Origin of Fahrad’s Power
When I structured the series, I knew that I wanted each successive Champion who joined to start from a stronger place than the previous one. This way, by the time the last Champion joined, they would be ready to fight. If the last Champion wasn’t ready for combat, then there would have to be a whole training arc. Fahrad, as the last one, was ready to go!
The Last Champion
I divided the characters’ skills into two broad categories: combat and control over the Power.
N’Halia had no combat knowledge nor any useful knowledge of using her Power. This was okay, though, because she was introduced at the beginning so she got the entire next two books to learn both.
Araina was next and so she had knowledge of her Power, but no combat knowledge. Her main growth was then learning to fight and learning to use her Power for combat.
Shoku was third and he was even more advanced than Araina. He already knew how to fight well enough, he could use his Power well, and he understood how to use it for combat. While Shoku is never really combat-oriented, he still didn’t have as much to learn as the other two.
So finally, we arrive at Fahrad. He is introduced in the second book. He is already quite proficient in fighting, in using his Power, and in using his Power to fight. This is why they’re able to go confront the first of the Twisted immediately after Fahrad joins them.
Original Ideas
So in the early planning stages of the book, I had N’Halia, Araina, and Shoku’s Powers planned out. I knew I wanted to have a fourth Champion and kicked around several ideas. The scope of classic mage Powers was still open (fire, ice, water, wind), but didn’t appeal to me. One of the ideas I considered more seriously was a Plant-based Power.
The problem with this was that, in my mind, a Plant-based Power was more supportive. He would have been able to grow helpful herbs and food. This wouldn’t work because I wanted the last Champion to a strong fighter though. The idea of a Nature Champion shifted my thoughts to one who did something with animals.
Animal Powers
I had two different ideas for Fahrad before I landed on the Power I ultimately gave him.
The first was a Champion who could control animals. While this seemed really cool, I didn’t like that it meant he made the animals do the fighting for him. I wanted him to be the fighter.
The second idea was that he could shape shift into animals. This is a classic fighting ability, but I didn’t feel like it fit in with the magic system. No other Power had such a dramatic change in the Wielder. While I really liked this idea, I ultimately decided it was too far outside the limits I had already established for the other Powers.
Fahrad’s Power
And this led to his Power in its current manifestation: Animal Whispering. Fahrad has the ability to Communicate with animals. I liked this because it touched on both of the original ideas. First, through Talking to animals, he could control them, but in a much more reasonable way: through asking! Talking to animals also seemed like it opened the door for some funny things to happen. Second, I immediately understood how he could use it for combat. I had already come up with using the Flow to alter the effects of the Power. The Flow for Fahrad was simple: he could ‘Talk’ to the animals within himself and harness their qualities for combat.
And beyond…
I mentioned that Powers change in the Peaks and the Pits. In the post on Shoku’s Power, I also mention that Light has an interesting shift. I’ll say the same thing for Fahrad’s Power. Throughout The Shadow Spinner there are several allusions to the Created that Chooses Fahrad, Seratia. Anytime she is brought up, there’s a reference to her fighting prowess. When they meet her on Dome, though, she doesn’t seem very fierce. But she has the same Power as Fahrad. And in the Peaks and the Pits, she was feared…
Next up
Well, that covers all the Champions! Next post will be talking about Twisted, specifically, the origin of their names and a little bit about them.
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Eric Kao - Fantasy Author 
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