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Genre: Fantasy
About YukaLocation: Hull. Home Region: Age:19 Favorite writers: J.K.Rowling, Stephen King, Philip Pullman, Robert Rankin, Sheri S Tepper Favorite music: Nightwish instrumentals. Non-noveling interests: Art/creativity, working with animals, the internet |
Joined: Octubre 14, 2005 This Year: Official Participant NaNoWriMo History: NaNoWriMo posts: 46 NaNoWriMo buddies: 16
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Synopsis: Robed in Red
Amongst the arboreal peoples, the Askerai are the most warlike. They are known for their strict religious code and their tendency to build their temples from the hides and bones of executed criminals. For those who break the code, the only escape from death is sainthood... and in many cases, sainthood is the less desirable option.
Carlena is a seventeen-year-old child of the lower canopies. She is not rich, beautiful or influential by the standards of her race, and religion is the last thing on her mind. Aspen, her brother, has other ideas. He dreams of idle joy in the high branches, and he’s not afraid to step on a few lives to get there.
When Carlena is discovered to have broken a major law, she is sentenced to death. Before her sentence can be carried out, a saint of the upper branches dies in mysterious circumstances. A meeting is called, words are exchanged and Carlena is elected as the new Sacrificial Saint.
In a society where spoken words are the only acceptable language, Carlena is denied her ability to speak. This is the first sacrifice required by her role, but not the greatest: the only food she may eat is an herb that prolongs human life for centuries beyond its natural length. She is to become, in effect, a living record of God’s will. Carlena’s one method of contacting the outside world is with a language of movement. Only a handful of other humans know of this sign-language, and none of them dare to betray the religious order. In this way, the terrible secrets of the Askerai are preserved.
The religious life is one of many privileges and much loneliness. Carlena, lonely and desperate, decides her only chance is to run... but where to? Who will accept a woman with no voice, who is clearly from another settlement?
A little way from her home, she discovers the emaciated body of an apelike creature. Approaching with caution, she catches a small movement in his chest: he’s still breathing! Now she is faced with a problem: leave him and keep running, or take him home and try to save him...
Excerpt: Robed in Red
"We followed the trail, as described by the young man responsible for the discovery. It led us into the wilderness. We took with us a group of young men who were trained to fight, to kill — if necessary, to die. What we found was a tiny settlement of the humanoid beasts. Our group described the things as massively tall and strong, with hair the colour of blood covering most of the body, long ears and dark skinned faces with eyes like brilliant, shining saucers. The most incredible thing about them, though, was the way they acted towards our men. Whenever the troops spoke, or moved too suddenly, they folded their paws over their massive ears and curled up on the ground, groaning pitifully. What do you think of that?"
I expressed curiosity, and a need for more information, with an outstretched hand.
"Of course, you will be pleased to know that our men dealt with the issue swiftly. All but one in the settlement, including males, females, young and old, were killed and taken away to be examined. That last one was taken alive. A young male, not much past maturation, almost as tall as a human teenager.
According to the accounts of one man, the screams of the caged humanoid would have been enough to restore the dead to wakefulness, had such a thing been possible. He spent most of his time curled in one corner, scratching his head, and never once touched the food they left for him. In the end, of course, he starved to death and the body was examined and destroyed."
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