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Post by Mr. X on May 9, 2011 15:40:26 GMT -5
So this has been in my head for sometime and kind of wanted some feedback or ideas on this. So here goes explaining it. It takes place in our world, and I am going for a sort of urban fantasy feel. So basically, one day, everyone on the planet awakens to find that millions (almost half) of the world's population has gone missing. They just dissapeared. As time passes people also find that the worlds water sources have become fresh, and no matter what pollutants are put inside it quickly returns to its original pure and clean state. At the same time vegetation has been growing exponentially and plant life now covers alot of the metropolis' that once dominated. Ironically, as the world begins to produce such vegetation and fresh water, governments have collapsed. Many regions of countries have become self-sufficient communities rather than large scale areas. What people find extremely strange though is that all technology from 1800 on, no longer works. it simply ceases to function as it should. So the fantasy section really comes into the idea of magic. I have thought of allowing certain humans to understand and control nature or animals. The ability for alchemy to actually work to an extent. My story so far, in my head, follows a small community. One day a man who used to live there years after "the incident" returns, his friends having thought he dissapeared. Upon gathering them all together he tells them how he was chosen by nature. He wishes to spread the word of his new environmental thought. Although his few friends are skeptic, they agree to be his apostles and join him mostly to leave the small community/clan and maybe find out news or good materials from the outside to bring back while meeting many colourful characters. Basically I have plotted out some of their leaving as they encounter this new magic and the many factions that inhabit the other regions such as the cults that worship the machine and wait for its return or the environmental groups who have adapted to the new world, etc. I also had planned a betrayal by an apostle after they find a being created solely by junk. This being, if focusing hard enough, can actually return technology made after the 1800 to its functioning form. He basically asks that one of the aspostles helps him find his way. It is all still very rusty though  |
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Allya
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Post by Allya on May 9, 2011 16:22:58 GMT -5
Interesting...very interesting...
My first thought is that 1800 seems oddly specific. Perhaps all technology that uses electricity or power of any kind. So like type writers would work and all farm equipment in the farm museum would work but nothing with a plug, batteries, or an engine.
Also from what I'm gathering your actual story would take place after a significant amount of time has passed since the incident. Is that what you're saying?
And from reading this I'm also wondering if you ever intend to provide an explanation for the incident or even describe its genesis in great detail. The reason I ask is it might make the "magic" you wish to incorporate make more sense if there is some sort of common thread that ties the incident together. For instance: What type of people disappeared? Clearly things that were impure disappeared and 'nature' was not only given a reset but a jump. Would those who disappeared be polluted of mind?
The thing about different aspects of society and how they adapt to this change is very cool. I like the junk man concept and the worshiping of an old machine.
As far as the apostles and your man coming in from the wilderness: perhaps consider a child born after the incident instead. He could have been affected by the change and be representative of a larger coming biological change, something the old guard would rebel against and fear. A child would also fit in with the 'rebirth and renewal' theme.
For some reason the man coming out of the wilderness reminds me of The Worthing Saga.
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Post by Mr. X on May 9, 2011 16:29:33 GMT -5
First off, Allya, thank you so much for giving me your thoughts!
Yeah, it's the reasoning I wasn't sure on. Whether I wanted one or just to have a story about adaption without knowing. I am leaning more towards the latter.
Also, yes i was expecting it to be a few years following but not TOO long after the incident. What do you think is a good time frame?
Also I like the newborn idea, hmmmm *ponders*...
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Post by ASGetty ((Zovo)) on May 9, 2011 16:33:41 GMT -5
Like Allaya said, you need a "why."
Why only things from 1800 on? Why those people? Why purified water (does everything in the ocean die when all the water becomes fresh?)
It's an intersting idea, but without the "why" it's really hard to comment on.
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Post by Mr. X on May 9, 2011 16:44:11 GMT -5
Thanks Zovo, so basically I was too vague before. The ocean still stays salt water so all life can still live inside. I just meant any oil or other pollutants doesn't taint it, almost self cleaning. Hmmm, maybe a why really is important. It seemed easier just to pass it off as a natural evolution of the world, haha. But maybe you guys are right and there should be some reasoning. ...OR I can JJ Abrams it and make it up as I go along |
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Post by ASGetty ((Zovo)) on May 9, 2011 16:49:56 GMT -5
Well, the thing about "natural evolution" is that it doesn't typically happen over night. And doesn't often include mysterious causeless disappearances.
