On July 15, 2022, I published the 7th episode of Skyer Dannon - A Vampire Story.
Yay! And still #1 in #Halflings!
Sure, it’s probably completely irrelevant, but it makes me feel happy, okay?

This chapter is named “Sway” and it focuses on an aspect of vampire lore that’s always intrigued me.

Stemming from Stoker’s Dracula, most representations of vampire in literature grant them supernatural controls over animals, and specifically critters that humans have long had a sordid relationship with like wolves and bats. Controlling wolves and bats suggest a taming of evil where wild, unpredictable creatures fall under the vampire’s subjugation. This ability fed many medieval fears, myths, and legends, and Stoker went so far as to imply some kind of parental relationship to wolves.

Such representations are symbolic of the vampire’s will to achieve their ends. In the story, I see Skyer coming around more fully into his mental faculty and experimenting with the gifts of vampirism, learning how to control (or sway) such animals. I started with bats and wolves because they are a traditional archetype, but as I get further into the story, I really want to push that envelope.

Halflings / Hobbits have a connection to nature that goes further than fearing creatures. I think they’re closer to nature than that. So my plan is to have Skyer learn that he can sway most woodland creatures, more like a druid ability rather than a vampire ability. I also wanted to extend the idea of feeding more into the emotional realm and that life forces don’t necessarily need to be defined as bodily fluids.

In this story, I toyed with the idea of extending Skyer’s sway over the the halfling militia that he encounters in the streets. I decided against it because the prose sounded too “Jedi Mind Trick” where Skyer offered suggestions and the halflings just responded in-kind, and I didn’t like the flavor of that. Instead, I think I’ve decided that his sway doesn’t directly charm or overtly control another halfling, and that flies in the face of most vampire representations that have them hypnotize their prey. I really don’t want Skyer peering into someone’s eyes and controlling them. Instead, as Skyer’s vulnerabilities are more associated with nature, I liked the idea of limiting his sway to the natural realm. I think I like the idea that the will of a living, sentient being is too formidable to sway.

This chapter is designed to also set a stage on tone and I deliberately used words like “subjugation'“, “dominance”, “submission”, and “mercy”. Skyer is vampire, after all, and - if you’re reading the story - you’re seeing Skyer becoming progressively more possessive of the halflings in Amberglen. I don’t think you can introduce a vampire without them feeling their proverbial oats (as they’re far superior creatures to mortals) and subjugating those around them.

I’m foreshadowing, of course, and running a conflict around the character that’ll eventually need to be resolved. First, there’s a characteristically-vampire impulse to control, and second, an uncharacteristic impulse to help the people of Amberglen. Goodness, it’s not all about him! Even in death, he’s an instinct to help the community and its suffering.

So I’m having a lot of fun with this and I hope you are, too! Keep reading!

Thanks again for reading. If you like what I do, please sign-up for my mailing list for follow me on Twitter at @blackanvilbooks.

R