"If you have some idea of your plot by now, get out whatever plot notes you have and write down ten things (minimum) that your speculative element can do to your plot."
This is very difficult since I haven't settled on a plot and the exercises don't really lead you along that development (I just realized that this is world building and doesn't purport to aid in plot development, it isn't story building, I know that's a big, "duh" but I really hadn't realized that until just now).
I think I need to digress at this point and develop at least the rudiments of the plot.
PLOT DAY - Seekretya
I want a girl stolen by someone and taken to Seekretya. Boy works to rescues her while she works to rescue herself and meet him. They are working together, though they don't know it. I don't want a passive female lead, but I don't want her to be The Hero either. Why was the girl stolen? Who is she? What is she? Who wants her? Why do they want her? How is the hero going to get her back? How does he know where she's gone (sidekick?) What skills does he have? What skills does she have? Do they only have to get back together or do they have to do more? Does she want to go back (yes) why?
I also want an old retired bush pilot aunt, niece and grand nieces and nephews (and a friend) discovering/going to Seekretya. Why? I don't know yet. How: fly. When: last summer vacation or winter vacation.
Return of Day 13 - Seekretya - Plot Hooks and Speculative Element
Here are ten things affected by my Speculative element of Magic:
1. How do you do stealth in a magically charged land? Can the Wizards tell your movement? Are the Wizards also chasing the suspected kidnapers? If not actually chasing, then perusing.
2. How did the kidnappers get out of Seekretya? Persuadably they did not use magic to get out or to do the kidnapping. Maybe that's how they got by the Wizards.
3. Did the kidnappers have help outside Seekretya? How much of the outside world do they know? It seems most likely that the kidnappers were either human or had human help.
4. What good would kidnapping do? No one is magically special by birth. Are there prophecies? I'm not thinking there are, but that might explain the kidnapping. I should think of something else though, because precog doesn't feel right for anyone except maybe Dragons.
5. Technology doesn’t work, and the chemicals in firearms are rendered inert in the heavy magical field, so what can the hero do special? Unless he's a martial artist, it's unlikely that he would stand a chance against anyone in a fight. Maybe it's his underdoggedness that wins through, i.e. he takes a beating, but keeps going anyway.
6. No guns? What do they use for weapons? Over the years they've develop some very effective non-lethal weapons. They have Displacer Bolts, fired from crossbows or bows (Displacer Arrows) when they strike someone they teleport them ten yards in a random direction. They also have Repulsor Blades or Swords. When they strike a solid object they teleport that object in the opposite direction ten yards. The only things not so affected are other swords and the scabbards (the quiver of the bolts/arrows)
7. Is distant seeing available? I think yes, with special instruments or in special places.
8. There are no magic animals (talking beavers or fauns etc). I had said that legendary beasts, monsters and magical creatures were forced or went to Seekretya, but I don't see them in this story. Maybe they all died off earlier. Maybe bringing the kidnap victim will bring back the unicorns or something? Maybe the unicorns can gain some power from the Dragons?
9. How does the Heroine escape the magical trap?
10. How lethal are wounds? Can they be healed by magic, I think yes. This makes non-lethal even less lethal. Wouldn't that make wars more palatable? Who would go to war for the Hero? Who would convince them? What act of heroism would compel them?
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