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Wood the Writer

~ Author of Tales From Undersea

Wood the Writer

Tag Archives: character profiles

Tales From Undersea Character Profiles. Part 2 – Villains

01 Wednesday Jun 2022

Posted by Jessica Wood in author, Blog, Bonus content, character profiles, pirate, steampunk, villain

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Bonus content, character profiles, characters, pirates, steampunk, villains

I previously posted the character profiles for the heroes in the Tales From Undersea series, but haven’t yet gotten around to the villains. So here they are! These are only the villains from the first two books, in order to avoid some major spoilers:

Petturi Konna

Captain of the Fenrir

Real name: Lewis Mercier

Name meaning/origin: English, ‘famous battle’

Race: Caucasian

Nationality: English

Birthplace: Penzance, England

Sex: Cis male

Age: 48

Orientation: Heterosexual

Languages: English

Deity: None

Family: Father (deceased), mother (estranged), 3 brothers (estranged)

Appearance: Thinning, balding dark red hair usually tied back, beer belly, dark brown eyes

Virtues: Intelligent, tactful, persuasive

Vices: Obsessive, vengeful, paranoid

Skills: Monster fighting, ocean knowledge, gathering information, lying

Weapons: Longsword, axe, duelling pistol

Flag: Two headed dragon on black background

Influences – Count Olaf (A Series of Unfortunate Events), Fagin (Oliver Twist), Captain Hook (Peter Pan)

Note: He is a poor fighter and compensates with trickery.

 

Background: Originally from a poor, abusive family in Penzance.  He had to steal to keep himself and his brothers alive, and even killed their landlord so they wouldn’t be evicted. His mother was so horrified by this act that she kicked him out and he moved Undersea. He eventually joined Redscalp’s crew, becoming his quartermaster. He became increasingly bitter and greedy, even leaving Priscilla and Robert to die for his personal gain. He helped Redscalp to hide the treasure but Redscalp hid the gemstone without his knowledge and wouldn’t tell him where. He intended to steal back the gemstone and the treasure for himself and got Redscalp drunk so he’d reveal where the gemstone is. But he gave him too much and he drank himself to death (specifically by drowning in his own vomit). He changed his identity and became captain of a Viking ship to avoid detection because the Pirate Queen was looking to punish him for his crimes. He spent years looking for the gemstone so that he could get the treasure back.

Captain Grail

Captain of The Invicta

Full name: Captain Richard Theodore Nigel Grail

Name origin/meaning: English, ‘brave ruler’

Age: 46

Nationality: Irish

Race: Caucasian

Birthplace: Cork, Ireland

Sex: Cis male

Orientation: Heterosexual

Appearance: Beer belly, grey hair

Virtues: Cultured, confident

Vices: Creepy, talkative, misogynistic, cruel

Skills: Trade, throwing parties

Likes: Art, canapes

Weapons: Pair of holster pistols

Quirks: Compulsive liar.

Goals: To be accepted into high society

Background: Grail is the captain of the The Invicta, a trade ship. While he is good at trade and highly cultured, he is cruel and uncaring and has thrown crewmembers overboard for displeasing him, resulting in some of them becoming merfolk. He is on the lookout for a suitable wife, but is overconfident in his abilities and looks. He is desperate to rise above his station and become a part of high society, even if he has to buy his way in.

Inspiration: Zapp Brannigan (Futurama), Douglas Reynholm (The IT Crowd)

 

Bonnie Read

Queen of the Pirate faction.

Name meaning/origin: Scottish, ‘pretty’

Age: 59

Race: Caucasian

Nationality: Scottish

Sex: Cis female

Orientation: Bisexual

Appearance: Long red hair, green eyes, thin face, expensive clothes and weapons

Deity: Poseidon

Languages: English

Virtues: Courageous, intelligent, calculating

Vices: Selfish, greedy

Quirks: Abuser

Skills: Combat, democracy, recognising opportunities

Weapons: Sword, pistol, throwing stars

Likes: Money, fine things

Dislikes: Rich people

Favourite food: Booze

Hobby: Racing

Vessel: The Revenge, The Hangman

Pet: Plato the monkey

Background: Bonnie ran away from her family at an early age to become a Pirate. She was elected Queen after sinking an entire Empire fleet at once. She will do anything to make the Pirate faction stronger and richer, which often means doing highly immoral things.

