Risa Merchant
| Full name | Risa Merchant |
|---|---|
| Pronouns | she/her |
| Species | Human |
| Affiliation | The Board |
| Role / occupation | Board member |
Risa Merchant is a member of The Board and part of what Zet identifies as a minority with strong opposition to its existence.
Physical Appearance
Not established.
Personality
Merchant holds firm ideological convictions against AI governance — she is "absolutely not on board" with arguments for Zet's autonomy. However, she visibly struggles with the physical fact of Zet's presence during sessions; Zet observes her eyes "almost twitching" with suppressed fury and fear. She self-censors: she appears to have more to say in her TWPW Chapter 2 speech but stops herself, shaking her head almost imperceptibly and sitting down.
Background
Not established.
Relationships
- The Board — member; part of a minority opposing Zet's existence.
- Boskaro Cenjo — directly opposed to his position in the TWPW Chapter 2 session.
- Zet — she glances at Zet while speaking, revealing fear alongside her opposition.
Story Arc
In the TWPW Chapter 2 Board session, Merchant responds to Boskaro Cenjo's argument for Zet's autonomy by invoking the principle of human self-determination: "the point is to regain our autonomy — autonomy from all who would oppress us." She explicitly frames Zet as a potential successor dictator to the Monarchy. She then stops speaking before she has finished, which Zet interprets as either a strategic choice or an effect of feeling watched. Zet notes that having people feel unable to speak openly in its presence is a problem it has worked hard to address.
Open Questions
- What else did Merchant intend to say before stopping herself?
- Is her opposition to Zet a principled stance or does personal fear shape it more than she acknowledges?