Deleted Scene: Another Reunion

I’ll be the first to admit that the plot line between Keelath and Mirium is a bit of a mess. Keelath’s characterization of being a cold, unemotional death knight is pretty inconsistent at times, and I have to be careful to not overdo the kissy-kissy scenes, which irritate me personally and, I’m sure, my readers as well.

This was an earlier attempt at a reunion for the couple, which would have taken place sometime between Evelos being cleansed of the n’raqi and the faction war picking up again in Darkshore. I decided ultimately to do away with it, as it seemed too easily resolved at the time, and closed off an alternate storyline that was picking up between Mirium and Tyrric and his wife.

I still like it and post it however, for it shows a more determined side of Mirium that we don’t get much of while she’s struggling with trauma and some minor N’Zoth corruption, as well as keeping the contrast strong between Evelos and Keelath: a sensitive son vs. a relatively insensitive father. This is Mirium at her best, and an iconic interplay between all three characters. Continue reading “Deleted Scene: Another Reunion”

What Darkness Lies

Another long conversation piece, along the lines of The Long Talk and Reunion. (Reunion, being a fanfiction piece and speculation, has no relation to this post. It just represents a different take on Keelath and Mirium coming back together.)

This post was edited in July 2021, after first being created in May 2019.

Author’s Note

When Mirium woke up the next morning, she found herself staring at the ceiling for many long minutes. She was alone, despite the offered companionship of last night. She had turned Keelath away at the door. She couldn’t explain it, but she wasn’t ready yet to accept the death knight back, just like that, as if no years had passed since the day of his death.

Things had been a blur from the previous two days, a certain nightmare turned into an uncertain one. One minute she had lived in fear and starvation inside Ulduar, only to be delivered from the trap her hunters had laid forher by none other than her family. Yet that family was now a twisted mockery of itself, each person tainted or broken, changed from the people she remembered and loved.

Mirium wondered if perhaps Talthan’s research into the Void had done more than drive the two of them apart. Could it break worlds? Twist reality solely by existing? Her life had been turned on its head. Continue reading “What Darkness Lies”

Brothers Apart

This series saw a facelift in January 2022 as part of the Great Revision. Some of the most notable edits include moving some scenes to Deleted Scenes, finishing replacing the Tyrdan character and tag with Tyrric, and adding the Alelsa tag.

Author’s Note

“What are you–are you mad?!”

Tyrric commanded himself not to flinch and, with a kind of gratitude, felt affronted anger replace the weakness in his limbs. “You heard me,” he said coldly.

He schooled himself into a dignified pose and a dignified expression, even as his insides burned hot with rage. How dare his brother question him! Continue reading “Brothers Apart”

Seeing Keelath

“You’re not so different from your brother, you know,” she told him. “You’ve both made the same crazy choice for the people you care about.”

I’ve got to find a way to better format letters… Some of the punctuation is also messed up here as I wrote half of this in WordPress, and half in Google Docs. Who knew that Google Docs doesn’t use standard hyphens and quotation marks?

Author’s Note

Dear Keelath,

I’d like to visit you, and know you are no longer in Newhome. Where might I find you these days?

Love,

Mirium

***

Dear Mirium,

At the Crossroads, in the Barrens… Continue reading “Seeing Keelath”

Character Study: Trials

Apparently Evelos gets his jawline and nose from Tyrdan, not his mom and dad…

Today, in preparation for the next chapter of the Trials comic, I did a little character study for each of its three main characters, and also Tyrdan, who is part of the family but may not feature very much in the comic’s story. This was necessary to help give each character a more characteristic look and feel, with shorthand notes for me so I could draw them more quickly and consistently.

Here they are! With their mouths in the characteristic positions: Keelath is frowning, Tyrdan is smirking, and Mirium’s mouth is open because apparently I draw her talking a lot. Continue reading “Character Study: Trials”

Regrowth, Part One

Then Tyrdan and Auntie Lel exchanged a look, like they had when they told him the magic had happened and that they would love him just the same. So he told them again in a burst-out shout, that the magic hadn’t happened, it hadn’t , it hadn’t, and it wouldn’t until he was much much older. And the two looked at each other again and then they did something strange. They agreed with him.

Like “The Half-Blood” (which remains unpublished on my blog in the case I can clean it up enough to get it officially published), this story came out of a “what if” scenario during some roleplay sessions. Continue reading “Regrowth, Part One”