OctoPrep 2016

Sat Oct 1st Assignment 1

Identify the following:
(1) Protagonist(s). Who is(are) your main character(s)?
Protagonist's name: Mira
Emmet

(2) Flaw(s). What is(are) the protagonist's major flaw(s)?
Mira's Flaw: Curiosity often leads her to dangerous situations; poor planning and logistical skills; impulsive
Emmet's Flaw: very angry at situations he cannot control; doesn't often do what is best for himself, often sacrificing his needs in a situation whose outcomes often leave Emmet a mess to clean up

(3) Goal(s). What does the protagonist want?
Mira Goals: her village is no longer controlled by the mysterious evil taking over Lake Acumen, the source protection and life to her village.
Emmet: his father's spirit to stop haunting him; Mira; to stick up for himself in the moment with ease and success.

(4) Conflict. What is keeping them from their goal?
Personal flaws, the evil's plans and plots, lack of experience, narcissistic water spirit

(5) Antagonist(s). Who(what) is creating the conflict?
Gretchen: the oracle who sacrificed herself to the evil so that she no longer had to fight for control
The Evil Itself: narcissistic water spirit let loose accidentally by some children playing near the river

Themes:
Personal growth is relative
Understanding is truly achieved only in hindsight
Selfishness is not always a bad word
being able to discriminate between good an evil is a quality skill difficult to achieve


Sunday, Oct. 02
Required: Character List ▼

Mira (main character):
Physical: around age 24, Short, redhead with redhead complexion; eyes are blue, which is an uncommon trait in the village
Background: She was born with grey eyes like the rest of the village, but by the time she reached a year old, her eyes are turned royal blue, which is the same color as the lake. This marks her as an Oracle, who has the ability to use the magic from Lake Acumen. Her parents died in a fire soon after her eyes are turned blue but she was saved by Gretchen, who read the omens in the lake saying that Mira needed help.

She has an often impulsive personality with a temper that heats up quickly, earning her a nick name (not yet chosen; maybe Red Hots? there is undertones to this nick name, but perhaps too pop culture for a mythical midieval story?). Mira sees Gretchen drown, confirming she is the new village oracle.

Mira was raised by Gretchen, who submerged her into the arts of the understanding and reading Lake Acumen's magic. When Mira was around 5 years old, the lake tried to lure Mira into the lake to drown her, but Gretchen saved her again. The memory and knowledge of Gretchen saving her life twice adds to Mira's guilt that she could not save Gretchen.

By the time Mira was 13 years old, she was just as strong and schooled as Gretchen in the Lake's magic, and would often lead spiritural guidance sessions for those in the village.

Mira was a very lonely child, often trying to play with the other children in the Village. But friendships were hard as the other children were taught to revere her, but at the same time also feared her. Her only aquaintences were nieghboring Oracle apprentences who varied in age, temperament, and personality (there was very little sisterhood amongst them).

Emmet (Main character):


Piper (Aquaitence to Mira): Neighboring village apprentance; around 26 years old; was born with blue eyes, which is even more unusual than them eventually turning blue. Very elegant with with natural feminine allure; often uses it for her benefit to have boys who would naturally respect her do her bidding, such as carrying materials, water jugs, etc.

Mira does not like her; sees her as minipulative, inconsiderate, and narcicistic. Piper often avoids eye contact when speaking to anyone else who is not superior to her. She has a mutual dislike of Mira due to Mira's strength and talent that being honed at a much younger age as she. She comes from a well to do family of merchants, and her parents are still alive.

Piper would often stay with the Village Oracle for months at a time, but like most apprentences was able to live at home on the rest days or holidays.


Monday Oct 3rd
Complete a character profile of your protagonist. Include detailed information such as name, age, physical attributes, occupation, education, culture, religion, family, relationship status, personality, likes, dislikes, strengths, weakness, motivations and desires. The point of this exercise is for you to get to know your character inside and out before you write your novel. If you don't know your character, how can you expect it of your readers? Flesh out your pre-story character in detail. Keep in mind that your protagonist will grow in some way during your story. Add the profile to your character database (if applicable.)

