A crypt and a magical hot spot- help!

[Anberith]

In the beginning of my novel I have an event happening. A crypt in the lower levels of the palace blows open when a magical prison containing a very dangerous beast and his army fails. The crypt is mean to do this to warn people of what has happen and what they can expect as this beast and his army are free to roam the land. The warning is written on the walls inside this crypt. Inside the crypt there is also a magical hot spot so to speak, where people can gain magical powers to help them against this enemy, but there are consequence to using this power, if and when you use it, you will get addicted and in the end it will burn you out and kill you or possible change you into something else( this is only an idea for a consequence). They don't know the affects of this power in the beginning of the novel

There are a lot of holes in this plot and I need help to figure this out so I can move on with the story. The first few things I am having difficulty with are why is the hot spot there, who put it and what exactly are the magical powers that it holds. These are only simple questions that I have to make my mind on.
The more complex questions have to do with the characters, why would a king trust in this warning and what would make him make people most likely soldiers take in this power.

Would it make more sense to have the hot spots some where else and then how would they think of going out and looking for them.

This is a complete work in progress and I would love some output on this. Any suggestions and questions that could help are greatly appreciated.

 

[Jessquoi]

It's hard to say because there isn't a lot of information here.

Maybe the 'hot spot' (I would give it another name) is the legacy of a powerful person who left that warning there before they perished. I imagine that when this crypt breaks open there would be an unleashing of a lot of energy. Maybe the sheer force of this energy would be enough for the king to take it seriously? He may also know of the person who left behind that warning. It might be in a legend that is passed down in the royal family... Just a few basic ideas. Hope that gives you some inspiration!

 

[wordwalker]

Depends very much on how your world's magic works. Especially, how does it transfer magic power to chosen warriors-- that needs a bit of thought to keep it from sounding pat.

And then, how does it still do that when the Big Bad has broken the prison itself (and probably wants to stop enemies from powering up)? It might work better if the power spot(s) were somewhere else as a failsafe. Or maybe that energy itself is hostile to the creature and still there, so even when the beast is free it wants to get away and rebuild its strength rather than go back and smash.

 

[Anberith]

Jessquoi I have to admit that there is a lot I have to figure out and that is why I didn't put a very long description here, I didn't want to have it to complicated so that no one would have the time to read it. Also the reason I did this was in hopes people would bring up questions that I might not have thought about with out a lot of information pulling them in this or that direction.

I promise that "hot spot" is not the actual name, its only a working title until I find a proper name for this place of power. The warning on the walls inside the crypt are from the last war that happened thousands of years ago, the only information on it other than that on the walls is in the great library in another city that one of the major characters visits to dig up more on the war.

I had not really thought much about the sheer force of energy it would take to open this crypt and I value that input, it does make me think further on the effects that will have on not only the king but others in the city.

Worldwalker the most embarrassing thing about me as a fantasy writer is that magic is the most difficult aspect for me to tackle. There is a lot of work to be done in that area, but for now I know that in Anberith the city/kingdom the story starts there are two kinds of sorcerers and sorceresses, there is spell caster's and then there are those that have the power from with in.

One of my main concerns is about the way the warriors get the power. It's something I will have to work on to get right.

It's really interesting angle to make the enemy be afraid of the power and how it affects them. The prison it self is not any where near Anberith (the kingdom).

I am playing with the idea that the beasts army is already on it's way to them so the king and the others have an even more reason to take this seriously.

Thank you so much for the input, I value it greatly : )

 

[Jessquoi]

Jessquoi I have to admit that there is a lot I have to figure out and that is why I didn't put a very long description here, I didn't want to have it to complicated so that no one would have the time to read it. Also the reason I did this was in hopes people would bring up questions that I might not have thought about with out a lot of information pulling them in this or that direction.

I promise that "hot spot" is not the actual name, its only a working title until I find a proper name for this place of power. The warning on the walls inside the crypt are from the last war that happened thousands of years ago, the only information on it other than that on the walls is in the great library in another city that one of the major characters visits to dig up more on the war.

