Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby Phht » December 30th, 2014, 10:58 am

It's entirely possible I'm overselling a bit. I was thinking more of the "study/cram hard so you can test well and get to a good school so you can study/cram harder to get into a good university, etc (and if you fail one or more of those steps, you might consider suicide because your life is ruined now)" side of things rather than the high-speed trains and what not. In the same vein, onmyodo tends to be depicted as good at warding away or defeating evil spirits/demons, and I think of dementors as close enough not to matter.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » December 30th, 2014, 2:12 pm

CRACK THEORY TIME:

Chakra is, in fact, Spiral Energy.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby jgkitarel » December 30th, 2014, 10:48 pm

Phht, we can also put history into perspective with the American occupation of Japan. While the American occupation wasn't as zealous in changing Japanese culture as it was in Germany with the de-nazification, they did at the same time heavily influence Japan's development in the latter 20th Century. Simply put, American influence is what brought about the rise of wand use in Japan from a perhaps small minority, to a far more influential group.

Also, while traditional methods are prized, their training is far longer, far more specialized, and is more of a case of master-apprentice, or passed down a family. Some things, like ofuda, are taught to the general magical public, but true onmyodo isn't. After all, there is a lot of ritual that goes into it, both for practical reasons, because it is so heavily tied in with Shintoism, and simple tradition. After all, if it works, why change it?
Also, I have to punch you, jgkitarel, because I spent a lot of time on the nanoha wiki trying to locate information on mages being trained due to being above a certain rank, only to remember and confirm that you were the one that came up with that. - Phht
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby Phht » December 31st, 2014, 5:57 am

My first thought was "That's assuming America is majority wand magic users, or at least magic users in their military." After all, while there have been large numbers of European immigrants over the centuries, there's a number of magic traditions in the area. We have all the Native American magic traditions ((North) American Shamanism?), African magic traditions via slave trade (African Shamanism?), things like Voodoo or "Wicca", etc. Though I figure that while there are "pure" practitioners of each tradition, overall they've probably merged into various schools. The shamanism traditions likely mostly merged into a single school of thought, for example. Plus, I can't help but cringe at the idea of having a wooden stick out in the jungles of the Pacific and trying to keep it intact during all the fighting, etc.

But the realization I'm coming to? I (at the very least) am kinda equating "wand magic" to the European pseudo-Latin magic school (though now I'm imagining a Japanese wizard trying to cast a patronus and messing up the pronunciation every time...), when the only key thing should be "using a wand to perform magic".
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby Tempest Kitsune » December 31st, 2014, 10:33 am

Another thing to take into account is that magic users seem to be an incredibly insular lot. Granted, in Japan this probably wasn't the case due to their heritage and histor, but with the ramping up of the war, the mages of Japan and China may have gone underground to avoid being used by the War Council as just another weapon. So by the time the Americans arrived, the magic arm of the occupational fore, if any, can't even find them to influence them.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » January 12th, 2015, 10:57 am

All the stories and crossovers I see tend to use the movie version of the Addams family...what about the original TV or comic strips?

You know, where they celebrated the strange, but didn't revel in the macabre.

Because that's what The Addams Family was about, after all. Accepting difference and not treating it as abnormal, rather than having everyone be social deviants or demented mutants.



EDIT: MORE CRACK:
Spoiler: show
Yes as a matter of fact Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny ARE being dosed up to the gills with various potions. But it's not due to Molly or Dumbledore. It's not because of Snape, nor is it the doing of Riddle or his followers. The actual culprit...is Percy!

See, Percy always struck me as being heavily invested in the rightness of government no matter what, even moreso than Hermione (who is cursed with a sort of manic hero worship, only towards certain authority figures rather than Harry)...and he views Harry and his friends as being obstacles to the stability of the British magical government and its ability to maintain order. Now, he starts with Ginny. He might seem all smiles and sunshine on their trip to Egypt, but that's how he gets to her.

Since possession is a rare enough thing that it isn't recognized as a legitimate excuse and/or condition to be considered when dealing with criminal cases, he has something to hold over her for the events of her first year. He potions her up (either with a loyalty potion if such things actually exist in canon or some kind of compulsion brew, otherwise), and keeps her drugged, with regular deliveries from his personal owl along with letters to give her instructions ensuring she keeps on taking the compulsion potions as well as whatever else he gives her.

