How 'far' should my MC's Midas "curse" spread?

[Naruzeldamaster]

So I'm thinking the curse will only affect people he's shown romantic interest in (so no affecting family) especially those who he's taken interest in cause puberty, but other than that ?

I'm thinking of having it limited to just his school, or maybe his country eventually, but I'm not sure if that's believable.

 

[BioSplycerZ]

I think it depends on how you want the curse to function, and the purpose of the curse in the story. Is this curse a form of moral consequence for a decision he or an ancestors made? Is it more like a power they have access to and must learn to control? I think clarifying what the curse represents in your story will help define the limits of its impact.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I think it depends on how you want the curse to function, and the purpose of the curse in the story. Is this curse a form of moral consequence for a decision he or an ancestors made? Is it more like a power they have access to and must learn to control? I think clarifying what the curse represents in your story will help define the limits of its impact.

The curse is intended to be a blessed/cursed situation (Both blessed and cursed with a power at the same time) through the beginning/middle of the story they have no control, so it gradually becomes more and more 'cursed' until he seeks more direct help in solving the 'puzzle'

But the Kitsune who grants the wish (in a monkey's paw kind of way) is a mischievous one, she wants to put him through the wringer before he 'earns' the right to control it. Until he chooses between one of the 5-ish potential actual lovers, the curse continues to get worse, even affecting adults and people he doesn't know. Like one day he jokes about the local weather lady being 'hot' and the next she visits his house, due to the curse.

If I had to choose a 'purpose' of the curse, it'd be to teach him moderation. Granted he's somewhat stubborn as he's the 'ripe' age of going through 'adult' puberty (18-24) so he doesn't puzzle it out right away.

 

[BioSplycerZ]

The curse is intended to be a blessed/cursed situation (Both blessed and cursed with a power at the same time) through the beginning/middle of the story they have no control, so it gradually becomes more and more 'cursed' until he seeks more direct help in solving the 'puzzle'

But the Kitsune who grants the wish (in a monkey's paw kind of way) is a mischievous one, she wants to put him through the wringer before he 'earns' the right to control it. Until he chooses between one of the 5-ish potential actual lovers, the curse continues to get worse, even affecting adults and people he doesn't know. Like one day he jokes about the local weather lady being 'hot' and the next she visits his house, due to the curse.

If I had to choose a 'purpose' of the curse, it'd be to teach him moderation. Granted he's somewhat stubborn as he's the 'ripe' age of going through 'adult' puberty (18-24) so he doesn't puzzle it out right away.

I think that helps clear up a lot then for the scope of the curse. If its affecting only lovers, that would also imply an emotional connection to his power, perhaps in some way connected to his approach or view on love. And with that supernatural being having influence on his curse/blessing, the scope of its effect could be maybe connected to their interactions and how the kitsune views the MCs actions.

seems like with this setup you have the scope of impact is malleable, and I would think connecting the elements that impact its power will help shape that as well as the story.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I think that helps clear up a lot then for the scope of the curse. If its affecting only lovers, that would also imply an emotional connection to his power, perhaps in some way connected to his approach or view on love. And with that supernatural being having influence on his curse/blessing, the scope of its effect could be maybe connected to their interactions and how the kitsune views the MCs actions.

seems like with this setup you have the scope of impact is malleable, and I would think connecting the elements that impact its power will help shape that as well as the story.

To add, this is the first time the kitsune has granted this kind of wish (for a weird power like this one, usually folks ask for wealth/fame, you know, easy stuff) so she apologizes for putting a little too much 'umph' into the actual magic later on. She enjoys watching idiots squirm, but she's far from being an evil person. Later on she tests the curse out on herself by having him touch her for a bit and then realizes 'oh...uh, shit...yeah, this with no control is bad' So she comes up with the caveat of him choosing a 'true' romantic partner to gain proper control over it. though each of the potential lovers have to give up their 'wish' in order to do so.

I actually don't think there are any 'evil' characters in the story, not even the so called 'antagonist' is really evil, she's just jealous of the curse not affecting her cause the protagonist never got romantically into her.

 

[BioSplycerZ]

To add, this is the first time the kitsune has granted this kind of wish (for a weird power like this one, usually folks ask for wealth/fame, you know, easy stuff) so she apologizes for putting a little too much 'umph' into the actual magic later on. She enjoys watching idiots squirm, but she's far from being an evil person. Later on she tests the curse out on herself by having him touch her for a bit and then realizes 'oh...uh, shit...yeah, this with no control is bad' So she comes up with the caveat of him choosing a 'true' romantic partner to gain proper control over it. though each of the potential lovers have to give up their 'wish' in order to do so.

I actually don't think there are any 'evil' characters in the story, not even the so called 'antagonist' is really evil, she's just jealous of the curse not affecting her cause the protagonist never got romantically into her.

It sounds like an interesting concept! Ot will be interesting to see how you're story develops! =)

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

It sounds like an interesting concept! Ot will be interesting to see how you're story develops! =)

Oh I plan to write it, I just need to let it 'cook' for now as I'm currently on four other projects, I want to get one, maybe two completely drafted before I start it.

If you want we can workshop some ideas I still got the bare bones of it right now haha and I'd like to plan something out fully for once.

To be clear, while this idea sounds like the obvious thing, I plan to handle it in a way that it's not well, THAT, other than the joke of women growing more shapely/mature at his touch. There will be a lot of self aware jabs at that content though. (One of the love interests plays a character in 'films' but the content of her films is all comfort for the viewer and moral lessons lol)

 

[pmmg]

I think the curse should spread until it becomes a huge problem, and he wants to die from guilt. When he gains a change of heart about something about it, its time for the kitsune to relent. Till then, its becomes out of control damage.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I think the curse should spread until it becomes a huge problem, and he wants to die from guilt. When he gains a change of heart about something about it, its time for the kitsune to relent. Till then, its becomes out of control damage.

I'm taking measures to make sure he gains a change of heart (Like the protagonist having a few more "brain cells" than the average protagonist thrown into this type of situation for one) before it goes too wild, like I said, Kitsune is mischievous more than evil. Though even she doesn't have any control over the powers she grants. She's granted wishes for wealth and/or power at some point and a lot of those not ending well. She can only alter it/remove it entirely once it's granted. (As many wish-e's find out the hard way)

That being said, he is going through 'young adult to actual adult' puberty so it takes a bit before he realizes it.
Also even if it did go world wide, it'd still only affect people he actually took romantic interest in. The caveat of the curse is that he has to either be actively, passively, or subconsciously romantically interested. Hence the joke with the 'antagonist' being unaffected by the curse until she figures out the trick to it.
When the Idiot DOES learn his lesson, he gains control over it but there's even a caveat there too.

 

[pmmg]

I know it sounds strange, but if he does gain an interest and then starts changing her, there is always going to be the question of do you love me for who I am, or for how I look cause you changed me. I think it would wreck his long term romances.

Course the world is full of nose jobs and fake boobs, so... They come in all forms.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I know it sounds strange, but if he does gain an interest and then starts changing her, there is always going to be the question of do you love me for who I am, or for how I look cause you changed me. I think it would wreck his long term romances.

Course the world is full of nose jobs and fake boobs, so... They come in all forms.

Funnily enough I was planning on having that come up in one of the endings. It's not particularly a 'bad' ending (for either character) it's more that they realize they never (really) loved eachother to begin with. The other options are different levels of genuine love.