Adopt a Fantasy Plot

1) In a world where magic isn't apparent (hey that's us!) The mirror's begin getting tired of reflecting people, of people's vanity of their talents being overlooked. They decide that action has to be taken...they start a war on mankind. Mankind isn't really informed however...they discover it. What follows is the actual discovery of magic, either that or the victory of the mirrors. The Mirror War. Don't know how it ends...it was a nightmare of mine. Hope someone can put it to use.

2) Plying on mythologies with fruit....fruit is magical. When you eat a fruit, it gives a certain gift or enhances a certain property. The only problem is that once you eat one kind of fruit, then you can't eat another without losing access to magic forever. So people's magic is determined by the fruit they eat. The fruit groups all have similar properties, but not exact prescribed gifts. So within the Banana casters...their are people who do/use the magic slightly differently. Not sure of the exact plot, but perhaps someone is plotting to ruin one fruit type. Either that or is trying to kill all other...kiwi casters, and thus grow in power. It's comedy.

3) Magic comes in the voice. You are either born with it or you are not. However everything you say has magic effect, the louder you say something the more powerful the effect. It has to be specific words though. Most use whispers, as spoken or shouted magic is extremely volatile and can kill the speaker. Terrorist speakers begin assaulting cities...screaming at the top of their lungs and destroying chunks of cities. Speakers are outlawed as a whole, the characters are speakers trying to slip under the radar possibly getting involved either in the terrorist movement, or in trying to ferret them out.

I realize they are all random. I can't write these out, have enough plots on my hand as it is plus...So exhausted right now, no sleep does that.

Any more? Come on, peoples!! Some of these are really good!! :)

The only limitations are the ones you put on yourself.

Actually, this is EXACTLY a short story I read last summer. I forgot who it was by (all I remember is that China Mièville had a story in the same bundle), but this really is exactly what happens: our reflections are actually creatures in another world, tired of being forced to mirror us, so (at first one by one) they come through the mirror and kill their 'oppressors'. It ends in humanity surrendering to the mirrors, if I recall correctly. Just a warning for anyone who is thinking of adopting this.

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.”
- Henry Ford

i LOVE this idea! i would definitely want to read it. if no one writes it i might attempt something, far far off in the future =P
i guess it appealed to me because i once had an idea about a girl finding out that she's been cast in a hero's party, but no one in it has any idea who's supposed to be the true hero/comic relief/love interest/villain/etc. so they're trying to figure it out before they get to the item of power. i like tweaks on the traditional hero's quest stories =]

What if photography really DID steal your soul? And an alchemist decided to take advantage of this?

I had a soul ... but NaNoWriMo eated it. :(
Breeder of Plot Wolverines
Inventor of NaNo Dare Bonus Points and Multiple Bonus Points

HIGH FANTASY

- Base the heroes on Robin Hood & his merry men fighters of the status quo instead of protectors of the status quo. Make absolutely no nobles in the rebel band, especially in leadership. Absolutely no prophecies, lost heirs, chosen ones, etc.

- Do a western adaptation of the Chinese epic The Water Margin. Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlaws_of_the_Marsh
excerpt from wiki -

"Water Margin (simplified Chinese: 水浒传; traditional Chinese: 水滸傳; pinyin: Shuǐhǔ Zhuàn) (also known as Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers or The Marshes of Mount Liang) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Attributed to Shi Naian, whom some believe to be Luo Guanzhong, the novel details the trials and tribulations of 108 outlaws during the mid Song Dynasty.

...

The opening episode is the release of the 108 spirits. The next chapter describes the rise of Gao Qiu, the main antagonist of the 108 heroes. Stories of the 108 outlaws are told in separate sections in the following chapters. Connections between characters are vague, but the individual stories are eventually pieced together by chapter 40 after Song Jiang becomes the leader of the outlaw band at Liangshan Marsh.

