From the start, "Salabor" was never going to be his real name, but simply the name his family knew him by in the Third Age. He went through many throughout his life, namely:
Years of the Trees: He was known in Valinor as Menelassë, which means something like "heaven's leaves", a suitable name for a healer.
First Age: Upon arriving in Beleriand, he renounced being a healer (having participated in the kinslaying) and took on a more shady profession. If anyone asked, his name was Nimellon ("white elf").
When infiltrating Doriath, he took on the name Saelion ("wise"), and once again became a healer as part of his cover story. He was known by this until the kinslaying at Sirion, where he was captured by my other OC (Dínentir) who worked for Oropher.
I don't know what he did in the Second Age, but at one point in the Third Age he meets a human woman and introduces himself as Salabor. This is the name his secret family knew him by, and "Salaboriel" is the surname his daughter (my other OC Linnéa) eventually took on. Unfortunately, no one else knew him by that name so he was impossible for her to track down.
Sidenote though: a possible name he used in the Second/Third Age is Anfass ("long tassel"), I have it on standby just in case.
Mostly just me thinking out loud about these characters and where I wanna take them. Cus though I love the Freudian Excuse trope... I have always loved Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse more.
Includes quotes from the media that inspire me!
Defining terms (from tvtropes):
Freudian Excuse: A traumatic incident in someone's life that makes them the way they are.
Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: A character being told that their Dark and Troubled Past/Freudian Excuse doesn't justify their actions.
(**the term "excuse" isn't literal. It really just means "backstory causes/explains current behavior")
There's something I like to really dig into when I write Salabor and Linnéa, and really just in general, is when the root of a lot of a tragic character's worse actions is having some form of psychological fallacy/view of the world/harmful pattern that locks them into doing wrong. In the specific case of Linnéa, I like to go into the external circumstances that push her to take extreme actions/break boundaries when faced with being barred from reaching her goals/meeting her own needs.
In general, I love it when a story goes into the thinking behind a character's actions. I love it when you learn about their backstory, and even without it being overt, you can totally see how's it's affected every decision they've made now.
But there's a trope I've always loved more...
"I don't care who you are. I don't care what your #### sob story is. Don't take it out on me!" (Seven Soldiers of Victory)
"You are all the things that are wrong with you." (Bojack Horseman)
"But did you ever stop to think: maybe they're not the problem? It's you. You drive them away, wildcat." (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)
Idk idk!! I just love it when it's acknowledged that 1) the character still had agency over their actions (which is why I love it when they are given several chances to turn back but don't nyehehehe >:3) and 2) it still gave them no right to go and ruin another person's life.
I especially love it when it's told through the victim's point of view, that they have to hear all this and are expected to be so forgiving instead of rightfully angry. And then they proceed to push back and call the other person out on their bullshit.
Now! Bonus points if there's:
"All the things I did [...] I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it. And I was really... I was alive." (Breaking Bad)
In other words: the acknowledgement that something about the things they did actually felt good. In a very human kind of way, there was a darkness in them that exists in everyone, that felt nice and scratched when they did what they did. Potentially, an emotional need was met in a way being good wouldn't have allowed, and that's what made it hard to turn away.
That said! There's another layer of the external world. What is it about a character's situation that pushed them to be the way they are? What got rewarded, and what got punished? What did they learn from the people around them, and were they in a position or environment that would have let them turn over a new leaf with no consequences? What can a person do when the Rules don't serve them? What obstacles do they face in their redemption arc?
As cynical as Linnéa is, and she does get called out on it, it can't also be denied that cruelty genuinely exists and that things are unfair, and she responds to these things accordingly throughout her story. As for Salabor, I'm still on the fence on whether or not I want to give him an external force such as an Oath, because I'm not sure I'll like what it'll do to his character, agency, and culpability.
THAT SAID! As much as these characters are products of their circumstances (and the external world cannot be ruled out), I also love:
"So maybe ordinary people don't always crack. Maybe there isn't any need to crawl under a rock with all the other slimey things when trouble hits. Maybe it was just you, all the time!" (The Killing Joke)
"We are not horses. We are humans. Humans are..." (Squid Game)
"I think of The Joker in The Dark Knight when he he talks about, people are only as good as the world allows them to be, right? [...] And it takes a certain amount of, I don't know what it is, backbone, grit, heroism. There are people who would give their lives rather than extinguish their light." (Jono from Cinema Therapy)
And this is where Lanthir comes in DSKJFDJKDFS
He's basically the self-sacrificing character who has the moral compass of a superhero, the light in the darkness, the moral anchor (especially to Linnéa) who emphasizes that no, doing the right thing isn't easy, but it's a choice. It's been pretty important that he's not naive and inexperienced; he's seen the world, he just chooses to fight for the well-being of others, and to believe in a better tomorrow. He's aware people aren't perfect, but chooses to believe in their capacity for good. If anything, it's starting to feel like something he'll need to learn in the story is when to let go of someone who refuses to turn around.
