History Literature / DeadWest

* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: Gervas is very, very strong and fast, even able to keep up with most aristocrats. The Porcelain Doctor accepted him as his companion due to the fact that he is strong and sturdy enough to restrain him if he goes nuts. He is also able to perform ColdReading, which is easily mistaken for a low-level MindReading (being unscrupulous about eavesdropping also helps), and a few times he demonstrates a version of CharmPerson (with sheer charisma).

** In-universe. [[spoiler: There was a legendary master spy almost two hundred years before the story starts, named Gervas Klarenfeld, the Hound. He was an Austrian aristocrat in the service of the Empress Maria Theresa, disgraced at the end of a war he helped to win, and presumably executed by the French monarch. His entire family disappeared, either fled from the empire or also killed by his numerous enemies. Then at the end of the 19. century, we have our narrator, named Gervas Klarenfeld... His family is Prussian, and his father deliberately named him after the master spy, trying to give his family a better reputation. Gervas ended up growing into a [[HeroicBuild giant by commoner standards]], and his [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower exceptional abilities]] help to confuse everybody, leading to the wide-spread belief that he is, in fact, the heir of the Hound, and an aristocrat by birth. He doesn't like this, but more than once abuses other's beliefs about him, notably when he delivers a verbal CurbStompBattle to Cherryworth. Cherryworth himself is the Queen's Sleuth, and considers Gervas a WorthyOpponent, whom he would rather have on their side. Also, Cherryworth is the one who starts the rumours spread at light's speed, after investigating Gervas' involvement with the [=MacArkills=]. From his side of the story, it is easy to see why he thought this; Gervas looks remarkably similar to the late Hound, the name is the same, and he really entered into the clan's service with a misdated knight's contract, resulting in Cherryworth believing that he was specifically recruited by Cedric to guard his little brother. And of course a mighty aristocratic clan with royal blood in their veins wouldn't employ a mere commoner, that would be undignified. And Gervas does demonstrate some skills what might be "veiled gifts", with the help of some ColdReading and eavesdropping, and uses his supposed MindReading to make threats to Cherryworth. This misstep paired with the fact that Gervas actually received a minor noble rank for his military valours resulted in the EpilepticTree quickly spreading. This is more annoying than amusing for our narrator, although it actually helps several times, and earns him a MemeticBadass status in-universe.]]

** Confessor is for someone with MindReading.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* [[OverprotectiveDad Overprotective Big Brother]]: [[GeniusBruiser Cedric]] skims/reads every non-medical book his little brother wants to read, and forbids the ones he founds improper, never lets Niall sleep in a separate tent when they are on a campaign, and violently deals with anyone who attempts to approach the doctor when not neccessary. This trait is not exactly welcomed, but understandable knowing their backstories.

* TheTeam: The Merry Company:
** TheHero: Charles
** TheLancer: Carolina
** TheSmartGuy: Louis
** TheBigGuy: Paul
** TheChick: Brian and Dick.

* IllBoy: Niall. He gets better.

* WrongGenreSavvy: rampant amongst the Merry Company. They mistakenly think that Gervas (according to them, an aristocrat) has brought the Porcelain Doctor to the New World to marry him, and they are on the run from the doctor's family and/or their enemies (supported by some targeted attacks). The Merry Company's every member is a ShipperOnDeck for them (even Charles and Carolina, although Gervas is supposedly courting Carolina herself), and usually they haven't got any complaint against the Steel Knight always being on the young doctor's side. This is an annoying but useful tract for our protagonists, as the Merry Company is hell-bent on helping the "StarCrossedLovers". Louis, who has also picked up on the fact that [[spoiler: the Porcelain Doctor is SecretlyDying]], goes a little deeper, and believes that Gervas is a BastardBoyfriend (which is also aggravated by the "bondage" incident), and that he practically kidnapped the doctor, although with a good intention to save him from his AbusiveParents. Where did they get the ideas are a mystery, maybe the currently fashionable romance novels had something to do with it. Gervas and Niall doesn't even try to dissolve the misunderstandings after a while, and this only bites back when they attempt to ask for the hand of Carolina.

