Fleshing out My Story/Characters

These suggestions have been really helpful. I'm leaning more and more towards the character of Rhettard being just unbelievably genre savvy and completely resigned to a simple life, having had the concept of being hopelessly irrelevant hammered into him at an early age. The bulk of the main part should be Rhett encountering common fairytale devices and being completely unwilling to take part in the madness. On occasion, he'll try and offer up simple advice, common sense and have it brushed aside. His last misadventure should see him falsely accused of a crime and locked in the palace dungeon. The Wizard/Sage character will invariably see something deep in him and offer him a job instead of execution.

Rhett for his part will probably enjoy his job as the Prince's valet. I mean, it's hard, thankless work that more or less involves him working as a servant to someone totally fabulous and amazing. I've been toying with the idea of The Wizard secretly being Rhett's dad, having placed him in the village of Canticle for the express purpose of keeping him safe. Rhett's special in his own mundane way, inasmuch as magic can't really effect him. Therefore the Queen and her spells don't just bounce off of him... He's just genetically too boring for the magic to even notice him... Like a gentle wave, it washes over him and dissipates elsewhere.

My years in Wrassle have actually helped me piece this story together. All of the main characters are at least partially inspired by my long time friends and cohorts that I've interacted with over the years.

Rhett's basically me at my most self-deprecating, cynical and self-conscious. He's not a cog in the machine, he's the rag used to clean up the machine.

The Captain of the Guard is very much a Cartoony Vin Diesel-esqe type oozing sexuality yet oblivious to the concept of sex itself. I imagine him being raised in a military type school. He's good-natured and impossibly strong, everyone's best chum and virtually dimwitted. He's more of less the heart of the group.

The Sage is more or less kindly, befuddled and a master of failing to live up to expectations. But deep within is a master of incalcuable power. He's been hitting the pipe in order to forget Rhett... A bit out of guilt for abandoning his son and also to avoid ever having to give up his location. He's been smoking for so long, he's actually forgotten why he started.

The Prince is everyone's ideal with just a hint of sadness. His mother died during his birth and despite his happy demeanor, he secretly blames himself. Despite that, to every other character, he appears idealistic and wide-eyed. He's spent his entire life dreaming of doing more than simply sitting on the throne. His time in the library, his training sessions with The Captain have convinced him that he could be a great hero... Do great things, if only he'd be allowed out of the castle. In his mind, he has to. There are more things, more meaningful things to be accomplished on the road... Besides, if he makes a big enough difference than maybe his mother's death might have meant something.

Sure, The Queen and her Vizier are both horribly conniving individuals in their bid for power. But, despite their glaring flaws, they both truly love each other... Even if they both happen to be horribly sleazy sexual deviants.

So, I'm gonna' be working over the course of the year to piece all of this together. Expect appearances from a Friendly Hunter type archetype (Perhaps overly friendly)... A forest full of talking animals led by a King Fox... Animals that everyone can hear... Well, everyone except for Rhett, that is.