Archetypes

[Domi]

Heroic Archetypes

[Kulyok]

The funny thing is, none of the Bioware NPC's seems to fit. Does it *gasp!* mean they're well written?

 

*snicker* I liked 'creator' one. Especially with the dragon, lol.

[Domi]

Archetypes really hold a lot of power, it does not mean that a character is badly written if it falls in one of these categories... I would off hand do the following from BioWARE, with certain allowances and inconsistencies:

 

Innocent

Quest: To remain in safety.

Fear: Being abandoned.

Dragon: Will deny it or seek outside rescue from it.

Task: To gain fidelity and discernment.

Virtue: Trust and optimism.

BioWARE Char: Imoen, Skie

 

Orphan

Quest: To regain safety.

Fear: Being exploited.

Dragon: Will be victimized by it.

Task: To process and feel pain fully.

Virtue: Interdependence and realism.

BioWARE Char: Aerie

 

Warrior

Quest: To win.

Fear: Weakness.

Dragon: Will slay or confront it.

Task: To fight only for what really matters.

Virtue: Courage and discipline.

BioWARE Char: Ajantis, Minsc, Anomen

 

Caregiver

Quest: To help others.

Fear: Selfishness.

Dragon: Will take care of it and those it harms.

Task: To give without maiming self or others.

Virtue: Compassion and generosity.

BioWARE Char: Nalia, Khalid, Jaheira

 

Seeker

Quest: To search for a better life.

Fear: Conformity.

Dragon: Will flee from it.

Task: To be true to the deeper self.

Virtue: Autonomy and ambition.

BioWARE Char: Valygar

 

Lover

Quest: To gain bliss.

Fear: Loss of love.

Dragon: Will love it.

Task: To follow bliss.

Virtue: Passion and commitment.

BioWARE Char: Kivan

 

Destroyer

Quest: To metamorphosis.

Fear: Annihilation.

Dragon: Will allow dragon to destroy oneself.

Task: To let go.

Virtue: Humility.

BioWARE Char: Cernd

 

Creator

Quest: To gain identity.

Fear: Of being illusionary.

Dragon: will claim it as part of oneself.

Task: To self-create and self-accept.

Virtue: Individuality and vocation.

BioWARE Char: Haer'Dalis

 

Ruler

Quest: To create order.

Fear: Of creating chaos.

Dragon: Will find constructive uses for it.

Task: To take full responsibility.

Virtue: Responsibility and control.

BioWARE Char: Keldorn

 

Magician

Quest: To transform.

Fear: Of assuming evil sorcery.

Dragon: Will transform it.

Task: To align self with the cosmos.

Virtue: Personal power.

BioWARE Char: Dynaheir

 

Sage

Quest: To find truth.

Fear: Deception.

Dragon: To transcend it.

Task: To attain enlightenment.

Virtue: Wisdom and non-attachment.

BioWARE Char: Sarevok

 

Fool

Quest: To enjoy life for its own sake.

Fear: Of being not-alive.

Dragon: Will play tricks on it.

Task: To trust in the process of becoming.

Virtue: Joy and freedom

BioWARE Char: Coran

[lennon]

Archetypes really hold a lot of power,

 

Thats jolly clever! I admire your mapping of characters (i.e NPCs) to archetypes.

 

Where's Garrick? Where's jan? Where's Faldorn & Branwen?

 

Is Kivan the only lover?

 

Is Safanaa creator?

 

This is fun, I'm going to think about it. I'll be back

[Kulyok]

Interpretation, interpretation... I looked at Kivan and Valygar and had to stifle an indigant scream; then I looked at others and nobody did fit into my scheme of things, either. Stubborn me.

 

But, well, I do not want it to turn into another Aerie thread. I'd say that I could believe your interpretation if you wove it into a really good story, but as you're not writing BG fanfiction nowdays...

[Domi]

Heh, yes, I am sure everyone has his or hers own map... this one took me what? Three minutes of putting whoevere first sprang to my mind into a category - so please, do take it with a shaker-full of salt. I look at Kivan and below all that loneliness, vengence, stoisism and aloufness I see love, loyalty and paradise lost... even if I can't imagine him ever coming to love Tazok or his solitude - that was the sort of 'quick thinking' that I did.

 

I am not prepared to argue about the placement of each of them - after all, they are not butterflies to be pinned over the lables. Instead I'd suggest people who find this article interesting look for their own fits and misses.

 

The Pearson's categories are obviously what they are - genralities. It's about as accurate as those on-line quizes which try to tell you what you are; some fit, some not. One big limitation is that NPCs are not the Heroes, their quests and trials in BG are secondary to Charname's storyline. Many of them are not goodly and some don't even have their dragons.

 

What interests me the most in that table is that it does throw an image at you, and can well lead to a story. The character I am writing right now, he is so much a Warrior, it hurts (a bloody bladesinger, huh), and I can see looking at the chart that my conflict is that of an archetype going against his grain... It's really a fun thinggie...

 

And nope, no Aerie debate, though I will always love her dearly. I am older and one has to console herself with that meaning being wiser, so I do not argue about Aeries...