I had not really thought much about the sheer force of energy it would take to open this crypt and I value that input, it does make me think further on the effects that will have on not only the king but others in the city.

Worldwalker the most embarrassing thing about me as a fantasy writer is that magic is the most difficult aspect for me to tackle. There is a lot of work to be done in that area, but for now I know that in Anberith the city/kingdom the story starts there are two kinds of sorcerers and sorceresses, there is spell caster's and then there are those that have the power from with in.

One of my main concerns is about the way the warriors get the power. It's something I will have to work on to get right.

It's really interesting angle to make the enemy be afraid of the power and how it affects them. The prison it self is not any where near Anberith (the kingdom).

I am playing with the idea that the beasts army is already on it's way to them so the king and the others have an even more reason to take this seriously.

Thank you so much for the input, I value it greatly : )

I think it's a good idea to have the army already on its way when the king discovers the warning. Maybe warriors who come across that hot spot will gain power only if they are of a certain bloodline?

Some questions which I hope will help you:
Who is your main character? Is it the king? Or is it a warrior that comes to the hot spot? What is his/her motive? His/her history? What was the outcome of the previous war? What does the advancing beast army want? To take over land? Revenge? Slaves?

If you're having trouble with the subject of magic, maybe it would be a good idea to go to some of your favourite books for inspiration and guidance for how those authors dealt with it. Is it inherent to the person, and the hot spot only awakens their abilities? Maybe once they enter that spot it becomes clear that their destiny is intertwined with the approaching army.

You don't have to take any of those ideas on or listen to anything I say, I'm just hoping to jump-start your own creativity.

 

[Butterfly]

This hot spot sounds to me like you may have the beginnings of some sort of nexus of power popping up at places throughout your world, sort of like the flowing of energies focusing at certain points for whatever reason. Perhaps a magnetic force of some kind or even some sort of ley lines.

If you go with the lines, then I could imagine the nexus being at the focal point of several lines meeting, and an accumulation of energy bubbling to the surface. Perhaps there's even a way for your MC to travel faster along them.

If so... it means your beast prisoner may have a way of pulling the power to it over a length of time, hence the length of his imprisonment, and create a sort of artificial nexus. Enough power, and boom.

Make sense any?

 

[Anberith]

Jessquoi The questions are of great help.

I like the idea of only a certain bloodline being able to excess the hot spot as it limits the number of people that are able to take in the power and of course makes it more difficult for our main characters. ( conflict is the writers best friend, is it not.) But I am a little afraid that it is to cliche, or maybe that is alright.

The main character is the kings granddaughter, she is the sole heir to the thrown. She is not an ideal candidate as she is not a warrior but she has the greatest magical strength of them all. The story hinges on her ability to take the lead of the army against this enemy as well as not to lose control of her self as she is able to take much more of the power into her self and the consequences are even greater for her. Her ability of self control will be tested extensively throughout the story, forcing her to make some bad choices that almost doom them all.
She is both a spell caster and sorceress ( has powers of her own) and that is what makes her able to take in more power.

I am playing with the idea that it's the magical strength that dictates how much of the power you are able to take in and what it allows you to do. Where I have not completely realized what the power does it's really hard to know the exact affect it will have on people, if you have any ideas on that I would love to hear what you think. It might even be that each person gets different powers.

I like the idea that once they enter the spot it is reviled to them how they are linked with the war and its outcome, I have a character that has visions of the consequences of the use of the hot spot so to speak and I could modify it so that the power he gains is the visions of both the past war and the future linked to them.

The outcome of the last war was grim, I haven't worked it out in any great detail but I do have some points on it. Its one of the things that I am trying to figure out along side the present story as the two intertwine.

 

[Anberith]

Butterfly. Right now I am focusing mostly on the power the hot spot give the characters but this has given me great ideas for later in the novel. The hot spots could have more to offer than what the characters know in the beginning of the story.

I like the idea that the beast in the prison has been feeding of the magical energy of the hot spot and that in return gives him even more leverage than I had originally thought which is a great thing. This could actually help with some of the plot points and back story that I have had problems with.

