Posts: 14
Registered: May 2001 posted May 07, 2001 01:57
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WARNING: LONG!!
(The following is reposted and edited from a previous thread)

Hmnn. After reading Coming Up Roses and all the other GREAT fanfic threads and seeing all the writing talent on this board, I have a question; over on the hannigan.com boards I started an outline for my own Wil/Tar series, and it got some positive response (if you are reading this, Pup, hi!), but I was unable to do much with it, as at least two other projects took away the time for me to seriously concentrate on it.
First, do you think I could get people interested in maybe finishing it from my notes?
I mean, if they like what they see, of course.
I would really like to see some closure on it, and from what I have read here, I would really trust you guys with it.

But before I post it here, I have a metric buttload of disclaimers:

1.What follows is nothing but a mishmash of brief story outlines, full story synopses (some unfinished), production notes, costume and set design descriptions, and general concepts; it is VERY unfinished, which is why I'm hoping to find writers here who will maybe take it on.
2.A lot of this was conceptualized before the meat of this season's Buffy and Angel, and as such, some events may be similar to things that have turned up in those shows.
3.Warning: I don't have very much up on The Net, you could probably search for it all day and not find anything, BUT; I steal from myself quite a bit, so you may find bits of costume and set design lifted and reworked from other things I've done.
But that's all, I promise!
I thought you should know.
4.I so far have a set of five or six stories set in this series, each bouncing around in my head.
The flavor and inspiration for these stories are predominantly from the Steampunk and Pulp Adventure genres; as I intimated in my post on the introduction thread, I've got a bit of a Victorian fetish, and I'm crazy for old fashioned heroics, so expect that to inform at lot of what you are(hopefully) about to read.
And now, without further ado, I submit to you-

Witchy Ways – The Adventures of Willow and Tara!

My Main Idea: think Labyrinth/Neverwhere/Nightbreed/Big Trouble in Little China/Escaflowne/ElHazard /Fuushigi Yugi.
Willow and Tara wander darkly romantic, gothy wonderlands; places that resemble our earth in many ways, but where technology is retro-victorian, and magic runs wild; they are compelled to some quest, that, in order to return home, they must complete.
There, on special episodes, they would meet up with doppelgangers or near-dopplers of "our" Scooby Gang.
For instance, the first story would have Spike and Dru as the punkish Vampire King and his Royal Consort of a place a lot like London, a city literally of ghosts that was wiped out long ago by a virulent plague, it's inhabitants blissfully unaware they no longer material.
Ghostly Dopplers could be of anybody from Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill, to The Beatles!

And as long as my imaginary show has a huge budget, I would have The Henson Workshop work on critters designed by Brian Froud, special effects done by the Bab5 folks, and would occasionally have guest stars like Patrick Stewart, Brian Blessed, and Sean Connery guest star as the various villainous heads of this reality's Watchers Council!
Then I'd add Ms. Anya as the Headmistress to the lasses
("Bridge Bunnies" to use an old anime fan-term) working the COW nerve-center (see below); maybe Ms. Amy as her immediate.
I can *just* hear Mr. Connery and Mr. Stewart say something like- "Very good, Anya! Excellent work!"
-but to *what*, I'll leave to your collected and varied imaginations. Heh.

Indeed, I really see the COW as this series' main Big Bad, pretty much for it's entire run; they pretty much are the Illuminati of this reality, a mystical Tri-Lateral Commission, the powers behind many a
throne, the real movers and shakers, and they exist openly here, albeit with the public face of a privately funded research institute.
The truth is, the public at large does'nt quite know *what* they do.
The truth is, their reach is vast, influential, and very, very, VERY powerful.
If knowledge is power, then in a world where magic, miracles, and the fantastic are everyday, knowledge is supreme.
They know of the "Buffyverse"; indeed, they are aware of several other "Alternate Timelines", and suspect the existence of even more.
They knew it the second Wil and Tar crossed over.
They know of the girl's quest.
And, for reasons I haven't figured out yet (and probably wont until I have the quest *itself* figured out), that quest is a threat to the Council. A *BIG* threat.

