01-26-05 @ 9:24 am EST

Written offline.

Just got tired of working on the latest part of RTMI, and our color cartridge ran out of ink so I can't print more of my Mackinac Island photos -_- , so I've decided to start outlining a few more ideas I've come up with for the sequel, Escape From Manitou Island. There should be NO MAJOR SPOILERS here so don't worry, it's just blithering.

Basically I've solidified some ideas. Somewhere I came up with a tentative character list but I can't remember if I ever posted that in here or not? :/ Looking at the Works version of Skew 2004 tells me I did not; I never got around to it. Pff! Well, here's a brief rundown, with general time periods for each character. (Note that native Islanders born even after contact with whites are labeled "pre-contact," simply because that's the time period of the natives on the Island itself--even though by now, obviously, they've been "contacted.")

LT. ANDREW BARRINGTON: British soldier who survived and fled the massacre of Fort Michilimackinac, accidentally making his way to the Island; Black Elk Horn's antagonist and general troublemaker for the core group; hateful of natives, and all-around confused guy (1700s)

CHAKENAPOK: Suffice it to say he is NOT the primary antagonist of the story...and that's pretty much all I can say! o_o (pre-contact era)

DAEBAUDJIMOOT: Old storyteller and wooer of Nokomis; might appear, might not (pre-contact era)

FLEUR "FLOWER" DUPRIES: Little daughter of Justin and Little Dove; probably wouldn't have a major role (1800s)

PAGE "SKY" DUPRIES: Son of Justin and Little Dove; he's in the current story, but is only about six and doesn't play a very big part; in EFMI he would be around Winter Born's age, eleven or twelve (yes, they age weirdly on the Island); seems to have inherited some of his father's powers. Most mature acting of the children in the story (1800s)

UNNAMED DUPRIES: Potential even YOUNGER daughter of Justin and Little Dove, though I'm not sure if she would be born by the time of the third serial *shrug* (1800s)

KABEBONIKKA (sic?): The North Wind, Manabozho's uncle; chilly sardonic temperament. Pretty sure he will make an appearance (pre-contact era)

KABEYUN: The West Wind, father of Manabozho and his brothers; pretty much like Mudjikawiss in the current story, only with a bit more self-control. Might make a brief appearance (pre-contact era)

KAWADUK: Secondary antagonist of the first serial, halfling son of Ocryana and Mitchi Manitou; yes, he's still dead, but might make an appearance (pre-contact era)

KENU: Thunderbird; a very large and powerful but kind of clueless protector. Might or might not appear (pre-contact era)

FATHER CLAUDE LaBECQUE: Jesuit missionary from the 1600s; like Barrington, makes his way accidentally to the Island. Like Barrington, also INCREDIBLY confused (1600s)

REMY LaCROIX: Son of Francois LaCroix and Crooked Creek; have been planning a kid or two for this couple but only just now got around to it. Around Winter Born's age; pretty much acts like an uncivilized little hellion, so that his mother calls him "Little Beast." Aspires to be a voyageur someday (late 1700s/early 1800s)

MEGISSOGWUN: The Pearl Feather, primary antagonist, enemy of Manabozho and his family--turns out he had a beef with 'Bozho's dad, Kabeyun, the West Wind. Gruff, humorless, always speaks in a deep monotone (pre-contact era)

MISHOSHA: Wabano of Gitchi Gami (Lake Superior); secondary antagonist, kind of a servant of Megissogwun. Snappish, sullen, bitter and confrontational, especially when facing off against Moon Wolf (pre-contact era)

MISHOSHA-QUAE: Mishosha's wife, of course; also a wabano, even more devious than Mishosha--both are also Makwamosa, or Bearwalkers, BTW. Much like her husband in temperament, but also much more shrewd and calculating. As Charmian says of these two: "I know who you remind me of! Ocryx and Ocryana!" (pre-contact era)

MISHUPISHU: The Underwater Manitou, otherwise known as the Underwater Lynx or the Horned Serpent--I've made him a sort of composite of the two, a Great-Horned-Underwater-Serpent-Lynx-Manitou-Thingie. O_o (Honestly, his name just means "Great Lynx.") A gigantic lake monster with a penchant for threatening helpless humans, but it turns out he isn't all that he seems (pre-contact era)

OCRYANA: Antagonist of the first serial, returned in a new role (but still just as nasty) (pre-contact era)

ORIEL/ORIOLE: Francois's long-lost daughter, raised by the Iroquois tribe which killed her mother, now returned to the Island to meet with her father; bewildered and frightened by the Island. Probably not a major player (late 1700s/early 1800s)

CORDELIA PEABODY: Exploratory and accident-prone Victorian-era woman who comes to visit the Island and study the "savages"--think Disney's version of Jane in Tarzan, and you're close (1800s)

THE RED SWAN: An entrapped Michinimakinong-like woman, sweet natured but dreadfully powerful (pre-contact era)

SHAWONDASSEE (sic?): The South Wind, Manabozho's uncle; lazy temperament. May make a brief appearance (pre-contact era)

TIKU (name tentative): The young pup of X'aaru and Khiieta, Winter Born's sometime companion; curious and friendly, and like his father alternates between rash bravado and cowering fear (pre-contact era)

TURTLE: Manabozho's young daughter (yes, the same little girl Charmian spies in RTMI); very chatty and...really REALLY chatty--negligent 'Bozho is always losing track of her, dad-of-the-year that he is (pre-contact era)

