Gaining magical energies from an odd source.

[Chaz24]

I would like to bounce around an odd idea that I would like to explore.

With all the various ways to generate or gain mana for casting spells, etc., I was thinking that I may have various magical characters act as an incubus or succubus, depending on the sex of the "victim".

Anyway, I was thinking on doing this in a unique way by having the magical characters suck mana-like energies from their targeted objects through practicing various, uncommon sexual fetishes. The more intense and strange the interaction, the more energies can be derived from the acts.

I'd prefer to stay away from what are deemed traditional fetishes such as feet, etc., and head into more uncharted territory.

Any thoughts?

 

[Black Dragon]

Well... that isn't necessarily how I would approach things, as my style is slightly more wholesome. However, that certainly sounds like a very creative and fresh approach to magic systems. If done tastefully, I think that it could work well.

I'd be interested in hearing thoughts from other members on this.

 

[At Dusk I Reign]

Sexual fetishes? Like BD I've pretty much avoided such things in anything I've written, though perhaps my scribblings have become unwholesome in other ways. I did write a story many years ago about an author who had every word he wrote stolen by a succubus-type demon, but there were no particular sexual connotations involved. What market are you aiming for, Chaz24? Are you writing for yourself, or hoping to sell the story to a publisher at a later date?

 

[Ravana]

Don't have time for more than a quick note right now, but one reference to consider, if you aren't already familiar with it: look up Tantra and derivatives. Sounds like the general direction you're aiming in, if perhaps not the precise one.

And for the love of anything worth loving, avoid all resemblance to the movie Liquid Sky.

 

[Juiceman]

Well, I do have to agree that from my own experiences, your idea seems kind of unique if as BD wrote it is done "tastefully".

Unless your target audience is indeed adults with fetishes, which seem to kind of be popular, then maybe staying away from graphic descriptions of acts might be advisable.

If, however, your aim is to make a fantasy/romance novel, you may have some success with including some descriptions.

I cannot comment on Ravana's note on Liquid Sky, as I have never heard of nor seen the movie. If that is included as part of the storyline, you may have to find a unique way of implementing the drawing of energies from "victims".

 

[Chaz24]

Actually this is something which I have been wanting to explore for quite some time on my own. I just think that some fetishes are, well, strange, and can provide for an interesting interaction between characters -- keeping with a fantasy theme, of course.

 

[Donny Bruso]

Strange is certainly a good way to describe certain fetishes that people have. On the other hand, many of them are far more widespread that most people would believe. America, at least has evolved into a culture where people are judgmental and hypocritical as hell. People keep things like that to themselves out of fear of being considered a pervert.

Depending on what your goals for this piece are kind of dictates how fine of a line you want to walk. If you want to get it published, you would need to do it more tastefully, and probably omit some of the gorier details. If you're just doing it as a writing experiment for your own benefit, then go for broke. There are plenty of places on the internet where you can find more information on weirder fetishes, and probably someone to give you inside info on them if you're polite and non-judgmental about your inquiry.

Sex in fantasy is certainly nothing new. Jennifer Carey has written an entire series of books with what is essentially a high-end courtesan as the main character, and she does go into some of the more intense details. Its been a while since I've read the few books of her that I have, (I have trouble following her style, it's overly 'french' which I don't speak) but I recall her main character being tied up and burned with a red hot poker by a client.

Now, bear in mind there were other things going on in the books, not just random sex. If memory serves the sex was a means to an end, so that she could gather information.

In the end, it's all in how well you can weave it together.

 

[Ravana]

I think you will need to make a distinction in your mind at the outset as to whether the energy being generated is due to the intensity of the experience or due to some unique quality of it. If the former—which seems to be your general leaning—then it should be possible for any sexual act to generate it (or a great many other acts: attending a good concert might do it), and the only controlling factor will be what it is that generates the most intensity for that individual. Fetishists are fetishists, pretty much by definition, because they require some "unusual" quality to be present during sex… for the more "normal" (heh) majority, the same things would merely be described as "kinky," occasional variations on a theme rather than prerequisites for pleasure.