The plot further develops by illustrating the conflicts between the outlaws and the Song government after the Grand Assembly. Song Jiang strongly advocates making peace with the government and seeking redress for the outlaws. After defeating the imperial armies, the outlaws are eventually granted amnesty by the emperor. The emperor recruits the outlaws to form an imperial military contingent and allows them to go on campaigns. The heroes eliminate foreign invaders of the Liao Dynasty and quell the uprisings by rebel forces around the nation.

The following outline of chapters is based on a 100-chapter edition. Yang's 120-chapter edition includes other campaigns of the outlaws on behalf of Song dynasty, while Jin's 70-chapter edition omits the chapters on the outlaws' acceptance of amnesty and subsequent campaigns."

CONTEMPORARY FANTASY

- Mage Siblings who bicker incessantly while fighting evil creatures from Mesopotamian mythology which turns out to be the one true religion while trying not to be noticed by the normals or the Marduk Society which enforces magical law & order. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopotamian_mythology

- Independent international photojournalist stumbles upon supernatural underworld while covering a war in the 3rd world, sponsored by a wealthy power of your choice in the year 2100 AD [cyberpunk setting]. May possibly discover cause of the war is more based upon magical secret society conflict than normal political and economic causes.

- Great depression of 2009-2020 AD is exacerbated by worldwide interdimensional invasion of the Fae. Touted rebel human leader and supposed reincarnation of King Arthur is prophecied to save humanity and is killed off in the first few chapters exposing the prophecy as BS and that the fight is up to others to do the best they can.

- 1939, San Fran, PI runs across Undead Crime Syndicate and survives by dying and having his soul bonded to a full human sized ragdoll. Becoming... Johnny Ragdoll, supernatural PI.

- 1950s roving beatnik mage helps jazz musician half human/half leopard spirit fight the KKK and its allies during the civil rights movement. Ethnic background and sex of either character is 100% up in the air.

- Sentient steel golem fights his way to freedom in illegal underground magical gladiatorial arenas in modern day USA.

That's good for now.

Nicky, there's a video game series based on the Water Margin called Suikoden. It's awesome. :3

Anyway, here's a plot: Being a werewolf isn't as great as people might think; once you're bitten by a werewolf, that's it. You change into a werewolf on the next full moon--and you can't change back again; you're doomed to spend the rest of your life as a monster. At least, that's what everyone thought...One werewolf pack figures out how to become human again for a couple hours at a time, and now they're struggling to reintegrate into society without letting anyone know what they are--because if they did, they'd be destroyed. (The original idea also had a war between vampires and werewolves, but I think the werewolf part of it would make a fascinating story on its own. And uh, I may or may not have come up with the idea while watching Underworld...>.>)

I'm pretty sure Ultima IV started this way. Was an awesome game, back in the day.

I played one, two, and I think I played three as well. Indeed a good series.

I'm pretty sure you just smoothed out a major bump in my plot with this. Thank you! Hope you get some sleep before November!

-Briar

Reassessing what I'm writing about for the third time now. Hope I make up my mind before November... Silly fantasy, paranormal YA, or post-apocalyptic steampunk-ish dark fantasy?

I love your third one! I'm definitely considering adopting it. I'll let you know if I take it on!

Love the fourth one! I might try and flesh that out a little bit. :)

Kitsuneko - I actual have one of the manga compilations from tokypop or whoever. I'd heard of Suikoden, but I barely play the video games I already have so I don't know what century I'd end up playing that one. I have the 1960s Water Margin kung fu movie which I dig. Eventually I want to read the original story of "The Water Margin" as well as "Romance of the 3 Kingdoms" and "Journey to the West" - all Chinese epics.

When your MC fetches the chicken eggs (or geese, ducks, etc.), they pick up another egg that has a crack in its shell. Figuring it should be eaten immediately (or destroyed), they take it home, break it over a bowl ... and out falls a baby bird!

When the bird's feathers dry out, it's clear it's no chicken. It's saffron orange, and its neck is too long, and its beak is the wrong shape. But what could it be? There aren't any books that have pictures of it. The bird has imprinted and it's awfully cute, so the MC decides to keep it as a pet for a while. The orange down soon gives way to glorious scarlet feathers.

