Hiya Anya!

Kamiki, Mousekinn, Kali to some degree and I have been doing some plotting, planning and story-developing - and it involves much - including me finally having decided on who Mordath was and a lot of his story, as well as trying to bring everything into the present and tying in things that even happened earlier in the stories.

However, there are things that I both want and need to run by you - as one of the ideas (which can be modified to just being the few fa'e that we're directly working with in the storyif you think it's a bad idea) would involve dealing with some of the metaplot for why these fa'e got here in the here/now to begin with. And - I was -JUST- hit with a huge flash of inspiration - it involves you. So, bear with me LONG winded PM.

Okay - here's a LOOONG writing of what I've got so far (and I have approval from all those fae involved in his story so far ^^ - much plottage has been going on ^___^ ) And this is a perfect opportunity for me to actually write all this down linearally ^________^

Mordath was, in his day, known as Lanuccus, and was a high lord of the unseelie. The unseelie, unlike the seelie fa'e, had never managed to organize to a cohesive kingdom as they were by nature much more disorganized, chaotic, and distrustful of eachother. Lanuccus was about as high in the heirarchy as you could get, but of course there were several others in his position. Lanuccus was a great sorcerer - especially in magics relating to the night - and while he was quite the arcane studius type, he was hardly the hermit-like mage in the tower. Lanuccus was frequently making appearances in courts and galas, and was certainly not without social graces and a manipulative silver tongue. Lanuccus had high aspirations, and had done all in his power to amass as much land/retinues/subjects as he could through normal methods without outright war between other lords (buying land, making agreements/pacts, subtle magic, etc). However, that only took him so far, and Lanuccus's main goal - at that point - was to unify the entire unseelie court under him - making a formidable force to stand up to the seelie. Lanuccus also employed many servants in this goal, most importantly was his lupine familiar, whom he could use for discrete operations - both in intimidation/nastier things... and covert spying.... this wolf familiar was a previous incarnation of Silver, who has reincarnated multiple times before this one - in each incarnation he is both lupine, and a guardian - though not always necessarily on the "good" side. This explains Mordath's dreams of fur and fangs and his tie with wolves.

Now, in one such spying mission, he learns of a unique caravan coming into the borders of Fae - hosting an array of rare and magical creatures - among them, a Kirin. This Kirin is quite sick, being kept alive only by the magics of her captor. According to mythology - once a Kirin bonds itself to a ruler, the ruler and the kirin's life in intertwined. As long as the ruler rules justly, the kirin is healthy, and the king lives indefinitely. However, if the king becomes corrupt and rules unjustly, the heavens punish him and the kirin for making such a choice, and the kirin weakens and begins to die. Once the kirin dies, the king will follow shortly after. Now, this king ruled justly for a time, but in time began to be overcome with the power of his position, and his rulership waned - the kirin grew ill. Instead of changing his ways, his greed blinded him and he hired a very powerful magician to keep the kirin alive with his magics, and away from him. So the mage... Arkoth... did. He brought the Kirin into Fey as a prize, and here Mordath learned of her enslavement.

Mordath was not entirely cold-hearted. In fact, he did have a warm space for magic and magical beasts - however, it was even greater when such a situation could be mutually benefitial, as he knew of the legends of the Kirin. The way to his goal began to form in his mind.

Slowly, after meeting with the poor sick creature, he spoke with her captor. Arkoth was a very manipulative man at this point (and still is to a lesser degree) and spoke of the King's horrid rule of the country, of how the kirin grew sick because of it, and how it was only his benefitial magics keeping her alive until some better solution could be found. However, Arkoth knew what mordath wanted, and spoke of a secret ritual that might possibly be able to transfer the bond of the Kirin to another - were she to find him worthy. Arkoth even hinted that he might be able to discover this ritual, and, for a great price, sell him the Kirin.

