Already stuck.

[Queshire]

Mrrr~~~~ I've just started my story's new reboot, but I've already hit a block.

In my story god-like beings called Arcana choose mortals to make into Champions to fight for them, giving them superpowers. The Champion would then have to fight against Monsters and other Champions sent by the other Arcana.

In the story, my main character's Arcana had just spent a lot of work and effort into making a Super Champion. Raised in a Himilayan monastery by Her worshippers, trained solely for being a Champion, given the most powerful Gift she could. He was the Choosen One... and then he got killed by the police the week after he left the monastery, I'm thinking he abused his powers and ended up in a standoff that went south. So, with all that effort completely wasted she decides to go the other way, pick a random schlub, give him a simple but powerful gift, and hope for the best.

The Main Character (MC) is that schlub. He's not a hero, he's just an average guy and proud of it. He'd much rather be the scientist that sent the shuttle into space then an astronaut or the guy that builds the firetruck then a firefighter. He fully intends to run away screaming like a little girl if he ever encounters a monster. At the same time though, he's not the type of guy that can just avert his eyes and walk away if something is wrong or someone is in trouble, he's bloody well going to do something about it! Basically he's like a dwarf only without the alchoholism, stubborn, just does stuff that needs to be done without complaint or boasting, etc.

Now, the problem is, I need an idea for the type of situation which shows off those qualities and would attract the attention of the Arcana who would offer him power. It's a modern day setting, and I can't really use Monsters as they only go after people that are already Champions, I'm looking for a more mudane situation.

So far, I'm thinking about having the MC saving someone from either getting mugged or getting run over by a car, I could make that someone the Arcana who's visiting the mortal world, but I'm not sure if I want to set the precedent that the Arcana can easily come to Earth.

Any ideas?

 

[ThinkerX]

Ok...you describe your MC as a 'builder' or 'scientist' type. Let something in that field be his job - electronics tech (the guys who actually understand how things work); flunky to a real scientist, something like that. Now...

...one of the MC's coworkers is actually screwing around with something at the very fringes of your whole 'Arcana' scheme. Said coworker has no clue the Arcana actually exist, and might not even think of the something he is mucking around with as 'magic'. MC gets drafted by this coworker to help out with this project, which he regards as idiotic or at best 'fringe'. Then things blow up big time, with the MC making a decision that puts a great many people at risk without realizing it - possibly this involves clashing with a 'monster' (maybe a rogue, if your system allows for that). Being who he is, MC decides to 'do the right thing' even at the expense of his own life to try to fix matters. That very nearly happens, which is where your Arcana takes notice. (this still leaves MC's coworker as a loose end of sorts as well).

See...one of the things I've noticed about your idea is the 'lack of external consequences': Monster shows up, battles champion, and either stomps or gets stomped. No bystanders getting stomped on incidently. No cop or ex marine or other non-champion taking out a monster. No pesky amateur bloggers or journalists tracking down the champion, or making a real serious effort to do so. Unless you deal with these issues and related ones somehow...I suspect your story will be flawed.

 

[Queshire]

Ah, well actually he's only a high school student, I forgot to mention that...

The no external consequences is actually part of the story by itself, the game is pretty much self contained, with only very rarely some outside force interacting with it. One of the plot points is taking the powers and abilities from in the game to out of the game. Though, yeah, I do need to think more about it.

One of my goals is to start with a deceptively simple black and white plot then throwing in shades of grey.

 

[ThinkerX]

Ah, well actually he's only a high school student,

Still works. This just makes him a summer intern working for the guy screwing around with magic, or the kid who shows up to mop the floors of said guy on weekends. Or...

Think along the lines of Marty McFly in 'Back to the Future' - a high school kid who hangs around with a professor who just happens to be mucking around with time travel experiments.

The no external consequences is actually part of the story by itself, the game is pretty much self contained, with only very rarely some outside force interacting with it. One of the plot points is taking the powers and abilities from in the game to out of the game.

I can't see how you could pull this off without having a lot of 'unexplained incidents' which would attract attention in and of themselves, with said attention ranging from amateur hour 'paranormal investigators' to shadowy government agencies. And given the combat aspect between champion and monster...sooner or later there are going to be witnesses and collateral casualties both. And moving powers from the game to the real world is a bright idea that pretty much every champion ever would have come up with in short order.

Though, yeah, I do need to think more about it.

Yep.

 

[Caged Maiden]

I wonder at the plot other than individual battles, which I am assuming you will be writing many of. What are the character's internal conflicts? What are his goals? The idea of humans being pawns of the gods is certainly not new, but the story can be told from different angles; the gods' viewpoint where the human is insignificant, or from the human's perspective; does he enjoy his special new powers, or resent being chosen for the game?

 

[Leif GS Notae]

I'm actually curious to know the beginning to this story. more often than not, when you mine for information about the beginning, you can start seeing the end and how to get there. Sure, it's through some hazy fog. It's still there though. I'd try jotting some notes about whatever comes to your mind and see where it takes you. Also, many people get stuck because the conflict doesn't exist at a high enough level to force the protagonist on.

No matter how you do it though, take a step away and look at it from a "higher level". I am sure you will see the next torch on your path.