The bird grows fast. Very soon, it starts to fly ... and one day it disappears. The MC figures it's gone for good.

Until it comes back, carrying a shiny object, which it drops at your MC's feet.

I had a soul ... but NaNoWriMo eated it. :(
Breeder of Plot Wolverines
Inventor of NaNo Dare Bonus Points and Multiple Bonus Points

This is more so a summary than a plot, but here goes anyway :)

Once a beautiful and peaceful orb in the sky, a sign of faith and a guidance in the dark. Now the moon is nothing more than a disaster set out to ruin my life. I am a new werewolf, and the moon changes me into a monster once a month. I do things I don't mean to when I'm this hated creature, I could kill my best friend and feel no regret or guilt. I don't want to be this monster...

Ehhh, maybe someone can find it helpful? Errrr......

Hooray!
That whole plot came to me as I was typing it out, but I love it too. I'm glad my villain-for-hire found a home, I was starting to worry for him. XD

So I'm giving up the other novel ideas I had for this year's NaNo :D

Across a Dead World

The local high school used to be an asylum. The students don’t know that history. Micah Versailles, on the other hand, sees it every day. The ghosts of the past haunt his school, right before his very eyes. And he wonders why he’s paranoid schizophrenic.

Alice Marie Combes was abandoned on the steps of the asylum 100 years ago. Like Micah, she could see the dead, but back then people didn’t believe in that sort of thing. She died when she was 14.

Death has a problem. Someone – or something – is upsetting the worlds of the living and the dead. Rifts are appearing in the living world, causing vengeful spirits to be able to walk amongst the living and cause harm to ordinary humans. Being such a busy reaper, he’s assigned Micah and Alice to watch the school while he works.

But what’s causing the rifts is after Alice for some reason. Will Micah be able to protect her, and get the voices in his head to cooperate with each other, or will there be Hell on Earth?

Hope, Faith and the American Way

Hope is the daughter of two heroes who saved the world several years ago, and though she loves her parents, she always feels overshadowed and a little suffocated. Everybody knows who she is, and all she really wants is her own adventure. The arrival of a new girl in school named Faith is the start of a series of events which leads to her wish, but in the most inconvenient way.

Black Road

The year is 3012, 100 years after the Mayan calendar predicted the end of mankind. During this time, a new species of human has risen – mutants – and with their birth came fear, and a war that changed the world. Willow Aurelius’ family was executed for being mutants, and she will be next…

Ghost Festival

In Kyoto, Japan, the sacred four gateways have opened, unleashing demons unto the world. Shun Li – a young girl raised by a Buddhist nunnery – is sent on a journey with two warrior monks to awaken legendary monkey king Sun Wukong from his thousand years of slumber to drive the demons back to the other world.

Sequoia

In a world run by machines, Fox McAllister accidentally finds himself partnered with a rogue A.I. named Omega who is on a mission to terminate the mother computer – an ancient super computer created by man in 2013. Whether it brings about the end of the world or not, it doesn’t matter. So long as the human race is freed from its mechanical masters.

http://cupcake_writer.livejournal.com

2009: Welcome to Hell. A novel about Gods in high school.
2010: Thermals (tentaitive title). Steampunk. High adventure/fantasy of an all-female crew of airship pirates.

Amazing story ideas, I wish I could write them all!

Ok, here's my contribution. Hope it helps someone

1) A brother and sister (or cousins), college age, spend a few months at their scary grandma's historic hotel, one with a mysterious past. While they're there, a series of inexplicable events take place, including a strange man seen wandering the halls and grounds, a discovery of a colony of brownies (small, fey folk who do house work), and a cat that seems to be a transformed human. I started this plot but couldn't really make it work.

2) A man is stuck in a never-ending garden that's tended by a beautiful yet elusive young woman.