Protagonist

Name: Mira

Age 24

Physical Attribute: Redhead, blue eyes, shorter in stature (barely 5 ft), frekled face

Occupation: Village oracle apprentence (eventually full oracle)

Education: trained under the well known Oracle Gretchen, whose powers and knowledge is revered through all Lake Acumen Villages; Mira's knowledge reached full strength much younger than the rest

Vices: can be very impulsive, which can be either a trait that saves her or one that gets her in trouble

Likes: people watching, trying new things and a bit of a daredevil; waterfalls and forests; Emmet (though it takes her a while to figure it out);

Religion: Pagan and magic oriented; nature oriented (similar to what we today imagine druid religion to be like)

Family: died in a fire; Gretchen is both her mentor and the only mother she has ever known; Gretchen was a tough love kind of person, but did very much love Mira; Mira loved Gretchen as well, but the familial relationship was rarely explored between them

Strengths: reading omens; circumspect; full picture oriented; caretaker instinct

Weaknesses: lacking in mainstream social skills; relationship skills (just never developed them)

Motivations: keeping families together and safe; not letting children become orphans (Emet is the only other orphan in the entire Acumen Lake community); seeing good conquering evil; pure curiosity is also a motivation; understanding people (which often makes them feel more uncomfortable around her, as they believe she can read minds; not sure if she can or can't yet)

Desires: To have people able to relate to her as much as she can relate to them without making them feel uncomfortable; helping people who have sincere problems; unite Lake Acumen Oracles in a sisterhood that is supportive respectful; ridding the lake of the evil

Bonus: Have character introduce themselves in their own voice

Hi readers,

My name is Mira; no last name in our villages. My father was a blacksmith and my mother was just that, a mother. Though I can't remember them, some of the villagers who do tell me stories of them (at least those who were friends with my parents and aren't afraid of me).

I was raised by my mentor Gretchen; Gretta for short. I lived with her since Iw as a few months old; after my parents died in a fire shortly after my eyes turned blue (which is what Gretta told me at least). Supposedly my fathers forge blew up, but no one knows why. A bit of a few holes in my family history, despite still living in the village I was born in.

I only have one really close friend (Emmet; he is the only other orphan in the Lake Acumen community and is from accross the lake). At least I guess I can call him a friend. He was taken on by Gretchen at a young age to help with the farm work, but he helps all the oracles with odds and ends; sort of a handy man.

There are other Apprentences like me, I but I am not to fond of most them. Especially Piper. She is the ring leader. I normally just roll my eyes around her.


Tuesday Oct 4th
Complete a character profile of your antagonist (your "bad guy" - the character creating conflict for your protagonist.) If your antagonist is a situation rather than a person, write about what it is and how it will create the narrative conflict. Add the profile to your character database (if applicable.)

The antagonist is a water demon/sprite. The demon contaminated the waters of Lake Acumen when he was accidentally let loose some summers back by persons still unknown, but ever since then he has been altering the omens and readings and creating havoc in the Lake Acumen Community since beginning of the story. However, he becomes even more powerful as he lures Gretchen, who sensed his presence, to his side and ever since then Gretchen has been feeding the sprite magic, unable to fight him. He eventually drowns Gretchen in front of Mira. The water demon that frames Mira for Gretchen's murder.

The water demon in appearance has a silver reflective hue that sometimes looks blue/green. Though he can appear solid, he is usually seen as mist. He holds all the properties of water, such as expanding and evaporating, but can do this at will. He can also control the water properties as well. He travels as fog or mist, but cannot go very far and prefers to keep to cloudy, foggy atmospheres, which he can create as long as there is a source of water to be found.

He was imprisoned long ago, but was let loose accidentally by some children (who may have done so during an overwhelmingly hot summer who were practicing magic to encourage some rain). The water demon also has the ability to create humidity.

The demon has a high pitched voice, but when angered can sound more like the rush of a waterfall. There maybe undertones of other water qualities in his voice not yet identified.

Water Demon's Voice:

I am older than Lake Acumen itself. I saw the lake slip from the icy peaks of mountains, eroding the land away to eventually make way for a clear lake. I was part of the water sprites who found their way stuck in the sliding current, adding to the magic of the lake.

We are a race that can go through the natural cycle of water, eventually raining back down to refill the magic and adding strength. Because of this we can see history; we know history; and our magic allows us to see the intricate weave of history. Of course the other sprites of the forest have added their magic. But mine in particular, could help you see beyond even what the lake offers now.

I am one of those mortals call demons. But truth be told, I make problems because I can. Because I have my power and it is me, and what else am I supposed to do with it? I create life just as much as the other sprites, but I can tangle with your emotions with just one sip of my magic in your drink and I intend to, because I can.


Monday, Oct. 10
*Bullet* Required: Minor #1 Profile ▼

Complete a character profile of any additional protagonist, antagonist, or minor character, whom we will call Minor #1. Add the profile to your character database (if applicable.)

