The Why

[tinhuviel]

I've not talked about The Blood Crown in ages. Why? Because I've set it aside to percolate for a while. The ideas I kept having and the conversations between Orphaeus and Cadmus felt to me more like comedy than the tone I want to maintain from The Chalice. That won't do. Cadmus and comedy don't mix. Thing is, though, that Orphaeus and comedy do. Orphaeus Cygnus is a party Vampire. He likes to have fun and laugh and bask in the irony of existence. Cadmus likes to torture and kill. They're immortal enemies, these two, and for obvious reason. But I don't want to make Cadmus a straight man (in comedy lingo, not sexual orientation). It's beneath him. I refuse to let that happen.

The Chalice was told in a series of vignettes that led up to the conflict in Asheville. I want The Blood Crown to follow along that same path and I want the same for The Augury of Gideon. I think that, with a structure like this, one can learn more about the characters and what drives them. I've already decided that one chapter will be dedicated to the torture and murder of Faust by Cadmus Pariah, during the Summer of Sam in NYC. Another chapter will tell the story of how Orphaeus was converted into Vampirism, and it will introduce Rebekah and Mephistopheles. This novel will draw heavily from the Vampires' Tarmian roots, so we'll see more of their ancient and magickal ways, and how their choices in teaching Humanity in the ways of natural magick led to the madness unleashed upon both races by one who would identify himself only as the Apostate. I want to write a chapter from his view point as well, from a time before he became a dry husk lurking in the Vatican catacombs.

But, for right now, I have the novel set aside. Maybe I'm trying to purge my comedy bone by writing Joker fanfiction and this will enable me to have a better frame of mind in order to write Cadmus and Orphaeus in the way I want. Cadmus' voice has been very distant in the past few months, but he's always there and his influence is coming back in baby steps. Eventually, I'll be back in his dreadful embrace, and I'll have no choice but to write what he tells me, no matter how horrid.

Comments

[booraven22.livejournal.com]

I for one am looking forward to all the new stories. I love the Joker's Date series as well, but you know how close to my heart I hold Cadmus & Orphaeus (which is probably not the best place to have those two, come to think about it.)

Write when it's ready. Your gift is such that when the words come they come like a steady stream. ::snogs you::

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

You're way too kind for someone much more talented than I am.

[booraven22.livejournal.com]

I beg to differ, but that always ends with wrestling and tears.
:)

You're a fab writer, love. And soon our Triumvirate will be published all will be laid waste before our literary skillz. OR something.

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

Someday the Triumvirate should collaborate on something if we could wrap our minds around each others' awesomeness long enough to do it.

[falkenna.livejournal.com]

Well, I for one would love to see Orphaeus spitting black humour at Cadmus while being tortured . . . but that's just me.

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

That's the thing. They're forced to partner up in TBC. Kelat requires it and, for some strange reason I've yet to realise, Cadmus abides by her wishes. So he's pretty much de-clawed when it comes to the Swan. That means he ends up being a straight man to Orphaeus' wily humour. I need to figure out how to avoid that.