Hello everyone, so I am writing a novel and I have most of the backstory and outline figured out by now, and I have written about 15000 characters. However I have been stuck for a week on some practical issues on how to continue the story. So the main character has a book that has larger significance that he realises, his mother has had this book all her life until her death during an attack on their home town. The text of the book is written in a strange language but somehow, the main characters mother is able to read it, the reasons behind this is not revealed until much later in the story. The main character finds a note from his mother that says that he must visits these 6 temples of an ancient civilisation, that was destroyed by their people a thousand years ago, to restore power to the book. In the story there are three humanoid races with three different racial properties, such as; people with scarlet eyes can enhance their physical strength, agility, etc temporarily, but this ability has been lost and only a few can use, or even knows about the power. The book has the ability to activate and enhance these racial abilities on certain individuals, and the main character is the chosen carrier of this book, no one but him can utilise the power of the book. However I have yet to imagine how this will work practically, for instance; when they reach a temple and restores part of the power of the book, what happens practically? A book seems like such an arbitrary item for this. Do the main character place the book on a pedestal which the book reacts to? And suddenly lights up the room and simultaneously the book shots a beam of energy into the main character which puts him in trans, perhaps revealing some secret of the history of the world? Furthermore, how would the enhancement of the racial abilities work practically? Will the book start glowing and the main character direct beams of energy from his hands? Seems kind of silly, or maybe it is more subtle somehow? Basically I have worked out most things until the main character reaches the first temple, I would very much appreciate any ideas that you have. I am sorry if the information I have given is sparse, but i don't want to spoil too much of the story.
There are only a few cases where one can use the abilities without the help of the book, so it is the book that activates and enhances their abilities, the temples are used for restoring the power of the book
Possibly when parts of the book are "powered on" he has the ability to read them and they are spells that have the ability to unlock others (and his own if he has any) racial abilities.
I like how Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D has their approach to a similar idea. In the episode, the symbol's on the rock glowed and the people inside the temple got covered in stone. After the stone broke off, they had their powers. Just replace the rock with the book and change it up slightly (as to not copy.)
Maybe have the main character read something part in the book- some kind of chant or whatever in front of a pedestal? It is a book- so I would imagine that it has some sort of stuff the main character would read. And maybe- when the character reads a part of the book in a certain spot of the temple, the magic happens (lights glowing, earthquakes, etc.) I think it would be a good idea to reveal some sort of back story/visions about the past when the main character reads the book as well. Also- How does the main character actually activate the book to activate and enhance the powers of others around him? By reading a part of the book? or is the book more like an artifact that he holds?
"Also- How does the main character actually activate the book to activate and enhance the powers of others around him? By reading a part of the book? or is the book more like an artifact that he holds?" That is one of the things that I am not sure of yet, in the story the main character is chosen by the book, a surge of energy runs through him when he touches it for the first time without his mother already holding it. It is a little bit generic I think that he would chant a magic spell, that is why I have not considered it, but if I dont come up with anything during the week I may have to reconsider. Perhaps the fact that the main character has chosen them as their companions is reason enough for enhancing their abilities, kind of like a indirect effect that permanently makes them stronger for just being the main characters friend.
Idea 1: generic power restoration How about having pictures of the attributes of the people with powers in the book? Eg: a face with purple eyes. But the pictures are faded. Upon visiting the temple and restoring that power, the pictures now take on a vibrancy and even glow when viewed - indicating that the people with those attributes have had their power restored? Idea 2: specific person power restored 2a. If you wanted to go specific down to the individual level, you could have it so the one person in the temple with that attribute now appears as an image in the book, vibrant and glowing as above. 2b. The MC could potentially write the name of the individual in the book, as part of a ceremony, perhaps with his blood or the blood of the individual. With 2a. the image could serve a second purpose, whereby the image fades as the character suffers ill health, or glows when they are restored / fully healthy. Like a HP+MANA indicator.
How about each temple has a symbol or word or something carved into it in some hidden spot and the MC has to write it down in the book to complete a spell/chant?
