Gods of Jade and Shadow: Character Interactions and Plot

Progreso's Transformation

• Progreso evolved from a small town into a key port city due to government investment in infrastructure like railroads, telegraph lines, and a new pier.
• The port became a center for henequen export, leading to the construction of a municipal building with marble stairs.
• The port's increased activity provided transportation opportunities for Casiopea and Hun-Kamé, with captains willing to offer passage without questioning their need for quick travel.

The Vessel to Veracruz

• Loray secured passage for Casiopea and Hun-Kamé on a fast ship to Veracruz, primarily carrying henequen.
• Their stateroom was basic, with two berths, clean sheets, a washstand, a chair, and a mirror.
• The ship lacked amenities like a smoking room or lounge, indicating its focus on functionality.

Cultural Conflicts and Divine Identity

• Casiopea grapples with societal norms about unmarried men and women sharing a room, influenced by religious teachings.
• Hun-Kamé asserts he is not a man, emphasizing his divine nature, while Casiopea recognizes his human-like appearance.
• Casiopea reflects on her potentially sinful actions, like running away from home, interacting with a god, and seeing a man naked.

Food, Gods and Treachery

• Casiopea prepares for the journey by buying oranges, unsure of the meals provided on the ship, offering one to Hun-Kamé.
• Hun-Kamé explains he doesn't need mortal food but accepts the orange, learning to peel it by observing Casiopea.
• Hun-Kamé reveals he was trapped in the chest due to treachery, elaborating that mortals used to provide sacrifices and prayers, which ceased later.
• Casiopea grandfather lured Hun-Kamé with a blood sacrifice but was working for his brother.

Gods & Belief

• Hun-Kamé was trapped for fifty years, during which he slept in a way that differs from mortal sleep.
• Casiopea questions how many gods there are and if Heaven is real, challenging her religious beliefs.
• Hun-Kamé describes "Chu’lel", the sacred life force in streams, trees, and stones, which births gods shaped by human thoughts.
• Gods are bound to the places where chu’lel originated, and they depend on prayers and offerings to remain powerful; without them, they sleep.

Origin of a God

• Hun-Kamé began eating the orange, she wonders if he even enjoys it because the abodes the Gods sample would be much more enticing than an orange.
• Casiopea recalls a tale defeating Lords of Xibalba, leading no sacrificial blood, which she wonders if this led to the Gods losing worshippers.
• Casiopea asks how Hun-Kamé can exist without worshippers now and how to be "here".
• Hun-Kamé explains that wells of power and secret places, fertile and strong, allows Gods domains to live.
• A stone wove through heavens and cleaved the oceans, the earth itself, which was described as an asteroid.
• Hun-Kamé reveals he was born from the asteroid.

The Heavens

• Casiopea realizes the asteroids meaning and that she hadn't caught Loray's meaning prior.
• Casiopea wonders why the moon wouldn't have gods born if that planet had asteroids.
• Hun-Kamé states "mortals gave us our form" stating not to forget.
• Casiopea wonders if the Gods forms change due to mortals beliefs or if they remain in their original shape.
• Casiopea wonders if that is her ancestors built observatories to look at the night sky.
• Hun-Kamé says he resides in the Underworld and why would he care about heavens.

Yearning for Freedom

• Casiopea admits that the night sky made her think one day she would be free because she likes to stare at it.
• She is trying to divine her future in the face of the moon.
• Casiopea declares she does not miss her grandfather, who she describes as terrible and doesn't miss her mother yet.
• Hun-Kamé declares he rescued her, but she disagreed because she opened the chest herself because she knew she'd get away one way or another, and wasn't waiting for a Gods help.
• Hun-Kamé challenges her certainty, considering her limited experiences and Casiopea implies the gods should be by her side, so to speak.
• Hun-Kamé says "watch how you speak to me, stone maiden" pointing at her as a warning.

