Want ideas for this I don't want to get too academic with this story. I have three new characters Dr. Augustus Harlow - an academic who has studied legends, myths etc Written several books, popular with the public, unpopular with his peers. There is a possibility he isn't human or at least not from Earth. Iris Harlow - His straight talking wife. Carries a large handbag with everything you could ever need, and a large black umbrella, because you never know when it may rain or someone needs a clout. Johnny Wray - Their grandson, his mother died after a long illness, his father is still in prison for violent crimes. He lives with his grandparents. He is precocious, excitable little boy of seven. We are going to be investigating stone circle or cairns (prehistoric burial mounds) - set in the middle of the forest. I am thinking maybe the current excavation which has found skulls, finds the bones of a small child, or maybe young animal. Small child comes from a group of inhabitants of the forest that are now forest spirits. They want their offering back. However any other ideas for a ghost story/paranormal alien type thing that could happen at a stone circle or cairn would be welcome ?
Want ideas for this I don't want to get too academic with this story. I have three new characters Dr. Augustus Harlow - an academic who has studied legends, myths etc Written several books, popular with the public, unpopular with his peers. There is a possibility he isn't human or at least not from Earth. Something that could mak the doctor unpopular with his peers could be that he has his own podcast, talk show, or is used as an advisor for horror movies based on myth. I know a lot of law enforcement dislike CSI because it shows investigative work taking hours or days when in reality it takes weeks or months. Iris Harlow - His straight talking wife. Carries a large handbag with everything you could ever need, and a large black umbrella, because you never know when it may rain or someone needs a clout. Johnny Wray - Their grandson, his mother died after a long illness, his father is still in prison for violent crimes. He lives with his grandparents. He is precocious, excitable little boy of seven. We are going to be investigating stone circle or cairns (prehistoric burial mounds) - set in the middle of the forest. I am thinking maybe the current excavation which has found skulls, finds the bones of a small child, or maybe young animal. Small child comes from a group of inhabitants of the forest that are now forest spirits. They want their offering back. However any other ideas for a ghost story/paranormal alien type thing that could happen at a stone circle or cairn would be welcome ? Stonehenge is always a popular place people like to use for paranormal/alien stories. Indian mounds are another, not necessarily because of what is in them, but because when viewed from high above in a plane or helicopter, the mound often has a recognizable shape. I don't remember any names, but I do know one of the more famous Indian mounds is shaped like a snake. Looking at it from ground level, you would never notice it though.
I was contemplating a Scottish stone circle or cairn - (clava cairns most famous), they tend to be in the middle of forrests. Not to mention loads of them, enough I can make one up that has never been observed before. Stonehenge has kind of been excavated to death not sure they would find anything new, plus I know too much about it, think I would be tempted to infodump all over it. Are they the same mounds Thomas Jefferson did the first ever modern archaeology investigation of ?
The Indian mounds I am speaking of were made by Native Americans in North America. I don't know if Jefferson ever looked at any. I do know he wanted to 'westernize' the Indians with European culture.
I think the must be the same thing, I don't know an awful lot about them beyond that. Thomas Jefferson was the very first 'modern' archaeologist who performed an examination of a site with the purpose of research only rather than treasure hunting. At least that is what my main textbook says lol
"...his father is still in prison for violent crimes..." Is this the real truth - or the polite fiction told to the boy. I remember a boy I met as a teen. The boy was living with his grandmother because "my parents died in a car crash when I was a baby". The truth was that his father killed his mother and was serving life in prison. So, some possibilities about the father that would fit into the plot: A) Father is in prison, but is somehow connected to the spirit world. Once near the circle, he can communicate with his son. B) Father is in a supernatural prison, and his son's presence at the circle creates a weakness in that prison. C) Father is dead, and his spirit will be able to touch the real world in/near the circle. Good luck, Frank
As far as what they find at said stone site, I'd go for something more paranormal than just bones -- maybe bones of something monsterlike, or something that's obviosuly extraterrestrial.
