I'm a bit afraid to approach Norse myth again, it was such a strong element in my WIP Pantheon, but it continues to draw me. I want to work with something that feels grittier, more dark and rough. Also, I want to go with a more traditional Norse/viking feel in a fantasy world.
Premise: In the time when men still hid in caves, the gods spent centuries in bitter war against the primal frost giants, both sides battling back and forth without really making any progress. The trickster god Loki played both sides when it was convenient to him, siring three bastard children with the giantess Angerboda; the warrior wolf Fenris, the wizard snake Jormungand and the dark sorceress Hel. In the end it was the almost unlimited power of these children that tipped the balance in the favor of the gods, and the war was won. Sealed away forever, the age of the frost giants ended and the world was safe for mankind to begin to grow. The gods pulled away from the world of men, turning their focus onto their own internal conflicts. At first, Loki's children were hailed as the heroes of the war, champions of Asgard. But their power caused fear to hide in the dark corners of the hearts of the gods, and the fates counseled Odin to destroy them, for they were creatures bred to war, and unpredictable. Loki begged for their lives, and instead they were stripped of their powers and memories and exiled from Asgard to live as humans would in the dark cold of the mortal world. Separated and lost, they have made their way for several centuries, betrayed and alone.
Since their exile so long ago, Loki has plotted ceaselessly to bring his children home, and finally tired of waiting he turns to the only solution he can think of. To melt the cages of the giants, to bring back the threat of old and force the gods to recall their champions once again. Unfortunately, he didn't think through what this would mean for the newly civilized lands of men.
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Characters: My main character would be Fenris, who makes his way at times as a mercenary, at others as a bodyguard or city watch. He is haunted by wolf-dreams that seem just out of reach, reminding him of lost power he can't remember. He knows only that he carries a curse that separates him from other men, a curse of agelessness that prevents him from living a normal life. Ever 10-20 years he moves on, starting over in a new place, only returning when those who would have known him are long gone. He is a rougher character than many of my others, dark and bearded. I would enjoy writing him, but I would need a contrast character to draw him in.
World: rougher and less civilized than high fantasy. A world of furs and snow, heavy palisades and things that stir in deep black forests. Humanity is just beginning to develop culture, and the stirring of dark things in the mountains--the precursors to the return of the age of frost--threaten all that men have gained.
Pros: Writing something that has a grittier more primal feel. Returning to the cold harsh basics of Norse myth. Focusing on characters from Lore that are usually passed by. Writing the wolf-dreams, the ebb and flow of Fenris' latent power. Dealing with the themes of betrayal and exile.
Cons: I have no core storyline. I feel the beginnings of the book would require a human element, someone that Fenris can support as they deal with something. A coup, a war...? Perhaps a young royal who needs a protector. Then I could move into the return of the giants, suddenly making the problems they had been struggling to overcome seem insignificant in comparison. I also don't know if I should approach working with Norse myth again so soon after Pantheon, no matter how different they are.
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