Visually, I see the COW's Headquarters looking like a cross between an old fashioned British Gentlemen's club, hunting lodge, and the NASA and NORAD nerve-centers.
A large circular chamber with three sunken levels, the top deck appointed with redwood banisters, railings, and ceiling high bookshelves, fire places, tapestries, oversized Currier and Ives-type paintings, plush, oversized high-back red leather chairs, brass smoking stands, and exotic animal skins and mounted trophies.
The second level down would be appointed with a bank of personal computer stations, all occupied by Sweet Young Things, but dressed in very proper Victorian secretary wear- starched high-neck blouses, floor-length skirts, hair up, etc.
Even the computers will have a retro look to them, with old-fashioned typewriter-type keyboards, and monitors incased in black beveled metal like said typewriters of yore (think Max Headroom).
The final level will have even more PC stations encircling a huge holographic projection unit, with holo-displays ever changing (and if anyone should complain about the tech level discrepancy, I'll just
say it's magic!); a circled bank of video screen are mounted above it from the ceiling.
And, just to be an anal set designer, the top deck floor would be redwood, while the two lower decks would be black and white checkerboard marble tile.

Another fun aspect of this imaginary show would be the elaborate wardrobe and costuming.
Could'nt you just see Wil and Tar all fancied up in beautiful victorian gowns with intricate beadwork, lace high-neck collars, and long tranes?

One of the other "episode" idea's I had, place Wil and Tar in a land that is a heavy mix of feudal Japan and pre-boxer revolution China, where they must act as negotiators to prevent a war between the Tanuki (anthropomorphic raccoon-like forest spirits) and the Kitsune (anthropomorphic fox-like forest spirits);
Wil would be in this gold silk pants suit, her tunic would be off-the-shoulder, button-over, with a high mandarin collar, trimmed in black, with a beaded lotus-blossom design on it; her hair would be up, pinned into place by two blackwood chopsticks;
Tar would be in an exquisite, elaborate, flying crane-print kimono, her hair down and combed out straight.

As reoccurring characters (maybe 4 or 5 episodes out of a season) I'd have the dopplers of Buffy, Faith, and Kendra sent as a team by the COW to hunt down our heroines!
Mayhap Slayers in this veil or more of a Military Elite Class than mystically-called, one-girl-in-all-the-world, savior-types!
Anyhoo, I would dress them in skin-tight military-style outfits that would basically be a cross between an British Royal Guard uniform and a Leather and Rubber fetish Dominatrix catsuit!
The big switch I would do here is not make these dopplers Mirror/Mirror evil, but exactly like their "Buffyverse" counterparts!
Perhaps a bit more like their darker aspects, but basically good-guys who are as close as sisters to each other, and fiercely loyal to, and therefore terribly misguided by, the COW!
We would come to really like them, but would constantly be reminded that they are on a mission to kill Wil and Tar!

"Witchy Ways" is my brain candy idea for an imaginary follow-up show to Buffy starring Willow and Tara.
It is supposed to be like a Gothic, High Fantasy adventure version of Alice in Wonderland, or The Wizard of Oz, just slightly more "adult".
In it, Wil and Tar get magically thrown into an fantasmogorical Alternate Universe, and must complete some Great Quest so they can return home.

CONCERNING THE "LOOK" OF THE W.W. UNIVERSE:
Ok, the basic rule of thumb here is, while this otherworld's time-frame is contemporary to our (or rather, the Buffyverse's) twenty-first century, the look and feel is generally Victorian/Steampunk.
Now, the basic look of the fashions are usually Victorian, but it *can* run from Edwardian, "Roaring Twenties/Flapper Era", to 50's and 80's Punk.
Just to let you know.

The following are two of the more detailed story synopses I have come up with (though the second one is still unfinished).
I hope these spark your imaginations!

Episode Three: The Fallen.

