Charn the Prequel...

Icewolfer93

Icewolfer93

New member
So I'm sure many have thrown various thoughts and ideas around before me concerning the origins of Charn.

However I have already begun writing my own version for a prequel book to the Magician's Nephew concerning the land of Charn and Jadis.

C.S. Lewis left many openings for such possibilities including references which awaken my mind to possibilities, which I would love to write into a book/miniature stories.

So here are my thoughts...

For Charn I have been currently making tie-ins to biblical references of Sodom and Gamorrah, Babylon, Moses striking the rock, Israelites wandering the desert (Charn in disobedience to the deep magic that created it).

I would love to hear thoughts and ideas of what I might include into my written piece of fiction.

For example I'm still looking for ways of how to include Aslan/myths of the creator of Charn (but in a different form as "God" is only in the form of Aslan in Narnia)

The relation between Jadis and her sister as it seems there was a great war before Charn was "stilled".

How Charn started out (smiling figures in the hall of images, to those eventually of despair, and progressively cruelty).

I'm so excited to even be delving into the depths of the Narnia novels for references and ideas, but I'd love to hear possibilities from you guys! :rolleyes:
 
In the real world, God had crucial encounters with individuals like Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Elijah. What if all of these had hardened their hearts against God? Perhaps in the history of Charn, certain persons had the chance to be like Abraham or Moses, but refused.
 
Charn the Dark Example...

Copperfox said:
In the real world, God had crucial encounters with individuals like Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Elijah. What if all of these had hardened their hearts against God? Perhaps in the history of Charn, certain persons had the chance to be like Abraham or Moses, but refused.
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I really like some of your thoughts, so many of us get complacent with the Bible stories we've heard time after time. (Not in a bad way) So how about twisting the Bible. Like what if the Bible ended the opposite of what it currently did. Like what if Moses failed to lead the Israelites, David failed to defeat Goliath, Noah was the perpetrator contrary to righteousness and more... Of course they would all have different names and varying symbolism. But what if the biblical stories/histories you always knew suddenly had changed?

Not to the effect of an attempt to pervert or change the Bible, but what if all the godly men of the Bible we know didn't follow God's will for their lives... What would the end result have been... Maybe Charn can be an example of this.

 
I understand that you would not be distorting the Bible; you would be imagining if some people on another planet had the chance to enjoy benefits _like_ those of Israel in Scripture, and in their case they failed. I see nothing wrong with this, _provided_ you never make it seem as if God Himself gets defeated.

Have you read Mr. Lewis' Space Trilogy? It might inspire some ideas.
 
Trilogy and Further Immersion...

Yes exactly, ah that wonderful trilogy composition by C.S. Lewis yes...
They were wonderful books.

I have chapters pieced together in my head... But I'd rather get them more cohesive before I post anything on here.

Once I have a fully fledged segment I'll post and ask for comments on it.

But for now any further thoughts, ideas, or suggestions are much appreciated and welcome!
 
Since Charn is supposed to have existed longer than Earth, perhaps you could begin by depicting God creating Charn and making it one of the very first "pools" in The Wood Between The Worlds. If you go back that far, you will need to decide how you harmonize Charn's creation with both scientific and Biblical information about the creation of OUR solar system.

And later, when the Deplorable Word is uttered by Jadis (if you proceed that far), you should show innocent victims of this destruction entering Heaven. This, in keeping with my saying that God must not seem to have been defeated.
 
Origins and Endings...

My idea is to more of have the origin of Charn alluded to, yet still somewhat muddled in legends and myths. Concerning the end of Charn through the deplorable word that I am focusing on.

For sure God is in no way going to be defeated. However I view Him in Charn as distant. The people have forgotten for so long and ignored their Creator they no longer know His form or the essence of His character that throughout they have this longing and desire to fill in the gaps of His character in their minds whether or not they see Him as an ally or (in Jadis case) threat to their power.

For example in the Bible many false gods and prophets riddled heathen nations I see Charn almost as a land searching (like in the Bible) to the point where they had offerings to the "unknown god" in case there was a god they had missed in worship (example from somewhere in the new testament with Paul I believe)

They have visions and small signs that point to the true God and perhaps Jadis' sister in the end is trying to reveal to Jadis what she has found out but Jadis utters the deplorable word and it is too late.
 
I think this sounds like an excellent idea for a story! I'm looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, it's been so long since I read The Magician's Nephew that I don't remember it well enough to think of any suggestions, but I'm going to read it again with that in mind and if I think of anything I'll let you know.
 
So I have recently fabricated a small segment of a chapter for my novel. I hope to have it up here later tonight or by tomorrow. Please I welcome criticism from fellow Narnian friends, and would love to hear how I might go about improving this novel I'm attempting to create. I will say I haven't entirely decided whether or not to use 1st or 3rd person in my Charn "book" so that may be occasionally why the viewpoint may be confusing in the chapter segments I post since I'm not 100% finalized in my thoughts as I write it.
 
