Raising a child as an adventurer

[pwning doodes]

I was thinking about how adventurers don't usually have kids, but then I realized that in the OOTSverse, some of them actually do. I wonder what it would be like to raise a kid as an adventurer. Anyone have insights?

Vaarsuvius has a mate and kids back home. Eugene Greenhilt settled down with Sara and had kids after he gave up adventuring. The psion in Tarquin's old party has a daughter back home who's a plumber, but I assume she's pretty grown up by now. The only examples that come to mind of adventurers actively parenting their kids while still adventuring are Hilgya, Tarquin, and Malack*.

Hilgya's parenting style seems very "Take Your Child to Work Day". She's doing what she needs to do, and cares for the child at the same time. We have yet to see what she does in dangerous situations.

I forget exactly what happened with Tarquin. I know that in the Linear Guild's first introduction, it was shown that Nale tagged along on his dad's wagon. Tarquin later expects Nale to say "Dunh-dunh-DUNH!" for him, and when he refuses, Tarquin says, "That is NOT how I raised you, young man!" There were some more good moments in the arcs at Tarquin's palace and the race to Girard's Gate. If anyone can point me to more clues about Tarquin's raising of Nale during his adventuring days, please do.

*Malack is an interesting case, since his children don't develop like human children and are somewhat different. However, we know he had children, and that he cared about them a lot, and that a fellow party member (Nale) later killed them.

In each case, I wonder how the adventurer had to adapt the usual role that parents take to the life of an adventurer. What do you think? Do you know other examples, from OOTS or other fiction? Did you ever have a PC or party member who had a kid? How might you manage it if you were and adventurer?

[Syncro]

Cool topic
I have the headcanon that Tarquin played more of a mentor to Nale than a father, but had to shield Nale frequently. I think Tarquin mentioned that later Nale tried to usurp Tarquin unsuccessfully. Perhaps the reason Nale left, is because he held the belief that he couldn't truely grow under Tarquin's hand, which isn't too far fetched.

I don't think Tarquin's the kind of parent who really fosters independence. It's this weird back and forth between him and Nale because, during the pyramid mission, Tarquin compares Nale to a "leech" who ruined Tarquin's parental compassion, even though Tarquin continued to stall Malack's wrath, let Nale(who was outlawed) run around in his empire, and kind of babied him by getting his pals to assist Nale's shaken Linear Guild. Tarquin kind of does the same thing with Elan, offering him reasources in exchange for narrative compliance, and many of his offers involved his staff overseeing "OOT". While on the outside it appears that Tarquin allows his children to express themselves, there's an underlying implication that he's constantly trying to be the core of his kid's lives.

It's also likely Tarquin sees his kids as tools and tools are only useful when they're controlled.

On the other hand, Elan's mom is possibly responsible for Elan's spirit. Even when Elan is left by others, I believe his mom's unconditional love is what gave Elan his self worth, and I think this is more heavily suggested in "Haleo and Julelan".

Spoiler

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We see Elan and Nale growing up under Tarquin. This Elan is separated from his mom at an early age so Tarquin's parenting is a larger variable in his development.

Nale(Nybalt) still has a rocky relationship with Tarquin, questioning his methods and Tarquin threatens Nale early on in the story. Nale's obsession with Elan is simmered in the narrative, and I think that's because Elan is a weaker person under Tarquin, so he's not in the way.

Haley(Haleo) is still a bad*ss rouge, belonging to the infamous thieves guild, but Elan, even with his bardic instincts, lacks his adventurer spirit. Without his mother, Elan stays in his bedroom talking his Banjo(the nurse), and later *as 'nurse Banjo'* tell's Haley, "I've been taking taking care of Julelan ever since his mommy left. No one else talks to him, or spends time with him, or kisses his boo-boos, so I do it." Everyone else in the story wrote it off as Elan being creepy, but Haley is the first to discover that Nurse Banjo is how Elan copes with being unloved.

Without his mother, Elan is actually somewhat shy and aloof. He's aware of his father's ruthlessness and Haley's thievery but makes no direct confrontation about it. The closest thing to fighting against Tarquin is when he shouts to his dad that he doesn't love Therkla(Parisa) after hearing about the arranged marraige, but doesn't push any further after Tarquin shuts him down. Maybe it's to fit the plot of R+J, as Elan does go behind Tarquin's back to hook up with Haley. During the dance, he stands quietly instead of making a huge scene.

Compare this to the Elan we know in OOTS. This Elan goes on adventures, greets NPCs like a puppy, acts out, and most importantly, tries to directly confront the evil around him. Under Tarquin, Julelan can see he's only a tool for his father, and a bother to Nale, not a hero.