And this is why I always describe Linnéa and her arc (including the stories of Salabor and Lanthir) as a "debate". Like there's always some form of counter-argument to be made and that the back-and-forth has no end until someone decides to stop the cycle, and it's really because I love these two opposing tropes.
Gonna keep using this blog as an OC development diary~
There's a lot of themes I tackle with Salabor, such as guilt and sunk cost fallacy. He's a character who I think is pretty frustrating in a fun way (even in-story), because for all his morals, guilt, and cynicism about being in the First Kinslaying, he uh doesn't do much to prevent any more. He's a sad wet cat of an elf, but how much one can feel sympathy for him is highly subjective, in my opinion xD he's so guilty about what he did in the past that he feels the need to "justify" it by helping the Feanorians get the silmarils back. He's so sad and conflicted about it, and yet his whole goal is ultimately selfish as it serves to soothe his own guilty conscience, at the expense of the lives of others.
Though I see one more theme to get into: religion. Salabor's relationship with the Valar.
He was one of Estë's healers who was trained to not see loyalties, rank, or race, or participate in any political conflict. He was meant to stay neutral and provide healing for anyone who needed it. Then he went astray during the First Kinslaying and never emotionally recovered from it.
I think about how he grew up during the blissful Years of the Trees. He lived alongside the Valar who shaped the world, he came of age during a time of peace. Then suddenly, he committed an act that went against everything he was taught (a "grievous sin" one might say), and didn't know how to deal with it properly. The Noldor rejected the Valar and set out on their own, and I can see Salabor floundering as the "rules" were broken (no elf had killed another prior to this) and it seemed like new ones were to emerge. I think he missed the Valar throughout all this and resented the Noldor that he worked for. I can see him bitterly watching violence unfold and commenting that "we left the Valar and now anything goes", and deep down wishing that the gods would kick down the door and set things straight for everyone and save the good guys and punish the bad guys. The bad guys includes him of course, but whatever, he wants someone to set the record straight on what they can and can't do, and to enforce those rules.
And I neeeeeeed one other character to say something like "why do you need the Valar to tell you not to massacre other people?" XD
I always strive to develop my OCs and I'm proud when they manage to grow past their initial archetypes. Dinentir though, is a jerk through and through and I can't think of any redeeming qualities to give him.
Then I thought, maybe that's the point? He's Linnéa's main nemesis and if the antagonist creates conflict and challenges the hero's values, then he does a pretty damn good job of it as he is. Linnéa is characterized by her duality-- she can cure you or kill you. Take care of you or ruin you. Her whole arc involves moral conflict and navigating a world that goes against her. Dinentir, meanwhile, represents a person who enjoys hurting other people, and is in a position that allows him to do so. He is quite frankly, someone who if given power, will abuse it. No tragic backstory, no complicated circumstances. His shallow evil is a foil to Linnéa's moral depth, while also setting the stage for her cynical views.
That said, he does subvert his role, in a way. As Salabor's Doriathrim spy rival in the First Age, he's put in this role where yes he sucked even back then, but he's working for the good guys, essentially. Just like with Linnéa, Dinentir is shallow while Salabor has a lot of emotional depth. Except in their case, Dinentir is the one that is assigned to protect Elwing while Salabor, for all his guilt about the kinslayings, is the one enabling more. It creates this really interesting feeling of siding with the "irredeemable monster" because he's the one protecting victims from the "tragic protagonist".
So I finally developed Salabor! Aka Linnéa's dad! Yayyy!
Linnéa's whole thing is that she's immortal, but has the appearance of a human and perceives time like one as well. She has this impossible goal of sailing to Valinor but has to navigate around a lot of obstacles stacked against her, one of which is her dad's backstory. Cus as it turns out, he pissed a lot of people off Back In The Day!
Years of the Trees: In Valinor, Salabor (unsure yet if that's even his real name or just one of the several identities he wore throughout his life) was one of Estë's healers who was sworn to neutrality and non-violence. Their group was forbidden from swearing fealty to any lord or house, or taking sides in conflicts. Salabor worked with all kinds of people, learning how to very quickly mix with different crowds. He also had a massive soft spot for children. Salabor as a person was stoic and reserved, and had a soothing vibe akin to a cool breeze on your face.
