Character Profiles: Bree

Introduction

Bree: Mysterious, elusive, uncertain…the power that was gifted to her…or cursed, depending on your point of view. In our own lives, sight is one of the few, yet arguably most important, ways we can take in the world around us. But what if that sight is taken away? How would you be able to survive in your own modern day life…let alone in a fantastical world with all kinds of horrors and dangers around every corner? Let us explore why disabilities bring about some of the most powerful characters in literature, and what that means for our cast of characters.

Clarification Notes

This profile is going to be a bit different, mostly because this is actually a newer addition that I hadn’t really planned out when I was first drafting my story…and she’s a newer character that isn’t even introduced up until this point, so this is actually a pretty important note to keep in mind going forward. It is a first draft after all (…even I still have to keep reminding myself of this fact -_-), so this really is the perfect opportunity to find ways to introduce new character tensions, conflicts, and perspectives. So if there are any inconsistencies that come up, it’s mainly because I’m still in development when it comes to ensuring that Bree’s integration doesn’t disrupt the continuity and flow of the story.

Inspiration is a beautiful thing as a writer…it’s the reason that we can gain our own motivations to create our own stories and universes. And this character is based off another from one of the most well-written children’s television shows I’ve ever witnessed: Avatar: The Last Airbender. Yes, even as its intended audience is designed for children, its character growth and worldbuilding and major themes are some of the most sound and in-depth that adults can still find some new and wonderful topics to dwell upon. If you’ve watched it before or have seen bits and pieces after the first season, then you probably have a strong idea of who this is inspired off…but with a different approach with her personality and her own importance to the group. I may create another post in the future just talking about some of my own books, movies, and games that I continually draw my own inspiration from, but that will be saved for another time. For now, let’s delve into the sightless eyes of our newest cast member!

Background

Bree is about 14 years old, her younger childhood being one of struggle and adversity with every step of her journey so far. In one of the alleyways in the merchant quarter of Mogarth is where she and her family made home…with no house that would welcome their lot. She was told many excuses and reasons for why their family was so loathed by others, but all of them stemmed from the same root: Their family was different. She has many guesses as to why this might be the case. Her parents might have been born without an inheritance; they might not have had the income or stable job to maintain a home that their family could live in; Hells, they might have even committed some heinous act that rejected their family; or some other reason entirely that has their family marked for destitution.

Whatever the case, it meant that her initial survival–even in a place as grand and “safe” as Mogarth was supposed to represent–was contingent on being another productive member of the family…by doing many unsavory acts to keep them from succumbing to hunger, thirst, or murder. For the lucky few that Bree ever does disclose this troubled past to, her details are sparse at best…whether that’s intentional or otherwise. But what she does not hide is how her sight was lost.

Concept art that feels pretty appropriate for how I envisioned Bree when her blindfold is over her eyes. Not often does she reveal her face, and even rarer is the “gift” that she’s been bestowed seen through her visionless eyes. Found under DeviantArt by BrenoPiva

It’s a topic that’s hard to avoid when someone asks why a good portion of her face is covered in a linen bandage. But to Bree, it’s simply another reason why she and her family were destined for death. Bree was in fact blind since birth. Her parents nearly disowned her after not even knowing how to properly care for a blinded child…that is, until they saw that she could recognize them. She was able to “see” them, but not as we would normally associate with visually observing someone even as an infant. Rather, a swirling, vivid magic colored her pupils, giving her the necessary vision that she lacked.

Her physical eyes were still helpless, mind you! That Bree could not control. But whatever gift, that which she calls her “luck,” this had done to bestow upon her allowed her to feel out the very magic that gathered around everything: The people, the streets, the sparse trees and vines–everything had this tinge of luck that touched and permeated around everything. From then on, she was able to still provide for the family as she got older, using her luck to every advantage. Even if it meant at the cost of others that were even less fortunate than her.

Her life revolved around self-preservation and survival, and because of this, she avoids revealing her history and her true eyes to any strangers unless there’s a warranted reason for doing so. But this luck, as many unfortunate souls learned while she grew up in Mogarth, had many darker ways to manifest than simply allowing her to “see”…

Relevance to the Story

Bree will be introduced in a fairly precarious position, but she is anything but helpless even in spite of her physical condition. She comes at a time when Trenton and crew come across a town that was burned down and massacred to the last…except one, where Trenton notices the faint tracks of a single pair of feet being dragged away by some of the invaders (Guess who!).

Bree will be tracked down and added to the crew, but not out of necessity. Her involvement will be one of reflection and control. In spite of her frankly shady background, she has learned to harness her capabilities. Readers will quickly catch on that, with the condition Trenton is under during his time with the artifact he uncovered, they want to learn more about what it does and why it has been affecting him like this for so long.

With Bree’s age, condition, and hidden strengths come more questions for the readers and the other characters alike. It’s up to them to determine if she is worth trusting…or if she will have to fend for herself, just as she always has for her entire life. Blindness does not correlate to helplessness. This would be no different.

Conclusion

While her childhood was wrought with hardship, Bree’s steps ahead will bring with them heavy consequences depending on how she uses her powers. Only time will tell for what this will mean for Trenton and the others, but for now…they’ll have to accept this new addition.

Progress is coming along with this current chapter pretty swimmingly. I’ll probably have a sample up for the next posting, so looking forward to sharing some potential introductions on some of the power that Bree has to offer.

I think it’ll be worth warranting it’s own separate post on a dedicated talk of disabilities in literature, as there are many ways they can be posed to great effect…and to terrible interpretation. While this is true for practically all aspects of a novel, disabilities are a subject that is very commonly stepped around in our society. When authors consistently leave out or misrepresent a group of people, it can lead to negative stigmas and connotations that stick with these people for generations. It is frankly our duties as authors for, when we bring controversial issues to light, to allow an opportunity to critically analyze these aspects. This allows our readers to then self-reflect on what it means for our individual worldviews and perspectives…everyone comes from a different walk of life, and everyone sees the world differently. But being open-minded to others and leaving the door open for sharing their experiences can do wonders for the heart and soul. Until next time, cheers!

-J.K. Denny

_{Featured image found under WallpaperUp by Mamaru}