Initial Outline for Graphic Novel or Series

Working Title: Fraying Threads

A multiple plotted story, in which the main character, The Lady or Lady Eff, is petitioned by various odd characters to remove aspects of themselves which caused rejection and antagonism in their respective lives. Each is now in exile from their homes or families or loved ones. Though there is the overarching story of the Lady, each character has his or her own story in which different styles of art are appropriate - this allows us to understand the character and allows the reader a break of the same type of art being viewed.

The Lady herself travels and hears petitions at various aristocratic houses, though she appears not to have a home herself or sleep. When the story begins she is entering the decaying castle of dying Count, who has invited her to hear specific stories he finds most intriguing.

We learn that the all aristocrats have to invite the lady fairly often - though why we are not sure - and the aristocrats must pick the strongest petitioners or the ones that are the least boring. This is for the Lady's sake.

When we first meet the Lady, she is putting the entrails of a child back into a decorated box and licking her bloodied hand. This is not to mark her out as a vampire or something horribly boring like that, but as something not quite human.

The Petitioners

- A jester attached to the hip of a librarian . We learn of the Twins who appear to have no relation and both refuse to acknowledge they are related, despite the evidence to the contrary. Their physical nature is such that they were rejected, but we also learn that the librarian is the least innocent of the two. Her crime is outlined in her story.

- A girl whose feet don't touch the ground, except when she is scared . We discover her past, which is loosely based on Hans Christen Anderson's story The Red Shoes.

- A young, pallid man who is constantly distracted. A mind-reader, who was first a fraud, but then - as we learn - obtained the ability to truly read people's minds. However, he was only allowed to see those aspects of people's thoughts no one wants revealed. We learn from his story how he solved recurring disappearance of small boys in his town, after his brother goes missing. Instead of being rewarded, he was exiled and nearly killed.

- A blind woman who paints photo-realistic paintings with her fingers. It is discovered that she is in fact forging and merely able to see the minds of great artists. She is exiled for bringing shame on her family despite her ability. (Might merge her and the previous character, though.)

- A suicidal executioner who developed a hatred for killing. He developed and fell in love with his latest convict. He is forced into killing her, after she reveals she is pregnant with his child. After he weeps at her death - he does not recognize her because of the bag over her head - he is exiled from his village, too.

These are some characters: some might be added, some might be removed. Each story could be told fairly quickly but would allow for appropriate art to accompany the tales.