Another decision you'll need to make is whether or not the energy is being generated within the character undergoing the experience, or if it is being taken from the other participant(s)… "psychic vampirism," which, again, seems to be where you're going, and which again does not necessarily involve sex. (It could simply involve subjecting someone to lengthy, pedantic discourses on what prima facie seems ought to be a titillating topic.… )It will also be important whether the energy being generated can be stored, or has to be used at the time it's obtained—the spell has to be worked up and released as the energy is. (Which could cause all kinds of complications, and no few opportunities for humor.)

So one character might generate the "most" or "best" energy—for that character—through fetishist acts, or through the excitation of others engaging in such acts. (S/he could, for instance, be a specialist prostitute, one that exposes clients to "new and unusual" experiences… this could also be useful as a plot point for times where the client to be siphoned doesn't "get in to" whatever act is presented… the spell or siphoning attempt falls flat.) Others might get the same "charge" from something completely different: listening to music, playing music, drumming, dance, bungee jumping, drug use, gladiatorial combat (okay, paintball is more likely in a modern context… though perhaps it provides less of a charge than bare-knuckle brawling?), and so on. Particularly if the energy cannot be stored, try imagining a "magical duel" between a fetishist and a cellist. Though in such cases, your "spells" will probably not involve immediate, dramatic effects such as fireballs; they'd be more in the nature of curses or other long-term changes.

I would recommend you begin your research with—I kid you not—the Kinsey Reports, followed possibly by the Masters and Johnson studies. These are the defining works on modern Western scientific views on sexuality, and should be easily available. The former are more objective; the latter were focused on the psychology of sexuality, and in particular considered homosexuality to be a dysfunction, which somewhat mars their status in contemporary discourse, though this may not matter for your purposes (and of course you can always ignore the inconvenient parts ). Consider looking into taboos—not as we usually use the word, but in the sense of acts that are prohibited (or required) in order for a magician to use power effectively (Samson and haircuts, for example; remember that the word "fetish" itself has a similar origin). Tantric Buddhism (yoga, sex), as mentioned before, since this falls very close to the basis of what you're after, in the sense of generating magical energy during sexual activity—though it will probably fall far from anything that might be considered fetishist.

Liquid Sky, short version: aliens (read: succubi, for your purposes) come to Earth to extract endorphins released during orgasm and/or drug use. And if you want to know any more, you're on your own and don't say I didn't warn you.

…give you inside info on them if you're polite and non-judgmental about your inquiry

Or, more importantly, if you're wiling to put up with some serious weirdness in your pursuit of research data—not all of your potential sources will turn out to be benign and disinterested. (Remember, if they're out there talking about it, there's probably a reason for it—that they're looking for similarly-interested people, and will be hoping you're one of them. Though a few will just be cops looking for people whose interests cross certain lines.) I'd strongly recommend any interactions of this nature be done through an e-mail account created solely for that purpose, and not using any of your real personal information. And be prepared to cut off immediately anyone who starts to creep you out.

 

[Vita Numinous]

Energy from ritualistic sex is a fairly traditional idea, not so far out there as you might be fearing. In some cultures that is probably just because of the important fertility associations, and others it has a lot of energy because of it's taboo nature, so you can go either way. Fetishistic sex energy isn't something to turn down out of hand, it depends on how you work it. I wouldn't have fun with a completely tasteless rendition, and I wouldn't just want a oneupmanship of the next weirdest thing a character can come up with, but I'm sure there are some amusing, titillating, and even thoughtful presentations of this idea are very possible. I turned down my supernatural call girls society idea for the moment, but it doesn't mean my little geishas won't turn up at some point, because they're wandering around my psyche somewhere. (Dear gods, leave that other character alone in there, girls, he's just not into that... )

 

[Chaz24]

I really enjoy seeing the serious thoughts shared on the forum with regard to my question. A lot of the ideas have been floating around in my mind, but your posts have helped me consider various aspects of the energy sources that I really have not given thought to.

