It's getting late, so my thoughts will have to wait until tomorrow, but I couldn't wait to say
how horrible!, about the bile. I've seen such before (haven't had it slung my way myself, but seen it happen to others) and it STINKS.
So, here I am back on the morrow, though getting perilously close to the day after that. To your post!
I expect there
will have been pieces written about the origins of the Calormenes, just because there's been so much written, in so many places, but I can't think of one, off-hand. Where does Lewis that they began with outlaws from Archenland?
The short story you wrote - the one which attracted so much hostility - was following your head-canon, I take it, and seeing the Calormenes as descendants of Frank and Helen. For people to snipe at your head-canon is pretty shoddy - I mean, we're all free to head-canon what we like, and if people don't like it they don't have to read it. (as it happens,my head-canon does allow for the "other doors" to have been in operation - but that's neither here nor there.) Yes,it's much more satisfying to get criticism (preferably positive!) which actually engages with the story, and doesn't just rage about what wasn't being written!
Your first idea about writing a linked series of "Five [or six or ten] origins of Calormen" sounds highly possible to me. Your second idea,of putting it out as a challenge is also possible, but you'd need to have a fair chance of several different people knowing about and wanting to join in the challenge. I'm not ruling it out for myself as a future possibility, but I'm not up for it at the moment. Maybe see who else posts here?
Meanwhile, do you know about the Narnia Fic Exchange, which is happening now?
Here's the link. I'm not going to be entering this year, but it can be a very stimulating exchange - and of course you could request a Calormene origin story!
and now once again it's getting late - so I'll look at
Prince Caspian... tomorrow!