Birth of the Baskervilles

My upcoming novel, Vyctor (as in Frankenstein), has its roots in the horror genre. I grew up an art and story obsessed kid, devouring old horror and adventure films.

My debut novel isn’t a horror story but it has some real fun taking horror tropes, and ideas, to shift them over into the world of fantasy adventure. To be clear, Vyctor is chock full of truly scary threats, creatures, constructs, and events. The difference is that the protagonists are on a hero’s journey, and not the casualties in a cautionary tale.

On this blog, some of what I want to do is to give some peeks under the lid of the box. Share with you parts of the creative journey to imagine the world, characters, ideas and story that takes place in the city/state of Travaille and whirls around the genius main character that is Vyctor Frahnknshtyne. (Yes, it’s a different spelling because its pronounced a bit differently. Just go with it...)

One of my favorite old horror stories is Hound of the Baskervilles. It is a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery that is a genre bender, blending detective story with horror. At the very center of this terrorizing tale, is the myth of the Hound of the Baskervilles. A mythical being that stalks the moors hunting unwary fools who walk the moors on dark, foggy nights, past the hour of midnight.

In Vyctor, there is a terrible rot that is spreading in the government and the gendarmes, the police force, has those within it who are part of this decay. A disgraced inventor has joined their ranks and created a mechanical hound that will be used to coerce and inflict terror on parts of the citizenry. I have called that mechanical hunter a “Baskerville.” In homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original story.

Because I’m an artist as well as a writer, I often sketch or 3D model ideas to help understand the concepts I’m building into the world. That world must deliver context, locations, emotional tone and more to support the character’s journeys.

The Baskerville is a diabolical terror machine. It’s not a creature so its much harder to “kill.” It has no emotions, only purpose, and that purpose is defined by those who control it. Baskervilles are intended to inspire great fear and they do so quite brilliantly. They hunt. They often do so at night, in packs, with terrible efficiency.

Baskervilles are not a singular design either. Some hunt by sound. Others use scent and still more use scanning or sight. They are adapted and constantly modified to specific purpose.

I’ve posted some of the dev art for grins and shivers.

What in the world could stand against something so relentlessly savage? Ah, now that would be a spoiler wouldn’t it.

Cheers, Kevin

Baskerville mech hound