Timewaster's Guide Archive

Woo! we have a loooot of submissions this week.

Anyways, here's the second half of last time's chapter. a couple notes: it probably feels like I've introduced several characters late in the game. As i've mentioned before, Jhuz is only one of 3 POV's, but i want to write them seperately so i can focus more on the character arcs. Lisu is one of those POV's. Also, i can't have jhuz stay in camp for too long because in another chapter/chapter and a half i need him back with the legion to keep the story moving. So while i want the part where he's prisoner to feel important and have an impact, i don't want it to last very long. Hopefully I can balance those two out. Let me know what you think!

Hubay – Lord Domestic Ch. 15 (L, S, V)
2,500 words

Summary  Jhuz has been captured by Hex, an octupos-metsi assassin.

Synopsis – Jhuz wakes up outside the Nothroi encampment.

Is there a way to get this awesome-looking paper, if I don't go to comic-con or polaris? I would probably be willing to pay a few dollars to get a pdf.

Sorry about the wait – I got a dog today! anyways, this is the last chapter of Part 2 of Jhuz's storyline, or at least the first half of that chapter. I should have the second half next week. anyways, this is mostly an aftermath sort of chapter, but I also add in a bit of what's to come with Zaisha. Let me know what you think about the Dombow.

Hubay, Lord Domestic Ch12 (L,V,S,D)

Summary: the Legion has finally achieved victory against the Nothroi host, though not the army entire. After looting the enemy camp, Jhuz and the army celebrate.

Note: This will probably make the most sense to people in Reading Excuses, as it's part of my Lord Domestic story. But any input is going to be valuable, so thanks!

As part of my current story, I have an army that was at full strength, but then gets destroyed in a rout and following disease/starvation, and is now at about full strength. I'm still  trying to figure out how my army is organized, and how many supporting people like quartermasters, surgeons, and supply-chain people it needs to function properly. I don't want it to operate properly after the rout; I'm trying to figure out how this machine works so I can break it.

Anyways. here's a basic command structure. I've omitted irrelevant positions.

1 Prefect (general, more or less) in charge of Legion
10 Penti, each in charge of 1 cohort (5 Centuries).
50 Centuries, each having 100 men.

The tenth cohort is the Immunes, people with supporting or engineering roles. As of right now it's divided so that 3 centuries are composed of some sort of engineer, which operate on their own terms. The other two work more closely with the soldiers.

Then there's one century of medics, and one century of quartermaster ( I use the term loosely here. They handle all sorts of supply stuff). They function the same way: 50 of the men are on assignment with a specific century of soldiers – that's one per century – and the other half runs a sort of central hub, kept out of batttle, where they can pool their resources together and manage the army.

I think this makes a lot sense for the supply century. you get one quartermaster/cook guy per every 100 men, and then a huge stockpile of resources overseen by 50 men, who also handle logistics when the army is on the move.

I'm not sure if it works for the medics. Having a 50-man hospital would probably work, and I think an army would want a combat surgeon during the fight, but I don't know if 1 doctor per 100 men makes much sense once battle begins and people start losing arms and legs.

That's a lot of info to mull over, so if you've reached this far, thanks! I'm just wondering if I should organize my medics differently, just increase their numbers, or if this system looks like it works after all. Thanks!

Alright, chapter 10! I introduce a new character here, so let me know what you think. He has a fox familiar, which intoduces a new kind of magic as well, so I'm curious what you think of both the ability and how I explain it.

Other than that, this chapter is all a huge build up for the next chapter, which is the first big battle of the book. It's a lot of discussion of tactics and such, so I'd appreciate any feedback on how good my planning sounds, and if it's all necessary/not enough.

Hubay – Lord Domestic Ch10 (L,V,S)

Summary
Jhuz had to kill one of his men yesterday because he was going to rape a prisoner. He's a little worried about the implications of that. They're still concened about food, low morale, and a possible mutiny.

This chapter:
Jhuz meets a new character, and a Nothroi host approaches. Tension in the war room, and Ezlio forces Jhuz to make a decision.

Well, I made it. Shame avoided. This is a wierd chapter for me, because it's one of the "boring bits" and I wasn't really sure what I wanted to happen, so it ended up being almost entirely dialogue.  Anyways, I tried to make up for that by adding some more jokes than normal. Humor is really hard to pull of, though, so let me know where it falls flat and where I'm trying to hard – especially if the innuendo comes off awkward.

Hope me warning you doesn't ruin perfectly good jokes. Anyways:

Hubay- Lord Domestic Ch.8 – 2500 words (L, V, S)
Summary:
Hiding out in the wilderness, the Legion is caught between the barbarian Nothroi and the supernal Chell. Arilu was just murdered in a fashion so brutal only a chell could have accomplished it. Had he lived a few minutes longer, he would have signed a paper putting Jhuz third in command (well, second now, cuz Arilu's dead)

A day after Arilu dies, Jhuz tries to figure out the next step with Ezlio and Zaisha, and Jhuz's servant Ela reveals a bad habit of hers.

Here's the next one, back on the regular timeline. I feel like I didn't do the murder scene at the end justice, so let me know if you have any ideas to make it stronger. Thanks!

Hubay – Lord Domestic Ch7 (L,V,S)

Summary:
Jhuz captured a scouting harpy named Jainifer, but on the way back foolishly gave her up to the Jackal Lexio so he didn't have to carry her. Zaisha is becoming increasingly worried about unrest in camp.

Chapter 7: Jhuz interrogates the prisoner, talks chain of command with Arilu, and Arilu has a run-in with the Chell.