Sab

Drawing this piece made me think about how scribes are depicted in art. For thousands of years they've been shown as impartial observers and recorders, detailing events for later judgement. This was Vesryn Talwith's role for most of his exceedingly long life (but just because he's impartial doesn't mean he isn't judgy). He exists in the world to mark it down, not to live within it and make change. Any sort of emotional attachment is strictly unhelpful, but frustratingly unavoidable.

Marco Vidrio, captain of The Weeping Matron, is directly inspired by the 16th century Comedia Dell'Arte stage character Captain Spavento; a daring adventurer who leads his troupe with charisma and bravado. But The Captain is never who he appears to be. He's always revealed as a coward and a poseur, lying about his feats and leading followers under a false flag of hope. This comes through in Marco's character in a more subtle way. He really did all those things he brags about (though he may embellish from time to time), but he keeps his emotional sensitivity and inner life buried far beneath all that chest hair. He's the heart to Vesryn's brain and ever since he fished Vesryn out of the sea they’ve been inseparable.