In the meantime, Mordath's

Mordath was during this point not paused in his plotting and espionage. Quite the opposite. He was sending Silver out to pick up information on the other lords, and even went to far to decide to send him out to visit the seelie to hear of what was going on in their courts - looking through his eyes ... .and in doing so... found something quite unexpected. He laid eyes on Titania for the first time - a woman heralded by even the nymphs as beauty incarnate... and this had an effect on Lanuccus that he did not intend.... He felt a tug on his heart that he had never felt before.... and he began to amend his sights... why stop at uniting the unseelie - why not rule by Her side over all of Feykind? Just win her favor and then .... subtly get -rid- of Oberon..

So, while negotiating and (thinking he was) manipulating Arkoth, he also began to approach Titania - slowly at first - at massive balls, and speaking subtly and charmingly with her - playing up his dignity and aristocratic bearing for all it was worth, slowly mentioning more of his intentions to unite the unseelie - then for possible alliances with the Queen - for peace, of course, and more and more frequently - indicating that he had methods, and slowly gained first her support, and then her favor (Titania was never exactly the most faithful wife of Oberon >.> ) Things were at a high for Lanuccus - he felt he was truly in love - he was going to free the Kirin who then, through the ritual, would bind to him to make him King of the unseelie AND effectively immortal, and he would then off Oberon to join with Titania and rule over the fey....

But... as fate would have it... it was not to be. Arkoth, while Mordath was playing him, was playing back just as slyly. While Arkoth had been in fa'e, he had heard from the King of the country - who apparently had had a great "change of heart" - and no longer wished for Arkoth's sevice - instead sought to redeem himself and the country, and have the Kirin by his side once more. This, of course, meant suspension of Arkoth's .... wages. Arkoth would have none of it. Instead, through giving Mordath a flawed spell (the one he promised did not exist to his knowledge anyway) he would have the Kirin die, killing the annoying king, and pinning the blame on the Fae.

Mordath of course knew none of this, and took the Kirin, and, after promising her that it would cause her no pain, performed the ritual... only to - before his eyes - he saw her shake and convulse violently and wounds begin to open up all over her, sending her to an extremely violent, and painful demise.

Lanuccus was mortified - not only had the spell failed quite spactacularly, but it had killed the kirin - who had actually sought to help him - in the process - the kirin whom he had promised a better life and a painless spell to free her. And... along with such a spactacular display, drew the attention of others..

Before he knew it, Lanuccus was in chains in the seelie court - rumor having come from somewhere (*coughArkothcough*) that he had been in a relationship and plot with Titania. Brought before Oberon and the court, his fate looked dim.

Titania, however, knew that the only way to get him released was to make Oberon convinced that nothing had happened and that she cared nothing for this "upstart". (As killing a Kirin was a great offense, it was certainly none of the Seelie's business of something that happened in the unseelie lands.)) The only way Titania could do this, however, was to actually make Lanuccus believe it as well, lest his reaction not be strong enough to convince Oberon.... and do it when she knew that he was observing her with him - yet he think she was speaking candidly.

So Titania, knowing she was being watched by Oberon's eyes, visited Lanuccus in his cel, and proceeded to lay into him and deny any feelings or association with him - it was the only way to save his life. Lanuccus, unfortunately, did not understand the motivations, and when he -was- released, he felt worse... much worse... all of his goal, all of his ideas were shattered, and he was left, hollow - bitter, and VERY angry. And desperate times....

Mordath, utilizing his shadow magics, snuck into Titania's room that night, a poisoned dagger concealed in his cloak. Titania, meanwhile, was writing fervently out her rationale - but it was too late. Lanuccus snuck into her room, and killed her before giving her the chance to explain... however... as she lay dying he saw her writings, seeing why she did what she did.... and whatever was left of any hope at all shattered, horrified at what he did, and overwhelmed with all of his mistakes. He cast one final spell - a spell to ensure that he would not remember his actions in his next life (fey believed strongly in reincarnation) so that he might somehow have a chance at happiness ((This explains why mordath has had such a hard time remembering anything - the few dreams he does have are from Silver's past life's eyes)), and then took his life with the same dagger.

