Short Fiction · Character

the man

A young ritual-thief hangs from a post by nails through his forearms, spitting curses at his executioner while he waits for a woman named Mara who may never come.

supporting

Also known as The man

First appearance: conditionally human

As a supporting figure in Short Fiction, the man is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

See the man in conditionally human Book page

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Asir stole the holy phrases of his masters, not just their wealth, and for that the village suspends him by his wrists while a squat executioner plays mumblety-peg with the bleeding-blade. Cocky even in agony, he clings to the hope that Mara went to plead with the Chief Commoner, though he knows she is about as trustworthy as a wild hüffen. His slow dying and the question of whether anyone will speak for him drive the story's opening movement.

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The fuller portrait of the man sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See the man in conditionally human

Character Web

49 connections

A slice of how the man sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Psychological
Social
Other

Character groups

Central narrative figures
Protagonist
Noble and analyst group
Core family and narrator

+44 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because Lieutenant Laskell reaches an emotional and psychological peak of…

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Relationships

Spaceman Old Donegal
friendship · positive
Spaceman Old Donegal and the man are old war buddies who share a deep, unspoken… How this plays out →
Asir
psychological · ambivalent
Martha
social · ambivalent
Asir
psychological · ambivalent
Martha
social · ambivalent
Martha
social · ambivalent
Asir
psychological · ambivalent
Spaceman Old Donegal
friendship · positive
Spaceman Old Donegal and the man are old war buddies who share a deep, unspoken… How this plays out →
Spaceman Old Donegal
friendship · positive
Spaceman Old Donegal and the man are old war buddies who share a deep, unspoken… How this plays out →

Spaceman Old Donegal
Spaceman Old Donegal and the man are old war buddies who share a deep, unspoken understanding of past trauma.
Asir
Asir is obsessed with the man, viewing him as a mysterious mentor figure who holds secrets to his past.
Martha
Martha and the man are neighbors who exchange pleasantries but keep a polite distance due to his secretive nature.
Asir
Asir is obsessed with the man, viewing him as a mysterious mentor figure who holds secrets to his past.
Martha
Martha and the man are neighbors who exchange pleasantries but keep a polite distance due to his secretive nature.
Martha
Martha and the man are neighbors who exchange pleasantries but keep a polite distance due to his secretive nature.
Asir
Asir is obsessed with the man, viewing him as a mysterious mentor figure who holds secrets to his past.
Spaceman Old Donegal
Spaceman Old Donegal and the man are old war buddies who share a deep, unspoken understanding of past trauma.
Spaceman Old Donegal
Spaceman Old Donegal and the man are old war buddies who share a deep, unspoken understanding of past trauma.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See the man in conditionally human