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Lady of the Order of Twilight

Witch of the Gargauthans

Blood Magus

Morgynn seethed for years under the yoke of ignorance her mother enforced. Then death came for Morgynn, and after embracing it she was reborn with frightening powers of incredible strength.

When a wandering ghostwalker and a seer’s hubris provide the perfect opening to expand her dominion, she seizes the opportunity. But the ghostwalker is proving more trouble than she had bargained for . . .

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Originally posted by James P. Davis

'Nother quick update, the Prologue and Chaper One of Bloodwalk have been posted over at the Wizards site. Here's the link:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/frnovel/955467400

It's not much, a definite teaser, but the nervousness of a first novel is certainly twisting my gut all the same! So anyway, I hope anyone interested will check it out and give it a shot.

Best,
--James

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A ghostwalker sworn to Hoar!

Ooh -- someone's in for it.

Thanks for the read, James. Bedlam's a great name for the sword. A sonic weapon, or a collection of mad souls? I suppose we'll see.

Looking forward to it.

Cheers

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Originally posted by Kuje

:)

We do have a gencon thread on the main FR general board and most of this info has already been posted there. :)

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Originally posted by James P. Davis

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Originally posted by Kuje

:)

We do have a gencon thread on the main FR general board and most of this info has already been posted there. :)

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Oops, sorry Kuje, force of habit lately.

Best,
--James --> (Manager of the Department of Redundancy Department)

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I have just begun reading the book, and love it so far. Its good to see another style of Ghostwalker. Being a gamer, I'm already mentally putting stats to Quinsareth, Bedlam, etc. before I even get far in the book. I cant imagine that Quin is pure fighter?! Thanks for the great book. Back to reading...

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Originally posted by James P. Davis
I believe I mentioned elsewhere that there is a very well hidden "easter egg" in the story that references its "true crime" inspiration. Another as of yet unsolved set of mysterious murders. Check the street names, you might catch it.

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The only street name that stands out in my memory was Temple Street.

All I can guess is Jack The Ripper?

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Originally posted by James P. Davis

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The only street name that stands out in my memory was Temple Street.

All I can guess is Jack The Ripper?

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Bingo!

HA! I'd just about given up on someone noticing that. Yes indeed, Ivory and Temple streets as my little allusion to the Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper.

To explain, my wife is a big serial-killer buff, she was watching From Hell about the time I was brainstorming for RotD2. Ol' Jack seemed like an interesting template to match a dragon to, with some major modifications of course, and I was off and running...or writing as it were.

Good catch!

Best,
--James

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Originally posted by James P. Davis

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The only street name that stands out in my memory was Temple Street.

All I can guess is Jack The Ripper?

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Bingo!

HA! I'd just about given up on someone noticing that. Yes indeed, Ivory and Temple streets as my little allusion to the Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper.

To explain, my wife is a big serial-killer buff, she was watching From Hell about the time I was brainstorming for RotD2. Ol' Jack seemed like an interesting template to match a dragon to, with some major modifications of course, and I was off and running...or writing as it were.

Good catch!

Best,
--James

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Originally posted by Steven Schend

To swing this back to Realms relevance, an FR serial killer idea is tough to do as there's so few ways to stand out from the massive killers that do so for their god (Bane worshipers) or their country (Red Wizards, etc.). Serial killers are a modern phenomenon, and while not impossible, it's pretty tough to respin fantasy tropes to suit the needs of psychological thrillers (as most stories tend to wind up with serial killers).

Though an odd thought, as I mused about lone killers with distinctive methodology, one could argue that ELFSHADOW could be reexamined from another POV and have a Harper investigator convinced that the Harper Assassin is a serial killer. Hm, that puts Arilyn in a new light, dunnit? (And no, to fans of Elaine and the lady herself, I'm NOT suggesting that we look at the lovely half-elf for signs she's out to exterminate the hard-currency-girls of Waterdeep or even suggest she's a serial killer. It's just a way to point out that a slight shift in perspective brings new facets to life on that diamond of a book....)

SES

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James, have you or your wife read Moore's FROM HELL graphic opus? It's vastly better than the watered-down star vehicle the movie became (seriously--Heather Graham stands out a tad too much among her comrades, hm?). Heck, it's worth it just for the final segment that analyzes the whole cult of Ripperology or the 40 pages of endnotes going into obsessive details on how the story was built. Well worth your time.

To swing this back to Realms relevance, an FR serial killer idea is tough to do as there's so few ways to stand out from the massive killers that do so for their god (Bane worshipers) or their country (Red Wizards, etc.). Serial killers are a modern phenomenon, and while not impossible, it's pretty tough to respin fantasy tropes to suit the needs of psychological thrillers (as most stories tend to wind up with serial killers).

Though an odd thought, as I mused about lone killers with distinctive methodology, one could argue that ELFSHADOW could be reexamined from another POV and have a Harper investigator convinced that the Harper Assassin is a serial killer. Hm, that puts Arilyn in a new light, dunnit? (And no, to fans of Elaine and the lady herself, I'm NOT suggesting that we look at the lovely half-elf for signs she's out to exterminate the hard-currency-girls of Waterdeep or even suggest she's a serial killer. It's just a way to point out that a slight shift in perspective brings new facets to life on that diamond of a book....)

