SEA OF GHOSTS: CHAPTERS 3 - 5

           No post yesterday. My fault - had way too many blogs to post (17 to be exact). Anyway, today, I had the time to read the next three chapters of Sea of Ghosts by Alan Campbell, and I have to say, I'm hooked! Fictional, farfetched, fantasy worlds like this have never interested me. The first few chapters where fine to read, but I wasn't invested. Now however, the twists and turns have brought up a story arc I wasn't expecting - now I'm invested in the characters, especially Ianthe!

WARNING: (SPOILER ALERT. IF YOU WANT TO UNCOVER THE STORY 

BY YOURSELF, DO NOT READ ON!)

     This is important to me as I have to be passionate about something in order endure it. Considering I will eventually have to design one of these characters, I need to care about them to develop an understanding of the characters. I can't have details going into one eye and out the other, otherwise my attempts at designing them will just be lazy - I can't be lazy if I'm being marked! (It would also be painful...)

     Similar to last post, I will write and save character notes and chapter summaries here for myself. Something new that I shall start from this post onwards, is having all the previous character notes on each following blog post page, including the new and replacing notes in each time. This way, my notes become a living pool of character information that I can reference efficiently. I must note, there are not many character notes this time around, although there are hints at physical appearances changing in the coming chapters.

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3 SUMMARY

• Granger brings Hana and Ianthe back to the garrett to evaluate situation.
• Hana brings up Weaverbrooks war with Emporer Hu.
• Granger realises Ianthe is actually his daughter conceived at same time.
• Ianthe reveals Granger's past without being told - Granger is the birth child of a Drowned.
• Granger calls Ianthe a psychic, Hana denies this - Ianthe is dragged downstairs. 
• Granger lays in bed pondering how to test her denied abilities. 
• Granger devises plan to poison Hana, Ianthe doesn't react so reconsiders.
• Iantha and Hana arrested working with mercenary Marcus Law - Ianthe can see Trove.
• Ned delivers letter addressed to Swinekicker, has 400 gilder inside.
• Granger feeds prisoners. She mentions gilders and knows Granger is father - Hana lied.

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4 SUMMARY

• Granger spends next 6 days working and feeding all prisoners.
• Hana offers to work for him hunting trove on 7th day.
• Creedy (skeptical), Granger (cautious) and Ianthe go on Creedy's boat and find lots of Trove.
• Drowned steal a potential Sea Bottle - splashes almost burnt Ianthe.
• Granger offers Creedy the Unmar doll - he refuses Granger founds it stolen later.
• Granger ponders how Ianthe has powers - it may be Umnar sorcery (artifact).
• Searches her in anger causing fight  - Granger VS Ianthe and Hana.
• Hana reveals Ianthe can see and hear through other people, but Ianthe is blind and deaf.

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY

• Creedy wakes Granger. He sold the Trove for 500 gilders each.
• Creedy and Granger hunt for Sea Bottle, find nothing, have argument and head back.
• Grangers attempts to repair old skiff.
• Granger speak to Ianthe and Hana - they want fish.
• Granger, Ianthe and Hana catch huge fish, take it back boil it and eat it.
• Ianthe mentions Creedy's current actions using gift, hinting at betrayal. 

CHARACTER NOTES

NOTE: UPDATED AND NEW INFORMATION IS HIGHLIGHTED IN BOLD

PRIMARY PROTAGONIST - COLONEL THOMAS GRANGER aka. SWINEKICKER

• Middle aged man.
• Father of Ianthe.
• Once an Imperial, now a Prison owner.
• Dependable, strong build - worn over year (exposure to grime)
• Long dark hair, Chiseled face.
• Burn on his right shoulder - Sea Bottle water exposure.
• Weapon: Hand Cannons, Leadership
• Clothing: Imperial (Braces, Buckles, Dragon Bone). Whaleskin cloaks, goggles and gloves. Galoshes.
• Carries a Gem Lantern (Green, Blue?)

