This is the beginning of a new story. I'm a little hesitant to use that term "new" since the idea for the forthcoming story, and likewise the initial fragments of story, began three years ago. This story is an intriguing one for me. It's very big and complicated, the only story since my original Book of the Shadows, the First Moon Saga, to be as large and complex. It is important for me to note that while this is the third saga – specifically the First Sun Saga – thematically and structurally, there are six other sagas, and a few minor sagas, I have done at least some work on to this point.
The Third Sun Saga has a very large cast of characters. Despite all the multiple-personality affects that exist in the First Moon Saga, this saga likely will finish with more characters. Comparatively there is a lot less of that multiple personality concept within the story itself, but from an outsider, a sort of meta view, the framework of characters by their names and descriptions is an important note of understanding, both from the First Moon Saga and in future stories.
This saga strives to take on some of the themes from First Moon with a more direct line of thinking. One such theme is the split between good and evil. That is a major theme I, and virtually all writers, work with throughout my stories; what is good, what is evil, where are the lines, and is there any grey area. Part-in-parcel to that is the concept of corruption; can good be turned evil, and on the other hand can evil be turned to good, and how does that happen?
As I said, this story is rather expansive and involves numerous characters. Not many of these characters are long-term presences in the story, though that doesn't necessarily indicate a rise in death toll. Something I still feel I struggle with as a writer is killing off characters.
Undoubtedly I know that the death of a character can be a powerful tool within the framework of a broader story. It often serves as an inflection point and motivating factor for other characters. This obviously only works with characters that have some resonance with the audience, so it's not going to work too well if you simply pull out a random character and say they're dead just for the sake of saying you killed off a character. It is worth pointing out that this perception of not killing off enough characters is simply based on my own assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of my storytelling relative to other works I've read or seen. I certainly don't want to end up like some writers who kill off everyone in the story left and right, leaving only a main character or two. I am simply thinking of this in the construct of elements of a good story.
Alas, I don't know that within the constructs of this particular story I have found an answer to that particular question. What I can say for certain, however, is that one of the crutches that made the question of death somewhat muted in First Moon was the interplay that I had with the afterlife. From early on it was made apparent and clear that the Rosencraft could have some interaction with the afterlife almost at will. They could be visited by those individuals, and even in one case use their powers to visit the afterlife (see Orihime Rescue arc). As I progressed through Advancing Shadows I tried to implement restrictions in the form of basic rules, but found myself violating those. In Nocturne of the Shadows I again implemented rules, and accentuated those rules with the conflict and acrimony that existed between the Rosencraft and the ones who more or less controlled the afterlife. However, that did not change the mental dynamic that no one really died, they just left the story for a bit. As such, as much impact the main branch generation Rosencraft family's death may have had at the end of A.S, there was already the embedded thought that they wouldn't be gone forever.
Of course, there is a very dynamic component to the inclusion of the afterlife. Indeed, it would be a very different story for First Moon if not for the way in which there was competition and cooperation with the representatives of the afterlife.
In any event, there will be no, or I should say virtually no, direct interaction with the afterlife. Certainly there will not be the kind of ever-presence Spirit World had in First Moon. At this point I don't even know the mechanics of death within First Sun; what happens when someone dies? So that will be something to keep in mind going forward; I don't engage with the afterlife directly within this story.
As is to be expected at least one of the Two-Six will make an appearance at some point during the saga, though I won't confirm who or when here. I will confirm that Anzushiro will make a relatively brief cameo appearance at one point, but that certainly will not be in this first book of the saga.
It is not known with a certainty at this very moment the timing of this story relative to the events in First Moon. At the very least it is after the initial BotS as Anzushiro will have occasion to mention her daughter, Destiny. At the same time, nothing in that part of the story (which I mind you also takes place post this book) indicates just how old Destiny is directly. One allusion indicates that Destiny has gone back and forth with the use of jewel-based magic. I do note in Nocturne, when we first see Destiny use jewel magic, that she only began using it because of the non-native magic use restrictions. I don't know if I am going to change either instance, but assuming they remain the same that would indicate that First Sun takes place sometime post Nocturne and pre Overture Saga.
Overture is the last saga in the entire Book of the Shadows series, or at least that is the tact I'm taking with it right now. It does contain its own story, but that story is predominantly a vehicle by which to bring together all of the Two-Six. I haven't yet figured out a lot of details for that story, although I have made tons of progress on the main story and may start compiling it all soon. For instance, I don't know how long after Nocturne it actually is. And though I plan on having all of the Two-Six show up in that story, so far I've only managed a pathway for three of the twelve, possibly four. Just based on connections with prior stories I may manage five; clearly that isn't twelve.
But that is for another time. Right now this is the beginning of the First Sun Saga. This first book in the series is entitled Rahzel Dahzel. I hope that you enjoy it!
DaCosta Rosencraft
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
4:12 PM