As divine punishment for loving a human female, and siring a child with her, the angel Liam (Angel/Angelus) is cast from heaven into indentured servitude to one Cardinal Lindsey, whom, it seems, already has a number of such "Fallen" in his service; Seraphim, Cherubim, Faye, etc.
For one so young and fair to the eye, he has already positioned himself in the center of great power.
Indeed, he has both the local government and law in his grip, held in place by intimidation, subtle political maneuvering, and outright blackmail.
Meanwhile, Liam and a choice few other Fallen plot to somehow get word back to The Powers That Be to inform them of this misuse of power, or to rise up in revolt trying.
*IF* TPTB will believe them; they *are* Fallen after all..
Another problem seems to be that The People love Lindsey; indeed, his personal P.R. machine is promoting him to something akin to a Teen Idol, and it works; gaggles of Catholic School-Girl types are seen swooning to his image, plastered everywhere, on posters, school supplies, T.V. specials, etc.; it is not by accident that we see flocks of teenage girls in nun's uniforms..
Enter into this Wil and Tar, who by a series of incidents, gain the attention and aid of Liam, in their great quest.
But something terrible happens and Wil and Tar are discovered and "outed" as witches; they are held captive by Lindsey and are offered Life Servitude, either willingly or non.
Liam manages to rescue Wil and Tar, but not before Tar's mind/soul is ripped from her and imprisoned, hidden away in a vast catacomb.
It is placed within a battery cell-like container shelved in a warehouse-sized vault, to be later placed within a Golem-like Automaton, and will have no choice but to do Lindsey's bidding.
Liam takes Wil and hides her and Tara's body away in some great arcane library, and tells her that Tar's body yet lives, but wont for long with out her mind and soul to remind it what to do, and so Wil
frantically sets to drawing circles and making incantations while Liam attempts to rescue Tar.
Great sword battles between Liam and The Church Guard ensues, as the Fallen use this moment to revolt.
There is a final showdown between Liam and Lindsey.
Liam then finds Tar's imprisoned soul, and sets about smashing all all the other containers, setting those souls free.
Intermittingly we see Wil and Tar in the middle of a hastily drawn, but elaborate circle, candles set all around, burning bright; Wil has Tar cradled in her arms, rocking her gently, alternately chanting, doing incantations, and cooing and talking sweetly to her, reminiscing about life back in the "Buffyverse", and gently, ever so gently, crying.
Next we see Liam descending upon them in a shaft of light, his great Perigren-like angel wings spread wide and arched, the translucent form of Tar's "soul" in his arms.
There is a moment of great silence, as Tar awakes, and for a moment in time, she and Wil just stare at each other, as the realization sinks in for truly the first time in their lives, that they could lose each
other.
Then suddenly, they embrace, a fierce, sobbing, tear-stained kiss, as we see Liam slowly back away up and into the shadows.
Elsewhere, revolution wages.
What happens next? Well, I'm not sure-
I believe TPTB will offer Liam his place back, but that he will choose to be human instead, and will go off in search of his wife and child..

Episode Four: Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves.

A great, sleek, black steam locomotive plows through the dead of night, as monstrously huge as it is elegant, all Frank Lloyd Wright and Art Deco in it's design, billows of charcoal grey trail above and
behind in it's wake. It crosses a vast open plain, buried in snow; if anything could be seen beyond the futherest distances, it is currently hidden by great rolling banks of fog.
Only the sky above is crystal clear, and the moon hangs heavy and bright.
As for the interior, think of all the great european luxury train-lines of yore, like The Orient Express; you get the picture.
Now populate it with only the wealthiest, most sartorially splendid, most colorful melting pot of race and culture, and even species; Human, Vampire, Seraphim, Drow (dark-skinned elven faye) and Gypsies.

Oh yes, Gypsies, Romany, as wealthy and as elegantly dressed as anyone else on the train, all relegated to the cargo cars, away from "decent folk".
Who could all personally, each and everyone, give a rat's patoot.
They're too busy partying, dancing, carrying on, having since made those cars they're own.
Wil and Tar are secretly on board to protect the leader of this clan (played by Bruce Campbell in a role that is, I'll admit, a shameless copy of his King Of Thieves character on Xena), who is rumored to actually be The King Of All Gypsies himself!
He holds a key- a map, an artifact, a piece of information, whatever, -to the ladies quest.
There are, however, three problems-
1.They don't know exactly what they are looking for;
2.They don't know what they are supposed to be protecting the King *from*;
3.The King's younger brother, a thoroughly sweet, kind, (not to mention cute) and charming young man named Ahz. Pronounced "Oz".
Played by Seth Green.
Who instantly falls head over heels in love.
With Tara.