Is that a bit Tommy Knockers lol ? can't imagine Gran played by Jimmy Smits actually maybe I could lol he played a fantastic woman in something His father beat Johnny'sl Mother up - until Gran beat him and told him never to come back. He is in prison for killing his second wife.
Not familiar with Tommyknockers - I know the general premise but don't recall that specific scene...maybe I should go look it up now lol
would it be too cliche to have had the stones as petrified witches and the bones their last spell that did it to them? Digging up the child released the spell and next morning the stones are missing ?
They dig up a golem? A man made out of mud with real human bones. Some one picks at it and wakes it up? Or Sasquatch; there's been some fanstastically new age and kooky reports of them walking around ominously glowing holding a red orb.
Actually, I think that sounds interesting. If it was less dark, it woulld make a good fairy tale too.
i was thinking that rather than bones - just keep it to finding the usual severed heads from henges and then have a special artefact. Next morning they show up and the stones have disappeared. The witches have been released and are after revenge on those that did it to them. I am liking the idea that they weren't evil it was superstition that got them caught up with it. Decided my Male MC is going to be a druid.
Maybe some kind of spiritual/human sacrifice? So the stone circle is actually a kind of altar? Or the stone circle could be a children's graveyard? Or it could be where the the children of the forest spirits are trapped - some kind of curse, either inflicted unfairly by some evil entity/person, or it was punishment for something that those children did that was unforgivable when they were alive. Upon execution after some special ceremony, they are damned to be chained to the Stone Circle forever, tied there by the presence of their skulls. So these trapped spirits could call for help and of course, spin a few lies to convince your MCs & co. to help free them. Once freed, MC & co. realise what they've done and now the entire forest and the balance of spirits are in danger and completely disrupted. Now MC & co. must find a way to restore balance and get the children spirits back. In the meanwhile, those freed spirits could try and take their revenge on existing forest spirits and any living community related to these spirits. And they're starting to kidnap souls and chain them to their very own version of "The Stone Circle" - and MC & co. must find this "other place" in order to free the truly innocent. I wanna write this myself now!!!! If you don't mind, I'd like to - without your characters, of course. I'd write my own Either way, you've got my ideas
Are such circles supposed to be the entrance to Fairy, the alternate universe where elves, etc live? If that's mythologically correct, then you have a cast of both pleasant and dangerous characters to choose from.
Just found this - they can be, or they are seen as fertility places or petrified witches amongst others most have a legend of some sort attatched. Torchwood did a fantastic fairy episode not sure I can beat that but might be useful for a later one. I have another with a demon ghostly nun in a convent ready as well.
Idea If we are talking about ancient burial sites, look at incorporating the ghosts of the dead, and how the professor helps them pass over to the other side. It could be a story of redemption or an event that brings him and his wife together.
What about something strange happens when standing in the circle (? - ellipse might be more intriguing, or an equilateral triangle (which has nice mathematical properties), or ... ) at a particular date/time at a specific position? It can be the boy: - losing speech (or some other sense) - suddenly becomes a model child - is struck with wisdom or any of the other ten possibilities I don't want to tell you as not to spoil your fun! It can manifest itself permanently/temporarily, intermittently (only with some lunar position for instance), only when his granpa is within a certain distance, ah well, you get the picture. HTH
Actually I have decided to have the stones disappear overnight - the witches released from their spell want revenge.
lol maybe not Gus and Iris are going to have more than one story but I have sort of started this one Original post was awhile ago lol I move quick with my stories. I have second one with a demon nun lined up - a plague pit is opened up accidently causing great widespread panic (pnuemonic plague remains a health hazard centuries later), Iris was a nurse and is caught up in caring for people. Along with the plague the ghost of a woman forced to enter the convent for her family escapes and invades a modern day nun. After that no plans yet.
