A plot problem - help!

[K.S. Crooks]

She could steal what she needs in the beginning. Pickpocket another woman who looks similar enough to her for identification and money, cosy up to a guy in a tavern (especially if already drunk), walk out of the place with him and then rob him in an alley. she could steal items from a roadside/seaside vendor and sell them further a few streets away. For a place to stay, if she steals enough then she can pay at an inn, she could sneak/break into a store for the night and leave before the owners arrive in the morning. All she needs is a slightly open window that she can climb through. She will need food as well so maybe one break in can be at a bakery or someone's home. Hope this sparks a few ideas.

 

[tinkerdan]

If she becomes too much of a thief she will lose my interest in her as a protagonist so that one seems like a fine line to be treading.

And as with others I'm sorry for what you are experiencing presently: but have no advice; except that you check regularly with the doctors.
My father went through chemo before he passed and it really did extend his life but it left its mark.
Everyone should read up on the neuro-toxicity of chemo before dispensing too much advice. It's a whole animal in itself and I'd always default to finding the answer from the doctor first before dispensing homeopathic remedies; though I wouldn't be averse to finding a homeopathic doctor to help me if I was undergoing the effects.
I don't have any idea what you are going through but I know what my father went through and its a delicate balance; I wish you the best in your efforts to persevere.

 

[jastius]

If its norse gods, couldn't Odin send a raven with her. For wisdom? And the raven has that milky Odin's eye so Odin can see what's going on? Ravens can talk. If they want to. They can mimic human speech like a parrot. The bird could keep watch for her.
A Thor stone was considered to be quite lucky, it would invoke protection of Thor. And Thor might get confused with the sign of his hammer that his devotees made and the catholic sign of the cross. They are both made the same way, but Thor's hammer is backwards. Or the girl could get confused, misidentifying one for the other.
Does she have any of iduns apples? Or the elixir made from them? For healing?.
Does she have a sun stone to find her way through the fogs?
Can she use the bow?
Does it have to be rape? What about what happened to a friend of mine? He was ill in his apartment, convalescing when the place was broken into by a gang of four thugs who repeatedly stabbed him while he was helpless in his wheel chair with a heart condition, then even stole the chair, they took his computer, his phone, any clothes he wasn't wearing, and food. Smashing doors and furniture and even windows. Leaving him gasping in a pool of blood. Two more persons who stole from the place came in and ignored him before a drunk guy and girl looking for a place to make out found him and called an ambulance. By then he was crying.
(And before you say it couldn't happen in england, yes it did.)

Anyways much more dramatic then attempted rape.

Mirannan I hope you are getting more sleep... You know that Epsom salts baths take away aches and pains because Epsom salts have magnesium? Might help you sleep.
(And you do know acetaminaphin products like Tylenol's almost useless to help with that kind of thing, right? The neural blocker that is the pain relief in the stuff isn't set up for that kind of thing. Ibuphrophen like stuff and assorted kind of thing works a bit better)
Anyways good luck with your wayward valkyrie..

 

[Mirannan]

jastius - Thanks for the kind thoughts. On the plot subject, already established is the fact that she has been sent on her way with a suite of magical powers which work a bit like (to use a modern simile) like downloaded apps at will. Also implicit in the plot is that the Norse gods aren't exactly the most organised of groups, so a bit of carelessness in the allocation of donated powers fits. Hence the ability to speak, but not read or write, languages.

After all, if the character started out with everything she needed it wouldn't be much of a story, would it? I'm already throwing in a few bits about the anachronism issue. The casual use in 21st century Britain of high-quality window glass, for example. The use of bits of paper as money is going to be an issue, too.

tinkerdan, it's been 14 years since my last course of chemo. Damage is done.

As for ID theft; well, not particularly practical. Protagonist is female and over 6' tall, Nordic blonde and gorgeous. Blending in (short of total invisibility) may be problematic...

I can think of any number of ways for the character to make money to live on while working towards the actual reason why she has been sent. It's the first few days that could be a problem.

 

[jastius]

Them not realizing writing and reading could be important in this age actually makes sense .. No one read anything in that society. It was oral traditions with a bit of rune reading thrown in.

Six foot blonde?
Photography model?
Live model for an artist? A lot of photography subjects come from the street.
Arm wrestle at a pub for cash? Or other game? Do they bet on darts for money? Billiards?
If it doesn't rain she would be fine on a rooftop to sleep.
Comic book store or theater or convention? Perhaps she gets set down near a historical reenactment or a LARP outing..

 

[Laeraneth]

Going back to the original question, and seeing your statement there that it's the first few days that's the problem...
Given you say she has a bunch of assorted gems and valuables of one sort or another, and given the assumption that it's set in a contemporary setting... I can't help but think of the number of signs you see in shop windows in towns these days that say things like "turn unwanted gold and jewellery into cash!"

If she happens to see one of them, that's an obvious means to get some starting money

[pre-edit - edit] darn... you said she doesn't understand written english. Do such shops ever have people outside 'touting' business? (for lack of a better term )

 

[jastius]

They have commercials on the television, and television sets all over public places like food shops and train stations.. Shopping malls, bus terminals, doctors offices, hospitals..
Perhaps she follows the injured girl into the hospital.. And finds the leftovers from meals on trays being taken back to the cafeteria..
She sees the television in the waiting room. Its on the news channel usually.. Or some program like pawn stars maybe?

 

[Mirannan]

Going back to the original question, and seeing your statement there that it's the first few days that's the problem...
Given you say she has a bunch of assorted gems and valuables of one sort or another, and given the assumption that it's set in a contemporary setting... I can't help but think of the number of signs you see in shop windows in towns these days that say things like "turn unwanted gold and jewellery into cash!"

If she happens to see one of them, that's an obvious means to get some starting money

[pre-edit - edit] darn... you said she doesn't understand written english. Do such shops ever have people outside 'touting' business? (for lack of a better term )

Nice idea, but it's loose gems and big ones at that. Possibly looks suspect?

 

[Avid Scifi Fan]

I would think if your trying to make her fit and blend in, the armor would be one of the first things to go.

Did you outline where you want the story to go with the main character? This will help with some of the trouble your having.

 

[Mirannan]

I would think if your trying to make her fit and blend in, the armor would be one of the first things to go.

Did you outline where you want the story to go with the main character? This will help with some of the trouble your having.

I agree about the armour, but the undershirt for it would be fairly conspicuous too. And yes, I do have a plot in mind.

 

[David Doherty-Jebb]

Someone might have suggested this, but what if she meets and becomes friendly with a sympathetic old lady who owns a B and B and offers your protagonist a cash-in-hand cleaning job. This will let you take advantage of the English/British seaside setting giving the story flavour and some nice scenes of relationship building. As they become friends, the B and B owner, who might have a colourful past you could allude to, helps your protagonist get the papers she needs.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Just had a thought. You mentioned that she has an encounter with three thugs who are attempting to rape a woman. My thought, the woman runs off leaving your MC with three unconscious thugs. She steals their cash and cards - think the scene from Splash where Daryl Hannah unable to speak simply walks into a store with a card and people sell her everything in sight.

Readers I don't think would be upset if she loots from thugs and rapists. She's quick to learn things so sees someone else hand a card over and realises she can do the same. After that clothing shop unless she stole some of the thug's clothes as well.

And if she needs more cash when the cards are stopped, she can walk into a rough bar, be attacked in the alley outside by another thug, and rob him too. It's shady but not so upsetting as to turn most readers off I think.

Cheers, Greg.