* ActionGirl: Carolina. [[RebelliousPrincess The Amber Duchess]] [[SilkHidingSteel Arabell.]] [[FirstGirlWins Alexandra.]] [[BadassAdorable Evelyn.]] The [=MacArkills=] and Gervas seems to love this type.
* AdultFear: [[FridgeHorror Copious]] amounts for Cedric. [[spoiler:His beloved baby brother is on the other side of the world, and he knows Niall is most likely dying. He cannot help him, and cannot follow him, as he is currently in war, and his little brother wants to do this alone anyway. The only person whom Niall lets to accompany him is an elderly BattleButler.]]

* TechnicolorEyes: Some of the aristocrats. Most of the cases this is simple heterochromia, but [[BlindSeer Cecil's eyes are amethyst]], Arabell's are amber (hence the Amber Duchess nickname), and the two [=MacArkill=]'s eyes seems to [[MoodRingEyes change their colour]]. This is most likely because they actually have gray eyes, and lighting and the uniforms do change the perceived colour.

* WhatBeautifulEyes: Gervas' reaction to [[BlindSeer Cecil's]] amethyst eyes. He also frequently mentions the two [=MacArkill=] brothers' MoodRingEyes.

* DeathGlare: The Porcelain Doctor has a mean one, paired with [[MoodRingEyes colour-changing eyes]]. When he is calm, his eyes are green. Blue is a good indicator that he is pissed. This is not real colour change, when he opens his eyes more, their colour [[TechnicolorEyes changes with the light]], they are most likely actually gray. He made enemies flee and forced Gervas to beg for his life in a panic just by casting an ice-cold glare.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Gervas gets some books for his friend to entertain himself while he is bedridden, a few of them with "slightly frivolous content, quite popular in England." The narration avoids any explicit description, but is quite clear that our narrator gave the good doctor porn. Sadly, he didn't exactly appreciated the content, although he loved the other books.

** Ariolus seems to be for {{Clairvoyance}}. Interestingly, they use French for this particular ability, several times.

* TheSouthpaw: Surprisingly common amongst aristocrats. [[spoiler: Niall and Cedric are southpaws, which is handy for several reasons, and the fact that the Porcelain Doctor is left-handed serves as an early clue that he is an aristocrat, despite his small size.]]

* DesignatedLoveInterest: Carolina seems to be this for Gervas. It is up to debate how much is it caused by the fact that [[UnreliableNarrator Gervas]] recounts these years for his grandson after he married his FirstLove, and how much is for the fact that Gervas already seemed to be quite infatuated with the Porcelain Doctor by the time he was introduced to [[ActionGirl Carolina]]. Most likely, this is deliberate, as Gervas has married Alexandra, and he feels uncomfortable explaining to a tween that grandpa has loved anybody else than grandma and other grandpa. Nevertheless, he declares that he is in love with Carolina as soon as he meets her. She fits his outlines for a perfect wife, that's sure, but still...

* BiTheWay: Carolina, as evident from her choice in the brothel. Maybe Gervas himself (or IfItsYouItsOkay).

* SpoiledSweet: The Porcelain Doctor himself states that he is this (okay, according to him, he is just spoiled, not sweet). He really doesn't know much about how things are supposed to work, and this is not helped by his aura; people around him are rather inclined to just do what he wants/asks, and not to tell him how he could do it himself (even if he implicitly asks how should he do that). The only exception from this is when his role as TheMedic or TheChampion is to be fulfilled. There is a funny scene when he performs medical service for a stranger, then gets confused when the family attempts to pay him (justified by the fact that as a field medic, he was never paid directly, if he even gets payment, and his brother intercepts any gifts he receives out of worry).

In an alternate Earth, Aristocrats - psychic people with possibly {{Nephilim}} origins (?) ruling most of the western world, Africa, and Asia. The New World, America, has been recently explored, and since it's ruled by magic, created much of a shock. It also made commoners less than pleased with the Aristocrats flock to the new, resourceful continents, and elevated a clash with the natives, who in turn started to raise the dead westerners to took revenge. What the Natives thought as a perfect countermeasure, nowadays is a normal, if annoying thing. A new nation started to rise, but there is not only gold hidden there...

Dead West is a peculiar little web novel series (in Hungarian), it was available for a short time only for a few people. The author was discouraged by her family, so she took it off. Still, it was an intriguing storyline with a rich, well-developed world.