Character Portrait: Norah Brennan

One of my favorite aspects of content creation is character development. I suspect this stems from my old paper Dungeons and Dragons days. Yes, there was a time when many role-playing type games were played on paper. Gives you an idea of how old I have become (smile…).

No matter what canvas is used, constructing thoughtful and interesting characters people can relate to is paramount in retaining their interest. I have expounded far too much already regarding proper treatment of characters in any genre, so I will not go into it again in this entry.

Norah Brennan is what I call, one of those characters whose personality and flirtatious nature came to me with ease. Her original concept came from the character Roger Williamson in the first iteration of book one to the Sy’Arrian Legacy Series, copyrighted under the title, The Dark Traveler. The personalities are practically identical minus obvious backstory differences.

If I am being honest, I really had no idea where her character fit in the grand scheme of the series. Due to my intense focus on taking book one from point A to the finish line, I will trust Norah to guide me on how she should be treated in the remaining books to the series. I know it sounds a little odd, but more experienced writers than I can attest to how characters control the rhythm of a story once they open their mouths and interact with each other.

I wanted a character who has a no-nonsense approach to life and always calls out alternative approaches to solving problems. Norah provides this element and does not care who is offended or scoffs at her presence. This aligns very well with her chosen profession as a bounty hunter. She is fond of saying, if a bounty hunter cannot evaluate all possibilities and create plans within plans, they usually do not last long.

Also, I needed a character to act as a fulcrum between the Sy’Arrians and the other races in my universe. As the series begins to unfold, readers may notice just how myopic Sy’Arrians can be towards how they see themselves in the grand scheme, e.g., it is always about how Akasha interacts with living beings rather than the other way around. Sy’Arrians are intently articulate and logical in their daily lives, which can often create blind spots in how they think the universe should be; Norah will be one of several providing a counterbalance. 

What follows is a rough overview of Norah’s backstory and certainly is not exhaustive. Remember, things can change once a character opens their mouth and begins talking. There is one piece of her background I have yet to unveil in her development, which I plan to release shortly. Consider this an appropriate spoiler alert if you chose to read further.

Born Kavan Brennan in 3251 on the Orbitus 9 space station to Afrie and Bearnard Brennan. The change from Kavan (handsome) to Norah (honor) is of personal significance to her.

Born male, Norah transitioned to female at the age of 15. She retained her pale blue eyes, fiery red hair and 1.5-meter height. She dropped her male name shortly after the transition and assumed the name of her twin, Norah, who had died at birth due to an undetectable genetic defect. Although supportive of her decision, Norah’s parents forced her to be evaluated by a mental health professional prior to her transition, fearing the death of her twin had detrimental effects on her mental faculties.  Both had been born merely minutes apart, and it was believed the trauma of such an event would have lasting effects unnoticeable to the untrained eye. Naturally, Norah rebelled against such a notion, and it has been a source of contention ever since.

Although the Brennan’s lived on Mars, their lineage dates back to 11th century Ireland since the 22nd century, several generations have been colonists. Originally, farmers from Ireland, Norah’s parents were specialists in alien civilizations especially in the areas of Archeology and Sociology. It had been assumed Norah would follow in their footsteps considering her natural aptitude for both fields. She studied at the prestigious Vestal University of Science on Mars and interned on a variety of planets assisting the indigenous population, specifically the Ca’Naun and Lancor in uncovering physical evidence of their ancient pasts. It would be a nearly fatal encounter with the shapeshifting Deresians at the age of 25 that would alter her choice of profession.

While on a dig site on the planet of Denarus, located in the Zim galaxy several light years from Lotar, Norah and her science team were ambushed by a group of Deresian mercenaries. Although they were in Hyprovian territory and had the proper permissions, the Deresians claimed Denarus had once housed one of their colony’s centuries ago, and the team had no right to be there. In reality, it was all lies, and the mercenaries were nothing more than intergalactic bullies. When Norah’s team refused to relinquish their findings, the Dersians killed all of them but neglected to check the bodies; if they had, Norah’s seriously wounded body would have been discovered.  Fortunately, the Hyprovians had detected the unauthorized Deresian ship forcing the band of thugs to leave before collecting their spoils.

Once she recuperated, Norah’s demeanor shifted drastically. She began to focus solely on tracking down the mercenaries who killed her friends. Having virtually no experience in the area of tracking, Norah sought out the services of a bounty hunter by the name of Ashne.

Ashne, also human, was one of the most sought after and feared bounty hunters. He practiced a strict code of ethics and worked solo – no exceptions. He was both proficient in a variety of melee and laser weapons with a preference for hand-to-hand take downs. When approached by the newly turned 26-year-old Norah for assistance in tracking down the Deresian mercenaries, Ashne initially rebuked her; he considered the bounty menial especially when Norah attempted to bargain with him on price.

After some persistence from Norah, Ashne agreed to the task with one condition: Norah would train with him and learn everything he knew. Ashne saw potential in the young woman and her background suited the profession. More importantly, Ashne knew he was not getting any younger and wanted to pass on his skills to someone who would appreciate the fine art of correcting injustice in a world he viewed was replete with unscrupulous bounty hunters who failed to see the big picture. Norah accepted his offer and never once looked over her shoulder.

Eventually, the Deresians who almost killed her and took the lives of her friends were brought to justice. The entire situation taught her a valuable lesson that not all bounties were about delivering the final blow to a well-deserving miscreant; it was more about the one collecting the bounty than it was the bounty itself. It is a tenet she has held to ever since.

Feel free to post your questions or comments. I will respond, if need be, when I am able.