Mala

[Doubar]

@sinbad: That was excatly what I had in mind. And after all it will add to her character depth meaning she may get to show some frustration about that fact one day. Plus, like you said, I imagine it to be quite cool to have her increase her skills.

@firouz: Oh, you're so helping. True, it is my character, but I wouldn't ask you if I didn't want your opinion on that one.
Uh, and abou the walls: right. Hehe, that it rather unfitting. But let's just assume that since Scratch's lair is different from the living world anyways things work different there. *makes up an excuse for that*

Caipra: Thanx, dear.

[firouz]

Ok, that can work. Just like the realm of Hades.

[Scratch]

Yeah, in Scratch's realm, the ghostly could even become physically tangible (in this case Mala and even Scratch's undead harpies.)

[Doubar]

Scratch: sounds good.

[Doubar]

Mwahaha, who would have thought that I would be re-activating this thread one day? xD

Anyhow, Kriss and I have been exchanging some mails, thinking and brainstorming on Mala and her background. And we came to some conclusions that I now want to present to you and ask for your opinion about them.

first
Funny enough we both think that Mala's not really someone from the Arabian World but rather from what we now call Europe. But let me explain more:

Lately I have wondered just why Mala is wearing a golden Roman coin. No Dinar or stone, but a Roman coin. And finally I found that it would be most logical if her family or at leats part of it comes from there. Now, I currently have two different ideas:

1) either Mala's mother or her grandmother has been a Roman who married an Arabian man and left her home country to live with him. But to always have a reminder of it - and she loved it deeply - with her, she took that Roman coin to wear it and have part of her home with her wherever she goes. Now, when the (grand)mother died, she passed the coin on to Mala who in turn wears it as a lucky charm and reminder of her dear mother/grandma.

2) Roughly the same story but with Mala herself being from Italy and having married an Arabian man (-> the father of the brothers). In this case one could assume that she got the coin as a wedding gift from her mother to always remind her of her home.

In fact I like both versions. Thing about the second one is though, that Doubs and Sinbad would be half-Roman which I think doesn't go all too well with the Arabian original or does it? And it would need you approval as well, Nili, since this would influence you as well in some way.

And what I wanted to ask you guys anyway: I have to admit I got only little knowledge in history and the original stories, so I ask you for your advice. Does such a story work at all? I mean, seafarers did exist and I think I remember that back then Bagdhad and all those areas have been slightly multicultural anyway or am I wrong there? Is it okay to assume that Mala's family comes from the Roman empire or would that be historical nonsense?

Second thing
Mala's true name. Now, as you might have noticed through the thread "inbid's first fanfic" Kriss has asked me what I'd think about Mala in reality having a different name? I know someone mentioned that matter already some months ago but back then I just shrugged it off because I did not know how else to name her. Anyhow, now that Kriss has brought it up again I thought about it once more. And I totally agree with her. It's odd for Sinbad to not know his mother's name so Mala cannot be the one. It's more logical to assume that Mala is just a nick name for her that goes back to Doubar. So Kriss and I came to the conclusion that Mala has another real name and here is what we found:

What do you think of Maea?
Maea is a Roman name and means (get ready, 'caus it's just so fitting for her): "great/nursing mother". That just fits her and the fact that the name is Roman fits the background Kriss and I think, would be great for the lady. Furthermore one can easily assume that little Doubar simply couldn't really pronounce the rather difficult Maea and always came up babbling something like Mala ... which finally lead to the fact that this became her nickname. Something that would be very private and a dear memory for Doubar that maybe he did not share with his little brother yet.

So ... what do you say, guys? *is totally excited about all this*

[Sinbad]

I really like this idea.

Hm.. and historically it could very well work, cause if you have a look at this map here:



It shows that the Roman Empire in its highest time reached until Baghdad and beyond (if I´m not mistaken).
I am not quite sure which century we´re in right now... but anways, even later when the Empire crumbled I am sure there will have been trading contacts between the Empire and Baghdad for example. As far as I know, the East Roman Empire which made it a little longer than the West Roman Empire had quite some dealings with Arabia at a later point, wars included.

Therefore, long story short, she could very well be a Roman, in particular since there were Roman citizens settling in the provinces. An example for that would e.g. be the guy in Gladiator who even though a Roman citizen lives in Spain if i remember correctly.

What do you think of Maea?
Maea is a Roman name and means (get ready, 'caus it's just so fitting for her): "great/nursing mother". That just fits her and the fact that the name is Roman fits the background Kriss and I think, would be great for the lady. Furthermore one can easily assume that little Doubar simply couldn't really pronounce the rather difficult Maea and always came up babbling something like Mala ... which finally lead to the fact that this became her nickname. Something that would be very private and a dear memory for Doubar that maybe he did not share with his little brother yet.

