1. Doran Shroud

    Doran Shroud New Member

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    How do I believably create tension between two brothers?

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Doran Shroud, Oct 2, 2020.

    (I'm new here so sorry if the formatting is wrong or if this isn't the right place to post this)
    So I've been mulling over this one story thread for a while and it has me stumped. A bit of backstory of these characters; They're brothers (Related but they don't look even remotely alike) and they're on a long journey to try get back home. One of them cannot directly lie, and they both share an empathic link so they can tell what the other is feeling or when they're in danger. Also they're not human, one's a dragon and the other is a Qilin (Eastern Unicorn that's a hybrid of a dragon and canine). All of this world's inhabitants are mythological creatures so they don't stand out too much.
    Some info of the plot and world to this point, their goal is to try find their way home but they're constantly being hunted, getting lost and facing monster that even Odysseus wouldn't want to meet. They're nearing the end of the first part of the story at this point and, via magic, have been trapped in a region controlled by the very creatures hunting them.
    At this point in the plot the Qilin brother (That one who can't lie) accidentally reveals that he directly triggered the series of events that led them getting so far from home and this sparks a fight. Now my issue here is that I don't feel that just that one revelation is enough to get the fight going and this conflict is needed for a crucial plot thread down the line. Anyone have any advice or experience with writing this kind of conflict?
     
  2. Infel

    Infel Contributor Contributor

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    Hey Doran! Welcome to the forums. Having a brother myself, I can say that most of our tension (at least on my end) comes from more intimate scuffles--feelings of neglect, or lack of care, or general apathy. Because I really like my brother, and sometimes it seems like he couldn't care less about me. That discrepancy generates conflict. Your Qilin might accidentally reveal that he's responsible for a series of terrible events, but maybe that could tie in with a general feeling of 'growing apart' or 'not being there for eachother'. The external usually has to compound with the internal for really bad fights to happen.

    Maybe the Dragon has become really distant over the course of this adventure, that once the brothers were really close and best friends and that's been called into question? Maybe the Qilin feels guilty, knows he's putting his brother through hardship, and so tries to hide it. Maybe it's a "This is your fault!" "Well it wouldn't be so bad if we faced it together!" "Well how can I trust you when you hid it from me?" sort of thing?

    I think to generate a really great conflict, you'll have to reach down into the personal.
     
  3. Doran Shroud

    Doran Shroud New Member

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    Thanks for the advice. I've never had a brother so your insight really helped!
     
  4. making tracks

    making tracks Active Member

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    Yes, it could make his brother feel betrayed that someone who is supposed to be so close to him has kept it secret all this time and make him question what else is being kept from him.

    One brother could feel like they have been pulling the brunt of the hardships in order to protect the other but with this revelation they now feel resentful of it.

    There is a whole thing about siblings 'having' to love each other unconditionally because they are family, even if they wouldn't even be friends if they weren't related, but one hearing the other is the cause of a lot of their grief could very well make any past bonds they had or sacrifices they made for each other feel undeserved. There could be a lot of resentment between siblings because they feel like they aren't really allowed to resent each other so it gets suppressed and a revelation like this could unleash it.
     
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  5. montecarlo

    montecarlo Contributor Contributor

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    I like the advice given so far, but I want to expand upon it a little. It's very natural for brothers to fight and have tension, but if they're best buddies and no issues up until this revelation, and then have a huge spat... might come across weird.

    I would make sure there are plenty of scuffles leading up to it, some good natured, some serious. That way when things do blow up, it feels in character.
     
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  6. degeh

    degeh Banned

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    Jealousy, being fed up, the older one trying to dominate..
     

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