Exchange Magic

Note: Seriously folks. First draft here. Also, since I've run out of story before hitting 50,000 words, expect some, ah, interesting stuff for the next few days. Backfills, backstory, maybe even weirder stuff as I explore this story in a fun way before I start into revisions.

Tired as they all were, the group decided that they would take Brant directly tho the mayor, and all together, instead of just sending Mason with him.

Note: Please enjoy this sneak peek at the past. A past that really only got fleshed out this morning. And will probably be decidedly more interesting in the second draft.

Sonja looked up from the table where she had been working as Colm came in. His sandy hair was ruffled by the wind, and his expression dark.

“Any luck?” she asked. He sat down heavily on a chair and scowled. “What do you think? That foolish priest thinks we're making the whole thing up. He says that any reports of blood magic being practiced are just superstitious nonsense, that there's no source of power besides the Divine.”

Hey, why not fill in some background while we're filling in words?

The wagon ride from Coombe to Strand had been an education. Kaelyn had been outside of Coombe before, she wasn't totally sheltered, but she'd never ridden in an enclosed coach before. She had tried to look totally in control and mature—and had done moderately well. Of course, Kaelyn had spent her entire life being told that she was a “mature” and “serious” girl, and it had sunk in. But even a very serious child like Kaelyn would be excited by the ever-changing landscape as they came down out of the forest valley into the comparatively broad fields below. At each stop Kaelyn had jumped out of the coach to inspect the trees, the grasses and herbs, to take in the view.

This needs to be in here somewhere. We need to see our healers actually be healers, and I'd like to start off young, so they aren't perfect at it.

The fireworks were long in coming, partially because it wasn't in Daisy's nature to be angry, and it wasn't in Kaelyn's to be vocally angry.

[An announcer sits on stage, a single spotlight on him. To his left and right are two other people still in shadow. The stage is back lit with a soft blue glow. ]

Wayne: Hello, and welcome to “Meet the Characters”. Tonight we are going to be talking to Kaelyn and Daisy, of the still in-progress novel that is awkwardly called Exchange Magic at the moment. I'm Wayne Early, an obvious author stand-in from a previous #NaNoWriMo book, and your interviewer for the evening. Ladies, good evening.

[Spotlights come up, picking out the two women as they are named. The entire stage is then more naturally lit.]

Colm stood up quickly from the table as loud voices came through the wall to the workshop.

“There's the fireworks,” Marion said and smiled. “Do you want to handle it or shall I?” she asked.

“I'm the Master Healer, I guess it's my job,” Colm said and stood with a great show of reluctance. in fact he'd been waiting for the two of them to break the ice a little more. Sometimes you have to hit the ice pretty hard to break it.

This is here for historical interest only (and maybe to pad my word count a bit). This is the beat sheet I started from at the beginning of #NaNoWriMo, it's interesting to see where the plot diverged. There are parts of this original plot I might think about bringing back.

Some character studies, since these characters are so roughly sketched right now. This is the first of a few studies I'll need to do to get them more solid in my poor lil' brain.

Colm grew up the son of two shepherds, close to Strand but in a valley that felt like a different world. Strand, even when Colm was a child, had grander ambitions, but Colm's village had none. They raised sheep there, that's what they were good at, that's what they did. Occasionally one of the children of the village would leave to seek their fortunes elsewhere, but for the most part you did what your father or mother or aunt or uncle did and trained you in.

It's after #NaNoWriMo and I'm just “doodling” now, exploring as I plan out a second draft. This is me talking to Daisy. Her comments have bullets before them. Mine don't. It was easier to write this way than full script mode.