Character thoughts: Ilqun the Load-Bearing Coconut

[saxbrightwell]

Load-Bearing Coconut

Ilqun is a minor character who shows up only for the second chapter of Low Dawn, but he might just be the most Doylist character I've ever written: 

1. He typifies the sexual relationships Fiyeli has had in the past: mostly casual one-night (or fifteen-minute) stands. Simple, easy, friendly - but also shallow, not quite what either party would like most to have, just what they can get considering all the other factors in their respective lives.
2. He establishes that white people exist on Sleipnir, but they're not the majority and they're not in charge (nobody really is, beyond their immediate communities); they're just around and included.
3. He establishes that trans folks also exist on Sleipnir and it's not a big deal, which is important because: 
4. Hot on the heels of his chapter comes Maunat and Bhimmi's chapter, where they affirm each other's cisgender identities in the face of their respective semi-nonconforming gender roles, which I'm not unaware could potentially come off as some kind of transphobic soapbox moment. Ilqun gets his cameo first specifically to preempt that reading.

So Ilqun is really working his little butt off tying together many elements in the introductory chapters, even chapters he's not in. He's a load-bearing coconut! I came up with him for functional reasons, but like most things that work, I find myself filled with affection for him. I'll definitely be looking for ways to bring him back for additional guest appearances, or maybe even a story of his own one day if the right idea presents itself.