3) When the heir prince to the throne was born, a soothsayer gave a prophecy that he would end the centuries-old war and return his kingdom to a second Golden Age. But, right before he is to be crowned king (his father is in his death throes, and going to be gone soon) he is visited by that soothsayer, who admits that she made up the prophecy. She had in truth, not seen a thing in his future, the first time such a thing had ever happened to her. She made up such an over-the-top prophecy in her fit of panic at the prospect of admitting to the king and queen her failure. (Despite being a soothsayer, or because of it, she isn't the most emotionally/mentally stable person.) So obviously, this prince's entire view of himself and his future crumbles into dust. And what happens next, I have no clue.

4) In a typical suburbian neighborhood, a seemingly nice and normal family family moves in. But the neighbors quickly become confounded by the family's insistence that they are elves (or any kind of magical creature you want). Discussions of calling the nearest insane asylum ensue. A range of reactions from disgust to anger to curiosity, and the entire neighborhood is just a mess of arguments over this quite, kind, and otherwise unremarkable family. Is the family really elfin? I have no idea...

This is actually based on a book I read, "Not in Kansas Anymore: A Curious Tale of How Magic is Transforming America" by Christine Wicker. It's a nonfiction account of the real traditions, people and cultures in the U.S. that practice "magic." The author goes all over the place to look into into voodoo, cults, witch covens, a man with a doll that tells him how people will die, a vampire convention that includes a presentation on how to safely drink blood, and yes, a couple who tell the author they are elves. It's a wonderful read.

"Now let us sport us while we may;
And now, like am'rous birds of prey,
Rather at once our time devour,
Than languish in his slow-chapp'd power."

- "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell

I love this idea. I think I'm going to use the basic premise and tweak it a bit. Thank you for the springboard! c:

I really like this idea, thank you so much! Before this I didn't have a cluuuue what I was going to write.
I'm thinking that I will make it so that only a few people know about the 'war' - the sins and virtues control/influence people without people actually knowing (it's kind of getting into Brave New World/1984 territory which I'm not sure how I feel about just yet...)
There have been things that I've been struggling on, namely the plot. I still don't have one of those... and how do you make the virtues interesting characters when they are all innately good? I haven't actually decided if the Virtues will be real people who all have really good qualities like temperance, diligence etc, or if they will be like the Sins and just be completely good (instead of completely evil).
So yes, I just thought I would respond and tell you that I'm going to be working with this idea over the next month... hopefully I find a plot!

Hehe, I read it and had to do it, but it got super developed as an intricate plot in my head =P So, it might be different from another person who has already claimed it, but I just wanna make sure >_>

3)Magic is seeded in the voice, is given body with intent and is used for spells, intricate craft, and blatant commands. You are either born with magic or you are not. Specific word that you say have magic effect, and the louder and more intense the intent you say it with, the more powerful the effect. Most use whispers, as spoken or shouted magic is extremely volatile and (in some cases) can kill the speaker. Terrorist speakers (Mostly comprised of Humans unhappy with the ruling class of Vampires and Werewolves) begin assaulting cities... screaming at the top of their lungs and destroying chunks of cities. Human Speakers are outlawed to retain the peace. The character groups are these: humans trying to slip under the radar, getting involved in either the Terrorist movement or in trying to ferret them out, Members of the ruling class trying to keep safety and peace, and (our MC) a Human Singer who gets captured by the Vampires.
She must choose a short death, or a long life outliving family and selling out friends by being turned into a Vampire

Singing becomes discovered as a super effective method of 'smooth magic' like healing and persuasion. 'Rough magic' includes destruction and curses. Too much rough magic can tear and damage the vocal cords, sometimes permanently, removing the ability of the voice to do magic.

Magic-capable-Vampires and Werewolves are notoriously good at 'rough' magic. Humans have no inherent magical abilities, and the speakers can only use specific commands backed by intent to manipulate magic. Singers use voice and intent to accomplish 'smooth' tasks with less specific terms. They can exist across all three 'races'.

Having said all of that, I think I will be focusing on the Terrorist element, elements of discord in the ruling class (Vamp vs Wolf), and Singing as my main plot focuses. Let me know if anything of this is the same as your plot so I can alter/tweak things. I wanna know before I get too attached, =P

Regards,
Yaslana7

For every ounce of order, there comes chaos. For everything, there is nothing. Duality is inescapable.