Thanks so much for the input

 

[Jessquoi]

Jessquoi The questions are of great help.

I like the idea of only a certain bloodline being able to excess the hot spot as it limits the number of people that are able to take in the power and of course makes it more difficult for our main characters. ( conflict is the writers best friend, is it not.) But I am a little afraid that it is to cliche, or maybe that is alright.

The main character is the kings granddaughter, she is the sole heir to the thrown. She is not an ideal candidate as she is not a warrior but she has the greatest magical strength of them all. The story hinges on her ability to take the lead of the army against this enemy as well as not to lose control of her self as she is able to take much more of the power into her self and the consequences are even greater for her. Her ability of self control will be tested extensively throughout the story, forcing her to make some bad choices that almost doom them all.
She is both a spell caster and sorceress ( has powers of her own) and that is what makes her able to take in more power.

I am playing with the idea that it's the magical strength that dictates how much of the power you are able to take in and what it allows you to do. Where I have not completely realized what the power does it's really hard to know the exact affect it will have on people, if you have any ideas on that I would love to hear what you think. It might even be that each person gets different powers.

I like the idea that once they enter the spot it is reviled to them how they are linked with the war and its outcome, I have a character that has visions of the consequences of the use of the hot spot so to speak and I could modify it so that the power he gains is the visions of both the past war and the future linked to them.

The outcome of the last war was grim, I haven't worked it out in any great detail but I do have some points on it. Its one of the things that I am trying to figure out along side the present story as the two intertwine.

It sounds like you're on the way to a good story, Anberith! I like the idea of the main character being tested throughout. I think she'll come to be a very interesting character with a lot of potential for growth.
Sometimes cliches aren't a bad thing, rather a good idea that just needs some spicing up. But you as the author have sole rule over what makes it into your story. Good luck, I hope to read it sometime soon!

 

[Addison]

for a consequence). The first few things I am having difficulty with are why is the hot spot there, who put it and what exactly are the magical powers that it holds. These are only simple questions that I have to make my mind on.
The more complex questions have to do with the characters, why would a king trust in this warning and what would make him make people most likely soldiers take in this power.

Would it make more sense to have the hot spots some where else and then how would they think of going out and looking for them.

This is a complete work in progress and I would love some output on this. Any suggestions and questions that could help are greatly appreciated.

The questions about the crypt's history and powers are questions only you can answer. But maybe I can help you get an idea of where to dig? From my perspective from reading the description it sounds like the crypt is like an Egyptian tomb. If not that's good. But look into mythology and other things to get an idea. From my experience crypts, especially in a palace, are dedicated either to one sole person or one family. Maybe you could have their deaths tied to their magic. You said the magic will burn them right? What if they had someone bury them alive, or were dead, and then put in the crypt. When they died the magic either of that one person or everyone, went to that one spot as it was where the patriarch, or matriarch, was set to rest. And after years of laying dormant, in a hibernation where it continued to grow, the amount of magic it could give also grew.

As for the king and why he would trust the warning, he probably wouldn't at first. He'd call an engineer or someone to see if there was something wrong with the building that made the crypt open. He wouldn't let the soldiers take the power, or go anywhere near it, until he got a sure sign that the warning was real. Like the monster and prisoners attacking a village.

Your idea of multiple, distanced hot spots could hold promise for conflicts; if the soldiers don't get to it before the prisoners then they're at a disadvantage.

This is just my opinion, the real choice is up to you.

 

[ProjectZ]

Crypts are often secretive things, save for those who keep them. Perhaps a guardian(s) of the crypt(s). I like to have recycling themes. Like wars for the same reason, just different time place and people.

Perhaps the powers given to your characters could be because they are likened souls to previous champions of a previous war some aspect about them, either personality wise or knowledge could be the catalyst that gives them the power. And if these hot spots and crypts occur more than once, maybe each one breaks a limiter to the power.

That being said, the power would have to start as basic as possible to encourage growth, and these crypts will be trials, often perilous but with a great reward.