Timewaster's Guide Archive

Prompt: Write a five- to ten-page two-character dialogue with no tags or blocking. Try to evoke character, conflict, and plot using only dialogue. Include: a problem, two distinct individuals, a fantasy/sf element. Avoid: long monologues, exposition. Use context, not explanations.

I know this is late, and it doesn't really count anymore, but I promised myself I would finish and post it. Technically, there are three characters, but only two main ones.  It encompasses only the dialogue of the first chapter of a novel.

“Excuse me, ma'am.  There's a Lazarus Brown to see you.”

“Thank you, Mary.  Show him in.”

“I would very much like a cup of tea, miss.”

“Ma'am?”

“Yes.  Tea, please, Mary.  Please be seated, Mr. Brown. You must have been quite close to arrive so quickly.”

“Yes.  It is imperative we do so.  You understand.  We place our satellite offices centrally in each city for that very reason.”

“Yes, I see. I imagine it would be rather embarrassing to chase down a pregnant lady simply because you weren't close enough when the pouch turned red.”

“Surely not embarrassing for the government.  For the woman, perhaps tragic is a better word.  Few pregnancies last without the Capital's intervention, and the women who believe running is a good option would be wise to remember that.  What a depressing topic to begin our first meeting.   You have a lovely home, Mrs. Simmons. Let us talk about that. You seem to have quite a taste for the latest fashions.”

“Thank you. The man at the shop called that one a 'photogram.'  He explained the process to me.  He seemed rather impressed by its innovation.”

“And you?”

“I'm intrigued, of course.  I was drawn to the shapes; that's why I bought it.  But I can't help but wonder how much more is possible...though I'm no artist.”

“I understand your husband is in the Royal Space Fleet.  A captain, I think.”

“Yes, that's right.  How kind of you to inquire after him.  Currently, he's on a mission out in the West Sector. We both know who is out there this time of year.”

“Indeed.”

“Thank you, Mary.  Mr. Brown, how do you take your tea?”

“One sugar, light cream, please.  Thank you, miss.”

“That will be all, Mary.  Wait.  Please bring me a seltzer water to calm my stomach.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“I wonder what will happen to her when I'm gone.  Do you care for them—the servants, I mean?”

“We find that most servants are rather content while their mistress is away. Their quality of life usually tends to...increase.”

“I'm not one of those, Mr. Brown. My taste in art may reflect the popular fashion, but I can assure you that the treatment of my servants does not.”

“I apologize if I've offended you, Mrs. Simmons. I meant to say that we assure they are well looked after in your absence.”

“And am I assured to be well looked after as well?”

“This hostility is uncalled for. I think you are forgetting that I am not the enemy. It will make both our lives extremely difficult if you continue to act otherwise.”

“Mr. Brown—”

“I think we are finished here, for now. You have one hour to collect your necessary belongings. Please remember to pack lightly, and only for the trip. Once we reach the Capital, we can easily procure anything else you require. Do you understand these instructions?”

“Yes.”

“Very well, then, I will wait for you here. Please have your maidservant bring more tea.”

“Mr. Brown, if I may speak boldly. I understand how important children born these days are to you and your superiors. I've seen that it is enough to terrify the women in every city on this planet. Do not mistake me: I will accompany you, because I have no choice, but please do not delude yourself into thinking that I give a damn about you and your policies. This child belongs to me and my husband—not to the Council of Royals, and most definitely, not to you.”

“Duly noted.  Now go.  You are wasting time we don't have.”

“Mary... No, I won't be needing the seltzer anymore. Put it down. There is no time. You will bring Mr. Brown more tea, and then you will promptly join me in my chambers to help me pack my things. I must go with him.”

“Ma'am, I know tisn't my place, but...”

“Yes, Mary.  It turned red just this morning. We'll be saying goodbye soon, you and I.”

“But Mr. Simmons!  He won't be home until—”

“That is my obstacle to overcome.  Mary, please, don't look so frightened.  All will be well.  But for now, haste is of the utmost importance. Go, quickly.”

I have to agree that the number of magic systems does not necessarily correlate to the number of shards.  Scadriel is the main example.  Two shards, three magic systems.  While I do really like the theory, I'm not sure it works in the long run.

