How to stop a mob

Discussion in 'Research' started by stormcat, Aug 25, 2014.

  1. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    She borrows the prince's helmet and visor, and she stabs the king just as he is on the verge of slaughtering Warwick Davis. She kills the king and now raises the bloodied head of the king in her one hand and waves the rebel banner in the other hand. Warwick Davis says:

    'The king is dead, God save the king.'

    A final arrow goes through Warwick's eye and kills him. The mob now sees both their figurehead and the evil king are dead, and realising the total waste and futility of war they drop their swords with a clatter, collapsing to their knees in subjugation.

    The final scene has the hero looking out the castle slit window to see the happy peasants ploughing the fields - one of whom wipes his brow and waves. She waves back and turns to the original prince who is recuperating under bandages on the bed. There's a bit of sexy interplay when she puts on his old helmet but she stupidly places her kneecap on his sore rib and has to apologise. END
     
  2. stormcat

    stormcat Active Member

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    this... could work. Hopefully she won't kill herself in the process.
     
  3. FrodoKreuger

    FrodoKreuger Member

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    The mob is actually an angry meeting of Narcoleptics Anonymous and they all have a sleeping fit at the same time? This is brainstorming, right, where you don't dismiss any suggestion no matter how stupid cos I think mine counts as stupid.
     
  4. T.Trian

    T.Trian Overly Pompous Bastard Supporter Contributor

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    Excuse my ignorance, but what does that mean?

    Anyway, sure, it's an option to make the MC so lucky she blurts out the right thing at precisely the right time to precisely the right person(s), keeping her cool in front of a violent, loud mob who probably intend to do something else to her body than what they would to a man's before killing her.
    And, of course, it's possible the mob (or the part of it who are within hearing distance, probably a few dozen individuals) consists mostly of righteous people who just want justice and won't loot, rape, injure, or kill, only defend themselves when threatened, and they'd be willing to stop and be respectfully quiet while the MC speaks the magic words that save her and the prince's lives.
    It's possible, just unlikely, and the author has to choose how far she's willing to stretch the willing suspension of disbelief.

    If the MC's telekinetic powers are strong enough, I'd make her bring a part of the building down on the mob, killing a bunch of them as well as blocking their access to her and the prince while preventing any of the building from collapsing on her. Is magic commonplace in the story's universe? Or would the mob retreat in surprise and horror if she left the building intact and instead bowled a few rioters at the mob with her powers?
     
  5. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    @T.Trian
    It is a playground type insult referencing football, delivered when one makes a comment which you believe is final and confirms your point of view, often used among friends - in this instance it is applied with a kiss to indicate I don't really think you are a sucker because you are a good guy.
     
  6. stevesh

    stevesh Banned Contributor

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    At this point, I'd just give them the freakin' prince, who I have come to dislike, for some reason. Have your MC save herself.
     
  7. stormcat

    stormcat Active Member

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    Seeing as how he and the MC are married it's a bit trickier than that.

    I'm going with the "walls fall down" method. Maybe I'll drag the two of them under a sturdy table and have them rescued later. Isn't that what you're supposed to do in an earthquake?
     
  8. Lae

    Lae Contributor Contributor

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    glad i could be of service! I guess some big ass oak style table would work, that being said (assuming its an old school castle) those stone blocks are damn heavy, but ya know your story your rules, could have her mentally support the table and take the brunt of the force or something to that effect. She could have no energy left/pinned and adding a baying mob scratching at the rubble to try get them would add a nice bit of tension.
     
  9. stormcat

    stormcat Active Member

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    Okay, another question.

    Assuming there's nothing to stop them, how long do riots typically last before the members run out of energy?
     
  10. Lae

    Lae Contributor Contributor

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    thats hard to answer, there isnt a typical time length. Its either they run out of stuff to do/destroy/kill, they come up against resistance, the mood/moment is over or a combination of all three.

    on a side note, is this a mob or rebels? storming a castle might be beyond a typical mob. Rebels are more organized and could lay siege over a very long period.
     
