At the beginning of the Modern Era, there are ten tropes inhabiting the island. A trope is a 'spirit' that directly interacts with humans - as a creature of story, a trope gains strength when humans to play out a drama relevant to its own aspect.
The island's embodied tropes are: Exile, Betrayal, Coming of Age, Cultural Shift, Devotion, Found Family, Loss, Love Inconvenienced, Monstrousness, and Sacrifice.
The island also harbours two metatropes at the beginning of the Modern Era. A metatrope is a 'spirit' that directly interacts with humans but whose primary interest is other tropes - a metatrope gains strength by manipulating the drama to affect other tropes' place in it.
The island's embodied metatropes are: Escape/The Tempest and Twist.
Exile is probably more accurately described as 'Underdog'. He is incredibly driven. He is making plans. He is Napoleon on Elba. And when he returns, he will deliver every injustice back a hundredfold.
Exile feels strongly that there is a better way for humanity to live, and that it is his duty, as one of the few who has been given the ability to see a path to this better way, to encourage it in others.
Writing Style: Like a modern-day medieval chronicler
Symbols and Motifs: Cities and symbols of civilisation in the clouds
Haunts: Monastery ruins, hermit's cave, castle ruins
Associated Items: Theoderic's history of Norway; Theodoric's reliquary
Previously: Theoderic, the abbot at the monastery during the Medieval Era
Once a decent human being who just wanted to stop the person they loved from getting burnt alive, Betrayal has learnt to love their role… even if they are somewhat weary of it. They thrive on discord, leading humans to turn against one another. They exploit minor resentments, playing both sides at once and lying through their teeth. They have no face of their own any more, using instead those of the people whose lives they have touched.
Writing Style: Dramatic, emotionally manipulative with lots of italicised internal monologuing, full of LIES
Symbols and Motifs: The cries of seabirds, things turning over and over, shifting ground
Haunts: Cliffs of Betrayal
Associated Items: Gladius/Knife of Betrayal
Previously: Ankas, an acolyte present at the binding ritual in the First Era
The youngest trope on the island, being made in the Victorian Era, Coming of Age still clings to some aspects of her humanity and remembers, if vaguely, the lives of her human companions. She generally views humanity in a positive light and wants people to grow and develop independently, failing to see the irony in her attempting to shape them so that they do this. She ultimately wants people to survive, but not necessarily in the way they arrived or imagined.
Writing Style: Old-fashioned (Victorianesque), naive
Symbols and Motifs: none
Haunts: Monastery ruins, abandoned cottage, sea caves
Associated Items: Lucy's Bible
Previously: Lucy Belmont, a young woman stranded on the island during the Victorian Era
One of the sweeter tropes: larger than life, warm, hospitable. Softly spoken with an unplaceable accent. A citizen of the world. Sees both the commonalities and the stark differences between all things quite acutely, and embraces them equally. Fluid in terms of their presentation and their attitude; they want to guide others to seeing change as not anything especially good, but rather, the good that comes from acceptance. On the other hand, they are easily bored of people with a narrow set of experiences or strong immutable worldviews.
Writing Style: Stream of consciousness with neologisms
Symbols and Motifs: Anachronisms, items from different places juxtaposed
Haunts: Where people from different cultures are/were concentrated
Associated Items: N/A
Previously: Unknown
Loves any act of worship, any dedication to a single cause. Doesn't necessarily need people to die for that cause - they just have to follow it faithfully. As a human, Devotion was characterised by their pride and self-absorption. One of the most frequently encountered tropes, they generally manifest in the guise of a god. They are in an open relationship with Sacrifice, but tend to get jealous easily.
Writing Style: Sapphic stanzas disguised as prose
Symbols and Motifs: Flames
Haunts: Lighthouse tower, monastery ruins
Associated Items: N/A
Previously: Estan, the high priest present at the binding ritual in the First Era
Very fatalistic. Wants the stories to play out. Gains dominion over those whose actions are not meaningful to the story (most frequently, this involves escape attempts.) Will not allow anyone with a part still to play to leave the island, but will potentially facilitate people leaving the island (and reality) if they are not connected to a trope, and thus, not part of the story.
Writing Style: Second person, occasionally addressing the characters as the narrator
Symbols and Motifs: Skulls, blue light (like the light that filters to the bottom of the sea)
Haunts: The islet to the south
Associated Items: The radio
Previously: Taru, a priest present at the binding ritual in the First Era
One of the oldest, and probably one of the nicest tropes. Though still a trope: while he likes humans and wants them to succeed, sees dying to save the family you've made on the island as a good and narratively satisfying thing. Appears with selfless giving and intense platonic relationships. Helped to conduct the binding ritual: has some very odd views about the role of tropes in the world.
Writing Style: Simple, straightforward sentences that get the point across.
Symbols and Motifs: The smell of wood fire, games
Haunts: Wheresoever two or more people gather
Associated Items: N/A
Previously: Unknown
The necessary evil. Causes nothing but misery and loss, but does not care what comes after, and perfectly willing to set people up for other tropes to carry on their story. Facilitates the darkest moments in stories.
Writing Style: Philosophical musings
Symbols and Motifs: N/A
Haunts: gorse thicket
Associated Items: Your stuff
Previously: Unknown (Even he has forgotten)
Views romantic love as the most important thing and will continually 'test' humans on their devotion by flinging as many inconveniences in their way as possible. The most romantic thing you can do is to die for your one true love, or hold them in your arms as they die. Will provide ample opportunities for this.
Writing Style: Like a thirteen-year-old fanfic writer discovered purple prose
Symbols and Motifs: Flowers where you wouldn't expect them, songbirds, hummed love songs
Haunts: The island at the middle of the lake
Associated Items: Scraps of love poetry, apples
Previously: Unknown
Appears horrifying at first but can be quite sweet once you get to know her. Monstrousness is a rather sad trope who has never really come to terms with her nature. She likes seeing how humans deal with whatever variety of monstrousness defines them. At best, Monstrousness rewards acceptance of difference and celebrates the diversity of experience; at worst, she emphasises people's most horrific qualities and punishes those she considers insufficiently monstrous… through alteration.
Writing Style: Traditional folk tales
Symbols and Motifs: Seals, skins, amphibious things
Haunts: Sea caves, skerries
Associated Items: Her sealskin
Previously: Sikka, a fisherwoman at the beginning of the Jacobean Era
Strangely avaricious, but places value on usefulness and meaning over monetary value, as money has little meaning on the island. Likes it when people willingly give up things important to them. Has a double act thing going on with Devotion, but willing to work with other tropes which inspire sacrifice. Is probably not quite as devoted to Devotion as Devotion would like.
Writing Style: Formal, detached accounts that refer to people according to their roles
Symbols and Motifs: Fire, blood
Haunts: Stone circle
Associated Items: N/A
Previously: Anittas, a priest present at the binding ritual in the First Era
An evil-minded clown who pretends he is the cutest most harmless nonsense bit-part side character but really wants to crush all of your hopes and dreams just when you are at your most vulnerable. There is an art to this, however. It is not enough to refute another trope's narrative, or destroy their plans - you have to do this at the perfect moment, to twist it out of all recognition. This itself is an act which fills Twist with an overwhelming, dark, pleasure.
Writing Style: Mimics other writing styles; frequently exaggerating them
Symbols and Motifs: Slightly off versions of the others' symbols and motifs
Haunts: The haunts of the other tropes
Associated Items: N/A
Previously: Unknown