From there he uses her to get to the Golden Trio. Now we know that by Harry & company's fourth year Percy is at least a mid-level Ministry employee, meaning he either got his position due to Arthur, or someone else fast-tracked his advancement, because I don't see someone who had only graduated a year before becoming the assistant to someone as well-known as Barty Sr. in such short order. Either way, it gives him the means and the reasons to continue drugging the four of them...which considering that Harry can throw off the Imperius curse (and because his friends are considerably talented in their own rights, as well), it starts causing aberrant behavior.

Where it can go from this I have no idea, but it's something to think about.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby jgkitarel » January 13th, 2015, 12:16 pm

Actually Trace, it still wouldn't be all that different.

Despite the different standards of the original TV series and the movies (which we can attribute to the Hays Code), the original comics were darker than the TV series. The Addams family went from dark comedy to horatian satire on American values, to a combination of both. The movies have the benefit of combining the aspects of both the original one panel comics and the tv series that everyone really remembers.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby jgkitarel » January 24th, 2015, 4:57 am

Ok, a random idea:

Nanoha Takamachi, influenced and trained by Jack Rakan.

Better yet, Shinji Ikari, influenced and trained by Jack Rakan.
Also, I have to punch you, jgkitarel, because I spent a lot of time on the nanoha wiki trying to locate information on mages being trained due to being above a certain rank, only to remember and confirm that you were the one that came up with that. - Phht
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » January 31st, 2015, 11:06 am

Okay so this I'm pretty sure has never been done before: Perfect Dark crossover with Mass Effect (I don't know why I'm suggesting this, I haven't even left the Citadel yet in my copy of ME1).

Joanna Dark can't be a secret agent forever, and eventually retired from the Carrington Institute, got married, had a couple of kids...and then for whatever reason, Joanna (because she's our femShep in this) was put on ice for a few decades. Or maybe there's some cloning or cybernetic augmentations involved (think like Bicentennial Man maybe). Regardless of how she gets there, she gets put forward to be a Spectre, even though she really doesn't want the job...but who better to represent humanity than Perfect Dark?
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby RavynousHunter » February 20th, 2015, 8:01 pm

Why is there so little mention of ritual magic in Harry Potter? I mean, we have the ritual of...resurrection? Reincarnation? I dunno, whatever chicanery Voldermort pulled to get his body back. Personally, I think that's how the Statute of Secrecy came to be in actual effect: a bunch of wizards from the world over held a massive magical ritual that affected the world's muggle population, and their records, causing them to no longer believe in magic, and by extension, the magical world and to lose all definitive proof of its existence. I mean, the mundane population isn't stupid and there's little doubt in my mind that all it'd take to reveal the magical world, had they simply disappeared off the face of the Earth (thus leading to a "I wonder where these guys got off to..." moment), would be a couple of researchers studying a given point of history and maybe making family trees or somesuch. I'd love to see more of multiple wizards pooling their power to cast one MASSIVE spell of incredible power, it'd just be awesome.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » March 2nd, 2015, 7:07 am

Probably a repeat, but I don't care.
Inspired by a thought while reading A Drop of Poison.

If yin gives form to thought (clones, genjutsu) and yang gives life to form (shadow techs, certain nin/tai)...if a shadow clone eats regularly will it turn from raw chakra to flesh and blood? Or am I misinterpreting something here?

I had this wild thought that since the environment is suffused with chakra (different from what people use under normal circumstances, but still chakra), then it would also be present in food...along with all the vitamins and minerals and proteins and fibers...

Just this image of one of the clones taking a rather heavy hit that instead of dispelling them sends them down with a broken limb.

(I mean if the nine beasts can have true bodies (the story of Ginkaku and Kinkaku eating bits of Kurama comes to mind!) why not shadow clones that have been around for awhile doing 'people stuff'?)
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby jgkitarel » March 3rd, 2015, 8:50 am

From the way A Drop of Poison is going, it is very likely that some of the clones will become far more unique and distinct than they already are. It definitely seems to be going that way as it is. Also, since Naruto is realistically the only one who could reasonably spare the chakra in doing something like that, it is certainly something that can be looked into.
Also, I have to punch you, jgkitarel, because I spent a lot of time on the nanoha wiki trying to locate information on mages being trained due to being above a certain rank, only to remember and confirm that you were the one that came up with that. - Phht
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » March 10th, 2015, 7:37 pm

What happens if you try to hide a person with the Fidelius? Does it work, or does it go insane?
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby jgkitarel » March 11th, 2015, 10:53 pm

Neither, but the fact is, no one knows. On the other hand, there was that one unfortunate who tried and found himself in R'lyeh and was invited as dinner by C'tulhu. He barely escaped with his body, but not his sanity.

