the story.  I will also disregard his hatred for drow, since that's understandable given his circumstances.  However, there is a particular incident that would still exclude him from the list.  And that's during his two-on-three fight at the town arena.  The kids have the opportunity to talk it over - and the three kids were clearly outmatched by Klandon and Mylan.  And yet, Klandon just charged without trying to reconcile - when he was under no pressure to fight them at all.  So, yeah, in my mind that excludes him.

 

As for the King... well... he is certainly not mean.  But the list isn't just a bunch of non-mean people - it's a list of people so nice, everyone should like them.  In my mind, the King's neglect of his child - to the point of ordering a guard to strike him (albeit on Glaster's orders) - excludes him from the list.

 

So all in all, the list stands as: Jamon, Jostalis, Mathard, Mylan, and Pontarius.  Jostalis may even be suspect in the same vein as Saslara - she always appeared in her role as the Alphar Queen and never anything else.  At least Duke Mathard was featured quite prominently in a few chapters, as a battle commander, a diplomat, and a confidant.  Upon re-reading Chapters 2 and 3, I think Kyle meant for Pocet (who I may have dismissed too cavalierly as a Watch member) to rank quite highly in the "nice list" as well.

 

List of Near-Saintly People (those who have a single, minor blemish): Conner, Aster, Conth, Quavis, Emroc

 

And on the opposite end of the spectrum, list of mustache-twirling villains: Gambra, Gardagam-Koladic Menar-Tylacid, Rovanell (especially after his portrayal in Chapter 28), and Frexla (who currently seems to be shaping up as the big bad)

[roger0002]

Okay, now I feel it is my turn to put in my two cents on this.  

 

The big thing that I am noticing is that everyone wants to make decisions about these characters as if they were in this world, at this time.  What I am wondering is when this happened; how can you make a decision about who is evil, bad, mediocre, nice, good or great without taking their environment and society into consideration?  What is considered as bad to 21st century earthlings may not (and probably is not) bad to a group from another time/place.  Based on the storyline so far, slavery is an accepted situation.  If everyone recalls, it was accepted by our own society in the not too distant past, and is actually still practiced in some out of the limelight areas to this day.

 

Prostitution is an accepted way of securing income in the Kandric Universe. To paraphrase the senior orphan in Aster's flashback,  "wood for the fire costs coin and if you want heat you have to have coin." It is the same in our own society currently.  Yes, it is frowned upon by most cultures, but it is still there, to the point that while being illegal in most of the US, it is the customers who are punished, not the workers.  In Kandric's universe, prostitution by both adults and children is a necessity for survival.

 

As far as the boys being considered adults by virtue of their guild rankings,  the same thing is done in courtrooms all over the US.  By law, anyone over the age of 11 is considered an adult if they commit a crime, but they are not adults mentally.  Kyle even commented that the mental development of the different races proceeds at a rate comparable to their equivalency age.  Those who age slower also develop slower mentally.  Just because Aster is 45 doesn't mean he has the same mental capacity as a human of the same chronological age.  Aster's mental status is closer to a young teen; smarter than the average teenager but not quite as smart as Sardan or Pocet.  

 

I'm sure that is is ticking off a few people and for that I offer my apologies.  What I'm getting at is the readers of Kandric need to try to put themselves into that Universe, not try to equate that Universe with our own.

[Rilbur]

I'm sure that is is ticking off a few people and for that I offer my apologies.  What I'm getting at is the readers of Kandric need to try to put themselves into that Universe, not try to equate that Universe with our own.

Actually, you managed to make several points I was struggling to make myself.  And without the difficulties I'd face in ticking people off in the process.

[Ricky]

Well said and Roger that one. The normal response is to base good or bad based on your own value system. Even here on earth in today's time frame this can bee seen. Remember when Sadam came out and said he placed a curse on all our troops? Our guys pretty much flipped him the bird. But in their culture that was something worth fighting to the death over. See, different value system. Look at how American's and Japaneese differ in how they interact and treat the aged. American's tend to warehouse their elderly or ignore them, the Japanese make them the center of their lives and families. Now I'm speaking wholsale here. Sure there are Americans who don't do that and Jampanese who differ as well. I'm not promoting or denigrating, just stating differences.

 

And it's hard to turn that off, even in a story. Core beliefs are the beliefs that establish our identities as we see ourselves fitting into society. You'll not beable to turn that off so easily. Some will be able to but the vast majority won't. That's life.

 

It's a story, The more you can turn off the core beliefs switch, the better you'll be able to fit into the story. I can't turn it all off so easily myself, so I try and refrain from judgement at all and read on taking in the story as it unfolds.For me it's not so much about who'se good or evil as it is about the struggle of the oppressed to have a better life. But that's just me.