PRIMARY PROTAGONIST - HANA (MOTHER)

• Middle aged woman.
• Mother of Ianthe.
• Long, jet black hair - covers most of face.
• Olive skin, pale blue eyes.
• Once beautiful. Now worn, aged, battered, bruised and cut. 
• Dried bloodied bottom lip. 
• Clothing: Boots. Peasant wear - torn and filthy. Shackles.
• Selfless, independent, strong, proud, hopeful.

PRIMARY PROTAGONIST - IANTHE (DAUGHTER)

• 16 Years Old
• Daughter of Hana.
• Beautiful girl - slender
• Jet black hair, dark eyebrows - tapered to point.
• Olive skin, pale blue eyes, full lips, slender nose, tiny bump on nose.
• Stunted height.
• Clothing: Boots. Peasant wear ripped over shoulder, hanging loosely over breasts. Shackles.
• Weapons: Heightened senses. 
• Angry, judgmental, resentful, strong, resilient.

IDA (PEDESTRIAN) 

• Middle-aged woman.
• Independent, imaginative, curious, kind, brave, selfless.
• Upper class, elegant, traveler.
• Tall and slender.
• Clothing: Wears extravagant dresses.

UMNAR GIRL  

• Young, timid Umnar girl.
• Lives in Umnar Ghettho.
• Owns a metal doll.
• Dark mysterious eyes.
• Tattered and dirty.
• Clothing: Wears filthy blood red tress and shes.

ARGUSTO (BOWMAN)

• Middle aged Umnar.
• Weapons: Bow, Arrows, Magic and Potions.
• Tied back white hair, sharp facial features.
• Wears soft makeup.
• Clothing: Jewel studied attire, black breaches, sandals.
• Has dragon named Yva.

YVA (DRAGON)

• Extravagant dragon (once human).
• Umnar magic unveiled beastery form.
• Sixty feet long.
• White and silver plated suit of Armour.
  
• Wings glisten like a rainbow, burning red eyes, bared white teeth.
• Unhealthy addiction to sharkskin and sea water.

SERGEANT WILLIAM PATRICK CREEDY

• Middle aged man.
• Bruitish, big and brawny - has Boxers face
• Has war wounds - sharkskin jaw, missing/ fake eye and missing ear.
• Has Gravedigger tattoo on back of neck.
• Cocky, confrontational and berserk. Possible traitor?
• Weapons: Large Hand Cannon.
• Clothing: Imperial Outfit, Whaleskin cloaks, goggles and gloves.

PRIVATE MERRAD BANKS

• Young adult male.
• Short, dark hair.
• Least chiseled in his looks - slender.
• The 'Scout' of the group.
• Independent, observant and intelligent.
• Colonel Granger's favourite.

 
ABLE SEAMAS GERHARD/SAWN TUMMEL

• Young adult males.
• Brothers - almost identical.
• Thin bodies and faces.
• Scruffy black hair.
• The comedy due of the Gravediggers.
• 'Snipers' of the group.

ANTAGONIST? - EMPORER JILAK HU

• Elderly man.
• Emperor of Losott.
• Ghoulish in his looks - long, white face, powdery blue cheeks and a pointy chin.
• Thin, straw like, long silver hair.
• Relentless, cold and vengeful. 
• Misogynist.
• Weapons: The Haurstaf

SISTER BRIANA MARKS (THE WITCH)

• Young adult female.
• Haurstaf witch (psychic) - Hu's top adviser.
• Slender and attractive - "striking".
• Dominating, ffriendly, selfless.

 
THE DROWNED:  

• All ages.
• Once humans - drowned by Trovers (more than likely).
• Exposed to poisoned and rising waters - bodies die, then personalities.
• Wander and follow eternally.
• Copse like features -  skeletal, white skinned, withered skin and rotten

Sea of Ghosts (Gravedigger Chronicles 1) (2012) by Alan Campbell - £5.62 

    To prevent myself from rambling on for a few more paragraph, I'm gonna get back to reading the book.

 NEXT POST: SEA OF GHOSTS: CHAPTERS 6 - 8