Interesting Information
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Commentary (up to chapter 10)
Requested by Random Scribbles
WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD. (in a sense!)
Original conception We were all chatting on the Citadel of Shadow about Darker D&D, and I had lots of stray bits of story with no home. There was no unifying link except that they were all too dark to use with the Extended Seasons, including
= the ending of Inversion (or at least where it was heading)
= the frame for Watcher (which went on to become The Cold Light of Day) but in the original Venger was the moving force.
= a disastrous H/S first time.
= another section, that I cant say because its far too big a spoiler!
Linking them all, and making some sort of Grand Opus seemed like fun (oh, foolish me!), and was also a step away from the rigid structure of the Extended Seasons.
There are also no references to the other Seal-writings in them, and no continuity, and no other in-jokes or literary references. But every chapter should have the words watching (or watch) and waiting (or wait) in them, just because I felt like it! Also each section and chapter is short a mirror or the Mirrors, in fact. You only see short snapshots of whats happening.
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Prologue I had NO idea what was going to happen, or who was where when I wrote this, except I did think that it was going to be Eric who was in Vengers clutches and Presto in the caves. But as time went on, everyone seemed to expect me to do that!!
I am a great believer in The Art of Leaving Stuff Lying Around, and though I initially had no use for the Seer, or the Drow, they both seemed useful to have around. Also the concept of the Mirrors were not yet formed, though I did want a way for Venger to get the upper hand.
Ch 1 Hank and Bobby together, alone without the calming influence of Sheila. Hank had failed in what they tried to accomplish, and now someone was dead. How would he cope with both things at the same time?
I also didnt know exactly what had happened to them that day, only that it all went wrong.
The Drow are from the Monstrous Manual.
Venger is already getting more violent (he crunched those orcs), but also has the need to control more hence the kneeling of his servants.
Ch 2 Important and Popular Fact here is that destroying the Mirrors is BAD!! (It is repeated later). Also the fact that there are two of them.
Dungeonmaster is shown as considerable weaker now that the Mirror are being used.
= Since I had split the group up, I had to decide what was going to happen. Having the two girls alone seemed like a plan (since I still thought Eric was with Venger, and Presto was with Uni). Again, something that had never been done before was having one seriously injured. Diana was the obvious one, as at the time, I had no specific use for her.
Ch 3 Even at the start, it could have been either of the Eric or Presto. I had realised by this time that Eric was just TOO obvious. But I still had the problem of linking all the bits together, so I had to add an extra layer, using someone from earlier the Seer.
= this is the set up for the next chapter, when Presto is tricked into cooperation. Both separate parties HAD to face certain death for it to work.
= Twice in the first section hank almost finds another of the gang Presto IS watching over his shoulder, through the mirror, and Sheila really is calling out his name.
Ch 4 is the longest single section so far, all from Prestos POV, and all designed to make him cooperate with Venger. I wrote this all in one evening, when I was supposed to be doing the NaNoWriMo writing!
Important and Popular Fact touching the Mirror is BAD!!
The Mirror does not lie. like the Palantir of Middle Earth, it does not always show the truth either. These mirrors had a specifically Evil maker too.
Ch 5 Slim Pickings is the name of a man who starred in Dr Strangelove. I think!
Both Hank and Sheila are touched by Vengers power here, which may or may not have an effect on them in the future, (Diana is too, but in a much lesser way). And it is painful!
Here Venger cant see Eric either, but he knows exactly what the Mirror can and cant do, as the only thing that can effect the power of a Mirror is another Mirror!
= By this point, I had decided what was going to happen next, at least for the first part, and how to get everyone to the correct places at the correct time, so it was much easier to write.
Ch 6 We finally get to see what happened to Eric, and also get more of an idea of time, and how long everything has been taking.
The idea that became Morning Glory was supposed to be here, as Eric, captured and desperate for food wakes up to the most glorious smell of cooked unicorn. But this works much better, and eventually Uni has to reunite with Bobby so they can try to find Eric.
Another example of The Art of Leaving Stuff Lying Around is Ranyar, who originally showed up as A.N. Other generic thug.
Important and Popular Fact the mention of a She.
And I think it was just plain water in Ranyars flask, nothing fancy!
But she was worth a lot of money. is something I touched one in Wild Ride too.
Ch 7 skips forward a few days, again missing out all the boring walking stuff. Again it is a set-up chapter, as I wanted the important happenings to Presto, Eric, Hank and Sheila (and Diana too) all to happen on the same night. It was going to be a special celebration night, when the moons were in triune with the planetary aspect, etc, etc. But it seemed to contrived.
Hank and Sheila are going to have sex not the wonderful, perfect sex of Snapshot, but a more flawed kind. At the same time, Eric finally meets the Seer again, and realises she had this all planned. Also the Seer doesnt hang about, she wants what she get him for, no waiting! And Presto too, has no more time. Venger is going to act.
Ch 8 Transformation pt I
This and ch 9 were going to be one whole chapter, but it was the better to break it, so as not to make it overlong.
The POV order is Hank, Presto, Sheila, Eric and its done in that order deliberately. (one is missed, but that was only for effect)
Hank and Sheilas thoughts are contrasted, as they have different ideas about what is happening.
Eric and Presto are in contrast too and almost everything that happens is opposite for them. Eric face up, Presto face down. Eric voluntary, Presto forced. Eric has a woman in charge with a male helper, Presto has a man in charge with a woman helper. Eric is cold, Presto is hot. Eric has something taken out, Presto has something put in.
And the final section is the only time we get Dianas POV.
Ch 9 Transformation pt II
Hank and Sheila are done, and it was a disaster! They both think different things about what happened between them.
Eric is also recovering, but something is definitely different about him; and the Seer is wearing that nice, shiny crystal.
The Seer is also revealed as having the other Mirror, though she takes no care about who knows it. The force of Erics experiences with her Mirror are much more forceful than those of Presto. He really does see Venger, in real time.
And there is a lot of Hank-jealousy from Eric too.
Important and Popular Fact is that the Seer has planned this, and she wants something from Venger. But she hasnt seen him in a long, long time.
Lastly, Diana has gone. Just gone. In fact, she has gone back home.
Ch 10 Though Hank is at a loss, Dungeonmaster is still trying to help them; and you get more information about the creator of the Mirrors.
He advises them to seek out the Seer! And we all know who's with her, but more importantly, so does Venger!
Vengers flash-forward is very significant, and a great place to have a 3 month ending, even though its not the end of part I.
= the End, so far
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Fanart
Fanvid "Watching And Waiting (In The Shadows)"
(Link to YouTube)
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