Legend of the Seeker: Discussion; what about the D'Harans?

[meridian_rose]

There's two major driving points behind this; the first is hrhrionastar's fic Rescue.

I fell in love with it when it was up for voting and was impatient to see who wrote it; all of the entries were fantastic, but what stood out for me in this fic was the character of Ashgar. I had forgotten he was a canon character. In fact the only D'Haran guard/Dragon Corps beyond the Generals Nass and Egremont that I could recall was Captain Ensor who was a well-rounded character.

The other was a challenge at legendland where the world should be mirrored in some way. Before the rules were relaxed, people were expressing concerns about male Mord'Sith and female Corps – that it made no sense for women to be armed guards since they are weaker. Yet the D'Haran guards are, for the most part, weak and incompetent. One Mord'Sith is worth two Quads of male guards.

Some of this is the fault of the writers, using the guards and the Sisters of the Dark as redshirts, cannon fodder for the heroes to overcome. But until these two things made me think about it, I was just as guilty of failing to make the guards actual characters, as seeing them as people when I wrote them at all. This contrasts with the 'Robin Hood' fandom, where the BBC production used always incompetent castle guards as the fall guys to the Sheriff's disappointment. However several writers, myself included, have indulged in short fic that's sometimes crack and plays on the dim-wittedness of the guards, but also drama and angst that creates real characters who just happen to be guards.

So, are the Corps just redshirts? Do you try to sympathise with them? Should we try and include more about them sometimes? Are they incompetent or is the Seeker just that good? How do they feel about being inferior in skill and in Rahl's favour when compared to the Mord'Sith?

Comments

[dorothydeath.livejournal.com]

that's actually Captain Ashgar, who I used for my drabble.
Oh, I didn't recognize him... O_O
Now I love your drabble even MORE!! :D

Haden was thinking how she owed her loyalty to the House of Rahl but in the privacy of her own head she could think of them as she liked, as contrasted with Confession.
Yes, I remember that part. It was awesome!
Seriously, Confession is a pretty scary and nasty thing. Maybe D'Hara was doing Midlands a favor by getting them rid of Confessors? Weren't Confessors tyrants just like Darken or Queen Milena?

[ivanolix.livejournal.com]

I have a very hard time writing Seeker fic because I HATE the institution of Confessors. I find it a vile concept and worse than anything the so called villains do. I know Kahlan takes her powers seriously but a hereditary position will always breed tyrants. Personally I think the world would be better off without them. Some kinds of magic shouldn't exist (and don't get me going on the whole taking a mate aspect...)

I love Kahlan...but not what she stands for

[meridian_rose]

a hereditary position will always breed tyrants I hadn't really thought about that, but I suppose it's true that when a person has such power because of their genetics rather any true skills, morals, or other suitability for the position, it's bound to happen at some point.

[hrhrionastar.livejournal.com]

I think that Kahlan herself does take her responsibilities seriously, but in general I agree - the institution of Confessors is full of really ugly things, even without considering taking a mate and the whole male Confessor thing.

On the other hand, in a world with magic some of that entitlement stuff seems inevitable. If Richard tried to organize a democracy, for example, I don't think it would work...somehow having people with extra powers seems to force a somewhat tyrannical system.

[ivanolix.livejournal.com]

Heh I'm sort of an anti-magic person for that very reason...why do I like fantasy? ;)