On the other hand, his trip to Azakaban was unique in the fact that the Dementors stayed well away from him, they knew better than to attack the chosen prey of something more dangerous than them.
Also, I have to punch you, jgkitarel, because I spent a lot of time on the nanoha wiki trying to locate information on mages being trained due to being above a certain rank, only to remember and confirm that you were the one that came up with that. - Phht
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby Wraith5 » March 11th, 2015, 11:01 pm

That... that's hilarious.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » April 1st, 2015, 7:43 am

Okay, not really a bunny, per se, so much as a suggestion for guidelines in writing jonin trials:
Spoiler: show
Skill set: A jonin should be expected to know 15-20 offensive techniques, 5-10 defensive techniques, and as many utility techniques that they feel they need. There is no reason to have a jonin required to learn a thousand techniques. Even a hundred is pushing it. Kakashi notwithstanding, most people would not be expected to know that many spells. If you get into a fight and get stuck trying to decide which tech to use, you're going to get captured or killed. So, having 20-30 techniques is a reasonable expectation. Jonin aren't picked on the strength of their repertoire, after all, or Guy would be stuck as a chunin.

Fitness: Again, extremes like Guy or Kakashi notwithstanding, a jonin-level ninja should have reasonable expectations placed on them. Being able to run a five-minute mile while fully loaded, for example, is a good test of a ninja's fitness. Nobody needs to spend ten hours a day working on their physical fitness, because that's just silly. And nobody is expected to move at the speed of sound, either. I'm allowing for body enhancement techniques in this, of course, but realistically, running more than 30 kph without the use of movement abilities like the body flicker or tree-hopping is pushing it. And nobody's expected to be able to lift three times their body weight, either. A ninja's focus should be on endurance first and speed second.

Proficiency: or, as I like to call it, specialization. Shinobi beyond genin level begin to specialize their skills and focus their training and education on a specific area. While they're all expected to be able to take command of a squad (or a platoon in wartime), it's not to say that they have to be skilled in every aspect of ninja capability. And not everybody's going to be a combat specialist. Therefore when writing the prospective jonin you should take into consideration what sort of role you want them to play. Are they a front-line operative? Do they prefer sneaking around? Can they perform field surgery? Basically, the ninja corps of a hidden village is like the army. Everyone knows how to fight, but they also have specific jobs that they train for, be it mechanic, doctor, or even diplomat/public relations.

The exception, not the rule: "Power" ninja are extremely rare. Ninja like Kakashi or Hanzo come along maybe two or three times IN A GENERATION. They are the equalizers, the ones that tip the scales, and are meant to be countered by jinchuriki, if said beast containers aren't being used for other, more general purposes. To have every jonin-level ninja be on par with Itachi or Kisame (who are their generation's monsters) is absurd and would quickly lead to a world which nobody can live in because it's been torn to shit by ninja magic.

And lastly, remember, "Kage" is a position more than it is a rank, and "Sannin" is a one-off title given to a squad of lucky bastards who survived a running day-long battle with one of the deadliest people on the continent, which they only managed because, as a team, their opponent couldn't overcome them. If they had fought one-on-one they'd be names on the memorial stone.

I'm just writing this because I'm sick of facepalming at all these stories that have <insert character here> turn into an absolute monster just because they want to become a jonin. You know the ones I mean. They completely give up their personal life, train obsessively, and have no skills that aren't related to demolishing armies. Jonin are not army-killers. They are army LEADERS.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby jgkitarel » April 3rd, 2015, 4:49 am

To be honest, Trace, I'm pretty sure that the Jonin needing to know a thousand techniques is fanon, rather than actual canon. The canon statement was probably more metaphorical and the context didn't cross over as well as the words did.
Also, I have to punch you, jgkitarel, because I spent a lot of time on the nanoha wiki trying to locate information on mages being trained due to being above a certain rank, only to remember and confirm that you were the one that came up with that. - Phht
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » April 3rd, 2015, 7:21 am

It IS fanon; it's also prevalent to the point where people that don't know about the Naruto series that start reading fanfics will think it is CANON. (Sort of like the whole Arashi Kazama thing.)

The whole thing probably started with the tidbit about Kakashi knowing over 1,000 techs, and Sarutobi being called either "the Professor" or "God of Shinobi" depending on which translation or stories you read.

Basically the guide is for new writers so they don't fall into the trap that other authors seem determined to perpetuate no matter what.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » April 6th, 2015, 6:31 am

Why in over 15 years of Harry Potter fanfiction has nobody come up with an anti-anti-portkey (or anti-anti-transportation) ward?

