What are the stakes?

This is a kind of cluttered blog entry, but here it is anyways.

I'm thinking about the plot to Ghostlander today.

I have an idea that entails a bunch of ghostly situations, but that doesn't a story make.  For the story to matter, a character that the reader cares about has to be in jeopardy -- or at least a character that the reader cares about cares about a character in jeopardy.   Uh... someone has to be in danger.  There have to be stakes.

The general theme of each of the Lander books is:  Faery versus...

So Faery versus Cthuhlu.  Faery versus Werewolves.  Faery versus Ghosts.

But within that larger notion, there has to be people who the reader is identifying with who are getting in deeper and deeper complications, who the reader is rooting for or against.

Before I start a book, I need to have all the ingredients, that recipe that will make the plot matter.  It's better not to start until I have all the portions correct.  Filling the counter with all the things I need doesn't mean I use them all.  But it makes for a more interesting palate.