SES

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A Realms serial killer would be an interesting topic though with the "darkness" in writing that yourself and Erik Scott de Bie are so good at. It would be very interesting if the Realms "ripper" did not go unsolved.....but just made a rather unfortunate choice in his last target.

Looking forward to your next Realms travelogue! (The tourism biz has to be up in the region after Bloodwalk)

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Originally posted by James P. Davis

And yeah, a true serial killer in the Realms would be difficult as the fantasy lives real-world s-k's imagine themselves as leading would be, well, real for the most part, which could give them an actual place in the Realms (as a dark priest, assassin, or pawn to such types). Dahmer would have taken the quickest path to an animate dead spell, Bundy possibly Loviatar (I think Loviatar might cover a few). The spiritual upbringing or social norms that are rebelled against in our world are, on the other end, mostly deified in the Realms in one way or another. It would have to be someone completely godless (bordering on athiest), infinitely twisted, practically a super-genius (for evading magical means of detection), and have motives that elude all manner of common reasoning to figure out. Imagining the difficulty of placing such a character in the Realms...actually, sounds like a helluva lot of fun!

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Originallly posted by The Red WalkerA Realms serial killer would be an interesting topic though with the "darkness" in writing that yourself and Erik Scott de Bie are so good at. It would be very interesting if the Realms "ripper" did not go unsolved.....but just made a rather unfortunate choice in his last target.

Looking forward to your next Realms travelogue! (The tourism biz has to be up in the region after Bloodwalk)

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Ah that too, the 'targets' would have to be very specific as well. A complete loony might get himself a meat-cleaver and decide he was destined to kill Elminster or Drizzt just to impress some girl that he likes and who doesn't even know he (or she) exists...suffice to say, very short story.

All that being said, I've have a certain idea in mind for a character who fits the bill in several of the 'Realms-serial-killer' categories. One of the first stories I ever imagined for the Realms in fact...but only time will tell if that one ever sees print (insert evil laugh here).

Until then, for my next tale, alas, NDA, but keep a sharp eye on Amazon. I think many may find out the news is public before I do, heh!

Best,
--James

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Interesting that you should say they would need to be godless. That theory is close to what I replied to Steven in his scroll, since you went that direction I find it relavent in our discussion as well:

"I thought about the Gods angles, was wondering if a Realms character could be a "free agent" so to speak and kill just for killings sake.
It could be interesting to see how the rest of the Realms (and the Gods) handled that situation. If this person got enough power through fear, he(or better, she ) could threaten the Gods enough to crate quite a stir.

I could see some kind of parralel with this concept to that of Magic and Anti-Magic areas/objects.

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This killer could unintentionally spark an Anti-Gods movement. When the general population realized that this killer had the whole of the Realams in an Uproar with no God on his side and , some might see the posibilities for good and bad. The Gods would be threatened much the same as Magic useres(and to lesser extent Mystra) are by these anti-magic areas and objects.

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Ooooppppss.....rambling

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Originally posted by James P. Davis


Oh certainly, since s-k's have motivations that are almost always in some sort of opposition to social norms (and in the Realms what's more normal than belief in/worshiping the various gods?), being a godless killer would give him no greater authority (that exists, anyway) and perpetuate the loneliness and isolation that helps to make the killer what he is.

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The only difficult part there would be getting the entire Realms in an uproar over what's happening. Unless it were a mass-murderer (and an extremely efficient one) the news could just become like a "fairy-tale" after spreading a few hundred miles. Or if the killer eluded capture for several years, maybe even a decade, then more honest accounts of that type of infamy could perhaps spread far and wide (though still with the Krueger-esque tales mixed in).

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I can see it now..."The sun sets behind a magnificent Realmsian city, torchbearers trace lit pathways through the streets and the song 'Paint it Black' begins playing as the graphic shows up on the screen--CSI: Waterdeep..."

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I hear ya', heh, at times I am one with the power of the ramble. 'Tis at times a gift and a curse...OH, new scene! "Darker city, images of demons flash over the city, violins begin playing a haunting melody, and Frank Black appears, walking down the street perhaps near Blackstaff Tower..."

Okay yeah, maybe more a curse, but a fun one!

Best,
--James

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Originally posted by Murray Leeder

I take it you mean Frank Black the protagonist of the TV show Millennium, not his talented namesake, Frank Black of The Pixies fame.

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Murray Leeder Posted - 14 Sep 2006 : 03:33:09
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I take it you mean Frank Black the protagonist of the TV show Millennium, not his talented namesake, Frank Black of The Pixies fame.

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Originally posted by James P. Davis

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Murray Leeder Posted - 14 Sep 2006 : 03:33:09
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I take it you mean Frank Black the protagonist of the TV show Millennium, not his talented namesake, Frank Black of The Pixies fame.

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Yup!

Millennium may not mesh too well in the Realms, but I'd do anything to see a Season Four...alas, a moment of silence for two special graves in the Fox cemetary: Millennium, rest in peace and Firefly, you were so young....sniff.

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