NaNoWriMo 2009 :: A Matter of Blood and Voices ((Full steam ahead!))
Muse Abandonment:: 0
Psychic Breakdowns:: 0
Notebooks and Such turning into p

I'm not writing fantasy this year but here are some basic ideas.

1. A young wizard wants to join this big prestigious school of magic but first must complete three tasks set for him like an entry examination. One of the tasks involves him crafting an item of some sort from a special material that is very hard to find while another requires him to remove some sort of curse and the last one pits him directly against another wizard in some kind of competition.

2. A prince, not a princess, is required to get married but he doesn't want to settle down just yet. He bounces from kingdom to kingdom courting one fair maiden after another before heading off to another kingdom leaving a trail of sobbing hearts and flaring tempers. Finally a few of these girls get together and decide to get even.

3. Dragons are terrorizing the land looking for the MC who doesn't know why they're after him/her. Finally it is discovered that the MC is really a dragon in disguise who forgot they were a dragon and the other dragons are the MC's family.

"If you have a little voice in your head that talks to you, don't worry your human. If you have three or four voices that argue with each other, don't worry your a writer!"

Ooh, I like this! I think I'll use parts of it - mostly the first part, I'm not a fan of dead lovers coming to life and killing people - but a prison guard and a spirit going on an adventure - sounds fun!

GrammarQueen90

People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history. ~Dan Quayle

GrammarQueen90

People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history. ~Dan Quayle

This is from a dream I had, but I already have way too many plot bunnies, so have at it:

Two sisters die and become ghosts. They find they can control how much they interact with the world--even becoming completely solid and "Real", although it takes a lot of energy. Becoming completely invisible and incorporeal or "Unreal" also takes a lot of energy, so when they're alone, they mostly float "inbetween"-- mostly translucent with a jelly-like consistency.
Since it doesn't seem like there's anything better to do, they bury their own bodies in the backyard and go on living. However, they quickly find they are a magnet for spirits--souls without thought or reason, only strong emotions, like misery or depression. Pretty soon they find their (un)life's calling--travelling around the country, helping restless spirits break free of whatever horrible emotions have tied them to the Earth and helping them find peace.
Also, plenty of wacky hijinks ensue when the sisters try to make friends, even date, all the while hiding their ghostly nature... ;D

Chloe, ML for Busan, South Korea!

2009: The Gatekeeper [hoping for 65k]
2008: The Rose and Pearl [WIN! 56k]
2007: The Steamwitch [BOMB! 6k]
2006: Blaireshire [Oh so close! 45k]

Is it possible for more than one person to adopt a plot? I like the villain-for-hire idea as well. Just thought I'd ask.

Why not? They'll probably look nothing alike near the end anyway.

"What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don’t let fear of failure discourage you." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Mages duel by playing a trading card game suspiciously similar to Magic: The Gathering.

Of course, the cards are much more than mere paper. If you play a demon-summoning card, you will actually get a demon. If you have a card that summons a whirlwind or a magic sword, guess what happens? The basic elemental cards are made of the elements from that type of area, and they're linked to a specific plot of land -- each area card uses a different piece of real property as its mana source, and it has a little number on the back to show where that land is.

Misprinted spells can have seriously warped effects, and it actually takes work to enchant a card, which means the powerful cards are rare and expensive. Certain very dangerous spells are typically banned from tournaments. And the only licensed cards are produced by a guild, whose mages are specially trained.

Then one of their mages quits the guild and starts making unusual cards which no one knows how to counter...

I had a soul ... but NaNoWriMo eated it. :(
Breeder of Plot Wolverines
Inventor of NaNo Dare Bonus Points and Multiple Bonus Points

I liked this story idea until you mentioned it had been done. If you think of the author, let me know please. I would really like to read this!

"Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called MAD and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called WRITERS and they do pretty much the same thing." - Margaret Chittenden

That is a GREAT idea! I would use it, but I have no idea where to go with it.

"Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called MAD and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called WRITERS and they do pretty much the same thing." - Margaret Chittenden