Red Palace: The house that darkness built
I have posted another "Tales of Obsydian Nights" short story for your reading pleasure. It is the darkest and most violent of my Obsydian stories and was one of those published in Descending Darkness as part of my series (sadly that webzine is no longer). Obsydia is darkness personified and clever in her cruel recruitment. She demands worship and sacrifice, and knows how to play the weakness of the human soul.
This story is important for another reason. At the end of the story, when those poor folk that have not succumbed to darkness are escaping the city, we meet a powerful wizard helping those people. His name is Neelam and he is important for many reasons, not only because he is a strong adversary to Obsydia in several stories, but because he is an important character that will be in my Familiar's Tale series starting with book 2, Tree of Bones. Neelam is a wonderful no-nonsense character. He is strong, gritty, and when I write him, the dialogue flows like water. There are certain characters that rise to take control of their rightful place in the story. Neelam is one of those. So was Darcus, who started as a two chapter one-shot character in my book and blossomed into the weary and noble mainstay that refuses to leave the tale. Neelam is someone I like to write, and his familiar Surya make a wonderful balance of wizard and familiar. There will be more Obsydia tales coming-and Neelam will be in some of those fighting her evil with sword and magic.
More later. I await more news on my book cover for Tree of Bones. Also, happy birthday to my publisher and editor, Joseph Dickerson.
Verna McKinnon
This story is important for another reason. At the end of the story, when those poor folk that have not succumbed to darkness are escaping the city, we meet a powerful wizard helping those people. His name is Neelam and he is important for many reasons, not only because he is a strong adversary to Obsydia in several stories, but because he is an important character that will be in my Familiar's Tale series starting with book 2, Tree of Bones. Neelam is a wonderful no-nonsense character. He is strong, gritty, and when I write him, the dialogue flows like water. There are certain characters that rise to take control of their rightful place in the story. Neelam is one of those. So was Darcus, who started as a two chapter one-shot character in my book and blossomed into the weary and noble mainstay that refuses to leave the tale. Neelam is someone I like to write, and his familiar Surya make a wonderful balance of wizard and familiar. There will be more Obsydia tales coming-and Neelam will be in some of those fighting her evil with sword and magic.
More later. I await more news on my book cover for Tree of Bones. Also, happy birthday to my publisher and editor, Joseph Dickerson.
Verna McKinnon
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