Editing Sixth of the Dusk

{{book
|cover= Sixth of the Dusk.jpg
|sequel=Isles of the Emberdark
|setting=[[First of the Sun]], [[Cosmere]]
|'publisher= [[Dragonsteel Entertainment]]
|released=June 30, 2014
|ISBN= ISBN 978-1-938570-07-0
|word-count=17,794
}}{{for|Sixth of the Dusk (character)|the story's protagonist}}
'''''Sixth of the Dusk''''' is a [[cosmere]] novella by [[Brandon Sanderson]] set on the [[Cosmere#Planets|planet]] [[First of the Sun]].{{sots ref|2013}} The novella was created as part of the [[Writing Excuses]] podcast, where Brandon, [[Dan Wells]], [[Howard Tayler]], and [[wikipedia: Mary Robinette Kowal|Mary Robinette Kowal]] each brainstormed a story, and gave feedback to each other. These stories were released together as ''Shadows Beneath'', which detailed the process of taking the drafts they each wrote, and editing them with the feedback given.{{ref|name=6otd}}

An excerpt is available on [[bws: sixth-of-the-dusk|Brandon's website]].

The complete novella is also now included in [[Arcanum Unbounded]].

== Plot Summary ==
{{for|Summary:Sixth of the Dusk|a detailed summary}}

The story follows a [[trapper]] named [[Sixth of the Dusk (character)|Sixth of the Dusk]] as he strives to save his island home from a catastrophic danger he has been warned about, but does not understand.

== Characters ==
; [[Sixth of the Dusk (character)|Sixth of the Dusk]]: A [[trapper]] working on the island of [[Patji (island)|Patji]]. He knows much about [[Aviar]], is very practical, and mistrusts people from the mainland. He both loves and hates Patji.
; [[Vathi]]: A capable noblewoman with a thirst for exploration. She was educated on the mainland and travels with a band of explorers. She meets occasionally with the [[Ones Above]]. While she respects trappers, she supports technological advancements.
; [[Kokerlii]]: An Aviar - a cognitively-gifted bird who can shield Sixth's cognitive markers so other animals that track cognitive signals cannot find him.
; [[Sak]]: An Aviar - a cognitively-gifted bird who can warn Sixth of the Dusk of danger by showing him visions of his own corpse in locations where it might be if he makes a mistake, so that he can avoid those places. Sak is not a member of a species native to Patji or any island of the Pantheon. Sak was instead brought from the mainland to the place on Patji where Aviar go to get their talent, or cognitive ability. 
; [[Ones Above]]: A spacefaring race that have visited [[First of the Sun]] and possess advanced technology.

== Setting ==
This book takes place in the [[cosmere]], on a planet known as [[First of the Sun]]. Most of the story takes place on and around Patji, the largest island in an archipelago called The [[Pantheon]]. Patji is considered the father of the islands of the Pantheon, being the largest and the one that all Aviar must go to get their talent. It is treacherous, with creatures such as Meekers, which are mice that can be trained to harm others, trees that attract different animals so after they kill each other their soil is made rich from the blood of the dead, and nightmaws, which are terrifying birdlike creatures which hunt by finding somebody's cognitive signals.

''Sixth of the Dusk'' takes place chronologically near the end of the stories set in the cosmere, sometime during the space travel sequence.{{wob ref|1782}}

== Postscript ==
''Note: the Postscript is found in [[Arcanum Unbounded]], a collection of Cosmere stories.''


The events of this story occur farthest down the timeline of any of the stories included in Arcanum Unbounded. It was brainstormed on [http://www.writingexcuses.com/2013/04/21/writing-excuses-8-16-brainstorming-with-brandon-again/ Season 8: Episode 16] of [[Writing Excuses]], and is set on a new planet in the cosmere,{{sots ref|2013}} [[First of the Sun]]. The setting is inspired by [[Brandon Sanderson|Brandon's]] fascination with Polynesian culture. A sequel is currently being written.{{wob ref|12773}}

== External Links ==
*[http://www.writingexcuses.com/2013/04/21/writing-excuses-8-16-brainstorming-with-brandon-again/ Brainstorming Episode]
*[http://www.writingexcuses.com/2014/07/06/writing-excuses-9-28-critiquing-sixth-of-dusk-part-1/ Workshop Episode 1/2]
*[http://www.writingexcuses.com/2014/07/13/writing-excuses-9-29-part-2-of-2-critiquing-sixth-of-the-dusk/ Workshop Episode 2/2]

== Cover Gallery ==
{{for|/Covers|a cover gallery of Sixth of the Dusk}}

== Statistics ==
''Sixth of the Dusk'' consists of 17,794 words from the PoV of Sixth of the Dusk.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Word Count 
| style="text-align:center" | 17,794
|-
! PoV Characters
| style="text-align:center" | 1
|-
! PoV Count
| style="text-align:center" | 1
|}

== Notes ==
<references>
{{bws ref|name=6otd|introducing-the-writing-excuses-antholog|Introducing [''Shadows Beneath'']|date=Jun 30, 2014}}
</references>
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[[Category: Sixth of the Dusk| ]]
[[category: list articles]]
[[es:Sexto del Ocaso]]