The Darkening: Salabor was there when Morgoth slew Finwë, and was unable to save him. With emotions running high and disillusioned with the healing arts, he decided to take up a sword and follow Fëanor, which leads to him taking part in the First Kinslaying. Horrified at having turned against his vows, he decided to forsake the healing arts completely, believing his bloodstained hands unworthy. He goes all-in with the quest of the Noldor, believing that getting the Silmarils back will "make up" for not only his failure to save Finwë, (which he sees as the catalyst for these disastrous events), but will also make taking the lives of the Teleri "worth it".
The First Age: Upon arriving in Beleriand, he becomes a spy/assassin type, constantly refusing to practice the healing arts. He is fueled by guilt and sunk cost fallacy, believing that he needs to keep on going down his bloody path to make everything that came before "worth it". Eventually, his skills and background land him the task of infiltrating Doriath and spying on the Sindar.
Doriath: He infiltrates Doriath, very ironically, as a healer (since "people trust healers"). Not only does he practice healing for the first time in many years, but he does it while selling the Doriathrim out to the Fëanorians. His main opponents during these years are Oropher (who I writer as a super intelligent "Head of Security/Intelligence" type of guy), and his top agent Dínentir (OC). Spy and political stuff ensue until the Second Kinslaying. Despite all the deaths that occur, Salabor still fails to secure the Silmaril for his lords, since Oropher out-maneuvered him by sending Elwing away with the jewel. Salabor is left in failure to deal with the destruction he wrought. Despite being wracked with guilt, he follows the refugees to Sirion.
Sirion: Salabor's sanity and patience begin to slip in Sirion. He wants nothing more than to get the Silmaril and "get it over with", and really grows to resent Elwing and her family. Oropher and Dínentir begin to suspect him of being a spy. During the Third Kinslaying, he seeks out her twin sons, thinking that they'll escape with the Silmaril a second time. He finds that they don't have it and that Elwing escaped with it (again), and proceeds to take his anger out on the children (even tries to drown Elros), thus going against the last thing he still stood for. Maedhros and Maglor arrive in time to beat him up and fire him on the spot for his constant failure, and because they're not giving second chances after Elured and Elurin. He walks around aimlessly as Sirion burns around him, a failure to one side, and a traitor to another, until Dínentir grabs him.
The End of the First Age: He spends the rest of the First Age (including the War of Wrath) locked up somewhere. After Morgoth's defeat, Oropher tells him about Maedhros and Maglor's fate, and that Salabor is essentially, abandoned. He wonders what to do with Salabor, stating he doesn't want to kill him and frankly doesn't need to as he could just "expose his deeds and throw him to a crowd of angry Sindar." Salabor asks to be brought before the Valar for judgment. Oropher retorts that his crimes are against the Sindar, not the Valar, then tells Salabor of his plans to travel east and establish his own realm, and that he wants Salabor to come with him and work as his spy. Salabor's hair is cut and he begins his indentured service.
I'm not sure what Salabor does in the Second Age, but honestly the more bad things he does, the better lol. Anyway, in the late Third Age, he comes across small remote village in Rhovanion and meets a human woman named Eline. The two hit it off and Salabor, after many years of wallowing in misery and guilt, dares to attempt to be happy. The two start a family, though Salabor only seldom visits due to his work (at this point, he's working for Thranduil, while Dínentir is now a Spymaster in Mirkwood). He is relieved when his daughter, Linnéa, comes out with Mannish rounded ears, but panics when his son comes out with pointed Elvish ones. Fearing for how his past deeds will affect his children, he disappears to sort it out once and for all (I'm still vague on that dksfjfd maybe there's a Doom kinda thing idk). He never returns though and his wife passes away, his son attempts to sail West, and his daughter, who he believes was mortal, turns out to not be.
Salabor changed his identity so many times for his work, and was isolated from many Elves. Part for work, and part because of his past crimes. So by the time Linnéa needed help, the only one who knew about her heritage was Dínentir, who sought to take advantage of her by enlisting her services.
Linnéa always suspected her dad was kinda sketchy (he never spoke of his past), but didn't know how bad it really was. And even after finding out more about him, still never really knows the whole story. As of now, I'm not sure about Salabor's ultimate fate, just that his past deeds trickle down to the Third Age as his children make many mistakes of their own.