-Now, I will 'fess up to being evil with our Willow-
I wanted to mess with her head just a little, by having her feel some very confusing mixed emotions, but playing it up in an old fashioned, slightly over-the-top, screwball comedy way.
First, she feels, "That's MY woman your mooning over!";
Then, "Wait a mo, aren't you supposed to be mooning over ME?";
Then guilt for being so possessive of Tara, then confusion over being jealous OF Tara.
I see a running gag of Willow internally bickering with herself over this through the episode.
(Guy sweats bullets here, hoping the others will find this funny also, and will not torch him like a pig at a church barbeque..)
Also please remember, this is the "Oz" of the timeline next door, Little Brother to the King Of All Gypsies, and while this Oz has the basic same quiet, gentle soul as the one in the "Buffyverse", he's
also a bit more flamboyant in nature, with a bit of the swash and buckle, if you will, as befits his Romany upbringing (and besides, this is *my* universe; I absolutely promise he will be good and true,
and will not hurt our ladies whatsoever! I promise!).

After playing detective and digging as much dirt on the train's other passengers as possible, Wil and Tar come up bupkis on any possible connections to the Gypsy King; not ONE person with any sort of
motivation to do His Highness any harm whatsoever.
Frustrated, our heroines are left dumbfounded.
That's when a loud BOOM rocks the train, nearly derailing it; followed by another, then another, finally causing the train to slam on it brakes.
Word gets back to the gang that the train has been set upon by an near-army of bandits, heavily and elaborately armed, all uniformed in white.
Wil and Tar notice Ahz and The King turn a similar color upon hearing this.
Nahh, cant be her. can it?
Quickly they all head for the nearest window and see a variety of steam-driven tank and troop tranportlike vehicles (if you know anime, think the battle sequence at the end of Wings Of Honniamise)
surrounding the train.
All dressed in a paramilitary style similar to soviet winter uniforms, only snow-white, the bandits board the train, weapons ready, as their leader, a sauntering, swaggering figure dressed in an almost oversized white wool button-over winter over coat, with white fur collar and cuffs, approaches the train.
Flanked by two polar bears in harnesses, each on a leash, the leader is also wearing a white fur Cossack-styled hat, the face obscured by an oversized, white wool scarf.
Handing off the leashes to a subordinate, the figure boards the train.
Deliberately seductive, the figure lets the coat, hat, and scarf fall to the floor to reveal- She Who Must Be Obeyed (played by Hudson Lieck, also in a shameful copy of her Xena character Callisto).
She is wearing a white, skin-tight, soft leather, high-necked, underwired, laced-up (crotch to neck), catsuit; with white, soft leather, buckled up, thigh-high stiletto boots; a white, soft leather, buckled up waist-cincher; a white leather, double buckled, neck-choker/dog collar; white soft-leather winter gloves, with wide flared cuffs; an over-sized white leather belt; and a white leather gunbelt and holster containing an elegant but lethal-looking black matte long-gun. Probably a dagger or two tucked away.
Hidden in the back of the crowd, Wil and Tar suddenly have No Doubts about who or what they are supposed to protect The King from.
They *do* wonder, however, who she is-
Ahz reluctantly confesses that she is his ex-sister in law.
Wil and Tar give him that look that 5-month old labrador retrievers give when you try to explain Kafka to them.
Ahz just quietly stammers, "She's really not evil. Just.. excitable."

And what of Wil and Tar you ask? What Is *their* sartorial splendor this episode?
Well, at the beginning Wil is wearing what I've decided will be one of her "signature" outfits- a lightly pinstriped, peach-cream colored, "gentlemen's cut", three-piece suit, consisting of a lapel-less,
indian-style jacket, button-over vest, and sharply pleated pants; a round-tab collared shirt; a pair of peach-cream colored fingerless leather gloves; round-toed black leather shoes with white spats; and a peach-cream colored derby hat. Very Edwardian, very sporty.
Tar will be wearing a night-black, near floor-length, one-piece, button over, victorian coat-dress, with high neck collar;partially exposed will be a pair of black, laced-up granny boots, and she will keep her delicate hands warm inside a black marabou-styled muff.
Later on, Wil will be wearing a billowy blue-violet swashbuckler shirt, with wide lapels and long cuffs, unbuttoned and cinched up to reveal cleavage and mid-driff; exposing a shiny black satin push-up bra underneath; a black corduroy vest, with brocaded side panels; butt-tight black denim jeans with over-sized black leather belt; knee-high laced-up grey soft leather boots; a blue- violet neck scarf with shiny gold flecks; and a myriad gold dangly wrist bracelets, ear cuffs, necklaces, etc, given to her by both Tara -and Ahz!
Tar will wear a similar outfit, but with a sweeping, floor-length, multi-layered gypsy skirt, smokey-black except for flashes of gold, rose, pine green, and blue-violet.

