The Simbul from D&D
First, this character is named after Ionia of Readfulthings. She has become a dear friend even though we only met this year, 2013. So, I’m sure people are already jumping to the comments for one reason or another.
Now, the character of Queen Ionia is a major factor in Legends of Windemere: Allure of the Gypsies. This is where I start deviating drastically from the game this series is based off of and she is one of the reasons. The guy who ran the game loved ‘The Forgotten Realms’ and he brought in the famous NPC’s a lot. It meant I had to make variations that grew over time when they were major players in the plot. In this event, he used a popular character named The Simbul. She is a sorceress who rules some kingdom and is sort of deranged because she tied magic rings to her hair or something like that. Extremely powerful and I barely remember how she was at this point. I made her weaker and less unhinged while naming her Queen Tempest. This was in 2001.
I finally wrote Allure of the Gypsies in 2006-2007 and Queen Tempest debuted. I also noticed that I have a swarm of ‘T’ named characters. So, I’ve been trying to find a new name for her for years. Nothing clicked until this summer when I went back to the naming issue. By this point, Ionia and I were close friends with our jokes of cupcakes . . . and squirrels. Queen Tempest debuted alongside a talking squirrel servant named Zale (yes, he was Dale in the game) and things clicked. In fact, both of them seem to have a confident casualness and playfulness too them. In the end, the name stuck and she’s now Queen Ionia of Darkmill.
That’s the big story behind this character. In the story, she’s connected to Nyx and acts as another mentor to the fiery half-elf. Queen Ionia’s big thing is that she rules a kingdom city of magic. Darkmill might require its own post because it’s complicated. The basics are that the city is connected to the aura of the magic-using ruler and it changes with every new ruler. The citizenship are used to the city changing look and style and laws every 100 or so years. Again, complicated enough to need its own post.
Anyway, this Queen Ionia and I hope people found this tale of character naming interesting.
Legends of Windemere 
I think that the name Ionia is great for a Queen. She is certainly the Queen of my heart.
LikeLike
Awww that is so sweet Julian. She is the best. You two are the perfect couple.
LikeLike
I have a feeling I should be scared of him if I use Queen Ionia for the Ask-A-Character posts.
LikeLike
Thanks Pam. I agree that we are the perfect couple 🙂
LikeLike
It does fit. Though, be careful with calling Queen of Hearts. She might start demanding people’s heads get chopped off. (Yes, I see the ‘my’, but I feel the bad joke still stands.)
Still surprised at the similarities between the two at times.
LikeLike
I think my head is pretty safe. But I love your literary allusion, Charles 🙂
LikeLike
So cool!!! Go Queen Ionia!!! 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
I’d post an excerpt with her, but she’s very spoiler heavy.
LikeLike
Nice choice for a Queen. Well done.
LikeLike
Thanks. Still surprised this character has been sitting around in my head for over 5 years just waiting for the perfect name.
LikeLike
The real Ionia is already quite a character, so it will be interesting to see your character’s personality. 🙂
LikeLike
I need to figure out what the real Ionia thinks of her royal highness.
LikeLike
Queen Ionia has a nice ring to it…
LikeLike
Just flows off the tongue.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Julian Froment's Blog and commented:
The origins of a character. Queen Ionia. I like that.
LikeLike
Ionia is such a pretty and unusual name. I love it. I love her too.
LikeLike
This is why I want to try to have a main character with that name. When I suggested it, I got a lot of ‘No!’ from people. I’ll have to tinker with the idea.
LikeLike
Do you think knowing someone named Ionia will influence your portrayal of the character?
LikeLike
Maybe. I base a lot of characters off people I know, but I change them a lot. Although, are you talking about the one I want to make or Queen Ionia in Legends of Windemere?
LikeLike
I was thinking Queen Ionia.
LikeLike
Well, she was fully developed before the name change. So, her personality isn’t being altered. Even so, there are some surprising similarities. Both are friendly, a little goofy, rule a kingdom, confident, have squirrel minions, and are dangerous when angered.
LikeLike
Lool…that sums her up well…the one I know, and I am looking forward to the one I have yet to meet through your writing. 🙂
LikeLike
She’ll be fun to have around for a bit. Think I’ll give her the interview spot a week from this Tuesday. Need to figure out who to use for the return of that interview segment.
LikeLike
I think the name Ionia is perfect and is worthy of Queen status. I think we can agree she’s already a Queen as it is in our world right? She’d survive in my realm!
LikeLike
Agreed. Fun character too. Shame she’s only in 3 of my books.
LikeLike
just 3? sheesh. :p
LikeLike
3 out of 15 make a difference? I’m trying to finagle (how is that in the dictionary?) a way to use the name again for another series.
LikeLike
since our books are completely different 3 would be a whole series for me so that would mean she’d be the Queen for sure!!!!
finagle is in the dictionary? I always thought it was some made up acceptable gibberish like a lot of southern dialect where I am.
If you could find a way to not have other associate one Ionia with the other you will do great adding it to another series. You would have to pull through a different description or personality
LikeLike
Apparently, finagle is an American word and it means to trick someone.
That name thing is what gave me a headache once before. Not sure if you were there for that post, but if you were then you know the name I was hinting at. The character I’m looking at for the name has no association with this one. There is a way to do it in an acceptable way if I want to cast more webs among my stories. The two will never meet though.
LikeLike
and if you ever need a name for anything else and need a T, I can suggest Talia. Its a personal favorite of mine
LikeLike
I got a lot of ‘T’ names, but Talia is a good one. I think I had a character with that name in my superheroes series. I’ll check my notes if I ever get to the R&R week.
LikeLike
I know a little Talia of my own who gets excited when she hears her name in anything strongly feminine. Its a very underused name but can be very powerful
LikeLike
Only one I know of is a Batman villain.
LikeLike
Well in mythology there is Thalia who is a muse or Thalia one of the three graces. H silent. The name pops up in more ancient things.
Then you’ve got the lovely actress Talia Shire 😀
Oh and also an adorable little girl who is starting to write her own little stories about ninja kitties and stuff.
LikeLike
Talia was also the original name of Sleeping Beauty or something like that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun,_Moon,_and_Talia
LikeLike
oh I know that one. trust me. I even blogged on it 😀
I have a bunch of traditional fairy tale books with their alternate stories and the not as happy endings. I think Talia gets the last laugh at the end.
LikeLike
They usually do back in those times. Everyone must have that moment when they learn that their beloved fairy tales were originally dark.
LikeLike
Especially when it has your name in it. lol
LikeLike
Reblogged this on J.S. Riddle.
LikeLike
Meant to hit up this post earlier and say congrats to Ionia! muwahahahaha. Really cool, it seems to fit very well. 😀
LikeLike
I’m still waiting to here what she thinks since she is almost done with the book where this character shows up.
LikeLike