Character deep dive: Verity
A look at the stubborn, paladin-coded book nerd from the Five Fates series
Welcome to my character deep dives, where I take a detailed look at one of the main characters in my emotional epic fantasy series and what makes them tick. This week’s discussion is on the main character from Fire’s Hand, Fate’s Heart, book one of the Five Fates series: Verity Corallan.
Archetype: paladin-coded book nerd
I don’t know if this is can technically be considered an archetype, but Verity is best described as a paladin-coded book nerd. She’s an overachiever, the type who always found school to be too easy, and she’s got a very black-and-white view of the world. Her honor is very important to her as a Warden of the Flame, and she will do whatever she can to do the right thing. She’s stubborn, and she has a difficult time reading people’s emotions, but once you’ve earned her trust, she’s your ride-or-die.
She’s also a short temper and can be quick to judge, which often puts her in a position of pissing people off before they’ve gotten a chance to know her (and vice versa). She means well, but sometimes her rigid world view can come across as though her alignment could be classified as ‘lawful-stupid.’
Inspiration and similar characters
Verity wasn’t directly inspired by any individual characters, though her metal arms were inspired by Full Metal Alchemist. In gaming terms, magic users like mages are often not very strong, or otherwise not physically capable. I liked the idea of making a mage who was also good with a sword, and who used her magic to defend people. That’s how Verity came to be.
However, there are several characters who didn’t necessarily provide inspiration but certainly fit her overall vibe. These include Evie from The Mummy, Alice from The Magicians, Peggy Carter from Agent Carter and Captain America, and Ciri from The Witcher.
Aesthetic
Verity’s aesthetic is somewhere in the realm of “studious, no-nonsense paladin.”
Songs that fit the vibe
If you’re more of an auditory processor, here are a few songs that fit Verity’s vibe very well.
How Verity got into this mess
In my emotional epic fantasy novel Fire’s Hand, Fate’s Heart, Verity and Drystan are hired alongside Dare to infiltrate a secretive kingdom and bring back information. As best friends and partners in most of their Warden adventures, Verity and Drystan are equipped to handle the situation on their own, at least as far as Verity’s concerned. She doesn’t want to work with another arrogant mercenary, especially for this job. With an arguably vague mission into enemy territory with no one to rely on but Drystan and Dare, Verity has some reservations. But orders are orders, and the Wardens sent her and Drystan to get the job done. So that’s what she’s going to do. Even if it dredges up memories she’d rather leave in the past.
Tell me what you think
Let me know what you think of Verity or other characters like her. Do you like the stubborn bookworms who are too intelligent for their own good and lack social awareness, or do they grate on your nerves? How do you feel about a mage who can also wield a sword?
If Verity sounds like a character you’d enjoy, check out Fire’s Hand, Fate’s Heart, book one of the Five Fates series. Book two and a series prequel are also out now (all available in Kindle Unlimited), and book three will be coming out soon.