VOYAGEURS: Miscellaneous trappers and/or friends of Francois who might appear; in general a talkative boisterous lot (late 1700s/early 1800s)

WABUN: The East Wind, Manabozho's uncle; cheery sunny temperament. Will probably make at least a brief appearance (pre-contact era)

WHITE COYOTE: Not really a new character; I think he very briefly appeared (unnamed) in the original serial, and was supposed to be Lily Flower's husband in the sequel, but hasn't really played a part. Close friend of Black Elk Horn's. I think I've finally come up with a use for him *evil leer* (pre-contact era)

TOBY WILDER: Late 19th century/early 20th century American who like Cordelia comes to the Island seeking adventure and opportunity; cheerful but kind of clueless temperament. Might not be too important a character (late 1800s/early 1900s)

WINTER BORN: Young daughter of Silver Eagle Feather and Black Elk Horn, white haired and very curious, friendly, and outgoing; Charmian's protege (pre-contact era)

(may be more, I just forget)


Basic plot is: Megissogwun has just awakened (from whatever), and decided to renew his grudge against Manabozho's family, maybe not knowing his enemy, Kabeyun (the West Wind), has long gone; he goes to Manitou Island and instead beats the s**t out of poor Augwak. I believe I've changed my mind regarding Charmian's age change--she will probably STILL be fifteen in the sequel, since I just can't stand the idea of her growing up too fast--I actually LIKE her! Besides, I can't believe she'd let a YEAR pass between visits to the Island. So fifteen it is. She heads to the Island when summoned through her dreamcatcher and meets Winter Born, who quickly becomes her protege and potential replacement as defender of the Island. Bla bla. Anyway, Charmian ends up forming a very weird group along with Thomas, Augwak, Francois, Father LaBecque, Lt. Barrington, Cordelia, Toby, etc., and for some reason they head out on a journey. Haven't worked that all out yet. At some point they meet the great wabano Mishosha, who is more sinister than he seems; but his wife, Mishosha-Quae, is even more devious. Turns out Mishosha is Megissogwun's puppet and lots of huffing and puffing between him and Moon Wolf, Charmian's "wabano," ensues. (In the end there can be ONLY ONE!) Cue a bad pun about "dueling wabanos." (Sorry, I had to say it.)

New plot point which I only came up with recently: Megissogwun's abduction of Turtle, 'Bozho's little daughter and resident yammermouth. Throughout the story 'Bozho will be horribly neglectful toward her, since parenthood isn't his strong suit; yet as soon as she's gone he realizes how much he really cares about her. 'Bozho commences getting royally pissed off but isn't strong enough to fight Megissogwun. Maybe that's where the traveling comes in, as the others learn of Megissogwun's past dispute with Kabeyun and set out to find the Four Winds and discover what happened back then. The only Winds I've come up with pretty decent personalities for so far are Kabeyun (he's basically just a more powerful version of Mudjikawiss, 'Bozho's eldest brother and Kabeyun's favorite son) and Kabebonikka (spelling tentative), the North Wind (he should be sufficiently creepy). 'Bozho has to get strong enough to carry on his father's fight with Megissogwun or never get Turtle back--plus, Megissogwun will destroy the Island in a flood, just as he did before (the flood which resulted in Geezhigo-Quae's re-creation of the Island as mentioned in RTMI). Lots of old grudges. 'Bozho tries to get Turtle but fails. Lots more stuff happens. Bla bla. 'Bozho somehow transforms into the powerful Michibou (the "Great Rabbit"). Lots of soul searching and such. Bla bla. You can tell I'm getting hazy again.

And a really big, over-the-top, wacked-out apocalyptic flood scene...though to say more of that would give things away. Just remember that if the Island dies, something--or someONE--else dies along with it.

Oh yeah, and lots of disputing and fighting regarding Black Elk Horn's progressively militant isolationist stand toward mainlanders on his Island; he and Barrington do not get along.

But the major change is with Charmian's age; I feel a bit better resolving it like this, since should it ever get written, I really WOULD like to have a sort of followup story (Beneath Manitou Island??) with Winter Born and Page Dupries and perhaps the newly created Remy LaCroix (I made him up like a half hour ago and already I love him! ^_^ ) in more important roles, concerning what children Ocryx and Ocryana might have had BEFORE they became demons, and/or the child/children Justin fathered by that manitou woman in "Strayed." Maybe two more stories, who knows. But I can keep Charmian young, and in the space of even a year of mainland time she could have a BILLION more adventures! *sigh*

I have nothing really against Charmian growing older...it's just that, she's prone to these temper tantrums that are just awesome to write, and I feel that she's smart enough to know that as she gets older such moods aren't going to be fitting for an adult. She's a teenager right now; she's obligated to have such hissy fits. But it just seems that after age sixteen, she would be too mature for the way she currently acts...and I would really be sad losing such a great and fun-to-write character trait. (Yeah, it may be one of her weaknesses...but haven't YOU ever wanted to just throw a humongous irrational screaming fit whenever you get pissed off, yet refrained because you're too old to engage in behavior like that? That's why I like Charmian--I can be even more immature, through her! She DOES say all the clever things I wish *I* could have had a chance to say...if I'd been that clever. o_o )

(BTW...with the writing of "Pt. 93: Come & Get Me!", Return To Manitou Island has officially beaten out Manitou Island, and gained the status of longest story I have ever written--over 387,000 words, and still going, versus MI's 382,000. (Well...the Ameni Chronicles COULD be longer...but I haven't been keeping track, plus those are still in rewrites. So they don't count.))