Spirit

• Casiopea questions if he will slap her for being impertinent like her Grandfather and Cousin.
• Hun-Kamé states no and because their blows did not curb her spirit as he was unable to break, either.
• Casiopea apologizes for what her Grandfather and Hun-Kamé brother did to him.
• Hun-Kamé questions why she is sorry because it has nothing to do with her, who states if she had have known, she'd let him out long ago.
• Hun-Kamé gazes at her and she feels like she has materialized before him, now making her blush.
• Hun-Kamé calls her gracious and repeats the word stone maiden.
• Casiopea says her name "it is better if you call me Casiopea".
• Hun-Kamé repeats this as Lady Casiopea.

Courgage

• Casiopea again requests to not be called lady "I scrub pots on Saturdays and starch my grandfather’s clothes. I’m not a lady".
• Loray would not know a lady from a snail and Hun-Kamé had had to correct him previously, so to speak.
• Courage is the greatest of virtues, and Hun-Kamé says she has been brave, faced his appearance and a abrupt quest but has not sobed and broken into fear which would have been hard to drag her around in such a state.
• Hun-Kamé will call her Casiopea if she wishes.

Experiment

• The matter is settled and Hun-Kamé leaned back in his chair and finished eating his orange.
• Casiopea watches him, wondering what human had conjured him.
• Casiopea says his name out loud "Hun-Kamé" trying his name experientally.
• He raises an eyebrow and corrects her "Lord of Xibalba".
• Casiopea says she can't go around calling him that "oh, Lord of Xibalba, could you come here?".
• Hun-Kamé says he is not a dog and is stand-offish towards Casiopea.
• Both were quiet and rationed their words like precious stones, probably thinking others were unworthy to have them.
• Casiopea says this is not her nature of concealing her thoughts and a born act of necessity.

A Sense of Humour

• Hun-Kamé agrees she has a point and Casiopea is very surprised.
• He states she can call him Hun-Kamé, whilst in Middleworld.
• Casiopea replies that his is generous, sarcastically.
• Hun-Kamé replies in earnest.
• Casiopea chuckles for the first time and Hun-Kamé, of course, does not find it amusing.
• Casiopea makes a comment about spending it pretending she was a nun during the trip which Hun-Kamé seemed to be inferring about it being silent.
• Hun-Kamé asks if she has any more fruit and tosses him an orange.
• The crew had finished securing all the bales and the ship slid out of Progreso, on it's way to Veracruz.
• Casiopea was to engrossed in the conversation and had forgotten she was supposed to feel nervous about being alone with him.

The Family

• Cirilo orders Martín for a brandy and Martín followed the order.
• Martín asks why he was never told and feels cheated, like everyone in the house, being an idol who must be obeyed.
• Cirilo did not think he was ever ready.
• Martín asks for an explantion.
• Cirilo says what is there to explain.
• Cirilo busied himself with the pillow where Martín helped him.
• She was very beautiful, unhumanly and told him he'd been born on the appropriate day, of the appropriate month.
• Approriate for socery and Cirilo did not believe this but met her associates which were legitimate, including Vucub-Kamé.
• Cirilo was busy as the bait and they chopped his head off and stuffed his body in a chest.
• Cirilo says he played his part and to pour him another drink.

The Secret

• Vucub-Kamé could not take the chest with him and needed to remain above ground as Hun-Kamé was a Lord of Xibalba, and the earth was his mother.
• Middleworld is not the land of the Xibalbans but was entrusted to Cirilo and it thought it would be safe which it was until Casiopea opened it.
• Martín says he could have taken better precautions.
• Cirilo says he did but for 2 years slept with a shotgun, incase intruders came at night but became obvious it a wasted effort because no one was looking for it.
• Vucub-Kamé came around the first few years but stopped visiting.
• Cirilo thought he'd dreamed it and could not refresh his mind.