I will share one of the ideas I have been considering. Yes, it can be strangely effective in ways; and I only want to implement it in a serious way, though it may not seem possible.

One of my crazy ideas was to have the antagonistic character be a flatulophile. In other words, the victim would be forced to fart in the face of the antagonist attempting to gain energies.

My character would gain energy in several ways:
1. The actual act of knowing that he/she is participating in an energy-providing act.
2. He/she would enjoy the burst of warmth and and pressure hitting the face.
3. The aromatic effluvium would be the real source of energy, though.

I am even considering ways to strengthen the energy based on the strength and scent of the aroma. Naturally, this would mean placing various types of foods before the victim, determining the power and odor.

Any ideas on this specific fetish?

Any ideas on other strange fetishes which could be explored?

 

[Black Dragon]

Hmm... will there be a scratch and sniff page in this novel?

 

[Juiceman]

Interesting. Strange. But interesting.

Your idea seems well-intentioned, but I find it hard how such a fetish could tastefully be done within the confines of a storyline. Maybe exploring more unusual fetishes in place of disgusting ones might be worth a try.

Here are a couple of interesting ones which could more easily be worked into a fantasy story:

Vorarephilia. It is the sexual enjoyment of being eaten. I recall hearing about a few real-life cases, mostly overseas, about people taking out classified ads for such sexual partners. In fact, I believe that once or twice this led to murder charges after the act was really done.

Burusera. It is still gross, but not to the extent of your flatulophilia example. It is the sexual enjoyment of smelling other people's underwear. Perhaps your antagonist could get his energy jollies by using his powers to acquire materials or using captives or something.

The bad part about this one is that I personally know of someone who sends money to women asking them to buy a pair of underwear, wear them for 3 or 4 days, then mail them to him. All I can say is that I hope the kid I am related to (his son) does not grow up to be the same. I'd probably have to slap some sense into him. Thank God the guy has no interest in his son, and the son very much dislikes the father.

By the way, your term for a fart is kind of original: aromatic effluvium.

 

[Legerdemain]

Honestly, I think the idea of using such a power of gaining "energy" through sexual experience to be quite an entertaining one indeed, though the route I would take it would be quite different. Instead of the focus being on the act of "energy procurement", make the focus on the partnership that it would so require, and thus make it about someone searching for "power" in all the wrong places as it were.

Like a bad date gone worse, you hope to meet the man/woman of your dreams, only to find out you aren't into what their into, and you can't seem to get "energy" no matter what you do! Take the "you're doing it wrong" to the extent of a person who cannot be successful in love or magic, and by the time they are successful in love, they no longer want the magic from the love, they want the love regardless of the magic.

Sorry, I'm taking a more family friendly comedy tour with this idea.

BD, scratch and sniff? Ewww... wow man... ewww...

and Chaz, in my honest opinion, it would be very hard for me to read a book where there is that much energy farting. But maybe that's just me.

 

[Amanita]

Well, I'd be very careful with that.
There's this manga/anima series Seikon no Qwaser where the characters receive their magical powers by drinking women's breast milk. And that's the only thing any reviewer seems to note about the story even though it has a rather interesting storyline and quite a few well-written characters.
People who aren't interested in reading about/seeing female breasts stay away from it. (If they aren't trying to find out about every way chemical elemental magic has been used before, like me. )
90 percent of the discussions around this story are about the breast milk issue and many people consider it tasteless.
So, if you don't want your story to be only judged as a provocative take on sexuality, you might want to reconsider using that approach.
If you don't mind that go for it though. If the rest shows that you're not going for the shock value there will be at least some peope who appreciate it.