I am outlining for a novel (something I've never done before with any success) and it's set mostly in the country of Rinadrion, a very warlike country. Part of the plot has to do with a small percentage of the country's inhabitants who are deridingly called Kriones by their fellow countrymen. So, what exactly are Kriones?
If you'll remember from my post about Rinadrion, there is a small, mostly isolated group that have gone to the opposite extreme of trying to invade and take over every other country in the world, and are pacifists, shunned and ostracized by their countrymen. Krione is taken from Kriona, the goddess of peace, prosperity, and comfort. Basically, they're being called cowards.
The character in my novel who is a Krione is not a full pacifist. He is conflicted about what role violence should play in a man's life; whether it is fine to kill in self-defense or to defend one's country if it is invaded.
As you can see, something like this has the potential to be really interesting if explored. If you'd grown up in a country like Rinadrion, yet realized there was something wrong with their constant warmongering, would you go to the opposite extreme and become a pacifist? Or would you be really conflicted, not knowing if you should kill, or what the right reasons for killing were?
I've never been much of an outliner either, though I'm beginning to see its merits and I suspect my next novel project will start with one. : )
ReplyDeleteYou've presented a tough question here. If your character has grown up among the Kriones, it would be fairly easy for him to see the negative aspects of violence. If he's not going to be a total pacifist, though, something is going to have to happen to show him the negative aspects of pacifism as well. Were I in his place, if I talked to someone I considered trustworthy and respectable who viewed violence as being okay in some situations and could give logical reasons for that belief, or if someone I cared about suffered something bad as a result of their pacifism, I might begin reconsidering my position. I would definitely be conflicted.
I read both posts. :) World-building isn't usually my thing, but because of your Krione's struggle it's /practically/ character-building, and as such, fascinating. What does he do to sort through his conflicted thoughts?
ReplyDelete@ Mary: My character didn't grow up among them, which makes him possibly even more conflicted than if he had :D I can't say too much at the moment, but his father (not a Krione himself) is out of favor with the Rinadrion king for not disowning his son when his son becomes a pacifist (or semi-pacifist).
ReplyDelete@Lostariel: I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm not entirely sure how he sorts through it yet at the moment or not :D I'm still working it out.
Thanks to both of you! I'm glad ya'll found it interesting :D