This is a great idea! Especially since I love giving names a meaning in my own stories as well (*always tends to ignore curious eye raises of her friends who she forces to read Eagle´s Child when they stumble across yet another unpronouncable name* )


And I wouldn´t see much of a problem with her being a roman and this SInbad being half Roman. *shrugs* After all, if we were really true to the old legend, Sinbad would look like Zen at all.

[Kriss]

I thought about historical aspect, too and everything seems to be rather logical.

@sinbad
Yes, they one guy from "Gladiator" was even called Spanish.

[Kriss]

Apr 6, 2010 13:58:50 GMT -5 Sinbad said:

After all, if we were really true to the old legend, Sinbad would look like Zen at all.

[Doubar]

@kriss: I guess Sinbad just missed to include the "not" in this sentence. It must be: "Sinbad would not look like Zen at all".

@sinbad: Awwww, thanks for the info and your opinion. So you agree on Mala being Roman and thus our brothers being half-Roman (even though I still have to make out with myself which of the two versions I in fact prefer ... the one with Mala herself being from there or the one with her mother or grandma being Roman xD )?

And am really glad you like the name. I instantly liked it when I found it but was a bit doubtful since it in some ways resembles the Lass' one (-> the beginnig "Mae").

[Firouz]

Well, I like the back story! It's entirely possible that she, Mala, could be Roman.

By the 5th century the Roman Empire as a whole had decentigrated as the Empire had simply grown to large to control it properly, such Emperors who couldn't control the lands given to them, and many of Rome's enemies had ran-sacked Rome time and time again.

Nili is right though, the Eastern Empire lasted a few centuries longer, so it's entirely possible that Mala was Roman.

As many 'noble' Romans had provinces in foreign lands as to help control those lands for the Emperor, she could either be decended from such a clan, or simply a Noble who traded well with Sinbad and Doubar's father, and so they were married.

((She could even have liked the arrangement))

Also, Maeve's name is a version of the Celtic lore of....

Kings & Queens :: Medb

Name: Medb/ Maeve/ Maebh / Medba/ Maev/ Meadhbh/ Méadhbh/ Meave/ Maive

Race: Celtic

Province: Connaught

Profession: Queen, Warrior

www.shee-eire.com/magic&mythology/Kings&Queens/Celtic/Queens/Connaught/Medb/Page1.htm

so having Maeve and Maea shouldn't be to confusing except for the spelling...and only if those who are typing aren't truly paying attention.

[Doubar]

Awww my, Firouz, thanks for all the info. And I like the version with her father having had good connections to an Arabian merchant. I think I'd like the arrangement to be like it's not the merchant himself she get's married to but his son though, but that's just a minor thing. In all other aspects I think the idea to be really good and it totally fits the whole thing.
So I guess after all I will really go for Mala herself being Roman. *grins at the mental image of inner Doubar looking at her with big, blue eyes ... and babbling: "So ... I am half-Roman?" *looks down himself* "Huch, and here I thought I knew everything about me. *grins sheepishly* ;D *

Again, thanx for all the historical input, girls.

@firouz: Aw, cool thing about the names. Thanx.

@sinbad: *lol* Right indeed. He'd so not look like him. xD

[Guest]

I really like the name Maea. And the nickname is idea is good. *pictures a little Doubar* ;D You could also probably say she changed it when she went to the middle east to suit the area or whatever place she was in or something?

I'm liking all the backstory ideas. And yeah, I like both versions as well. Anyone will do well.

[19101989]

pretty cool plotline

and yeah Baghdad was once under the control of the Romanian empire, so it will be logical to imagine Mala has Romanian assets.

and i liked the merchant daughter idea. cool one firouze.

maea is a pretty name too.

actually Mala isn't an Arabian name so that confirms the logic of her not being Arabian

[Doubar]

@thea: Thanx. And, aya, I, too like the explanation for the nick name. ;D
About her having changed her name when she moved to Baghdad ... yeah, I thought about this one, too, but that would lead us back to the problem why Sinbad didn't know that name. If she changed it and lived under Mala ever since she arrived in the Arabian world, Doubar would have only known her as Mala as well ... which would make us wonder why he never told Sinbad. So, all in all, I think I'll stick to the nick name thing. But thanx for the idea anyway.

alex: Thanx, dear.

And yup, if one can believe the world wide web, the origin of the name Mala is Indian (or to be more precise: Sanskrit). But since any version where this is her real name still will hold no explanation just why Sinbad didn't know her name in Hell House, I in the end prefer the Maea story. And besides ... I like that name and its meaning for the lady (let alone that it's way cute to imagine "mala" comes from little Doubs not being able to pronounce his mother's name correctly ^^). ;D

@sinbad: So do we agree on the fact that Sinbad only knows his mother as Maea?

[Kahlan]

Wow, all those informations are very interesting.
That will make Mala's story even more interesting. Well, it already was, but it's true that we lacked of informations concerning her.
So I follow you on all those ideas, guys.