JP Kenwood is here today to talk about world building and the significance of locks and keys in their action-packed, politics-rich Dominus series. I do need to tag this post as #NSFW and give a content warning for mild #BDSM though!
World building is a huge part of penning any story, but it’s especially critical in historical fiction. I find it super useful to incorporate a few everyday items in my historical fiction—objects that truly mattered to the people of that time period. Ubiquitous objects that help readers connect with the mysterious past. I’ve used many objects as plot points and even as ‘prop characters’ in my stories. For me, these items tend to fall into the category of jewelry, but there are other objects equally if not more important to the plot, such as scrolls, mirrors, and knives.
An important recurring prop in my series, Dominus, is the simple household key. Romans are said to be the first ancient western culture to invent what most of us think of as a key – a small and usually metal implement with a handle and teeth. When the correct key is placed in a lock and turned, the key’s teeth move the pins and unlock the bolt.
Max waited for Varius to leave before he pulled a ring of keys from his pouch and unlocked the heavy wooden door. Allerix imagined Max must have had a key for nearly every lock at the villa.
“This is Dom’s playroom. You’ll be spending quite a bit of time in here.”
Keys are also powerful symbols, of course. In the abstract, a key can represent penetrative sex or even warfare. In the more physical sense, a key represents wealth, since its existence implies the carrier has something of value that requires protection. Gold coins in a hinged box. Sex toys in a cupboard. A collection of exotic weapons in a cabinet.
Like an animal drawn by some irresistible but invisible pheromone, Alle’s eyes converged on a large wooden cabinet against the far wall. “That cupboard contains my other toy collection.” Gaius retrieved a key from a drawer in his desk. Running his hand up and down Alle’s back, he boasted, “I’ve been acquiring foreign weapons since I was old enough to swing a sword. Their variety of designs and embellishments has long fascinated me.”
Keys to chastity devices blatantly symbolize control of one person over another. Cock cages feature prominently in my Dominus saga.
Gaius manipulated the device until Allerix’s balls were collared snug by the heavy silver ring. With a sharp click, the two halves of the lion-headed metal cylinder snapped together to encase Alle’s timid cock. Another softer click and Gaius had locked the contraption in place. Gaius held up a key dangling from a silver chain like a pendant and clasped the necklace around his neck. “I’ll keep your freedom beside my heart all night. Comfortable?”
A key to a door is an even more powerful symbol, especially in ancient Rome. Doors are by their nature emblems of transition: physical, spiritual, and intellectual. The Romans had a god of doors and gateways called Janus. We’ve inherited the calendar term, January, from the idea of Janus and his cult of transitions. Interestingly enough, Roman door locks could only be locked and opened with a key from the outside. A room with a door that could be locked turned that room into a glorified storage space for inanimate or living valuables. A key to an apartment or the front door of a house could also signify status and even freedom:
After purchasing an assortment of delicious cheeses, sausages, bread, and pickled eggs at the upscale snack bar, the three walked back to the shoe shop and climbed the wooden stairs to Theo’s flat two floors above. He opened the lock with his key and pushed open the creaky door; the red façade of a brick building across the street dominated the view through a large window in the opposite wall. His simple but tidy living quarters consisted of two rooms: a larger gathering lounge with a table, chairs, lamp stands, and two cupboards, while off to the right was a smaller bedroom separated from the main room by white curtains suspended from hooks at the top of the door frame.
Theo’s home.
The place where he could do whatever he wished as long as he didn’t break any laws. A cozy, private space where Theodorus decided who entered and who didn’t.
A freedman’s freedom.
In addition to the modern notion of a physical key that opens a stationary lock, Romans also invented padlocks. Padlocks attached to chains or hooks or door handles were used to keep an item in place. Padlocks prevent theft, but they can also imply punishment or imprisonment.
The library was located off a grand corridor on the western side of the estate. It was a large square room with enormous windows and cupboards stuffed with correspondence, accounts, and legal records. The library had been Luc’s pride and joy, his oasis from the political tempests of the courts. And it was the perfect private place for a quick fuck over a table. Gaius knew every piece of furniture in that damn room.
When they arrived, they found the door handles secured by a thick chain and a sturdy iron lock. The entrance resembled that of a prison rather than a sanctuary for study or secret afternoon trysts.
Keys are one object that I’ve used in every book of the Dominus series. As both relatable and symbolic, keys play an important role in the story. In final Book 4 of Dominus, a lock and its key will once again have a pivotal role!
About the series
Dominus is an alternate history series that features an ensemble of memorable characters—masters and slaves, senators and soldiers, lawyers and freedmen, wives and whores—who live, laugh, and lust during the Golden Age of imperial Rome. Dominus is an m/m alternative history fantasy series set in ancient Rome during the reign of the Emperor Trajan (AD 98-117). What if Trajan had been the custodian of two boys instead of only one? What if Hadrian had been privy to secrets that could damage the political authority of his older and more successful fellow imperial ward, Gaius Fabius? What if a Roman general had fallen in love with his captive Dacian slave? Could a powerful Roman aristocrat of noble ancestry have been deliberately erased from history?
We have released the audiobooks of Dominus (Book 1), Games of Rome (Dominus Book 2), and Blood Before Wine (Dominus Book 3). If you enjoyed the books, you will adore the audiobooks. For much more information about the characters in the Dominus series, check out my author blog.
Meet JP Kenwood
Writer of plot-packed mm stories. My Dominus series, an often dark and sexy tale, focuses on master/slave power dynamics, the vicissitudes of fate, and the fragility of historical memory. My passions are ancient Rome, laughter, and love.
My current project is the 4-book, m/m historical fantasy saga, Dominus, set in imperial Rome. Book 1 (Dominus; 2014), Book 2 (Games of Rome; 2015), and Book 3 (Blood Before Wine; 2019) are currently available. Games of Rome received 2nd Place in the 2016 Rainbow Awards for Gay Historical. Blood Before Wine received an Honorable Mention for Gay Historical in the 2019 Rainbow Awards. Final Book 4 of the Dominus saga will be released soon.
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