1. Rassidan

    Rassidan New Member

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    Does this idea make sense

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Rassidan, Aug 24, 2011.

    Alright after a lot of thought from one of my other posts about modern fantasy I have developed a possible theory as to why the modern world does not interact with the magical world. What I need to know is if the idea is sound in its current state. I will probably tweak it a little later but here it is thus far.

    In the world of men it is acceptable to eat meat, onions, garlic, and mushrooms. The issue with these foods is that they have a negative effect on ones karma and causes a state of avidya in people who consume these substances.

    It is due to this avidya that one is incapable, not spiritually ready, to see the realm of magic. If a person was to stop eating these unpure foods and then perform a purification ceremony of the body then one could possibly be allowed to see the world of magic.

    So far this is what I have come up with and would like to know if it even sounds believable. I am sure more will be added to the concept later but this is the foundation of the idea.
     
  2. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Do I even need to say it?
     
  3. Rassidan

    Rassidan New Member

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    No, since I intend to write it anyways, but I like to be sure it isn't too unbelievable. I guess you could say I prefer the Hard Fantasy rules whether I am writing low, high, etc fantasy. I just don't want the idea to be unbelievable such as say cups can talk because they are in contact with water. That makes no sense and I don't want to base an entire story around something that makes no sense.

    I guess you could say I just want to be sure the mechanics of the idea are sound thus far. I know a few that sounds great will be nothing but it is the few people that actually stop to think about the mechanics of the concept I am interested in anyways.
     
  4. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    What about people who have never eaten meat, garlic, or mushrooms? Do they see the magical realm throughout their entire lives?
     
  5. Rassidan

    Rassidan New Member

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    I am thinking the purification must be combined with the lack of the foods. It is this combination of events that must be met before one is capable of seeing the magical realm. I am also thinking that the purification ceremony is going to be an older version of whatever the current one is. Sort of like John the Baptist's version of baptism versus the current accepted form.
     
  6. Urshulgi

    Urshulgi New Member

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    If that's how you want your story to work, write it. The concept of having to be initiated in some way before being able to see the magical world is one you'll come across in many books so don't worry about that too much.

    Also, I'd probably suggest that you're confusing "believable" and "realistic". I have the same problem when writing fantasy - I tend to start thinking "logically this shouldn't be happening". Remember, you're writing fantasy and it doesn't have to be realistic. The last book I read involved the city of London being cut off from the rest of the contry and gradually contracting, while supernatural factions representing (respectively) beauty and non-conformity threatened to start a war that would destroy the entire city from the inside out. And the protagonist was in danger of spontaneously combusting in blue fire.

    None of this is necessarily "realistic" but in the context of the story was very believable.

    Provided that it is in context for your story that a certain diet combined with an initiation/baptism awakens a person to the magical world, then why not use it?
     
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  7. Islander

    Islander Contributor Contributor

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    This idea sounds very Asian to me - the idea that foods affect one's spiritual essence reminds me of yin and yang. It sounds pretty strange to me as a Westerner, but I'm sure it's possible to write so it makes sense. You just need to be internally consistent and show how it works.

    Why did you have to say that? Now I have to go write a story about cups that can talk when they come into contact with water :)

    Seriously, though, once you get used to that idea, it's not stranger than swords that sing, rings that make you invisible, or any of the other common fantasy ideas.
     
  8. Rassidan

    Rassidan New Member

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    Yeah I guess your right about not being any stranger. I just never read a book with a singing sword but have heard of them. And yes the idea was intended to be very Asian in feel. Most of my belief system is Asian so it isn't a very big surprise when it comes off that way to others.

    Yes I suppose realistic is more of what I was asking but since it is Fantasy the real of realistic can be skewed a bit into the realm of just believeable. The issue I tend to have with my writing, especially on strange concepts like this, is it starts to become to grand in scheme or too complex. That is when I start to ask people if it still makes sense to them or if I shouls re-edit the idea.

    By the looks of it the concept didn't go over anyone's head, minus the few hindu terms potentially, so it is probably a sound idea to incorporate should I take this route.
     
  9. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    If an idea goes over the readers' heads, it wasn't presented properly.

    The story concept means nothing. It is how you present it that matters.
     

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