Swimming in the Anamnesis

Here begins a stream-of-consciousness tributary of the River Anamnesis as I jiggle my brain to try to knock a novella out of it.

Absurd ideas for titles:

“Delicate Stamina in the Devil’s Garden”
“Pistils at Dawn in the Devil’s Garden”
“Ambrosia in the Devil’s Garden”
“Trifling in the Devil’s Garden”
“In the Beds of the Devil’s Garden”

MeerAlya becomes aware of dark thoughts in the flow and becomes disturbed by their prevalence. He wants to punish those who harm others. “The same shall be visited upon you.”/“It shall be visited upon you in kind.”

What is the definition of a god? Effectively immortal and able to create with words. So how are Meer not obviously gods to my readers? Too many vampire stories maybe? In classical mythologies, gods almost always have a natural genesis, and can be killed. They are simply stronger, immune to aging and sickness, and able to perform magic. Perhaps that’s how The Devil’s Garden should start.

Why The Devil’s Garden? Cillian regards the Meer as a devil, perhaps. “Cillian Rede held no truck with/put no store in? gods, but devils, he believed in.” Third or first person? Third, so that the Meer’s POV can alternate.

The Meer has long, white hair, but is not old. (?) (Silver?)

I like the “Ripper” idea…but how does that fit in? One of the templars? Is the Meer suspected? A rogue Meer. (Whispered about, but no evidence.)

What is needed for Inla to be industrialized? Gas lighting, motorized bicycles (maybe this comes later? or maybe Cillian or Cree are somehow involved in the invention?); MeerAlya’s whims, in part, dictate what is created in Inla, but there should be a sound infrastructure to support the industry, as surely MeerAlya himself will not be creating every “modern convenience.” Will need to research Industrial Revolution, gas lighting, coal mining; I don’t think there’s any need yet for petroleum. Electricity should be in the works; research Edison and earlier inventors. (Benjamin Franklin experimented with electricity; what became of that? Is the kite-key story just a legend?)