Inspiration: Anne Bonny (historical figure), Akito Sohma (Fruits Basket)

 

Sir Dante Francis Ashburn

Privateer and commander of the Silver Lion

Name origin/meaning: Italian, author of The Divine Comedy

Age: 34

Race: Caucasian

Nationality: English

Birthplace: Somerset, England

Sex: Cis male

Orientation: Homosexual (closeted)

Appearance: Wispy blonde hair (under wig), blue eyes, fine military uniform.

Family: Debra Ashburn (wife), 4 children, Shirokani (former lover)

Friends: Richard Holburne

Languages: English

Virtues: Courageous, determined, hard working

Vices: Insensitive, possessive, controlling, hypocritical

Quirks: Hidden sexuality, abusive

Skills: Leadership, keeping secrets

Weapons: Musket

Likes: His children, opera

Dislikes: His wife, Undersea factions

Background: Dante is from a prominent military family allied with the Holburnes. As a younger officer, he was part of a fleet which bought slaves from Japan. He fell in love with one of these slaves, Shirokani, and had a secret relationship with him. When he was forced into marriage with Debra, both of them were devastated. Shiro asked Dante to run away with him to Undersea and become Pirates, but Dante said that it was beneath them and the marriage went ahead, even though it made both of them miserable.

Eventually Shiro became so depressed that he literally jumped overboard. Dante thought it was suicide but he was actually jumping to the Barracuda. He deeply regrets his actions and still secretly grieves for Shiro. On the outside, he is happily married with four young children.

Since then, he has been knighted and become a privateer (legal pirate). He still looks down upon actual Pirates, and Shiro is well aware of his hypocrisy, although he isn’t.

 

Notes: He believes Shiro is dead and is still in love with him. He still adores his children and they are the only thing that makes him happy, even though his career means he can’t see them often.

His love for Shiro comes mostly from his desire to control another

He and Debra would actually make a good couple if their sexualities matched up.

Inspiration: Sir Francis Drake (historical figure)

 

Lt. Thaddeus Judecca

Second in command of the Silver Lion and very briefly the Captain. Later becomes Kei’s second

Name origin/meaning: Biblical, ‘heart’

Age: 50 (born 1734)

Race: Caucasian

Nationality: English

Sex: Cis male

Orientation: Heterosexual

Religion: Christian

Deity: Jesus Christ

Family: Wife, 2 children (he hates them)

Appearance: Dark hair under wig, thick grey eyebrows

Virtues: Devout, opportunistic

Vices: Poor judge of character, ruthless, submissive,

Quirks: Racist, homophobic

Likes: Battle

Hates: Vices such as alcohol

Weapons: Military issue sword

Languages: English, Latin

Foil: Shu Kei, Dante Ashburn

Goal: To rise above Ashburn

Background: Like Ashburn, Judecca is from a wealthy and important family and gained a high position in the Navy. He is somewhat bitter that Ashburn was promoted over him, since he is older and more experienced but slightly lower in social status.

Inspiration: Captain Norrington (POTC)

Note: His surname is a reference to The Divine Comedy and the place in Hell where traitors to their masters are sent.

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Tales From Undersea Character Profiles. Part One – Heroes

01 Wednesday Sep 2021

Posted by Jessica Wood in Blog, Bonus content, character profiles, pirate, steampunk, writing

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author, Bonus content, character profiles, characters, female characters, gay characters, heroes, self publishing, steampunk, tales from undersea, writing

If you want to know more about the main characters of the Tales From Undersea series, here’s some juicy details (don’t worry, they’re spoiler free):

Alethea Hera

Real name: Priscilla Stephenson

Age: 36

Race: Caucasian

Nationality: British

Birthplace: Bath, UK

Sex: Cis female

Orientation: Bisexual

Appearance: Average build, strong, tall, long brown hair, grey eyes.