Minor character 1:
Becca: Is is 9 years old with a streak of defiance and curiosity. She lives with her two parents and a new baby brother. Becca lives in a Lake Acumen community village accross the lake from Mira, and the girls do not know each other. After Becca put on a show of how brave she is, Her friends dared her to sneak into an old supposedly haunted cottage and steal something as proof. The cottage may have been the home of an old Oracle or Hermit studying Lake Acumen's magic. She did just this and brought with her a very old book titled Universal Troublesome Sprites. Though the book is locked shot, Becca and her friends find a way of prying the book open.

Becca and her friends are fascinated with the pictures, but come accross a particuarly spectacular looking one who looks silver with blue and and green tones. The pictured eyes of the sprite look as though it is in fact alive and staring back out at them. The other girls force Becca to close the book and beg her to put the book back. Becca pretends to go back to the house and return the book, but in fact just hides it. She is to drawn to the fantastical nature of the tomb to return it just yet.

Later, Becca returns to the books hiding place and starts reading from him. There is a portion of the sprites description covered and Becca finds a stone to pry away the material covering it. Underneath it, Becca reads the words outloud and the sprite of the page jumps up and runs away.

Out of panic, Becca does go searching for the Sprite, which actually ends up kidnapping her for the book with plans to let loose the rest of his kindered sprites. Becca may or may not have the book with her at this point, but she does bring her diary which is a comfort to her and may or may not accidentally loose it while being kidnapped.

Image of Becca:
Dear Diary,

I did something aweful today, and I don't even know what it is I exactly did. I read from that book I told you about earlier, and well the picture jumped off the page. I think it was a Sprite of some sort... Ok, I know it was a sprite because that was the title of the book...

Diary, I am so scared. If it is a troublesome sprite then it was my fault it is here and I have no idea how to get rid of it. The book doesn't say how to return them. It laughed at me and sort of bowed before it ran off and then splashed in the Lake.

Diary, what am I going to do? I am going to be in so much trouble! Mommy and Daddy both said so if I stepped out of line again. Should I try and find it? If I do find it, what will it do? How would I even capture it?

It was beautiful though. But I thought it was just a picture! Everyone is going to tell me, "I told you so." And they did, but I don't want to hear it. I don't! I better go find it... I will sneak out after dinner. Should I leave a note before I leave? Just in case something really really bad happens?

I am going to be in soooo much trouble Diary... soooo much trouble.

Oct 11
Minor character profile #2
Name: Sturgeon; around 55 years old
Personality: Shady and slimy persona; visits the village after the sprite is already set free; claims to be a traveling salesman
Appearance: Long hair; balding on top with brown spots; wooden toothe in front; very nice outfit which strikes Mira as strange; almost like he stole someone's good cloths to make him look clean but does not match his lacking hygienic appearance

Sturgeon is actually the sprites henchmen, who has been wondering the earth for centuries waiting for the sprite to call him back again. He is in fact not human in his normal appearance and at this point should imagaine him as a demon. He is both filthy and lacking in care for himself as he has no idea how to take care of himself. The wooden tooth that is noticeable from the front is a replacement for a rotted tooth that he recieved about 60 years prior. He has been captured in the past but was freed when his captors spell brokeup them being burnt at the steak for treason. The captors were of course wrongly convicted.

Sturgeons job is to find his master but masquerades as a merchant misleading customers into buying very powerful and dangerous tools of magic as good luck charms. He has traveled to lake acumen communities in the past to sellherbs and ither things the oracles need, but often takes advantage of the pilgrims coming to lake acumen for help with their troubles.

When the sprite is let loose, sturgeon sets out to do his biddingsuch as luring children to the lake for his master to kidnap and harness their youth, planting misleading information to frame mira for the death of her communities oracle; and setting up events for the sprites plans to play out accordingly.

Sturgeon serves the sprite as in e days of old, sturgeon was born of the magic that the sprite has, and there fire is somewhat a part of him(not positive on this),

Bonus: Sturgeons voice:
I have herbs and trinkets to satisfy any need you have. I have flowers from the far reaches of the grand purple mountain cliffs and powder that will healing achng bones. But it seems to me that what you are really look for is to ease your nightmares, yes?

I have heard of much talk in the village since i have arrived of people having nightmares. Dreams of Fog rolling in from the hills breathed upon this villageby the very breath of the devil. Of people wakingup from a cold sweat, imagining themselves doing unspeakable acts in their dreams. What you need is some nettle and cotton flower powder to put on your eyelids before bed. Helps with the youngins as well. You see, the dream spirits like the sent of cotton flowers and thar will atract them while the nightmare spirits are not a fan of nettles. It is only 5 dollars an ounce; small price to pay for lasting comfort and relaxation.