Here is the first small segment for my book please let me know any constructive criticism you might have...

"I jolted awake, tears streaming down my face. I sighed and thought it all a distant dream, but shuddered when I heard the voice from my dreams. Maris… It was my name the voice uttered in a deep, resonant voice.

I had first thought the voice belonged to my sister. But the times when I used to sit and openly talk with my sister had long since passed. She had grown hard, cold, and brittle. It was that night that I realized what my eyes had refused to see. She too had become a cruel tyrant much like our father on the throne now and like our ancestors before us. Unlike our ancestors though, a dark aura seemed to surround Jadis. Every day it seemed to grow worse as the darkness seemed to manifest itself further and further in Jadis. I can no longer call her my sister because she now has become the thing most distant to me.

Yet the deep voice once more whispered in my mind that there still was a small hope to counteract the darkness that evermore pervaded Charn. If only I had the faith. I tossed sleeplessly for the rest of the night."
 
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Brilliant concept, and I love the ideas you guys have come up with! Looking forward to seeing more of this. I will say only that for the type of work you're doing, less first person might be adventageous because first person tends to make a work less mysterious and ancient-seeming. At least to my mind. But I think this will be great either way! :D
 
Dimensions and Perspectives...

Dernhelm said:
Brilliant concept, and I love the ideas you guys have come up with! Looking forward to seeing more of this. I will say only that for the type of work you're doing, less first person might be adventageous because first person tends to make a work less mysterious and ancient-seeming. At least to my mind. But I think this will be great either way! :D
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So here is my idea, I will combine third and first person... I will have a narrator (who for now their identity will be a mystery) (third person perspective) read a scroll of Maris' (Jadis' sister) which is a chronicle (of Charn and further connections) that had been lost to the ravages of time and the dimensions of the worlds; it will be in first person. If this makes sense...

I agree completely with what you mean by mysterious and ancient sound... I feel first person gives a more personal and emotional effect... but third person gives a depth, ancient, and weighty effect to words and the story.

I'm hard pressed so as of now I can't reveal much more, but I hope to continue forth soon enough...
 
A View of the Unseen...

Here is another segment although this part is not chronological with the last segment I posted.

"The smoke cleared, and I brushed the rubble from my face. The battle had raged within our castle walls for hours upon end. I no longer knew it to be night or day. Fathoms deep, in the castle dungeons, our mighty fortress had been penetrated by the dark magicians. Their origins are unknown. They appeared so suddenly.

I had tried in vain to utter the magic and enacting words I knew of protection towards those of our side, but in vain. Countless had fallen and I could barely stand as a result of my efforts and the toll that the magic exacted on me. The voice, which was nameless and faceless, had barely given me warning before the attack had savagely been loosed upon us. I barely escaped with my life to the dungeons.

I weakly glanced up to see the foreboding creature before me. What it was, was beyond my comprehension. It had the figure of a human, hooded in a long flowing navy blue robe, yet an elongated tail elegantly swished from side to side behind it and wings beautifully extended from its broad shoulders. I saw its what I believe to be hand or paw, as I could not tell, lower as a flicker of energy dissipated from its hand as its forbidden magic’s aura vanished. I refused to give in. The nameless voice had guided me this far and I knew it was not to all end here.

I lifted my weary head high above the wreckage surrounding me. I parted my lips and said “you will know the name of Maris and the unseen voice that guides her”. Strange words cascaded off my lips, in a voice not of my own, but of the unseen. A blinding, teal light exploded in my vision, following the strange words coming from my lips. Everything became cloudy and I became aware that my vision was slowly fading. Everything looked beautiful.

It was so strange. Such violent visions were appearing before my dazzled eyes, yet everything seemed still and beautiful, almost like a peace I had not felt for quite a long time. A whisper incessantly made itself present in my ear and I knew I had yet much still to do."
 
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Those are both very well written! The second one was a little bit confusing, but I'm guessing that seeing it in context would solve the problem.
 
This sounds like a terrific idea for a story. I like what I've read so far, and I look forward to seeing where you'll go with it.

And about the ideas you listed earlier...
Icewolfer93 said:
So how about twisting the Bible. Like what if the Bible ended the opposite of what it currently did. Like what if Moses failed to lead the Israelites, David failed to defeat Goliath, Noah was the perpetrator contrary to righteousness and more...
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It seems to fit better if the people were once good, did do those deeds, but then became proud of it, as if they did it by their own strength. Afterall, pride is the root of all evil, and it seems that Charn in a very proud world.

Just some of my thoughts...

But again, I look forward to reading more. :)
 
I just got started reading this, and it's a really nice idea! I can't wait to read more.

Just a thought... it would be helpful if you divided everything into paragraphs, like you did with the earlier entry.
 
MissReepicheep said:
I just got started reading this, and it's a really nice idea! I can't wait to read more.

Just a thought... it would be helpful if you divided everything into paragraphs, like you did with the earlier entry.
Click to expand...

Is this better? (You can't indent paragraphs in the forums I don't believe...)
 
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