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The quirk

12 years ago
So I've been mulling over this story for quite a while, and I'm extremely close to starting it, but I don't know what to do about giving the main character a quirk. The story so far is that long ago during a voyage on the mysterious Wild Seas an exploring vessel captained by the great adventurer, Arcanus Gaius (Are-can-us Guy-us), discovers a young boy that has been shipwrecked by one of the many perils of the Wild Seas. After taking him in the boy is revealed to have no memory of his past and the only thing he does remember is his power: one of the forbidden secondary magics. You see, in this world there are 4 primary magics which were granted to people by the gods: Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water. Some wizards have gone beyond these four magics and created new, more powerful magics known as secondary magics. These magics are forbidden, for it is said that going beyond what the gods have given is the same as going against the gods themselves. This myth is further believed due to the self-destructive nature of secondary magic. For instance, the boy (who later adopts the name "Frost") is a user of Ice magic, which causes an unstable build-up of ice on the body akin to frostbite. It is a chronic ailment, that if allowed to persist will eventually cause the wizard to freeze to death (morbid irony tends to be the weapon of choice for gods). Now, I have the hero, and I have the challenge. I just have to give Frost something that will influence the reader to believe that he is as realistic and human as possible. Any suggestions? (By quirk I don't mean debilitating illness or the like (blindness, etc.), something comical to help release some of the seriousness of the situations Frost will find him in.)

The quirk

12 years ago

What's his personality normally like? How does he view using his ability (blessing, curse, etc). How does he view other users of secondary magic, users of primary magics, and people who can't use magic?

The above questions will help you decide on the contrast needed for his quirk. Off the top of my head:

- He hates the cold

- He gets sea sick

- He is a narcissist, and thus mocks his opponents and complains/over-reacts everytime his body gets injured by the cold

The quirk

12 years ago
He thinks of the primary users as backward, he has a strong sense of justice and is an exceptionally kind person. He tends to view his ability as a means to an end. He uses it because it's powerful and it catches his opponents off guard. People who don't have any magical talent are just common folk. Wizards are fairly uncommon, but being a wizard is also a curse. Those who do possess magic are generally considered monsters and are feared for their destructive powers. That being said most wizards are either nobility or just really really rich. Frost is aware of this fear and tends to hide his abilities until he has to fight to save either someone else's life or his own.

The quirk

12 years ago

Hmmm, he seems like a pretty non-funny character. Have you thought about adding a tag-along character as comic relief instead rather than relying on the main character for it?

It's really hard to have a kind person with a strong sense of justice have some sort of amusing quirk. I mean, you could just have him be really stupid and oblivious to the obvious if you want. He could also be clusmy and prone to screwing up (which may go well with the chaotic nature of the magic).

I'm curious, why does he view primary mages as "backwards"? Does he just not understand why they would want to be mages, or does he view the magic itself as backwards when compared to his?

The quirk

12 years ago
He views secondary magic as progressive and innovative because they are the next step in magic. He sees users of primary magic as backward for the same reason that we would see someone holding a brick cell phone as backward. It gets the job done, but it's really really old and outdated, you'd be better off using something newer and better. And I think I have an idea for a foil character down as well. Maybe some sort of talking beast or something of the like.

The quirk

12 years ago

Kind of an odd mix for someone to be kind/helpful but at the same time feel superior to normal magic users because they feel their magic is outdated. Also odd that he would have a strong sense of justice, yet use forbidden magic. Unless it's just personal justice and not judicial.

The quirk

12 years ago
He's a good guy, but really really arrogant. He does good things and is generally a good guy, but there are certain times when he goes full-blown asshole. His sense of justice lies in the fact that he has strong feelings as to what is right and what is wrong. He knows that forbidden magic is wrong but he still uses it as a tool for justice, therefore it's ok. The magic is merely a means to an end.

The quirk

12 years ago
Here's some quirks for you:

He's racist towards non-humans.

He's a kleptomaniac.

He's a compulsive liar.

He compulsively tries to grope attractive members of the opposite sex. (or same or both if you prefer)

He compulsively tries to grope UNattractive members of the opposite sex. (or same or both if you prefer)

He uses simple cantrips to play mean tricks on small children and the feeble minded.

He has no modesty and tends to walk around naked whenever possible.

He has minor form of tourette's syndrome.

He carries around a small doll like object and speaks to it on occasion.

The quirk

12 years ago
I like the non-humans idea. It's a thought I haven't played around with but what's really great about this list is that it's given me an idea. Implant a loathing of women into Frost due to some sort of event in his childhood and is somehow forced to travel with a women that possesses all of the qualities that he hates in women. Well since this is a story about wizardry how about this= a wizard using his dying words (the spell a wizard casts with his dying breath is said to be exponentially more powerful than the spell if it were normally cast) to cast a binding spell on Frost and a women of some sort of importance. The binding spell is so powerful, that it binds the two's souls and if they stray too far from each other the binding will violently sever, causing death on both ends. An interesting chance for a romance sub-plot to the main plot of Frost trying to learn who he really is. Thanks endmaster, you really saved me!

The quirk

12 years ago

It is often believed that great minds think the same... and now i see that indeed they do.

You chose the exact same name for your great adventurer ( Arcanus) as I chose for a pwoerful military leader in a story i'll publish soon, which is in my storygame list  and it's called 'Skyron 2: Return of Arcanus"

The quirk

12 years ago
I actually got the name from a game called Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. The main antagonist is called Arcanus.

The quirk

12 years ago

yes, great minds think alike.

The quirk

12 years ago
I love the doll one, lol. Anyway, looking forward to the story. Good luck.

The quirk

12 years ago
I won't host the story on this site b/c it'll be a first person POV. I will post the hosted site's link when i upload a chapter.

The quirk

12 years ago

What's wrong with having a 1st person point of view on the site? Homo Perfectus is set in first person. If it was a linear story I would understand though.

The quirk

12 years ago
it's linear to the point where there is no game, it's a novel pure and simple.

The quirk

12 years ago
Make him walk around naked too, it will make the girl feel incredibly awkward.

The quirk

12 years ago

I like Endmaster's idea about the doll, except I think it should be a creepy sock-puppet instead.

The quirk

12 years ago
Are we trying to make him realistically human or psychotic?

The quirk

12 years ago

So walking around naked is cool, but sock puppets cross the line?

Alright then....

The quirk

12 years ago
Walking around naked is always cool.

The quirk

12 years ago
But honestly I just thought it would be interesting to see how the girl reacts to a person who hates her, always has to be around her, and is constantly naked.

The quirk

12 years ago
Compromise: Make him walk around naked except for one sock puppet on his hand.

The quirk

12 years ago

Maybe he should wear the sock puppet in a more interesting area....

The quirk

12 years ago
Well if its on the particular area then you know exactly what most of the conversations are going to be about.

The quirk

12 years ago
I can't have him walk around naked. It'd be too close to this guy: http://fairytail.wikia.com/wiki/Gray_Fullbuster

The quirk

12 years ago
Its true, damn,I love Gray.

The quirk

12 years ago

Was gonna point that out but I wasn't sure how many people would know who he was lol.