NEXT UP:
How Wil And Tar got here in the first place, a (hopefully) novel development in their witchy powers, and the finish to the Gypsy storyline.
*wheh*
To quote Joel and The 'Bots;
Well Sirs, what do you think?
Guy.
Any takers?

Zahir
Willowhand

Posts: 494
Registered: Nov 2000 posted May 07, 2001 02:17
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Heh heh heh
Sound like a lot of fun.

I'm curious--have you read or seen Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman? The story concerns a nice young banker who accidently discovers London Below--a parallel city that the inhabitants of London Above (i.e. "our" London) simply don't notice. Among the characters are a pair of truly interesting (and bizarre) assasins named Croupe and Vandemar.

Anyway, what precisely are you asking for? My own reaction to your premise is rather unusual version of The Master and the Order of Aurelius (as vampires who want their souls back).

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"O let my name be in the Book of Love.
If it be there, I care not of
That other book Above...
Strike it out! Or write it in anew.
But let it be in the Book of Love!"
--Omar Kyam

JustSomeGuy
Blessed Wannabe

Posts: 14
Registered: May 2001 posted May 07, 2001 02:28
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Yep, I'm a big fan of Neverwhere, did'nt you see me list it as an influance up at the top?
Y'know, Croupe and Vandemar would make for some boss villains in this story. Hmnn.

Anyway, what I am asking for is if there are any writers on this board who would be interested in actualy writing stories based on the above notes.
Thank you for the compliment, by the way!
Guy.

tommo
Gay Now!

Posts: 1116
Registered: Sep 2000 posted May 07, 2001 09:00
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Whatever happened to Neverwhere? I *loved* that. It was so weird!
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"Sometimes she's fine. She looks at me and...she's fine...it's ok. I can do this. I'm gonna take care of her. Even if she never...She's my girl...Hear that baby? You're my always."

Zahir
Willowhand

Posts: 494
Registered: Nov 2000 posted May 07, 2001 11:52
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Neverwhere was a limited series. It simply ended. Personally, I'd love a sequel but I can't argue with the old adage "leave'em wanting more."
BTW I have it on tape. heh heh heh

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"O let my name be in the Book of Love.
If it be there, I care not of
That other book Above...
Strike it out! Or write it in anew.
But let it be in the Book of Love!"
--Omar Kyam

JustSomeGuy
Blessed Wannabe

Posts: 14
Registered: May 2001 posted May 08, 2001 11:26
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I guess I'm going to sound whiney here, but I was hoping this would get more of a response. *sigh*
Is it that stinky?
Guy.


xita
Ms. Moderator
Fantastico

Posts: 3263
Registered: Sep 2000 posted May 08, 2001 11:30
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It's not stinky at all. I myself just don't have the time to finish my own fic


JustSomeGuy
Blessed Wannabe

Posts: 14
Registered: May 2001 posted May 08, 2001 12:28
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Thanks, Xita!
Umn, if nobody has the time to take this on as a project, could I at least get some feedback on what ya'll think of the ideas?
Comments and Ego-boo are always welcomed!
I may still try to write the darn epistile myself if enough peeps think I should (no! dont listen to him! he's just baiting you all for compliments! RUN!)..
Guy.


Zahir
Willowhand

Posts: 494
Registered: Nov 2000 posted May 08, 2001 13:15
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Well, I'll give you some feedback.
I think this a very fun and interesting idea with plenty of potential. What you *may* have done, however, is lock in the idea so firmly that other writers don't feel they have the freedom to explore said ideas as their own creativity dictates.

Perhaps you'd have a better response if you stuck with very basic premises and let others play the toys you thereby create.

Alternately, writing the first tale (the "Pilot" if you will) then inviting others to write further episodes (with you vetting certain notions for consistency) might also prove attractive.

Furthermore, launching this project via a particular website (as rivetting as you can make it) would also be a plus. Personally, I'd volunteer to help in that direction--even doing artwork to suggest the feel you're looking for.

Of course, right now you're at a disadvantage because another virtual series with W/T is about to debut.

Hope this helps, even a little bit.

------------------
"O let my name be in the Book of Love.
If it be there, I care not of
That other book Above...
Strike it out! Or write it in anew.
But let it be in the Book of Love!"
--Omar Kyam