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Allya
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My Little Monster!
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Post by Allya on May 9, 2011 17:53:02 GMT -5
I will say that in"Island in a Sea of Time" they never explained why the island went back in time so it's not extremely necessary to over explain. However even if you don't explain the concept should follow a set of rules that make sense. Using that same example it became clear that whatever the event was it caused only the island to go back in time and that there was a "bubble" that got transported around the island including boats in the water around it. They never explain why but through description of the aftermath there is at least an understanding of the nature of the consequences.
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Post by Mr. X on May 9, 2011 21:00:45 GMT -5
Damn you guys are being super helpful! I am having a massive brainstorming today!
I need MORE!
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The Drall
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Post by The Drall on May 9, 2011 21:19:32 GMT -5
So basically, Mother Nature is taking back the planet, in a sense? That seems pretty cool. Sort of a "purge" by nature to reclaim Earth, right? I don't understand why so many people just vanished, though, and so suddenly. Maybe make it a gradual thing, like Zovo said. These things don't just happen over night.
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Post by Matteo ((Taed)) on May 9, 2011 21:22:41 GMT -5
So basically, Mother Nature is taking back the planet, in a sense? That seems pretty cool. Sort of a "purge" by nature to reclaim Earth, right? I don't understand why so many people just vanished, though, and so suddenly. Maybe make it a gradual thing, like Zovo said. These things don't just happen over night. I think you guys are missing the "it's magic" part. Stephen doesn't truck with science. Look at how he called 'almost half' the population ' millions of people'. |
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Post by Mr. X on May 9, 2011 21:25:22 GMT -5
Yeah for a sort of explanation I had considered a prelude containing a conversation among higher beings discussing the state of the world and their dissatisfaction. Basically they make these changes because they believe it will make the mortal world more interesting for their amusement.
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Post by Matteo ((Taed)) on May 9, 2011 21:28:56 GMT -5
Basically they make these changes because they believe it will make the mortal world more interesting for their amusement. Don't do that. Surely less people and no fancy gadgets = super boring. It would be much more amusing for them to give us laser guns and jet packs. Say they're doing it to preserve Mother Gaea or some such nonsense (can you guys tell that when Stephen was telling me this idea a while back he said I should be the one leading the machine cults?) |
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The Drall
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Post by The Drall on May 9, 2011 21:30:03 GMT -5
So basically, Mother Nature is taking back the planet, in a sense? That seems pretty cool. Sort of a "purge" by nature to reclaim Earth, right? I don't understand why so many people just vanished, though, and so suddenly. Maybe make it a gradual thing, like Zovo said. These things don't just happen over night. I think you guys are missing the "it's magic" part. I'm not a fan of "Magic can do anything!", I find that a little cheap, but that's just me. It can still be magic if, say, it starts off slow then builds up. 10 people one day, 50 the next, 200 the next, so on and so forth. |
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The Drall
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Post by The Drall on May 9, 2011 21:30:48 GMT -5
So basically, Mother Nature is taking back the planet, in a sense? That seems pretty cool. Sort of a "purge" by nature to reclaim Earth, right? I don't understand why so many people just vanished, though, and so suddenly. Maybe make it a gradual thing, like Zovo said. These things don't just happen over night. Stephen doesn't truck with science. Look at how he called 'almost half' the population ' millions of people'. I wasn't going to comment on that |
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Post by Mr. X on May 9, 2011 21:31:18 GMT -5
Basically they make these changes because they believe it will make the mortal world more interesting for their amusement. Don't do that. Surely less people and no fancy gadgets = super boring. It would be much more amusing for them to give us laser guns and jet packs. Say they're doing it to preserve Mother Gaea or some such nonsense (can you guys tell that when Stephen was telling me this idea a while back he said I should be the one leading the machine cults?) You fabricated that last part about leading the machine cults, you do know that right? |
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