Reality

• Martín continues to ask, if you thought you dreamed it, why did you not open it?.
• Cirilo says it is best to not know certain things and does not matter if it is real of false.
• Martín, who had a rather atrophied imagination struggles to keep up.
• Martín asks what Cirilo got in exchange for his assistance, with Cirilo extending his arms and pointing around the room.
• Cirilo says it was a dream and he believed in socery but would have been committed.
• There families are clawing at each other for power.
• Traitors running round and she is not even a real Leyva and thought he could trusted Martín to take care of him but did not.
• He must shape up because the family has need of him.
• Cirilo does not enjoy the look his grandfather gave him.
• If did not do any good to keep quiet because those revelations would lead a man to the asylum.
• Martíns says he will do what must and will be judged so harshly because it is not his fault.

Curse

• Cirilo says his Grandfather is unkind and harsh but you do not know him, and slammed a cane hard against the floor.
• Martín recalls Vucub-Kamé whom was a divine guest and that was no normal man.
• His idiocies will won't due with him and must serve and not be cursed.
• Martín had a thought about his cousin ending up with the house at Uukumil and panicked at the thought.
• He asks how to address him and additional tidbits he may know.

Building Façade

• Every state, and sometimes every city, earns itself a reputation like Mexico City - haughty.
• Veracruz is all laughter and joy which the rumor and reality do not match.
• In 1925, two years before, the local authorities had instituted a carnival to insert useful post-revolutionary values into the community.
• It smoothed out differences, brought people together, pleased the organizers and money to be made was also most important.

Finding a Room

• Casiopea and Hun-Kamé arrived in Veracruz a day before Carnival but the hotels were bursting at the seams and little change of proper lodging with all hotels at full capacity.
• After a few inquries they managed to find a guesthouse.
• The owner says does not see a wedding ring and assumes they require 2 rooms, adding that if "that is not the case, off you go"
• Casiopea says that will be fine and is her brother to subside the owner concern's saying that they have come from Merida for shopping and to see the parade.
• They have come from Merida to see the parade and do some shopping.
• The door of the house closes at eleven regardless if there are revelries outside otherwise sleep on the street.

Beleaguered Vera Cruz

• The rooms were modest and was overcharging, but Casiopea knew there was no point in complaining.
• She places her suitcase by the bed and paused before a painting of the Virgin, which ordinarily she would have made the sign but felt it was futile.
• Casiopea ask Hun-Kamé to go out with her, to see the Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz.
• During previous attacks and occupations, they'd been trying to build up their happy façade..
• When war has knocked on one’s front door that many times, why should the minuscule daily ills matter?

Dinner & Noisy Establishments

• They went for super with many places offering elaborate seafood near the arches of the downtown plaza, but Hun-Kamé avoided the larger restaurants because of too much noise.
• If you walked down the malecón, you could glimpse the sea, but it wasn’t the Pacific Ocean from the postcard which she longed to gaze at.
• It resembled Havana, and there were frequent dances for the younger set at the Lonja Mercantil.
• Middle-Class families take walks under the watchful eye of their older relatives, to follow strenuous rules but Casiopea and Hun-Kamé did not have this.
• They wandered around without direction, heading wherever they pleased.
• They took a coffee at a whitewashed cafe' and secured some tables which they began to play dominoes.
• If you walked down the malecón you could glimpse the sea, but it wasn’t the Pacific Ocean from the postcard which she longed to gaze at.

minimal menu at the Cafe

• The cafe' offered a minimul menu of coffee with milk, poured from a kettle, and sweet breads.
• They summon the waitress by clinking a spoon up against a glass.
• They order bread and coffee for the both but Hun-Kamé as usual is uninterested in their meal where Casiopea has a Cafe' de Olla.
• Hun-Kamé had acquired a black eye patch to blend in with other town men.
• Casiopea noticed that Hun-Kamé has acquired a black eye patch which contrasted with the whiteness of his clothes

Attracting Juan

• Casiopea stirred her coffee where Hun-Kamé ran a finger around the rim of his gass.
• She asked how to find the Mamlab.
• The Huastec people are cousions of the Mayans and their Gods are cousins of mine.
• The Mamlab are not one god, but several, lives in the mountains, makes love to their frog wives, town partake in festivities and seduce women and youndest he has my ear.
• When you release the rain through Chac, there is also the Aztec Tlaloc, with his heron-feather headdress and she does not recall the Mamlab.
• The Mam is called Juan.
• Casiopea said "what kind of name is that".
• Are you not Casiopea, Lady Tun, a Stone Maiden, and other permutations and there is other secret names in your heart, which you keep under lock and key?.
• Casiopea wonders if there are other name lost in her heart and if her father truly meant it, if this might be her long-lost name.
• Hun-Kamé says do not ask silly questions.

