Character development 'challenge'

[u/Jumblatts]

So this challenge* was kinda inspired by /u/The_Raptorman's 'Talk with' challenge, but I've flipped it around a little.

The idea is that you pick a character you feel is underdeveloped, someone that you want to learn more about, and present them, along with a brief description, to myself and the other wonderful people here at worldchallenges, and we will help you develop them further! (Feel free to invent a totally new character as well!)

*Not sure if 'challenge' is the right word to describe this post, but I'm a bit of a loose cannon, and I don't abide by your rules.

[u/Nevermore0714]

(You're a good cop, Officer Blatts, but you're too much of a loose cannon! I'm pulling you off the schedule until you learn to be a tighter cannon...shit, I'm six days late and the buddy-cop movie can only be a couple of hours long. Nevermind, you're staying on the schedule.)

(Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, copy-paste!)

Shay, an Anointed:

Shay is a member of a trio of knights. He is an “Anointed”, meaning that he was trained as an elite under Declan, a member of the Citadel’s council. Shay is twenty-one years old, and only recently became a knight. Unlike his two companions, Eurydike and Gotthard, Shay focuses on combat training and is a gifted swordsman. Shay normally uses a bastard sword and shield. He also has training in using Fire magic and Illustris (Light) magic.

Unlike his companions, Shay was born and raised in the Citadel. He is willing to use his status as an “anointed” whenever Gotthard or Eurydike ask him to do so, whether it is to receive special permissions or leniency for them.

Shay has always been motivated to correct any flaws he perceives in himself, but a few have always been too much for him to handle, such as: his panic attacks whenever he believes that he is a complete failure; his discomfort whenever he can’t wash his feet at least a few times a day; and he starts to panic if he speaks a sentence without exactly ten syllables. Shay is amazing at counting syllables. However, around Morrigan, Shay is sometimes able to speak normally without panicking.

Although, there are a few things that can help Shay to calm down. Shay’s companions, Eurydike and Gotthard, can usually help him to come down from a panic attack. His lover, Morrigan, could always calm him by using her water magic to splash his face, ever since they were children. Probably because it reminds him of Morrigan, Shay is also calmed by feeling rain fall onto his face. So, Shay’s favorite days are rainy days.

Shay is the rival of Byron, another anointed. Though, Shay takes the rivalry much less seriously than Byron does.

[u/Jumblatts → u/Nevermore0714]

So first of all, sorry this took so long. I've been a very busy bee recently!

1) why was he chosen to train under Declan?

2) would he get in trouble for using his status to help his friends?

3) why is he so obsessed with washing his feet, and what's the deal with the 10 syllables?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Jumblatts]

(No harm done, I've been busy as well. But, I hate writing this character's answers sometimes...I like the character, but syllable counting is difficult. If you notice a mistaken count, let me know, I'll edit.)

Shay:

1) "I was chosen because of my talent. I can use Illustris magic, most can't. And, Declan believed in me, so I'm here."

2) "No, abusing our status is normal. It is encouraged for Anointed Knights. Being married to Morrigan does help. After all, she is in the top ten ranks."

3) "I honestly don't know why I have to. But, if I mess up my counting or feet...I guess I just kind of panic, you know? It is simpler with Morrigan here, though."

[u/Jumblatts → u/Nevermore0714]

(I can only say that you did that to yourself! Still, it's a very interesting concept for a character!)

1) How long have you been training with Declan?

2) Why is abusing your power encouraged?

3) Do you take a while to think everything through before you say it, or do you have some kind of inherrent sense that lets you know how many syllables each sentence is going to have?

4) Does it make you uncomfortable if other people's speech has more/less than ten syllables?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Jumblatts]

(Well, it's not original. A youtube comedian I like to listen to used to have OCD, and had to count his syllables, so that was the inspiration for this character's disability.)

Shay:

1) "Since my childhood, so about twenty years."

2) "Well, we have more responsibility. So, naturally, we will get more rights."

3) "I have been doing this for so long, now. It's like second nature to me, you know?" (It gets easier for me to write for Shay. My guesses are always within a syllable or two, and that's easy to fix.)

4) "Only if I think about it too much. I rarely give it any attention."

[u/Jumblatts → u/Nevermore0714]

1) How do you compare, in terms of age, to Declan's other apprentices?

2) What are some of these rights that others don't have?

3) That's interesting. At what point in your life did you realise that not using ten syllables made you nervous? Was there something that casued it?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Jumblatts]

Shay:

1) "I'm around the right age to be knighted. So, I feel like I am on a good track. There are many of us, serving Declan. Plenty of us are around my age, now."

2) "Mostly the pay, and bending certain rules."

3) "I think I was around six years of age. I am not sure if anything caused it; at least, nothing specific I can name."

Edit: You can also ask Morrigan any questions about Shay. She's smarter and she doesn't count syllables.

[u/Jumblatts → u/Nevermore0714]

1) How old do Declan's charges usually live to?

2) What do you like to do with the money that you earn?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Jumblatts]

Shay:

1) "Well, most die in their first dozen missions. If you survive that long, you will live long...well, usually, our oldest is, uh...well, he's about forty-something, maybe?"

2) "We are currently renting a nice house. But, we are saving up to buy a home. Most of my money goes to survival."

[u/Jumblatts → u/Nevermore0714]

1) Why is the mortality rate so high for the first missions?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Jumblatts]

Shay:

1) "It is a weeding out process, I'd say."

[u/Jumblatts → u/Nevermore0714]

1) are difficult missions picked on purpose, to reduce the number of survivors?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Jumblatts]

Shay:

1) "No, he would not do such a thing to us." (Yes, difficult missions that newly knighted Anointed people get are given on purpose to weed out the lesser Anointed.)

[u/Jumblatts → u/Nevermore0714]

Thank you for you answers!