Virtues:  Brave, strong, capable.

Vices: Paranoid, stubborn

Skills: Leadership, planning, combat

Weapons: Four barrelled pistol, long sword. Occasionally uses a dagger

Likes: Pastries, ballet, Greek mythology

Dislikes: Opera, high society, parrots

Favourite item: Robert’s gun

Background: Alethea was born Priscilla Stephenson to a rich family in Bath, UK. As a girl she was incredibly shy and quiet. At age 16, her parents tried to find suitors for her, and rejected Robert Holburne because he ripped his pastry instead of cutting it. The two got along well and fell in love anyway, but their parents didn’t approve so they ran away together to the Undersea Kingdoms. They were happy but short on money so they joined Redscalp’s Pirate crew. After many adventures, they were betrayed by Louis who left them to be killed by a cipactli. Robert sacrificed himself to save her and died. She was rescued by the Barracuda. Kei convinced the captain to let her stay on the sub. Priscilla was distraught and deeply depressed over Robert’s death until she gave birth to their daughter, Marina. She changed her name to avoid detection from the authorities, who were after Redscalp’s crew. Becoming a strong warrior mother, she worked her way up the ranks until she became the Captain of the Barracuda, which she has been for five years now. Now she is beginning to tire of the dangers of the pirate life and wants to retire and build a safe and stable life for her daughter, but that will require one last mission…

Inspiration: Kyoko Honda (Fruits Basket), Thirrin Lindenshield (Icemark Chronicles), Aunt Josephine (ASOUE)

 

Marina Hera

Age: 17

Sex: Cis female

Orientation: Homosexual

Race: Caucasian

Birthplace: Barracuda

Appearance: Fair skin, cropped black curly hair, green eyes, skinny.

Virtues: Brave, intelligent

Vices: Impulsive, argumentative

Hobby: Reading

Skills: Swimming, combat, engineering, lockpicking

Weapons: Blanch percussion pistol, rapier

Background: Marina is the daughter of Alethea Hera (real name Priscilla Stevenson) and Robert Holburne, but was born after her father died. Her mother raised her on the Barracuda.  While Marina has been raised as a pirate and used to combat situations, it still worries her mother, which causes a lot of tension and fights between the two of them.

Inspiration: Jim Hawkins (Treasure Island), Princess Tiabeanie (Disenchantment), Terri Waters-Waters (Gayle)

 

Shu Kei

Sex: Cis female

Age: 39

Orientation: Bisexual

Race: South east Asian

Nationality: Cantonese

Appearance: Short stature, short greying hair. Brown eyes.

Languages: Cantonese, English

Virtues: Strong, kind, intelligent

Vices: Bossy, sarcastic, greedy

Hobby: Gambling

Skills: Organisation, keeping order, combat, lockpicking

Likes: Luxurious things, tea with honey

Hates: Men

Weapons: Four barrelled turn-over pistol, rapier, longsword

Duties: She takes charge of the sub whenever Alethea Hera isn’t there. Her duties include day to day management of the craft and seeing Alethea’s orders are carried out, dividing the plunder, discipline, controlling the food and water supplies, and deciding what to plunder from found vessels.

Inspirations: Anna Fang (Mortal Engines), Washimi (Aggretsuko),

Note: In Cantonese name order her name is ‘Shu Kei’ but in Western name order it is ‘Kei Shu’.

Background: Kei was a prostitute until she married a Pirate and had a son with him. They were successful until her husband abandoned her. She and her young son moved Undersea and joined the Barracuda, becoming friends with Priscilla Stephenson and even convincing the Captain at the time to let her and her new born baby stay on board, since she was also raising her own child on the sub. She rose up the ranks, becoming Priscilla (now Alethea’s) quartermaster.

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