[color=red]**HERE'S WHERE THINGS TIE IN TO THE PRESENT** If you've been skimming, Anya ^_~ - here's the time to really read - as this is where things get touchy and I want your approval, and maybe even your collaboration ^_~[/color]

At this point, Arkoth has been tracking the situation carefully, and has always been quite astute of what can benefit HIM the best. Knowing the ways of the Fa'e, and the circular natures of their souls, he saught to use this situation to gain a measure of power over them.

Both Titania and Lanuccus had books - very dear books that were virtually an extention of themselves - for Lanuccus it was his spellbook, his book of Shadows - that contained all of his magic and served also as his diary (which he had also locked that part of its contents on his death) - the shadows living on the pages swirling to form what he wanted to see. For Titania - it was her precious diary, the same diary that she had been writing her last words. Each book contained a bit of their souls, and possession of the books provided a tie to them, and with the right magics, could be as influential as knowing their True Names... Before Leaving Fey (kicked out? Chased out? Left on his own accord?) Many very poweful beings had such an object - such a bind - and many of which it is in the form of a book - as it can contain memories (but, tentatively, for others it might be differnt - for the Kirin, her horn.) Arkoth stole their books (AND the horn), and cast a spell on the two corpses - changing them into seeds, and binding their souls to them - so that, ideally, HE could be responsible for their reincarnation on HIS time. With these things, he fled to Gaia.

~*~*~*~

Arkoth was set to amass this "collection" - perhaps including other such soul-books/objects... knwoing that there would come a time where they would come back, and he would hold power over them...

However, Arkoth was not the only one who knew of such soul objects - and another was much more benign. Either the owner, or someone on very good terms with the owner of the Gaian library was closely guarding a collection of her own - soul books - knowing that these books tethered the soul to the realm that they existed in - and that there would be a day that they would come back (for some purpose perhaps? Might there be a reason that these fa'e are coming now?) and that the books would help her find them, and care for them, while keeping the books safe. The library was full of careful wards - keeping the unwanted out - the only ones really able to get through were the owner herself, and the fae - as the wards had to allow the soul signature of the books passage.

I'm thinking that you're the library owner - it would make sesne to me - the souls are still called to this world by a Guardian, and bonds with them as a tether to this realm, but it might be the books that "opens the channel" to this world to begin with.

Now, you and Arkoth are not on close terms - he might have tried to associate with you at one time to try to get more of the books from you - but he screwed up and you found out - and you were, instead, able to get his from him (Purr's and Mordath's) ((Not sure about the horn - need to talk to mouse about that one ^^ )) - but not before Arkoth cast a spell on Mordath's - risking to put some of his own essence into it - so that when Mordath found it - and he knew he would eventually - that he would use it to summon a creature that would effectively bind a bit of Mordath's soul (from the book AND mordath directly) with Arkoth's - to bring it back to him, to get a stronger hold, AND, with the familiar, a passage into the library - as it contains part of Mordath's soul signature.

This happened - through the library excursion - Mordath and Morion found their books, and Mordath's fell back into Arkoth's hands.

IN the meantime, in the present, Arkoth has used Tslanak to retrieve Purr's book - and has slowly been weaving spells to reveal its secrets to him, and give him power over PurrPurr, as he already has a hold of Mordath. This is why Purr has been so sick recently - and why she has been remembering (parts of the book have been "activated" as it were, as he has been reading).

If you don't like some of the more universal ideas - we can work around it - it won't be you owning the library, and only a few of the fa'e will have Books. But, I do think it could be very cool, and make a link between all of the fa'e that could turn into a Huge, massive group thing unifying a lot of the fa'e and owners.

there might also be a reason you've been collecting the books - some cause or purpose that you alone know about - why they've been reincarnated at the same time, and why they're aging so quickly. Maybe they need to be a certain age by a certain point ^_~

Just some ideas.

Anyway! Please let me know what you think!!

-Jenny/Sabin

PS - coming to CS a week early sounds WONDERFUL - and I bet we could even work out something car-pool up and back from Dallas ^______^