City Of Blood
PREVIEW/FILLER COMICS FOR
E L V A N P Y R E S – CITY OF BLOOD
This series of comics appeared as B&W “Filler” while the Main Full Color Storyline was on hiatus.
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If this is your first time reading City Of Blood then just read the comics – think of all this extra stuff I’ve typed in
as like a DVD Directors Commentary Track =
something to check out if you’re reading it a 2nd time and want another level of the comic.
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The story picks up when Kith has reached a point where she is angry and disillusioned.
When she hears a rumor from the Vampires about a fabled “CITY OF BLOOD”,
Kith decides this would be the perfect place to start over.
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The COB arc covers both the quest and the events that transpire when Kith reaches the city.
Back when I was unemployed (and had plenty of time) I wrote out several sections
of this arc in my plotbook. We’ll see how much of it I get to during the hiatus.
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This 1st comic is from near the end of the arc just before COB.
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The Index Vampires are trying to cover up the possible existence of the City of Blood
because they don’t want all their Vampire followers running off trying to find it.
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Kith has a complicated “Frenemy” relationship with the Vampires,
and she knows when their lair will be relatively unguarded
(because they will all be out hunting).
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On that night Kith and her guard Witch Heather break into the Vampire
mansion to steal the fragmentary directions to the City Of Blood.
The “PRY BAR” song is a parody of the song “IF I HAD A HAMMER”
For those who have never heard it, here is the Peter, Paul and Mary version of the song (it’s real short – only 1:34)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UKvpONl3No
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The quest to find the City Of Blood begins with Kith and Heather already in southern England.
Back story: they crossed at Dover and have been keeping the English Channel to their left as they traveled Westward.
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Being an Elf, Kith takes a line from the notes literally: “The Sun sets in the West, and there you will find Duat, the Land of the Dead“
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Kith doesn’t listen to any of Witch Heather’s’ advice, but simply tries to take what she believes will be the fastest most direct route.
In this comic they have finally reached “Lands End”
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Kith has magic powers but she’s not very good at using them.
That’s why she needs Heather as her Guard Witch.
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Fiducial
[fi-doo-shuh l], adjective 1.accepted as a fixed basis of reference or comparison: a fiducial point.
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PANEL 2 – Obviously a parody of El Dorado – “The Golden One”. I suppose the proper Spanish would be El Sangredo, but I chose sanguine, besides meaning bloody or blood-red, can also means hopeful (in the four temperament classification). And Kith is hopeful that this new city will give her a fresh start in life (although her personality type would actually be Choleric).
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PANEL 4 – The figure is NOT speaking the words at the bottom. The figure is an AJAW, and in the Mayan hieroglyphic inscriptions means either “RULER” or the day that the ruler must perform religious duties. I’ve made this one look more like a frightened human face – could this foreshadow that Kith will cause trouble for some Mayan ruler? Seems likely.
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Supposedly the Mayans weren’t as bloodthirsty as the Aztecs, but you know Vampires; they ALWAYS exaggerate when telling a good tale!
Artemis appearing usually means trouble for Kith.
This is one of those cases the gods can’t DIRECTLY intervene, but they can move their pieces into a better position to take action for them.
JUST TO CLARIFY THE RELATIONSHIPS HERE –
Kith had only minor Magic power and needed more to protect her for when she’s in very dangerous situations, but Elves are slow to learn Sorcery (because they don’t pay attention).
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So Kith was provided with a young Guard Witch (Heather) to protect her until Kith can learn Sorcery.
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Witches get most of their Magic power by having a very powerful magic Patron/Matron, usually a god or goddess (like Artemis).
In return the Witch must preform rituals that honor their benefactor.
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Artemis originally declined to sponsor Heather, because Kith as a child had always annoyed Artemis.
However after seeing how good the child Witch Heather was at annoying Elves (and especially Kith) Artemis saw an opportunity for pay-back and changed her mind.
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Now Heather is sworn to protect Kith, and as part of her rituals to honor Artemis she annoys Kith on a regular basis (which Heather enjoys even though she’s friends with Kith, because she has had a running battle of wits with the Elves ever since they kidnapped her as a young girl)
and then Kith paused for just a moment to get the hair out of her face before she cast . . .
Note that Kith is just kind of walking toward the Villagers.
She doesn’t want to catch them, she just needs them to stay out of Heather’s way.
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