Alluring Casiopeia

• Casiopea is irritated to not have silly questions asked.
• She rephrases to a smart one "The city is Large, how do we find him?".
• Hun-Kamé states "We will let him find us, where he is fond of pretty young women he can seduce and you will do for bait".
• Casiopea is bewildered by the fact she is the bait because there are ads full with whitening creams.
• He claims he is fond of pretty young women, and suggests she should probably gazes at her reflection more often.
• With Casiopeias blackest of hair and eyes, will look like the x'kau, and as noisy.
• Hun-Kamé is not trying to flatter her and insulted her in the same breath.

The Death Perfume

• Even if he looked at me he says that "some of my essence drifts in your body, like a perfume".
• It strikes a strange note, which will surely attract him and will ignores the promise of something powerful and mysterious.
• It puzzled her to imagine death as a perfume that clung to her and, rather than striking the sour note of decay, could be as pleasant as the scent of a rose.
• Casiopea is summoning her outrage and claims she will get seduced by his cousin.
• Hun-Kamé says that no harm will come to her.
• Distract him with a kiss, if you must he says impatiently and have discussing far too long.

Bound With Power

• She goes to kiss a man at the drop of a hat. You kiss him.
• Casiopea says she wont go around kissing men at the drop of a hat and he should kiss him.
• Hun-Kamé claims to be the Supreme Lord of Xibalba and a weaver of shadows.
• Casiopea questions walking away from him, which alerts concern towards the magic and says bone sharl will kill her.
• Casiopea threatens to hack off her hand.

An Unkind Betrayal

• He says that perhaps she has done wrong considering he would not remove it, but would also to be unkind which insults her heritage.
• Reminding her that her grandfathers was a traitor and dishonorable man.
• She pledges anything to him and is getting irritated with him.
• She cuts her hand off it at the first chance and means he is not just blindly doing to bidding.
• He does not consider her fool, but raises her voice louder than an angry macaw with elegant conductor move gestures.
• They are both united by regrettable circumstances that must proceed quick pace and her assistance is necessary.

A Bargain

• Hun-Kamé questions how she is with her head lost in the clouds.
• She'll help him because she feels sorry, not because he is something of power.
• All alone in the workd with his face like the the basalt emotions had dragged a stone upon the earth.
• She accepts invitation with a stone upon a well.
• Hun-Kamé sat again while she finished the coffee as the slapping dominoes sounds around.
• Hun-Kamé states, "I am feeling so sorry for you"
• Casiopea continues to say that gods do not need to fear many things whilst people has lots to choose from.

Magic Show

• Hun-Kamé held for her for comfort, which she does not derive considering the human empathy he shows but demonstrates like a scientist.
• Her pulse quickens, in which is difficult to be wise and young.
• His magic rests in her veins, indicating its his demonstration.
• It runs through her, and when he touched her it struck a crystalline note, of handsome man clutching a girl’s hand.

Purity

• She would run even if he threatens his cousin.
• Even in a world where they throw all trouble to the wind and she has to make up to herself with a quick glimpse of stars.
• He says he will have to take his chances and he grabs the waitress and refills her coffee.
• Is the coffee to thick and milk disruptingness to coffee.
• Does not want not disrupt the coffee bean which she mocks him.
• Only a god of dark coffee will only every be a goddess.
• She will be serious and the god/girl would not know when the night will be full of light.

Analyze character dynamics, motivations, and plot points in "Gods of Jade and Shadow." Explore Casiopea's concerns, Hun-Kamé's actions, and the significance of Mayan mythology. Key themes include destiny, power, and morality.