  11. stormcat

    stormcat Active Member

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    I'll go with rebels. Not well-armed rebels mind you, they can only get what they can cobble together.
     
  12. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    In that case, they have a focus in mind other than destroying everything in sight. I could imagine them entering the room, weapons drawn out and your MC jumping up with a "Wait, the prince is one of us! He's one of us!" or something of that nature. They may agree, reluctantly and begrudgingly, to hear her out first, but have some of them chime in with comments like, "What are we doing just standing around here? Let's knife the prick!" to show that not all of them are agreeing with this sudden diplomatic turn of events.
     
  13. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    Why can't your MC use her telekinesis to move the prince?
     
  14. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    Can she use non-lethal spells? If so, she could...

    + Use a spell to paralyze the mob and give her time to reason with them/escape.

    + Use a spell to alter their minds so they think they've accomplished what they set out to do.

    + As ChickenFreak pointed out, use a spell to move the prince. Or use a healing spell to patch him up to the point where he could run on his own.

    + Summon demons/elementals/spirits from the netherworld to defend against the mob while she escaped.

    + Create a shield/barrier between herself and the mob. That way all they can do is bang on the shield/barrier and watch while she escapes with the prince.
     
  15. stormcat

    stormcat Active Member

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    Any movement at all would aggravate his condition. She could drag him to a safe place when she brings down the roof, but even that's risky.
     
  16. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    That seems far riskier than moving him with telekinesis, unless your variant of telekinesis is an uncontrolled, violent exertion of force.

    Also, you say that they can't hide forever. Why not? A castle is a pretty big, complex place. And with telekinesis as an option, she could presumably reach places that can't normally be reached by climbing and that therefore the pursuers wouldn't think to search. For example, wedging a platform of wood halfway up a disused chimney or halfway down a disused well. And climbing out to levitate food and water to the hiding place.

    Now, if the premise is that you want her to face the mob, that's fine. I just don't see the mob as inevitable unless you want it to be inevitable.
     
  17. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    Zap him with a levitation spell that freezes him in place so she can easily move him without aggravating his injuries.
     
  18. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    Another thought: Is there anything that the people in this culture fear? An insect? A disease? If, for example, rats are seen as plague carriers can she use her telekinesis to somehow flood the castle cellars and send a flood of rats fleeing toward the mob? It's a lot easier to make people leave if they'd rather not be there anyway.
     
  19. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    Would she be able to get enough rats in one spot in enough time to scare the mob off? Also, if the mob was too deadset on accomplishing their task that they may not even see the rats. Some might get disturbed, but would be goaded by the others to press onward.

    Sorry if I sound like I'm nitpicking. :p
     
  20. stormcat

    stormcat Active Member

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    The MC's powers are still very weak. She can clumsily move objects or make them explode, but she can't do anything that elaborate. Best she can do is cause the roof to collapse.

    Now, how does she protect herself and the prince from the falling debris? Remember, she can't use her telekinesis because she just overexerted herself making the roof cave in.
     
  21. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    So the prince is wounded pretty badly, she can't move him without exacerbating the injuries. She can't do any high-fancy telekinesis stuff just yet because she's not of that skill level and she's tired herself. She just brought the roof in. There's also a mob/rebel group coming right at them.

    How would I get them out of this situation? Cave the entrance to block the mob/rebels. I'm assuming the pair isn't trapped in a one-way chamber where their only escape is through the entrance caved in.
     
  22. stormcat

    stormcat Active Member

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    When I said the ceiling comes down, I meant the whole ceiling. Even if there were multiple entrances to the room, they would still be made useless by debris.
     
  23. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    Can she create some sort of shield around herself and the prince? Or maybe she only collapses the part of the ceiling where the mob/rebels will be entering?
     
  24. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    Perfectly reasonable nitpicks. I was hoping that the OP might have something existing in the world. ("Ooh, I can throw a hive of PlagueHornets at them!")
     
  25. stormcat

    stormcat Active Member

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    No, like I said, bringing down the house took a lot out of her. It's possible should could bring down just enough to block the entrance, but I haven't decided if I'll do that, or keep them in an air pocket for a more dramatic effect.
     

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