"What happened?!"

"Alecto tried putting up the portkey jinx and...and just...POOF!"

"What do you mean 'poof'?"

"I mean POOF! She started setting up the jinx and just VANISHED!"
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby Phht » April 12th, 2015, 4:43 am

As we all know, having your name spit out by the Goblet of Fire apparently means you're magically bound to compete in the TWT.

...

So what happens if your name is spit out for multiple schools? As in: "For Beauxbatons... Harry Potter. For Durmstrang... Harry Potter, again. For Hogwarts... yep, Harry Potter. Mr Potter, could you come- a fourth name spit out? It's... Harry Potter. ... And as the goblet has put itself out, we no longer have to wait to see if Mr Potter's name gets spit out any additional times. Mr Potter, could you come up here? ... Has anyone seen Mr Potter in the last ten minutes?"

On one hand, the simplest way to handle it is that Harry has to compete for each school, essentially doing every event four times. On the other hand, the contract magic may consider being selected by multiple schools to be cheating and exact penalties as a result (likely of increasing severity for each offense). Or it could try to latch on, discover an existing contract for the tournament in place, and decide its the wrong Harry Potter (and then goes looking for the next nearest Harry Potter, etc). Or possibly the magic bounces off the existing contract and simply picks the nearest person from the school in question (which could result in Igor and Albus being the champions for their schools...).
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » April 16th, 2015, 7:10 am

Halo thoughts:

The armor the marines wear seems geared towards resisting plasma bolts, doesn't it? They take a lot more than the two or three hits that it supposedly needs to kill someone before going down.

I wonder if there isn't some kind of stealthy gene-modding going on while soldiers are in basic training. They think they're getting a vaccination against weird alien viruses but it's actually a retrovirus that alters them to be stronger, faster thinkers (and runners), more durable...

Just think about it. If you had the sort of technology where you can grow a clone of someone's brain down to the very last detail, with absolutely no deviation in the structure of the neural mesh, the sort of technology where you can augment a starship captain's brain with a neural interface to give them even greater control over their vessel and its crew...why couldn't you subtly enhance your rank and file so they can compete with the aggressive aliens wielding improbable strength and devastating energy weapons?

But why stop there? Why not augment the entire population? With pretty much every planet on a wartime footing, you need every potential fighter you can get, right? And if your whole planet is full of prospective soldiers (even if they have to be conscripts)...

And then you add in the Spartan mods on top of that...
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby Phht » April 18th, 2015, 4:56 am

I've seen Naruto, Harry Potter, and even Buffy using the Gamer concept. That's like kiddie pool stuff. It's time for the big leagues.

Nanoha the Gamer. ;)
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby TraceReading » April 18th, 2015, 6:07 pm

Or a fic based on one of those games with more than one ending, where all the bad ends happen at the same time.
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby jgkitarel » April 19th, 2015, 4:52 pm

I've seen Naruto, Harry Potter, and even Buffy using the Gamer concept. That's like kiddie pool stuff. It's time for the big leagues.

Nanoha the Gamer. ;)
Except in her case, it's because her game crashed due to someone using the cheat codes. Thus, she now has to do everything the hard way, or learn how to munchkin her way through the plot.
Also, I have to punch you, jgkitarel, because I spent a lot of time on the nanoha wiki trying to locate information on mages being trained due to being above a certain rank, only to remember and confirm that you were the one that came up with that. - Phht
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Re: Plot Bunnies to a good home (May be rabid)

Unread postby viridian » April 21st, 2015, 2:50 am

Why is there so little mention of ritual magic in Harry Potter? I mean, we have the ritual of...resurrection? Reincarnation? I dunno, whatever chicanery Voldermort pulled to get his body back. Personally, I think that's how the Statute of Secrecy came to be in actual effect: a bunch of wizards from the world over held a massive magical ritual that affected the world's muggle population, and their records, causing them to no longer believe in magic, and by extension, the magical world and to lose all definitive proof of its existence. I mean, the mundane population isn't stupid and there's little doubt in my mind that all it'd take to reveal the magical world, had they simply disappeared off the face of the Earth (thus leading to a "I wonder where these guys got off to..." moment), would be a couple of researchers studying a given point of history and maybe making family trees or somesuch. I'd love to see more of multiple wizards pooling their power to cast one MASSIVE spell of incredible power, it'd just be awesome.
This made me smile thinking about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. :yuush:
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