It's entirely possible that the Shin's belief in a hell of torment is related to things taught to them by the Heralds.  It's probably not a coincidence.  It's probably a small piece of truth that has been passed down through the ages, changed by the passage.  I don't read anything deeper here, or see that it teaches us anything about Truthless.

The only problem I have with this idea is that the Shin don't believe in the Heralds.  That's a Vorin idea.  If they don't believe in the Voidbringers, then why would they believe something taught by the Heralds?   

It COULD be however that there is an underlying idea that both the Heralds AND the Shin believe in: Oaths.  Both the Heralds and Szeth are held by Oaths and whatever honor held the Heralds to theirs (until the end) is holding Szeth to his.  Though the Heralds took their Oath of their own volition, while Szeth's was a punishment.

I thought for a long time that perhaps it was some sort of magical force holding Szeth to his Oathstone and that it would be impossible for him to go against it, but now I'm thinking that he could turn his back on it, the same way the Heralds turned their backs on their Oathpact.  (Though, I'm pretty sure we'll see how that turned out for them as the story unfolds.  I'm guessing probably not good.  Talanel and they are going to have some words...)  Though as he says multiple times, he feels like he deserves his punishment; every time he "commits a sin" he feels more and more deserving of future sins/punishment.  I feel bad because I really like Szeth, but it's hard to escape a cycle like that.  His depression/honor is what holds him to his Oath, more than any exterior force.

Well, I think something Taravangian said to Szeth has a big part of it.  He said that the dying words didn't happen until about the time right before Galivar's death. 

"We do not know why some speak when others do not," Taravangian said.  "But the dying see something. It began seven years ago about the time when King Gavilar was investigating the Shattered Plains for the first time." (pg. 976 US Hardcover version)

There is a lot implied there (and a lot that happened around that time).  Perhaps it is related to the Parshendi. It could have something to do with the Parshendi hive-mind that might be projecting into certain minds that are susceptible to it.  Perhaps it is related to why the Shattered Plains looks the way it does--which is commented on several times throughout the book, but never explored.  Perhaps it has to do with both AND something to do with what Gavilar found out that made him so ready to make a treaty with the Parshendi--which I have a feeling goes beyond simple gemhearts. 

My guess is that Gavilar discovered something that changed his course of action, which brought the Final Desolation much closer.  The simple act of discovering and interacting with the Parshendi might have brought it closer.  (You might want to take out the "minor" part of your spoilers): Since we discover that parshmen are the Voidbringers, this interaction and ensuing war could be what started the Final Desolation.

I believe that the claim that Hoid is a Shardholder is still up for some debate.  There are still a lot of Shards unaccounted for, of course.  Brandon still has 9 (+?) books left to give us all the information! 

Is there any particular reason that we don't believe Hoid has a Shard? 

I'm trying to think of some other explanation for the fact that he:
1. Planet-hops
2. Is potentially immortal
3. is on the same level/interacts with all the other Shardholders
4. was important enough to be at the Shattering
5. has the power to reconstitute Adonalsium (if that is, in fact, what he is trying to do)

It seems to me that he might be holding on to a Shard that we haven't been introduced to because it hasn't been important thus far. 

Any ideas?

Quote from: Erunion on September 10, 2010, 05:47:09 PM

Quote from: VegasDev on September 10, 2010, 05:22:40 PM

Quote from: Random112 on September 10, 2010, 04:30:16 PM

And as far as we've seen thus far, DeathSpren come around when something is dying, they don't bond to people to give people that mastery.

So to be clear, when people mention Deathspren, are they talking about the people with wavy lines where their heads should be?

Just had an interesting thought; Honorspren bond with people to make them surgebinders, (or windrunners if you prefer). Another type of spren (Soulspren? Truthspren perhaps?) bonds with a person allowing them to soulcast.
Now, there is a fabrial that allows you to soulcast without being bonded to a spren, so could there also be a fabrial that allows you to surgebind (or windrun, if you prefer) without being bonded to an honorspren? Perhaps this is related to the glowing glyphs on the Radiants armour, and their brightly glowing shardblades? 

I wonder why no Honorspren has bonded with Dalinar? Surely he is honorable enough to draw their notice. Perhaps because he weilded a shardblade, but Syl seemed to dislike it for reasons I don't understand, after all the Knights Radiant all wielded shardblades.

An honorspren wouldn't bond with Dalinar because he is not a Surgebinder.  He just uses the Shardplate and Blade; he doesn't have their magic.