#story inspiration
A bunch of different dialogue prompts #61
- “Why is no one dead?”
- “Riveting.”
- “Fascinating.”
- “I hate that I can’t tell whether you’re joking or not.”
- “Why are you doing that? This is not a thumbs-up situation.”
- “You better watch your back!”
- “This is feminism, baby.” “It’s really not…”
- “Who still asks for permission?”
- “Lighten up, it’s tradition!”
- “You hungry?” “Famished.”
Random prompts based on things I’ve overheard at theatre
- Person A: *trying to bottle flip a traffic cone*
Person B: “You are going to make some girl very happy one day.”
- “Did you actually just try to look for the ingredients on a water bottle?”
- “The printer won’t work if it smells fear.”
- “I’m gonna write a hand puppet opera!”
- “I’m like Tinker Bell, I need attention to live.”
- “I’m gonna shove a cello down your throat.”
- “(name), please tell him his penis is two sizes too small.”
- “Must be a good day to be a trash bag in a tree.”
- “The cute ones are always unstable, just like girls.”
Person A: “We need to get a new angel for the tree.”
Person B: “Just put a picture of me up there.”
Person C: “Yeah, we can put a stick up your butt.”
“You were born royal, but you will die a peasant.”
Person A: “Don’t lose hope.”
Person B: “I thought you were supposed to watch her!”
Person A: “No, I mean hope with a lower case- wait, wHAT-”
Person A: “Hey, I’m still talking to you!”
Person B: “And I’m still ignoring you.”
Person A: “Your arm just got cut off!”
Person B: “Yep.”
Person A: “It’s on the floor!”
B: “So it is. Care to pick it up for me?”
A: “What? No way! It’s your arm.”
Person A: “I can see when and how a person will die.”
Person B: “So you know when I’m going to die?”
A: “Yes.”
B: “Are you going to tell me?”
A: “If you knew how you were going to die, then it would changehow you were going to die. It would cause you to change the actions that would lead up to the original death, thus causing a different death. It could change your entire destiny, or even the fate of the world.”
B: “…”
A: “Plus, all that space-time continuum rearranging would give me a massive headache. So no.”
Person A stared at the sky. Person B was busy with something else nearby.
“A storm is coming,” said A.
B frowned. “What are you talking about? There’s not a cloud in the sky.”
Fear flashed through A’s eyes as they looked at B and repeated, “A storm. Is. Coming.”
“I don’t know what I’m more offended by, the fact that you lied to me, or the fact that you didn’t put any effort into it!”
On Writing: Making a Steal
There are two “professions” that turn up in a bunch of c-dramas that I think might have great potential for stealing - er, borrowing, into modern fantastic fiction. Tomb robbing, and escort professionals.
…Get your mind out of that gutter, that second job does not mean what you think it means. “Escort professionals” are more along the lines of what we would think of as private security and/or mercenaries for hire. People who get cargo and clients from point A to point B in more-or-less one piece.
I’d love a more accurate translation for 镖行 (biao xing) if anyone’s got one. Mine comes from copying Chinese characters from the title of “The Prequel of Gold Conveyors” series, and hitting Wiktionary. But apparently they do what in fantasy is often done by bodyguards and generic “caravan guards” - only they do it in cities, for hire by large or small groups, and they may even do some investigating and law enforcement. At least of the “track down the guys who tried to steal from us and make it clear you don’t do that to Our Agency” variety. Mengyu in the Chef Hua series works for one of these agencies.
(Yes, his wife’s cooking is important to his work, too. At one point, for example, the delicious smell of it causes a hungry bandit to misstep onto a branch, warning their group of an ambush. The scene was awesome. And hilarious.)
I think this job would have great potential in fantasy stories, especially if you wanted to write characters involved in more day-to-day facing bad guys and solving problems, instead of epic save-the-world stuff. Though of course in a pinch they might do that too….
Tomb robbing has long been a part of Western fantasy; ask any D&D, Indiana Jones, or Lara Croft fan. But there are two aspects of it in Chinese videos that are particularly interesting. The first being the fact that such grave robbers generally take measures to assure any lingering spirits all they’re after is grave goods, they won’t disturb the bodies of the dead. The second is the geomantic aspect. After all if you’re going to rob the right grave you have to find it first, and knowing where someone would have picked to build the tomb is critical. Not to mention it often becomes even more important when you’re trying to solve the puzzles inside….
Here’s two movies that show tomb robbers at work… yes, that’s the same lead actor, two rather different characters.
ENGSUB [Chronicles of the Nine Heavens]
And,
[Exorcism Master] Swordplay/Costume | YOUKU MOVIE
(Yes, I’m still chewing on various things as I work on rebuilding a daily routine. I have a bunch of ideas, I’m just not sure yet which will have the most solidity!)
