Trilogy NPCs
Below is the product of our brainstorming.
Stuff to cut first, if necessary (in order of cutting):
Akardius (or Obrasius, we haven't decided on a name yet) Young, 16 or so, but wise beyond his years (almost eerily so). He is a zealous devotee of Riija, though he probably wouldn't say so in so many words. He has the look of religous fervour in his face, though, and his cunning smile betrays his nature as the manipulative, deceitful aspect of the Trickster. His ascent to power is an indicator of the return of Riija's influence to Meridian, triggered by the rediscovery of the Island. His style of dress is opulent, though not exactly foppish; he carries his regal attire with the distinguished bearing of of a seasoned politician.
She's grown up quite a bit since her premature entry onto the political scene, and having reached her 18th birthday (I smell an event...) is blossoming into the strong woman she is to become. She is not wise to the ways of political intrigue, such matters being obvious to her as tertiary to the real business of running the realm strongly and justly. Indeed, she wears her naivete on her sleeve as a badge of honor, her absolute sincerity being her primary weapon against her political opponents. Her style of dress is simple and elegant, block colors and strong lines (think medieval power suit).
Same girl, but with a new menacing pose for the advanced stages of Volume II and for Volume III. She stares at the viewer, eyes slightly down, hands to her sides. Something is not right with this girl. Additional 3-frame animation, same menacing pose but with her eyes glowing slightly red and a flux of magic whorling around her hands, her dress and hair blowing in the breeze (or in the flux of magical energy). The idea is that there be a progression as the Volumes are released. First she starts visiting nodes and shrines with her current art, then she switches to the second (static, nonglowing) look halfway through Volume II. Whenever she attacks a node or shrine or town, she switches to the glowing animated art. By Volume III, she's pretty much always glowing and scary.
A wandering fortune-teller, Mara is the one npc in Meridian who truly understands what Miriana is becoming, because she too is not exactly human; Mara, Miriana, and Venya'cyr are manifestations of the Three (witches) of mythology. Miriana is the youngest, Venya'cyr is in the middle, and Mara is the eldest. She manifests as an old gypsy crone, continually knitting (though since Venya'cyr displays the death aspect the most prominently of the three, Mara assumes the motherly role). Just as Miriana is an aspect of the Furies (one aspect of the Three), Mara is an aspect of the Fates. As she weaves her tapestry, she reads fortunes in its stitches, and she alone knows what the tapestry might look like when it has finished, depending on how the threads are woven now. She provides cryptic foreshadowing of events to come in future volumes, and clues as to how to stop Miriana from destroying Meridian. Her look is exotic, she wears large hoop earrings (perhaps more than one), is stooped with age, wears robes intricately patterned (perhaps in Middle-Eastern fashion) but a bit grubby and worn in spots. She carries a brightly colored cloth which she is weaving intricately, and slung over one shoulder she carries a bag filled with brightly colored thread.
A dark-skinned, middle-aged man who wanders from town to town selling junk, and odds and ends that players sell to him. He has a portly, round belly and is dressed colorfully, adorned with trinkets. His tight, short, white curly hair frames a large expressive face which is smiles, all smiles. He carries a large sack over one shoulder in which he holds his wares.