My question regarding Skinwalker and the World of Darkness was triggered by your use of the term “Camarilla” to describe vampire politics. For in the WoD Camarilla is the word used to name the “good guy” vampire organization V: Tm.

In V: TM the first vampire was Cain. After Cain slew his brother, Abel God sent angels to him to see if he would repent of his deed and be forgiven. Cain refused each time, and so received curse after curse. Until, in the end, he was the ur-vampire. The first, the progenitor of the race. In the World of Darkness all vampires are descended from Cain, except for those -such as the Japanese- who are not. For the World of Darkness, we must remember, is based on lies and deceit. With an underlying truth beneath.

Mark Chadbourn’s Age of Misrule is a good example of what I’m talking about here, for it is much the same sort of postmodernist writing as the WoD. We each have our own truth and all that rot.

The current edition of the World of Darkness is a bit more straight forward, but no less dishonest in its own way than the first. There’s more to be learned, but remember that facts are mutable in the WoD, and reality can mutate with each comment placed in a thread on a blog.

I’m glad I triggered thinking!
Faith

You are a fast read. You have a talent for engaging the reader and keeping him focused. I like.

I like Jane Yellowrock too. She needs to work out her relationship with Beast. She also needs to work out a few personal issues. I like complex characters.

Vampires as obligate Christians is a neat twist. You cribbed the notion from the World of Darkness, didn’t you?

More seriously, have you thought about what happens when a vampire accepts God’s forgiveness? I get the feeling God forgave vampires a long time ago, but each vampire has to accept that forgiveness individually. It’s the vampire who can’t forgive himself.

On the matter of magic…

Definitely Sympathetic where Jane’s change magic is concerned. Contagion -that which was in contact- and Evocation -that which brings to mind- at least. Though more Evocation than Contagion.

You do realize that if Jane knew anything about physics she would not be so blase about gaining and losing mass from rock. While silicon resembles carbon in many ways, it is not carbon. Silicon is more massive, has a stronger binding energy. Silicon chemistry is different from carbon because the bonds are more stable; too stable to allow for silicon based life under Earth like conditions. A skinwalker uses stone to gain and lose mass, that skinwalker is playing with very powerful magic.

Yes, you triggered thinking. You really don’t want to trigger thinking in me, it gives me ideas.