1. Dagolas

    Dagolas Banned

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    Help with plot

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Dagolas, Dec 31, 2012.

    In my fantasy novel Eliana, there is a character that I've got planned out, except how he got into the situation he's in. I'd better explain the plot.
    King Hinrak was once a loved and benevolent king. Somehow, he became evil and twisted. His power was great, and he somehow inherited very dark powers and can turn into a dragon.

    I have absolutely no idea how to make him inherit these draconic and demonic powers, and what made him so evil all of a sudden?
     
  2. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    How about someone gave him a magical necklace as a gift that has a dragon claw on it. He didn't know that the necklace would do all this to him, but now with all the power he won't take it off?
     
  3. Dagolas

    Dagolas Banned

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    The problem is another necklace is the essence of the story!
    EDIT: The necklace in question is meant to hold all his power, and when it is taken away from him he is weak, so when he the enemy capture it he loses all his power. I suppose we could merge your idea and my necklace.
     
  4. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    lol I should I have told you I'm psychic, sorry.

    Well you could say the necklace was a gift from someone in his kingdom that killed a dragon and gave it to him.
     
  5. Dagolas

    Dagolas Banned

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    Here's what I think:

     
  6. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    Hey whatever you think works best!
     
  7. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    You need to let the idea simmer in the back of your mind. That's how you solve plot problems, not by pounding a tap into other folk's brains and waiting for something sweet to drip out.
     
  8. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    But...but...but...I drip awesomeness.
     
    1 person likes this.
  9. psychotick

    psychotick Contributor Contributor

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    Hi,

    How about something like Red Dragon Disciples from Neverwinter. (I love Neverwinter!). So king whatsit is born with an ancient dragon inheritance, it's in his blood in short. Someone realises this and gives him a dragon necklace, and the magic of the dragon claw infused necklace awakens his dragon blood. And of course dragons are powerful critters, but not necessarily nice ones. So the more that his blood awakens the nastier, less human he becomes.

    That way you could also put in a caveat against his using the neckalce. It awakens his dragon blood, but taking it away does not return him back to how he was. It just lets the dragon sleep. However the more often he calls the dragon, the less it wants to go back to sleep. Soon he won't need the necklace at all!

    Cheers, Greg.
     
  10. Carthonn

    Carthonn Active Member

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    I would use his benevolence against him. Another kingdom asks for his assistance and of course he offers his support. When they prevail he's given something as a reward or they take something as a spoil. He becomes cursed through that. No good deed goes unpunished.
     
  11. SilverWolf0101

    SilverWolf0101 Active Member

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    You don't need to have a necklace be the focal point of why he changes who he is. There can be a lot of reasons for his change.
    Some examples:
    Snow White: Snow White's mother held a great power that she didn't exactly use for evil at all times (we honestly have no ideas if she did or didn't). As far as we know she only used her evil powers against Snow White because the Queen was jealous of Snow White's beauty.
    Lord of the Rings: The one king, I forget his name, seemed uncaring and cold to the world, when we've heard before that he was actually great, and once his character was restored to his former self we learn who he truly was. This was because of a man that used the power of words and darkness to twist the king into a creature he truly wasn't.
    Danny Phantom: This actually goes along with the necklace idea. There was an episode where a ghost princess turned into a dragon and attacked people when she became angered. The necklace was cursed, we don't know how, but it came into the hands of Paula and Sam. Anytime the two characters became angry they would turn into this malicious dragon and attack people afterwards, never knowing that they were doing it.
    Criminal Minds: There's a lot of cases in each episode, but I wanted to point out this one episode I seen. There's a comic book artist who was probably one of the nicest guys out there, and his life was going really well for him. Then tragedy struck him, and over time he started to become someone else entirely until he finally snapped and started lashing out at gang members because they were the cause of his tragedy.
    Graceling by Kristin Cashore: This is kind of a different case but it is something to consider. In this book you have a king who believed to be benevolent, in fact everyone has nothing but good things to say about him. We do find out that this is a lie (trying not to spoil the story for anyone who wants to read it), and that certain factors reveal the truth of who the king truly is. Which shows that he is not as good a king as believed, but managed to fool everyone who hears about him into believing that he truly is a benevolent king.

    The point is, no one can write the story for you, its entirely up to you. These are just different ideas for you to refelct on and see if they can get your own creative juices flowing. Try different things with your king and see which one you like best, or which one you feels works with your plot. There's endless possibilities, but its up to you as an author to find the one that you want.
     
  12. WriterOfGarnia

    WriterOfGarnia New Member

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    How about that other King offers him that necklace as a way of gratitude, but this King is evil and just want the benevolent King to become very evil as well. Then when the former benevolent King turns on his people as a Tyrant, the evil King who gave him the necklace knows exactly how to empty its power. He saves the kingdom and is seen as a hero, though that was his plan all along and he now rules both kingdoms.

    Just an idea... I love twists.
     
  13. minstrel

    minstrel Leader of the Insquirrelgency Supporter Contributor

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    Careful this doesn't move too close to Lord of the Rings, in which a piece of jewelry gives the wearer power, but also corrupts him ...
     
  14. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    Also there was the movie "Dragonheart" I believe with Dennis Quaid and Sean Connery as the voice of the dragon.

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116136/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
     
  15. navpoint

    navpoint New Member

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    Instead of making the focal point some piece of jewelry, think about how he uses his powers or what drives him to use it.
    Did he make a deal that lost his soul?
    Is he actually kept hostage by another kingdom and is a puppet instead?
    Does he uses his draconic powers openly or keeps them hidden? Further expounding on that, does he have an easy time controlling it?
    Is the dragon his same persona or a dual personality/identity?

    Overall, try to come up with a back story that brings him to the point where he's at. You can just outline it if you want or make a short story of it.
     

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